《[ The Administrator ]》 **Recap**
Erthia - The World
Races: 6 major races, including 5 mortal races, each one of them being divided into sub-groups or sub-races. Divines, humans, demi-humans, elves and demons. Continents: All self-sufficient and all separated by oceans. There are five of them, each one being named after a cardinal point. The Middle Continent(chapter 1), known as the neutral land, is the main territory of humans, but is also inhabited by a large population of demi-humans and a small proportion of Elves. It is where the story takes place. The North Continent(chapter 20), known as the realm of demons, is the territory of the Demon Lord, but also the refuge of all Demonic races. The South, the West and the East Continents have yet to be mentioned. Timeline: Some of you wanted to know more about the world''s history, so here is a historical timelineof the major events. It''s not exactly a spoiler, as those are events that happened prior to the beginning of the story, but most of them haveyet to be mentioned, so I''ll still add a spoiler tag. Spoiler: Spoiler
The Characters -listed in the order in which they appear in the story, up to the epilogue of part II-
Lynett Maedis Whiteheart / Aileen Woods - Divine (prologue) : Main character of the story. Goddess of All Creations. She was diagnosed with cancer and admitted to a General Hospital at a young age. Over the years, she created Erthia, just before passing away from a transplant failure. After her death, she was reincarnated in the world she created. Azariah Maedis- Elf(prologue):Lynett''s mother. She was captured by human slavers a few years prior to the story, then sold to the Whiteheart Household. There, she was assigned the task to take care of the Lord''s infant son, who just lost his mother. A few years later, she was freed by the Lord of the house after being romantically involved with him, just before fleeing the mansion during the attack on the Whiteheart Household. She took refuge in a small city farther in the South, where she settled in a local inn and gave birth to Lynett. She was later blessed by her daughter. Aoban Whiteheart- Human(prologue):Lynett''s half brother from her father''s side. Son and heir of the previous Marquis of Eskor. As he never knew his birth mother and was raised by Azariah, he considers her as his real mother even though they''re not blood related. He kept very few memories of his father. Upon returning to the Whiteheart mansion, he received his rightful education as the heir. He gets along with his sister very well, and is very protective of her. He later received her blessings, and now attends the Arcane Academy. Naia- Divine(first mentionned in prologue):The Goddess of Light and Order. One of the Originals and one of the six High Gods, worshipped by many humans. Randy- Human(Chapter 1):Owner of the inn where Lynett and her family lived in the early story. He offered Azariah a job. Leonara- Human(chapter 2):Randy''s wife. She was very friendly to Azariah and very fond of Lynett, whom she treated as her own daughter. Yao / Mister Cat- Demi-human(chapter 2):Slave of the Whiteheart household. Born a slave, he was seperated from his family at a very young age and sold to the Whitehearts. Accustomed since birth to his condition, he is very loyal to his masters. Viran- Human(chapter 3) :Randy and Leonara''s son. He befriended Aoban in the early story as Lynett and her family lived in the inn his father owned. Jack Whiteheart- Human(chapter 4):Current Marquis of Eskor and head of the Whiteheart Household. Lynett and Aoban''s uncle. After his brother and nephew''s disappearance, he became the new head of the family. He actively searched for Azariah and Aoban for almost two years. As he finally discovered where they were hiding and "persuaded" them to return, he also found out that Azariah had given birth to his brother''s child. Unwilling to dispose of a "chosen one", he allowed Lynett to stay in the mansion provided that no one learns about it. Over the years, he grew suspicious of her. Eventually, he confronted her about it and negotiated a deal. Nora Whiteheart- Human(chapter 4):Jack''s sister, Lynett and Aoban''s aunt. Spoiled at a very young age, she grew to be extremely conceited. As a female member of the family, she was meant to be married off but due to her poor character, all her engagements were broken, resulting in her becoming even more spiteful. She has the habit of tormenting the servants, especially Azariah, as she despises non-human races. Not very fond of children either, she openly showed her comptempt toward Lynett. However, after directly clashing with her, she was forced to keep her distances with Azariah and Aoban. Lloyd Whiteheart- Human(first mentionned in chapter 4):The previous Marquis of Eskor and head of the Whiteheart Household. Jack and Nora''s eldest brother, Lynett and Aoban''s father, Azariah''s Lover. Went missing after the attack on the family a few months prior the story. Presumed dead. Mello Whiteheart- Human(first mentionned in chapter 4):Lloyd''s wife and Aoban''s mother. She passed away in chidbirth. Cory Whiteheart- Human(chapter 5):Distant relative of Lynett and Aoban. Member of the Whiteheart family. Eric Whiteheart- Human(chapter 5):Distant relative of Lynett and Aoban. Member of the Whiteheart family. Ivy- Human(chapter 8):Lynett''s attendant. Axis- Human(chapter 8):A boy who asked Lynett to find his father, who was supposedly abducted by a monster who turned out to be Yoko. Troy- Human(chapter 9): Axis'' father. After he heard the rumors about a monster living there, he went to the Pine Forest, where he met Yoko. Upon discovering about her identity, he unsuccessfully tried to gain her favor by serving her, until his son started to look for him. As Lynett found him, he was forced to return to the city. He was later captured by slaver in a futile attempt to save his wife, and started a rebellion, encouraging the slaves to uprise by spreading Aileen''s name. Yoko- Divine(chapter 9):The Goddess of Lust and Mischief. One of the Originals. A Mid Goddess who settled next to Eskor, the Capital city of Agraal, after being attracted by Lynett''s mana. Her presence created a strong miasma which transformed her surroundings into an enchanted forest. Lynett later entrusted her the mission to protect her mother and watch her uncle. Harri- Divine(chapter 11):The God of Love and Chivalry. One of the Originals. A Mid God who came to Eskor, also attracted by Lynett''s mana. There, he immediately conflicted with Yoko, who had already claimed the territory as hers. Lynett later entrusted him the mission to protect her mother and watch her uncle. Mairin- Human(chapter 14):Head housemaid of the Whiteheart Household. Duke Rutherder- Human(first mentionned in chapter 16):Head of one of the two ducal houses of the Agraal Kingdom. He is the younger brother of the current king. Altough considered highly immoral, he shamelessly practices polygamy and has fathered many children from many wives and mistresses.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Drakarth- Divine(first mentionned in chapter 18):The God of Wrath and Hatred. One of the Originals. Rakiel Faeris - Elf (first mentioned in the Side story - A Mother''s circumstances): He was together with Azariah when she was captured. He was killed during the raid. Tia - Human(Side story - A Mysterious Young Mistress): Maid of the Whiteheart Household. Camille - Human(Side story - A Mysterious Young Mistress): Maid of the Whiteheart Household. Paul - Human(Side story - A Mysterious Young Mistress): Butler of the Whiteheart Household. Orlo - Human(Side story - A Mysterious Young Mistress): Butler of the Whiteheart Household. Virion- Werewolf(chapter 19):A young werewolf from the North Continent. Like the rest of his pack, he witnessed the strange phenomenon caused by Jonas'' summoning. He followed his father, the alpha of the pack, to investigated the incident. Alex Moss- Human (chapter 20):Aileen''s cousin from her father''s side. Although they did not see each other very often, he got along well with Aileen. They used to be especially close when she was younger, until she started to become withdrawn. After her death, he supported her parents the best he could. He is the only witness to what happened to Jonas. David Woods- Human(chapter 20): Aileen''s father. Born as the eldest of eight children in a catholic family, his parents were not very supportive of his marriage, his wife being not only a divorcee but also an atheist. He ended up cutting all ties with them as they became more and more toxic. He was a very doting father. When his daughter got sick and later fell into depression, he did everything he could to support her and help her get through it, soon neglecting his own personal time and becoming physically exhausted. After her death, he grieved her for a year before deciding to leave the city with his wife. Helen Woods- Human(chapter 20):Aileen''s mother. Very much like her husband, she loved their daughter more than anything else and did everything she could to try to save her. She has a very hard time to get over her death, and is still unable to move on. Jonas Bauer- Human(chapter 20):Aileen''s friend. Because of his severe asthma, he was frequently admitted at the hospital, where he met and befriended Aileen. Although it got better as he grew, he never really stopped hanging out at the hospital, until Aileen passed away. A year after her death, as he was helping her parents to pack things, he was summoned to Erthia. Agatha Kelly- Human(chapter 21):Chief secretary of the Arcane Academy. Nomi Drosriah- Elf(chapter 21):Lynett''s roommate. Like most elves, she is prideful and has a grudge against humans. She holds strong prejudices against Lynett because of her race and also seems to dislike Aoban. Unnamed Headmaster- Human(chapter 22):Headmaster of the Arcane Academy. Originally a theologian, he is an expert about deities and studies divine phenomenons on his free time. Lukas Whiteheart- Human(chapter 22):Lynett and Aoban''s cousin from their father''s side, Jack''s son. Unlike his father, he seems very friendly to Lynett and Aoban, and doesn''t seem to hold prejudices against other races, or other social classes. He does not know his father very well as they only meet a couple of times every year. He grew outside of Eskor, in a secondary mansion with his mother and his elder sister. Teka- Demi-human(chapter 23):A demi-human boy Lynett met at the Arcane Academy the day she arrived, as he was seemingly being bullied by upperclassmen, among whom there was Aoban. Also one of the students who "kidnapped" Lynett the day she arrived at school. After that, he was called to the headmaster'' office and prohibited to approach Lynett. Hevos Kache- Human(chapter 24):Apprentice mage. One of the students who "kidnapped" Lynett the day she arrived at school. After that, he was called to the headmaster'' office and prohibited to approach Lynett. Ansin- Demi-human(chapter 24):Apprentice rogue. One of the students who "kidnapped" Lynett the day she arrived at school. After that, he was called to the headmaster'' office and prohibited to approach Lynett. Frost- Human(chapter 24): Apprentice summoner. One of the students who "kidnapped" Lynett the day she arrived at school. He summoned a C-ranked magical beast in order to intimidate her, but it backfired as she retaliated by summoning her own magical beast, who turned out to be Pikachu. After the incident, he was called to the headmaster'' office and prohibited to approach Lynett. He, however, ends up joining her team for the competition. Vivian- Human(chapter 27): Apprentice mage. Lynett''s first friend in the Academy and first member in her team. Her magical attribute is Water. She is the illegitimate daughter of the Duke Rutherder and a maid of the house. Despite being a bastard and a girl, her father enrolled her to the Academy after finding out she had potential in magic. Known to be a dead-weight however, her growth as a mage was hindered by her inborn skill [Hijack], which prevents her to create magic out of nothing, until Lynett taught her how to properly control the existing mana in her environment. She defeated Lucius in a duel. Fabio Rutherder- Human(chapter 28):Son and heir of the Duke Rutherder. Vivian''s half brother on their father''s side. Mrs. Olga - Human(chapter 29): Teacher of the Arcane Academy. She teaches magic to beginner classes. Mrs. Borge - Human(chapter 29): Teacher of the Arcane Academy. She teaches magic to intermediate classes. Mr. Glenn / Mustache - Human(chapter 29): Head-teacher of the Magic department in the Arcane Academy. Also teaches Magic Empowerment to the advanced classes. He is the first one to have noticed that Lynett was more powerful than she let it seemed. He also quickly noticed that she helped Vivian win her duel. Lucius Bain - Human(chapter 29): A student of the Arcane Academy. An apprentice mage of the intermediate classes. While he is considered the best of his class, his mana control is actually worse than his peers. It is his bigger mana pool that allows him to cast what seems to be powerful spells. Very competitive, he did not appreciate how Lynett stole his spotlight when she arrived, and challenged her to a duel. It is Vivian, however, who accepted the duel in her stead. Mrs. Ahl - Human(chapter 31): Teacher of the Arcane Academy. She teaches archery to advanced classes. Mr. Jorren - Human(chapter 31): Teacher of the Arcane Academy. He teaches close combat to advanced classes. Jalone - Demi-human (chapter 31): Apprentice mage. A demi-human boy recruited by Lynett to join her team for the competition. Belonging to the tiger-kin, he was disowned by his family for following the path of a mage instead of becoming a warrior. His dream is to overcome racial prejudices and become the first demi-human archmage. His magical attribute is Wind. Mr. Villin - Human(chapter 36): Head-teacher of the Swordsmanship department in the Arcane Academy. He is responsible of the advanced classes. Mrs. Enrys - Human(chapter 36): Teacher of the Arcane Academy. Mr. Adlar - Human(chapter 36): Teacher of the Arcane Academy. Cottontail - Kitsune (chapter 37 / chapter 9): A fox spirit capable of taking the form of a human and of a fox. She first appears as Yoko''s pet in chapter 9 and officially introduced in chapter 37, where she become''s Lynett''s familiar after forming a contract with her. Like most spirits, she does not dwell well with humans and Yoko''s influence did not help in developing her sociability. Appearing often emotionless of the surface, she reverts to her childish personality whenever interacting with her master. Very loyal and very clingy, she can be extremely possessive. Clarice - Human(chapter 40): A former slave, freed by Aileen. Gale - Human(chapter 40): A former slave, freed by Aileen. Strong-headed bu feeling responsible for his peers, he was a main figure among the slavers of the camp. Olivia - Human(first mentioned in chapter 40): Axis'' mother and Troy''s wife. She was captured by slavers after failing to pay back a debt. Emotionly weak and unstable, she wasn''t able to bear the separation with her family and her sudden change of environment. Out of despair, she took her own life only a few days after arriving at the slaver camp. Leven - Human(chapter 41): A former slave, freed by Lynett. He used to be a logger, living with his wife and his daughter in a small village. Devastated by an unknown plague, his village was quickly abandoned by its lord, who didn''t want to risk the spread of the disease. Like a lot of others, Leven took arms to protest against the lord''s passivity, but the rebellion was obiterated, and as a survivor, he was sold to slave traders. Having lost both his family and freedom, he was willing to die after bringing down as many slavers as possible, but ended up being saved by Aileen. Eddie - Human(chapter 41): Accountant of the slaver gang. Veda - Divine (epiloque of part II): Goddess of Wind and Wisdom. One of the Originals and one of the six High Gods. Draxaos - Divine (first mentioned in the epilogue of part II): God of Darkness and Chaos. One of the Originals and one of the six High Gods. Part I Prologue - Rebirth Prologue - Rebirth -Illustration by Shimitsu
¡®So this is the end¡­¡¯ In a hospital room, a young girl was lying in bed. Around her, alerted by the abnormal signals of the ECG, three nurses were getting restless. One of them was standing beside her, checking her vital signs, while the other two were busy trying to reassure an old couple. ? Has someone called the doctor?! ? shouted one of the nurses. ? He is on his way! ? Powerless, the elderly couple was standing a few meters from the bed. They weren¡¯t listening to anything, they just stood there. The man was holding his crying wife in his arms. She was screaming all the pain in her heart, burying her head in her husband¡¯s chest, unable to watch the scene any longer. Her husband kept telling her that everything was going to be fine, but his voice was shaking. While he was trying to keep his composure, actually he was frightened too. All his limbs were shaking. Only a few seconds later, a man in his forties barged into the room. He was dressed in a white coatand showed a serious expression. As soon as she saw him, the woman freed herself from her husband¡¯s arms and rushed to him. She immediately collapsed in front of him, grabbing his coat. ? D-Doctor¡­ Please¡­ I¡¯m begging you save her! Save my daughter! ? ? Someone take the parents out of here! ? Complying with his command, the two nurses lead the couple out of the room. At first, the woman refused to leave her daughter, but her husband managed to convince her that it was for her sake, in order to let the doctor do his job. Unable to move, the patient, a sixteen years old girl, watched her parents exit the room, as a single tear slowly fell down her cheek. She was dying and she knew it. As someone who had been bed-ridden almost all her life, it wasn¡¯t so difficult to accept. She had been prepared for this day for years, for the moment when she would fall asleep and never wake up. She wasn¡¯t crying because she was afraid of dying ¨Cactually, she even felt relieved. She was crying because she felt sorry for her parents. Life has always been unfair to her. But at least, all her worries and suffering would end now. But what about her parents? Will they be able to move on after she¡¯s gone? She had always been a burden for them alive, she didn¡¯t want to be a burden for them even in death. She was sorry for them. Sorry for being a burden, sorry for being sick, sorry for being born. They would have been happier without her. Her name was Aileen Woods. Her parents were very kind people, everyone loved them. Unable to have a child, they lived just the two of them for years. They were a little disheartened by this, but at least, they weren¡¯t unhappy -until she arrived. Aileen was a late surprise. After years of failure in conceiving a child, her parents had already given up and weren¡¯t expecting anything anymore. Even the doctors called her a miracle. She was a gift from the gods. At first, the little family couldn¡¯t have been happier. As their little miracle, her parents raised her with unconditional love. However, their happiness did not last long. Aileen started to show symptoms at five. She would often complain of being tired and slowly lost her appetite. It was only a year later that they found out she was sick. After fainting from anemia, her parents took her to the hospital. Noticing the weird symptoms, the doctors decided to take a blood test,just in case¡­ The results were clear: leukemia. The little family¡¯s happiness collapsed that day. At first, the doctors made it sound like it wasn¡¯t such a big deal. With nowadays treatments, they said that the success rate among children patients is 80%. Unfortunately, Aileen did not belong to that 80%. The leukemia did not respond well enough to the treatments and came back. After failing a couple of times in her treatments, the doctors finally concluded that a blood and marrow transplantation was the only way to save her. Naturally, her parents were the first to volunteer as donors, but the chances of parents and children being a match were low and they weren¡¯t that lucky. They restlessly tried to find a donor without success. They were powerless, they could only wait. But they knew: it was hopeless. The waiting list for a donation was long and the chances of finding a match before it was too late were low. The doctors gave her a year, although once again, a miracle happened. A year became two, two years became four, and in the end, she managed to survive until her sixteenth birthday. To the others, she was truly a miracle child, favored by the gods. ¡®Miracle my ass¡­¡¯ Aileen thought. If the gods truly existed, then she cursed them. It wasn¡¯t a gift, it was a curse. The gods didn¡¯t protect her, they mocked her. If they were going to take her away from her parents just like that, then they shouldn¡¯t have given her to them in the first place. At least, they wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer like they did. If the gods were going to kill her, then they should have killed her then, instead of keeping her half-alive, bed-ridden her whole life. For Aileen, the worst part was to watch her parents changing. Her parents were not so young anymore. She was born when they were both in their forties, but they still did everything they could to give the best to their daughter. They were a modest family. They lived just the three of them in a small house. They weren¡¯t rich, but they had everything they needed. However, when Aileen got sick, everything changed. Her hospitalization and her treatments were expensive, they couldn¡¯t afford it, and money started to become an issue. First they borrowed money from the bank, but Aileen¡¯s hospitalization lasted longer than anyone thought. In order to pay back the loan and cover the treatments¡¯ costs, her parents had to sell the house and get a second part-time job. They tried to never show it to her, but she could see it was exhausting. Over the years, they aged even faster and lost a lot of weight. Aileen couldn¡¯t stand it. She had ruined their lives. Life was truly unfair. She started to resent everything and everyone. The only thing that kept her from depression was her little hobby. Aileen always had a lot of imagination. As a child, she enjoyed inventing stories and drawing new things. Being stuck in the hospital all year long, she had a lot of free time, so she decided to spend her time creating a whole new world. At first, she only drew fantastic creatures: dragons, unicorns, anything a child would dream of. Then she started drawing cities: a city in the sky, a city under the ocean, a city hidden in a dense forest. Once she was done, she added descriptions and details to everything. In a few weeks, there were mountains of paper everywhere in her hospital room. Every month, her parents would take them to put them in the small flat they rented since she didn¡¯t want to throw them away. Every sheet was full of information. Aileen also studied during her free time. At first, it was because she thought she would stay at the hospital a few days, maybe a few weeks, and didn¡¯t want to fall behind once she recovered. But she wasn¡¯t stupid, she soon noticed something was wrong and understood she would probably never recover. Still, she kept studying on her own. It made her parents happy, and besides, she had always been a curious child, she liked learning new things. It also allowed her to understand the world better, and elaborate her own. After a few years locked in her hospital room, Aileen had created a real encyclopedia, a whole new world with its own ecosystem and governed by new laws. She had drawn thousands of creatures, cities, landscapes. Everything was so detailed that every country had their culture, their legends, every creature had their description. She named her world Erthia, and it was her proudest creation. This little hobby allowed her not to be bored and to escape her cruel reality. Then, a glimmer of hope began to dawn. It was a few months ago, the doctors decided to announce the big surprise for her sixteenth birthday: they had finally found a donor. Because she had stopped believing in it, Aileen first thought they were joking. But thinking about it, it was very unlikely. What kind of sick person would joke like that to a nearly dead patient? Still, she just couldn¡¯t believe in it. It took her a while to realize the situation. The happiest ones about the news were, of course, her parents. They cried so much that day, maybe even more than the day they learned about her leukemia. Their little girl who struggled for so many years to stay alive would finally be saved. Yet, once again, the gods mocked her. Even though she was supposed to be fine now, even though she was supposed to be saved, she was now dying. Only a few weeks after the operation, something went wrong. She had recurrent abdominal pain, weaknesses, nausea and the doctors detected problems with her liver and her intestine.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Aileen was showing symptoms of transplant rejection. ¡®Haha, of course¡­ I should have known¡­ Until the very end, the gods won¡¯t stop toying with my life. Ah¡­ Life is really unfair after all¡­ Why me? All I ever wanted was a normal life¡­¡¯ As her last strengths left her, her vision became blurry and she could see darkness enveloping the white walls of her room. As if she was going to sleep, she slowly closed her eyes. Except that this time, she knew, she would not wake up. She suddenly remembered her parents and all their hardship trying to keep her alive. ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯ Those were her last thoughts. -Beeeeeeeeeeep- A flat alarm suddenly sounded. The ECG was no longer recording any activity from her heart. Instead of showing regular pacing spikes, the screen was showing a single straight line. ¡°D-Doctor! We¡¯re losing her!¡± One of the nurses shouted. ¡°The defibrillator!¡° immediately responded the doctor. While the nurse was preparing the machine, the doctor placed the electrodes. As soon as he made sure it was charged, he delivered the shock. But Aileen did not regain a pulse. So he tried again. Just like this, he repeated the operation a dozen times, without success. After a few minutes, he finally ordered to turn off the machine. ¡°Doctor¡­¡± He wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking at his unconscious patient. Frustration surfaced on his face. He sighed loudly, shaking his head. Understanding what it meant, the nurse silently headed to the door, so as to invite the patient¡¯s parents to come in. The doctor pulled up his left sleeve, revealing a silver watch. ¡°Time of death 8:36 pm¡­¡± ?????? Having resigned herself to her inevitable fate, Aileen allowed darkness to slowly enclose her. She silently waited for the gods to claim back her soul and for her existence to be erased. Yet, for some reasons, nothing happened. She had died, she was sure about that fact. Looking around her, she saw nothing else but an empty void. She no longer had a body, only her soul remained. ¡®Is this the afterlife?¡¯ It was completely different from what she was expecting. Aileen was not a believer. Even though she liked everything about fantasy and magic, she did not believe in it. In fact, she was quite the scientist type. She only believed in logic. Aileen was the kind of person that needed rational explanations to everything and if there were none, then she simply didn¡¯t believe in it. After her death, she had expected to simply¡­ vanish. Yet, here she was, one and whole ¨Cexcept for the body part. Even if there was indeed an afterlife, it surely was different from the general idea humanity had about what comes after death. No angels to greet her in a land of peace and happiness, no demons to torture her soul for eternity. Just nothingness¡­ In a way, it was maybe worse than any kind of hell: eternal boredom. Or so she thought. Strangely enough, she didn¡¯t dislike it. There was nothing to do but it also meant there was nothing for her to worry about. There was a weird feeling of warmth in this gentle darkness. For the first time in a long time, Aileen felt at ease, so she simply let herself float in the void, slowly falling into a deep sleep. As time went by, Aileen was drawn from the unconscious state she had fallen into as the darkness started to reject her. She suddenly felt pressure all around her, as if the world itself was pushing her away. Disoriented, she started to resist when she noticed that she had unexpectedly regained some control of her body. Hum¡­ Wait, a body? She had a body again? Aileen didn¡¯t have the time to think. She kept struggling as the darkness was rejecting her, but the pressure was too much. Resigning herself for whatever would happen next she stopped resisting, allowing the pressure to overpower her. A few moments later, Aileen felt an acute pain as air suddenly penetrated her lungs. She felt her whole body renewed with an unknown strength. Out of reflex, she started to scream, only to surprise herself hearing a soft cry coming out of her mouth. The warmth of the darkness she once knew was now completely gone. Instead, she was assaulted with a bright light and she was freezing. It only lasted a few seconds though, as she felt being embraced by something. Confused, Aileen tried to inspect her surroundings. The blurry world around her became clearer and started to take shape. She was in a small room with white walls and ceiling that immediately reminded her of her hospital room. Aileen first thought that she might have come back to life and suddenly regained consciousness in the hospital, but looking carefully, she noticed that room was quite different from her hospital room. The flooring was old, the walls were stained and the pieces of furniture were worn. On the corners of the ceiling, there were even some cobwebs. Yup, definitely not the hospital. Aileen then noticed a woman above her, looking at her with tender eyes. ¡®She is so biiiig!