Mystical Fantasy : The Lazy Real Young Master [EN]

Fani had just finished casting a minor spell upon the sleeping Clarista—a delicate enchantment designed to ensure the girl wouldn’t awaken for several hours.

She didn’t forget to make her drink the potion Al had prepared either; a concoction meant to lessen the side effects of the strain that magic could inflict upon an ordinary human body.

Once that was done, Fani quietly slipped out through the narrow air vent. Her body shimmered, dissolving into a thick blood mist—her trademark transformation, known only to a few. Silent. Invisible. A living vapor that carried no sound, no scent, and no trace of her presence.

She drifted through the cool night air, gliding above the construction site that sprawled beneath the moonlight. From the shadows above, she observed, guarding the area like a phantom shield for Al—ready to intercept any intruder bold enough to approach.

”So this is what he’s trying to build, huh?” she murmured to herself, eyes narrowing with curiosity. ”I wonder what’s hidden inside.”

From a distance, the project site appeared perfectly ordinary, yet Fani could sense the veil of illusion wrapped tightly around it—a high-level magical barrier, invisible to the untrained eye.

Then, she detected a movement.

A slithering shape glided across the ground, cutting through the darkness with unnatural speed.

It halted.

And from within that moving shadow, a pair of crimson eyes gleamed back at her.

”Ah... he’s already out,” Fani whispered, instantly recognizing that eerie aura. It was Al—using one of his peculiar elemental shadow techniques again.

She gave a small nod, signaling that the perimeter was clear and that he could proceed without worry.

Moments later, Al melted back into the darkness, moving silently beyond the guarded Virellano estate that had been under heavy surveillance for the past two days.

Fani watched him fade away and couldn’t help but smile faintly.

”Instead of studying for his national exams, he’s sneaking out in the evening,” she muttered with a chuckle. ”You really do whatever you want, don’t you? Hehe... take care, Boss.”

After that,

Her curiosity eventually got the better of her. Floating closer to the project site, she reached out toward the barrier. The moment her mist-like hand brushed against it, a surge of discomfort rippled through her essence—sharp, jarring.

The distortion forced her blood vapor to momentarily revert into a solid hand. A painful mistake. She quickly pulled back, regaining her mist form before the barrier could cause further harm.

”This barrier creates illusions for anyone who sees and touches it,” she murmured under her breath.”Humans would be deceived by the illusion from either side... but for beings like djinn, it’s far more dangerous. It can harm their physical form.”

Then, she circled the perimeter slowly, eyes scanning every subtle ripple in the air, tracing the invisible lines of power. After a full sweep, she discovered four small spiral stones embedded at key points around the site—each one pulsing faintly with arcane light.

”Artifacts,” she whispered, brow furrowing. ”Where did he get his hands on these? I’ve been out of the magical world since I left the family’s soldier corps... yet now, because of that man, I can’t help feeling drawn back in again.”

Her words faded into the wind.

And just as Al had predicted and told her—trouble arrived.

From the western side of the site, a faint presence approached. Fani instantly recognized it. Uncle Acok. The old man walked calmly, almost leisurely, but his direction was precise. He was heading straight for Al’s project.

Fani’s eyes narrowed, her aura darkening. Magic rippled through her form, tightening like coiled steel.

”Time to get to work,” she whispered.

In the next heartbeat, she shot forward—her mist spreading, reshaping, and vanishing into the night.

The diversion had begun.

---

It didn’t take long for Al to arrive at the underground bunker owned by Basri.

The air inside was heavy with a faint metallic scent, a mixture of medicine, dust, and exhaustion. The flickering fluorescent lights cast pale shadows along the concrete walls. Basri, frail and trembling, looked as if every step he took was a battle. Yet the moment he saw Al, his eyes lit up faintly with hope.

”S-Sir...” Basri greeted weakly.

Shae and Sa-Ya, who had been standing near the entrance, immediately straightened up and bowed deeply.

”Master, you’re here!” they said almost in unison, their tones filled with both relief and respect.

Al gave a brief nod. ”Sorry I’m a bit late, Mr. Basri. I had quite a few things to handle today.”

Turning his gaze toward his subordinates, he asked evenly, ”How’s the situation here?”

Basri only nodded faintly, trying to show that he understood. His body looked as though it was on the verge of collapse—his emotions flickering wildly between smiles, sorrow, shock, and laughter. His soul was fragmenting before their eyes.

His body won’t last much longer, Al thought, observing closely.

Maybe a few hours at best. The Axis spell’s corruption is eating away at his mind faster than expected.

Shae took a step forward to report, her tone steady. ”Security and surveillance are all in order, Master. There’s been no sign of the Ordo Ferox around the area. Everything is safe for now.”

Sa-Ya nodded, adding, ”Inside here, nothing’s really changed either—except for Mr. Basri’s condition, which seems to be worsening. As for the girl, she hasn’t shown any response at all.”

”Good,” Al replied simply, his tone calm yet approving.

Basri tried to move closer, his hand trembling as he reached for Al’s arm. Despite the spasms that made his expression twitch every few seconds, his consciousness remained strong enough for him to speak.

”M-My lord... Tell me,” he said, voice breaking, ”can you really save my daughter?”

Al didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he supported the older man’s weak frame and guided him gently toward a side room.

”Come with me, Mr. Basri,” he said quietly, then turned to Shae and Sa-Ya. ”You two as well. I’ve stationed several of our members within a one-kilometer radius. You can focus here for now—no need to guard the perimeter.”

The two girls nodded and followed without hesitation.

---

The next room was cleaner than expected. The faint scent of disinfectant filled the air. On the bed, Basri’s daughter—Putri—lay motionless, her fragile body connected to new IV tubes. Her breathing was shallow but steady.

