CHAPTER 240: TRYING TO AWAKEN TALENTS

After returning to Draven Mansion, Adyr didn’t waste a moment. He found Vesha and immediately received new reports from her about the Sparks.

As always, she had fulfilled his expectations with quiet efficiency. While he spent the entire night capturing Sparks, she had used her contacts to gather even more rumors and information, compiling detailed reports on every possible Spark location.

These reports didn’t just cover the borders of the Velari Kingdom—they extended beyond, reaching into the outskirts of neighboring kingdoms as well, with each marked location carefully noted.

She has a terrifying potential to become a detective.

Even the smallest rumor, when passed through her personal Velari network, became a lead. She dissected every detail with sharp intelligence, connecting loose threads and forming insights that even managed to surprise Adyr himself.

"Can I ask something else for you to look into?" Adyr asked, his eyes scanning the detailed report and the map covered in dozens of red-circled markings.

"Anything, as long as it’s within my ability," Vesha replied, a spark of excitement lighting up her face at his request.

Serving Adyr—being useful to him in any way—had become her sole mission. So hearing that he trusted her with yet another task only boosted her confidence. The faint smile on her lips grew visible, her back straightening with pride.

"I need intel on practitioners from other kingdoms. Their culture, habits, how they govern—any detail, even rumors, anything you can find."

He finally looked up from his notes, meeting her shimmering eyes with steady focus.

This had already been a part of his ongoing research. Every time he visited the marketplace, he’d observe practitioners from various races and kingdoms, trying to piece together their psychology. But there were limits to how much a lone observer could gather.

A person’s culture, upbringing, and family structure—these things shaped not just their character but sometimes even the nature of their power. That’s why someone like Vesha, who thrived on whispers and hearsay, could provide the kind of nuanced insight he couldn’t get elsewhere. A professional report from her could offer him an edge against future adversaries.

Vesha hesitated. For her, practitioners were on a level far above ordinary mortals, and the task sounded too intricate, possibly beyond her reach.

"Sorry, my Lord... but wouldn’t it be better to ask Lady Liora or the others? I don’t think I’m capable of something like that," she said, lowering her gaze.

Adyr chuckled quietly. He reached out, gently lifted her chin with his fingers, and looked into her eyes as he spoke in a calm, quiet tone.

"Don’t underestimate yourself. I’m sure you’ll do a job that exceeds even my expectations."

He wasn’t flattering her. If anyone knew about practitioners beyond what surface-level power and affiliations revealed, it was the common folk—the same people who treated practitioners like idols.

Even other practitioners rarely knew more than the basic facts about their peers: their rank, their background, and their raw strength. But the people who idolized them? They paid attention to every tiny detail—from what time they used the toilet in the morning to their favorite dish and color.

That obsessive attention created a wealth of information that couldn’t be found in official reports—and it lived in the very gossip circles Vesha had access to.

Flushed from the intimacy of his gesture, Vesha looked away for a moment but then met his gaze again, this time with determination.

"I’ll do my best."

"I know," Adyr said with quiet certainty.

Then, carrying the papers in one hand, he stepped out into the walled garden of his room, spread his wings, and flew off to resume the hunt for Sparks.

—

While Adyr’s otherworld body began his morning hunt, the Earth-bound one had already finished practicing reading and linguistic talents alone in his room.

His body, now far beyond mortal limits, needed no more than 10 minutes of sleep to function at peak condition. The rest of the night, up until the first touch of dawn, he spent seated at his desk, scribbling down every piece of knowledge he’d consumed—each page filled in a different language. He proofread, rewrote, and analyzed them methodically, refining both talents with surgical focus.

Raising a talent from level 3 to level 4 was a steep climb, but he could feel the difference after each session, even if just marginal. The progress was real. He’d even started developing a language of his own—complete with rules, vowel structures, phonetics, and a written form. It wasn’t just practiced anymore. It was creation.

He had even begun to hope that his Reader Talent might evolve into a bloodline talent, but it remained just that, a hope at least for now.

Once done, he brought each sheet close to the flame of the lone candle on his desk. The notes curled and turned black, then gray, then to weightless ash. He swept the remains into his palm and scattered them out the window.

With everything erased, he descended the stairs silently.

The living room wasn’t empty.

Neris lay curled on the couch, her breathing steady, almost inaudible. A thin blanket draped over her frame, barely rising and falling with each breath. Her soft brown hair spilled over the cushion like flowing silk, catching the dim ambient light from the window.

On the floor nearby, Zelda and Boy lay asleep on the bedroll they’d spread out earlier that night. Zelda’s small hand gently rested on Boy’s arm, her face soft and peaceful in this rare moment of calm. Even in sleep, she stayed protective, her other arm curled loosely around his side, as if guarding him from any unseen danger.

A small smile touched Adyr’s calm face as he headed to the kitchen, quietly beginning to prepare breakfast. This wasn’t just a routine he’d adapted to normal life—it was also a way to hone his cooking talent.

Meals made with purpose for others always gave him unexpected insights, and once again, he sought ways to evolve his talent into a bloodline ability.

He didn’t simply prepare typical breakfast foods; instead, he crafted something for each person in the house. Carefully analyzing their personalities, likes, and dislikes, he aimed not just to satisfy their taste buds but to create dishes that would stir memories, forge new ones, and touch their souls.

In other words, to awaken a bloodline talent, he needed to be as unique and intentional as possible.

The kitchen was fully stocked with fresh ingredients, the refrigerator brimming with everything he could possibly need—all thanks to Selina. Since Marielle lost her arm, Selina had been diligently ensuring that the family’s needs were met, paying extra attention to the kitchen to keep it always well supplied.

Adyr didn’t mind this arrangement. He understood that Selina’s close involvement wasn’t merely out of obligation but carried a deeper purpose—and frankly, it worked to his advantage. Marielle and Niva had grown close to her as well, treating her like family now, and their genuine happiness with her presence meant there was no tension in the household.

With these thoughts swirling through his mind, Adyr began his unique craft.

He tried to replicate the procedures he had used when awakening the Maleficent Architect, but this time he took the opposite approach. Instead of feeding his creativity with the darkness inside him, he manipulated even his own emotions to draw out the light hidden within that darkness, working carefully alongside it.