Unsealing Emptiness

Opening up.

While eating, Grandma Carol kept making small conversations. After eating his fill, Ozul was just about to head to his room when,

“Ozul, we have to get some clothes for you. These are too big for you. We will leave early. Because later, I have to tend to the flower shop,” Grandma Carol said seeing that Ozul was about to head to his room

Ozul just nodded his head and headed straight to his room. While internally, he was thinking about something else.

Sigh... Do I really have to head out again? Is there no other way around it? Wait, I can always use Ball of Purity to block out the sunlight.

But its size is too small. And besides, I cannot use it in an obvious way, or I can get into trouble. Not that I really care about it, but it’s... troublesome. Yes... Trouble is annoying.

Dibly helped me here again. He had informed me that all the Mages usually concentrate on only one element. Such as a Mage using Fire Element for his Magic Spell will most likely solely focus on the Magical Spells of the fire element.

It is because they have to create original Spells when they comprehend that specific Element.

There exist all kinds of Elements, such as Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Lightning, Ice, Light, etc. Darkness is also one of the Elements, But the issue is that it is associated with evil!

.....

Stupid idiot humans! Light is such an impure Element, yet it is considered as the bane of evil!

It is also the fault of humans, though. Because in this world’s history, there have been many Evil Mages who used Darkness Element. Hence, They declared the Element of Darkness itself as evil.

Their idiocy knows no bounds. They create weapons to kill people, yet they don’t announce it to be evil!

There are also some people who are born with a special affinity to some Element. These people are called

Gifted

. It gives them an advantage over other people in that particular Element. Their comprehension of that Element would skyrocket.

Anyways, all I can do is to create a solid umbrella out of the Ball of Purity. Even though the pitch-black umbrella may attract some attention, it will be better than just covering me with darkness in the gaseous state of Ball of Purity. They will straight out declare me to be an Evil Mage if I do so.

I will do that only when I am powerful enough to protect myself.

Grandma Carol would be waiting for me. I head out of the room while holding a pitch-black umbrella.

She was surprised to see the umbrella in my hand, But she never asked me any personal questions. She always tries to respect my privacy.

Together we went out of the house to find the tailor shop. On the way, some people joyously greeted Grandma Carol. She was quite popular around here. Most of the people looked curiously towards me as I was walking by her, and also holding that strange umbrella.

We did not mind it and just kept walking towards the tailor shop.

In about 15 minutes, we arrived and entered the shop.

The shop owner came in front of us and greeted Grandma Carol.

“Hoho... What can I do for you, Miss Carol?”- Tailor

“It’s nothing; I was just looking for some clothes for the kid.”- Grandma Carol said, pointing towards Ozul.

The shop owner did not waste any time and bought some shirts and pants in my size. Grandma Carol wanted me to try a few of them, but I just picked up the white shirt and black pants.

I quickly wore them in the changing room. Grandma Carol paid a Silver coin for them, and we went out of the shop.

“Hmm... Didn’t you say that black was your favorite color? I thought you would only choose black clothing. What changed your mind?”- Grandma Carol curiously asked Ozul.

“I will stand out too much.” – Ozul had thought it through. Even I, who does not mostly pay attention to the surroundings will notice a six years old child wrapped up in full black clothing with an umbrella in hand, which is also pitch-black!

‘He does not want attention? Probably it’s because of something he is hiding. In his age, children would not even know how to have a conversation properly. And here he is, worrying about survival. Sigh... I believe he will open up to me sooner or later.’ – Grandma Carol again started her inner monologue about the hardships that Ozul has to face.

They walked back to the house as they chit-chatted along the way.

Upon arriving at the house, Ozul directly went to the area with the least amount of light present, his room. The umbrella only protected his face from the sunlight, it helped, but it was not enough.

Maybe he should just create a pointed hat next time. It will not be as eye-catching as the umbrella but will work exactly like it.

Grandma Carol just smiled a little seeing his dislike towards sunlight. She changed her clothes and picked out the flowers.

