Chapter 9: Threads of Trust
The Black Bulls' base was unusually quiet that morning.
A rare beam of sunlight spilled through the cracks in the old wood, scattering dust motes across the training field.
Lucien stood in the center, eyes closed, his grimoire floating open beside him. Rings of mana flickered in the air — blue, gold, and silver light intertwining like strands of silk.
Each ring pulsed with a different element — fire, wind, earth, and water — shifting harmoniously in rhythm with his breathing.
It was balance. Controlled chaos turned into art.
Then a sharp splash broke his focus.
"Wha—Noelle?" Lucien blinked, shaking droplets off his face.
Noelle Silva stood across the yard, arms crossed, a small puddle forming beneath her. "I was trying to warm up! You didn't have to stand in the way."
Lucien smiled faintly. "I didn't realize warming up meant flooding the courtyard."
Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, ha-ha. At least I can summon more than bubbles now."
"True," he said evenly, "but can you control them?"
Her pride bristled instantly. "Of course I can!"
"Show me."
I. A Lesson in Control
Minutes later, they stood facing each other, a few meters apart. Noelle's grimoire hovered beside her, pages shimmering with blue runes.
"Focus on balance," Lucien instructed, his tone patient. "Don't fight the water — guide it."
She furrowed her brow, summoning a swirling orb of water between her palms. "Guide it, right. That's what everyone says."
"Not like a weapon," Lucien continued, circling her slowly, "but like a conversation. Feel it. Let it listen to you."
Noelle frowned, focusing. Her orb wavered violently, sloshing out of shape.
Lucien raised a hand and sent out a faint pulse of mana — a whisper of his Omni Magic. The surrounding mana quieted, creating a calm space.
"Now breathe," he said softly. "Listen to how your magic moves. It's trying to find your heartbeat."
Her eyes softened slightly. The water began to steady, spinning in slow, graceful loops around her.
"…It's like it's alive," she whispered.
Lucien nodded. "It is. Every element has its rhythm. Once you find harmony, it follows willingly."
The sphere condensed into a perfect droplet — calm and controlled.
Noelle blinked, almost startled by her own success. "I… did it?"
Lucien's faint smile grew warmer. "You did."
For the first time, she didn't respond with sarcasm or pride — only quiet satisfaction.
II. Shared Reflections
They took a break by the stream behind the base. The forest was peaceful — birdsong filling the air, the sun glinting off the water's surface.
Noelle sat on a rock, staring into the river's rippling flow. "You know," she began, "everyone always told me I was hopeless. That my magic was too wild, too… unstable."
Lucien looked at her quietly. "Your family?"
She nodded once, not meeting his gaze. "They said I embarrassed the Silva name. Even Solid…" Her voice wavered, but she caught herself. "But I don't want their approval anymore. I just… want to be better."
Lucien turned to the stream, watching it twist and shimmer. "I understand," he said finally. "You and I… we've both been told we weren't enough."
Noelle looked up.
"My siblings said the same," Lucien continued. "That I was a disgrace — that my magic was nothing but empty air. For a while, I believed them." He paused. "But I think… the only way to prove them wrong is to stop trying to prove them anything at all."
Noelle's expression softened. "Then who do you want to prove it to?"
Lucien smiled faintly. "Myself."
For a long while, they sat in silence — two outcasts from the same lineage, sharing the quiet understanding that words couldn't quite express.
III. The Balance Within
As the sun dipped low, Noelle stood again. "One more try," she said with a determined look.
Lucien rose beside her, nodding. "Then let's push further. Try controlling two streams at once."
She summoned two arcs of water, both trembling at first — then steadying. Lucien extended a thread of his own mana, weaving it subtly through the air.
"Breathe," he reminded her. "Don't control — connect."
Her focus deepened. The streams merged into a single spiral, twisting around her like a ribbon of light.
The water rippled, reflecting the faint silver of Lucien's Omni Magic, glowing faintly under the twilight.
Noelle gasped softly. "It's… beautiful."
"It's you," Lucien said simply.
Her cheeks flushed. "T-tch… stop saying weird things."
He chuckled, turning away slightly. "Just an observation."
But beneath the teasing, there was truth — she was changing, and so was he.
IV. The Night Sky Promise
Later that night, as the base quieted, Lucien stood outside again, looking up at the stars.
He heard footsteps approach — light, hesitant.
Noelle stopped beside him. "Hey," she said softly. "About earlier… thanks."
Lucien tilted his head. "For what?"
"For not treating me like I'm broken."
He gave a small smile. "You're not broken, Noelle. You're just still learning how to sing in tune."
She blinked, a little confused but strangely touched. "That's… a poetic way to put it."
"Magic's a kind of music," he said, eyes on the sky. "And you've got a powerful song. You just need the right rhythm."
For a moment, she looked at him — really looked — and saw not just another noble, but someone who understood her pain.
Then she smirked faintly. "Then I expect you to be my teacher, Luci."
"Teacher?" he repeated. "I thought we were equals."
"We'll see," she said with a playful tilt of her head before walking off toward the base.
Lucien watched her go, a quiet satisfaction settling in his chest.
For the first time, he didn't feel like the outcast of the Silva family — he felt like someone who mattered.