Golden Mage - Chapter 18
Volume 1, Episode 18
Chapter 7: Shalfir’s Hidden Past
Woohoo!
With a resonating sound of vibrant mana, it spun at a fierce speed.
Shalark.
Mana flowed freely, assisting the graceful movements of her pale and slender fingers, forming a whirlpool in an instant.
Her flowing golden hair caught everyone’s attention.
Her sapphire-like eyes moved gracefully, followed by glancing at her sharp nose and then her red petal-like lips.
Her lips parted, and a sweet melody flowed out.
“Wind Tornado!”
Papapat!
As she chanted the incantation, an immense wind swept through the entire area.
Amidst the raging winds, an enchanting golden-haired beauty swirled in the center.
She was Shalfir.
Now thirty years old, she exuded the beauty of a woman in her mid-twenties and the mature charm of someone in their thirties, overwhelming the surrounding space.
She appeared as if a goddess of magic had descended.
As the Wind Tornado swept through the surroundings and the training grounds were scattered, her previously closed lips slightly parted.
A radiant smile spread across her face, and she couldn’t help but jump with joy.
“Finally! I’ve reached Class 6 Master!”
She was overjoyed, and Shalfir immediately stepped out of the training grounds.
After finishing her morning exercise, she dashed towards El, who had just come inside the house.
“Mom?”
El looked surprised as Shalfir rushed towards her. But Shalfir paid no mind to that and embraced her tightly.
And then, without any restraint, she hugged El in her arms.
“Elly! Your mom has finally done it!”
“Oof! Mom, hold on, just a moment!”
However, El, being the one embraced by Shalfir, could only squirm in her arms.
Though she had turned seventeen, El hadn’t gained enough strength to break free from Shalfir’s embrace.
But seeing how genuinely happy Shalfir was, El willingly (sacrificed?) herself to allow Shalfir to experience the joy.
“Oh my! Elly, were you surprised? Sorry, hehe!”
As Shalfir savored the lingering joy, she looked at El and suddenly spoke, her face beaming.
“Mom has finally reached Class 6 Master!”
“Really?”
El’s expression was one of astonishment. She had suspected it, but there was a significant difference between guessing and confirming.
“Then I guess I won’t lie. It’s the truth.”
Perhaps displeased with El’s reaction, Shalfir puffed out her cheeks slightly.
In response to that, El playfully poked her cheeks, feeling that Shalfir seemed childlike today.
Then, with a smile, El said, “Since my mom has become a Class 6 Master, we should have a celebration today. A celebration for our family!”
“Really? Thank you, Elly!”
Shalfir beamed with a beautiful smile. Her pure joy was evident.
Junseong’s cooking skills, honed over ten years of living alone in his previous life, were exceptional. Furthermore, he occasionally prepared various dishes that were rarely tasted here, which always delighted Shalfir.
Together with her maidservants, Serena and Kaina, who offered their sincere congratulations on Shalfir’s achievement, they all admired El’s cooking.
“It’s so delicious!”
After eating the dishes El had prepared, Shalfir looked ecstatic. The maidservants, Serena and Kaina, also tasted the food, and their ruby-like eyes sparkled in admiration.
“It’s really delicious.”
“Such a dish…”
The food that left all three women in awe was Kimchi Fried Rice.
On occasion, El would procure some of the foods she had enjoyed in her previous life, thanks to her magical skills and occasionally sharing them with Shalfir.
El’s magic helped the kimchi age perfectly, leaving it as good as the kimchi refrigerator. Today, El’s specialty, the Kimchi Fried Rice, graced the breakfast table.
The spicy taste of the kimchi made them sweat, but they still enjoyed the meal.
El watched their expressions and couldn’t help but smile warmly. She closely observed the three women.
First, Shalfir.
Her golden hair, blue eyes, and luscious red lips didn’t make her look like a woman who had given birth to seventeen children.
Serena, who turned nineteen this year, had matured into a beautiful woman with a sacred aura.
Her silver hair, snow-like skin, and captivating beauty complemented each other perfectly, making her look like a saint.
Then there was Kaina, the same age as El.
Though seventeen this year, she hadn’t changed her cold personality towards others. However, for El, she was an adorable woman who was submissive and shy.
With her red hair symbolizing passion, ruby-like eyes, and fair skin that rivaled Shalfir’s and Serena’s, she had a doll-like appeal.
No matter where they went, these three women were nothing short of stunning, causing everyone to be envious. Seeing them relishing her cooking, El couldn’t help but smile.
After the enjoyable time together, they began to clean up. Serena and Kaina started clearing the dishes, while El and Shalfir stood up from their seats.
“Elly.”
As El was about to head to the training room for her magical practice, Shalfir called her and had her stand still. El looked at her curiously, and her heart stirred with anxiety, hiding it as best as she could.
Shalfir began to speak slowly.
“Now that Mom has become a Class 6 Master, I feel like I should tell you the things I’ve kept hidden from you. My past and the story of your father… Now that you’re an adult, you should know, right?”
“….”
Upon hearing Shalfir’s words, El’s expression stiffened. Now she realized that Shalfir was going to reveal the hidden stories she didn’t know.
To be honest, while living with Shalfir, El had been curious. A mage of Shalfir’s caliber wouldn’t have settled down in such an out-of-the-way place. Moreover, she possessed various artifacts that exceeded her magical level.
Now she was sure that the necklace around her mother’s neck was an artifact that could only be crafted by a Class 7 Master at least.
With so many books and artifacts in her possession, she must have been born into a prestigious mage family or noble lineage.
Since Shalfir had never mentioned anything about her father, El had been trying to keep her curiosity in check.
Now she was about to hear the hidden story from her mother.
Shalfir slowly began to speak.
“Mom comes from a noble family. She’s a noblewoman from the Ainhart House, one of the five noble houses of the Bleard Empire on the continent. Mom’s full name is Shalfir von Ainhart.”
El’s eyes widened as she heard Shalfir’s words. Her mother’s revelation was enough to shock her.
The Bleard Empire!
One of the five powerful nations standing tall on the Serdia Continent, one of the leading countries shaping the continent’s fate.
And the name of the noble family she mentioned was even more astonishing.
The Ainhart House.
A prestigious mage family that had produced numerous mages of exceptional talent and skill, among the many noble houses of the Bleard Empire.
Her father’s name was given as Ainyart, and he had reached Class 7 Master more than twenty years ago. It was said that he was about to reach Class 8 soon and was a famous figure who had real power in the empire. Moreover, his son, who would succeed him, was also a Class 7 Expert, holding tremendous influence in the empire.
El had thought she might be from a high-ranking noble family, but she never expected that she would be from the highest-ranking noble lineage of the empire.
El was amazed by the information she hadn’t known until now, but Shalfir continued speaking, unaware of El’s surprise.