Supreme Magus

Chapter 3350 A Kingʼs Funeral (Part 1)

ʼI could tell you Lith Awakened very young and that compared to him you had much less time to practice but thatʼs not the issue.ʼ Faluel replied and Tista nodded. ʼHe had to work everything out by himself whereas you had skilled teachers every step of your way.

ʼYou could have caught up to your brother by now if you had his same drive!

ʼWhat do you mean?”

”That after healing from the Strangler you had a peaceful life. You joined the academy because it was your dream and became an Awakened without any effort on your part. 1 took you in as my apprentice only because Lith brought you along, not because you deserved it.ʼ Faluel said.

ʼWas I that lacking? Tista lowered her eyes in embarrassment.

ʼNo, you were a great mage but thatʼs beyond the point. The Hydra replied. ʼLith joined the academy because no one could teach him high tier magic. He relentlessly improved his skills for Solusʼ sake first and then also to fix his life force.

ʼWhen he studied, you played. When you studied, he risked his life on the battlefield. As I said, you lack his drive. Even now, you are studying without a real goal. You do what you like, not what you have to.

ʼWhat about you?ʼTista asked.

ʼI come from a good family but I had to work hard to earn everything I have. My position as the beast Ruler of the Distar region, my Awakening, and my treasures are all things I achieved without relying on others.

ʼRight now, my goal is to perfect Glemosʼ Harmonizers and help my people to break past the limits of Lesser Dragons. On top of that, I also have to keep my word and find a way for the people of Zelex to undo their fallen state.ʼ

ʼI definitely lack drive. Tista sighed. ʼSorry for wasting your time with my whining!

ʼDonʼt be silly. You didnʼt whine, you looked at yourself in search of your flaws and you found them. Bonus points for recognizing your problems instead of making excuses for them.ʼ

”Thank you, Master Falucl.ʼ

ʼYou are welcome. The Hydra gave her a polite nod of the head.

ʼBy the way, how is the Harmonizer project going?”Tista asked.

ʼNot well.ʼFaluel shrugged. ʼThereʼs a reason the Tyrant bloodline worked for millennia on the Harmonizers yet failed to achieve any permanent result.

ʼEven after Thrudʼs Generals agreed to help us Hydras in our research, we have yet to isolate the key factors in the different bloodlines of Lesser Divine Beasts that the Ambrosia triggered.

ʼUntil we succeed, even with perfect Harmonizer taking the next evolutionary step is but a pipe dream. Baba Yaga offered her help as well, but only if the Hydras invest part of their resources in the development of Harmonizers for her undead.

ʼUseless to say, my people are not inclined to agree and are still arguing about it.ʼ

ʼWell, Ripha is a good friend of Baba Yaga and the Royals just announced her return, Iʼm sure the Hydras would love to work with the First Ruler of the Flames. On top of that, Ripha can vouch for Baba Yaga, breaking the impasse. Tista said.

ʼHaving one of the greatest Healers of all times work side by side with one of the greatest Forgemasters would surely help our research, but thereʼs one problem, or rather, two problems with that.ʼ Faluel replied.

ʼProblem one: Ripha might not be interested in charity work.ʼTista said. ʼProblem two: Lith is not interested in charity work.

ʼExactly. Faluel sighed. ʼEven if Master Menadion agrees to help us, she canʼt go anywhere unless Lith comes along. Still, itʼs a good idea. Iʼll talk with Master Menadion

first. If I canʼt convince her, then thereʼs nothing I can do.ʼ

ʼYouʼd better wait to do that. Tista said. At the moment, Riphaʼs only priority is to make up for the lost time with Solus.ʼ

ʼAs she should.ʼ Faluel said. Iʼm in no rush. The research has been stumped for centuries, it can wait a few more months.”

Once the lesson was over, everybody went back to the Blood Desert for lunch. Lith and Solus spent the rest of the day respectively with his family and with her mother. Solus wanted to know everything about her first life, both the good and bad parts. Menadion, instead, had waited seventeen years to comment on Solusʼ every life choice and congratulate her for her achievements.

”Iʼm so glad you earned your deep green Great Mage robe long before my return, sweetie.” Ripha said. ”I donʼt want you to live under my shadow.”

”Donʼt worry, Mom.” Solus hugged her. ”Even if everyone were to think Iʼm mooching

off you, it would be a small price to pay to have you back”

”Thanks, dear.” Menadion returned the embrace. ”Since itʼs my turn to ask questions, how did Lith free himself after Nalear captured him? I want the truth, not the

sugar-coated version you gave his parents.”

”Right. You were with me after she sealed me in the Retrieval Unit.” Solus nodded and told her mother about the day when Yurial died

***

A few days later. Lith and Solus had found their new routine.

They would spend the morning learning about the tower from Menadion and receiving advice from her about how to best use the different floors. They didnʼt work or practice much.

It was just an excuse to better know Menadion through her work and let her break the ice with Lith after their awkward first encounter. Their relationship was far from smooth and further complicated by the fact that she was supposed to be his teacher and he her master.

For a mage as ancient and powerful as Menadion, it wasnʼt easy to accept being dependent on someone much younger than her, let alone when that someone was also bonded to her beloved daughter.

Lith and Solus would then spend the time after lunch on their own and take turns at night to take care of the babies. Elysia and Valeron had missed them both dearly and still needed to be reassured they wouldnʼt disappear again.

”Thank the gods Elysia now sleeps through most of the night with just a couple of

lunch breaks.” Lith sighed.

”Valeron is a dear, but every time she woke him up, he never passed up the

opportunity for an extra meal.” Kamila chuckled.

”Which also meant an extra diaper change.” His nose wrinkled at the memory. ”The

worst part is that we canʼt put them in another room. They are too smart. They know our faces, our smells, and even our heat signatures!

”If they donʼt see us when they wake up, they have a heartbreaking fit of cry until they see you, me, or Solus.”

”Itʼs one of the burdens of being a good parent.” Kamla chuckled. ”Your children end up loving you. Also, itʼs not my fault if we have to deal with toddlers with magical powers and bloodline abilities.”

”Yeah, thatʼs on me.” Lith said with mock indignance. ”The first child is hard on anyone but I upgraded us to hell difficulty.”

”Yup.” Kamila gave him a sweet kiss. ”And you had the genius idea to start a new game while we have yet to finish the tutorial,”