¡¯ she thought. The woman looked to be around her early-twenties. She had black raven hair and blue eyes. She looked exhausted but she was still a beautiful woman. A little detail caught Aileen¡¯s attention: the woman had long and pointy ears. No matter how she looked at them, those were definitely elven ears. ¡®Huh? Cosplay? Miss, aren¡¯t you a little bit old for that?¡¯ They were very realistic. Unable to resist the temptation, Aileen raised her arm trying to reach them, only to surprise herself seeing a tiny little hand. ¡®This is¡­ A baby¡¯s hand, isn¡¯t it? A big woman, a baby¡¯s hand¡­ No way, it can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ Aileen then realized. It wasn¡¯t just the woman who was so big, even the ceiling appeared to be so high. Actually, the whole world seemed abnormally big. Or¡­ Was it just her who was tiny? Aileen suddenly understood. She had been reborn. On the spur of the moment, thousands of thoughts assaulted her mind. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She wanted to, but what if it was just another trick by the gods? However even if it was, shouldn¡¯t she take the bait? Life has always been unfair to her and now she has been given a second chance. Trick or not, Aileen wanted to live this second life to the fullest. Then she suddenly remembered her parents. Was it really alright for her to forget everything and move on? Not like she had the choice, but it felt unfair to her parents who had given up everything for her, all for nothing in the end. And to begin with, why did she remember them? Weren¡¯t you supposed to forget everything about your past life once you¡¯re reborn? Did something go wrong with the reincarnation process? A soft voice suddenly called her. ¡°Hello, my little angel.¡± Aileen froze, staring at the young elven woman ¨Cprobably her new mother. She looked down on her with such loving eyes that all her worries vanished in a second. There was no point in thinking anymore, she will live. She wanted to live. For herself, for her past parents and for this new mother of hers from whom she already felt an endless love. Aileen was then startled as a little face suddenly appeared out of nowhere, staring at her. It was a young boy with messy brown hair and beady black eyes. ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± he asked. ¡°Aoban! Don¡¯t sneak behind me like that! You scared her!¡± exclaimed her mother. ¡°Sorry mommy¡­¡± The boy apologized, lowering his head. ¡°Her name? Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Her mother stayed silent, thinking for a while. Then she smiled at the little boy. ¡°How about Lynett?¡± ¡°Lynett? Lynett¡­ I like it!¡± A gentle smile spread across the face of Aoban, as he kept repeating his sister¡¯s name. ¡°Hello Lynett! My name is Aoban, I¡¯m your big brother!¡± the boy said proudly. For the first time in a long time, Aileen felt lucky. She finally had the normal life she had ever wanted. Judging by the room she was born in, they didn¡¯t seem to be a wealthy family, but it didn¡¯t matter. After all, she was now a healthy child, blessed with a loving family. ¡°Mommy, look! Lynett has golden eyes! How strange!¡± Aoban exclaimed. Filled with curiosity, the boy¡¯s small eyes were looking at his baby sister in awe. He could feel himself become hypnotized by her beautiful, deep eyes. They were shining, framed by thick and long lashes. They reminded him of the sun. Beautiful, warm, blinding. ¡°That¡¯s so cool¡­¡± he murmured. His mother sighed. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± She did not share his opinion. While it was the truth that her daughter¡¯s eyes were captivating and beautiful, such an unnatural color would only bring troubles. She knew it and couldn¡¯t help but worry about the future. Noticing his mother¡¯s reaction, Aoban tilted his head to the side. ¡°Mommy, is something wrong?¡± He asked. ¡°No, everything is fine.¡± Her worried expression quickly subsided as she gently smiled at the boy, stroking his hair. ¡°Aoban, you¡¯ll protect your sister, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m her big brother!¡± He answered as if it was obvious. His mother chuckled. Meanwhile, Aileen just looked at her new family. She was grateful to have been born to such kind people. She could tell their love was genuine and even though it had only been a few minutes since she met them, she already cared deeply for them. Looking one more time at her surroundings, Aileen started wondering where she had been reborn. As if to answer her unspoken thought, her mother approached her face to kiss her forehead, before whispering something in her ear. ¡°Welcome to Agraal, my child. May the Goddess Naia protect you.¡± Aileen grimaced at the revelation, staring blankly at her mother. ¡®W-What did she just say? Agraal? The Goddess Naia? It¡­ It sounds awfully familiar¡­¡¯ Back when she was still stuck in the hospital, she invented something similar. Strongly inspired by Medieval Europe, Agraal was the name she gave to the first kingdom she drew. It was inhabited by humans who worshiped the Goddess of Light, Naia. ¡®Surely it can¡¯t be a coincidence¡­ Right¡­?¡¯ The fact that she kept her memories, an elven woman, Agraal, and the Goddess Naia¡­ Cold sweats started to form on her forehead when Aileen came to suddenly realize her situation: she had been reborn in Erthia, the very own world that she had created. Part I Chapter 1 - Status Chapter 1 - Status
Lynett
My name is-wasAileen Woods. Recently, something unexpected happened. I died. But that was not the ¡°unexpected¡± part. Actually, I kindof awaited this -well, when you¡¯re sick, you are prepared for things like this to happen. No, the ¡°unexpected¡± part was what came after. I was reborn. But that¡¯s not it. I was reborn in Erthia, a world thatIcreated. Right now, I am very conflicted about this. I mean, what would you do if one day, one of your creations suddenly came to life? This is supposed to be every artist¡¯s dream, but what if a random character you drew suddenly appeared next to you, in flesh and bones? You¡¯d freak out, right? Well, in my case, it isn¡¯t just one character, it¡¯s a whole world. It was a little hobby I had in my past life, since I had a lot of free time. I invented Erthia, a world of magic and swords. It¡¯s the kind of universe you see in every RPG game or novel. Yeah, the kind of world every kid dreams about. I liked it, but I never thought one day that I would be living in it. And it is exactly because I was the one who created it that I know how dangerous it can be. Sure there is magic, but there are also dragons, brigands, slavers and wars. If I remember well, I think there is even a Demon Lord ¨Cyes I know, there was once a time I was childish like this and I included such a clich¨¦ element. Anyway, not the kind of world where you can lead a peaceful life. I would be lying if I said that I''ve never dreamt of becoming a hero, going on an epic journey to save the world, but this is the kind of dream you have when you¡¯re young and na?ve. It¡¯s just like a child saying ¡°I wanna become a superstar when I grow up¡±. Moreover, after ten years of sickness and suffering, putting my life on the line for such an ideal purpose is the last thing I want. I already died once, no way I¡¯m going to risk my new life like this. Right now, I just want a peaceful, normal life. Anyway, in this life, I¡¯ve been granted the name of Lynett Maedis. Most of people call me Lyni though, it¡¯s like a nickname, and they say it¡¯s cuter. I like it better to be honest, Lynett sounds a bit too girly and too childish for me. Just a matter of taste. It¡¯s been six months since my rebirth, and I noticed some things. I was born in a family of two. My mother¡¯s name is Azariah Maedis. She is a beautiful young elf. Well, I say young, but I¡¯m not sure, really. She¡¯s an elf after all, she doesn¡¯t age like humans do. My brother, Aoban, is four years old, but he is quite a mature child for his age. He takes his role as a big brother very seriously. Whenever mother is busy, he stays by my side, watching over me. He''s really patient -for a child, that is. I have yet to meet my father, but since I¡¯m carrying my mother¡¯s surname, I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s a single mother. As I thought, our family is pretty poor. We¡¯re currently living in a cheap inn, the one I was born in. Mother doesn¡¯t really have a job. She does everything she can, running errands, washing dishes, helping the owner. She doesn¡¯t earn much but it¡¯s enough for the three of us to live. The first months, I noticed something weird. Mother is really beautiful ¨Cshe¡¯s an elf after all, all elves are beautiful, universal rule- but whenever she goes outside, she would wear a hood, partially hiding her beautiful features. It¡¯s such a waste. At first I didn¡¯t understand why, but now I think I know: she¡¯s hiding her ears. Agraal is a human kingdom. So far, beside mother who is an elf, I have yet to meet another race. There seem to be a strong discrimination against the other races, so it¡¯s no wonder mother is trying to hide the fact that she¡¯s an elf. The big question is: why is mother in a human kingdom to begin with? Besides a rare few kingdoms, the different races do not mix with each others. I¡¯m curious. I¡¯ll ask her later. Mother is being very careful in order not to get found out. When she went into labor, she categorically refused anyone in the room. The owner of the inn really panicked and insisted on calling a midwife, but mother turned down the offer, using the pretext that we were poor and didn¡¯t have enough money ¨Cwhich is not entirely false. Not convinced, the owner almost forced the door, but fortunately, the delivery was fast and I was born before it happened. Even after I was born, we barely went outside, since she was afraid that we would get found out. I also noticed that black is not her natural hair color. It took me a while to notice that since I always knew her with black hair but then at some point, her roots started changing color. Mother¡¯s natural hair color is sky blue, just like her eyes. But it stands out and it is basically shouting ¡°Hello guys, I¡¯m an elf!¡±, so she started dyeing it. Just like on Earth, here, humans¡¯ natural hair colors are black, brown, blond or red, while elves have brighter hair color. Recently, mother started dyeing mine too. I was born with blond platinum hair and golden eyes. It does not stand out as much as mother¡¯s blue hair, but it is still very unusual. Now I have black raven hair, just like mother. She can¡¯t hide my eyes since lenses do not exist here, but at least she can hide my natural hair color. Fortunately, my ears are much shorter than hers. They are still pointy elven ears, but they will be easily hidden once my hair is long enough. I¡¯m guessing father is human, which makes me a half. I¡¯m not sure if I should be happy about this¡­ I mentioned discrimination against other races, right? Well, it¡¯s even worse for halves. Aoban was luckier. He must have taken after our father, he looks perfectly human. Brown hair, black eyes and round little ears. It¡¯s a relief, since mother is already ruining herself buying enough dye for both of us. Dyes are expensive but we don¡¯t have the choice. Sorry for being born with platinum hair, mom¡­ Anyway, life as a baby is pretty boring. The first months were the worst since my muscles were still undeveloped and I lacked control. My body wouldn¡¯t move like I wanted, I could barely look around me. Fortunately, I needed a lot of sleep so boring moments never lasted long. I must say I¡¯m a pretty cool baby. I don¡¯t cry a lot and barely bother the others, except when I don¡¯t have the choice, but since Azariah is an attentive mother I barely need to signal her when I need to be fed or changed. Now I¡¯m six months old. My days are longer but my activities still limited, as mother doesn¡¯t bring me outside a lot. Most of the time, when mother is working, it¡¯s Aoban¡¯s responsibility to watch over me. I like playing with him a lot. Well, I say play, but it¡¯s mostly him telling me stories and legends. Not that I complain, since it¡¯s a good way for me to gather information. As I thought, this is Erthia. I already knew it, but I was kind of in denial until now, thinking thatmaaaaybeit was just a huge coincidence. But the more I learn about this world and the more I¡¯m convinced that this is indeed the world I invented, especially when Aoban tells me about the legend of the terrifying dragon Charizard that kidnapped the princess, how the prince charming rescued her and howthey married and lived happily ever after. ¡­ Uuuuugh¡­ This is so cringe worthy¡­ I¡¯m not sure what is the most embarrassing; the fact that I was the one who actually wrote such a clich¨¦ story, the fact that I named the so called terrifying dragon Charizard, or the fact that people in this world actually believe in a stupid story like this. But now I¡¯m starting to get really worried. This is one of the many legends I wrote back when I was still a child, because I thought it was ¡°so cool¡±. I had forgotten about it until now but what if they were more like this? I really don¡¯t want to find more of my childish fantasies like this. Some things are better forgotten¡­ Aoban¡¯s stories also allowed me to understand the political situation a little better. Even though I did create this world, the only thing I never wrote anything about was the people. The reason is simple: it¡¯s too complicated. Creating a world is much easier than creating its inhabitants. It¡¯s a bunch of physical laws and constants, with a measure of randomness, but in the end, it¡¯s all about logic. On the other hand, people are nowhere near logical or predictable. This is why besides a few legends about heroes and gods, I never wrote anything about the people of this world. I did create the different races populating Erthia, but it¡¯s just like a Wikipedia page, a bunch of information about their physical description or their attributes and that¡¯s it. So I knew pretty much nothing about the political situation or the country¡¯s history. Agraal is situated in the Middle continent, which is primarily inhabited by humans, beastmen and elves. Apparently, the humans have been fighting the beastmen invasions for centuries. While they lacked magic affinity, beastmen were known to have greater strength and agility, which made them dangerous melee fighters. They¡¯re also called demihumans. Because of their lineage and their reputation for being savage and brutal, they were treated like beasts. It is only recently, a few decades ago, after the war ended that they were given human rights. However, because of their past constant fights, they¡¯re still strongly discriminated. Elves on the other hand did not cause as much trouble. They live completely isolated and are hard to see. Apparently, they had the reputation of being self-centered. But since they were so rare, they were considered prime material for slave traders, and often captured to be sold as trophies for the richest noble households. Basically, humans clearly did not consider the other races as their equal ¨Cno wonder mother is so desperate hiding our lineage. But that¡¯s not all. There were also conflicts between human kingdoms. Well, humans sure are good at creating conflicts, whether it¡¯s with beastmen, elves or their own kind. I guess some things don¡¯t change, no matter the world. I¡¯m really starting to be worried for the future¡­ Seriously, mother, what are you doing in a human kingdom? Isn¡¯t itverydangerous? Oh well¡­ ?????? The last few weeks, mother has been really busy. Maybe because she felt that I was old enough and didn¡¯t require as much surveillance as before, or maybe because we¡¯rereaaallybroke ¨Cblame it on the dyes- but she¡¯s working much more nowadays. Randy, the owner of the inn we¡¯re staying in, seemed to have offered her a job. At first, he was really suspicious about mother. Can¡¯t blame him, I mean, if you saw a woman who almost never left her room, who always wore a hood, and who categorically refused anyone in, even to clean, of course you¡¯d be suspicious. But since it¡¯s been a few months we¡¯ve been living here, I guess he felt he could trust her. He probably took pity on her, seeing she was having trouble paying the rent, as a single mother with two children, so he offered her a permanent job ¨Calong with a much higher income- instead of occasional tasks. Besides, it seems he was really satisfied with her previous work. Mother is a pretty silent person. Not that she is shy or anything, but since she had to be cautious all the time about not getting find out, she avoided getting herself involved with the others, which gave the impression that she was asocial. Because of this, she would often feel others¡¯ curious gaze on her and sometimes, she would hear unwarranted comments. While she didn¡¯t mind it, Randy started to take action, kicking out the rude customers. Wow¡­ Randy, you¡¯re a really nice guy. Not only you offer mother a job, but you also take her side. I¡¯m grateful to you. Anyway, since she got her new job, mother has been really busy, and today is her first day off. Actually, it¡¯s the birthday of the first Prince so most businesses closed their door. Everyone is out in the street to celebrate the Crown Prince¡¯s 10th birthday. The inn did not close, but Randy still gave mother a day off for the occasion. Mother is not planning to go out. I am currently lying in her arms while she enjoys her free time, telling me stories. I can tell she is in a good mood; it¡¯s been a long time since we last spent some time together like this. ¡°Mommy!¡± A small voice called out. Mother and I turned our gaze towards the wooden door of the room, where Aoban just entered. He was wearing his best outfit for the occasion. ¡°Oh my, already back Aoban? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to see the festival?¡± Mother immediately asked. ¡°That¡¯s not it¡± He answered, shaking his head. ¡°Can I go to the plaza? There is a demonstration of magic¡± W-what did he say? M-Magic? Like real magic? Oh gods, I want to see. I have to see. Six months doing nothing but staring blankly at the ceiling. Now I finally have a chance to see magic! It¡¯s been six months that I reincarnated in a supposedly world of magic, but I had yet to actually witness it with my own eyes. For someone like me who grew up in a world without magic, can you imagine how exciting it is to have the chance to actually see real magic? I wanna see, I wanna see, I wanna see. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Mother answered. ¡°Thanks!¡± As Aoban was about to leave, I tried calling him, letting small sounds come out with my cute voice and desperately tried to reach him my tiny hands. The trick worked. Aoban turned around, looking at me with his confused eyes. ¡°Hum¡­ Could it be that Lyni wants to watch too?¡± He asked unsure. As I was about to rejoice myself, mother suddenly crushed my expectations. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense Aoban. There will be too many people and it is way too noisy. It¡¯s not a good environment for a baby.¡± ¡­ Hum, mother? You¡¯re kidding, right? No, no, no, you can¡¯t do this to me. Six months I have waited,sixmonths! You don¡¯t get to crush the dreams of a young maiden¨Cbaby-like that! ¡°Hum, okay¡­ I¡¯ll be back soon then¡­¡± He is leaving! Without me! No wait, dear brother! I kept protesting and whimpering desperately in mother¡¯s arms, while Aoban looked at me, full of sympathy. He then directed his gaze to mother, as if expecting something. Finally giving in, mother sighed loudly. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll bring her. Give us a moment, okay?¡± Yes! Victory!! ¡°Okay!¡± Aoban happily replied. Mother put me down on the bed to prepare herself. She untied her hair and arranged them in order to hide her elven ears as much as possible. Then she put on a cheap robe that fell down to her knees and drew the hood over her head, covering completely her ears. Once she was done, she wrapped me in a warm sheet, hiding all my inhuman features ¨Cbeside the eyes. As we were leaving, we ran into the owner. ¡°Oh my, Miss Maedis, are you going to enjoy the festivities with your family?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Well, well, isn¡¯t this the little Lyni?¡± He approached, but then suddenly flinched when he saw my face though the gap of the sheet. ¡°Heh?! Sh-she is a very beautiful child¡­!¡± ¡­ Randy¡­ Your voice is wavering. Thinking about it, it may actually be the first time that he sees me, thus his reaction. Mother politely bowed to him, and before he started asking questions, she exited the inn in hurry. Aoban happily led us to the plaza. On the way, mother had been more careful, burying my face in her chest. Her weird outfit still attracted some curious gazes though. Finally arriving at the plaza, the display of magic had already begun. The place was filled with people, mostly children, cheering and watching the show in awe. Mother had to force her way through the crowd. As soon as we arrived, Aoban quickly disappeared among the children, but mother didn¡¯t seem to be worried. Instead, she just lifted her arms a little, in order for me to have a better view of the spectacle.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. A mage was muttering some kind of incantation that I couldn¡¯t understand. A few moments later, mana filled his body as fiery spheres materialized, hovering above him, before starting to levitate around him. A second mage suddenly threw a couple of knives at him and, as if alive, the flames protected the first mage, immediately incineratingthe projectiles. The flames then gathered into one huge fireball directed at the assailant. But before it could reach him, the second mage shouted another incantation and an earth wall suddenly appeared in front of him, blowing the fireball away. Wow¡­ I want to cry. This is beautiful. That¡¯s right, that¡¯s real magic, not one of those fake tricks where you make a bird suddenly appear under a hat. After the display of magic, the two mages bowed to the audience before leaving the area for the next performers. The crowd went into an uproar, cheering and applauding loudly as they left. Well, that was quite a good show. After the demonstration, I started to wonder what kind of magic they just performed. Was it considered high-level magic or just basic magic? I kept staring at the two mages intensely when suddenly, as if to satisfy my silent curiosity, a blue window suddenly popped out in front of me.
[Status]
Name: Peter York Race: Human Class: Mage
Gender: Male Age: 23 Level: 16
Vitality: 543 Defense: 115 Strength: 97
Mana: 565 Intellect: 432 Agility: 109
That¡¯s¡­ a status window isn¡¯t it? Yup. No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s definitely a status window. I was so surprised that I blanked out for a few seconds. I didn¡¯t expect this world to have such a game-like feature. But well, once again, Ididinvent this world based on RPG-games so I guess it¡¯s not that surprising.¡­ But level sixteen, huh? Is it considered high? I wonder if I can compare with others. Hum, how did I do that? I just have to strongly think about it, don¡¯t I? Alright, pick a random person, and focus¡­ Focus¡­ Focus¡­ [Status].
[Status]
Name: Ann Conner Race: Human Class: Villager
Gender: Female Age: 28 Level: 3
Vitality: 55 Defense: 14 Strength: 26
Mana: 5 Intellect: 27 Agility: 32
Ooooh~! It worked! That¡¯s actually easier than I thought! So, let¡¯s see. Level 3. That¡¯s quite a difference, but well, this one is not a mage. I tried comparing with other people but I got similar results. Most of people¡¯s level did not go beyond level 5. Normal adults were level 3, 4 or 5, while children were level 1 or 2. I guess Mister Magewas pretty strong after all! Well, it kind of makes sense actually. They weren¡¯t going to let a debutant do a display of magic with so many people around, especially since there are children here. If he ever lost control, it would have turned into a disaster. Turning my gaze one more time atmy favorite mage, I focused on his status window, comparing his with the others¡¯ as much as possible. Then something unexpected happened. The status window evolved into a more detailed one.
[Advanced Status]
Name: Peter York Race: Human Main-Class: Mage
True Name: Roy Sub-Race: None Sub-Class: None
Age: 23 Level: 16 Affiliation: Agraal Guild of Mages
Gender: Male Rank: D
Titles
None
Reputation
Fame: 17 Infamy: 0
Stats
Vitality: 543 (Regen: 11/min) Mana: 565 (Regen: 5/min) Stamina: 212 (Regen: 20/min)
Strength: 97 (Melee Attack: 55 max) Intellect: 432 (Magic Attack: 312 max) Dexterity: 69 (Ranged Attack: 38 max)
Physical Defense: 24 Magic Defense : 108 Luck : 210 (Critic Ratio : 0,05)
Agility : 109 (Evasion: 23) Charisma : 33 Wisdom : 241
Magic Affinities
Fire: D Wind: F Light: F-
Water: F- Earth: E+ Darkness : F-
Oh my, there is even an [Advanced Status]? That¡¯s so cool! Wait, what is [True Name] though? Oh well, not important. I carefully examined every detail. Affinity in Fire magic, rank D¡­ That¡¯s it? Isn¡¯t it really low? Even though he used such a cool fire magic¡­ I wonder what an A ranked fire mage can do then. Oh no, not good, I¡¯m starting to get excited. Returning to the festival, the next performers were knights. Two young knights were showing off their skills in synchronization. I must admit it was pretty cool, even though so far, it looked more like a dance than a martial art. A few moments later, the two knights faced each other, ready to duel. It was not as impressive as the mages, but the other children clearly didn¡¯t share my opinion, judging by the thunderous applauses and the cheers. The adults too seemed to be satisfied with their demonstration of swordsmanship. Since I didn¡¯t have as much interest in the spectacle as before, I started zoning out. What? I¡¯m biased? It¡¯s just your imagination. I was thinking about my future possibilities. I¡¯m not planning in endangering my life by becoming an adventurer or something like that, but I definitely want to try some magic. I wouldn¡¯t want to conform to gender stereotypes, but I have to admit that while I have no interest in the sword, I¡¯m strongly attracted to magic. If possible, I¡¯d like to enroll in some kind of special school, where people learn magic -there is always one in fantasy world, Erthia shouldn¡¯t be an exception. Besides, I didn¡¯t have the occasion to attend to school a lot in my past life, so I kind of anticipate my future school life in this world. Making friends, learning magic¡­ It¡¯s going to be great. Then later on, if I¡¯m good at it, I could try getting a job involving magic ¨Cyes, I¡¯m a magic maniac- a healer or something like that. It¡¯s kind of ironic considering the fact that I died of illness. Becoming a healer, saving people and curing diseases¡­ Sounds great. Yeah, I shall do this. I, Lynett Maedis, six months old, have decided of my future! ¡­ Wait, can I even do it? Most of people have a low affinity to magic. Actually, nobles are more prone to have high affinity to magic while some commoners can¡¯t use it at all. I¡¯m a commoner, right? ¡­Crap! What was I thinking when I created such a rule! Ugh¡­ I¡¯m so stupid. I always complained that life was unfair, but in the end, what do I do? Aaah¡­ I was too influenced by fantasy novels. As someone who was raised with the idea that everyone should have equal chances, I should be ashamed¡­ But well, there is no such a thing as a perfect world right? Yeah, I¡¯ll just do my best. ¡­ Should I check my stats? Can I even do it? Well if I can see the others¡¯ window status, there is no reason why I wouldn¡¯t be able see mine. I¡¯m a bit apprehensive now, but let¡¯s try it. [Status]
[Status]
Name: Lynett Maedis Race: Half Class: Administrator [New]
Gender: Female Age: 0 Level: 1
Vitality: Error Defense: Error Strength: 2
Mana: Error Intellect: Error Agility: 11
What the heck? Only two in strength? That¡¯s offensive. I know I¡¯m supposed to be a baby, but it¡¯s so pathetically low, it¡¯s depressing. No wait, forget about the strength, what¡¯s with all those ¡°Error¡±? Is this a bug? The world system is actually bugging? Isn¡¯t it really bad? And what in the world is [Administrator]? Shouldn¡¯t I be a villager like the others? Moreover, it¡¯s notified as a new class¡­ Ugh¡­ Too many questions, my head is going to explode right now. Oh, wait. Since it¡¯s a game-like feature, I should be able to have more information if I focus on a particular stat, right? Let¡¯s try it. [Administrator].
[Administrator]
The one who has access to the World System. The [Administrator] possesses the jurisdiction to define the Laws of the World and to manage its Environment.
Wait, what? An access to the [World System]? Like the status windows? Well, that explains¡­ ¡­ Nooooooo! What do you mean by ¡°define the Laws of the World¡±? No matter how you see it, it¡¯s obviously an over cheated ability! But well, if you think about it, it actually makes sense. I mean, I wasthe one who created this world, so I was the one who defined its Laws but¡­ I have a very bad feeling about this right now. I don¡¯t like this situation at all. I¡¯ve read enough novels to see where this is going. A reincarnation with a cheat ability, and all those ¡°Errors¡±¡­ Could it be¡­? No, no way¡­ I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m not sure if I want to know. Now is still the time to turn a blind eye Aileen. You can still decide that you didn¡¯t see anything and return to your normal life. It¡¯s not too late. ¡­ Shit, damn this curiosity of mine. [Advanced Status].
