The Light in Abyss【OC Story】✵The Eminence in Shadow✵

Chapter 20 - Live and Love

(Third Person POV)

*beep* *beep* *beep*

At exactly 5 AM in the morning, Cadian's alarm clock beeps at its usual clicky beat, waking the groggy man, starting his day just before daybreak.

"..." As the sound echoed through his quiet dorm, he rubs his eyes and stretches his arms, feeling the first signs of consciousness wash over him. 

He gets out of bed, stumbles to the bathroom, and looks in the mirror, noticing how the morning light highlights the fatigue still lingering in his eyes. Despite this, he's determined to make the most of the early hours, feeling a rush of energy as he starts his day with a fresh perspective. He could theoretically use magic to make himself wide awake. But would he?

No. The process of an early routine was just one of the things he likes to do, an act he wants to keep to make him remember that he was still an ordinary human, but loaded with extraordinary quirks.

"Alright..."

Cadian begins his morning routine with a series of stretches and exercises. He starts with some jumping jacks to get his heart rate up, followed by push-ups to maintain his upper body strength. He then moves on to lunges and squats to work on his legs, feeling the burn in his muscles as he goes through each rep. As he continues to exercise, he feels his energy levels rising and the fog of sleep slowly lifting from his mind. He finishes his routine with some yoga poses to improve his flexibility and balance, feeling invigorated and ready for the day ahead. Unlike Cid who would do extreme measures of training that would seem inhuman, Cadian on the other hand only focuses on what he needs rather than aiming for what he doesn't need at the moment. 

You may ask this, why does he need to do all those things when he's already so strong? Does he really need to undergo such specific conditioning? If you asked that question, then you're utterly clueless. 

It's not the physical conditioning that he's after, it's about the mental conditioning. In order for one to have a clear mind to execute justice in this mad world, one needs to have his mind free and clear. To have the focus to know what to do and the mind to do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals. Early mental stability workouts are a must.

"Next up is... right."

After doing his usual dorm routine, he would usually have a light breakfast in the academy's cafeteria before meeting up with Rose to go to their morning classes. But since the academy was out, and Rose somehow didn't pester him, he decided to lavish his day by heading out to the only place he knows where he can have the best food.

And that was in Mitsugoshi.

.

.

Inside one of Mitsugoshi's main resto, Cadian sat in one of their private dining halls that were typically reserved for important guests and high-ranking nobles. He himself was not one of them, no, he was someone more worthy than they could ever amount to. As such, he was given the finest treatment and service as well as the most exquisite food that he ever had.

He sat before a huge buffet table lined with dozens of delicacies that he was both familiar and unfamiliar with. There were barrels of wine and beer not far from where he was at. And to add more ornamentation to the mix, there were about twelve maids behind him ready to follow his every order and command.

With how much luxury he was given, Cadian only had one thought for all of it.

'T-This is way too much!' He was outright uncomfortable with such treatment. 'I-I only came here to have a light meal before my meeting with Beta and Gamma! I didn't come here to have a one-man buffet party!' But despite the overreaction, Cadian knew that he shouldn't complain. 'Well, they did put so much effort into this... I might as well eat my heart out.'