[Chapter Size: 2656 Words.]Lucius POVTwilight Manor, Orario.

  ...

  ...

  The private room, where executives usually ducted meetings, provided a serious and focused atmosphere. Lucius entered, notig Loki's protective stanext to Riviera, her shrewd eyes watg him like an attentive fox, as if afraid he might steal something valuable at any moment.

  A sigh escaped Lucius' lips as he closed the door, realizing how Loki exaggerated her posture. Walking to the ter of the room and sitting on the opposite side of the two women, he calmly looked at them, waiting for Riviera to take the lead.

  "Well, as I mentioned before, I offered to put you in some of my csses. It seems you fae issues with magical stability, as if there's excessive magical growth that you 't trol..." Riviera analyzed with an analytical expression.

  "Well, it seems so..." Lucius scratched his head, partially truthful under Loki's scrutinizing gaze, examining him with suspi.

  "Don't worry; I'm not demanding you expin your abilities. That's a secret of your own family, something we 't interfere with," Riviera said in a ral tone, easing Lucius, who sighed upon hearing those words.

  "Damn Chibi and her luck..." Loki muttered beside, crossing her arms with an air of distent.

  "Anyway, you may have many spells and a rge amount of maal energy, but it seems you don't have much magical knowledge. It intrigues me, but the ck of that knowledge also leaves a lot of room frowth potential," she tinued, gione in the sentence."So, I'll train you," she cluded, her atmosphere shifting to inteermination and an intimidating presence, causing Lucius to raise an eyebrow.

  "It's an offer I 't refuse..." Lucius replied sincerely, pting the unique opportunity to have someone of Riviera's caliber as his instructor in Orario, or even in the world.

  "I'm gd you think so, because it won't be easy. I'm warning you, so I don't want you pining, even if you wish for death..." Riviera said simply, but her words sent shivers down Lucius and Loki's spines, creating a temosphere in the room.

  'Wait, I heard that Lefiya suffered at the hands of this elven princess, but is it to this extent?' Lucius questioned in his mind, surprised at the iy of Riviera's determination.

  "I think I do this..." Lucius responded somewhat nervously after p for a moment.

  "I'll schedule our training like this. Three times a week, you'll e to our headquarters to study alongside my pupil, Lefiya. You'll have assigs, and I io assess your results. I won't be satisfied with anythihan what I sider excellent performaherwise, I'll make sure you 't even sleep on the following nights." She decred coldly, making Lucius wonder when this elf became so ruthless.

  "Hahaha, that's the way to go..." Loki looked at the poor human trying to win the "mom" over and was about to receive the terrible treatment of this executive. Loki, as always, ughed and teased those who became Riviera's pupils.

  "Loki, be quiet." The serious tone in Riviera's voice sent shivers down both Loki and Lucius' spines.

  'Where's the usual Riviera, and how did she bee this scary woman?' Both thought, perplexed by her ge in attitude.

  "But..." Lucius began to speak."No 'buts,' listen carefully. You'll do everything I ask, read everything I send you to read, answer all my theoretical questions, and I won't accept anythihan correswers. Otherwise, you'll review the eopi the beginning to reassess. Magic is a sce; if you misuand something, you'll have to go back to your basitil all your cepts are aligned. I'll also assess your performan the dungeon as our csses progress." Riviera no longer seemed like an elven princess but rather a terrible teacher ted nothihan excellent performance from her students.

  'Now I know why Lefiya had a scared look when csses were mentioned in the inal...' Lucius eo himself.

  "Subject to all this, do you still want to start ical training? It's a path of urn." Riviera asked rally.

  "I think so... I'll accept. What do we do now?" Lucius was relut at first but responded with firmation and asked, while Loki remained silent after being intimidated by the elven girl.Riviera looked at Lucius with a serious aermined gaze. "Lucius, our training will be divided into several stages. In the first few days, we'll cover the basiagic, from fual cepts to practig mana trol. Then, we'll move on to simpler spells that you have, gradually progressing to more plex spells in the ing weeks."

  She paused, assessing Lucius's expression. "tration is crucial. We will train your ability to maintain focus during casting spells, and after that, we will explore spell binations and their practical applications in simuted sarios."