[Advanced Status]
Name: Lynett Maedis Race: Half Divine [Locked] Main-Class: Administrator [New]
True Name: Aileen Sub-Race: High Elf/Human Sub-Class: Mage
Age: 6 months Level: 1 Affiliation: Agraal
Gender: Female Rank: None
Titles
Goddess of All Creations [New] Reincarnated Soul
Reputation
Fame: 0 Infamy: 0
Stats
Vitality: 999999 999 (Regen: 50 000/sec) Mana: 999999 999 (Regen: 999999 999/sec) Stamina: 8 (Regen: 1/min)
Strength: 2 (Melee Attack: 0 max) Intellect: 999999 999 (Magic Attack: 999999 999 max) Dexterity: 7 (Ranged Attack: 0 max)
Physical Defense: 0 Magic Defense: 999999 999 Luck : 13 (Critic Ratio : 0,005)
Agility : 11 (Evasion: 0) Charisma : 100 Wisdom : 74
Magic Affinities
Fire: SSS Wind: SSS Light: SSS
Water: SSS Earth: SSS Darkness : SSS
¡­ Oh gods¡­ Here goes my precious normal life¡­ Part I Chapter 2 - Birthday Chapter 2 ¨C Birthday
Lynett
This is terrible. It¡¯s been a couple of months since the Crown Prince¡¯s birthday and ever since I discovered my abnormal status, this is all I¡¯ve been telling myself. ¡®This is not real; it has to be a joke.¡¯ That was my first reaction. But well, being in denial doesn¡¯t help. I¡¯ve re-examined my status a couple of time since then and I¡¯m afraid it wasn¡¯t a dream. Each times, half of my stats couldn¡¯t be determined and would be indicated as ¡°Error¡± except in the [Advanced Status]. Even then, I¡¯m not sure I can trust the number of the [Advanced Status]. I mean, it is written 999999999, but I honestly wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the system had simply been overloaded. God dammit. I want to cry. I was hoping for high stats, allowing me to use magic and I got them. But who the heck asked to become a God? Because yes, this is basically what I am right now. What else do you call an (almost) immortal being with (almost) infinite magic power that can change the laws of the World? That¡¯s a God no matter how you think about it. I expected something like this ever since I saw that the class [Administrator] had been arbitrary assigned to me but to actually have my assumption confirmed is¡­ depressing. So, in this world, I¡¯ve been granted the title of [Goddess of All Creations] and I¡¯m a Divine -even though this option has been locked, not sure why. Thinking about it, it actually makes sense. I mean, it¡¯s true thatIwas the one who created this world, of course I¡¯d be considered a God in it. But well¡­ Anyway, for now, I have three options: ¢Ù The Almighty Lynett abuses her powers and takes over the world. She becomes an Evil God and decides to bring destruction, pain and death because she¡¯s bored and because it¡¯s funny. ¢Ú The Great Goddess Lynett becomes the World¡¯s Savior. She uses her powers to transform the World in a land of peace and happiness, without wars, starvations and diseases. ¢Û Little Lyni decides that she saw nothing. She abandons her responsibilities as a Goddess and continues to live a 100% perfectly carefree life. My choice was almost immediate: option ¢Û of course. Though, I must admit I was quite tempted to pick the option ¢Ù. I mean, honestly, we all dreamt at some point in our life to become a villain, acting however we wanted without being restricted by responsibilities or morals. Instead of becoming a hero, leading the life of a bad guy seems much more interesting. But well, I¡¯m not so heartless that I would bring destruction only for my self-pleasure. This is reality after all, it¡¯s not a game. I was raised with morals. Uhm? Option ¢Ú you say? Don¡¯t joke around. Only a fool would want to follow the path of a hero. People would put their hopes on you. Becoming everyone¡¯s attention, with the weight of the whole world on your shoulders, you had to live up to their expectations. Failures wouldn¡¯t be accepted. To act as the symbol of hope, what kind of pressure is that? No, no way, absolutely not. I already died once, I¡¯m not going to waste my second life living for the others. Egoistic, you say? That¡¯s fine by me. This is the human nature after all. So I turned a blind eye. I have seen nothing, I know nothing. I am Lynett Maedis, aka Lyni, a perfectly normal human baby ¨Cwell, half human baby. However, it seems that leading an ordinary life is harder than I thought. Fortunately, other people can¡¯t see my status. Apparently, only I can see people or objects¡¯ status, since I have access to the [World System]. That¡¯s a relief. Otherwise, my lovely ordinary life would have been gone in a second. However, I¡¯m still quite different from most people. The first problem is, of course, my lineage. So far, mother has done a great job in hiding it, but sooner or later, the truth will come out. When the time comes, mother can return to her family, with the elves, and Aoban can stay with humans. But me? I¡¯m screwed. Unlike mother or Aoban, I look neither completely human, neither completely elf, so none of the two races will accept me as one of them. For Humans, because of their impure blood, halves are not any better than slaves. On the other hand, Elves hate Humans. And since I have Human blood, I will be treated as one, even if my mother in an Elf. The second problem is my eyes. As I thought, they attract a lot of attention. Ever since I started to crawl, mother brings me outside much more than before. My hair is much longer and now covers completely my ears, but since my eyes can¡¯t be hidden, it was only a matter of time before people started to notice their weird color. They would often freeze or gasp at the sight of them, before praising them. Here in Erthia, golden eyes are a divine symbol. All gods had golden eyes, but sometimes, a child would be born with the same golden eyes. It was a proof that they had been blessed by the skies, thus explaining people¡¯s reaction at the sight of my eyes. O-Oh¡­ I¡¯m glad they interpreted it this way. I¡¯d rather be misunderstood as a child blessed by the gods than as a goddess herself. And last, but not least, appearance-wise, I¡¯m too perfect. I¡¯m not trying to be arrogant or anything, but facts are facts. I know Elves are supposed to be beautiful, but this little face of mine is so pretty it¡¯s almost inhuman. I got the opportunity to catch a glimpse of my own appearance a few weeks ago and daaaaaamn, I¡¯m cute. But that¡¯s a problem, actually. A completely soft ivory skin, deep eyes glowing into millions of shades of gold, black raven hair that gently caressed its way down my neck, dusky pink lips and a cute little nose. I was so flawless that I could be easily mistaken as a doll, and that, of course, attracted a lot of attention. ¡°Oh my gods, she is SO cute!¡± ¡°Such an adorable child, no wonder she had been blessed by the gods!¡± ¡°Is she really human? She must be an angel!¡± Close enough. I¡¯m a Goddess actually. But well, those are the kinds of remarks I received almost every single day. It makes mother really uncomfortable. Even though she¡¯s trying to avoid the others as much as possible, because of me, she¡¯s often surrounded by people ¨Cmostly women- that came to see my cute little face. With so much attention on us, it¡¯s only a matter of time before I screw something up and I get find out, either as a Half or a Divinity. But well, in both cases, bye bye precious normal life. Siiiiiigh¡­ Who would have thought that leading an ordinary life was so difficult? Anyway, with so many things to worry about, before I knew it, a couple of months have passed and it is now my first birthday. To celebrate it, Randy closed the inn and reserved the whole tavern connected to it for the night. I must say, because of my appearance, I became something like a mascot in the neighborhood. That was his own initiative. Mother didn¡¯t ask for anything. Actually, if it was only up to her, I¡¯m pretty sure she would have preferred to celebrate my birthday quietly, in our room. But before she knew it, once they learnt that my first birthday was coming, people acted on their own and decided to celebrate it together. Mother couldn¡¯t bring herself to refuse, since they were so excited about this and they provided everything: the food, the place, even the people. Randy insisted for the party to take place in his inn, even if he had to close it for a day. He said that since I was born in it, it was only natural that I also had my first birthday in it. That¡¯s quite poetic, Randy.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. So, returning to my birthday party. I¡¯m currently sitting on mother¡¯s lap, with a group of people, at long wooden table. There are four or five more tables in the tavern, but our group is definitely the loudest. Everyone is consuming large amounts of food and alcohol, talking ¨Cor should I say shouting?- and laughing hysterically. I know only half of the people here. There is of course mother, brother, and Randy. I recognize some loyal customers of the inn, two or three merchants where mother used to run errands, Randy¡¯s wife, his son, and the other employees of the inn. I don¡¯t know the rest. Some faces are familiar but well, you can¡¯t expect the little brain of a one year old child to remember so many people. Since I spent most of my past life in hospital, I didn¡¯t have a lot of friends and I always ended up celebrating my birthdays with mostly only my parents and some nurses. It¡¯s the first time such a big party is thrown in my honor, I feel like a princess. Even if I don¡¯t know everyone here, so many people came for me. I¡¯m really grateful to them. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± A cute little voice said ¨Cthat¡¯s me by the way. At this moment, everything went in complete silent. The loud and cheerful atmosphere of a few seconds ago was now completely gone. The entire room froze, as I could feel people¡¯s gaze turning at me in astonishment. Huh? What¡¯s the matter? Did I say something wrong? I just thought it would be only natural for me to thank them. It¡¯s basic decency, isn¡¯t it? ¡­ Oh wait, crap. I screwed up. The problem isn¡¯t what I said, it¡¯s the very fact I said something. Up until now I had been a pretty quiet baby. Occasionally, I would talk nonsense ¨Cwell, like all babies- but that¡¯s it. Right now, I just pronounced my first words, of course they¡¯d be surprised. Actually, it was so natural for me that I didn¡¯t even notice that I said it out loud. Alone, I would often practice to pronounce properly the different sounds of the human language. But to think I¡¯d actually say my first word now¡­ What a timing. ¡°¡­ Heh? Little Lyni she¡­¡± ¡°Oh my god she talked!¡± ¡°She¡¯s talking!¡± These two words of mine caused the entire room to go into an uproar. A few people started to approach me, feeling the urge to squeeze my cheeks ¨Csupposedly to praise me. Suddenly, mother stood up lifting me up in the air, out of reach of the others, as the chair she was sitting on fell loudly. Once again, the room went silent. Well, this is awkward. ¡°S-sorry Azariah¡­¡± Said one of the woman who was about to stroke my hair. She was Randy¡¯s wife. I think her name was Leona, or Leonara. ¡°It¡¯s ok, you can sit again, we won¡¯t touch her.¡± As I became the neighborhood¡¯s mascot, people started to casually approach me. Well, that¡¯s only natural, people feel the need to hug, pinch or poke anything cute. Babies are cute. Me? I¡¯m even cuter. But each time they would try to touch me, mother would either protect me with her body or drag me away. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t like the fact that I was popular ¨Cas a mother, she couldn¡¯t feel any prouder to see her daughter becoming everyone¡¯s center of attention- but she was afraid that they would accidentally see or touch my ears. Her fear was legitimate. While my hair was covering them, if people started to play with my cheeks or my hair, it was only a matter of time before they saw my elven ears. So mother refused to let anyone touch me. Of course, people found her behavior weird, but it was her right as a mother, and eventually they got used to it. Staring, no touching. However, sometimes, they would give in their instinct and forget about that rule, just like now. After the little incident, the cheerful atmosphere slowly came back and the party continued through the night. We didn¡¯t stay until the end though. Since I¡¯m still a baby and I need to sleep, at some point, mother discretely slipped away and we returned in our room. It took a while before people noticed that the main event ¨Cthat is me- disappeared. Seriously guys, make some efforts. Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be main star? Please notice it when I¡¯m gone. Upon returning in our room, mother took off her hood and sat me down on the bed. Then, she knelt down to be on the same eye-level me. She gently stroked my head for a few seconds before taking something out of her pocket. It was a simple, yet refined, honey amber ring. A small amber stone was attached to a simple silver band. Mother threaded a string through the hole of the ring and made a knot on the end. She then put the improvised necklace around my neck. ¡°Happy birthday sweetheart.¡± Heh? Birthday present? I looked down on my new pendant. Back in my old world, this modest ring would have been considered a cheap piece of jewelry, but I could tell that here, it was valuable, especially for a commoner family like us. Mother must have saved a lot of money to buy it. Was this really ok for me to have this? I looked up at her. As if she knew what I was thinking, she simply smiled at me. ¡°Me too!¡± Aoban suddenly shouted. Mother turned to him. ¡°You want a ring too?¡± She asked, rising a single eyebrow. ¡°What? No, that¡¯s too girly!¡± He answered shaking his head. ¡°I too, have a present for Lyni!¡± ¡°Really? You do?¡± Aoban nodded, puffing out his chest proudly. Then he suddenly rushed to the bed, almost throwing himself on me. He hugged me so tightly I thought I was going to suffocate. Mother, help! Brother is trying to kill me! Ah, she¡¯s just chuckling. As my first near-death experience in this world came to an end, Aoban kissed me on my forehead. ¡°Happy birthday little sister!¡± A broad smile appeared on his face, showing all his teeth. Seriously¡­ How am I supposed to blame you if you show me such an innocent face? Cuteness is dangerous. I¡¯m sure brother is going to become a lady-killer when he grows up. After that, we all went to the bed. The three of us share the same bed. It¡¯s tight, but I don¡¯t dislike it. I had almost forgotten the feeling of sleeping together with someone else. Keeping each other warm and listening to their breathing gradually slowing down. It¡¯s quite relaxing actually. Mother then started to hum a lullaby. ¡°Lullaby, and good night, in the skies stars are bright. May the moon''s silvery beams bring you sweet dreams. Close your eyes now and rest, may these hours be blessed. ''Til the sky''s bright with dawn, when you wake with a yawn. Lullaby, and good night, you are mother''s delight. I''ll protect you from harm, and you''ll wake in my arms. Sleepyhead, close your eyes, for I''m right beside you. Guardian angels are near, so sleep without fear. Lullaby, and good night, with roses bedight. Lilies o''er head, lay thee down in thy bed. Lullaby, and good night, you are mother''s delight. I''ll protect you from harm, and you''ll wake in my arms. Lullaby, and sleep tight, my darling sleeping. On sheets white as cream, with a head full of dreams. Sleepyhead, close your eyes, I''m right beside you. Lay thee down now and rest, may your slumber be blessed. Go to sleep, little one, think of puppies and kittens. Go to sleep, little one, think of butterflies in spring. Go to sleep, little one, think of sunny bright mornings. Hush, darling one, sleep through the night, Sleep through the night, Sleep through the night.¡± Those lyrics¡­ I know them. It¡¯s a popular lullaby from Earth. In my past life, when I was first admitted at the hospital, because of the unknown environment, I was so scared that I couldn¡¯t sleep. That¡¯s when my parents first sang me this song. Ever since, whenever I would have trouble to sleep, they would sing for me. It was my favorite lullaby. I never outgrown my love for this song even in my teens. After my parents stopped staying the night, I would still hum it by myself. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a coincidence or not, but I can¡¯t help but feel nostalgic. What are my parents doing right now? Are they living well? I hope they were able to move on. As I lost myself in my thoughts, a wave of fatigue spread through my body and before I noticed it, I had fallen asleep. ????? I woke up in the middle of the night, as I heard the sound of cracked pads penetrating the darkness. Opening my eyes, mother and brother were still peacefully sleeping, not showing any signs of waking up soon. I looked around me, searching for the source of the noise. My eyes stopped on a shadow, sitting on the window ledge. It was a black cat. Its fur, full of scars, was dull and thin, and its ears were matted confetti. It was in a bad shape but it didn¡¯t look like a stray since it was wearing a locking steel collar. Who the heck treats his cat like that? Animal abuse? Every night, mother would open the window to ventilate the room and let fresh air enter before sleeping. She must have forgotten to close it and fell asleep. What do I do? Do I chase it away? I like animals, but I¡¯d rather not have it enter the room and make a mess, searching for food of anything. But the cat didn¡¯t do anything. It just sat there, staring in my direction with his lamp-like eyes. After exchanging gazes for a few minutes, since it didn¡¯t look like it was about to move anytime soon, I tried scaring him away waving my arms in front on me. However, something unexpected happened. ¡°Finally, I found you¡­¡± The cat turned away and, after hesitating a bit, it jumped out the window, disappearing out of sight. ¡­ Eh¡­? D-Did the cat just talk¡­? Part I Chapter 3 – Found Chapter 3 ¨C Found
Lynett
Dragons, elves, beastmen, magic¡­ That¡¯s right. What¡¯s a talking cat when you already have all these? It¡¯s a fantasy world after all. Nothing to be surprised about. Nonetheless, I still couldn¡¯t fall asleep after that. A talking cat? Fine. An abused talking cat? Still fine. But an abused talking cat murmuring ¡°Found you¡± before disappearing? Not ok. Seriously, what was that supposed to mean? That would imply that he was looking for me in the first place, right? Why? I don¡¯t know you Mister cat. Besides, what was the point in finding me if you disappear rightafter that? It only makes me even more confused¡­. Wait¡­ It¡¯s not¡­ one of those creatures that have the ability to detect one¡¯s inner power or something like that, right? Or maybe it was the familiar of someinsanely strong mage? Because if that¡¯s the case, I hope you never come back and leave me alone. ¡­ ¡­ It really didn¡¯t come back. A few weeks passed since my birthday party. I had expected the cat that showed up that night to reappear any time but it just sank without trace, just like if everything I saw was just a dream ¨Cmaybe it was, it was late in the night after all. Since it didn¡¯t show again, I concluded that it was just a random talking cat and eventually forgot about it. Big mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have let him get away¡­ ????? The next months passed smoothly and there were a few changes in my baby life. First, I can finally walk. It¡¯s been a while since I had my first steps, but now I finally developed enough coordination and muscle strength to walk by my own. I also tried to run, but I failed miserably. I guess even a Goddess can¡¯t skip steps. Walking allowed me to go outside more often but paradoxically, I feel like I¡¯ve regressed since I¡¯m never left alone anymore. Now that I can walk, there is always one or two pair of eyes to watch over me. The second change is mother. I think she¡¯s finally starting to feel at ease in the neighborhood. She¡¯s still very secretive and a bit paranoid, but at least, she started opening herself to the others. She is now the mascot number 2. Since they had the occasion to see her face through the gap of her robe more than once, now people knew her as the ¡°beautiful woman with a hood¡± and there has been some pretty hilarious rumors going on about her. Some say that she¡¯s a runaway princess while others think that she¡¯s wearing a hood to hide a wound or a scar. My favorite is the rumor saying she¡¯s a criminal hiding herself from the authorities. But in all cases, she became people¡¯s favorite gossip talk. Currently, I¡¯m in the market place together with mother, brother, Leonara and her son Viran. We were strolling through the street making friendly conversations with the sellers and looking for ingredients for tonight¡¯s lunch. Leonara was a kind lady. She was an honest person and she treated me like her own daughter. She has been trying to get closer to mother ever since she started working at the inn. Mother tried not to get too friendly with Leonara but since she was the owner¡¯s wife, she couldn¡¯t really avoid her. Eventually, they became friends thanks to Leonara¡¯s perseverance ¨Cbut the fact that Viran and Aoban are getting along so well helped a lot too. As we were approaching a shop, an old man selling crops noticed our little group and smiled at us. ¡°Good afternoon, ladies. What can I do for you today?¡± ¡°Good afternoon, Mr Oddin.¡± Leonara replied. ¡°Can I have two bags of potatoes, please?¡± ¡°Of course, right away!¡± The vendor filled two small bags of potatoes before weighting them on a balance scale. At the same time, his eyes rested on me, who was currently in my mother¡¯s arm. ¡°Well, well, little Lyni is here too?¡± He asked with a silly voice. ¡°Are you shopping with your mom?¡± I shyly nodded. ¡°Yesh~! Mwommy ish buying nums nums for din din!¡± Ah~ Look at him, melting away because of my baby talk. No one can resist my cuteness, fufufu¡­ Ever since my birthday party, I¡¯ve been more careful not to get exposed, using a much more childish way to talk. At first, it was a bit tiring to act like a baby all the time, but as time went on, I eventually got used to it. I also have to admit that I quite enjoy watching people¡¯s silly reactions when I display all my adorableness. The vendor handed over the two bags of crops. Leonara took one, mother took the other. ¡°That will be thirty copper coins!¡± ¡°Hum¡­ Is there any way to get a discount?¡± Leonara asked. ¡°Eh? You know I can¡¯t, my lady, I have to make a living too!¡± The vendor complained. ¡°Even for little Lyni?¡± She added, this time with a huge grin on her face. The old man turned his gaze one more time on me. ¡°Pweeeees??¡± I said as I tilted my head to the side. ¡°Ugh¡­ Fine¡­¡± The vendor reluctantly agreed. Uhm¡­ I¡¯m starting to feel guilty now. This is actually the third time this month something like this happens. At first, I didn¡¯t understand why Leonara insisted in bringing me each time to the market. I walk slowly and carrying me all day must be tiring. Basically, I¡¯m burden. But I get it now. She sure is cunning! Well, she¡¯s a businesswoman too after all. ¡°Thanks for your purchase¡­¡± Please, don¡¯t use such a defeated voice. I¡¯m really feeling bad right now. As mother and Leonara were concluding the deal, Aoban and Viran were fooling around a bit further. They¡¯ve been trailing behind the whole time, talking, playing and messing with each other. With so few attention, they would have been lost a long time ago if mother and Leonara weren¡¯t walking slowly. Ah, boys¡­ Seriously, it¡¯s not a good idea to fool around in the street, you will get in trouble. ¡­ And just as I thought, they did get in trouble. I think they were playing the soldier and the thief. Brother was the thief. He was running around in the middle of the crowd, avoiding people, while Viran was chasing after him. And in accordance with Murphy¡¯s law, what had to happen happened. Brother eventually lost his balance and charged someone drinking outdoors. He immediately stood up, as the beverage he was drinking spilled on his clothes. That someone was wearing a high-quality silk apparel along with some jewelry screaming ¡°I¡¯m a noble!¡± and was accompanied by a personal guard. Oh, dear. Of all people, it had to be a noble. Troubles, troubles, troubles¡­ ¡°You fucking brat!¡± Noble guy ¨Cthat¡¯s how I will call him from now on- shouted. Startled, Aoban froze for a few seconds. Then he sincerely apologized, understanding what he had done. Viran, on the other hand, did not dare to move. The sudden commotion attracted people¡¯s attention and a crowd soon gathered, eager for something interesting to watch. As they noticed that their sons were involved, mother and Leonara forced their way through the crowd to rushto their side. The boys quickly hid behind them. ¡°Aoban! Are you okay?¡± Mother asked, putting me down on the ground. ¡°That¡¯s me who you should be asking to, bitch! Are you that brat¡¯s mother?¡± Noble guy growled. ¡­ How rude! Watch your mouth, you fool! Being a noble doesn¡¯t give you the right to insult people like that. But mother didn¡¯t flinch. She simply bowed her head politely. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sure what happened, but I apologize for the inconvenience. Please forgive my son, I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t mean any harm.¡± Noble guy frowned. ¡°To forgive him? Look at this!¡± He pointed at his attire. ¡°My clothes are ruined because you couldn¡¯t keep an eye on your damn brat!¡± What an asshole! He¡¯s definitely the kind of guy to make a fuss over nothing and who will jump on the first occasion to oppress the weak. Looking at the amount of jewelry he¡¯s wearing, there is no mistake this single piece of cloth is worth nothing to him. He could probably afford a hundred like this. Still, he felt the need to humiliate my mother in front of everyone. Rotten noble¡­A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Leonara stepped forward. ¡°Please, sir. Let¡¯s settle this calmly. There is no reason for us to make a fuss over a simple mistake. You know how children are, we will make sure to scold them later.¡± You go girl! Tell him! ¡°Huh? What did you say? Are you saying that I¡¯m over-reacting? You damn commoners, then how about you pay this back for me, mh?¡± He-did-not-dare! Is he using the opportunity to extort us right now? Don¡¯t you have enough money already? Noble guy grinned wickedly. This asshole. He perfectly knows that we can¡¯t pay. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything anymore?¡± Noble guy stayed silent for a few second, then he started to inspect mother intensely from head to toes, which made her really uncomfortable. He approached, placed his finger under her chin and lifted her head up, forcing her to look at him in the eyes. ¡°Well, well, look at this. Such a beautiful face. Why would you be hiding it? You know what, I¡¯ve got an idea. How about we settle this just the two of us?Alone.¡± Noble guy said, looking at mother with lustful eyes. ¡­ WHAT THE HECK IS HE THINKING?! Get away from her, you lecher! This has gone too far, I am SOOO going to kick your ass! Why isn¡¯t anybody saying anything? That rotten noble is clearly in the wrong, but he¡¯s taking advantage of the situation. There are so many witnesses here, yet no one is defending mother. The passers-by, the vendors who were so friendly just a moment ago, and even Leonara. Everyone is watching, but no one is daring to move. Are they seriously going to let this happens, just because they¡¯re afraid of one noble? ¡­Umh? Wait¡­ Is that the moment where Super toddler ¨Cin other words, me- is supposed to jump in and rescue the maiden in distress? This won¡¯t do¡­ I can¡¯t do that¡­ It¡¯s not even a matter of keeping up the act of the normal human baby. Even if I wanted to, how am I supposed to help mother? Now that I think about it, I am supposedly a Goddess, but I have no idea how to use my power¡­ I mean, I don¡¯t know any magic incantation. Ugh¡­ Such a useless power¡­ ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± A dull voice ordered. Finally! Someone decided to step in! I turned away in the direction of the voice, trying to catch sight of its owner. Suddenly, high-pitched screams could be heard as someone was making his way through the crowd. What are they so scared about? Then I saw him¡­ Oh¡­ Oh! Ooooooooooooh! T-Those black fluffy ears! This little tail waving behind him! They¡¯re real! It¡¯s a cat-boy! A real one! I¡¯d give him fourteen years old, maybe fifteen. He had short black hair and green eyes. ¡°A demihuman!