CHAPTER 217: DAILY ROUTINE

The following days settled into a consistent yet fulfilling routine.

Each morning, Orion awoke late, freshened himself, and enjoyed a relaxing bath aided by Rina and Fiora’s gentle assistance.

Breakfast followed shortly after, during which Eldric warmly instructed him on various aspects of spell combat theory and application.

"Today, Orion," Eldric announced the next morning, his voice cheerful and confident, "we’ll start integrating your new Thunder spells directly into combat scenarios. It’s essential to not only know the spells but also understand precisely when and how to employ them effectively."

Orion eagerly agreed, his eyes glittering with excitement. "Understood, Grandpa. Let’s begin immediately."

The mornings from then on were spent intensely at the spacious training grounds behind the mansion.

Eldric patiently and meticulously guided Orion through rigorous practical exercises, simulating diverse combat situations requiring careful spell selection and precise execution.

Initially, Orion struggled slightly, unfamiliar with rapidly deciding spell usage amidst chaotic combat.

Yet his extraordinary comprehension and adaptability swiftly bridged this gap, his proficiency dramatically improving each passing day.

By each afternoon’s end, Orion would briefly rest, recuperating briefly before plunging into Edgar and Lucan’s demanding swordsmanship training sessions.

The duo continued relentlessly testing and refining Orion’s ability to handle multiple opponents, enhancing both his tactical flexibility and martial instincts.

After each training session, Orion bathed comfortably, joined Eldric and Selene for dinner, spent quiet moments chatting gently with Seraph, and then diligently studied runes each night until exhaustion guided him to bed.

After quite a few days of this routine, Orion had clearly gotten a lot more experienced with the use of his spells as well as swordsmanship. Both Eldric and Edgar openly praised his rapid improvement, their pride evident and genuine.

"Truly astonishing progress, lad," Eldric remarked warmly after an evening session at the training ground. "You’ve adapted to practical combat magic faster than anyone I’ve ever seen."

Edgar, who was watching them practice, moved forward while chuckling as he said in agreement, "Young Master has also improved by leaps and bounds in swordsmanship. Now he’s just missing a spark of inspiration before he can master the Sword Aura."

Orion smiled warmly at their praise, feeling quite good after training for so long.

Eldric, however, seriously said, "But you also need to rest, lad. You have been training for like a week straight with little to no rest. It’s about time you take a break from training and go back to the academy."

Edgar also nodded, "Yes, you can take this time to let your body rest as well, lest it break down."

Orion exhaled a sigh and agreed, "Alright, Grandpa. I’ll do as you say then. It’s about time I go and check up on the group’s progress."

"Hahaha, it’s only been like a week. What progress can there be in such a little time?" Eldric laughed and shook his head before heading back to the mansion.

Edgar chuckled and left as well, leaving Orion alone standing at the training ground.

[Hehe, they are right, Master. It’s already impressive if one of them has made further progress, much less the group.]

He shook his head, ’You guys are forgetting to take into account that this is the Golden Era. There are plenty of talents out there who are improving ridiculously fast. I have good hope for the group members.’

[Hmmm, maybe. But you really really learned all 108 Primary Runes of the Thunderpeak Academy, Master. This has gotta be a record of some type! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ]

Orion smiled softly at Lumi’s enthusiastic remark as he left the training grounds, slowly walking through the mansion’s beautifully maintained garden.

’Yes, Lumi,’ Orion agreed quietly as he walked, enjoying the peace of the moment. ’Learning all 108 Primary Runes from that book in under a month might indeed be a record. But more importantly, this knowledge will greatly benefit my future growth.’

[Absolutely, Master! With such extensive rune knowledge, your future spell crafting and Affinity Rune crafting will definitely improve even more! Lumi can’t wait to see your classmates’ reactions~! (≧▽≦)]

He chuckled softly, continuing along the garden path until he reached a secluded corner near the eastern edge of the mansion.

Here, he had carefully planted the Heart-Spring Sapling Seed several days ago, and Orion now approached with curiosity sparkling in his gaze.

The area around the sapling was notably peaceful, a subtle sense of vitality permeating the air. As Orion knelt gently beside the small patch of earth, his eyes lit up warmly.

There, a delicate, vibrant green sprout now peeked shyly from the rich soil, its tiny leaves unfurling slowly toward the evening sun.

’Look, Lumi,’ Orion murmured softly, lightly brushing his fingertips across the tender young leaves. ’The Heart-Spring Sapling has finally sprouted. It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?’

[So cute~! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ Master, you should nourish it with your Wood Mana. It’ll definitely grow faster!]

Orion nodded gently, focusing quietly within himself as he carefully channeled his pure Wood-element mana toward the fragile sprout.

The sapling immediately responded, its leaves visibly brightening as it eagerly absorbed his nourishing energy. With a gentle, satisfied smile, Orion retrieved a nearby watering can and lightly sprinkled clear, refreshing water onto the sprout.

As the droplets of water seeped gently into the earth, Orion sat comfortably beside the young sapling, contemplating quietly.

’I truly can’t wait to see what effect this sapling will produce once it matures into a full-grown tree. It’s supposed to generate a natural mana well, enriching the environment significantly.’

[Indeed, Master! The Heart-Spring Tree’s mana well could greatly benefit your future training, especially for extended meditation sessions and rune engraving.]

Orion nodded thoughtfully, softly stroking the damp earth around the sapling with care. ’Exactly. With a permanent mana source here at the mansion, both my own training and everyone else’s growth will become much smoother. But it will take time for it to fully mature, and patience is needed.’

[Patience, Master has plenty of. With careful nurturing, it’ll definitely grow big and strong soon! And it’s a special sapling—within half a year it should be able to grow to a good height!

He smiled warmly, gently rising to his feet again after ensuring the sapling had been thoroughly watered and nourished.

After a lingering glance at the little plant, Orion slowly walked back inside the mansion, feeling a deep sense of contentment.

Returning to his room, Orion settled comfortably at his desk. Feeling hungry after the day’s rigorous training, he casually retrieved a few meatballs from his inventory, savoring their delicious taste and rich nourishment as energy quickly flowed back into his body.

Satisfied, Orion then took out the Akashic Record Token from his inventory, the token’s enigmatic surface shimmering faintly under the gentle lamplight.

He studied it closely, feeling curiosity stirring deeply within him once again. Yet, just as he considered using it, Lumi’s gentle voice chimed softly in his mind.

[Master, perhaps we should wait and see exactly what knowledge we lack before accessing the Akashic Records. After all, we’ve already made huge progress recently, and entering the library prematurely could mean missing out on truly crucial things.]

Orion thoughtfully considered her words, eventually agreeing with a quiet nod. ’You’re right, Lumi. I should first look around here and see what I cannot find.’

[Exactly, Master! Then we’ll use it at just the right time, when you need it most. That way, its potential can be fully realized!]

He smiled appreciatively at her wise advice, carefully placing the token back into his inventory.

Orion then stretched leisurely, feeling the accumulated fatigue of days of intense training finally catching up with him.

Moving quietly toward his bed, he lay down comfortably upon the soft mattress, allowing exhaustion to gently claim him.

’Goodnight, Lumi. Tomorrow will be an exciting day, I’m sure.’

[Academy will be chaotic hehe. Goodnight, Master! Rest well~ (✿◡‿◡)]