Since that day, after telling the Valerion family the truth and receiving their permission,
I was able to train in controlling my demonic power.
Of course, just because I had permission did not mean I could train whenever and however I pleased.
Training was to take place only in the dedicated training hall inside the Valerion estate.
At least one of Elysia, Leopold, or Grayden had to be present to watch.
Sneaking out in the middle of the night to practice alone was forbidden.
And while training was underway, no one except the Valerion family and Mina was allowed near the training hall.
Those were the rules that were set.
At first, I thought they were a little excessive.
But only after knights were stationed at the entrance to the training hall,
and the servants were given the order, “No one is to go near the training hall this afternoon,” did it truly sink in.
My power was no longer something that could be dismissed as a simple prank or idle curiosity.
Even if I was still small and weak, it was a power that was neither mana nor aura.
And it was a power even I did not understand precisely.
Handling something like that alone in a place with no one around was certainly dangerous.
The first official day of training.
I was sitting in the middle of the training hall.
In front of me was a small metal marker Grayden had placed there.
It was a target I could shoot demonic power at instead of a sparring dummy.
Elysia stood at the edge of the training hall,
and a little farther away, Grayden and Leopold watched me with their arms crossed.
Mina had prepared a small bowl of water, a blanket, and snacks I could eat off to one side.
‘……This feels way too serious.’
I briefly looked around, then folded my ears slightly.
It was clearly just one little fox practicing a small flame, but the atmosphere felt almost like a secret weapons testing site.
Elysia asked with a worried expression.
“Haku, are you all right?”
I nodded.
‘I’m fine.’
Though it was a little burdensome.
Grayden spoke in a low voice.
“Do not try to draw out great power from the start. More important than creating a flame is learning how to stop it.”
Hearing that, I looked at the metal marker.
He was right.
Last time, one small foxfire had scorched a sparring dummy.
I had let my guard down because it was a pretty, quiet flame, but it definitely had power.
I closed my eyes and felt inside myself.
A quiet current like moonlight.
A silver-pink energy blooming from deep within my chest.
I drew up just a tiny bit of it.
A small ember formed at the tip of my forepaw.
It was much smaller than last time.
A flame fainter than even a candlelight.
But this time, it wavered less.
I carefully moved my forepaw.
The flame slowly floated toward the metal marker.
And just before it touched the marker, I withdrew my power.
The flame scattered soundlessly in midair.
“Well done.”
Grayden said curtly.
I perked my ears slightly.
Was that praise?
It was brief, but it was definitely praise.
Elysia also smiled as if relieved.
I felt a little proud.
Of course, outwardly I only gave my tail a small wag.
Leopold looked at the marker and said,
“Prioritize control over power. That is the correct direction.”
At those words, I nodded.
And so the training slowly continued.
Creating foxfire, moving it, and stopping it.
Shrinking and enlarging the flame.
Making it scatter just before it touched the marker.
Blurring my presence, then revealing it again.
Lightening my body over a short distance, then returning it to normal.
At first, each and every thing was difficult.
Demonic power was not a power that drew in an external current like mana, but a power that bloomed from within me.
So if I lost concentration even a little, the flame would waver, and if my emotions became disturbed, the blurring of my presence would break as well.
But something strange happened.
The more I repeated it, the faster I grew accustomed to it.
At first, it had been difficult just to create a single flame at the tip of my forepaw, but after repeating it a few times, it felt as if my body learned the method before my mind did.
Before I could calculate it with my head, the power inside me found the path on its own.
The foxfire moved more and more smoothly, and the sensation of blurring my presence also became a little more natural.
As if I was not learning something new, but remembering something I had known long ago.
‘……What is this?’
I stopped training and looked down at my forepaw.
It was strange.
I had clearly never learned to use this kind of power.
The me who had lived in the modern world had never used anything like foxfire, nor had I learned how to blur my presence.
And yet, my body knew.
How to draw up demonic power.
How to coil a flame in my grasp.
How to fold my presence thinly and hide it.
As long as I caught the sensation once, my body remembered the path on its own afterward.
Grayden seemed to have noticed the change as well, and narrowed his eyes.