¡± A man shouted with a note of indignation in his voice. ¡°What is a demihuman doing here?¡± ¡°Hiiiiiiii! Don¡¯t let him get any closer than this!¡± ¡­ Right. I had almost forgotten about this. The racial prejudices. Clearly, seeing all the disgusted looks directed toward him, I was the only one happy to see the beastman. But he couldn¡¯t possibly be a bad person. Out of all people present here, he was the only one who raised his voice against the rotten noble. I already knew what to expect, but it was still really striking to see such a strong discrimination, even though he only wanted to help. Back in my old world, he would have been worshipped for those ears and tail. When he saw him, Noble guy¡¯s face distorted in disgust. He was not even bothering trying to hide his aversion. His personal guard immediately tensed up, holding the grip of his sword, ready to strike if needed. But Noble guy glanced at him and raised his hand before him, signaling not to intervene. ¡°Be careful my lord, it¡¯s a demihuman¡­¡± The guard murmured, loud enough for everyone else to hear. Noble guy stepped forward. His lips curled into a smirk as he finally spoke up. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, playing hero, slave?¡± His eyes eventually fell upon the slave collar the cat-boy was wearing. ¡°Did you lose your master?¡± He¡¯s a slave? I was so absorbed by his fluffy ears and tail that I hadn¡¯t even noticed the collar around his neck. Looking carefully, it should have been obvious. His skin was covered with scars and his ears were in a pretty bad shape. He had clearly been mistreated. ¡­ Uhm? Wait¡­ That looks familiar? Those matted confetti ears, those scars and that locking steel collar¡­ Mister cat? That¡¯s totally Mister cat, from the other night. But why is Mister cat in a human form now? Huh? I¡¯m confused¡­ The cat-boy didn¡¯t reply. Instead, tilting his head to the side, he absentmindedly looked at the noble, just like a rebellious teenager forced to listen to his parents¡¯ lecture. This rude behavior did not escape Noble guy, as his upper lips twitched a little. ¡°Haha¡­ First it¡¯s a commoner, and now even a slave disrespects me? What kind of bad joke is this?¡± Noble guy stepped forward and grabbed Mister cat by his collar. ¡°Let me show you how to respect nobility! I do not remember allowing you to look at me in the eyes. A dirty slave like you should be begging for-¡° Before he could finish, the cat-boy bent backwards and suddenly head butted the noble, forcing him to let him go. Under the impact, Noble guy fell on the ground. Not understanding what just happened, he blanked out for a few seconds, staring bluntly at the cat-boy who was now looking down on him ¨Cliterally. Everyone was dumbfounded by what they just witnessed. A slave ¨Cand a beastman in addition-attacked a noble, in the middle of the day. Fufufu¡­ Serves you right, rotten noble. Mister cat, you¡¯re my hero. Coming back to his senses, Noble guy¡¯s face suddenly reddened in indignation. He had probably never been humiliated like this before. He stood up, pointing the cat-boy with his finger. ¡°Y-You! Did you just dare to attack me?! What are you waiting for, Bruno?! Kill him!¡± He ordered his guard. "Y-Yes!'' Hisescort responded, as his employer''s voice suddenly pulled him out of his confusion. Immediately complying, Bruno threw himself on the cat-boy, pulling out his sword. He tried to bring the slave down with a diagonal slash but the boy effortlessly avoided it, twisting his upper body. As the slice cut through the air, the cat-boy brought his knee to his assailant¡¯s nose before taking him down with a swift sweep in the shin. A loudCRACKsounded. His leg broken, the guard was unable to fight anymore. The battle had been over almost as soon as it began. ¡°You useless guard! What do you think I¡¯m paying you for? Get up and-¡° Noble guy started, but the cat-boy slammed his flat palm against his face, immediately interrupting him. Losing his balance, he almost fell backwards. Fufu¡­ This is hilarious. He completely overpowered them. They never stood a chance. So this is the famous strength of beastmen? They sure live up to their reputation. Slowly recovering, Noble guy could only gaze at the cat-boy in astonishment. He was no longer looking upon him with disgust; instead, a glint of fear could be seen in his eyes. His previous arrogance was now completely gone. ¡°Y-You¡­ You think you will get away with this¡­? Look around you! With so many witnesses, you¡¯re already a dead man! You attacked me, not once but twice!¡± Ignoring his words, the cat-boy stepped forward. ¡°W-What are you planning to do¡­?¡± Noble guy asked, as his voice was wavering. I¡¯m almost starting to pity him¡­ Mister cat then threw something at the noble. It was a pouch filled with gold coins. As he saw the content of the bag, Noble guy¡¯s eye widened in confusion. ¡°Huh? What¡­?¡± ¡°Compensation. For the clothes.¡± Mister cat simply said as he pointed his dirtied apparel with his finger. Not sure of what to do, Noble guy simply stared at the cat-boy. I could guess what he was thinking. Why would a slave have so much money? Did he steal it? He didn¡¯t seem to find the answer, but he started to regain some confidence, as he mistook the cat-boy¡¯s action as an attempt to gain his forgiveness. A grin appeared on his face. If the slave had so much money, then his master must be even richer. Everyone knew he was going to use this opportunity to threaten him. ¡°You think this is enough? You attacked me, a noble! This is a serious crime!¡± He shouted. People like him never learn, do they¡­? ¡°Don¡¯t think you can get with just a few coins. Who is your master? He will hear about this! As his slave, he should take responsibilities for your actions!¡± Mister cat sighed. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell my master that you request a meeting with him. You just have to head towards the Whiteheart Estate. I believe you know where it is, right? My master will receive you in his mansion.¡± The cat-boy answered with a flat voice, as he looked away, not impressed. ¡°Did he say the Whiteheart Estate?¡± ¡°He is a slave of the Whiteheart household¡­?¡± These simple words caused a commotion in the crowd. People were whispering to oneanother. Noble guy¡¯s face suddenly paled and his grin vanished in a second. For a few minutes, he stayed silent, staring blankly at the cat-boy, trying to put his thoughts in order. This abnormal rudeness and this arrogance despite being a lowly slave... He should have known the beastman wasn''t a just normal servant and had some backup. Noble guy frowned. He was cursing himself for getting involved with him. ¡°I-It¡¯s fine¡­ You don¡¯t have to bother your master¡­ Everyone makes mistakes¡­ I feel like forgiving you today, be g-grateful¡­¡± He changed his mind, trying to keep his composure in order not to lose face in front of the others ¨Cwhich was useless since he already lost it a long time ago. ¡­. Wow. I¡¯m not sure how much influence this Whiteheart household has, but it must be a really powerful family seeing how fast Noble guy backed down. His confidence vanished in an instant! Not even waiting for an answer, he quickly disappeared in the crowd, leaving the poor Bruno behind. He was probably afraid that Mister cat would insist in him meeting his master, but he obviously couldn¡¯t care less. Anyway. Troubles avoided!! I¡¯m grateful, Mister cat, you saved us! If there is something I learnt from novels, it¡¯s to never piss off nobles. They always bring more troubles than necessary and they¡¯re a real pain to deal with. I¡¯m not sure what would¡¯ve happened if not for Mister cat. I¡¯m sorry for trying to chase you away the other night¡­ The unpleasant episode finally over, I rejoiced myself but turning to mother, I noticed that something was wrong. Was she sick? She really didn¡¯t look good. Shouldn¡¯t she be happy that we avoided the worst? Actually, it¡¯s wasn¡¯t just mother. Even Aoban didn¡¯t look well. Why were they so pale? I was na?ve. Back then, I didn¡¯t know. We did not avoid the worst, quite the opposite actually, we directly walked into the lion¡¯s den¡­ Mother and Aoban perfectly knew that. As I was staring at my family, trying to understand their strange behavior, the cat-boy casually approached us. He stayed silent for a while, then he smiled. ¡°Hello Azariah.¡± ¡­ Huh? He knows mother? So it wasn''t me whom he was looking for? Well, that makes sense, I mean I don''t know him... As his smile was widening, mother, on the other hand, kept getting paler and paler. I immediately understood: Mister cat was not an ally, he was an enemy. Seemingly enjoying mother¡¯s reaction, he quietly approached his face and whispered something in her ear.¡°How long did you think you could keep running away from us? I told you I would find you¡­¡± He stepped back. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again very soon, alright? I missed you!¡± The cat-boy said as he showed us his brightest smile. Since he knew he probably wouldn¡¯t get a reply, he simply walked away. ¡°Ah, and you''re welcome by the way!¡± He added before disappearing in an alley. If not for mother and brother¡¯s reactions, I would have thought that he was a very friendly person. But they felt threatened. Obviously, something was up with him and I didn¡¯t know what. However, I could at least understand this much: Mister cat meant troubles,bigtroubles. That afternoon, we returned home in silence. Leonara kept apologizing on the way for not having spoken in her defense, but mother would only reply with a sad smile. She didn¡¯t blame her, how could she? She was a mother too so she understood her feelings perfectly. She had a family to protect and couldn¡¯t take the risk to endanger them by angering a noble. Actually, mother had already forgotten about that. She didn¡¯t listen to a word Leonara said, as she kept thinking over and over about Mister cat. When we arrived in our room, Aoban was the first one to break the silence. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± He looked up at her, full of worries. ¡°Are we leaving¡­?¡± Mother reluctantly nodded after staying silent for a while. ¡°Yes¡­ We will be leaving tomorrow in the morning.¡± Part I Chapter 4 – Her secret Chapter 4 ¨C Her secret
Lynett
The sun gradually filled the sky with a warm glow, pushing away the darkness. It was morning. But this morning was different than the other, this morning, we were running away. I didn¡¯t get to sleep at all last night, the feeling of insecurity keeping me up. I know that mother never had the intention of settling down here ¨Cthis is why we were living in an inn and why mother avoided to get involved with others in the first place- but I was born in this city. I lived almost two years here. It may seem like nothing, but right now for me, it¡¯s my whole life. I can¡¯t help but feel insecure about this unsure future. Where will we be going? How will we be living? I wasn¡¯t the only who was feeling sad about it. Mother and brother both had to leave their friends behind. Aoban had Rivan and even mother, who tried her best not to get attached to anyone, had Leonara and Randy. It¡¯s regrettable, but we don¡¯t have a choice. Mother didn¡¯t get to sleep either last night. She had to pack our things. We didn¡¯t have a lot since she was planning on travelling light, but she wanted to leave a clean room for the owners. I¡¯m going to miss this messy little room. We spent the last evening saying goodbyes. Everyone was taken aback when mother announced our sudden departure. We were assaulted by a large amount of questions as everyone demanded explanations. Why were we leaving? Why so suddenly? Where would we be going? But as secretive as she is, mother never gave a clear answer. In a few hours, the entire neighborhood heard about it and the next hours, the inn was flooded with people. Everyone came to say goodbye, but I¡¯m not good with goodbyes. I hate those emotional moments. In my past life, I used to have a lot of friends, but as the years passed my number of friends quickly decreased. When I first got admitted at the hospital, a lot of people would come to visit me, but after the first month, most of them stopped coming. Only a few close friends would keep coming regularly. However, growing up, our paths diverged. A lot of them moved away, while the others were busy with their studies. So I tried making friends at the hospital, but that was worse. The kids I got along with at the hospital left me even faster. Some passed away, and those who recovered never came back at the hospital since it was a place filled with painful memories. In the end, I said goodbye to almost all my friends. I¡¯m used to say goodbye so I¡¯ll be fine. To be honest, besides mother and brother, I¡¯m not really close to anyone, but I know it¡¯s different for them. Ever since he woke up, Aoban has been really quiet. He has always been a pretty talkative child, talking about anything even when I wouldn¡¯t answer but right now, he seems really down. On the other hand, mother, who usually is pretty silent, started to talk a lot. She kept saying things like ¡°it¡¯s going to be fine¡±, or ¡°it will be great¡±. I think she was trying to reassure us. Having finished to prepare herself, mother turned her gaze to brother. ¡°Are you ready?¡± She asked. Aoban did not reply, instead, he simply nodded. Mother picked me up in her arms, and the three of us went downstairs, where Randy and Leonara were waiting for us. ¡°So you¡¯re really leaving¡­¡± Leonara sighed. Mother politely bowed her head. ¡°Yes. Thank you for everything. We weren¡¯t supposed to stay that long anyway¡­¡± Randy answered with a weak smile. He then pointed at the single bag attached in her back. ¡°Is that all you have?¡± Mother nodded. She had packed a few clothes, Aoban¡¯s favorite books, some dried food and all our money. We sold the rest. Leonara suddenly rushed to us and gave mother a bear hug, while I was choking in the middle. Then, she smiled at me, gently stroking my hair. For the first time, mother did not oppose. ¡°Take care. Come to visit us sometimes, you will always be welcomed¡± She said. ¡°Aoban, boy!¡± Randy called out. ¡°You must protect them, alright?¡± Brother looked up at him. A new glimpse of determination formed in his eyes. He nodded. ¡°Good. That¡¯s a promise between men!¡± The owner chuckled. At that moment, the entrance door slammed. All of us turned in the direction of the noise, as a young man just entered, trying to catch his breath. He was one of the inn¡¯s employees. ¡°B-Boss¡­!¡± He tried to speak up, his face drenched in cold sweat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look pale.¡± Randy asked. ¡°Y-You should come out right. There are people waiting outside. They said they¡¯re looking for Miss Maedis¡­¡± When she heard this, mother blanched. A sudden tremor ran through her body as she could guess the situation. We were too late. Seeing her reaction, Randy and Leonara exchanged glances, without uttering a word. Somehow, they had understood that whoever was out there, it was someone that mother didn¡¯t want to see. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll deal with it¡± Randy tried to reassure her. ¡°N-No¡­ It¡¯s fine¡­ I¡¯ll go. I think I know why they¡¯re here¡­¡± Mother replied, as her voice was trembling. She probably understood that there was no point in running away anymore. She put me down on the floor and gently caressed my cheek. Her hand was shaking. ¡°Stay here, alright? Mommy will be back soon.¡± She told me. As mother gave a quick glance to Aoban, he nodded. The two of them went outside, closely followed by Randy and Leonara, unwilling to let them go alone after seeing the fear in their eyes. As the disobedient child I was, I did not comply. Once they left, I headed to the entrance, silently peeking behind the door. The first thing I saw was a huge carriage that could barely fit in the road. A few people gathered around it, wondering what was going on. Then I saw a black cat covered with scars. I immediately recognized Mister cat, who was not in his human form this time. Why is he already back? Is that what he meant by ¡°let¡¯s meet again very soon¡±? But Mister cat didn¡¯t come alone this time. There were three more people with him: two men and one woman. One of the men was at least six feet tall. Standing by the carriage, he was wearing a light armor that allowed him to move freely and a sword was hanging on his waist. He was probably a guard. The second man was around his thirties. He had distinct cheekbones and an angular jaw. His tousled dark brown hair was thick and lustrous and his black eyes were like two stones of onyx. His simple yet elegant clothes gave him the look of a gentleman. He was obviously a very good-looking man, and judging by his appearance, a noble. The woman looked to be in her late twenties. Dressed in a much more fancy way than the other noble, she had the same black eyes and dark brown hair as him. If not for the arrogant expression on her face, she would have been a fairly beautiful woman. Mother and brother were standing in front of them, clearly intimidated. I don¡¯t think mother could get any paler. She was so white that she almost looked like a ghost. Blood drained from her face, she couldn¡¯t stop shivering as an unsettling chill continued to run down her spine and make her skin crawl. Anyone could see the fear leaping out of her. Recognizing the crest on the nobles¡¯ chest, Leonara glanced at her husband, her eyes tight and worried. ¡°T-That¡¯s the crest of the Whiteheart Family, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± She whispered. Randy did not reply, but seeing his body stiffening, Leonara had her answer. ¡°W-who might you be¡­?¡± He still asked. ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience; we will soon be leaving once our matter has been settled.¡± The noble said as he stepped forward. ¡°I am the Marquis Jack Whiteheart, and this is my sister Nora. Please do not mind us; we¡¯re only here on a personal issue.¡± ¡°The Marquis himself? Really?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he be in the capital?¡± Ignoring the commotion he just created among the crowd by giving out his name, the Marquis turned his attention back to mother. ¡°Hello Azariah. It¡¯s been a long time, hasn¡¯t it? I heard you were leaving the town.¡± Randy and Leonara kept glancing at each other in confusion. Just like the crowd that had gathered, they were trying to figure out the relationship between mother and the Marquis. I¡¯m curious too, I also want to know. ¡°Already running away, uhm? You sure like to make things difficult.¡± The Marquis sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I had Yao keep an eye on you the time I got here. You¡¯ll excuse me for taking such a long time, but that¡¯s your own fault. You didn¡¯t exactly pick the nearest town from the capital to hide.¡± So Mister cat¡¯s name is Yao. It fits him. ¡­No wait, what? He ordered Mister cat to make sure mother wouldn¡¯t run away before he arrived? So, basically, this Yao has been stalking us in the shadow ever since my first birthday, and only decided to show up when he was sure that his master would be able to get her before she fled. ¡­ What a jerk! The Marquis stopped for a moment, inspecting mother. ¡°You seem¡­ well.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Is he blind? How in the world does she look well? She looks like she¡¯s about to faint at any moment. Seemingly ignoring mother¡¯s discomfort, his eyes eventually rested on the small child, hidden behind her. ¡°Aoban. Where are your manners?¡± Hearing the Marquis¡¯ voice calling him out, brother flinched. Then he timidly stepped forward. He looked up at him for a few second, then moved his gaze towards the Lady Whiteheart. He politely bowed to them. ¡°G-Greetings, Uncle Jack, Aunt Nora¡­¡± He said with a small voice. While the Marquis maintained his usual poker face, Lady Nora on the other hand rolled her eyes and let out an annoyed sigh that she didn¡¯t even bothered to hide. That woman definitely hates kids. But ¡°uncle¡± and ¡°aunt¡±, huh? So we¡¯re related? Since they¡¯re humans, I¡¯m guessing they¡¯re on father¡¯s side of the family. So father is a noble ¨Cand a high ranked one, that is. I¡¯ve never heard about father, so this actually may be the first thing I learn about him. Still, mother¡¯s reaction doesn¡¯t seem appropriate for someone who just met family. I¡¯ve already heard about some families mistreating their In-laws, but judging by her behavior, it must have been quite extreme. Was it because she was an elf? No wonder she ran away. ¡°Is that just the two of you?¡± The Marquis inquired. ¡°Y-Yes¡­ It¡¯s just the two of us¡­¡± Mother finally spoke up. ¡°Well, that makes thing easier. Get on.¡± He ordered, as he pointed the carriage with his finger. The black cat that was resting at his feet suddenly climbed to his shoulder, murmuring something in his ear. ¡°Master. She¡¯s lying.¡± The Marquis turned towards the cat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°There was another one with them. A small child.¡± Yao explained. Mother¡¯s face blanched even paler. ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± She suddenly shouted. But by losing her composure, she also betrayed herself. ¡°Hum¡­ And where is that child, now?¡± The Marquis asked, ignoring mother. ¡°Behind the door.¡± As Yao said this, everyone directed their gaze toward the big wooden door of the inn. In the shadow, they noticed a small child peeking from the inside ¨Cme. Damn you Mister cat. As I thought I hate you¡­ As if he knew what I was thinking, his lips curled into a smirk -or at least into something that looked like a smirk. ¡°Come on out, child.¡± The Marquis ordered. I glanced at mother. Since there was no point in hiding anymore, I decided to step out and rush to her side. As he took a better sight of me, the Marquis¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Is she your daughter?¡± He asked, turning his attention back to mother. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She responded. ¡°Hum¡­ So you had a daughter¡­¡± He whispered. ¡°How old is she?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that-¡° ¡°How old?¡± The Marquis repeated, as he saw that she was trying to avoid the question. Mother stayed silent for a while. ¡°¡­ Almost two.¡± Hearing her answer, the Marquis¡¯ emotionless mask fell. He frowned as his eyes narrowed. ¡°Could she be¡­ Lloyd¡¯s daughter¡­?¡± This time, mother did not answer. Instead, she simply bifurcated her gaze, looking away. Am I a hidden child¡­? Taking her silence for a yes, the Marquis clicked his tongue. Lady Nora, who had stayed silent until now, suddenly stepped forward, her face distorted in anger at the revelation. She raised her hand and slammed her palm against mother¡¯s cheek, forcing her to shrink away. The heck¡­ ¡°Y-You filthy whore! How dare you¡­!¡± She exclaimed. That¡¯s my line, crazy lady! Taken aback by the noble Lady¡¯s sudden attack, everyone watched the scene in astonishment, their eyes widened in surprise, as a deafening silence fell over the place. Then, the Marquis grabbed her arm, pulling her back. ¡°Nora, that¡¯s enough. Think about your position, we¡¯re in public.¡± He said, trying to calm his sister down. But the noble Lady had no intention in backing out. Instead, she shouted even louder. ¡°Are you seriously going to let his go, Jack?! That bitch! Not only she seduces our brother, but she also dares to give birth to a filthy half-breed!¡± She exclaimed, glaring at me with her eyes full of hatred and disgust. Hum. It¡¯s decided, I hate her. One day, I shall kick your ass. I¡¯m not sure what happened between her and mother, but this aunt of mine is obviously being a bitch. Making a fuss and humiliating the others in public¡­ Just like the rotten noble from yesterday, she¡¯s the kind of person I hate the most. That lady deserves a good beating. Mother did not deny, but frustration surfaced her face. She was biting her lower lip and clenching her fists so hard that her nails almost penetrated her skin. She was holding back her anger. Obviously, I wasn¡¯t the only one irritated by the noble lady¡¯s rude behavior. On the other hand, the crowd was much more interested in what my aunt just revealed rather than her actual behavior. ¡°Half-breed¡± she said. People were glancing at each other, trying to figure out what she meant. Eventually, their eyes, full of doubt, rested on me, the small child that caused the noble lady to erupt in anger. ¡°I understand your point, but it¡¯s not a reason to make a spectacle of yourself. We¡¯ll settle this once we return home¡±, insisted the Marquis. Lady Nora clenched her teeth. ¡°Fine¡­¡± She reluctantly accepted after thinking a while. The Marquis let out a sigh of relief. Then he looked at mother, straightening his face into a more serious expression. ¡°Get on. The three of you¡±, he ordered one more time. Expecting mother to follow him, he started to head to the carriage, where the guard was waiting for him. But he stopped half-way, as a hesitant voice spoke up. ¡°N-No¡­¡± Mother said with a small voice. The Marquis¡¯ lips twitched and his eyelids fluttered. ¡°Sorry? I think I misheard something, what did you just say¡­?¡± He asked, turning to mother. Unable to withstand his irritated look, she lowered her gaze. For a moment, she regretted contesting his order. But then, her eyes met mine. She took a deep breath, lifted her head and glared back at him. She was not shaking anymore; instead, she had a new look full of determination. ¡°I said I refuse¡±, she said. But this time, she was not hesitating. Most of people gasped in surprise, seeing mother directly defying the Marquis¡¯ order. Some looked at her in awe, while others looked at her with bewilderment, like if she was crazy. Of course, the first one to react was Aunt Nora. That was the breaking point of her patience. Blood rushed to her head as a swelling vein formed on her temple, threatening to explode. She approached mother, emitting menacing vibes. ¡°You lowly slave! How dare you-¡° She raised her hand, ready to slap her again, but the smack never came. Before she could hit her, mother grabbed her wrist and sunk her eyes deep in Aunt Nora¡¯s, which caused her to flinch. It only lasted a moment though, as Aunt Nora soon came back to her senses and realize the humiliating situation she was in. ¡°Let go of me! At once!¡± She ordered as she forcibly pulled out her arm. Aunt Nora glared at mother, her eyes full of hatred. But as she was about to say something, mother spoke first. ¡°I am not your slave anymore, I have no orders to receive from you¡±, she said with a resolved voice. Anymore¡­ So mother used to be a slave after all. While I didn¡¯t expect that, I¡¯m not surprised. I mean, as an elf in a human kingdom, I could¡¯ve anticipated this much. These words of hers caused Aunt Nora to redden even more, filled with anger and indignation. If this keeps going, she will soon turn into a tomato. But Aunt Nora wasn¡¯t the only one outraged by this declaration. Yao, who had been silent for a while now, suddenly hissed at mother. Before Aunt Nora could retort anything, the guard, who had been watching everything until now, stepped in. ¡°I¡¯m afraid she has a point, my lady,¡± he said. ¡°That woman has already gained her freedom, we can¡¯t force her to come against her will.¡± Aunt Nora clenched her fist, understanding the situation. She was not going to withstand this humiliation, but she couldn¡¯t force mother to comply. I¡¯m sure she couldn¡¯t care less about the laws, but there were witnesses and she couldn¡¯t bring any shame to the family¡¯s name. As she glared at mother, thinking about what to do, her eyes fell upon the small boy shivering behind her. It was Aoban. Suddenly, her lips curled into a mischievous grin, as she came up with an idea. Whatever she was thinking, it was not in our favor. ¡°Actually, I think we can,¡± she said. She pointed at brother with her finger. ¡°This is my nephew, my brother¡¯s first born son, and his only heir.¡± She marked a pause, then she turned to mother, as her smile widened. ¡°Additionally, he is the son that he had with his first wife, Lady Mello, who unfortunately died in childbirth. Which means that you, Azariah, have absolutely no blood ties with him.¡± Eh? Is that so? So brother is actually my half-brother? Well, that explains why he looks so human! Unlike me, he IS a 100% human. ¡°Azariah, you never got married to my brother, did you?