Yawning, Gold disembarked from the carriage and entered Baron Mansra's residence through the back door. He made his way to the study, where Mansra awaited him.
"What on earth did you do last night?" Mansra's expression was far from friendly, his sharp triangular eyes fixed on Gold. Had it not been for his prematurely balding head, his intimidating presence might have been even more pronounced.
"Just dealt with a few minor inconveniences," Gold replied, casually finding a seat. This only served to make Mansra's expression more hostile.
"Minor inconveniences?" Mansra slammed his hand onto the desk, his face twisting into a rare expression of anger.
But just as quickly, he composed himself, regaining his usual calm demeanor. "Gold, you need to understand, your strength has undoubtedly made my business much safer within the city. But you are not irreplaceable."
"I need stability. I don't want any more problems." Mansra's hand subtly revealed a faint mark on the back.
Gold glanced at him, scratched his cheek, and yawned. "Don't worry, nothing major will happen. I guarantee it."
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way. I'm still tired," Gold said, waving his hand as he walked out.
Watching Gold leave, Mansra's expression darkened once again.
"My lord, are you truly not going to deal with Gold?" An elderly man, dressed in servant attire with white gloves, stood behind Mansra, speaking in a hushed tone.
"Let it go for now," Mansra replied, concealing the mark on his hand. He retrieved a stack of documents from his drawer.
Ten years ago, Gold had come to Loya from elsewhere. In his efforts to compete with other families, Mansra had taken a risk and formed an alliance with Gold, thus stabilizing his smuggling business.
Though Mansra had considered eliminating Gold in the past, his investigations had revealed little useful information about the man.
He knew well that Gold's identity was far more complicated than that of just a powerful outcast.
At this moment, when resources were crucial, it would be wise to avoid stirring up too much trouble. Mansra picked up a cup engraved with a floating city and took a sip of water, his thoughts drifting.
Adam, meanwhile, felt his recovery progress faster than he expected. By afternoon, he was nearly back to full strength.
Sitting on his bed, Adam clenched his fist, then released it. Everything seemed different now.
He could feel every movement of his body with crystal clarity. In an almost ethereal sense, he could even sense how his life force flowed through him.
It was as though his will, flowing through his veins, reached every part of his body, giving him an enhanced sense of control.
As Adam adjusted the weight once more, this comprehensive control over his body faded, but something new began to take shape.
His vision, hearing, and other senses weakened, but in their place, a new force erupted from his soul. This energy shifted with his thoughts, a magical power emerging and creating a completely new sensory experience.
"Psychic power." Adam, using his will to control this newfound strength, focused on the wooden piece on his bedside table. Under his mental influence, it slowly lifted off the table before gently settling back down.
"According to Adele's notes, gathering all one's perceptions and entering meditation is how one unlocks psychic power. This is the first step toward becoming a mage. When I adjust the weight toward my soul, the psychic power emerges naturally. Given this, it seems my mage potential is quite good."
"And it's not just for enhancing psychic power," Adam recalled the battle from last night. Instinctively, he had used it to amplify his aura, making it tangible enough to stir the wind and rustle the leaves.
If aura and psychic power are indeed related, Adam blinked.
Though his physical movements remained unchanged, he could sense the very dust around him shifting, as if it had come alive, and even the light itself had brightened, his hair now an artistic tangle, seeming to capture the essence of the scene.
Lying there, he could feel an invisible pull on the world itself, as though everything around him was drawn to him. It was as if the universe itself adored him.
"Charm, or perhaps charisma, can also be influenced by soul weight," Adam mused, his voice unchanged, yet imbued with an almost magical quality that made everything around him seem soothing, drawing others to listen.
This charisma wasn't an aspect of psychic power—it was something innate.
Adam had always been highly charismatic, but now his allure seemed almost supernatural. Were he to walk out of a church, anyone who saw him would likely think he was an angel rather than a mere man.
He got out of bed and opened the skylight. Several birds flew in, landing on his hand. Their eyes locked with his, and Adam found that he could almost read their emotions.
He could even sense the innocent souls of the birds. Unlike humans, their souls were less complex, but after drawing close to Adam, they seemed influenced by something profound.
After a moment's thought, Adam extended his psychic power to touch one of the birds, connecting with its innocent soul and transmitting a mental image of Gold's appearance and the route he had planned.
The other birds, following his command, flew outside and perched on the roof, observing the passersby with their keen eyes.
Adam gradually retracted his charm, but did not shift the weight back toward his body. Instead, he continued to focus on his soul, and his mind became more active.
"Weight is not merely about proportion; it involves deeper changes. This is my first encounter with psychic power, yet I can control and use it with ease. This cannot be normal."
"Does the adjustment of weight also enhance my innate abilities?" Adam wondered, though he felt certain of the answer. With his enhanced psychic power, his intuition had grown stronger, affirming this hypothesis.
At that moment, Adam's intuition flared. He quickly suppressed his anomalous state, turning to look at the door. Three seconds later, it creaked open, and Lina's small head poked through.
Adam smiled and waved at her. The little one joyfully ran over and jumped into his arms.
"Adam, play with me!"
"Sure."
"Adam, you've gotten prettier!"
"Really? You're very pretty too, Lina," Adam smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly. Though he tried to suppress the change, it was clear that something had shifted. Whether shifting the weight toward his soul or his body, his aura had transformed.
It was as if, just like his perceptions, his charisma had become a more tangible force.
High above, a bird flapped its wings, soaring toward a wooden house. Gold, who had just stepped off the carriage, looked up and saw the bird flying toward him. It landed at his feet.
"Nesser's aura," Gold murmured, squatting down to observe the bird. With a smile, he reached out to grab it. The bird didn't flinch, hopping directly into his hand and cocking its head to look at him.
In that instant, Gold almost felt as though the bird's expression mirrored Adam's calm demeanor.
"Has he already mastered the basics of psychic power? Truly extraordinary talent," Gold mused, standing and walking into his house. He rummaged through his cabinet and found a half piece of bread, crumbling it into fine crumbs and placing it on the table.
"I might need to find him a mage teacher." Gold scratched his face. He wasn't well-versed in psychic power, and his expertise in close combat was only decent. His extraordinary abilities were rooted in his bloodline's awakening power.
If one had to categorize him, Gold was more of a bloodline mage.
"But there aren't many mages in Loya." Gold thought back on his ten years in Loya, a city he knew well.
Most mages in Loya worked for the military, while a few were supported by nobles. As far as Gold knew, Mansra had connections to a mage, though he had never been able to employ them.
These mages were typically under the watch of the church, and if any research on forbidden matters was uncovered, the priests would storm in. Even accepting a disciple required extensive investigation and testing.
"But perhaps some powerful mages have yet to reveal themselves," Gold thought, remembering a fleeting sensation of immense psychic power sweeping through the city, only to vanish just as quickly.
Loya was far from as simple as it seemed; there were many powerful figures here.