Struggling as a Villain

Day one of training.

Currently, inside the indoor training ground, only two individuals could be seen with similar hair colours.

Bellarine, unlike usual, was wearing a pair of free-moving pants that hugged her legs pretty well and a white shirt that accentuated her curves. She has braided her hair in a ponytail and looked quite young to be called the mother of a sixteen-year-old.

Bellarine has tutored people in the path, in a large number no less. However, those people were all soldiers so she didn't have to hold back. She was strict with them and punished them without any restraints. However, the person she was guiding today was her son.

She feared her old tendency to get angry upon not being understood in a single explanation. As such, it could be seen from her demeanour that she was more nervous than Richard.

"Mom...you got this." Richard encouraged as he stood across her while wearing a similar outfit but a lot more stretchable and heat resistant.

Bellarine heaved a sigh before nodding.

Parting her lips, she asked, "What are the spells you have gained control over?"

Richard contemplated before showing her a simple fireball.

"Good, now send it my way," Bellarine said nonchalantly.

Richard blinked in confusion, before asking, "Ehh...do I throw this at you?"

Bellarine frowned, "No, just send it. Like at a moderate pace?"

Her question made him even more confused. Send it? Like a pebble? How does that work?

Bellarine dropped her hand to her side before asking Richard, "Richie...don't tell me you haven't learned flame manipulation yet."

The fireball became small hearing that and his shoulders dropped before he admitted, "No...I haven't."

Bellarine sighed and neared him. She wasn't furious, as she feared she would be, after all, it was her precious child in question.

Nearing him she held his hand, without caring about the still burning flame orb, before telling him,

"You are already a step ahead of any elementalist, given you can conjure your flames. A gift which you received in your lineage. So don't feel sad, and let me teach you the basics of element magic."

Richard smiled softly before nodding.

Bellarine stepped a little back before conjuring a ball of flame the size of an adult's head.

"Richie, when you throw your attack, you detach your ether connection from it. That's why the range of your attack or anyone else's doesn't exceed after a certain distance."

"Now, the more trained and experienced the mage is, the farther they can maintain the connection and the range of their attacks becomes more extensive."

"To manipulate your flames you first need to establish the connection of ether with your spells."

Richard soaked every word that came out of her mouth. She chose easy terms and basic explanations rather than adding things like, 'You don't even know this' or something.

After she was done, she asked him, "Do your ether threads only hold physical things?"

Richard's answer held uncertainty, "I haven't tried anything else than training objects and Lilia to lift with my threads."

Bellarine's eyes narrowed for a moment, but she calmed herself down soon. This wasn't the time for that.

Coughing into her fist, she asked, "For now, conjure another fireball and wrap it with your ether threads."

Richard nodded and did what she asked. It took a bit of concentration, but somehow, he was able to wrap the threads around the flame ball.

The red blood-like string surrounded the burning orb like it was a solid object which urged Richard to ask,

"How is this even happening?"

Bellarine simply answered, "Your flames and those threads are both the product of your ether, so it's not surprising."

Taking a pause she said, "Now, slowly extend those threads in my direction."

Richard wordlessly accepted the command and slowly moved the flames in her direction.

The concentration he has built, thanks to the half-month-long training with Lilia, was showing results here. It took a bit of effort since the flames were quite slippery, but he was able to accomplish what was asked.

Bellarine held the flames and his threads instantly got cut off.

The flames also disappeared a moment later after it landed on her hand.

"How do you do that? You even erased that portal through which the Headless Puppet tried to escape."

With curiosity welling in his eyes, he asked in excitement.

Bellarine contemplated before telling him vaguely, "It is called....Nullstorm. A congregation of ether that dispels any spell or magic formation. A technique which only a specific bloodline could possess."

Her eyes turned serious as she added, "The descendants of the seven Sages."

A moment it took for Richard to realise what she was implying here, as he asked in a stammering voice, "M-Mom...are you related to any Sage?"

Bellarine was about to tell him when suddenly she saw the maid entering the building.

"Madame Duchess, Duke Hawkridge have arrived."

Bellarine frowned hearing that name as some words left her mouth, "Why is he here?"

"What happened Mom? Anything to worry about?"

Bellarine instantly corrected her expression before smiling and shaking her head in denial, "Nothing to worry about, baby. You go and change. You are going to the market today, right?"

Richard sensed that she was hiding something and he was eager to know about his past as well. However, he didn't insist on knowing everything right away and made his way out of the gymnasium with his mother.

Entering the mansion Richard and Bellarine passed by the reception area. Bellarine stopped to greet the guests while Richard nonchalantly walked away; ignoring the curious gaze of the girl who came with the Duke.

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Bellarine wasn't happy as she greeted the Duke, "You bothered to come all the way here? Is there something important?"

While she gestured for them to sit back she also took a seat across them.

Duke Gideon Hawkbridge was one of the four Dukes who worked under the Empire and handled the eastern region.

He is a bulky man with a broad frame and long back hair. He had a cross scar of the past wound on his chin and was wearing a tight formal suit that exposed his tight muscles.

The man couldn't help but look at Bellarine for a second longer than he should have. Unable to resist the charm of the Duchess as he answered the question,

"You weren't replying to my letters so I took the ignorance as an opportunity to come here." He joked, but those eyes of Bellarine said that she didn't like the joke at all.

Coughing awkwardly, he introduced the little girl beside him, "You must have met my daughter before, right? Amelia, introduce yourself."

The fairy-like girl with long black hair, a leaf-designed hairclip maintaining her hairstyle, and possessing warm yellow eyes got up from her seat. She held the hem of her gown before bowing elegantly,

"Pleased to meet you, Lady Bellarine."

"Hmm...now state your purpose."

Amelia didn't show any offence being insulted like this; in the first place, she couldn't have shown aggression. The teenager was aware of Bellarine's personality so she expected as much.

Gideon sighed, quite used to her cold attitude. Finally, he revealed,

"I came here with the proposal of the betrothal of Richard with my Amelia."

Bellarine was aware of his purpose, but still hearing it from the Duke made her a little surprised. How desperate he could be to still appear before her even though she ignored his letters for this long.

Bellarine leaned back and crossed her legs elegantly before responding, "Richard doesn't want to get married yet. He isn't ready."

"Then at least they meet first and get to know each other? Please try to understand; if it hadn't been urgent, I wouldn't have pestered you this much."

"And that reason is?"

Hearing Bellarine's counter question, Gideon hesitated.

"Because my mom is suffering from illness and might die in a few months. And her only wish is to see me with a capable man." Surprisingly it was Amelia who gave her the answer.

Gideon didn't show much of a reaction other than the initial shock. He was quite familiar with his daughter's personality as well.

Bellarine could accept that explanation. Gideon adores his non-awakened wife a little too much. Bellarine has met her quite a few times when she was just a soldier. As such, it was no surprise he was being desperate for this.

However, "I still can't say anything. Richard doesn't want to get hastily into a relationship without knowing the person."

Her Richie's decision held utmost priority for her.

Gideon suggested, "That's why I am asking for them to get to know each other a little better. If Richard still rejects, then I won't pester you."

Bellarine was pushed into a corner now. This man was being a little too pushy now. Should she just outright reject him?

She was having such thoughts when suddenly, "Mom, can I take Amelia with me to buy books?"

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A/N:- Damn...these non-awakened are dying like live stocks. I hope you all liked the chapter.

Now, a request. Is there anyone who can help me set up a Discord server? If yes, then comment here.