Free Web NovelChapter 358: Updating Knowledge
"Mr. Monfort. Here is the list of available land that fits your requirements. All of them are in good areas, easy to defend, and large enough for a complex that includes both a residence and an office." Lockley sets a stack of folders on Linus’s desk.
"And this is the additional information on Sonia Hart’s companions." He places another folder on top.
"Thank you, Lockley." Linus does not look up from the file he is already reading.
"Yes, sir. And I have not been able to get further tangible information on the Hunters without risking alerting them. Do you want me to push further, sir?" Lockley’s tone is entirely professional. If Theo or Julian were here, they would think that Sam Mora, the newly appointed CEO of Montrose Corporation, may have finally met his match.
Linus flips the page in his hands and replies without looking up. "No, that won’t be necessary. Not now, anyway. But be ready to act on a moment’s notice. What about the Sentinels list?"
"Yes, sir, I will be ready. As for the Sentinels list..." Lockley hesitates, unsure how to phrase it.
Hearing the hesitation, Linus finally looks up, one eyebrow raised.
"Monfort Sentinels are in very high demand, Mr. Linus. Most are already under long term contracts with other companies, some of them exclusive. We do not have many to spare, sir. In fact, the six currently guarding Arthur Montrose all have contracted assignments coming up soon."
Linus says nothing. He looks thoughtful for a moment.
Then he nods. "Understood. When the time comes, pull them out. But give me a day’s notice beforehand."
He returns his attention to the papers.
"Yes, sir." Lockley gives a slight bow and exits the office.
Click.
The door closes behind him.
Linus sighs and sets the file down. He cannot concentrate this morning. His mind keeps drifting back to the conversation with Theo the night before.
That nagging feeling, that Theo is not really sixteen, refuses to go away. It sits there, insistent, and there is nothing he can do about it. Before the coma, he had only met Thea Montrose once or twice, and both times briefly.
She had been shy back then. Distant, even from her own family. Most of what he knew about her came from Miranda, which meant his impression of her had always been secondhand and likely incomplete.
That night in his study had been the first time he had actually sat down and talked with him properly.
His mind drifts further back, to a dinner at the Montrose estate a few months after the coma. He remembers her being awkward that night.
No. Not awkward. Careful. Unsure. She was testing the waters.
But last night, in my study, she was not testing anything. She already knew. There was no hesitation in her at all.
I keep getting this feeling that I am speaking with a peer. Even when I talk to Arthur, who carries himself with more weight than most people his age, he does not have that same quality. Whatever it is.
Fascinating.
Linus chuckles. "I know Liam is with her right now, meeting Sonia Hart’s uncle. I’m sorry, son. I know you like her. But right now, you are not her match."
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"I can." Theo says calmly. He knows exactly what Elder Loujt is talking about, and he likes the way he explained it to Sonia. Very much like a teacher.
Teacher Theo approves. He thinks to himself.
"And I will need both Earth mages, as well as Julian. We will need everyone." Theo is not saying this lightly. He knows how powerful he was. If he really was the cause of this, then this is an all hands situation.
"Earth? Snow has no Earth in it." Elder Loujt argues.
Theo smiles. "Yes, it does."
Elder Loujt and Sonia both look at him as if he has lost his mind.
"Snow is simply another form of water. When it melts, it is wet. I would know. I am Water." Elder Loujt says it as a plain fact. Sonia nods along beside him.
Theo laughs. "Mr. Loujt, if you really are Water, you should already know that is not entirely true."
"Who taught you magic, young lady? Snow magic is a higher level form of Water magic." Elder Loujt insists.
Theo nods slowly. "That part is true."
He pauses briefly before continuing. "Alright. If you believe that, then answer me this. Why do you need Wind? What we are trying to stop is the snow itself. Look at how it is falling right now. Gentle, almost straight down. There is barely any wind involved. So why insist on having Wind?"
Both Elder Loujt and Sonia blink. Sonia glances at her uncle, hoping he has an answer ready.