  Riviera tinued, "In the following weeks, we will advao the study of more advanced magic, such as runic magid entments. Simultaneously, you will undergo physical training tthen your body and endure prolonged use of magic. At the end of the training, you will choose an area of specialization."

  She looked into Lucius's eyes. "This won't be easy. I won't tolerate performances below excellent. Three times a week, you will e to study at the Loki family headquarters, w alongside my pupil, Lefiya. You'll have tasks and frequent evaluations. If you don't meet the standards, prepare for sleepless nights."

  Riviera cluded, "We are aiming to develop yical abilities prehensively. Be prepared, as it will be challenging, but the result will be worth it."

  Lucius was still stunned by her speech; she seemed like a general addressing cadets. He sighed and looked at the transformed woman in front of him. "What will we do today with all this in mind?" Lucius raised the question.

  "e with me; let's go to the library for you to get the basic material to start your lessons." She said as she led the way to the family library.

  Lucius walked out, looking at that green-haired woman, w what the heck was happening here, as she no longer had a shy look but a determined and even somewhat intimidating one. heless, he followed her, eager to learn magic, his motivation to face this Riviera.

  Arriving at the location, Lucius noticed how this library was worthy of a family like Loki's. There must be at least 20 thousand books here; the pce was quite rge and luxurious. Riviera began to look around, walking through the bookshelves and pig up a stack of them. Lucius silently observed he entrah Loki. It didn't take long for her t a stack of books, simultaneously with the loud noise of their weight falling onto the table in front of Lucius and Loki. Riviera's aura was much more intimidating as she stared at him now.

  "You will read this in a week. I want a summary of all the points each book and author addresses." She said without blinking, her gaze fixed on Lucius, a man with a somewhat lost look about it."What? Isn't this too much...?" Lucius tried to make an excuse.

  "Quiet, you said you would do anything I demand, so just do it!" She said simply, making Lucius sound a bit tense.

  Sighing, Lucius nodded, having no other choice.

  'Even so, this is too much! In my past life, if I read 50 pages of a book in a day, I would feel satisfied, and now, this woman wants me to read 15 books in a week? This is too much!' Lucius mented internally but kept his thoughts to himself.

  "Okay, I'll do it." In the end, he accepted this demand.

  "Great, this is the basics to start. Your csses with me will begin once you grasp the basiagical introdu." She said emotionlessly.

  "Is this just the basics of introdu?!" Lucius didn't know what to say...

  "What? Are you giving up already?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "No, I'll do it..." He stopped his pint and said.

  "Okay, I won't take your time anymore; you will from now on..." She said, staring at him, which made Lucius nod and approach the table with books.

  Taking the books, he said goodbye to Riviera and Loki, leaving through the corridors of Twilight Manor with a stack of books in hand.

  As he walked towards the exit, there was a look of pity in the eyes of the observers as he passed by. Even Lefiya seemed to have pity, while Aiz o her just looked with a ral gaze. Loki, oher hand, seemed very happy and satisfied with the ditions Lucius found himself in, walking to the exit with him.As soon as he left, he bid farewell to the members of the Loki family with the books.

  "Anyway, thanks for the opportunity, and I enjoyed kig your ass, dog," Lucius spoke to Riviera and then turo Bete beside her, who had already ged into new clothes.

  "Tsk, ime, I'll break all your bones, mageling," Bete growled.

  Lucius wasn't intimidated; even though he had lost, he would grow stroo kick this wolf's ass iure.

  "I guess with that, I'll be going. Goodbye."

  "Hope to see you a week from now with results," Riviera said with an impcable voice.

  "Until ime then," Finn said.

  After bidding farewell, Lucius walked out through the gate of the Twilight Manor towards the slums with a stack of books in his hand.

  'I o get strong, but in the end, I'll have to study...' He mented as he walked through the streets of Orario.

  In time, he reached the abandoned churd noticed something strange about the pce, even though it wasn't yet noon. juring his life-deteagic revealed the presence of scouts on top of some buildings, watg him and the church.

  "They must be members of the Apollo family, maybe some from the Soma family, I don't know..." He reflected as he passed through the door. Even though he could see them, he couldn't determiheir strength. Regardless of whether he was being monitored or not, he ighem aered his current home.Lucius delved into the books, each page revealis and mysteries that he could hardly wait to uhe atmosphere in the abandoned church was imbued with the seriousness of his studies, and the white light h over Lucius's shoulder added a magical touch to the se.

