The Dark Legacy

Chapter 4 : Princess Alicia.

Kris was leaning against a large tree, it shielded him from the sunlights with its long grown branches, covering his body with a thin layer of shadow. Gentle breezes flew by making his hairs flutter.

His eyes was shut tightly as if sleeping. Kris was in a deep contemplation. His mind was on a constant whirlwind, thinking how to solve his current predicament.

" No external help, no foundation, no knowledge, no strength. How am i going to progress my pace at this rate. I tried asking teacher stev for help but he said that historical records about magic are tightly guarded by the academy. Without a student or teacher identity, getting ones hand on the historical books are impossible matter for an outsider.

It was already kind enough for him to explain things to me, if it was any other person they wouldn't even spare me a glance."

Kris's heart was full of unease. He always tried hard day and night just to condense a mana core, now he got a mana core but things wasn't going on his way.

" What are you doing sleeping here?" Kris was startled, he opened his eyes only to see a beautiful young girl standing infront of him.

She was very beautiful with an oval face, round crystal clear eyes with thin red lips and a gentle smile was hanging on her face.

Her tall figure was covered by a loose robe provided by the academy to its students, it was clear that she was a student of the academy.

Her posture was elegant and charming, each of her words were like the voice of a fairy.

Kris observed her for a few breaths of time then closing his eyes again.

" Hmm?Look at you acting so high and mighty. You can just say that you weren't sleeping.

The breeze here is quite nice." She took a deep breath enjoying the calm breeze.

" Hey, i don't see you often resting here.Is something different today?

The weather is same as everyday though. " She looked at the sky with observing glance.

" Doesn't your back hurt leaning here like this? I mean its really tough. " She sat elegantly beside Kris, putting a white towel on the ground below.

" Not quite bad...hehe...

You are academy's one of the cleaners right?

I saw you cleaning the outskirts buildings few days ago."

Her incessant blabbering caused Kris to thwart his contemplation. He slowly opened his eyes, clearly giving her an annoyed look.

She acted as if nothing happened, feigning ignorance and continued to blabber nonsense.

" Okay why are you here? " Kris couldn't take her nonsense anymore and asked.

" Just taking stroll." She replied leisurely with a smile.

" Okay you are clearly sitting here, continuing to blabber nonsense and annoying me then how is it considered strolling?" Kris asked with an indifferent face.

" Hahaha sitting here can also be considered as a kind of strolling don't you know?" She replied shamelessly without batting an eye.

'Such beautiful and elegant girl can also be this much shameless!' Kris muttered under his breath as his eyelids twitched slightly.

" Hey i'm not shameless." Kris's heart jumped suddenly hearing her words, he felt cold inside.

" How did she know what i said in my mind! Mind reading ability?Does she really know what i was thinking all this time? If thats the case isn't my identity as a black mana core user is exposed?

What do i do? I've never heard of someone that can read mind in those books that i borrowed."

Countless thoughts clashed inside his head instantly but in just a few breaths he adjusted his mind.

" No need to panic, rest assured that i can't read anyone's mind."

She said with a reassuring smile.

On the outside Kris looked very calm but he was extremely vigilant inside. He started thinking other irrelevant things, not thinking about himself and the black mana core.

" You don't believe me, right? I know people sometime become afraid of me, thinking that i can read their inner thoughts but i can't help it. Although i can't read what's on their mind but i can involuntarily guess what they are thinking just by looking at their eyes and facial expressions. Their inner thoughts gets revealed by their eyes, as the saying goes emotions can be reflected in a person's eyes ." She said frankly without concealing anything.

" As if i would believe you..." Kris sneered inside but kept his mouth silent, just gave her side glance.

She looked at his expressionless cold face, then looked at his ink black eyes deeply.

" Beautiful..." She exclaimed suddenly.

Kris glanced at her frowning.

" Your eyes...they are beautiful." She retracted her gaze, turning her head sideways.

" Nonsense." Kris snorted.

" Hehehe..." She just laughed dumbly.

After being tormented by her questions for a while Kris couldn't bear it any longer, he took a deep breath and stood up, heading toward his poor wooden house.

" Hey hey where are you going? Fine, go away." Seeing that Kris left, she stood there in the spot for a while, looking at the sky.

Her gaze was sharp and cold.

She eventually retracted her gaze and left.

Kris returned to his room, laying down on his stone bed quietly with eyes closed.

" Royal princess Alicia what is your motive for approaching a commoner like me? " Kris frowned upon uttering her name.

