Chapter 122 - Nicole, Inferior Stage Grandmaster And Doubts

Undine was unable to tell if the count was present before she teleported over otherwise she would have never attempted to appear the night before which caused him to be suspicious.

Luckily, she was able to cancel her teleportation fast enough for the count to not see her.

◇　◇　◇

**BOOM!

There was a small burst of energy released, which made the count, who had gone back to get his tabs from his office before returning to Nicole's room, look up with a smile on his face.

He waved his hand and prevented the energy that was released from Nicole's body, from wrecking the surrounding area.

"Congratulations Nicole."

Nicole, who was revelling in the feeling of being a grandmaster, opened her eyes in shock when she suddenly heard her father's voice.

He walked up to her and patted her on the head, causing her to involuntarily smile.

"Next time use the training room, otherwise your room would get wrecked you know?"

He spoke up after a few moments, causing Nicole to look around her room anxiously. Seeing that everything was in place, she sighed in relief and nodded at her father's words.

"Hmm...It's time already."

The count looked at his watch and sighed. He turned his gaze back to Nicole and said.

"In going to get your mother, I'd be back soon."

After saying that, he picked up his tabs and disappeared from the room.

Left alone, Nicole motioned to the water spirits who were finally not scared anymore as the object of their fear had left and begun consoling them.

◇　◇　◇

The count who was moving past the atmosphere of the planet, into the void of space stopped for a moment and turned around.

'Hmm...'

He shook his head and turned back, before wrapping himself with his energy and streaking across the void of space.

◇　◇　◇

A woman, one with sea blue coloured skin and hair, appeared where the count was moments after he had left.

'Sorry but although I mean no harm to your daughter, I can't let you discover me yet.'

The woman, Undine, turned her gaze to the planet below her and descended right onto it.

◇　◇　◇

Nicole who was petting the cat shaped spirit on her lap, sensed a swirl of energy coming from the corner of the room.

She turned around to see Undine flash a bright smile at her.

[I'm back.]

However Nicole's facial expression did not change, seeing this Undine instantly realised the reason.

'She's suspicious.'

After knowing Nicole since she was barely 5 years old, Undine was one of the few people who understood Nicole very well.

Although she had a hard time hiding most of her thoughts and emotions from showing on her face, there were a few times when she showed no expression at all.

'Either she is pissed or she is suspicious.'

Her indigo-purple eyes gazed towards Undine coldly, and her face was devoid of any expressions.

Nicole disliked doubting people, especially those who showed goodwill to her. However this did not mean she could not doubt them, it was rather because she doubted too much she came to dislike it.

Undine had helped Nicole a lot over the years, however after seeing the latter escape whenever her father was around, Nicole was bound to get suspicious.

She always felt it was rude to doubt others but after Layla repeatedly assured her it was not, she wasn't hesitant in showing her suspicions anymore.

"Explain."

One word. That was all she said, but Undine knew that the things that required explanations, were more than just one.

She considered lying her way out of it but she knew that if she did so, she might loose all the trust she built up with Nicole over the years.

[Fine, I'm sure there's a lot you want to know but you need to know that there are some things I just can't tell you even if I wanted to.

As for what I 'can' tell you, the reason I'm avoiding your father is one of them.]

She walked over to the window and looked outside before continuing.

[A few decades ago, I was at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

I happened to encounter your father when he was chasing down some of his enemies he mistook me for one of them.

I tried to explain that I was not part of them but the circumstances at the time didn't really favour me.

As such he ended up attacking me.

I escaped but I wound up encountering him a few years later, which led to him attacking me again.

That's the reason why I'm avoiding him, I don't exactly have proof to show I'm not his enemy.

To be more specific, I do have proof, just that its confidential information i can't show so carelessly.

That's why I'm avoiding him, if he sees me he might assume I'm after you to get some sort of leverage on him and I don't want that.]

She turned to Nicole after speaking and looked at the latter in silence.

Nicole stared back at her for a few moments before finally asking.

"What was the real reason you approached me originally?"

[Huh? That's because of your affinity f-.]

"Undine."

Nicole cut of Undine with a tone that showed she was not foolish enough to believe that.

Seeing this, undine sighed and spoke, her words, were basically gibberish to Nicole.

[u^!<£%$@! !^{¡€$£ and d€$|!^?.]

[You didn't hear that right? 

Like I said, there are things I can't tell you even of I wanted to.]

Undine then put her hand on her chest. Magic energy swirled around her palm, seeing this, Nicole couldn't help but exclaim in shock.

"Oath of mana?! There's no need to go that f-."

However, Undine cut her off instantly.

[I solemnly swear that I have no hostile intentions and mean no harm towards Nicole Harper and anyone you care about.]

There was a sound of chains clinking together and the mana swirling around her palm died down.

What Undine just used, was a spell called oath of mana. 

In return for taking an oath, the user put their magic power as collateral, so that in the event in which they broke it, they would loose their ability to use magic forever.

Even though there were other energies available, losing the ability to use magic would indeed cause a great decrease in strength for most.

Depending on their race or circumstances, it could be life threatening for them.

Undine walked up to Nicole who was still staring at her in shock and spoke.

[I really don't want you to doubt me you see, so I had to show my sincerity.]

"But there was no need to go as far as to do that."

Undine just smiled and pulled Nicole in for a hug and patted her on the back.

[Worry not, it won't have any adverse effects, after all, I won't be breaking that oath at all.]

Nicole still felt aggrieved but she silently nodded. Seeing this, Undine smiled before looking towards the cat shaped spirit on her lap.

The spirit felt Undine's gaze and got the hint. 

It wasted no time in jumping down from Nicole's lap and running to a corner of the room.

Undine nodded before taking a seat on the couch and laying Nicole's head on her laps.

Patting her silky black hair, she spoke.

[Don't beat yourself over it, even I know I was acting awfully suspicious.

I'd doubt myself if I was in your position.]

"Undine."

[Yes?]

"Do you think I should tell dad about it?"

The 'it', Nicole referred to was none other than her unique ability, the reason she had an unusually high affinity for the water attribute and why water spirits favoured her so much.

Her ability was one that let her control almost all forms of water.

It didn't matter of the water was natural or was generated by some sort of artifact or spell.

Take for example, if one casted a water spell with ether, against an opponent.

If the opponent wished to hijack the spell midway and turn it against its caster, they needed ether to do so.

However in Nicole's case, she would be able to hijack the spell and turn it against its caster regardless of whether she possessed ether within her body or not.

Of course, the difference in strength between her and the caster still mattered.

However, it didn't change the fact that her ability was powerful and had the potential to be even more so.

This was just one of the applications of this ability that she was currently able to use, there were many more sides to it she hadn't discovered yet.

Also, she hadn't told anyone about this ability, not even her dad.

[It's up to you but I personally think you shouldn't talk about it yet.

At least until you discover more about it.]

"Mhmm..."

[Also I have another spell that I want to teach you. 

Now you're a grandmaster, you can learn it.

Next time when you come home for a longer period of time, I'd teach you another one.]

"Okay..."

Undine's words reminded Nicole that she had just advanced to the grandmaster realm.

'Lord Arthur is already there and Lady Layla has most likely advanced too.

I won't let myself be left behind.'

She clenched her fist and made a small resolution to herself before falling asleep on Undine's lap.

After Nicole fell asleep, Undine carried her to her bed and placed her on it.. Covering her with her blanked, she patted Nicole's head once more before warping out of the room.