"It is... it is because, even without active wind right now, the potential for it is always there. If something goes wrong during the process, having Wind present makes everything easier to manage." Elder Loujt’s argument comes out weaker than he intended.
"Then by that same logic, would it not also help to have Earth present?" Theo presses.
Elder Loujt has no response to that.
Theo takes a breath before continuing. "You are correct, when you say snow is a higher form of water. But there is no such thing as pure water. Water always carries minerals. And what are minerals, if not Earth? Snow actually contains more Earth in it than it does Wind."
"Having three Earth mages present will help us control and manage the situation, especially if anything goes wrong." Theo finishes.
Elder Loujt says nothing. He looks at Theo carefully. He clearly does not believe him outright. But the way it was explained was, frustratingly, very convincing.
"I can see you are still not convinced. That is fine. Honestly, that is good. You should not just trust anyone who gives you information. It can easily be proven." Theo continues. "Both you and Liam are Water. And I believe your level is higher than his, which means you should be able to verify this more precisely than he could."
"I want both of you to summon several snowflakes. Hold them in your palm, set them on the table, let them float, whatever works for you. Then I want each of you to go deep into a single snowflake. Microscopically deep. Find its core. And tell me what you find there."
Liam closes his eyes immediately and concentrates. Elder Loujt blinks at Theo several times before he too closes his eyes.
The table goes quiet for a full sixty seconds. Theo does not mind in the slightest. He sips his hot chocolate slowly, savouring it.
Sonia sits visibly tense. She has never seen anyone manage to challenge Elder Loujt’s magical knowledge like this, let alone get him to concede a point. He is one of the most knowledgeable Vaelin alive, second only to Elder Maer.
Eventually Liam opens his eyes first. Elder Loujt follows shortly after. Liam looks at Theo with something close to delight, clearly already certain of the answer.
Theo does not need confirmation. He already knew he was right. He only walked them through it because if they are going to work together, they need to trust him first.
"What did you find, Mr. Loujt?" Theo asks gently.
Elder Loujt blinks once. "A solid core."
He pauses. "You were correct."
"Thank you for saying that, Mr. Loujt. It tells me a great deal about your character." Theo continues.
"And that is exactly why we will need Earth mages as well. To stop the snow, we need to break it apart from the inside. Destroy the core. That is Earth’s role. Each mage will be responsible for their own element."
"Wind will help us keep the situation contained. It manages the surrounding environment so nothing escalates. While Light will purify what is left of the corruption magic."
"I will show you how to do it. Well, not exactly show, since I cannot do magic myself. You will be the one doing it. You have already seen that solid core. Now I want you to take it a step further. Destroy that core. Break the snowflake apart completely and let it dissolve. And while you are at it, purify the corruption magic within it."
"Take a snowflake from outside. Do not summon your own."
Elder Loujt closes his eyes immediately and follows Theo’s instruction. Liam does the same, eager to see what Theo is about to show them.
Elder Loujt opens his palm. A single snowflake drifts in from outside and settles, floating just above his skin. A few seconds later, it dissolves slowly into nothing.
Elder Loujt opens his eyes and stares at Theo, stunned.
"I still do not understand." His voice comes out low. He looks genuinely shaken. "My entire life I believed snow was simply pure water. Today I have been proven wrong. What else have I been wrong about?"
Sonia goes pale. She has never seen him lose his composure like this.
Theo steps in quickly. "Mr. Loujt, please do not let this discourage you. You were not wrong. Snow is water, in a different form. That much holds true." freewebnoveℓ.com
"What I just showed you is the plan for handling the snow. As for everything else you learned today, treat it simply as new information. What you choose to do with it is entirely up to you. My suggestion would be to update what you know. It happens to everyone. All the time."
Theo smiles, and it is genuine.
Elder Loujt looks at him, almost transfixed. "Who is your teacher?"
Theo’s smile widens. "My teacher is very shy."
