SPELLCRAFT: Reincarnation Of A Magic Scholar

The frosty air was heavy with tension.

Anyone present in this realm was bound to have racing hearts and itchy throats… that is if they weren't already dead thanks to the overwhelming chill.

Unaffected by such environmental factors were Serah and Legris, who simply faced each other with their respective expressions.

Almost the way crimson flames were wrapped around the former, darkness clung to the latter's clothing. They both ignored everything else around them, only staring at each other with eyes that showed no fear or discomfort.

Simply resolve.

"Relax, Serah. Relax. I just want to talk for a bit." Legris finally broke the silence, a brief chuckle escaping his lips.

"What?"

Before Serah could say any more, he plopped to the frosty mountain's surface, sitting comfortably while still looking at her.

"See? I just want to talk." 

Even though he said this, Serah remained immensely wary, her brows furrowing slightly as he tried to solidify his harmless persona.

"Come on, Serah. For old time's sake?" His smiling lips and smooth words tugged at her, but her resolute expression remained the same.

"I do not remember the old times that you mention."

With a response as swift as that, she cemented her own position. The moment those words traveled to Legris, a slight frown tugged at his lips.

"Tch. I see. So Neron told you nothing, huh? Typical of him, wouldn't you say?"

If Legris had expected some sort of reaction from Serah after he mentioned the name of her husband, then he was only met with nothing but disappointment.

Serah's expression remained unchanged despite what he said.

"It seems you have also learned his habit, Serah. Hiding things from your allies and closest friends." Legris' smile deepened as he raised his brows knowingly. 

"Like the fact that you are pregnant."

~WHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH!!!~

The moment Legris uttered those words, Serah's flames grew higher in ferocity. Their intensity spread beyond her immediate surroundings, burning all the ice that decoarated the world around her.

Her face also underwent quite a bit of development, as a deep frown now replaced the stoic expression he had just moments before.

"Haha! You're probably wondering how I know that, but… let's just say you can't fool me." Legris continued to be calm despite the intense pressure that was building up in front of him.

"What do you know?"

Serah's voice was low, but the weight behind it was so threatening that not even the flippant Legris could ignore her.

"I know Neron is the father. I also know you've been hiding it for years now… most likely ever since you noticed the signs of your pregnancy after his disappearance."

"You mean after you sent him to a different world." Serah growled almost as soon as he concluded his statement.

"Ah, so it's true. You aren't denying it, after all."

Legris gave a wry smile and shrugged, almost as if he was nonchalant about the entire thing.

"If I had to guess, I'd say you enlisted the help of the Elves… no, probably just Aurora, the Elf Queen. She taught you the method female Elves use to manipulate their bodies and the bodies of their offsprings."

Elves naturally had special bodies, and they could perform wonders with it. Even though Legris was being so vague and unspecific, it seemed he was hitting the spot due to how Serah's face twitched.

"So, for all these years… you've hid your child in your womb, most likely keeping it in suspended animation. That's quite a feat, if I do say so myself."

"How do you know all these things?"

"A child born from Neron, the Singularity, and Serah Crimson, the strongest Grand Mage… just what kind of beast will the two of you birth?"

"I asked you how—"

"And then the fact that you've kept the child in stasis, basically bathing it with so much Aether… I can only imagine how powerful it is now, after marinating in power for ten years."

"LEGRIS, I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!"

The roar Serah made caused the blizzard aroun to instantly depart. Everything parted ways for her voice, and even the mountain they both stood on shivered in response.

"A-ah, I apologize. It seemed I got carried away by the prospects…" Legris chuckled nervously, both his arms raised up as if in surrender.

Serah's frown showed how unamused she was by his theatrics, forcing him to drop them instantly.

"What did you ask me again? Ah… how I know about all this…" He murmured, rubbing his chin with one hand.

"I guess I can see your child, or rather… I can sense it. It is an 'entity', so I can notice it. As for the other things I said, they were my best guesses based on your personality and circumstances. And it seems I was on the mark."

Serah didn't say anything after this. Perhaps she was having an internal debate on whether to believe Legris or not.

However, just as she remained in her melancholy, his words appeared once more.

"I still do not understand why you chose Neron."

His words were fleeting, but something about them seemed to hint at disappointment… or was it sadness?

It was difficult tot tell.

"He is a selfish man who is obsessed with his goals. Even back then, you… ah, forgive me. You do not know of the times that no longer exist." Legris smiled, almost as if he felt pity for Serah.

Perhaps he did. Or… maybe this was all another ruse.

"Despite ignoring you, avoiding you, and belittling your feelings for him for so long… he finally accepted your love, and suddenly that makes it all okay." 

A short sigh escaped Legris' lips as he looked at Serah with what could only be described as sincere eyes—at least, the closest someone like him could get to it.

"Serah… Neron isn't a good person to you. And you know it."

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[A/N]

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