After Hugo and María found Aria in the forest, they returned to the mansion without further trouble.

  Hugo grumbled a couple of times, insisting she tell him what happened, but Aria just stared at him before saying:

  “It’s not relevant.”

  María tried butting in, squealing a “Hey, at least tell me something!” while flailing her arms, but Aria ignored her completely, and eventually both gave up.

  The next day, María burst into Aria’s room with a nervous smile, clutching a pair of earrings in her hands.

  “Look, Aria!” María said, holding them up for her to see.

  They were the earrings Esmeria had given her, ones María had stashed away out of sheer laziness until now.

  “I brought them for you! They’re pretty, right? Put them on, come on!”

  Aria glanced at them for a second, frowning slightly, and shook her head.

  “I don’t want them. They give me a bad feeling,” she replied flatly, crossing her arms.

  María pulled a sad puppy face, clasping her hands like she was praying.

  “Please, Aria! I took them for you! Just try them on!” she whined, leaning toward her with shiny eyes.

  Aria let out a faint sigh, almost mechanical, and held out a hand.

  “Fine. Give them to me,” she said, her voice as flat as ever.

  María let out a happy squeak and clapped her hands before carefully putting them on her.

  “They look awesome on you!” she shrieked, hopping up and down while Aria checked herself in a mirror with a blank face.

  But her victory didn’t last long.

  Hugo banned Aria from entering the research area with those earrings.

  “Don’t you dare come near,” he growled at her, pointing a finger as his robe billowed.

  Aria stared at him for a moment, then took off the earrings without a word and left them on a table.

  María, who was sweeping nearby, dropped the broom with a loud thud.

  “Aria! Why’d you take them off?” she wailed, rushing to pick them up with shaky hands. “I thought you liked them!”

  “I don’t need them,” Aria said, shrugging before turning to leave.

  María stood there, staring at the earrings with watery eyes, but she didn’t have time to sulk because Hugo poked his head through the door.

  “María! Stop making a scene and come sort the scrolls,” Hugo said, his deep voice rumbling. “And bring the mana stones, now!”

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  María clicked her tongue.

  “I’m coming, you grumpy old man!” she yelled, dragging her feet as she followed Hugo to the workshop.

  Inside, chaos erupted right away.

  Scrolls were scattered across the floor, colorful mana stones glowed in messy piles, and Aria was already there, sitting in a corner drawing circles on the ground with chalk.

  Hugo crossed his arms, eyeing the circles with a furrowed brow.

  “Let’s go again,” he said, his tone curt as he raised a hand.

  A burst of mana shot from his fingers, pouring into Aria’s circle.

  María covered her eyes with a squeak, bracing for the worst, but…

  BOOM!

  An explosion rocked the table, sending scrolls flying through the air.

  “Again!” Hugo growled, pointing at Aria to draw a new one.

  Aria nodded without flinching, grabbing another piece of chalk while María scrambled to pick up the scrolls with trembling hands.

  “This is a disaster!” she shrieked, ducking to grab a red mana stone that had rolled under a chair.

  Hugo turned to her, frowning harder.

  “Hurry up, slowpoke! What are you waiting for, me to clean it?” he barked, crossing his arms and tapping his foot.

  María shot up, her face red.

  “Hey, old man! I’m doing my best!” she yelled, waving a scroll in the air.

  Hugo snorted, turning to Aria.

  “And you, draw faster. This isn’t a game,” he said, his tone sharp as he fed mana into the next circle.

  This time, a puff of white dust filled the air, making María cough as she flailed her hands wildly.

  “My eyes! My eyes!” she screeched, rubbing her face.

  “Quit whining and clean!” Hugo growled, pointing at the mess with a finger.

  María gritted her teeth, thinking to herself:

  ‘This old jerk’s gonna drive me nuts!’

  María grabbed a broom and started sweeping, but every time she finished, Hugo and Aria tested another circle.

  One time it was a blast that sent a chair crashing into the wall, another an explosion that left a burnt smell.

  And always, María had to put everything back exactly as it was, or Hugo would give her that “Are you stupid?” look that pushed her to the edge.

  …

  “María, that blue stone goes on the left!” Hugo barked, pointing at a mana stone she’d misplaced.

  María spun to him, the broom shaking in her hands.

  “I know, old man! I’m not blind!” she shrieked, rushing to fix it while Hugo huffed.

  “Could’ve fooled me, you take forever,” he said, his tone dry but with a faint glint in his eyes, like he enjoyed watching her scramble.

  The day dragged on like that, chaotic and exhausting.

  Hugo barely let Aria eat, growling a “Hurry up, scarf it down and get back!” while she bit into bread with a blank face.

  María, sweating and with her hair a mess, dashed back and forth, sorting scrolls, grabbing stones, sweeping dust.

  ‘This is a nightmare!’ she thought, clenching her fists as Hugo yelled again:

  “María, that pile’s crooked! What’s wrong with you today, girl? You’re clumsier than usual!”

  “What’s wrong with you, you unbearable old coot!” she shouted, spinning around with a red face, but Hugo was already with Aria, feeding mana into another circle.

  By nightfall, all three were wiped out.

  Aria held a piece of chalk, drawing the umpteenth circle, but it snapped between her fingers with a sharp crack.

  María, hair plastered to her face with sweat, ran to hand her a new one, panting like she’d run a marathon.

  Hugo raised his hand, feeding mana in again.

  María covered her face with a squeak, expecting an explosion or worse, but…

  Nothing.

  Silence.

  No flash, no shove, nothing.

  Aria blinked, staring at the circle with her light green eyes, while María uncovered her face slowly, confused.

  Hugo slumped into a chair with a low grunt, resting his head in one hand.

  “Go,” he muttered, his voice so quiet it was barely audible.

  María frowned, stepping toward him.

  “What? You okay, old man?” she asked, leaning in a bit with her hands on her hips.

  Hugo snapped his head up, eyes blazing with fury.

  “Didn’t you hear me?! Get out now!” he roared, pointing at the door with a trembling finger.

  María jumped back, yelping an “Ay!” as she grabbed Aria’s arm.

  “Let’s go, Aria, run!” she shouted, dragging her out of the workshop at top speed.

  As she bolted down the hall with Aria following calmly, María gritted her teeth, thinking:

  ‘Damn old man! I hope you go bald from all that yelling!’

  Hugo stayed alone in the workshop, staring at the failed circle with his face buried in his hands.

  Thank you for your interest!

  a new chapter will be published every day! (I’m already scheduling the uploads to ensure there are no errors this time.)

  I’m leaving this final space to let you know that I’ve opened another survey to decide which novel to focus on next week!