บท 13: A Small Torch, A Flickering Flame
On the way back home, he thought about many things. The arranged meeting with his father tomorrow, and there was the matter of the person knowing about what he's doing.
There was also the talk with his aunt—the head professor of Aurora Academy, the usual 'shame of the House of Sol' lecture. He had been called countless times in the past year but he had grown to be able to ignore her. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite ignore what she had said this time.
"If you bring any more unexpected mishaps to the House of Sol, I won't care about my brother's position and directly kick you out of school," Sebastian's aunt had threatened him. Now that he thought back to it, she had warned him on the same day that Gilbert challenged him.
That wasn't a coincidence.
This meant that his aunt and the people on her side were conspiring with the Walt House to unite with the House of Luna. But, what would they gain?
The House of Sol wouldn't rise at all from such a partnership. In fact, the status of the other two houses would rise further and bring down the House of Sol.
The four major houses are independent entities and to date, none of the children from the legal wives had married one another. If the union between Gilbert and Amy were to come into fruition, then it would be the first time in history.
The union between two successors... the amount of power behind them would be frightening. Sebastian's elder half-brother is the most likely successor to the house but as their father hasn't stated it in public, it couldn't be confirmed.
It would be in his aunt's best interest to have Amy—the only woman successor of the four major houses available for marriage to unite with his elder brother instead. But, why would she choose to help Gilbert?
Sebastian had no way of finding out what his aunt was thinking.
Perhaps if it were a year ago, Sebastian would be open to resources for investigation but right now, he didn't even have enough reputation in the school let alone the House of Sol.
It was hard to believe that the House of Luna would plot against the House of Sol though. They've been in a partnership for several generations already, why would his aunt try to break that?
Without noticing the passage of time as he wallowed in his thoughts, Sebastian reached his home after an exhausting round trip that lasted two days. The first thing that he did was to go into his room, close the curtains, and lock the door.
He tried doing it in the carriage but because he was afraid of being discovered, he had a hard time successfully creating even a small flame the size of his pinky's nail.
Sebastian sat down on the bed. During the trip back, he had found out that despite conjuring flames through his glove, it wasn't burnt in the least. He had made several experiments and saw that even his clothes weren't affected.
He reached out for a piece of paper by the desk and created a flame from his index finger. He only had a few seconds of window time to place the piece of paper over the flame and it burned like it was placed over a candle.
He sat there in silence thinking about the reason. He took the other pair of the glove he was wearing and then held it over the flame. What would normally happen happened, the glove began burning and he dropped it on the floor in panic.
"Ah!" Sebastian yelled out and took off his blazer. The floor was made of wood and he had just dropped a burning glove on it. He tried putting out the fire with his blazer but to no avail so he began stepping on it over and over.
When he finally put it out, the glove was all but ashes and the wooden floor had a scorch mark.
"That fire... was too hard to put out..." Sebastian huffed and puffed with hands on his knees.
"Young master?" Martha's voice came from the door along with a knock. "I heard some ruckus in your room and I smelled something burning, are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Sebastian yelled out in response. "Miss Martha, can you get me a small rug?"
"Yes, I'll bring it up here soon," after leaving behind those words, Martha left giving Sebastian some time to recollect his thoughts.
Sebastian furrowed his brows. He could feel that creating small flames like that wouldn't be too difficult but creating flames the size of a hand would only last for a few seconds.
"I need a good place to test this..." the garden at the back of the estate was a huge no but he couldn't do such experiments in his room either.
But, he was sure now that the flames he made were far more potent and hot than a candle's flame.
Right now, he had no choice but to practice with the small flames.
"But, if my meeting with father tomorrow goes well..." Sebastian felt nervous. Now it all depends on how he could convince his father.
Even though he had the stigma now, he knew that it would be worthless in front of Gilbert in its current state. Even if he were to practice in secret, he wouldn't be able to compare to Gilbert. He and Amy were at the peak of Novice and only needed to take an exam to be considered as Apprentice ranks.
In less than three months, he has to go from Novice and reach Apprentice without exposing his power to the general public. If he were to alert Gilbert then the latter would definitely train even more than before. Sebastian couldn't afford that.
He had to secure a backing—someone who could give him a place to train and ensure secrecy. He contemplated choosing Markus Luna but with the unknown personage above him, he couldn't quite do that.
The Leons didn't have a reason to help him who was just a passing breeze. That only left the House of Sol, and they even had incentives in helping him. If it weren't for the matter of his aunt, he might've gone to her for help if the meeting with his father doesn't go well.
