Hearing his mother's words and looking at the box, Max stood in stupor. In his last life, he grew up in a loving family with both parents. So, when he was born in this world and learnt that his father left before his birth in order to get stronger and breakthrough, he despised him for leaving Aeliana while she was pregnant. He thought that when his father in this life comes back, he would beat him up and make him apologize to Aeliana for making her go through everything by herself.
At the same time though, Maximus was very curious about his dad. His mom never talked about him, and when asked, she diverted the topic to something else. From villagers, he learnt that his dad's name is Leofrik Volkel and that he was at the peak of novice mage when he ventured into the forest in order to seek a lucky chance to breakthrough. Obviously, he questioned the validity of the information, but since his mom would not talk about Leofrik, he could only put it to the back of his mind.
"It looks like my dad knew that he would not be coming back any time soon. It has been more than six years since he left. Did he think that he would not survive while looking for breakthrough that he left this for me?" Questioned Max.
Taking the wooden box from his mother's hands, Maximus scrutinized it: "It looks like a simple carved wooden box with nothing special." Opening the box, Max saw the pendant that was lying in it.
The pendant was a small, intricately crafted piece of jewelry that could immediately catch the eye. It was made of a dark, polished metal that seemed to glow faintly in the light and was shaped like a crescent moon with delicate etchings along the surface. The metal was cool to the touch and seemed to hum faintly with some unknown power.
The pendant was attached to a thin, silver chain that glimmered in the light. At the center of the crescent moon, there was a small, perfectly cut diamond that shimmered with a soft, ethereal light. It was not clear whether the diamond is purely decorative or if it served some magical purpose.
As Max held the pendant in his hand, he felt a strange energy emanating from it, making him feel relaxed and calm. He knew that the pendant must have some connection to his father, but he could not help but wonder what secrets it held and what kind of power it may possess.
"It looks like I have to give more credit to my disappeared father. He must have spent quite a bit obtaining this pendant. Looking at its intricate design and calming effect, it must have cost a fortune. Is this why we are so poor having to live in this village? He must have spent everything on this. When I find him, I will make sure to raise this question."
After observing the pendant and the box for a while, Maximus decided to directly wear the pendant, putting the box in his bag.
"Thank you, mom. I am sure that dad will return stronger than ever, and our entire family will be reunited. Until then, I will train hard to become stronger and earn a lot of gold to buy a house in a capital of the kingdom. There, we will live a peaceful life." Said Max without realizing that departing for the academy would signify a start to a life full of hardship, pain, and fight for survival that will persist until he stands at the very peak.
Giving his mom a one last hug, Maximus turned around, grabbed his stuff, and walked towards the carriage, where Faust stood waiting for him. "Oh, Maximus. That was very fast. Is your mother not coming with us?"
"No, Mr. Faust. My mom said that she wishes to stay in a village and await my father's return. He left before I was born seeking an opportunity to breakthrough but has not yet returned."
"Oh, I am sure your father is a mighty warrior to have given life to such a talent like you. Your mother is a very lucky woman to have such a child and husband. Don't be upset young Max for you can visit your mother during your breaks. After you graduate from a junior academy and join the true Magic Academy, after showcasing your talent, you will be able to request the academy to help you look into the whereabouts of your father. Now that everything is settled, let us depart to the academy. We will have to visit a few small villages on the way and conduct the talent test, but that should not waste a lot of our time. Our journey should take approximately four days" explained Faust as he invited Max into the carriage.
The carriage looked simple yet elegant. It was made of polished wood and had a rounded shape with a pointed roof that gives it a regal appearance. The exterior is adorned with intricate carvings of various magical symbols, indicating Faust's status of a mage.
As Max sat down, he observed that the interior of the carriage was equally impressive, with plush velvet cushions and draperies that provide a sense of comfort and luxury. The walls were lined with intricate tapestries depicting magical scenes, with ornate lanterns hanging from the ceiling that cast a warm, golden glow throughout the space.
Inside, he saw Lily sitting quietly in the corner, looking sad and worried, probably because she was leaving her mother and departing from the village for the first time. Next to her sat a little boy who appeared calm but tired. "Hello, my name is Maximus. What is yours?" Asked Max, thinking that making an acquittance with a potential mage or knight would not hurt.
"My name is Lucas. I have a talent of an apprentice mage." Replied Lucas succinctly.
"Nice to meet you, Lucas. I also have a talent to be a mage, so we might be in the same class." Said Maximus without revealing his dual talent. "By you is Lily. She has a novice knight talent." At the mention of her name, Lily flinched, but said nothing.
After the round of awkward introductions, Steven Faust also came inside and announced to everyone: "We shall depart. On our way we have a few more villages, but we will get through them quickly and expect to be at the academy in a few days." With that, the carriage started moving, starting the next stage of these youths' lives.