Ataraxia Abyss
Chapter 5: The Angel of Death

In the training room of the palace, a boy with sand bags tied around his wrists and feet was swinging his sword while using Vis.

It was Regal, even after the training session he continued his training. Regal vigorously continued to train Vis and his body.

Realizing that the day was getting night but Regal was not coming out, a maid finally entered the training room.

"Excuse me Young Master..."

Regal stopped swinging his sword and looked at the maid who had just entered.

"What's wrong?"

Regal asked with a tired face and sweaty body that almost fell.

"According to the clock, it's the morning of Young Master. The sun has risen and you are still practicing."

The maid with a worried face warned Regal, Regal who was not aware that it had been surprised for so long.

"God..." Regal took off the sandbag, and he could see that Regal's wrists and feet had been flushed and scarred.

Regal's two hands were no better, both hands were callused and continued to bleed due to the grip of his sword.

The maid then saw Regal putting his sword on the shelf, but the one next to the shelf was more surprising, the pile of broken swords and spears along with the shattered training puppets were gathered there.

Regal had broken many swords and cut many training puppets in the process.

———

After the bath, some maids put clothes on for Regal, but there were some of them who put ointments and bandages on the wounds on the child's body.

"Sir Adrian has been waiting for you at the dinner table."

Said one of the maids, Regal nodded his head "Alright."

He then saw the bandage on his body, and then he reached the dining table. At the dinner table there were only two people, Regal and Adrian.

Adrian who drank the wine began to notice the wound on his student's hand.

"Then you practice until you forget time."

Regal who heard the complaint immediately lowered his head.

"That's right, I'm sorry for practicing outside of practice hours."

Adrian smiled as he watched the wine glass he was drinking.

"Well, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing... How'd it go?"

Regal ate while answering."

True to your word, Vis is really hard to control.

Whether it is fire magic, water or so on, there will definitely be a guide and also a person who can teach you.

Vis, however, is really hard to control and I can't ask anyone. So in short I'm in a deadlock."

Adrian muttered and began to understand the situation.

"Hmm, it is true that the weakness as well as the advantages of Vis is information related to this technique.

However, you basically only need people to guide you right? Someone who knows more about Vis than I do."

Regal nodded in agreement, Aldrian smiled and stood up from the dining table.

"Well then come with me!"

Regal leaves his breakfast and follows Adrian. On the short journey, Aldrian and Regal went to the throne room.

"You said you needed someone to guide you about the soul, right? I am indeed the King of the underworld yet I know someone with a greater knowledge of the soul."

Adrian took out a knife and sliced his own hand, each drop of blood that fell on the floor began to move on its own and form a summoning circle.

Then by reciting the mantra using the Enochian language Adrian finally began the ritual.

Eve from the room changed drastically, the weight and the candles that illuminated the room changed color to a bright blue color.

And the light from the summoning circle grew brighter and brighter. Until finally a magic explosion was created and threw Regal.

When he hit the wall he could see someone behind the smoke made from the magic explosion was standing in his magic circle.

The man then knelt down before Adrian and greeted his master.

"Well... Long time no see Mavis either."

Regal saw a creature with a large body covered by black cloth kneeling before Adrian. Mavis then looked at Regal and observed him.

"Your research really worked well?"

Adrian smiled and sat on his throne.

"Well, finally there are people who can prove my theory is not just something a god can use.

But just like me, he's in a deadlock. Vis and Aura were supposed to be the same, but he could not use more than 10% of his soul energy.

Either that's the same way humans use 10% of their brains unconsciously. But this is arguably progress, he can control that 10% better than me."

Mavis looked towards Regal and continued to observe. "I see... You can use soul energy, but you still can't feel or know what a soul is."

After Regal thought about it, it was true as well, he only used what was in his body unconsciously, and in any way he could not examine the faint energy in his body.

"So you're saying I can't observe my own soul?"

Mavis laughed in the voice of the old man in a cave and replied to Regal's question.

"If you want to know, the shape, location and also the taste of the soul. Then the first thing you have to do is die..."

Mavis then touched Regal's forehead with her long finger. And in an instant Regal's body fell backwards.

After falling, Regal's body began to wriggle in pain feeling the so-called soul begin to leave his body.

Regal felt himself pulled, feeling like every vein, nerve vein, joint, from every root of hair and scalp to the leg torn apart in order to break up.

Adrian who saw it started to worry, this would not kill Regal but the shock from his pain would most likely kill him.

But Regal in addition to trying to fight the pain, he began to be able to understand what the soul is. Even with the excruciating pain Regal was in, he stood firm and tried to understand it.

Until finally Regal's body stopped moving, Adrian who saw it was clearly worried but little by little Regal's finger twitched.

His hands and feet finally began to move, as everything that had been torn to shreds began to recover.

"Are you okay, son?"

Mavis offers her hand to Regal, Regal accepts her and is finally on her feet.

Adrian saw Regal pale began to improve, himself called the waiter to give water, and Regal immediately gulped down all the water.

"How does it feel?" Mavis asked.

"It feels... As it was being ripped apart, I could feel what was called a soul coming out of my mouth.

But then I realized, all the pain, all the suffering all happened simultaneously.

I thought the soul came from the heart just like Mana, but after the pain I was conscious..

The soul is attached to the body, the soul and the body are one entity. I already know but I haven't felt it yet, but now..."

"That's enough, son." Adrian laid off Regal.

When dismissed by Adrian, Regal begins to realize that his consciousness is disappearing.

Adrian then rubbed his head and carried Regal on his back. Mavis who saw that finally commented.

"You've changed Your Majesty, from the way you treated the boy."

Adrian smiled and replied to Mavis.

"There was a time when I enjoyed bloodshed and conflict. But it was past Mavis, and you saw it... Your work is done, thanks for the help."

Mavis lowered her head and eventually disappeared along with the blue flames that had withered her away.

Adrian finally walked towards Regal's room, but on the way Regal stuck his head on Adrian's shoulder.

Adrian was obviously surprised, he never thought that the boy with talent and also the extraordinary genius on his back was still a child.

She smiled and laughed, to see the first time Regal was childish.

"Geez, you're a really poor kid..."

...***...