The moment the cold vanished, the field felt… empty.
Not peaceful.
Not safe.
Just empty.
Lyra was still staring at the place where her sister had disappeared.
"…Three days," she whispered.
Adrian picked up the branch again and tapped it lightly against his palm.
"Yes."
Lyra looked at him.
"…You said that too easily."
"Because it's simple."
Lyra blinked. "Simple?"
Adrian pointed the stick at her.
"You don't need to become stronger than her."
Lyra frowned.
"Then what do I need to do?"
Adrian's eyes sharpened slightly.
"You just need to stop losing."
Silence.
Lyra processed that.
"…That doesn't sound simple."
"It is," Adrian said calmly. "You're already strong. Your problem isn't power."
He stepped closer.
"It's control."
Lyra looked down at her hands.
"…I know."
"No," Adrian said, voice steady. "You *understand* it. You don't *accept* it."
She looked up.
"What's the difference?"
Adrian pointed at her chest.
"You're afraid of your own power."
Lyra froze.
Because that—
Was true.
She had always been.
Ever since the first time her mana spiraled out of control.
Ever since the cold started hurting people.
"…If I lose control again," she said quietly, "someone could get hurt."
Adrian didn't deny it.
"Yes."
Lyra's fingers trembled slightly.
"…Then how am I supposed to stop being afraid?"
Adrian held out his hand.
"By facing it."
Lyra stared at it.
"…That sounds like something a bad teacher would say."
"Probably."
"…You're not even denying it."
"Take my hand."
Lyra hesitated.
Then—
She placed her hand in his.
The system activated instantly.
[Resonance Bond — Active]
[Frost Thread — Linked]
Adrian felt it again.
Lyra's mana.
Still unstable.
Still swirling.
Still without structure.
But now—
He wasn't just reacting to it.
He was *guiding it on purpose.*
"Close your eyes," he said.
Lyra did.
"Don't suppress it."
Her breathing hitched.
"…That's the opposite of what I've been doing."
"I know."
Adrian's grip tightened slightly.
"Let it move."
For a second—
Nothing happened.
Then—
The cold returned.
Slowly.
Crawling along Lyra's fingers.
Spreading outward.
Lyra's breathing became uneven.
"It's… rising again…"
"Good."
"That's not good!"
"It is."
Adrian's voice didn't change.
"Because now we're controlling it."
His threads moved.
Not forcefully.
Not aggressively.
They wrapped around the unstable current inside her—
Not stopping it.
Guiding it.
Like channels forming inside a river.
Lyra gasped softly.
"…It feels different."
"Describe it."
"It's still cold," she whispered, "but… it's not… exploding."
Adrian nodded slightly.
"Again."
They repeated it.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Mana rises.
Thread guides.
Again.
And again.
Minutes passed.
Then an hour.
Lyra's control didn't become perfect.
But it improved.
Slightly.
Enough that the frost didn't spread uncontrollably anymore.
Adrian released her hand.
Lyra opened her eyes slowly.
"…I didn't lose control."
"No."
"…I really didn't."
Adrian nodded once.
"That's step one."
Lyra looked at him.
"…Step one?"
Adrian pointed at the ground.
"Now we make it harder."
Lyra had a bad feeling about that.
"…How?"
Adrian picked up two sticks and tossed one to her.
"Fight me."
Lyra stared at him.
"…You're serious?"
"Yes."
"I can barely move my arms."
"Good."
"…You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"A little."
Lyra sighed.
Then raised the stick anyway.
"Fine."
Adrian stepped into position.
"Use your mana."
Lyra hesitated.
"…While fighting?"
"Yes."
"That's how I lose control."
"That's why we're doing it."
Lyra took a breath.
Then—
She moved.
Her swing was slower than before.
But this time—
Cold followed it.
A thin layer of frost formed along the stick as it cut through the air.
Adrian blocked.
The impact was light.
But the cold—
Spread.
He felt it.
Not dangerous.
But present.
"Again," he said.
Lyra attacked.
Again.
And again.
Each strike carried a bit more cold.
Each movement pushed her control further.
Twice—
She slipped.
The frost surged too far.
Both times—
Adrian stepped in.
Frost Thread activated instantly.
He corrected it.
Stabilized it.
Guided it back.
Lyra gritted her teeth.
"…Again."
Adrian didn't comment.
He just moved.
Hours passed.
The sun shifted.
The field became a mess of frozen patches and trampled grass.
By the end—
Lyra collapsed onto the ground.
"I'm done," she said immediately.
Adrian looked down at her.
"You're not dead."
"That's not the standard!"
"It is for training."
Lyra groaned.
"…You're the worst."
Adrian sat down beside her.
"Day one."
Lyra turned her head.
"…That was only day one?"
"Yes."
Lyra closed her eyes.
"…I'm going to die."
"Probably not."
"…That's not comforting."
Adrian looked at the sky.
Then—
At the system.
Synchronization: 10%
Frost Thread Mastery: 3%
Slow.
But steady.
Exactly how it should be.
Beside him, Lyra spoke again.
"…Adrian."
"What?"
"…Thank you."
He didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"Don't thank me yet."
Lyra frowned slightly.
"…Why?"
Adrian stood up and picked up his branch again.
"Because tomorrow will be worse."
Lyra stared at him in disbelief.
"…You're joking."
Adrian looked down at her.
"I'm not."
Lyra let out a long, tired breath.
Then—
A small smile appeared anyway.
"…Good."
Adrian paused.
"…Good?"
Lyra nodded weakly.
"Because I'm not going back."
Adrian studied her for a second.
Then nodded once.
"Good."
The wind moved gently across the field.
But this time—
It didn't feel cold.
---
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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Author's Note
If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to support the novel with **Power Stones**—it really helps the story grow and motivates me to keep releasing more chapters consistently.
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!