She had turned a small portion of the outer wall of her house into a shop. Grandma Carol had the stuff to arrange the flowers into a bouquet. People who wanted to buy the flowers would just ring the bell outside, and in a second, Grandma Carol would be at the shop.

Otherwise, you would only find her trimming or taking care of the garden.

Speaking of Grandma Carol, She had told Ozul many things about her. Grandma Carol may look in her mid-fifties, but she was already 68 years old.

Grandma Carol had told me that she did not marry anyone because she did not find someone compatible with her. But even if she could not find a suitable partner, she adored little children.

Hence she adopted Ozul when she saw his circumstances.

I haven’t told her everything about me yet. It is not that I care if people know about me, but I can’t be sure until I confirm that I can trust her.

I still have to be careful in case my ‘father’ sends people to find me.

As I am now, I don’t know anything about the Forest in the west of Azmar Town. I want to test my theories, but blindly entering the woods to hunt Beasts was just straight out foolish.

I will just have to spend my time gathering information about the Forest. It could contain Magical Beasts that I can’t even fathom; I won’t risk it.

. . . . .

Hence, Ozul again began to spend his days just sleeping.

Well, few other tasks were also added to his routine, though. Such as thinking, watching the night sky, and sometimes he started to help Grandma Carol. That last part was an improvement.

Even Old Carol was astonished! She had already discerned that Ozul did not like physical activity, especially in sunlight. But Old Carol was not complaining. Instead, she was happy because it meant that he was finally opening up to her!

She was not wrong; Ozul had come to trust Grandma Carol. He would have already told her his past, but could not find the right opportunity.

4 years flew past in the blink of an eye.

Ozul was now 10 years old.

He was already 4 feet and 5 inches tall! From the wooden doll, he was transforming into a cold and emotionless prince.

There were not many changes in him except for the increase in his Ball of Purity. The increment only amounted so that he could create four more needles.

This amount of increment was negligible, but Ozul could not complain to anyone.

He had already obtained precise information about the Forest. He was just waiting for the opportunity to ask Grandma Carol.

Speaking of her, Ozul had already opened up to her. It was embarrassing, but when he could not find the right occasion to tell her, Ozul had no other way than just to strike up the conversation himself. It went like this...

[Flashback]

Ozul was sitting on the couch facing Grandma Carol when suddenly he spoke out,

“Uhm... So hey, you haven’t asked me about myself lately...”- It was nothing for Ozul to talk about himself, but he was afraid that it might get him into some kind of trouble.

Grandma Carol was surprised to hear him say that. She wanted him to open himself to her, but he never did. She was seriously losing hope. When after all this time, he struck this conversation himself.

“Hmm... I just thought that you were not ready yet.” – Grandma Carol quickly composed herself and gave a satisfactory answer.

“I am ready now.”- This scene may look a little bit emotional, as you know, a kid opening up to her adoptive grandparent about his cruel past is touching.

But it was ruined by Ozul’s flat tone and the still impassive face.

Grandma Carol did not mind it though. She was used to his expressionless face, as she knew that Ozul never showed his emotions on his face.

She was joyous that he was ready. He may not show his emotions, but Grandma Carol knew that he felt the sentiments. Ozul is just not so... expressive.

Anyways, Ozul continued to explain to her that he was born different. Ozul told Grandma Carol only his mother was kind to him and that she died just after giving birth to him, how his father cut his limbs that had the runes engraved on them, and how he was locked up in the old warehouse for six whole years!!!

To his surprise, after listening to his past, Grandma Carol had tears in her eyes. She hugged Ozul and started cursing all the lineage of my

father.

Old Carol had always thought that Ozul might have had a miserable childhood, but this much!? She never imagined that those people could be so Cruel towards a newborn baby.

The next half of the day was spent as Grandma Carol kept hugging Ozul. She could not see, but for a second there, Ozul again had a smile on his face!

[Flashback End]

Hoo... even though I got the load off my chest, it is still embarrassing to remember it.

But now I need to ask Grandma Carol to let me go into the Forest though it might be a little difficult.

Ozul kept thinking of ways to convince her before moving towards the living room where Grandma Carol was sitting on a couch.