Chapter 19: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
Kristian seemed to snap out of a dream. He blinked several times, then his face returned to its usual expression.
"I came to see you," he said, turning toward Daemon. "I wanted to make sure you were okay, since the steward Mallory told me you were taking a vacation in the mountains."
"I am doing very well," Daemon replied, crossing his arms. "As you can see."
An awkward silence settled between them.
Luna bowed. "This servant greets you, Lord Kristian."
Kristian nodded. "Hm, thank you for taking care of Daemon. He can be unbearable sometimes..."
She turned toward the pot, took a ladle, and filled a bowl with steaming soup.
"Would you like to eat, young master?" she asked Kristian without looking at him.
"Of course!" Daemon reached his hand toward the bowl.
"I wasn’t talking to you!" She looked at him with an annoyed expression.
"Ah..."
Kristian hesitated for a moment. "I... yes. Gladly."
He sat down on a wooden stump, and Luna handed him the bowl. Their fingers barely brushed, but Daemon noticed it.
’I don’t like this dynamic...’
He took a bowl for himself, sat down facing Kristian, and began eating without saying a word. The soup was delicious, but he no longer had any appetite. He felt annoyed for some reason.
"So, Kristian. How far have you gotten in your training?"
"I am doing my best."
"Tell me, how long did it take you to master the First Sense of Sword?"
"Hmm, I would say about a year. Why?"
"Hahaha, I just wanted to know how long a genius takes. You hear that, Luna?"
"Young master Kristian is obviously a genius... Not like me." She retorted while giving him an annoyed look.
As they finished their bowls, Daemon spoke again.
"We don’t have many things here. But I have something for dessert." Daemon went to the cabin and came back with some cookies.
"Luna made them with millet flour. They are pretty good."
As he was about to hand one over, Luna grabbed his arm.
"Young master, do not bother Lord Kristian. He probably does not like sweets..." she said with a forced smile.
"No, it’s fine Luna, I would like to try one."
Kristian took the cookie and stared at Luna.
’It’s the same one she gave me that day... Is Luna really Andromeda? She even remembers that I don’t like sweets...’ He took a bite.
’If he recognizes me, why is he acting like it’s the opposite? And why is she Daemon’s servant?’
Kristian’s thoughts were unclear. Since it was getting late, Daemon offered to walk him back down the mountain...
On the path down the mountain...
"This woman... Luna. She is quite an unusual servant... How long has she been working for you?"
Daemon looked at him. "Why do you want to know?"
"I was just wondering." Kristian looked away. "She... she reminds me of someone."
"She has been working for me for a few months," he said. "I took her as a servant because I needed help."
Kristian nodded. "So you decided to write to Luci’El."
"Why would I? She is a bit strange. We have never met, and every year she sends me weird letters."
"Do not think about it too much. Maybe she just wants to get to know you..."
"You who have already seen her, what is she like?"
"Hmm, I would say solitary. Apart from her mother, no one is allowed to approach her too closely. I myself have only seen her from afar. A servant delivered her letters to me."
"Hmm, I see... Anyway, thank you for the visit. Take care."
"Do not do anything reckless. Father is worried about you."
Daemon smiled. "He no longer needs to be."
...
"Master." Daemon broke the silence. "I noticed that you were troubled by Kristian’s presence."
"Huh? What are you talking about again?"
"You already know each other, by any chance?"
Luna looked at him. "Do not say nonsense. Come to the cabin. I have an idea to compensate for your lack of chi."
Daemon stood up and followed her.
"Sit there." Luna pointed to a cushion placed at the foot of the bed.
Luna sat behind him. He felt her hands rest on his back, right between the shoulder blades.
"I am going to give you chi," she said.
Daemon turned halfway. "What?"
"Do not move." Luna put him back in place with a tap on the shoulder. "And listen to me carefully."
"Even though I am no longer a Master since my core was damaged, having recovered a large part of my power, I still know how to perform the Fourth Sense: Taste."
"Taste is the stage where the chi user no longer needs the chi reserve in his body?" Daemon asked.
"Exactly, because he can actively absorb the ambient chi directly into his core. As long as his body is not exhausted, he can no longer run out of chi."
Daemon nodded. "And you are going to do this for me?"
"I will absorb the ambient chi," Luna continued. "And then I will use the Third Sense: Hearing. The ability to emit chi to project it outside your body. You will only need to circulate it to fill your core."
Daemon remained silent for a moment. "It is risky, isn’t it?"
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," said Luna. "Now, be quiet and concentrate."
She closed her eyes. Daemon felt a warmth born under her palms, first weak, then more and more intense. The warmth spread through his back, rose along his spine, descended into his arms, his legs, all the way to the tips of his fingers and toes.
The chi reached him in a fluid manner...
"Circulate it," Luna murmured behind him. "Don’t keep it in one place. Circulate it through every body, then gather it in your heart." Daemon concentrated, visualizing the chi flowing through his body. His body grew hotter and hotter, until he began to sweat.