¡± She added. ¡°This means that to Aoban, you are neither his mother nor his step-mother. You had no right to take him with you, yet here he is. You understand, don¡¯t you? This is kidnapping.¡± Suddenly understanding where Aunt Nora was going, mother¡¯s face lost its colors ¨Cagain. She couldn¡¯t find anything to say since according to the law, the bitch was right. What she did was a crime. ¡°Mommy is my mommy!¡± Aoban suddenly shouted. ¡°She did not kidnap me! I was the one who wanted to come with her!¡± T-That¡¯s cute. Brother is defending mother. He really is mature for his age. So he knew? ¡°Shup ut, brat.¡± Aunt Nora immediately replied, irritated. But only a few seconds later, her hard expression softened as a fake smile formed on her face. ¡°I mean, Aoban, sweetheart? Why don¡¯t you let the grown-ups settle this? You¡¯re still young and confused. This woman is not your mother. She deceived you in order to manipulate you, just like she deceived your father. Have you already forgotten what happened to your father?¡± Aoban flinched. ¡°Th-That¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget who your real family is, Aoban. You¡¯re a Whiteheart.¡± Brother lowered his head, holding back all his frustration. He clearly did not agree with Aunt Nora, but there was nothing he could do. He was just powerless and he knew it. ¡°Kidnapping the heir of the previous Marquis¡­ This is a serious crime, you know?¡± Aunt Nora added, returning her attention to mother. Then she calmly approached and whispered into her ear. ¡°Azariah, you understand, don¡¯t you? Whether you like it or not, you¡¯re returning with us. If we can¡¯t bring you back as a slave, we¡¯ll bring you back as a criminal.¡± Seemingly enjoying her new control of the situation, Aunt Nora chuckled, amused by the sudden turnaround. Then her smile slowly disappeared, as her attention focused on a particular detail. She raised her arm to reach mother¡¯s face, as she picked a strand of her hair, staring at it intensely. ¡°Black hair¡­ How ridiculous¡­¡± She muttered. Hum¡­? S-She¡¯s not going to¡­ THAT BITCH! SHE DID NOT DARE! With a swift move, Aunt Nora grabbed mother¡¯s robe and pulled off her hood, revealing her elven features. Within a second, the crowd went in an uproar. Seeing her ears, people went crazy. Shouts could be heard everywhere in the place. Seeing a beastman was something, but seeing an elf was of a whole other level. Some looked at her in awe, others in repugnance. But one thing was sure. They all saw mother differently. The friendly merchants, the employees of the inn, even Randy and Leonara. They were just blankly staring at her, without uttering a word. I¡¯m not sure what they¡¯re thinking right now, but it can¡¯t possibly good. Dammit, dammit, dammit. They know. They all know. Mother didn''t even flinch. Despite all the commotion around her, she didn''t move an inch. At this point, she didn''t even care anymore. She had already lost hope when she realized that she would have to return with that family. ¡°How about you try running away now, elf?¡± Aunt Nora chuckled. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s because of her. It¡¯s all that woman¡¯s fault. She didn¡¯t have to do that. Not only she came to threaten her and her freedom, but she also had to take away from her the only place where she felt at ease, and the people she befriended. If there was a Nobel Prize in being the biggest bitch in the world, then this stupid Aunt of mine would definitely deserve it. Seriously¡­ A woman like you¡­ ¡ºI hope you go bald.¡» At that moment, a single spark appeared as my dear aunt¡¯s head became scorched by a wall of heat. Her hair is on fire!! The sudden appearance of the flames caused widespread panic. It was chaos, as people started running everywhere, trying to get away from the fire. Aunt Nora, barely understanding what was happening to her, tried to extinguish the fire with her hands. It was probably out of reflex, as she soon stopped once she felt the intense heat of the flames burning her flesh. Could it be¡­ My fau!t¡­? The flames had no pity. Hot and violent, they consumed whatever they pleased. The nascent fire played like a child with a new toy, its flames leaping in excitement. Within a moment, it had spread on her dress. As my dear aunt kept screaming in panic and confusion, the Marquis suddenly shouted. ¡°Someone help her!¡± He ordered. But even though it was on order from the Marquis, no one was willing to approach the fire. ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone know water magic here?!¡± Finally, after a few seconds ¨Cvery long seconds- the guard managed to extinguish the fire. Rushing out from a building where he had found a bucket of water, he threw its content on Aunt Nora. Exhausted, yet relieved, she immediately collapsed on the ground. She¡¯s alive, but she has some serious burns on her body. Her face is a mess and, additionally, she no longer has any hair. ¡­ ¡­ Hum¡­ Oops¡­? Part I Chapter 5 – Lets play Auntie~ Chapter 5 ¨C Let¡¯s play Auntie~
Lynett
[Voiceless incantation]. The ability to use magic without a chant by concentrating and feeling the mana through your body. Pretty cool, isn¡¯t it? Yet, this kind of ability might become troublesome in the future¡­ I mean, you can control what you say, but you can¡¯t control what you think. One day, if I don¡¯t want to wake up in the morning, I might accidentally make the sun disappear¡­ What? That¡¯s not how it works? Well, we will find out about that soon. Anyway, it seems that Imighthave bullied my aunt a little ¨Cnot that I regret it anyway, she deserved it. But I¡¯ll have to be careful from now on. While I did wish to punish her a little, I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d actually catch on fire ¨Cliterally. I asked for her beautiful silky hair to be gone, and it is indeed gone, but if not for the guard, my aunt could have ended up in a worse state. I¡¯ll have to learn how to control those troublesome powers¡­ After theincident, Aunt Nora took a while to recover from the shock. I mean she did end up half naked, bald and burnt in the middle of the street ¨Cyes, humiliation at its finest. But what terrified her the most was the fact that even though she had been openly attacked, they couldn¡¯t find the perpetrator. Witnesses weren¡¯t lacking, yet, no one saw a mage and no one heard an incantation. The culprit just vanished. ¡­ I¡¯m right here, actually. But it¡¯s okay. No one ever suspects the baby anyway. Except for the mental shock, Aunt Nora recovered pretty fast. It seems that the Whiteheart nobles had a high affinity with Light Magic, which meant that they could use Healing Magic. So, obviously, without reserving herself, Aunt Nora had been using it to heal her burns. It worked. In only three days, her skin was almost as smooth as before. To be honest, I¡¯m a bit disappointed. But well, even though Healing Magic could regenerate the dead cells of her skin, it couldn¡¯t do anything about her hair, since it literally burnt to ashes. So she¡¯s still bald, hehe¡­ After that, we quickly left the town. The rumor that the powerful Whiteheart family had been attacked without being able to retaliate had spread, so the Marquis decided to leave quickly before his sister did something stupid. Mother didn¡¯t seem to mind it. Since that now everyone knew about her being an elf, she felt the need to get away as soon as possible. Currently, mother, brother and I are in the carriage of the Marquis and his sister, as we¡¯re heading to the Whiteheart Estate, in the capital. We were supposed to go in a secondary mansion, but after the incident, they decided that it was better to return in the main residence. I¡¯m not really happy about that, but they didn¡¯t exactly give us a choice. But well, I¡¯ll see how it turns out. If they¡¯re all as annoying as Aunt Nora, I guess I¡¯ll just have to make more bald people. This journey is by far the most awkward thing I¡¯ve ever experienced ¨Cnot that I experienced a lot. We¡¯re all travelling in the same carriage, so the atmosphere is really heavy and most of the time, no one is talking. Beside mother and brother, I am absolutely, completely, utterly ignored. Aunt Nora would occasionally glare at me with her eyes full of hate, but that¡¯s it. My uncle, Yao, and the guard, they don¡¯t even bother to look at me. But well, as long as they don¡¯t mistreat us, I guess it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m worried about my Aunt since she obviously hates me for being a half, but so far she hasn¡¯t done anything. I think Aunt Nora had her lesson. Now she should become a little more compliant¡­ or not. I¡¯m actually starting to regret burning her; she became even worse after that. I never really knew her before, but now, the more I get to know her, and the more I came to hate her. Basically, she¡¯s a bitch. But a real one, there is nothing good in her. During the journey, her trauma of being attacked evolved into anger ¨Cand the fact that she¡¯s now bald didn¡¯t exactly helped to calm her. I was worried she would start to bully mother, but fortunately, so far, she only took it out on Yao and the guard, since they failed to protect her. On the way, she kept muttering about all the horrible things she¡¯d do to the fool who dared to attack her once she¡¯d find him. Ah~ My dear Aunt, if you knew¡­! When the journey came to an end, a few months had passed and I had already turned two. Considering the situation, we didn¡¯t celebrate my birthday. That¡¯s fine by me, I¡¯m just glad we¡¯ve finally arrived. Trust me, travelling in a small carriage for months, especially when you have such agoodcompany, it¡¯s not funny. I can see the capital now. I¡¯m looking forward it¡­
Jack
After months of travel, we finally reached the main residence. As we arrived, I was greeted by one of my attendants. He quickly summarized everything that happened during the time we were gone. Nora withdrew in her room hastily, as she gave deadly looks to anyone who dared to comment on her new haircut. I headed to my office. Entering, there were already two people inside, waiting for me. Eric and Cory, two distinguished members of our family, and my cousins. As they saw me, a wide smile spread on their face. ¡°Finally back! You sure took your time!¡± Cory joked. ¡°What about Nora?¡± ¡°She will probably join us later¡± I said. Eric, on the other hand, got straight to the point. ¡°Did you find her?¡± I nodded. I invited them to take a seat, before telling everything that occurred, detailing precisely every events as much as possible. The find of Azariah and Aoban, the unexpected half that was with them, and the assault on my sister. The discussion lasted for a while, then the door of my office suddenly opened. Upon seeing Nora entering the room, my cousins widened their eyes. Of course. The last time they saw her, she still had hair on her head. Knowing my sister¡¯s poor character, they didn¡¯t utter a word. They know she would high-likely only get overexcited and take out her anger on them. They could pretty much guessed what happened, after all, the word that she had been attacked spread. Trying to ignore her new appearance, they turned away their gaze. But that irritated Nora even more. ¡°Tss¡­ Cowards¡­ Too scared to speak up¡±, she half murmured, as everyone heard her. Not paying attention, we returned to the main subject. ¡°So what are you planning to do, now?¡± Eric asked. ¡°Aoban will receive hisrightful education as a noble. He may have lived among the commoners for a while, but it¡¯s still my brother¡¯s son, and the heir of this family. I¡¯ve already asked my attendant to contact a mentor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I was thinking about.¡± Eric shook his head. ¡°I meant, what about the half-breed?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± A female voice suddenly spoke up, as we all turned to my sister. ¡°We dispose of her.¡± Eric and Cory nodded approvingly. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s really a good idea¡± I muttered, after thinking for a while. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s only a half anyway¡± Cory said. ¡°Maybe, but she is still my brother¡¯s flesh and blood. Besides¡­¡± I looked at my sister, who was narrowing her eyes. ¡°You saw them too, Nora. Her golden eyes¡­¡± Hearing about this, my cousins'' eyes widened. ¡°Golden eyes? Is she a chosen one?¡± Eric asked, raising a single eyebrow. I nodded. As my cousins started to reconsider getting rid of her, Nora suddenly shouted. ¡°So what? It¡¯s still a filthy half-breed!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Indeed, but do you really think it¡¯s a good idea to kill a child who has been blessed by the gods?¡± ¡°Nora, Jack has a point. Killing her might bring misfortune to the family.¡± Eric said. ¡°Keeping her alive is what is going to bring misfortune! Then what? Are you suggesting that we let her in the family?¡± Nora grunted, clearly annoyed by this situation. I can understand her feelings. Even if she is brother¡¯s daughter, having the blood of the Whiteheart running in the veins of a half will only bring shame in the family. If this matter comes out, our reputation will take a serious blow. Then again, we can¡¯t dispose of her. It is a fact that she was a child chosen by the gods, we can¡¯t take the risk in angering them. Can¡¯t kill her, can¡¯t take her in, can¡¯t let her go free. Then I thought about it. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to keep an eye on her until she¡¯s old enough to marry her off¡±, I suggested. ¡° As long as she doesn¡¯tleavethe mansion, no one will ever learn about her existence. She may be a half, but the fact that she was blessed makes her valuable breeding material. A lot of people will be interested. Besides, some people are interested in rare breeds.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. I marked a pause, studying the others reactions. Nora was not pleased by my suggestion, but she stayed silent, while my cousins exchanged glances. ¡°Additionally, it will improve our relationship with the household willing to take her in. So, not only we get rid of the half, but we also gain some allies. She will become useful,¡± I added. This time, Eric and Cory nodded. It wasn¡¯t a bad deal. Actually, thinking about it, that child was a pretty good asset and they understood it. ¡°So we will have to keep the half under our roof until then¡­¡± Nora murmured. I turned my gaze to my sister. I knew her nasty temper well. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you to be nice to her, Nora, but don¡¯t mistreat her. We don¡¯t want her to run away like her mother, alright?¡± She did not reply, instead she gave me a meaningful look. She understood my point. She clearly doesn¡¯t like the turn of events, but this is the best option we have. Without uttering a word, Nora left. She is going to be in a bad mood for a while¡­
Lynett
¡­ It¡¯s boring. It¡¯s been a month since we arrived and my life in the Whiteheart Estate is really uninteresting. I¡¯ve been given my own room. It was spacious room, three times the size for the previous one we used to live in. It was furnished with a couch, a dresser, a desk and a chair, an old fashioned gilt mirror and a ridiculously large bed. The ceiling was adorned with ornaments and the floor covered with a fancy carpet. Yep, this is definitely a noble¡¯s mansion. At first, I was happy that I had my own private place, but I soon changed my mind when my private place became way too private. I¡¯m not allowed to go outside so I have to stay in my room all day long, alone. I only visited the mansion once, ever since, I was locked up in my own room. Basically, it¡¯s just a prison cell. I¡¯m eating well, sleeping well, but it¡¯s way too lonely. This can¡¯t be serious¡­ I¡¯m not going to spend my life locked up in a room again. At least, being alone almost all day allowed me to practice a little magic. It¡¯s been something I¡¯ve wanted to do ever since the incident with my aunt. I was a bit hesitant at first, since I didn¡¯t want to screw something up and end up blowing away my own room or something like that, but well. Obviously, whether I like it or not, there is a ridiculously dangerous power dormant inside me, and I wouldn¡¯t want it to go out of control if things went wrong. Not like I can rely on the others either, especially now that we¡¯re in the enemy¡¯s territory. Being able to use [Voiceless Incantation] made things easier. I didn¡¯t need to memorize any chants, instead, I just had to visualize what I wanted to do and materialize my mana. That being said, it¡¯s way easier said than done. Managing to do that requires an insane concentration; it¡¯s worse than doing math all day. I have to have an extremely precise image of what I wanted to do, if not, the magic would act by itself and go out of control. This is pretty much what happened with my Aunt. Without realizing that I had activated my mana, I asked for her to be bald. Way too vague. In the end, she did lose her hair, but she also almost lost her life. Right now, my control is a disaster. Last time I tried some wind magic, I almost broke the window, as the wind slashed it violently, cracking the glass. That¡¯s quite disappointing. Aren¡¯t I supposed to be a Goddess? Earth magic is not good either since it transforms my room into a mess, and I have no idea what Light magic does. Ever since the last incident, I haven¡¯t tried Fire magic again, and for obvious reasons, I won¡¯t try Darkness magic either. So, so far, I¡¯m only practicing with water magic, since it seemed the most harmless one. At least, for now, I guess I don¡¯t have to be worried about making the sun disappear by mistake¡­ From time to time, I would receive visits. Several times a day, the maids would come to check on me. I thought they were really kind, but that was only my imagination. One day, I randomly overheard them talking, saying that it was really exhausting to keep up the act of the good servant in front of me. None of them wanted to be here, with a half-breed like me, but they didn¡¯t have the choice since I was still the daughter of the previous Marquis. Hum, whatever. It hurts a little, but I¡¯m not thinking about it anymore. I only need my brother and my mother. Who cares about the rest? Brother is extremely busy. As the heir of the family, he receives a harsh education. I used to spend a lot of time with him, but now I can only see him for a few minutes each day. I¡¯m still grateful that he takes the time to visit. On the other hand, mother tries to visit me as much as she can, but she is busy too. Just like me, while she is not considered a member of the family, she¡¯s not a guest or a servant either. Just a prisoner. Aunt Nora makes her run around a lot, often summoning her in her room for whatever the reason is. I¡¯m not sure what she makes her do, but it doesn¡¯t seem that she¡¯s mistreating her so I don¡¯t feel like burning her growing hair one more time. Just like this, my first month in the Whiteheart Estate passed. But then, something changed. A few days ago, mother stopped coming. No matter how busy she was, she always made sure to visit me at least once a day, but it¡¯s been already a couple of days I haven¡¯t seen her. The Maids said that she had been sent on an errand in the next town and she¡¯ll be back soon, but I''m not buying it. Mother would¡¯ve never left without warning first. Even Aoban hasn¡¯t heard anything about it. Something happened. I don¡¯t know what, but it can¡¯t possibly be good. My first suspicion was, of course, directed toward my Aunt. For some reason, this stupid woman seemed to hate mother. If there was someone who would be related to her sudden disappearance, that would be her. Even if she seemed to have calmed down a lot these days, I couldn¡¯t possibly forget the impression of our first meeting. An eternal bitch that enjoyed tormenting others¡­ Damn it. And here I thought she was starting to change. I was careless. Did she suddenly snapped and took it out on mother? Crap¡­ I hope mother is fine. Where is she? ????? One night, I suddenly woke up after hearing the creaking of the door. Trying to catch a glimpse of what caused the door to open, I noticed a tall figure enter the room, a figure that I almost immediately recognize. It was someone that I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, someone I¡¯ve been waiting to meet again. But the feelings of relief and happiness in my heart vanished almost as soon as they appeared, as the moonlight enlightened the figure. No way¡­ It can¡¯t be her¡­ ¡°M-mommy¡­?¡± She flinched, noticing I was awake, then she gently smiled at me. ¡°Lyni. Did I wake you up?¡± That¡¯s a lie. This can¡¯t be my mother. I recognize her but¡­ This is wrong¡­ What in the world happened to her in the past few days...? Her hair was a mess, her body was full of bruises, her face was covered with cuts, but the worst was her ears. Her beautiful elven ears, her most distinctive feature¡­ They¡¯re gone¡­ A clear mark of incision could be seen, as some blood was still leaking out. Someone cut her ears off¡­ ¡­Aunt Nora¡­ What did you do¡­? As mother saw me looking at her in both horror and astonishment, she suddenly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sweetheart, I didn¡¯t want to scare you. I was going to leave after seeing your face¡­¡± She quietly approached, sat on the bed, and gently took me in her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry sweetheart, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t want you to see me like this¡­¡± She said with a small voice as a weak smile appeared on her face. She was about to cry, I could tell. As much as she tried to hold it in, her lips trembled and her shoulders heaved with emotion. She was trying to be strong in front of me, holding back her tears. She was trying to smile for me. ¡°It¡¯s okay mommy, it¡¯s fine.¡± I told her, as I started to pat her head. Startled by my action, mother looked at me in confusion for a few seconds. Then a single tear fell down her cheek. Suddenly, she broke down. She tightly hugged me in her arms and started to cry without reserve. All the pain suddenly came out like an uproar from her throat in the form of a silent scream. The beads of watermade wet tracks down her face, washing the dry blood out, as they fell down one after the other, without a sign of stopping. She kept apologizing as she cried, blaming herself for everything. I didn¡¯t say a word. I just listened to her, as I kept patting her head. After crying for almost two hours, mother finally collapsed in exhaustion. She fell asleep beside me, but even in her sleep, her face was distorted in pain. I gently placed my hand on her cheek. For a moment, I think her expression softened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll put an end to all of this.¡± I stroke her head a little, then I kissed her forehead. It was something she used to do all the time when I was younger. This time, mother, I¡¯ll be the one to protect you¡­ I got off the bed, being careful not to wake her up, then I headed to the door of my room. As I thought, I couldn¡¯t reach the handle. But it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not backing away. That bitch went too far. Even if I had to blow away the door, I¡¯ll find her. Then I thought about it. The [Administrator]. The one who has access to the [World System]. I played enough games to know that admins had no physical restrictions. They didn¡¯t need to clear all the floors of a dungeon to reach the last room, they didn¡¯t need an authorization to travel between the different areas and¡­ They didn¡¯t need a key to open the doors blocking their way. I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s going to work, but it¡¯s worth the try. Now is time to have some use of this [Administrator] class¡­ I focused my gaze on the door in front of me, staring at it intensely. ¡ºOpen.¡» The trick worked. The door unlocked and slowly opened itself, offering a view on a long and dark corridor. For the first time in a month, I stepped out of my room. In the middle of the night, I wandered in the endless hallways of the mansion like a lost child, except that I had a precise idea of where I was going. At that moment, I was blinded by a five-course serving of rage. I had held it back long enough. At each step I took, I could feel the anger boiling up inside me. Frustration, hatred, anger¡­. Everything that accumulated the past months, everything that I¡¯ve suppressed; now I¡¯m letting it go. There was a naughty girl in the house that needed to be punished¡­ Finally reaching my destination, I stopped in front of a big door, giving entrance to my Aunt¡¯s room. I repeated the same trick I used to go out of my room. ¡ºOpen.¡» As the door opened, I immediately saw Aunt Nora comfortably installed in her couch. Noticing the door of her room opening, she stood up without delay, not turning away her gaze from the entrance. She wasn¡¯t expecting visitors this late in the night. But what she saw wasn¡¯t what she expected, as her eyes fell upon the small figure standing up outside the room. In a subconscious gesture of disgust, her nose wrinkled and she drew her head backwards. ¡°¡­ Lynett?¡± She asked, as she raised a single eyebrow, clearly surprised in seeing me. ¡°What the heck are you doing here? You know you aren¡¯t supposed to leave your room right? Who in the world allowed you out?¡± I did not reply, instead, I simply smiled at her, which caused her to cringe. She immediately broke the eye-contact since she couldn¡¯t stand the sight of me. Then she chased me away with her hand. ¡°Get lost. I have no time for you, brat.¡± ¡°But you had time for mommy, didn¡¯t you?¡± I said, as I looked up at her, still smiling. As I said this, Aunt Nora flinched, looking at me with her widened eyes. Then she chuckled, her lips curling into a smirk. ¡°Ah¡­ Is this what it is about?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s something between grown-ups, nothing for you to worry about.¡± So it was her after all¡­ I had my confirmation, that¡¯s all I needed. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± I asked. Aunt Nora clicked her tongue and narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed by the curious little child I was, who had no intention in leaving and kept interrogating her. ¡°Nothing, really. We were just playing around, okay? Then she got careless and got a little hurt. Now go back to your room, before I get mad.¡± A littlehurt, huh? This bitch¡­ She literally mutilated her, and she calls thata littlehurt? Looks like someone didn¡¯t learn her lesson. But it¡¯s fine. Since she likes playing deadly games so much, I¡¯ll play along. I stepped into the room, as a mischievous smirk appeared on my face and my eyes crinkled at the edge. I pushed the door behind me. ¡ºLock.¡» With a click sound, the [World System] obeyed my command. Aunt Nora¡¯s pupils constricted and widened in surprise, as she saw the small child she just tried to intimidate enter her room casually, closing the door behind her, as if not wanting to be interrupted. I made sure to show her my most innocent smile, as I tilted my head to the side. ¡°Auntie~ Won¡¯t you play with me too?¡± Part I Chapter 6 – The Judge Chapter 6 ¨C The Judge
Nora