Al glanced around. ”You two cleaned this place?”

”Of course, Master,” Sa-Ya replied enthusiastically. ”A sick person’s room has to be hygienic, right? We even bathed her ourselves.”

”Yeah,” Shae added softly. ”This poor girl... she didn’t deserve any of this.”

”Good work, both of you,” Al said with a faint smile, patting the tops of their heads in a light, approving gesture.

”Impressive that you managed to bathe her... but you haven’t bathed yourselves. Or even changed clothes,” he added jokingly.

The two pouted immediately.

”That’s fine, Master. Warriors like us don’t think about that stuff,” Sa-Ya grumbled.

”Right. Besides, our uniforms can go for weeks without getting dirty,” Shae chimed in with mock pride.

Al chuckled and shook his head. ”Maybe the uniforms stay clean, but your bodies don’t. You’re both going to start smelling soon, you know. Hehe.”

”Master!” they shouted together, half embarrassed, half annoyed.

Laughing softly, Al raised a hand. ”Alright, alright...”

Clean!

A faint shimmer surrounded the two girls as a cleansing spell washed over them. Their hair gleamed, their clothes freshened, and even the air around them smelled lighter.

”You’re both adults now, yet I still have to bathe you with magic. When we return to Ataris, learn some basic daily-life spells, okay?” he teased.

Feeling refreshed, both girls couldn’t stay mad anymore. They exchanged glances and nodded together.

”Yes, Master!”

Satisfied, Al turned his focus back to Basri, who had slumped against the wall, his face shifting between tears and forced smiles every few seconds.

Al placed his palm gently on the man’s back. ”Mr. Basri... I’m sorry, but this might hurt a little. Please endure it.”

Before the man could respond—

SKWIIIRRR!!

A surge of lightning coursed through Basri’s body, his muscles convulsing violently. He screamed in agony.

”ARGHHH!”

The crackling light faded after a few seconds, and his body collapsed to the floor, smoke rising faintly from his back. His clothes were scorched in places, and his breathing was shallow.

Shae and Sa-Ya rushing to his side. Hold his body.

Al calmly extended his other hand.

Heal!

A soft glow spread from his palm, knitting torn skin and repairing nerves. The potion Basri had consumed earlier helped accelerate the recovery, though his body remained too weak to stay conscious.

”Let him rest for now,” Al said. ”I locked several of his neural pathways temporarily. It’ll keep his emotions stable, even if his soul isn’t.”

The two girls carried Basri carefully to another bed. Al then stepped toward Putri’s bedside again, his expression now solemn.

A moment later, the two girls joined him at his side.

”Tell me,” he said, looking at them both. ”Have either of you ever seen something like this before?”

Sa-Ya shook her head. ”I don’t think so, Master. What exactly do you mean?”

Shae stared at the girl for a while, furrowing her brows. ”It feels... familiar somehow, but I can’t remember why.”

Al let out a long, weary sigh — not of frustration, but the kind that carried both patience and quiet calculation.

”You two probably think I reassigned you here out of pity,” he began, his tone calm yet edged with subtle amusement.

”After all, I was the one who sent you to watch over the Norvalien residence before this, and now I suddenly pulled you off that duty just to handle this, right?”

Both girls exchanged a quick glance, silently weighing his words. Then, almost in perfect sync, they nodded at him.

”I knew it,” Al replied, an almost knowing smirk tugging at his lips. ”But that’s not it. I didn’t move you two here because I was being indecisive... I did it because you’re the ones most familiar with this phenomenon.

”Familiar?” Sa-Ya blinked, tilting her head in utter confusion. ”What do you mean, Master?”

Shae looked equally puzzled at first, but her expression gradually shifted — her brows furrowing, eyes narrowing in thought as she began tracing the connection in her head.

”Something that only the two of us would be familiar with... A girl who’s been in a coma for a year...” she muttered under her breath, pacing mentally through memories she wished she’d forgotten. ”Hmm...”

Then, something clicked — a sudden realization struck her like lightning. Her eyes widened in shock, and without thinking, she grabbed Sa-Ya’s shoulders tightly.

”W–Whoa! What’s gotten into you?! You possessed or something?!” Sa-Ya yelped, startled by the sudden grip.

Shae ignored the protest, her gaze snapping back toward Al, her voice trembling slightly with both fear and awe.

”Master... don’t tell me—! You’re talking about Soul Demonization, right? And the Third Dimension?” she blurted out, half-whispering, half-shouting in disbelief.

The words hit Sa-Ya like a shockwave. Her hands instinctively flew to her mouth as if to stop a scream from escaping. The realization dawned on her too, chilling her to the core.

Al didn’t bother denying it. He simply nodded once, slow and deliberate.

”I was wondering why it took you both this long to figure it out,” he said dryly, lifting his right hand and extending it toward Putri’s sleeping face.

Both girls immediately followed his gaze.

Then — the air shifted.

A dense, dark energy began to seep from Al’s palm, coiling like living smoke before flowing gently onto the girl’s face. The power pulsed, hungry, as if trying to devour the small, fragile light that was Putri herself.

And then—something within her responded.

Her eyelids snapped open, revealing eyes that glowed faintly crimson, and from her entire body erupted a shroud of black energy — chaotic, restless, alive. It enveloped her, twisting and warping the very air around her.

The room trembled faintly.

Shae and Sa-Ya froze in place. The temperature seemed to drop in an instant, and a spine-chilling pressure filled the air.

That darkness—

It wasn’t just magical energy. It was something deeper. Something wrong.

And as the darkness spread, one chilling truth lingered unspoken—What exactly is Soul Demonization... and what lies within the Third Dimension?

---