Ellie mostly took care of the household chores, managing the kitchen, and more importantly, watching over Lisa.
Lisa adored her, and Ellie, in return, spoiled her with sweets and bedtime stories.
Meanwhile, Leona—Kael's elder sister—had already graduated from the prestigious academy and had been recruited into the royal army.
Her accomplishments added pride and prestige to the family name, elevating their status from mere loner in outskirts to something they could be proud of.
Everything seemed to be flowing smoothly.
Kael, on his part, continued his training with dedication. After years, he had finally broken through to the Formation Stage and was already inching towards the stabilization.
**
One fine morning,
Golden rays of the sun spilled softly through Kael's window as he sat cross-legged in his room, surrounded by a faint glow of mana.
He absorbed it eagerly, yet despite his concentration and effort, the flow felt painfully slow,
Minutes stretched into hours, and eventually, he opened his eyes with a frustrated sigh.
"Aunty Nyx," he muttered, glancing to the side where the ethereal figure sat, "this is so slow. At this rate, I'll be old before I make a breakthrough."
Nyx chuckled lightly, her fingers twirling the mana in the air lazily.
"Kael, don't be greedy. The slower and more natural your training, the stronger and more stable your core will become. Rushing will only weaken your foundation."
"I know, I know…" Kael leaned back, groaning in frustration. "But it's so painfully long. I'll probably be twenty before I even reach Stabilization!"
Nyx smiled mischievously, eyes glinting. "Would you like Aunty to help you?"
Kael sat straighter, his eyes lighting up. "Yes! Yes, please!"
Without another word, Nyx raised her hand and slashed the air. A sudden gust of wind surged around them, and the world distorted.
Before Kael could react, he found himself standing in an entirely different dimension.
The sky above was painted in purple, the ground beneath shimmering like gold under the sunrays. Strange, glowing trees floated midair and rivers of different colored light coursed through the air.
"What is this place…? Where am I?" Kael asked, turning around in surprise.
Nyx's voice echoed around him. "This is a separate dimension. Time flows differently here. One year in this realm equals only six days outside."
Kael's jaw dropped. "You mean... I can train for years here, and only a few days will pass outside?"
"Exactly." Nyx said calmly. "Let's see if my little Kael can make real progress now."
And just like that, one more year passed.
Kael spent the entirety of that year training in the separate dimension Nyx had created for him. Time in that realm flowed differently, and each day felt both long and short in its own way.
The first four months were spent solely on achieving the most crucial breakthrough—forming his core. It was a slow process at first, with Kael working tirelessly to stabilize the mana within him.
He absorbed mana endlessly, tested different methods, and felt his core slowly take shape, like a seed slowly sprouting from the ground.
Once the core was formed, it was as though a new world had opened up.
With his core finally in place, he spent the remaining months of the year refining and nourishing it. Every hour spent in this dimension was another layer added to his foundation, making him stronger.
At the end of the year, Kael had succeeded in reaching the Stabilization stage. It was relatively simple stage, requiring only the nurturing of the core.
With the core now stable, his power was beginning to solidify, and he could feel it coursing through him, stronger than ever before.
Although Kael was just 17, his real age was already above 20, thanks to the six extra years he had spent there.
His physical appearance, however, had not changed.
He looked just as he had when he first entered the dimension, so his family remained completely unaware of the growth he had undergone.
Kael smiled to himself as he stood in the dimension, feeling his newfound strength flow through him.
"Ahhh, that felt good," he murmured, letting out a satisfied sigh.
His gaze shifted toward Nyx, who was lounging on the bed, reading a book. The sight of her sent a warm rush through him.
She looked so effortless, so carefree, and it only served to stir his teenage hormones even more.