¡°Auntie~ Won¡¯t you play with me too?¡± What¡¯s wrong with this kid? In front of me stands a small child looking at me with her innocent eyes. A doll-like face, honey golden pupils, black hair that fell to her shoulder, and not even a meter tall. That¡¯s right, that¡¯s Lynett. That woman¡¯s daughter, and additionally, my brother¡¯s bastard child. ¡°Play with me?¡± She repeated, as she did not get an answer. Is this child a fucking retard? Did she not see her mother¡¯s state? Yet she comes here and asks for a play? Kids are naturally stupid, most of them don¡¯t even understand the concept of death and danger. But this one must be the biggest retard of them all. Well, what can you expect from a half? She has impure blood after all. ¡°No way, get lost.¡± I pushed her away. ¡°Eeeeeeh~? Auntie you meanie! You¡¯ll play with mommy but not Lyni?¡± She whimpered. I tried to study her. I couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed at her inhumanly adorable face. When she grows up, she¡¯ll become dangerous. She¡¯ll probably use that face of hers to manipulate people and get what she wants. Like mother like daughter. Yet, there was not a trace of doubt or suspicion in her eyes. She simply smiled naively at me. Does she really have no idea? ¡°Did¡­ your mother not warn you about me¡­?¡± I asked. She shook her head. ¡°Auntie played a lot with mommy so I¡¯m a little jealous¡­ That¡¯s why I came here! Play with me Auntie! You know, I don¡¯t mind playingexactly the same games that you did with mommy¡­¡± Ha¡­ Haha¡­ Hahaha! Your daughter is a retard Azariah! Seriously, she begged me so much so that I could let her return to her daughter¡¯s side, but look at this, that same daughter is here, asking for a beating. I wonder what kind of face she will make if her kid returned to her beaten up¡­ No, I can¡¯t. Jack told me not to mistreat the child. ¡­ But wait. Lynett is two, right? I heard that children do not remember anything that happened in their first three years when growing up¡­ A huge grin appears on my face. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s play!¡± I told her. For a second, I could have sworn that I saw her smirk mischievously. ¡°But there must be rules~¡± Lynett added, as she started playing with her hair. So she wants to impose rules¡­ Well, of course. She¡¯s a brat after all. Brats like to play with rules that give them advantages. Especially after seeing her mother, she¡¯ll feel safer that way. Well, whatever. Not like a kid can come up with complicated rules. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m listening. What kind of rules?¡± I asked. ¡°There are only two rules.¡± She said after thinking for a while. Then, she smiled widely, rising one finger in front of her. ¡°First~!No matter what happen, you are not allowed to scream. If you do, you¡¯ll be punished.¡± ¡­ What did she say? Is this kid being serious right now? What kind of game is she planning to do? For a moment, I frowned, looking at the child innocently smiling at me, full of doubt. But I quickly regained my composure. It can¡¯t be¡­ I must have misunderstood it. She must simply be afraid to wake up the others, since it¡¯s late in the night. ¡°Fine. What¡¯s the second rule?¡± She raised a second finger. ¡°Secondly~! Once the game begins, you absolutely can¡¯t withdraw. The game will end with your victory or mine, giving up is not allowed.¡± I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out why she came up with such rules. As she was a brat, I was convinced she¡¯d ask for an advantage or something like this. ¡°Fine by me. How do I win?¡± ¡°You win if you manage to kill me before I kill you.¡± She said, as all the innocence in her smile vanished in an instant. ¡­ Does that brat even understand what she just said? Is she seriously thinking of playing a death game? ¡°Hey, are you crazy, brat? Are you even aware of what it means?¡± ¡°Heh¡­? If you¡¯re scared I can add another condition. You also win if you manage to get out of the room alive.¡± She replied nonchalantly. Irritated, I clicked my tongue as my eyes twitched. This kid is a retard after all. Not only she wants to play a death game, but she actually think that she can win. This is seriously getting on my nerves. I¡¯m being underestimated by a brat, a half-breed on the top of that. I¡¯ll make sure to give her a good lesson¡­ Since she¡¯s the one who came up with such rules, she won¡¯t be able to complain later on. Of course, I¡¯m not planning in killing her. We might need her after all. But I¡¯ll make sure to make her understand her position, and who is she dealing with. I¡¯ll scare her a little so she won¡¯t ever dare to disobey or talk back. And if she ends up too injured, I¡¯ll just have to heal her, so that Jack never finds out about this. ¡°So, are you ok with the rule?¡± Lynett asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this, kid.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes¡­¡± She said, as a grin appeared on her face. Then, her smile slowly disappeared. She stayed silent for a while, seemingly thinking about something, before looking up at me. ¡°I just want to ask one thing, auntie. Why did you do it? What did ever mother do to you?¡± I frowned in surprise. So this is about revenge after all. The kid saw her mother injured, she got pissed and came to me. I thought it was weird for her to ask for a play, especially since she never initiated any form of contact with me. She¡¯s such a fool. What does she think she can do? Did she ever see herself? Am I supposed to be impressed by a two years old child talking about killing games? I grinned. ¡°Why, you say? Because I felt like it¡±, I said as I could clearly see her eyelids twitching. Well, that¡¯s cute. I like your annoyed face, child. ¡°You see, that little bitch pissed me off. She dared to provoke me, so I punished her a little." Lynett did not react any further. That¡¯s a shame, I really wanted to see her face distorted in anger. Instead, she just blankly looked at me without saying a word. After staying silent for a moment, she sighed. ¡°Is it funny? To bully people weaker than you¡­ Do you enjoy it¡­?¡± I smiled. ¡°Sure~ I love it. A brat like you wouldn¡¯t possibly understand. Tormenting all those worthless people¡­ That is indeed a lot of fun!¡± I tried to provoke the small child in front of me, but once again, Lynett did not react. How boring¡­ ¡°You know¡­ There was this one boy that I really hated.¡± She suddenly spoke up. ¡°He used to bully me all the time. Because I was bed-ridden, he made fun of me¡­ Even though I didn¡¯t ask for it¡­ I really hated him. Actually, I hated him so much I wanted him dead.¡± She looked up at me. ¡°He was just like you auntie, he enjoyed bullying people.¡± What is she talking about? Was she ever sick? ¡°But I got scolded¡±, she continued as she shrugged. ¡°Mom and dad told me it was wrong to wish for the death of other people. They said that people could change. As long as they¡¯re alive, as long as we give them a chance, people could change. So they told me not to judge people for their past mistakes.¡± Is this kid seriously trying to discuss about philosophy with me right now? I¡¯ve been wondering for a while now, but is the child in front of me really two years old? A child of this age should be whining whenever separated from their mother, yet, here she is, talking about death as casually as if she was talking about her day. Speaking of which, since when could she talk so well? A sudden shiver ran down my spine, realizing that this kid might have been acting up all along. ¡°My point is, Auntie, I gave you a chance. But you wasted it¡­¡° She muttered. ¡°I really didn¡¯t want to judge you, but you no longer give me the choice. I guess some people just can¡¯t change after all¡­¡± I tried to comprehend what she just said, but my mind was unable to cope with the situation. The scene was quite unbelievable, shocking actually. Trying to regain my composure, I let out a nervous laughter. ¡°Ha¡­! And what are you going to do about that? You want justice? There is no such a thing as justice in this world, kid! The strongs make the rules and people like you just have to shup up and comply. That¡¯s your own fault, you can only blame yourself for being weak and powerless! You want fairness and equity? Then go pray the gods! Good luck in having them hear you!¡± For a moment, Lynett¡¯s face washed blank with surprise. I had expected her to break down in tears because of the frustration, but instead, a grin crept onto her face, stretching from one side to the other. She started laughing hysterically. ¡°Fu¡­ Fufufu¡­ Hahahahahaha!!¡± This brat is insane. She must have lost her mind. ¡°What¡¯s so funny¡­?¡± I inquired. ¡°S-sorry¡­ Haha¡­ It¡¯s just that¡­ You just said something hilarious!¡± She took a deep breath in order to retrieve her composure. ¡°You see, auntie, there is no need to pray for the gods, I¡¯m already here for you.¡± What is that supposed to mean? That damn kid is seriously starting to get on my nerves. She comes here in the middle of the night, and now she¡¯s lecturing me. A two years old brat is actually giving me a lecture, what kind of bad joke is this? Lynett probably saw the annoyance register on my face before I could hide it. A small smile played on her lips as she spoke.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Are you getting impatient? It¡¯s fine, let¡¯s start the game. Shall we?¡± Damn brat. She¡¯s definitely looking down on me. A shitty half-breed is looking down on me! I clenched my fists. Glaring at her with my eyes full of hatred, I tried to intimidate her but she didn¡¯t even flinch. She just smiled. I¡¯m going to make that annoying smile of you disappear¡­ I started chanting an incantation. ¡°Come forth, dancing fire. Devour my magic. I command you. Using your deadly flames, destroy the enemy in front of me. [Fireball]¡± A flame appeared in front of me. Making sure I did not use too much mana, I made the flame the size of a tennis table ball. I don¡¯t want to hurt the kid too badly, so I¡¯m holding back a little. Lynett did not move, she just widened her eyes. Humf¡­ She¡¯s scared. But it¡¯s too late for you to back down. I aimed the small fireball at her. ¡­ But nothing happened. She didn¡¯t even try to dodge and took the blow directly in her face. It definitely hit her, yet, here she is, absolutely unharmed. Just like if the flames suddenly vanished when it came in contact with her. What¡¯s going on? I frowned in surprise, trying to understand what had failed. Then I looked at Lynett. She was just as surprised as me. ¡°Eh¡­ Auntie you can use fire magic¡­?¡± She asked, breaking through the confusion. ¡°O-Of course I can! This much is nothing, who do you think I am? The Whitehearts aren¡¯t solely dedicated to Light Magic!¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ I didn¡¯t check your status so I didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Checking my¡­ What? What is this brat talking about? I bit my lips in frustration. For some reason, my magic had failed, and now the kid is not taking me seriously. I¡¯ll just have to try one more time. This time, I¡¯ll put more mana in the spell. But before I could pronounce another incantation, I was drawn from my thoughts as I felt something hot grazing my cheek. Appearing out of nowhere, a fireball of the size of a fist had been sent in my direction. Barely missing me from a few centimeters, it ended up hitting the wall behind me. ¡­ What just happened? Who did this? ¡°Huh? I missed¡­¡± My gaze turned in the direction of the small voice that just spoke up, as my eyes fell upon the little girl tilting her head in disappointment. ¡°No way¡­it can¡¯t be¡­¡± Looking around the room, I failed to notice anyone else. It was just me, and her¡­ That¡¯s impossible. She¡¯s just a kid. She¡¯s only two, I¡¯ve never heard of children below the age of ten using magic. Moreover, she didn¡¯t even say a word! Voiceless incantation? A brat like her? There is just no way! Then I remembered. Her golden eyes. A child blessed by the gods. ¡°Shit¡­ she¡¯s receiving help from above¡­¡±I thought, as I clenched my fists. ¡°Sorry auntie.¡± Lynett spoke. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t aim at your face. It¡¯d be bad if your hair got on fire again. It just started to grow back after all.¡± I widened my eyes, looking at her, trying to process what she just said. But my mind refused to admit the evidence. ¡°Y-You¡­! It was you?!¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ Yes, it was~¡± She chuckled. Shit, shit, shit. That damn half! I¡¯ll kill her! She has been looking down on mefrom the very beginning! She¡¯s mocking me! I immediately casted another spell, this time, without holding my mana. But once again, nothing happened. Why?! Damn it, if magic won¡¯t work, I¡¯ll just have to cut her flesh! As I rushed to my desk to pick up a pair of scissors, it flew away out off my reach before I could take it. ¡°Sorry auntie, you can¡¯t. I don¡¯t like sharp things.¡± Lynett suddenly spoke. I turned at her. Could it be¡­ Wind magic? She can even use wind magic? What the hell is this kid? It doesn¡¯t matter. If I can neither use magic or weapons, then I¡¯ll just have to beat her up with my fists. I charged at her, ready to strike. First, I was going to break her nose. Then, once that arrogant smile of hers disappears, I¡¯ll make sure to take my time in teaching her a lesson. But I was stopped half-way, as a sharp pain passed through my body. All the nerves and muscles in my body suddenly contracted. I collapsed on the floor in pain, letting out a short scream. It only lasted a few seconds, but the pain was so intense that I quickly got out of breath. I was panting. I tried to breath, but the air just won¡¯t go in. It felt as if my lungs were slowly filling with water. For a moment, my eyesight went blurry. Everything ached, everything sagged. When the pain finally subsided, I tried looking around me in confusion. Then I saw Lynett. She was just smiling. Was it her? What did she do? What kind of magic was that?! ¡°Auntie¡­¡± She spoke. ¡°You screamed.¡± Huh? I narrowed my eyes. ¡°You broke the first rule, remember?¡± She continued, as her smile widened, slowly showing every single tooth. ¡°I¡¯ll have to punish you~¡± Before I could think of anything, I felt a second pain searing through my abdomen. Without meaning to, my body curled into something fetal while the pain burnt and radiated. My mind conceded to the torment, unable to bring a thought to completion. Suddenly, I felt something bursting inside of me, causing me to vomit blood. ¡°Huh? Did it break?¡± Lynett said. ¡°That¡¯s not good¡­ Sorry auntie I didn¡¯t mean to, you see I have some control issue. I¡¯m lacking a bit of practice¡­¡± I looked at her in terror, understanding that whatever just happened, it was her doing. Suddenly, she stepped forward, placing her hands on my stomach. Startled by her action, I flinched. ¡°W-What are you doing?!¡± I tried to shout. ¡°Don¡¯t move, auntie, I¡¯m healing you. You felt it didn¡¯t you? Your intestines just exploded. If we don¡¯t do something, you¡¯ll die.¡± She casually responded. As she said this, I felt a warm sensation enveloping my stomach. It was definitely Healing Magic. She didn¡¯t lie, she was healing me. I didn¡¯t understand. First, she attacked me, and now she was healing me. What was she thinking? ¡°W-Why¡­?¡± I asked, hesitant. ¡°I¡¯m not done with you yet, auntie. The game is only beginning. All the suffering you caused to mother, I¡¯ll make sure to give it back to you.¡± She marked a pause, as an innocent smile appeared on her face. Then she continued. ¡°You see, I¡¯m very glad you accepted to play with me! This is the first time I¡¯m using healing magic, actually. I¡¯ve wanted to practice it for a while, but since I had nothing to heal, I couldn¡¯t. And I¡¯m not crazy enough so that I would hurt myself in order to practice some Healing Magic. I don¡¯t like pain, I¡¯m not a masochist, you know? But you, on the other hand¡­¡± W-What is this kid talking about¡­? ¡°So, auntie, here is what going to happen. I¡¯m going to break every single one of your bones. Slowly. Once the pain is too much for you to bear and you¡¯re about to faint, I¡¯ll heal you. Then we can do it again. Over and over, until I decide to stop. And you can¡¯t scream, remember? Because it¡¯ll only make things worse¡± My mind was starting to fail. I couldn¡¯t formulate a thought as my body froze. In front of me was a na?ve looking two years old child, planning to torture me. Her expression did not match her words, which was even more terrifying. I suddenly realized. This is not a child. It¡¯s a demon, the devil itself, who took the form of a little girl. From the beginning, I never had a chance and she knew it. My life was in her hand, and she was just playing around. I could feel despair and fear slowly devouring me. I¡¯m going to die. ¡°Y-you¡¯re insane¡­¡± I managed to murmur. ¡°I know~ But that¡¯s your fault you know? You caused this.¡± Why, why, why, why?! How did I get involved with such a monster? I always made sure not to piss off the wrong people so why? It¡¯s all that bitch¡¯s fault. I should have killed her instead of letting her go. Damn it, what do I do? My whole body is screaming, telling me to run away. I want to run away, but she won¡¯t let me. I suddenly understood why she came up with such rules. From the very beginning, she had no intention of letting me go. Shit, shit! I can¡¯t die here, not like this! I don¡¯t want to die! Then I suddenly remembered. The second condition. Thegamewill end if I manage to get out of the room alive. That¡¯s when adrenaline hit such a fever pitch that fear isn¡¯t going to cut anymore. It was ordering me to move. My legs exploded into violent motion as I rushed toward the door. But it wouldn¡¯t open. I desperately tried to force the handle, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t open it. ¡°Why? Why? Why now?!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I had forgotten. I just recalled that I had locked the door. Sorry auntie~¡± Lynettchuckled. What? When? How? Shit, this is a bad joke! This brat is not sorry at all! ¡°Y-you¡­ You¡¯re cheating! You said the game would end if I managed to get out! But how am I supposed to get out if you lock the door?! This is cheating!¡± I shouted. ¡°Not necessarily¡±, she shrugged. ¡°The door isn¡¯t the only way for you to get out of the room, you know?¡± As she said this, she looked away. Following her gaze, I noticed she was looking at the window. Cold sweats started to form on my face. ¡°You¡­ You want me to jump out of the window¡­? This is the second floor! Are you insane?!¡± ¡°Yet, this seems to be the only way out. But don¡¯t worry auntie, I¡¯m not going to force you. I¡¯m just fine playing with you all night! In the end, the choice is for you to make¡­¡± Damn it, she is serious. She is planning to torture me! ¡°W-Why¡­ Why are you doing this to me¡­?¡± I asked with a weak voice. She frowned. ¡°Are you being serious right now? You perfectly know why. What was it you were saying? Blame yourself for being weak and powerless.¡± She answered with a cold voice. ¡°L-Look¡­ I¡¯m sorry okay? I-I won¡¯t do it again¡­ Forgive me¡­ I swear¡­ I¡¯ll never bother you or your mother again. I won¡¯t even lay a finger on her, so let me go¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I really am! Please! I¡¯m begging you, forgive me!¡± Lynett stayed silent for a while, considering it. Or so I thought. She smiled. ¡°Noooooooo way~!¡± She said with a cute voice. ¡°And you know what auntie? I think you¡¯re right. Bullying people weaker than you is really funny~! So, shall we resume the game?¡± I can hear her cruel and cold crackle, draining all hope within me. It choked the breath from my lungs and left me weak at the knees. Salty tears suddenly spilled over onto my cheek, leaving a dry feeling of despair. ¡°N-No¡­ please¡­ please¡­ I¡¯m begging you¡­!¡± Once again, pain assaulted me, throbbing my guts, like a knife twisted in my spine. Its savage, bitter blasts cut right in my bones and gripped my brain with its claws. Every few minutes I would scream, but it would become even worse, as something would choke my throat, preventing any more sounds to come out. Then I would go quiet, just panting, before the torture session resumed. It was only the beginning of my nightmare.
Lynett
¡­ ... Crap. She stopped breathing. Is she dead? Crap, crap, crap. I killed someone. I didn¡¯t mean to do that¡­ Actually, I think I did. But I wasn¡¯t right in my mind, I was pissed and I lost it. Did I just become a murderer¡­? Crap¡­ Mom, dad, sorry. After everything you did to teach me how important one another¡¯s life is, your daughter still killed someone. I never expected to take someone¡¯s life one day. The worst thing about this is that I don¡¯t even feel guilty. My aunt may have been a bitch, but she was still human. How can I not feel anything? I don¡¯t think I regret this actually. That was quite¡­ satisfying¡­ People are so fragile. Who would have thought that killing was so easy? Shit. Do I have a problem? What am I thinking? Am I becoming a sociopath? No, can¡¯t be¡­ Anyone else would feel the same if theyaccidentallykilled the bitch that hurt their family¡­ Right¡­? What do I do now? Do I have to hide her body? It¡¯s only a matter of time before someone finds her. Do I run away? But¡­ How am I going to explain that to mother and brother? Shit. This is really bad. What if they think I¡¯m a monster? O-oooh¡­ I don¡¯t want to think about it¡­ Damn it Aunt Nora. Even after your death, you still bring me troubles¡­ No, wait. She¡¯s not dead yet, right? I once heard the doctors saying that a person could stay alive for about thirty minutes, even after their heart stopped beating. It¡¯s not too late. My aunt can still be saved. I can still revive her. ¡­ But¡­ Do I really want to save her¡­? If I keep her alive, she might bring even more troubles later on. A bitch like her is better off dead. No¡­ Death might be too sweet for her. She tormented mother for years, I didn¡¯t bully her enough. That was too quick. I¡¯llsaveher. I approached Aunt Nora¡¯s unconscious body and placed my hand on her chest. As I thought, I couldn¡¯t feel her heart beating. I tried to inject my mana in her. I¡¯ve never done this before, I¡¯m not sure how it¡¯s going to turn out¡­ I have to focus, to think about what I want. I want to heal her. I want to restart her heart. I want to revive her. Dear [World System], if you really follow my will, then I¡¯m ordering you to bring back her soul. ¡ºHeal.¡» Light suddenly erupted from my hands and started to envelope my Aunt¡¯s body. As my mana filled her, I could feel her internal injuries healing. I stayed like this for about two minutes, then the light disappeared. Under my palms, I could now feel a pulse. Aunt Nora¡¯s heart started to beat again, and she was now breathing. I let out a relieved ¨Csomehow- sigh. I¡¯m not sure if or when she¡¯ll regain consciousness, but at least she¡¯s alive. ¡°Be grateful Aunt Nora. I have more use of you alive than dead. This is the second time I¡¯m sparing you. If you¡¯re smart enough, you¡¯ll understand there won¡¯t be a third time¡­¡± Leaving behind my unconscious Aunt, I left her chamber and headed back to my room, making sure no one saw me. As I was on my way, reevaluating the incident, I received a sudden notification from the [World System].
New title earned : [The Judge]
¡­ Umh¡­ Seems legit. Part I Chapter 7 – Negotiations Chapter 7 ¨C Negotiations
Lynett
¡ºOpen.¡» Reacting to my order, the door blocking the entrance of my bedroom opened. After entering, I made sure to close the door behind me. I approached the bed in the middle of the room quietly. Mother was still sleeping. Seeing one more time the poor state she was in, I couldn¡¯t help but feel anger boiling up inside me ¨Cagain. Thinking back on my little game session with my aunt, as I thought, I went too easy on her. Good thing I didn¡¯t kill her, it would have been a waste. I sat on the bed beside mother, as I carefully examined her. Her injuries didn¡¯t seem like they¡¯d be too hard to heal. She had bruises and cuts, but nothing broken. No internal injuries. I already tried Healing Magic on my Aunt who was in a much worse state, so I should be able to heal mother. Unlike mother, my Aunt had no superficial wounds. Instead her insides were completely messed up. Yet, I still managed to heal her, so I shouldn¡¯t have any problem with my mother. I¡¯m a bit apprehensive¡­ It¡¯s only Light magic, so nothing should go wrong, but this is the first time I¡¯m using magic on mother. I can¡¯t help but be a little worried. I already noticed more than once that my lack of control in my magic can generate some serious problems¡­ But that¡¯s only Healing Magic¡­ Just Healing Magic¡­. Besides, I¡¯ve practiced long enough on Aunt Nora. That¡¯s right; there is nothing to be worried about. As I placed my hands above mother, I concentrated my mana in my palms. I tried visualizing her wounds closing and her bruises disappearing. I imagined all the pain going away. After a few moments focusing on my mana, a bright light materialized and gently covered mother¡¯s sleeping body. Slowly, all her wounds disappeared. If not for the traces of dried blood and tears on her face, no one would¡¯ve guessed the poor state she was in just a few seconds ago. Yet, it wasn¡¯t enough. She seemed perfectly fine now, but there was still something missing. Her ears. The incision was gone and her ears cicatrized, but they did not grow back. They have a weird shape now, and they¡¯re closer to human ears than elves¡¯. I¡¯m disappointed, but I¡¯m not surprised. I expected something like this. While Healing magic can regenerate the dead cells and accelerate the healing process, it can¡¯t do anything about what has been either destroyed completely or chopped off. I hate this. I know elves are being discriminated here, but my mother¡¯s ears were her most particular feature, and I loved them. I¡¯m sure that if she had the choice, then mother would want them back too. They were part of her after all, a proof of her identity. I wonder if there is any way to grow them back? I need to find some magic that can actually re-grow limbs¡­ There has to be a way. I was suddenly startled as I noticed mother looking at me. ¡­ Huh? When did she wake up? She didn¡¯t see, did she? Did she see me using magic? She looks confused. Oh no, this is bad¡­ Mother slowly got up, without breaking the eye-contact. ¡°Lyni¡­? You¡¯re still awake?¡± She asked. She looked at her surrounding, trying to recall everything that happened. ¡°Oh¡­ I fell asleep¡­¡± She flushed a little in embarrassment, as she remembered giving in to her grief in front of me. Well, that¡¯s kind of cute¡­ I guess would be embarrassed too if I suddenly became vulnerable in front of a child. Anyway, it doesn¡¯t seem like she saw. What a relief¡­ However, mother then realized that all her pain had vanished. She started to inspect her own body, looking at her arms, touching her face trying to feel the wounds, but there was nothing. ¡­ I forgot about this. How am I supposed to explain this? She was badly injured and when she wakes up, all her wounds are gone. Of course she¡¯d notice something¡­ Mother stayed quiet for a while, staring blankly at her perfectly healthy body in astonishment. She was trying to come up with a logical explanation for her sudden recovery. Then she looked up at me, raising an eyebrow, her eyes full of doubt. Please don¡¯t ask, please don¡¯t ask, please don¡¯t ask¡­ ¡°Lyni¡­ Did you¡­?¡± She started. But before she could finish, I rushed forward, throwing myself of her. I hugged her tightly with my tiny arms and I started to cry. ¡°Mommy¡­! Sniff¡­ Is mommy fine now? Lyni was scared¡­¡± I whined, while rubbing my face against her. Yes, it¡¯s all an act. And I feel really bad for deceiving her. But I don¡¯t really have the choice. I can¡¯t get exposed. Not now. After two years living as a baby, my acting became pretty good and anyone would fall for it. But mother¡¯s lack of reaction is worrying me. What kind of face is she making? Slowly, I looked up at her with my teary eyes. ¡­ That¡¯s not good. Her eyes widened, full of suspicion and her mouth remained an uncharacteristic grim line. That¡¯s not the kind of expression you should have when your two years old daughter is crying, asking for attention. Did she see through my acting? I expected her to start interrogating me at any moment, but she didn¡¯t say a word, she just looked at me. After a short and awkward moment looking at each other, she finally broke the silence. ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. Mommy is fine now. I¡¯m sorry for worrying you¡±, she said, as she starting patting my head and gave me back my hug. She knows¡­ In the end, she didn¡¯t ask for anything, but I think she knows. She definitely noticed something. Ultimately, we stayed glued at each other for about fifteen minutes without saying anything. At first, it was because I thought it¡¯d be awkward if I suddenly stopped crying. But as the minutes passed, I surprised myself feeling at ease in her arms. Listening to her heartbeat made me comfortable. It was telling me one thing: she is fine now. That¡¯s all what matters. I¡¯m not sure what she knows, but I think she probably understood I didn¡¯t want to talk about it and let it go. I¡¯m grateful for that. At least, she didn¡¯t reject me. Everything is fine. As long as she is safe, nothing else is important. As I was thinking this, once again, I received a notification from the [World System].
Azariah has been blessed by Aileen and received [Divine Protection].