"Right now... the House of Sol is most likely split into factions," meaning that his father will be busy. Sebastian had to make sure he'd accept the deal.
What does father want? That's what Sebastian had to provide. Without his father's help, he wouldn't be able to do anything to Gilbert let alone win. In three months, Gilbert would be an Apprentice rank.
Sebastian exhausted the energy in his stigma, laid down on his bed then closed his eyes.
...
Although he had planned greatly, he couldn't just stay calm when faced with the silent pressure from his father, the head of the House of Sol.
"Sebastian," his father—Jonathan Sol—spoke slowly but there was unbridled arrogance hidden in his voice, "it's rare for you to seek me out of your own volition. I don't have much time to spend so make it quick."
Even when Sebastian's talentless disposition was unknown, his father treated his existence apathetically. Seeing that he didn't change actually made Sebastian feel strangely relieved. He hadn't met his father like this ever since the year prior.
"Well?" seeing as Sebastian still hadn't spoken, Jonathan spoke again, "I had come here out of respect for your mother and because of her condition but if you're just going to stare at me blankly, then I'll take my leave."
"Father, wait," Sebastian finally spoke. Jonathan sat there silently and waited for Sebastian to speak.
"This is a secret matter so can we please talk alone?" Sebastian looked at the housemaids who bowed and left.
"Father—" before Sebastian could finish his sentence, Jonathan raised his hand to stop him. "If it's a private matter then we'll talk in my office. The walls have ears after all."
They were at the estate of Clarice but because Jonathan is still the owner, there was naturally an office here for him.
They walked over to the second floor and Jonathan unlocked one of the doors then walked in. It wasn't spacious but the lack of ornaments and things in the room made it seem like it was. Because there hadn't been anyone in here for years, there was a thick layer of dust.
Jonathan created a wave of flames and made it sweep over the room much to Sebastian's surprise. The flames didn't burn anything except the dust and the entire room became spotless.
"Amazing..." Sebastian muttered. Jonathan heard him but ignored his comment as he proceeded to sit down on the chair behind the desk.
Jonathan Sol, as a house head held the power of a Caster infinitely nearing the rank of Magus. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that he is currently the strongest man in the kingdom.
In fact, he was even favored to become the next sage though he was nearing the end of his prime.
"Out with it," Jonathan's voice caused Sebastian to snap out of his daze and close the door behind him.
Sebastian stepped forward, took a deep breath with closed eyes and when he opened them again, he looked at Jonathan with a resolute gaze.
"Father," he called out trying to sound as calm as possible but right now, Sebastian was a bundle of nerves, "I know that you don't want to see me as your son because of the fact that I can't use my ability.
"Perhaps if I were in your shoes, I might've reacted the same way but... I have a way to overturn our damaged reputation."
Jonathan's interest was piqued as he leaned forward covering his mouth with his intertwined fingers, "and? What is this way you speak of?"
Sebastian gulped and opened his left hand. A moment later, a flame rose up but it only lasted for a few seconds before dispersing.
"I am no longer inept," that declaration was something that Sebastian had always wanted to say since the year prior. Now that he said it, he felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders but before he could relax completely, Jonathan spoke.
"So?"
Just a single word made Sebastian feel as if cold water were poured over his head. "Eh? What do you mean...?"
Jonathan didn't sigh nor did he make any special actions but his tone felt even more aggressive, "you've only gotten the ability to manipulate flames as everyone born in our house is able to. Not only that, you're a year behind the rest of your peers.
"If you think everything can be solved just by you being able to manipulate flames then you're naive. The world isn't so much as nice a place that all of my problems will be solved just by that. What do you want?"
Sebastian's mouth was dry, he couldn't say anything in response. "I... want to catch up. I won't be able to do so in school alone so I want a facility to train in.
"If you'll allow me to train myself then I promise I'll be able to catch up them! I just need resources, I won't lose to any of them..."
Jonathan glanced at Sebastian's desperate figure then took out a candle from the desk drawer. He placed it on the desk.
"You wish for resources and a facilities to catch up but don't you realize that your peers have also been provided the same thing?" Jonathan lit the candle just by waving his finger.
"I would liken you to this candle, feeble and limited. But that's not exactly right, you won't last as long as a candle.
"You're just a small torch, a flickering flame that will soon disperse. Why should I waste my resources on your wish?"
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