The girl he met earlier was the first royal princess of the kingdom. Her name and fame resounds loudly in everyone's ear .

She was extremely gifted since childhood, with an early blooming intelligent and dual elemental aptitude which could be seen once in a hundred years, she could be referred as a genius among geniuses.

" Dual elemental affinity with A-rank aptitude; light affinity and lightning affinity. Two most powerful affinity. She is indeed the gods chosen child." Kris's face was full of smile, but suddenly his eyes glowed with vicious light as he muttered coldly. " Although i don't know what your intention is but i'm not an easy prey either."

During all this time Kris learned how to control the shadow like substances, now he can control the amount of darkness at his will.

Kris extended his palm upward, a lump of darkness kept dancing above his palm just like fire. It was strangely beautiful, devouring all the lights around it.

Kris previously had borrowed a few books from teacher stev but now all those books were useless to him. He had memorized almost everything.

Days and months passed by slowly, during this time Alicia would frequently visit Kris. She would annoy him with her barrel of questions.

Kris slowly started answering her questions, he was much more friendlier than before. Sometime he would smile at her questions and answer patiently. Friendship or not but there was good bond between them.

" Hey, something on your mind? You can tell me." She said proudly patting her chest.

" This...." Kris showed a very difficult expression, his face was full of hesitation.

" Don't worry i won't mind anything, don't you think of me as your friend? You can rely on me." Seeing his troubled expression Alicia said smiling. She knows that he was going to ask for her help, but his conscience couldn't allow it.

Hearing her words Kris's eyes glowed with excitement. He looked at her beautiful eyes deeply before finally opening his mouth.

" I have condensed a mana core. " He uttered slowly.

" What...! Really? Kris is that true?" Alicia jumped, she almost lost her bearing out of excitement.

" Yes." Kris nodded.

" Hahahaha... do you know how happy i am? We can become classmate, we can study together in the academy, your dreams will come true." She laughed with joy, her eyes kept shining.

" But .." At the moment Kris interjected her. " I have a black mana core." He revealed the truth.

Kris took her hands, embracing it with her own palms. Alicia didn't mind it.

" Hahaha good, a black mana core..." She laughed but suddenly screamed and looked at Kris in disbelief.

" Wait what did you say? A black mana core! Oh my god, are you serious?" She looked at Kris with wide eyes. Kris was gripping her hands, afraid to let go. His hands kept trembling as if he was afraid that she will hate him after knowing the truth.

Alicia suddenly realized looking at his eyes as her expression turned dim.

" A black mana core will be a problem. " She said frowning, looking at Kris with great concern.

Kris sighed in relief hearing her words, it means she doesn't hate him because of his black mana core.

" Can you tell me with more details? " Kris asked directly looking at her eyes.

" Umu.The black mana core users are known as evil gods apostle to the world, they serve the evil god, spread destruction and darkness, brings calamity to the all races. So the Holy church and Nine star magic alliance would hunt down any black mana core user. The black mana core user will be public enemy. The world is fully controlled by the Holy church and Nine star magic alliance, so being their enemy means you are the enemy of the world." Alicia explained patiently.

" What is this Holy church and Nine star magic alliance you speak of?" Kris asked with some confusion.

" Don't ask me, i don't know either. " Alicia shook her head solemnly.

Kris's face turned gloomy and dark after hearing all of this. Enemy of the world? He was just a normal boy who had just recently developed a mana core. Will he be able to escape under such huge organization pursuits? It was impossible, his death was guaranteed.

Kris clenched his fists tightly, his heart was full of worry.

Alicia looked at his gloomy and unease expression, she gently placed her snow white palm over his hand and comforted.

" Don't worry, aren't i here? Let me think of a way. I'll definitely find a way to help you." She said with great determination.

Hearing her words Kris's heart jolted as he looked at her with glowing eyes.

" You....i..." Kris wanted to say something but Alicia placed her finger on his lips, stopping him from saying further.

Kris's heart was moved. At the time of his need she was the only one who had extended her hand, helping him and dragging him out of the abyss.

Her words touched his heart deeply.

" Okay, it's late now, i will return to the palace tomorrow so that i could search for a countermeasure in the royal library. Don't be afraid, your Alicia is here, right?" She patted her chest proudly giving off a genuine loving smile.

" Yes. " Kris nodded looking at her, his eyes was full of affection.

Alicia and Kris bid farewell to each other, they parted reluctantly.

Maybe their relationship has grown from friendship to one step further.

After her departure Kris looked at the sky sighing deeply.

" Looks like the night will be cold tonight." With this remark he turned around and left.