Moments later, Jack sat cross-legged in the center of the training ground, his back straight, his eyes closed. A soft green light shimmered around his body, gently pulsing with life.
A wind began to stir around him. Tiny flowers and weeds bloomed at his feet, dancing to the rhythm of his breath.
"Calm your body, young master," Sir David instructed, his voice steady and precise. "Sense the essence around you. Slowly guide it into your bloodstream."
Jack's brow creased slightly as he followed each word with utmost concentration.
"Now," David continued, "lead the essence toward your brain. Guide it into your essentric cortex."
The glow around Jack intensified. The wind turned sharp and restless, swirling like a miniature storm.
[WOW, HE'S ABOUT TO BREAK THROUGH! THIS IS HUGE!]
Not yet, Wiz. This is only the beginning, William thought, observing with quiet focus.
Essence—those magical particles akin to mana or ki—were the lifeblood of mystics. William understood its nature better than most. Though its origins remained a mystery, history recorded a time when humanity first began sensing it in nature… and everything changed.
Most children awakened their sense of essence around age five. But William—a genius beyond his years—felt it at age three.
Essence entered through the bloodstream and was stored in a mystical organ called the essentric cortex, a structure that didn't even exist until essence first made contact with the brain.
Developing and maintaining this flow was the first trial of any mystic.
"Leading essence to the cortex isn't hard," William whispered to Wiz, "but maintaining a steady flow without overloading the body? That's where the real challenge lies."
Just then, Jack began to tremble.
Sweat trickled down his forehead. His breathing grew shallow.
"Calm yourself, young master," David urged, eyes narrowing. "Absorb too much essence and you'll risk essence sickness."
"Essence sickness?" Wiz murmured.
Yes—when a body took in more essence than it could handle, the results were catastrophic. Dark marks appeared across the skin, and if unchecked, the sickness could become permanent.
The glow around Jack brightened, nearing its climax.
"Now," David commanded, "use the essence—break through!"
BAM. The swirling energy collapsed inward. The air fell still. The glow vanished.
"Huff… huff…" Jack gasped, drenched in sweat but sitting upright—victorious.
David stepped forward, placing a firm hand on his student's head. A soft red glow pulsed from his palm.
"You've done it, young master. You are now… a mystic."
He paused, then added, "Your essence is aligned with nature."
There were many types of essence—fire, water, earth, light, nature, and more. A mystic's affinity was almost always inherited. Their lineage decided their elemental fate.
"Well done," David said, pride in his voice. "Go and share the news with Lord and Lady Medici."
"Right!" Jack beamed. He turned, running straight to William and scooping him into his arms.
"Did you see that, William? Wasn't I amazing? Don't worry—your big brother will always protect you."
William's gaze softened slightly.
He said those exact words in the novel… just before their parents died.
[ISN'T HE A DEPENDABLE OLDER BROTHER?]
"Maybe," William whispered.
The moment they entered the mansion, they were met with uproar. Servants darted through the halls in panic.
"Not here!" someone yelled.
"Search the kitchens!" cried another.
Jack blinked, confused. "What's going on? What are you all looking for?"
A servant, spotting them, gasped in relief. "Young Master William—he's been found!"
Then came the presence that made Jack freeze in place.
Baroness Mowbray—William's nanny—approached, her smile ice-cold and eyes blazing.
"Where," she asked sweetly, "did you take Young Master William?"
[OH, HE'S IN BIG TROUBLE.]
Jack gulped. "Well—I, uh, went to check on him, and—he wouldn't let go, so—I took him to the training ground!"
The baroness's glare deepened. "That's your excuse, young master?"
"I'm telling the truth!"
Thankfully, salvation arrived.
Amanda de' Medici swept into the corridor with elegance and calm command. The servants bowed immediately.
"Good morning, my lady," they chimed.
"Mom!" Jack ran to her. "I went to see William, and—"
Amanda chuckled and kissed him on the forehead. "I know, Jack. But you should have told us. Do you know how worried we were?"
"I'm sorry, Mom," Jack said, looking down.
Amanda smiled. "You do have something to tell me though, don't you?"
"Oh!" Jack lit up. "I broke through! I'm a mystic now—just like you and Dad!"
Amanda's eyes sparkled. "Really? My son… a genius." She turned to the servants. "Prepare a celebration. We'll host a banquet in Jack's honor."
Jack grinned, but—
"—But," Amanda added, "you're grounded. No seeing William for one week."
"What?! That's unfair!" Jack groaned.
That Evening
William lay in his cradle, the room dimly lit by moonlight.
[WASN'T TODAY… CHAOTIC?]
"Indeed," William murmured.
[SO—WHAT'S THE PLAN NOW?]
William's sapphire eyes stared at the ceiling. "In this world, strength matters more than intelligence. Without power, even the greatest plans fall."
[SO… HOW WILL YOU GET STRONGER?]
"By starting essence cultivation now."
[BUT… EVERYONE STARTS AT FIVE!]
"True. But I'll begin tonight."
[YOUR ESSENTRIC CORTEX ISN'T EVEN DEVELOPED YET!]
William smirked. "It develops when the body subconsciously senses essence. What if I force it—consciously?"
[NO. YOU CAN'T. IT'S—]
But William wasn't listening. He closed his eyes and focused.
At first, there was only silence.
[TOLD YOU—]
Then… the faintest trace.
William caught it.
Essence.
He inhaled it. Threaded it through his bloodstream. Directed it inward.
[HOW IS THIS—POSSIBLE?!]
William expelled the essence and collapsed, his body trembling. Two particles—just two—and already his temperature plummeted, his limbs quivered, and sweat drenched his brow.
Two Days Later
William lay fevered in his cradle, his small frame shaking. The room was dim and hushed, filled with healers and maids moving in controlled urgency.
Amanda sat beside him, her hand glowing green as she gently pressed her palm to his chest, casting Heal again and again.
"Stay strong, my son," she whispered, her voice a trembling thread beneath noble composure.
Outside, Jack stood by the door, eyes wet, fists clenched.
[WILLIAM…]
"Shut up, Wiz," William muttered inwardly, half-lidded and weak.
[HEY! I TOLD YOU NOT TO DO THAT CRAZY ESSENCE THING!]
"You did," William said quietly. "But you also didn't mention one important thing."
He blinked, wincing. "That forcing essence into an undeveloped core could destroy my neural pathways. Paralyze me for life."
Wiz fell into stunned silence.
[…NOT EVERYTHING IS FREE, MY DEAR EMPEROR OF THE SHATTERED CROWN.]