“You learn quickly.”
Leopold’s gaze deepened too.
“This is not simply a matter of being talented. It looks as though your body already knows.”
I flinched at those words.
My body already knows.
It was an accurate expression.
Elysia also carefully approached my side.
“Haku, are you all right?”
After hesitating for a moment, I nodded.
There was nothing wrong with my body.
If anything, the more I used my power, the more natural it felt.
But a corner of my heart was a little uneasy.
This was not my memory.
It was not a technique I had learned.
Then this must be a memory engraved into Wolyeong’s body.
I closed my eyes again.
This time, I created one very small foxfire.
But the moment I floated the flame, a brief scene flashed through my mind.
Deep night.
A pure white moon.
Shadows swaying like countless tails.
And the sensation of Wolyeong having played with this flame since a very long time ago.
When I opened my eyes, I was back in the training hall of the Valerion estate.
There was a metal marker in front of me, and Elysia was beside me.
I let out a small breath.
Elysia immediately knelt in front of me.
“What happened?”
I placed my forepaw on her palm.
And carefully conveyed the sensation I had just felt.
The moon.
The flame.
An unfamiliar memory.
A feeling that was not mine, and yet my body knew it.
Elysia carefully lifted me into her arms.
“Let’s not overdo it. Shall we stop here for today?”
In the end, I nodded.
That was enough for today.
Grayden nodded, looking satisfied.
“You stopped well. That, too, is training.”
Those words stayed with me strangely.
Training is not only about using more power.
Stopping when you ought to stop is also training.
Mina approached and carefully set down the water bowl.
“Master Haku, please have some water. I have prepared snacks as well.”
I sat in front of the water bowl and slowly drank.
My body felt a little languid.
Elysia sat beside me and kept stroking my back.
Then she said quietly,
“Let’s take it slowly. No matter what kind of power you have, you don’t need to understand everything all at once.”
I looked up at her.
Those words comforted me a little.
Leopold watched the scene, then spoke in a low voice.
“From now on, training will be divided into short sessions.
After using demonic power, there must be a period of rest.”
“Yes, Father.”
Elysia answered.
Grayden added as well.
“Just because Haku gets used to it quickly does not mean we should increase the pace.”
I quietly curled my tail.
After training ended, Elysia held me in her arms and returned to her room.
As we passed through the hallway, she said softly,
“Haku.”
‘Yes?’
“It’s a good thing for your power to grow, but I don’t want you to suffer because of it.”
I remained still in her arms for a moment.
Then I nodded slightly.
I think so too.
I want to become strong.
Strong enough to protect Elysia.
Strong enough not to be swayed by people who try to recklessly dig into my identity.
And strong enough to someday face the past inside me.
That night, when Elysia shared the results of today’s training with the family at dinner, everyone’s reaction was quiet but serious.
Isolde was the first to worry about my physical condition.
“He looks quite exhausted after using his power, so for the time being, it would be best to let him rest immediately after training.”
Mina immediately bowed her head.
“On days when there is training, I will prepare easily digestible snacks and a warm blanket.”
Camilla looked at me with a slightly worried expression.
“Haku, even if strange memories come to mind, don’t be scared. Big Sister is here, and so are we.”
I blinked for a moment at those words.
Camilla did not know the details.
But her feelings came across clearly.
I nodded slightly.
Lucius spoke of something more practical.
“If it is the body’s memory, then Haku’s power may grow faster than expected.
But that also means it may be discovered by outsiders sooner. We must continue to control access to the training hall.”
Leopold nodded gravely.
“I will manage that matter. During training hours, no one except the necessary personnel may enter. No records will be kept either.”
No records would be kept.
That relieved me a little.
It was truly fortunate Mariette was not here.
Grayden looked at me last and said,
“Haku. No matter what your body remembers, there is no need for you to rush.”
I looked at him.
“A sword is the same. Just because it is an old sword,
does not mean the hand that grasps it today can immediately wield it as a masterpiece.
You must fit it to your hand.”
He paused briefly, then added,
“So let your power match your pace as well.”
Let your power match your pace.
Those words lingered strangely deep within me.
I slowly lowered my head.