章節 74: A Gift
For a moment, the world around him faded into the background. His senses were attuned entirely to the presence of the horse. He could feel Midnight's strength and power, as though it were now a part of him.
The stallion nudged him gently with its nose, eliciting a chuckle. "Looks like we're stuck with each other now," Ranav murmured, stroking the horse's silky mane.
At that moment, Paramita and Grandpa Khan approached the stall. Ranav smiled at Midnight and said, "Let's go out to play."
This time, Midnight obediently followed him out of the stall. Turning to Paramita, Ranav added, "Bring Lucky with us. Let's see how they get along."
After they left the ranch, Ranav formally introduced Midnight to Paramita, Lucky, and Grandpa Khan. He instructed the horse to recognize and obey them. Midnight seemed to understand and quietly acknowledged the introductions.
The group ventured into the open fields. Ranav and Paramita enjoyed a leisurely ride, letting their horses run free in the wilderness. After some time, Ranav suggested Paramita ride Midnight to test the horse's temperament. Surprisingly, Midnight accepted her without resistance, allowing her to ride comfortably. Ranav, mounted on Lucky, raced alongside her. For over half an hour, they galloped across the back garden, the wind rushing past them.
Later, Ranav spoke to Midnight, ensuring the stallion understood his expectations. Midnight seemed to agree, nodding his head as though in acknowledgment. Satisfied, Ranav returned the horses to their stalls.
Back at the estate, Ranav and Paramita went to their rooms to freshen up. After taking a long bath, Ranav decided to focus on finishing the remaining books Miss Etiquette had provided.
He sent his consciousness into his storage ring and entered the library within. Gathering all the books, he settled in a corner and began reading. Hours passed before he finally stood up, having absorbed all the information. Though tempted to meditate, he glanced at the time and decided against it. "It'll be lunchtime soon, and Miss Etiquette will arrive earlier today. I'll resume my meditation after she leaves."
Changing into fresh clothes, Ranav carried the books downstairs to the classroom to return them. Just as he stepped out, he noticed Paramita descending the staircase.
"I knocked on your door earlier. I thought you were asleep," she said, smiling.
"It's almost lunchtime, so I came down to return the etiquette books," Ranav replied.
"Did you finish reading all of them?"
"Yes. At least once. I took notes on the important topics. Since today's my last class with Miss Etiquette, I wanted to return these. Your library has similar books, so if I need to revisit anything, I can read them there without bothering her."
"That makes sense. I was surprised you managed to read and memorize them all so quickly!"
Ranav chuckled. "I was planning to take a stroll in the garden. Care to join me?"
"Sure," Paramita agreed.
As they walked, Ranav shared stories about his village life, while Paramita recounted her school experiences. Ranav was intrigued by her tales of cooperative teachers and the dynamic school environment. In turn, Paramita expressed her excitement about visiting his village. Ranav invited her to the New Year festival, explaining that her father would be attending as a chief guest. They decided she would arrive a few days early to experience the festivities and return with her father.
After lunch, they returned to their rooms. A maid later informed Ranav of Miss Etiquette's arrival. He promptly got ready and met her downstairs. Handing over the books, Ranav listened attentively as she covered the remaining etiquette lessons. She emphasized key topics like Meeting & Greeting Etiquette, Table Manners, and Hospitality Management, demonstrating movements and styles in detail. Jessica observed everything closely, ready to assist Ranav if he ever forgot.
When Miss Etiquette left, Ranav returned to his room. But before he could settle down, a knock at the door interrupted him.
Opening it, he found Nanima standing there. "Master, when did you arrive?" he asked.
"Not long ago," Nanima replied. "I heard you've been learning noble etiquette. Vedika has high hopes for you. How's your meditation going? How many black stars can you control now?"
Ranav didn't answer immediately. Instead, he connected to his darkness star circle and released a dark pulse toward some dust in the corner. The dust vanished into thin air.
Nanima's jaw dropped. "How did you form a star circle so quickly?" she asked in amazement.
"I'm not entirely sure. Maybe the Voidvine flower had something to do with it."
"That's likely the case. Have you told anyone about it?"
"No."
"Good. Keep it that way. Once we return home tomorrow, you can practice without fear of being seen."
"I understand, Master," Ranav said.
"Good. Rest for now. We'll start our journey after breakfast. Tenali Raman is in the county on business, and we'll return with him by carriage."
After she left, Ranav prepared for dinner. At the table, everyone was present—the count, countess, Paramita, Nanima, and Ranav.
During the conversation, the count said, "I heard the black horse behaved unusually today, almost as if it were missing Ranav."
Paramita chimed in, "Yes, but it calmed down later. I even rode it for a while."
The count raised an eyebrow. "It let you ride it? That's incredible. It's been years that horse was in my ranch but nobody could control that horse."
With a chuckle, he added, "Ranav, as the horse seems attached to you, I've decided to gift it to you."
The room fell silent, everyone staring at the count in disbelief.
Ranav quickly said, "Thank you, but my family doesn't have the means to care for a horse. We lack stables, and horses are expensive to maintain."
The countess interjected, "Midnight can stay at our ranch for now. When you're ready, you can take him to your village."
Grateful, Ranav thanked the count and countess before filling Nanima in on what she had missed.
After dinner, Ranav returned to his room and began meditating to form a summoning star circle. The night passed quickly.
Early the next morning, a maid informed him that a girl was waiting at the front gate. Ranav immediately knew it was Camilla.
He approached the bench beside the guard post where she sat. "Camilla, have you decided to come with me?"
Camilla looked up and nodded. "Yes. I'll go to your home with you."
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