  Hours passed, and the wizard was pletely immersed in his reading. Magical knowledge flowed into his mind, drawing a new horizon of possibilities. The silence of the church was interrupted only by the geurning of pages and Lucius's occasional aking in his notebook.

  Suddenly, the door of the church creaked as Hestia, Bell, Lili, and Riekliered. The light illuminating Lucius revealed an intense gleam in his eyes, indig the fervor of his study.

  "Hm? Lucius is home?" Hestia asked upon seeing the wizard focused oable.

  "Hello, wele." Lucius greeted, still absorbed in his books.

  "How many books, what are you reading, Mister Lucius?" Bell inquired, curious about the stack of books before the wizard.

  "Introdu to magic." Lucius's response was straightforward, aook out a small notebook to make notes. Creation magic could materialize books, but the transience of such creation made him opt for more ventional methods.

  "Lili thinks Mister Lucius is studying, is Lili wrong?" Lili questioned beside, her curiosity evident.

  "HEEE..." Rieklied a suspicious sound, expressing his own uainty.

  The atmosphere was charged with the energy of learning, as Lucius delved deep into magical texts, and the presence of visitors brought a touch of reality to the knowledge sanctuary he was building.Lucius, immersed in the books, answered questions without averting his gaze from the pages filled with knowledge. The enviro in the church was den with the energy of discovery, and the seriousness of the wizard reflected in his meticulous gestures of aking.

  "I am studying; my teacher is threatening me in case I don't meet her expectations," decred Lucius with a firmhat veyed his itment to studies. His serious toched the trated atmosphere of the church.

  Hestia, suspicious and surprised, questioned, "And who would be your teacher?"

  "Riviera, from the Loki family," answered Lucius, revealing his e with the iial family.

  Hestia's rea was impulsive and childish, expressing dissatisfa. "Huh? Is that why that damn Loki captain came looking for you? Yetting involved with that family like Bell!" She couldn't hide her .

  "Basically, Riviera gave me an opportunity to learn magic with her; naturally, I won't refuse, no matter how difficult it seems..." Lucius murmured, highlighting the plexity of the situation.

  Bell, enthusiastitervened, "But that's amazing!" He uood the importance of training, having personally experiehe positive impact of teags from other members of the Loki family.

  "HEEE?" Riekling, ever attentive, asked with curiosity.

  "Sure, everything was smooth; I just had to beat up a certain dog, the rest of the time retty peaceful..." Lucius replied to Riekling, who, though skeptical, couldn't help but be impressed by the apparent ease of the wizard.

  "heee..." The little goblin didn't know if he believed pletely, but Lucius, without stopping, shifted the focus of the versation as he tinued absorbed in the books.

  "How was the duoday?" He inquired, showing his i in Bell and his group's activities. The atmosphere in the church was silent, filled only by the murmur of pages being turned by Lucius. The soft light created by the white light ball highlighted the serious expressions of those present. Bell, curious, asked about the day in the dungeon.

  "It was good; even Lili is learning to use the spear that Mister Lucius suggested, with Riekling with us, she pay more attention to the fights," Bell reported, highlighting the training advances.

  Lucius, focused on his studies, announced his decision not to participate in the duhe day. "Only if you want to read books with me, other than that, I won't occupy my time with anything else here. Damn, I've been here for hours, and my head is already throbbing, and I'm only halfway through the first book. Riviera thinks I'm some kind of mae, I don't uand..." he grumbled, revealing the mental exhaustion caused by inteudies.

  "Alright, let's take Riekling," Bell said with an uanding smile, ign the 'mae' reference.

  "Better that way, sidering we're already the target of some scouts, you guys have to be prepared," warned Lucius, gaining the serious attention of those present.

  Hestia, worried, questioned: "What do you mean?"

  Lucius revealed his observation about the eyes in the houses, indig the possibility of an immi move from the other party. "I take care of myself, but what about you guys? You'll have to get stronger," he emphasized, direg his serious gaze at Bell.

  Bell, initially surprised, gained a renewed determination. "Yes... I'll get stronger!" he decred, receiving approval from Lili aia by his side.

  Lucius then resumed his studies, asking not to be disturbed during dinner. While the other members carried on with their routihe weight of s hung in the air of the abandoned church.

  ------------------------------