... What? But¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything¡­? Well, that¡¯s quite reassuring knowing that mother now has some kind of protection but¡­ Seriously, how did that happen? How did I do that? And since when I could do that? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ From the beginning¡­? No way, that¡¯s a bad joke¡­ If I had known, I would have given her my blessings sooner¡­ None of that would¡¯ve happened. Are you trolling me [World System]? Damn it¡­ I should have included some kind of tutorial, explaining all my skills. Instead, I have absolutely no idea of what I can do. But, well¡­ It¡¯s not like if I had known I¡¯d be reincarnated¡­ ¡­ What is Divine Protection though? I wonder how far it can protect her¡­ Is it an invisible shield? Moreover, it¡¯s written ¡°Aileen¡± instead of Lynett. It¡¯s been a long time since I have been called that way. Thinking about this, wasn¡¯t here something similar written on my advanced status? My [True Name]¡­ Does it have something to do with my soul? I¡¯ll have to investigate this later¡­ Finally, after a while, mother slowly released me from her embrace. I looked up at her and I could feel my face paling when I met her eyes. Oh no, that¡¯s not good¡­ ¡°Is something wrong, Lyni?¡± She asked as she saw my expression. ¡°N-No¡­¡± I lied. This is bad. This is really, really bad. Her eyes¡­ They started changing¡­ The sky blue color of her eyes swirled into a warmer color as I gazed at her. At the edge of her pupils, an amber colored ring appeared and slowly grew to swallow the blue. Within a few seconds, her eyes completely changed color. There was no longer any trace of the light blue color she once had, instead, her eyes glazed like the sun. A bright and stunning golden color¡­ Just like mine. I suddenly remembered. Having golden eyes was the proof that you were either a god, or you had been blessed by a god. Technically, I am a Goddess, right? And even though I¡¯m not sure how it happened, I just blessed my mother. So her eyes changed into a golden color. This is really bad. Not like I regret granting her a [Divine Protection] or anything, but that¡¯s going to be troublesome. So far, only newborns could receive the blessings of a god. Yet, my mother has just been blessed. Those eyes were the very proof of that. Once people notice that, they¡¯re going to start asking questions¡­If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I can see troubles coming¡­ ????? The next day, the whole mansion was in an uproar. A huge uproar. The first issue was, of course, my aunt. Forsome reasons, it seems that Aunt Nora completely lost her sanity. As soon as she regained her consciousness this morning, my Aunt started screaming non-stop like a mad person. It didn¡¯t take long before people noticed something was wrong. Considering my Aunt¡¯s temper, people were used to her occasional nervous breakdowns or her hysteric emotional outbursts. But this time, it was different. First, the maids tried to calm her. But whenever someone got close to her, my aunt became aggressive. Not in a violent way though. Instead of beating up the others like she used to, she would bite or struggle like a confused child. At some point, she was so desperate to get away fromsomethingthat she tried to leave the mansion. However, the Marquis did not allow that. Even if she was mad, even if she was his sister, she was still a Whiteheart. There was no way he could let other people see her like this. Having a rumor spreading about a member of the family losing their sanity is the last thing he needed. There have been enough rumors going on about the family recently. So, since Aunt Nora would absolutely refuse to stay in the mansion, my uncle had to use force. He ordered Yao ¨Cyes, Yao himself, one of the strongest servant of the household- to capture her and lock her up for the time being. No one knew what happened to her ¨Cbeside me- but it surely was a big deal. Seeing Aunt Nora throwing a tantrum was not rare, but no one ever saw her so terrified. Actually, she was so frightened that she forgot about her pride, even begging the servants to let her go. People had no idea what caused such a fear within my aunt. Only she could tell, and right now, she was in no condition to talk. She kept talking nonsense, saying things like there was a demon in the house that came for her and that she absolutely needed to leave the mansion if she wanted to live. ¡­ Auntie¡­ I was talking about your chamber, I never mentioned something like leaving the house. But well¡­ Additionally, she can¡¯t stand the sight of children. It was well known that my aunt wasn¡¯t fond of children, but this time, instead of simply disdain them, she would run away from them, begging for forgiveness. Hum. I think I should pay my aunt a visit. Just in order to cheer her up, you know? Fufufufu¡­ The second issue was mother¡¯s eyes. It didn¡¯t take long before people notice the change in their color. The first one to notice it was a maid that came to wake me up this morning. At first, she was surprised to see mother together with me from afar. But when she got closer to greet her and saw her eyes, her surprise grew even more. Her mind was unable to comprehend the images it was being sent by her eyes. She blinked several times, making sure she didn¡¯t see it wrong and then she ran away. She must have spread the world quickly, because soon after that, I received even more visits. Usually, the maids avoid me and I barely receive any visits in my room ¨Cbecause halves are bad luck they said. But this morning, they came one after the other, supposedly to check on me. Well, I¡¯m not stupid. I know they were only here to confirm the rumor. Once they entered, they barely looked at me, saw mother, and then they left. Not like I care, but they keep disturbing the precious time I spend with mother. Please stop coming. Somehow, I can understand why people are so surprised about this. First of all, the merefact that mother has been blessed as an adult is quite shocking. But there is also the fact that I, her daughter, have also been blessed ¨Cor at least this is what they think. Receiving the blessings of a god is already rare enough, so having two people from the same family blessed, this is unheard of. Just wait until I bless my brother too, we will be three. In the afternoon, I received an even more unexpected visitor: my uncle, the Marquis. Yes, the same man who has been ignoring me since day one. Obviously, he too came for mother. Once again, he didn¡¯t bother looking at me; instead, he focused on mother. After seeing her eyes and staying silent for a while, he went straight to the point. ¡°What happened?¡± Mother did not answer. Well, it¡¯s not like she knew what happened either¡­ Or did she¡­? ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s wrong with your eyes? Does it have anything to do with my sister¡¯s state?¡± He asked, one more time. Oh. Uncle, you¡¯re a smart person. How did he come up to such a conclusion? Is it the timing? As he was about to say something else, he noticed mother¡¯s ear. ¡°You¡­ What happened to your ears? Did Nora¡­?¡± Once again, mother did not answer. She simply lowered her gaze. But that was enough for Uncle Jack as he immediately understood. ¡°Damn it, that stupid woman¡­¡± He muttered. After that, he simply left, without uttering another word. Hum¡­ I expected more. That¡¯s fine, I guess? I¡¯m still a bit wary about him though. I¡¯m having trouble figuring him out. He doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person but I can¡¯t trust him. After all, he is the head of the family that had been mistreating mother for so long. He might even be even worse than my aunt, who knows? Skilled hawks know how to hide their claws¡­ ????? This is the evening. After spending the whole day with me, mother left. So I¡¯m all alone ¨Cagain. I decided to finally pay a visit to my aunt~ I mean, she¡¯s all alone. She must be feeling lonely, right? I¡¯m a nice person so I¡¯m going to keep her company. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be happy to see me! Besides, I forgot to ask her something and I wouldn¡¯t want her to start saying unnecessary things. Using the [World System], I opened the door and left my room. I¡¯m starting to become used to this admins abilities. They¡¯re quite useful I must say. On my way, I met several servants. They were all surprised to see me wandering freely around the house, but they didn¡¯t say anything. Since I¡¯m not supposed to be able to open the door of my room, they must have assumed that someone allowed me out. As I arrived in front of my Aunt¡¯s room, I pressed my ear against the door, trying to eavesdrop. I heard that Aunt Nora eventually calmed down during the afternoon, but she still refused any visits. I couldn¡¯t hear a sound from a chamber, so she must be alone. Good~! With a single word, I opened the door. ¡ºOpen.¡» As the way was now completely clear, I failed to see Aunt Nora anywhere. Is she not here? I entered the room to take a better look. Then I noticed a dark figure curled up against a dark corner in the room. As she held her head between her arms, she kept muttering something. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± W-wouah¡­ She is so terrified. Her appearance is messy, her eyes are lifeless and she won¡¯t stop shivering. Hum¡­ Did I go too far yesterday? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d break down in depression like this. She actually has a pretty weak heart, who would have thought? No¡­ I think anyone would become insane after being tortured. She is so absorbed in talking to the voices in her head ¨Cat least that¡¯s what it looks like- that she didn¡¯t even notice me. I approached her casually. Since she wouldn¡¯t lift her head up, I gently patted her shoulder. She looked up at me. ¡°Hell-¡° ¡°HIIIIIIIIII!! Noooo!! Don¡¯t! Get away, demon! I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry! Please leave me alone!!!¡± ¡­ Ouch¡­ My ears hurt. She is so loud. ¡°No, I just-¡° ¡°NOOOOOOOO! Someone help me!!!¡± Each time I tried talking, she interrupted me talking non-sense. Eventually, the noise drew attention and a few moments later, my uncle, accompanied by Yao, entered the room. I stepped back a little. ¡°Nora! What¡¯s wrong?!¡± Uncle Jack asked. Yao didn¡¯t say a thing. He just looked at her, his eyes glistened with emotions as his brows furrowed. He looks genuinely worried. Does he like her? Ew, that¡¯s gross. Please don¡¯t. You have a bad taste in women Mister cat¡­ ¡°P-Please help me¡­!¡± Aunt Nora begged as she grabbed my uncle¡¯s jacket. She turned her gaze toward me. Her eyes met mine and I simply smiled at her. Slowly, I brought my index finger in front of my mouth, gesturing her to keep quiet. She stared at me for a while, shivering, then she lowered her gaze. She had perfectly understood my silent order. "What happened, Nora?!" My uncle inquired. ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing¡­ Sorry, I just¡­ Panicked¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Aunt Nora murmured, as her voice was wavering. Not too convincing, but this will do. Yao, who had noticed my presence from the beginning, attentively studied my aunt¡¯s behavior. Then he turned to me. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked with a dull voice. I tilted my head to the side, innocently. ¡°Auntie called me here!¡± As I said this, Aunt Nora flinched. She¡¯s not helping, seriously¡­ Both my uncle and Yao raised in eyebrow in surprise. My aunt despised children, and she despised me even more, considering the fact that I¡¯m a half. So it was hard to believe that she was the one who called me. Uncle Jack narrowed his eyes, as he turned his gaze on her. ¡°¡­Is it true¡­?¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± She answered. Such a bad actress¡­ But since she did not deny anything, Uncle Jack and Yao eventually left, reluctantly. I waited for a while after they left before breaking the silence. ¡°Hello auntie! Are you doing fine?¡± ¡°What do you want¡­?¡± She seemed to have calmed down. She didn¡¯t dare to look at me in the eyes, but at least her voice wasn¡¯t wavering anymore and she stopped shivering. ¡°I forgot to ask you something yesterday¡±, I spoke. ¡°You mentioned something about mother provoking you. What was that about? You stayed still for a month without doing anything, and suddenly you snapped. Why?¡± ¡°¡­ I forgot.¡± I sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me auntie¡­ Or do you want to play another game?¡± A sudden chill run down her spine and made her skin crawl, as she remembered yesterday¡¯s events. ¡°¡­ It was about Lloyd¡­ My eldest brother, and¡­ your father.¡± She started. ¡°Your mother, she¡­ started to ask questions. About his disappearance.¡± Huh? Father is missing? Is that why I¡¯ve never met him? ¡°She started talking nonsense¡­ Eventually, she even accused me of being related to Aoban¡¯s mother¡¯s death and your father¡¯s sudden disappearance.¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s it¡­? Just because of that, you snapped?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­ Everything went wrong from the moment that woman came. Everything was fine until then¡­ But she destroyed our family, she ran away, and now she even dared to blame it all on me¡­!¡± ¡°No one asked you keep her a prisoner. You were free to let her go but you didn¡¯t. That¡¯s your own fault.¡± I coldly retorted, as I saw my aunt biting her lips in frustration. ¡°And so¡­ Was she right? To think that you were related to my father¡¯s disappearance.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± She answered, a bit hesitant. I shrugged. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll believe you for now. But if I find out that you lied to me, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Aunt Nora slowly looked up at me. ¡°Is it fine now¡­? Are you letting me go? What are you planning to do?¡± ¡°Nothing, auntie!¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not planning to do anything, I just want a quiet life with my family. And yes, I¡¯ll let you go for now. You can do everything you want, I don¡¯t really care. But don¡¯t you dare meddle in my life, or try to harm my mother or my brother in any way. If you do, I¡¯ll make sure you regret that I didn¡¯t kill you yesterday. Ah! And obviously, what happened yesterday is a secret between you and me. You will not say a word, understood? You don¡¯t bother me, I don¡¯t bother you.¡± Without uttering a word, Aunt Nora just listened to me. She didn¡¯t need to answer; she perfectly understood that I wasn¡¯t leaving her the choice. It was not a negotiation but a threat. ¡°¡­Just who are you?¡± She asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. For you, I¡¯m just Lynett, a two years old child, perfectly normal.¡± I smiled at her. ¡°So, auntie, let¡¯s forget about the past ok? From now own, I¡¯m sure you and I will get alongverywell!¡± Aunt Nora tensed up. I feel like bullying her a little now¡­ I stepped forward, startling her as she was worrying about what I was about to do. I leaned a little, giving her a peck on the cheek. ¡°Recover well, auntie~!¡± I said, as I gave her my brightest smile. Fufufu¡­ Her face is priceless. Her mouth dropped open, staring at me in disbelief, she just froze. Without giving her a chance to react, I exited her chamber. Leaving my shocked aunt behind, I returned to my room. I love seeing her reactions. I might get used teasing her a little... Part I Chapter 8 – Rumors Chapter8 ¨C Rumors
Lynett
It was a lovely day of summer in the Estate of the Whiteheart family. The cloudless sky held a soft blue glow and the golden sun radiated down on the mansion. Outside, there was a sweet fragrance of freshly cut grass and the birds chattered in the trees. In the garden, a young girl could be seen. She wasn¡¯t a child anymore, but her face still had the exuberance of youth, keeping some childish features. Her golden eyes shined as a puff of wind swept though her platinum hair. That¡¯s me though. A dozen of years have passed and I am now fourteen years old. I¡¯m almost as old as the time I died on Earth. If we consider both my lives, mentally speaking I should be thirt-¡­ Ahem¡­ Let¡¯s not say this out loud. After my little clash with my aunt, my life here in the Whiteheart mansion changed for the best. First of all, I am now technically a member of the family. It¡¯s only officially though, since whenever I¡¯m in public, I¡¯m not allowed to use the family name. The reason for my sudden recognition as a fully member of the Whiteheart family is because of mother. To be precise, it¡¯s because she was blessed. Since we both received the blessing of a god, people assumed that there was something special in our lineage. So, disregarding the fact that I¡¯m a half, the family decided it was in their best interest to have me with them. Secondly, Aunt Nora is no longer a problem. Actually, she became a quite obedient child! She¡¯s still the same impulsive woman who likes to bully her servants ¨Cold habits die hard- but at least, whenever I¡¯m here, she behaves. In my presence, she never dares to do anything and becomes pretty docile. She also avoids me, mother and brother as much as possible. Well, she keeps her promise. It¡¯s good. However, while Aunt Nora started to behave, Yao on the other hand started to become a trouble. He noticed the weird changes in his mistress¡¯ behavior and started to suspect me or mother to have something to do with it, which is not wrong. Now that I¡¯m a Whiteheart, he can¡¯t do anything against me or mother, but he doesn¡¯t hide his dissatisfaction, and occasionally, he would secretly stalk me.Siiiiigh¡­ Not exactly my ideal of being pursued by a man¡­ Uncle Jack is¡­ Well¡­ it¡¯s Uncle Jack. Even as a fully member of the family, my relationship with him is non-existent. At least, he speaks to me now ¨Csometimes. The servants? They love me. At first, because of the racial prejudices, they avoided me, but eventually, I grew on them. I must say that only good things happened since I arrived: the heir is back, someone got blessed and Lady Nora is now much calmer. So the rumor going on about halves bringing bad luck soon disappeared. Besides, no one can resist my cuteness~! This became even truer over the time, as my already-too-perfect face became even more inhuman as I grew up. Yep, definitely a goddess¡¯ face. The fact that my hair is now back to its original color didn¡¯t help either in making me look normal. Since there was no point in hiding it anymore, mother stopped dyeing it. So now, my hair is back at platinum blond while mother¡¯s is sky blue again. Additionally, I am not restricted anymore and I¡¯m allowed to go outside. But I¡¯m still strongly supervised. So, basically, over the years, I became a popular young mistress from a noble household. Not bad, right? Still, there is just a little problem. I have absolutely no friends. My long awaited school life never came. Unwilling to let me attend a school, my uncle hired tutors for me instead. And since I¡¯m a ghost member of the family, I don¡¯t attend to any parties. In the end, I never really had the chance to meet other people of my age. ¡­This is terrible. I did not sign for this. I didn¡¯t reincarnate to become a loner again. In order to fix this, since I wasn¡¯t restricted anymore, I went outside a lot. I was hoping to randomly meet someone and befriend them. You know, like bumping into some handsome guy or having an eye contact with some cute lady. It happens all the time in the novel, so why not? Unfortunately, life is much crueler than that. Nobles didn¡¯t have a good reputation. Because of a couple of spoiled and rotten nobles ¨Clike my aunt- nobility was labeled as haughty and conceited. Most people avoided them. Whenever I went outside, I was always accompanied by one or two attendants, so it was obvious that I belonged to some noble household. Moreover, my inhuman appearance and my golden eyes didn¡¯t help as people would get intimidated and never approach me. Poor me¡­ Loner forever¡­ Still, I won¡¯t give up. ????? Today was another day. I was walking in the city together with Ivy, one of my personal maids. Market stalls lined the route as many people were shouting around. Housewives were rounding the stores, trying to bargain the price of nuts, powdered spices, or other imported merchandise. First mission of the day: getting rid of Ivy. Ivy is a nice person. She¡¯s in her forties, possibly her fifties. Since she doesn¡¯t have any children, she acts very motherly toward me. I like her a lot, but I can¡¯t always have someone watching over me. ¡°Young mistress, how about a snack?¡± Ivy asked, as she pointed her finger towards one of the stalls selling nuts and dried fruits. ¡°Sure!¡± I nodded. Ivy gently smiled at me, before approaching the vendor. On the side of the road, I noticed a young boy sitting, intensely looking in my way. Usually, people would avert their eyes whenever meeting mine, but the boy didn¡¯t. He never broke the eye-contact. Hum. Potential friend? No¡­ Too young, he looked maybe half my age. As Ivy came back with a bag full of snack, she followed my gaze and her eyes fell upon the boy, still looking at me. ¡°Oh¡­ An orphan? He must be a beggar¡±, she spoke. I approached the boy. ¡°Hey, there.¡± I spoke, crouching down in front of him. Since I received no reply, I continued. ¡°Are you hungry? Want some?¡± I showed him a dried persimmon that Ivy just bought. The boy shyly nodded, as he took the fruit. He slowly ate it, his face enlightening each time he took a bite. Once he was over, he looked up at me, as a small smile appeared on his face. ¡°Thank you, big sister¡±, he said, giving me a sudden hug. The boy waved happily at me and disappeared in an alley. ¡°The young mistress really is a nice person!¡± Ivy chuckled, after witnessing the scene.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I shrugged. ¡°No one asked to be an orphan, the poor boy was just unlucky.¡± As we were about to continue loitering around, I noticed something was missing. I slowly raised my hand to touch my neck, but I couldn¡¯t feel anything. It¡¯s gone. The necklace mother gave me for my first birthday, it¡¯s gone. I never took it off and always wore it, yet it was missing. ¡°Haha¡­ Of course¡­ Damn brat.¡± I muttered. ¡°And to think I was trying to be nice¡­¡± ¡°Young mistress? Is something wrong?¡± Ivy asked. ¡°Ivy. Wait for me, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Before giving her a chance to answer, I ran after the boy. I could hear her shouting something behind me. Her job was to watch over me, so if I disappeared like that, she was going to have troubles, I knew that. Sorry Ivy, but I can¡¯t let the kid get away. I¡¯ll make sure to make up later. Following his path, it didn¡¯t take long before I caught up with the boy. When he noticed me, he flinched in surprise. ¡°W-What? Already here?!¡± He spoke. He tried to speed up, but I didn¡¯t let him the chance. ¡ºBind.¡» His legs tied by an invisible force, he fell. Since there was no longer the need to run, I simply walked to his side, as he was desperately trying to get away. ¡°You tripped? You¡¯re quite clumsy for a thief¡±, I said as I feigned ignorance. ¡°I didn¡¯t trip! There is something that is preventing me to move!¡± he answered. ¡°Is that so? How unfortunate.¡± I presented my hand in front of me. ¡°Now give it back, what you just stole from me.¡± ¡°Humpf! No way!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly leaving you the choice, you know? You¡¯re not in position to negotiate. Give it back before I call the guards. You may be a kid, but they will be merciless with a thief.¡± He clenched his fists, looking at me with his eyes full of anger. ¡°Y-You! Aren¡¯t you a noble?! It¡¯s just a necklace anyway, you could probably afford more!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the problem. This necklace was a gift, I care about it. Besides, it¡¯s not exactly of high-quality. You wouldn¡¯t get much if you sold it.¡± ¡°Liar!¡± He retorted. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a magic item? That¡¯s worth a lot!¡± ¡­ He can tell? Over the years, I infused my mana in it to modify its attributes, so it can¡¯t be considered an ordinary ring anymore. ¡°I won¡¯t give it back!¡± The boy insisted. ¡°I need that money for my sister¡¯s medicine!¡± I sighed. So his sister is sick. Well, I guess it¡¯s quite a common story in a world like this. I¡¯ve been sick myself, so I can¡¯t ignore this. I crouched down in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some money, so give the necklace back.¡± I told him. As I said this, the boy widened his eyes. ¡°R-Really¡­?¡± He asked, not convinced. ¡°Yeah, here.¡± I placed a pouch full of coins in front of him. The boy looked at it in astonishment for a few seconds. After a while, he finally returned his gaze on me. ¡±Big sis¡­ I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re really nice or just stupid¡­¡± He said. ¡°Shut up. Are you going to take it or not?¡± I asked, slightly irritated. ¡°I-I¡¯m taking it!¡± He suddenly exclaimed. ¡°Good.¡ºRelease.¡»¡± With the sudden pressure gone, the boy got up, a bit confused. He looked up at me, narrowing his eyes and frowning his forehead. ¡°Sis¡­ Could you be¡­ A mage¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, something like that I guess. Does it matter?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°Thank you very much¡­ I¡¯ll remember you.¡± The boy deeply bowed down in front of me. After giving me back the necklace, he picked up the pouch and left in hurry. And just like this, a couple of gold coins disappeared. Well, not like it matters anyway. The Whiteheart are one of the richest families around, besides, that was my allowance. I¡¯m free to do whatever I want with it. It¡¯s not like they were watching my every move¡­ right¡­? Looking around me, I noticed that I was now alone. ¡­ Hum? Isn¡¯t it my chance? Ivy is not here and there is no one to keep an eye on me. I¡¯m absolutely all alone in an unknown place. Shouldn¡¯t I take advantage of the situation? I feel a little bad for Ivy, since I did tell her I¡¯d be back soon, but as long as I don¡¯t take too much time, it should be fine. Second mission of the day: explore the city and seek out for information. Being sheltered all the time is not the best thing in the world to keep yourself informed. My tutors are pretty good. They teach me a lot, but in the end, it¡¯s still all theoretical. There is no better thing than seeing the world yourself and listening to people¡¯s gossip to learn some interesting things. I ventured deep into the town. It was a maze of narrow winding streets, but all paths eventually converged and unveiled the plaza. The architecture of every building was different which made the city pretty unique. Without my attendant, it was easier to blend in the crowd. People were still a little intimidated by my looks, but at least they weren¡¯t avoiding me anymore. As I kept wandering around the city, my eyes eventually rested on a particular building. The building wasn¡¯t especially more unique than the others, in fact, it was pretty common. But it was sporting a sign displaying a sword and an axe over a shield. It was flooded by people wearing various kind of equipment: swords, bows, leather armors, iron plates¡­ That¡¯s right. It is ¡°this¡±, right? That¡¯s definitely ¡°this¡±. An adventurers guild. The high-light of every RPG games. Adventure is romance! Feeling an urge to satisfy my curiosity, I decided to enter the building. There were a large number of adventurers inside. The receptionist was surrounded by people, either taking or submitting a request. There was a bulletin board on the right, and on the left, there were a few tables arranged like a tavern. I soon noticed a small figure arguing with a group that seemed to be in a party. I immediately recognized the boy who tried to rob me a few moments before. What is he doing here? I quietly approached. ¡°Come on! I have the money! Why won¡¯t you do it?¡± the boy exclaimed. ¡°No way, brat¡±, one of the adventurer responded. ¡°I already told you money isn¡¯t the issue. No one would accept the crazy request of a kid, anyway.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± As I stepped forward, the boy finally noticed me. ¡°B-Big sis?! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my question.¡± I answered coldly, as my eyes fell on the small pouch I just gave him. ¡°Money for you sick sister¡¯s medicine, huh?¡± His face suddenly paled. ¡°Sister? What are you talking about, young lady?¡± The adventurer spoke. ¡°This kid doesn¡¯t have a sister!¡± Ah¡­ I knew it¡­ I can¡¯t believe it. I got tricked by the same kid twice. ¡°Y-You got it wrong, big sis!¡± The boy exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for lying to you, but I really needed that money! To save my father!¡± First a sister, now a father. I couldn¡¯t help but be doubtful of his words. He probably saw the suspicion in my eyes, as he continued. ¡°My father disappeared a couple days ago¡­ So I submitted a request in the guild, to find him. But no one was taking it, so I thought I would raise the reward¡­¡± Oh¡­ Is that so? Well it can¡¯t be help then. It¡¯s not like I can blame him if he shows such a sad and guilty face. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him young lady¡± the adventurer said. ¡°His request is not about saving anyone, it¡¯s a subjugation request. He wants us to exterminate some kind of monster.¡± ¡­ I almost fell for it¡­ A third time¡­ This kid is dangerous. But, a monster? Why would a child request the subjugation of a monster? ¡°What, you haven¡¯t heard about the rumors, miss?¡± The adventurer asked, as he saw me raising an eyebrow. I shook my head. ¡°Well, you see, since a couple weeks ago, strange things started to happen outside the city.¡± He explained. ¡°Half of the forest burnt down, and several craters suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Some merchants¡¯ caravans have been attacked and a few citizens went missing. No one really know what¡¯s going on, so people started to blame it on some imaginary monster.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not imaginary!¡± The boy suddenly shouted. ¡°It¡¯s real! I saw it! It kidnapped my dad! You have to kill it!¡± So that¡¯s why he submitted a subjugation request? I looked at the adventurer. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the royal family do something about this?¡± I asked. ¡°I mean, even if it¡¯s outside the city, it¡¯s still within their territory. Besides, the disappearance of a few citizens should draw attention.¡± ¡°Nope, they won¡¯t. It¡¯s always like this, they will not raise a finger until absolutely necessary. They¡¯re not going to believe some unsubstantial rumor, especially when it talks about a monster. It will probably take a few weeks before they stop ignoring the matter.¡± ¡°But it will be too late then!¡± The boy shouted. ¡°My father will be already¡­!¡± The adventurer sighed. ¡°Sorry kid, but we can¡¯t help you. Even if what you say is true, even if there is a monster, no one here is crazy enough to take on a monster capable of destroying half of the forest within a few days and who can create craters. You would need a party at least B-ranked for this.¡± The boy went silent for a while, lowering his gaze. He was clenching his fists and biting his lip in frustration. ¡°But we have to do something¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°Besides, itwasn''t even a monster. I saw it with my own eyes¡­ It was a God¡­¡± ¡­ ¡­ What? Now this is getting interesting¡­ Part I Chapter 9 – Let’s Meet a God Chapter 9 ¨C Let¡¯s Meet a God
Lynett
In this world, beside me, there are three kinds of Gods: the High Gods, the Mid Gods and the Low Gods. I know the first two categories very well, since I was the one who created them. The High Gods are the most powerful ones. Including the Goddess of Light Naia, there are six of them. The Gods of Elements. Like their name implies, each one of them control a specific element. But while their power over their respective element is absolute, they seriously lack in other attributes. The Mid Gods are slightly weaker than the High Gods, but still shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. I based them off humans¡¯ emotions and feelings, so there should be about twenty of them, maybe less. In contrary to the High Gods, they aren¡¯t specialized in any magic attribute and are much more polyvalent. And then there are the Low Gods. To be honest, I don¡¯t know much about them. The reason is simple: I wasn¡¯t the one who created them. The Low Gods were created by the other Gods, the High Gods to be precise. So, while they are much weaker than the Mid Gods and can¡¯t give any blessings, they still belong to the Divine race and are generally stronger than mortals. I¡¯m not sure how many they are, but there should be at least a hundred of them around the world. If the boy says the truth, then I wonder what kind of god he saw¡­ Well, in all cases, that¡¯s sounds really interesting. After fourteen years in this world, this is actually the first chance I have to meet a fellow divine being. I¡¯m definitely not letting this go. I might even be able to learn things. I decided: let¡¯s meet a god! ¡°Hahahahahaha! Have you heard this, guys?¡± The adventurer burst out laughing. ¡°First it¡¯s a monster, now it¡¯s a god!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the truth! I saw it with my own eyes!¡± The boy shouted. ¡°Then there is something wrong with your eyes! Look, kid, I¡¯m really sorry about your situation, but you shouldn¡¯t lie like this. It¡¯s not going to help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that everything that happened was because of a god?¡± The adventurer asked, as he put his hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well, that¡¯s even more a reason for us not to do anything.¡± He stayed silent for a while, and then he started laughing again, clearly not believing the boy¡¯s story. The boy just looked at him, his face reddened in anger for not being taking seriously. I turned to him. ¡°So, what kind of god is it?¡± I asked. The adventurer and his party members stopped laughing, and the boy looked up at me, widening his eyes. As he was about to say something, the adventurer spoke first. ¡°Hey, hey, young lady, don¡¯t tell me you believe this kid¡¯s words?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Why not? Why would he lie about this? Like you said, it¡¯s not in his interest.¡± He frowned. ¡°Right¡­ Brats are just brats after all¡­ All the same, wanting to believe in things that don¡¯t exist¡­¡± Ignoring his remark, I turned my gaze to the boy a second time. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me more about this?¡± The boy silently nodded, before leading me to a remote corner, away from any curious ears and eyes. For a short moment, he stayed quiet, seemingly thinking about something. Then, he looked up at me. ¡°Big sis, you believe me?¡± He asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think you lied. But it doesn¡¯t mean that I believe that what you saw is correct. That¡¯s why you need to tell me more. How did you know it was a god?¡± ¡°¡­Its eyes¡­ It had golden eyes¡­¡± He marked a pause. ¡°Just like you, big sis¡­¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make him a god. He could have been blessed, you know?¡± The boy shook his head. ¡°No it wasn¡¯t. Because it wasn¡¯t human. It was a beast. And one I¡¯ve never seen before. Moreover it was talking.¡± ¡°A beast? You mean a beastman?¡± ¡°No, a real beast, nothing human like. Four legs, fangs, claws, and a white fur. It was also huge! Bigger than a house! Even when it was lying down, it was taller than me!¡± Hum. That certainly does sound like a monster. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard anything about a non-humanoid creature being blessed, so it should be a Divine. But if the boy says the truth, then it must be a Low God. I don¡¯t think I created it. Because I was biased, I designed all my gods to be cool and beautiful. I never created anything like a monster among them. Unless¡­ He did mention a white fur, right? ¡°Did it look like a fox? A really large fox?¡± I asked. ¡°Well¡­ Now that you mention it, kind of?¡± He answered, after hesitating a bit. ¡°Any particular features? Like¡­ Maybe several tails?¡± The boy widened his eyes and drew his head backward, in surprise. ¡°T-That¡¯s right !¡± Eh~ So that¡¯s how it is¡­ I grinned. ¡°How do you know that, big sis? Could it be that you¡¯ve seen it too?!¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve never seen it. But I do know who you¡¯re talking about. And you¡¯re indeed right! It is a god!¡± For a few seconds, the boy looked at me, confused, as he was tilting his head to the side. Then, a new glimpse of hope appeared in his eyes. ¡°T-then, are you going to help me, big sis? You said you were a mage, right? Besides, you¡¯re a chosen one, aren¡¯t you? You have golden eyes! You must be really strong! So, are you going to kill him? Are you going to kill that god and save my father?!¡± He spoke so fast I thought he was going to choke. I chuckled, amused. ¡°I don¡¯t think killing a god is a good idea, you know? But I might be able to help.¡± As I said this, his face enlightened in relief. ¡±So, where did you last see that god?¡± ¡°The Pine Forest, next to the lake! That¡¯s where I saw him. If you follow the giant cedar, you can¡¯t miss it!¡± For a few minutes, the boy explained me where I could find the god. Apparently, he was currently living in the center of the Pine forest, just beyond the walls of the Capital. Getting there would only take an hour. But even though it was so close to a human civilization, most of people did not go there. First of all, most of people avoided forests. But this one even more, since it emitted a strong miasma. The closer you got, the weaker you felt. Well, if there is a God living there, I guess it¡¯s a given. No wonder the forest emitted so much mana. It was even reputed to be enchanted. After finishing his explanation, the boy looked up at me with his eyes full of expectations. ¡°So, you¡¯re going, right?¡± He asked. I shrugged. ¡°Yeah, I guess. Not like if I had anything better to do anyway. But first¡­¡± I presented my hand in front of me. ¡°What?¡± The boy inquired, completely clueless. ¡°Money. I want my money back.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± He flinched. ¡°You gave it to me! You can¡¯t take it back!¡± ¡°I can. It was meant for your sick sister, who doesn¡¯t exist. I understand that you needed money, but I¡¯m still a little bitter by the fact that you tricked me¡­ Twice¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want you to run away while I¡¯m gone. Who knows? You could¡¯ve lied again¡­ Besides, I already accepted your request; you don¡¯t need it anymore, right?¡± I said, as a huge grin appeared on my face.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°F-Fine! Take it back, you greedy noble!¡± He exclaimed, almost throwing the pouch full of coins at my face. Chuckling a little, I picked it up. The boy was puffing his cheeks, clearly upset. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± I asked, changing the subject. ¡°¡­ Axis.¡± He answered with a low voice. ¡°Alright Axis. I¡¯m Lynett, or Lyni, whatever you want. I¡¯ll find your father, you¡¯ll just have to meet me here. And forget about the reward, I don¡¯t need it. The information you provided me are enough.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you going now? Shouldn¡¯t you find a party or something? I mean, it¡¯s a God you¡¯re dealing with, right¡­? He¡¯s dangerous¡­¡± He said, his eyes tight and worried. ¡°No need. I¡¯ll be fine by myself. Actually, it¡¯s even better if I¡¯m by myself¡±, I answered. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s not a ¡®he¡¯ but a ¡®she¡¯¡±, I added with a grin on my face. At this moment, Axis¡¯ face washed blank and his eyes widened in surprise. Leaving the shocked boy behind, I exited the building, forcing my way through the numerous adventurers. It took me half an hour to reach the gates of the city. The entrance was flooded with people trying to get in or out the city. The merchants riding their carriages needed to go through a more complicated procedure, while people on foot only needed to pay a tax if they didn¡¯t have an ID. Adding myself to the end of the line, I quietly waited for my turn to come. Maybe it was because of the rumors, but the guards seemed more careful inspecting the travelers, which is why the queue was longer than usual. ¡°Are you alone?¡± The entrance guard asked, as my turn came. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Young Lady, you shouldn¡¯t go outside the city alone. Haven¡¯t you heard about the rumors? Some strange things are happening lately.¡± He told me, seemingly worried. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, thanks.¡± Not insisting any longer, the guard sighed. ¡°Do you have an ID? If not, it¡¯ll be one silver coin to go out.¡± I took out a silver coin from my pouch and handed it over. I actually do have an ID, but there is the Whiteheart¡¯s name on it. I¡¯d rather not be affiliated to them. If anything were to happen, it¡¯ll be easier for me to disappear as a nameless girl rather than as a noble from one of the most powerful households. Besides, my uncle did forbid me to use the family name. ¡°Be careful out there. If something happened to you, I¡¯d have to look for you¡±, the guard joked. Politely bowing to him, I left the city, while the guard returned to his work. I almost immediately strayed from the highway, heading to the forest. Some people gave me disconcerted glances, unable to comprehend why a girl would head to that infamous place alone, but no one bothered to stop me. Following Axis¡¯ instruction, I ventured deep in the forest. The sun sank down beneath the tops of the pines, the light streaking through in both brilliant and shadowy beams, as a thick cloud of fog suspended in the air. Somehow, it reminded me of Romanian forests that I had seen on internet before. However, at some point, the scenery completely changed. Upon the forest floor were lying hundreds of trees, which were now lifeless sticks of charcoal. On the ground, there was no grass and no leaves, only dust and ashes. Well, they did mention something like the God destroying half of the forest¡­ I already knew thatshewas pretty irresponsible, but seeing it myself struck me hard. Thinking about it, if it really isher, then I might have some troubles dealing with her. She has to be one of the most troublesome gods I created. The Nine Tailed Fox. A legendary creature that inspired many legends of Earth. Reputed to be wicked, manipulative and clever, they would often play tricks on wanderers. Narcissistic, they do not share human morality and only act in their self-interest. However, they¡¯re also known to keep their promises and repay any favors. Hum¡­ Such a troublesome character¡­ How am I going to deal with her? First, I have to find out what she did to all the people who disappeared. I walked for a while before I noticed some movements. At some point, as I kept venturing to the center of the forest, I felt someone ¨Cor something- watching me. Is it her? I turned toward the direction where I could feel a slight trace of mana. After waiting without making a move, my stalker probably understood that there was no point in hiding anymore as he decided to come out. The first thing I was a tiny white paw. Then, looking up at its owner, I noticed it belonged to a fox. An adorable white fox with two tails. ¡­ How disappointing¡­ It¡¯s definitely not a normal fox, since I can feel mana from it and it has two tails, but¡­ Is this the legendary Nine-Tailed Fox I created? It¡¯s so¡­ small. Besides the two tails, appearance wise, it looked completely normal. Not even taller than a dog. Didn¡¯t Axis say that it was bigger than a house? Did he lie again? Did I misunderstand? It can¡¯t beher¡­ ¡°Yoko¡­?¡± I asked, doubtful. I did not receive an answer. Instead, the creature simply tilted its head to the side. Oooh¡­! So cute! Ahem¡­ So it doesn¡¯t speak¡­ It¡¯s not her after all¡­ I guess it was a wrong lead¡­ But is this adorable creature really responsible for all the troubles that happened lately? As I stepped forward, the fox immediately ran away. Trying not to lose it, I chased after it, fraying myself a way among all the foliages and branching. But no matter how hard I tried to catch up, as I thought, I couldn¡¯t match its speed or agility in the forest. However, each times I almost lost its track, the fox would come back and start running again. Obviously, it wants me to chase it. It seems to guide me somewhere. After a while, the fox finally disappeared behind a bush. Following it from behind, I immediately noticed a man. ¡°Oh, there you were! Seriously¡­ Disappearing like that¡­ What will Her Holiness think about this?¡± The man said, as he picked up the fox. As I was approaching, he finally turned his gaze and noticed me. ¡°W-Who are you?!¡± He inquired. ¡°Who areyou?¡± I returned the question. ¡°What is a young girl such as you doing alone in this forest? How can you stand? Are you not affected by the miasma?¡± I shrugged. ¡°You seem fine too, why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­ I am not the same as you¡­ And you did not answer my question.¡± He said, as his tone aggravated. ¡°Who are you and what are you doing in this Holy Place? Her Holiness will not accept your intrusion¡­¡± Her Holiness? Is he a worshipper? My eyes fell upon the small fox he was carrying with carefulness. Is he worshipping the fox? He¡¯s insane¡­ I know it¡¯s a legendary creature ¨Cat least it¡¯s supposed to be- but seriously¡­ look at this¡­ I looked at the unknown man, my eyes full of pity. He probably guessed what I was thinking, as he immediately contradicted my thoughts. ¡°That is not Her Holiness! It¡¯s Her pet!¡± He exclaimed. Oh, makes sense¡­ But who owns such a magical creature as a pet? As I thought, it must beher, right? The man sighed. ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll bring you to Her. I¡¯m not sure how you got here, but I can¡¯t let you leave now. Her Holiness will be the one to decide of your fate. Don¡¯t even think about running away, it¡¯s useless. I may not look like this, but I used to be a guard. I¡¯ll kill you even before you manage to do anything.¡± Is he trying to intimidate me? No need, sir. I¡¯m not planning to run away. Quite the opposite actually, I came all the way to meet that ¡°Holiness¡± of yours. I simply nodded at him, and he started to lead the way. He did not utter another word. Sometimes, he would give me a curious glance, probably trying to figure out my identity or my motives, and making sure I didn¡¯t run away. We walked for about a quarter of an hour, before we finally arrived in front of the huge entrance of a cave. It looks like the den of the Master of this forest. The man stopped and raised his hand before me. ¡°Wait here.¡± He ordered. I nodded. Returning his attention to the cave, the man knelt down as the little fox he was carrying jumped out of his arms, heading to the cave. ¡°Your Holiness, I have returned.¡± He said. ¡°I have brought you an offering.¡± ¡­Offering? Is he talking about me? How rude¡­ I¡¯m a Goddess, you know? Too busy being offended by the man¡¯s words that I almost didn¡¯t notice the creature slowly coming out of the cave. Stepping out from the shadow, a large figure appeared in front of me. The creature was huge, with a long silver mane and immense pointy ears protruding upward into the sky. Robust, with very strong forelimbs and powerfully built jaws, it had retractable claws to slash at its intended preys. Its beautiful white fur shined under the sunlight and its golden eyes stared at me, giving off an aura of mockery and haughtiness. Last but not least, its most outstanding features: nine tails swaying rhythmically behind its back. Axis didn''t lie. it is indeed huge. The sight of the creature would be enough to make anyone flee, yet it had a strange elegance that captivated people¡¯s heart. Holy crap¡­ it really isher¡­ The Nine-Tailed Fox I created¡­ ¡°A mortal? Here?¡± The creature suddenly spoke up, with a displeased voice. ¡°Please forgive my carelessness, Your Holiness. Should I dispose of her?¡± The man asked, still kneeling. The large fox didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, it started to inspect me from head to toes. After a short moment, a grin crept onto its face, stretching from one side to the other. Well, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a grin, but in this fox form, hell, that¡¯s scary. Anyone else but me would¡¯ve faint seeing all those teeth. ¡°No¡­ You¡­ You¡¯re not a mortal, are you?¡± The creature said. ¡°Even if it¡¯s faint, this aura of yours¡­ and those eyes¡­ Aren¡¯t you a Divine?¡± As he heard this, the man suddenly turned in my direction, looking at me in disbelief. ¡°A Divine? A young girl like her?!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Silence. I¡¯m not talking to you¡±, the giant Fox ordered with a cold voice. Complying, the man lowered his head even more, cursing himself for upsetting the divine entity in front of him. ¡°Something like that, I guess¡­¡± I finally responded. Upon hearing my answer, the Fox let out a small grunt as it stepped forward. Light suddenly erupted from its body, and the figure started to shrink, changing shape. Its huge paws became frail hands, its white fur became a porcelain skin, and its mane changed into hair. In front of me now stands a young woman with a slender body, staring at me with her golden eyes, framed by long lashes. Her silky silver hair gently caressed its way down her neck, reaching to just below her shoulder blades. She wore a white gown that peppered her body with soft, sensual kisses. Her fluffy white ears still remained on her head and her nine tails were still oscillating in her back, but otherwise, she looked like a perfectly normal human. Except that she was absolutely flawless. Her gaze was so captivating that once you looked at her, you couldn¡¯t look away. That¡¯s right. Exactly how I designed her. Beautiful and dangerous. An unpredictable Mid God based on one of the seven deadly sins. The Goddess of Lust and Mischief. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before,child¡­ Are you new?¡± She asked, as her full lips curled into a mischievous grin. ¡°¡­ I guess? My apologizes, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lyn- Ah, no¡­¡° I slowly shook my head. Then, a small smile played on my lips, as my eyes crinkled at the edge. ¡°My name isAileen.¡± I corrected myself. ¡°Nice to finally meet you,Yoko.¡± Part I Chapter 10 – Request Chapter 10 ¨C Request
Lynett
In front of me, the Goddess narrowed her eyes, studying me carefully. ¡°Aileen¡­? That¡¯s¡­ an interesting name¡­¡± Yoko said, after thinking for a while. ¡°You seem to know me, but I don¡¯t know you. A Divine I¡¯ve never seen¡­ You must be a new Low God, am I wrong?¡± Yes, you are. Not even close. Without even waiting for an answer, she sighed. She raised her hand to her forehead, pinching the bridge of her nose. Closing her eyes, she was obviously having a headache. ¡°I¡¯m already busy enough dealing with the other bastard¡­ And now there is another Divine intruding on my territory¡­¡± She muttered. Another? There is a second one? ¡°Seriously, what are the others doing? They¡¯re becoming negligent with the rules we fixed¡­¡± Yoko opened her eyes, looking at me. ¡°Child, who is the fool who created you without telling you about the rules? Who is your parent? Is it Naia? It must be her¡­ That woman sure loves her children¡­ She creates a new one every few centuries¡­¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t her. My parent is an elf called Azariah.¡± I responded casually. ¡°An elf¡­?¡± She repeated, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Oh well, enough with the jokes. I¡¯m not in the mood. Look there, since you obviously didn¡¯t know about the rules, I¡¯ll let it go this time. But you need to leave. You¡¯re onmyterritory here, so unless you want to start a war, you can¡¯t stay.¡± ¡°Eh? You¡¯re kicking me out? How mean¡­ After everything I¡¯ve done for you¡­ That¡¯s not how you treat your mother¡­¡± Yoko frowned. She looked at me with her eyes full of incomprehension, clearly not understanding my point. ¡°Mother¡­? What are you talking about?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You see I created you. I¡¯m the one who gave you life, so technically, that makes me your mom, right?¡± I answered with a small grin. For a few moments, she just looked at me, without saying anything. She tried to comprehend what she just heard, but her eyes were telling me that she thought I was crazy. Eventually, a weak smile played on her lips. ¡°Good one, child. But I don¡¯t have a Parent. Is this about your name?¡± She asked. ¡°I thought it sounded familiar¡­ Aileen, the so called Goddess of All Creations, right?¡± ¡°Oh! So you know! Well, that makes things easier.¡± I exclaimed. Hearing my answer, Yoko sighed heavily. ¡°I know it¡¯s a ridiculous myth some of us invented trying to come up with a good explanation for the World¡¯s creation.¡± She said with an irritated tone. ¡°The Goddess of Light invented light, the God of Darkness invented darkness¡­ But who created the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness? Since we don¡¯t know the answer, let¡¯s blame it all on one supreme being. Seems a little easy don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Eh? So you don¡¯t believe in it¡­¡± ¡°Of course not. The World¡¯s creation? Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t care. But I¡¯m certainly not believing some crap about a fictional Goddess who never manifested herself for the past millenniums.¡± Well¡­ She has a point. ¡°Leave now, child.¡± She ordered, slowly losing her patience. ¡°As a fellow Divine, I¡¯ve received you with enough hospitality. But you abuse of it and start talking nonsense. Even out of respect for my colleagues, I will not hesitate to erase you right now if you keep going. Do not test my patience. Besides, I¡¯ve been busy enough dealing with another trouble recently, I don¡¯t need a second intruder. I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°I know you are. Yoko, you¡¯re a pretty honest person, you don¡¯t tell lies.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve heard about this. Your Parent tells you about me but don¡¯t even bother to warn you about not intruding my territory?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, I do know a lot about you. You¡¯re a Kumiho, your name means ¡®Beautiful child¡¯, but ironically, a variant of it also means ¡®Wicked child¡¯. You¡¯re deceitful, impatient, stubborn and tactless but you also have a strong pride and you keep your promises. Those tails are your pride and if anyone dared to insult them, that would be enough of a reason for you to rip them apart.¡± I explained casually with a bright smile. As I spoke, Yoko quietly listened. The more I said, the more her eyes widened. She was clearly not expecting me ¨Cwho is supposed to be a new Low God- to know this much. However, she quickly regained her composure. ¡°Oooooh¡­? That¡¯s a lot ofveryprivate information you have about me¡­¡± She said, as a grin appeared on her face. ¡°Who told you about this? I don¡¯t think even the other Divinities know this much.¡± I smiled mischievously. ¡°Well, I even know all your secrets~!¡± For maybe a split second, her grin disappeared as I saw her eyes twitch a little. But she did not react any further. ¡°¡­ Nice try. But I don¡¯t have any secret.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I felt my lips stretch wider. ¡°Well, despite your personality, you actually love fluffy and cute things.¡± Yoko¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. She had the same stoic expression with a grim line on her mouth. However, her fluffy ears kept twitching and her tails started to sway more violently behind her back. Yup, she¡¯s definitely annoyed. But since she didn¡¯t say anything, I continued. ¡°Not enough? You can¡¯t swim and you hate water. You can¡¯t stand the sight of dogs or anything similar. Cooking is one of your hobbies and you love sweet things. Especially ch-¡° ¡°STOP!That''s enough...!Don¡¯t say anymore¡­¡± She finally interrupted me, unable to hear anymore of her little secrets being unveiled one by one. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡­ How? I¡¯ve never told anyone about these¡­¡± She grabbed her head in her arms, probably trying to come up with a good explanation. Biting her lips, she stayed in that position for about two minutes. After that, she let out a heavy sigh and regained her composure. She looked up at me. ¡°I was wrong¡­ I¡¯m not sure of how you got a hand on this much information, but you know too much¡­. Way too much.¡± She smiled. ¡°Sorry, after all, I guess I can¡¯t let you leave alive~!¡± ¡­Huh? What did she say? She can¡¯t be planning to¡­ ¡°¡­ Y-Yoko¡­? Wait¡­¡± I spoke. But before I could finish, a huge pillar of fire suddenly erupted in front of me. Instinctively, I jumped backwards, barely evading the surprise attack. That was dangerous! Such a strong magic¡­ even if it¡¯s me, it looks like it might hurt a little. I turned my gaze to Yoko. Since she didn¡¯t chant any incantation, if she hadn¡¯t warned me, I wouldn¡¯t have seen the attack coming. Crap¡­ I had forgotten about this¡­ She¡¯s a Goddess too, she doesn¡¯t need any incantations. This is bad. If she wants to fight, I¡¯m going to have some serious troubles. Without any chants, I can¡¯t predict anything. I won¡¯t be able to tell what kind of magic she¡¯ll use nor when she was going to use it. Before I could think of anything, Yoko launched her second attack.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. This time, it was a fireball. Ahugefireball. It definitely couldn¡¯t compare to the one my Aunt created a few years ago. It wasn¡¯t just about the size. Yoko¡¯s fireball was not only bigger than an elephant, but I could also feel an abnormal amount of mana in it, craving for destruction. When she aimed it at me, once again, I barely managed to evade the attack by throwing myself to the side. The fireball transformed everything on its way to charcoal. ¡°Yoko! Are you crazy? What are you trying to do?!¡± I shouted. ¡°Disposing of a potential threat that pissed me off.¡± She simply answered, as if it was obvious. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant! This is fire magic! We¡¯re in the middle of the forest! Are you planning to burn everything?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll hold back. Besides, as long as I¡¯m here, it¡¯ll only take a few years to grow back to its original state.¡± She shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem!! And you call that holding back?! Besides, there are humans¡¯ habitations not far from here! What are you going to do if one of your attacks reached them?¡± ¡°Who cares? Humans die anyway. A few thousands of death will not disrupt the balance of the World.¡± She¡¯s insane! What¡¯s with her mentality? I get that for her, who is a Goddess, a few humans¡¯ lives are worthless, but seriously! Is she planning to destroy the forest -who sheltered her for who knows how long- just because I blurted out a few embarrassing secrets?! Besides, that wasn''t anything to be embarrassed about! ¡°Stop it! Wait! Let¡¯s talk about this calmly!¡± I tried to reason her. She didn¡¯t listen. Without giving me a rest, she kept attacking as I kept avoiding, slowly transforming the surroundings into a gigantic fire, taking everything alive and casting it as confetti into the sky. ¡°Y-Yoko!¡± I tried to call her again. Once again, it was useless. She completely turned a deaf ear, too absorbed in hunting me down. Damn it, she¡¯s not leaving me the choice¡­ ¡ºYoko, sit!¡» In an instant, her attacks stopped, as her body fell on the ground, forced by an invisible pressure. ¡°¡­Heh¡­? What¡­¡± She muttered, confused. She tried to get up, but her knees wouldn¡¯t obey. She suddenly turned to me. ¡°W-What did you do?! My body¡­ On its own¡­¡± Finally having a chance to catch my breath, I stopped. I concentrated a large amount of mana for a few seconds, and then I leashed it out. A violent gust of wind swept up everything around me, immediately extinguishing the fire. I returned my attention to Yoko. ¡°Soul magic. You know what it is, right?¡± I told her. ¡°A powerful magic that directly attacks the spiritual essence of any being, regardless of their identity. The only thing you need is your opponent¡¯s [True Name]. And if you have enough authority and if you meet the required conditions, you can use mind control, forcing them to obey. Because it¡¯s a forbidden magic, I had a hard time to find information on it¡­¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Even if you know my [Name], you can¡¯t use mind control against me! I¡¯m a Divine! I¡¯m a Mid, you¡¯re a Low, at most, we have the same level of authority! Besides, you and I are not bounded in any way! You can¡¯t force me to obey!¡± ¡ºYoko, shake.¡» I held out flat my palm, and with one word, Yoko lifted her hand and placed it in mine. ¡°Good girl.¡± I said, as my lips curled into a wicked smile. ¡°STOP THIS!¡± She shouted, indignant. ¡°This is humiliating! Who do you think I am?! I¡¯m a Goddess!¡± Forced to realize the situation she was in, Yoko clenched her teeth, before letting out an exasperated growl. ¡°Damn it¡­ So you can really use my [Name] against me¡­ But you¡¯re forgetting something, child. You also gave me your name. This means that you¡¯re exactly in the same situation as me!¡± She exclaimed, as a grin slowly appeared on her face. ¡°¡ºAileen, release!¡»¡± I looked at her blankly for a few seconds, without doing anything. Ah¡­ That proud smile¡­ Sorry Yoko¡­ ¡°Sorry, what?¡± I said, feigning ignorance. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows raised high and her mouth dropped wide open. ¡°W-Why?!¡± She yelled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work? It can¡¯t be¡­! What did you do?! Did you lie to me? You gave me a fake name, didn¡¯t you!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t lie. But sorry, I don¡¯t think you have enough authority to use my [Name] against me¡­¡± I simply told her. ¡°What?! Lies! That¡¯s impossible! As a Goddess, my authority level is already the highest! There is no way that you would have a higher authority level than me! Unless¡­!¡± She suddenly stopped, as if realizing something. Her head slightly tilted down and her lower lip started trembling. She stared blankly at me, as her face turned ghostly pale, completely stiff. ¡°U-Unless¡­ Unless you have enough authority to make the world itself obey to your orders¡­¡± She raised her hand to cover her mouth. ¡°Holy crap¡­ Y-You¡­ You¡¯re the Creator¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to say from the beginning!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°But that¡¯s impossible¡­! Y-You really exist? Then you created the World¡­? You created me¡­? You¡¯re my Parent?!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re a child! This can¡¯t be!¡± ¡°You keep calling me a child, but I¡¯m not a child, you know?¡± ¡°What? What are you, fourteen? Fifteen?¡± She tried to guess, as she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Correct. But don¡¯t let my appearance deceive you. Mentally speaking, I¡¯m actually twice older than that.¡± Yoko stared at me with her wide eyes for a few seconds. Her mouth flattened and her forehead wrinkled, I could see her eyes twitching. Did I say something wrong? ¡°¡­ HOW DOES THIS MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?!¡± She shouted. ¡°You¡¯re still at least a thousand times younger than me! I can¡¯t believe this! My Parent is younger than me? This is a joke! A really bad joke! I refuse this!¡± For a while, Yoko shook her head, muttering something I couldn¡¯t understand. Wow¡­ The denial is strong¡­ Finally, she spoke up. ¡°Ugh¡­ This is too much for my brain¡­ I can¡¯t absorb that much ridiculous information¡­ I can¡¯t think straight anymore¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± I said with an indolent voice. ¡°You are one of the smartest Gods I created. You should be able to understand this much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly because I do that I don¡¯t want to admit it! Are you even aware of how ridiculous this whole situation is?!¡± She sighed loudly. ¡°Wait¡­ Let¡¯ssupposethat you indeed are the Creator¡­ What did you come here for¡­?¡± ¡°Punishment.¡± I responded, as a smile appeared on my face. ¡°You were quite a naughty girl recently, weren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve caused a lot of troubles. That¡¯s a little irresponsible for a Goddess, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Haaaah?! You¡¯re the one to talk! Where were you for the past millenniums? You abandoned the World and threw all your responsibilities on us! And now you come back, you actually dare to give me a lecture about a God¡¯s responsibilities?!¡± Hum¡­ Once again, she has a point. ¡°I actually had a good reason.¡± I tried to defend myself. ¡°You see, I created this world as a hobby, I didn¡¯t think it was that important. But then I died and got reborn here.¡± ¡°A H-H-HOBBY?!¡± She repeated, as her eyes were about to pop out. ¡°Our whole lives were just a hobby to you?! HAHAHA! I¡¯m going insane! And to think some people dared to call me irresponsible! HAHAHAHA!¡± She¡¯s definitely losing it. Well, I can¡¯t blame her. I wasn¡¯t exactly very tactful, this time. When her nervous laughter finally subsided, she turned her gaze to me once more, seemingly worried. ¡°Forget about it¡­ You said you died and got reborn? There is actually something that has the power to kill you, the Goddess of All Creations?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah. Something called cancer. Very deadly.¡± Yoko narrowed her eyes, clearly not understanding what I was saying. I guess cancer doesn¡¯t exist in this world¡­ Well, not that I¡¯m complaining. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked her, changing the subject. ¡°Why would you attack and kidnap humans? What happened to the forest? As irresponsible as you are, I don¡¯t think you would draw attention on yourself without a good reason.¡± ¡°Hah? I told you already, I¡¯m dealing with an intruder¡­¡± She answered, as she started massaging her temples, trying to get rid of her headache. ¡°You know about the rules? Each god has their own area of jurisdiction and their own territory. We don¡¯t meddle in each other¡¯s business. That¡¯s how we manage the World. But a couple weeks ago, this bastard showed up in my territory and he wouldn¡¯t leave. So I¡¯m just teaching him a lesson. Some humans were just unlucky and got caught up in it. Why would I even bother kidnapping a human to begin with? They¡¯re stupid and annoying¡­ they only bring troubles¡­¡± ¡°An intruder? So there really was another one¡­ That¡¯s a lot of deities out there!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Exactly¡­ And that¡¯s the problem. For a Divine, having a territory is not just a matter of pride. It¡¯s also about safety. You¡¯ve seen it yourself: my presence alone in this forest generates too much mana and started to create a strong miasma. Having two gods in the same place can be dangerous. That¡¯s why I¡¯m chasing him out. Even if I have to use force¡­¡± If that¡¯s how it is, I can¡¯t blame her. Even if her methods are a bit drastic, she may not be as irresponsible as I thought. ¡°Hum? But then¡­ What about all the humans who have disappeared recently?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill them if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡± She answered with a disinterested voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t have the time to bother myself with them. When they got caught in the battle, they just panicked and ran away. But since the miasma is too thick around here, it probably weakened them. They must have lost themselves and fainted somewhere. But don¡¯t worry; this forest has enough food for humans to survive in it. Once they wake up, they¡¯ll find their way back to the city¡­. Eventually¡­¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s what happened¡­? What a ridiculous story¡­¡± ¡°I know. Humans have always been ridiculous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I-¡­ Hum, never mind¡­¡± Anyway, this is bad¡­ I don¡¯t have any reasons to doubt her words, Yoko doesn¡¯t tell lies. But if what she said is true, then I¡¯m going to have trouble finding Axis¡¯ father. This forest is dense, and the miasma and the fog don¡¯t help to orientate yourself. Maybe I should just wait for him to find his way back on his own¡­? But I promised Axis¡­. Ugh¡­ So much troubles¡­ Thinking about it, none of that would¡¯ve happened if not for the intruder. If he¡¯s a Divine, then he should know about the rules. Yoko is not the one to blame in this. I need to fix this problem as soon as possible, before it starts to draw too much attention. I turned my gaze toward Yoko. ¡°Yoko, I¡¯ll help you deal with the intruder. In exchange, I have a request.¡± I told her. She looked at me with her eyes tight, full of suspicion. ¡°I¡¯m not calling you mom. I¡¯d rather die.¡± She immediately retorted. ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about that¡­ I¡¯d rather not have you call me that either¡­ That would be awkward as heck¡­¡± I shook my head and stepped forward, as I placed my hands on her shoulders. When her eyes met mine, she stiffened up, not knowing what to expect from me. ¡°Yoko¡­ Please become my friend.¡± I said. Astounded, her eyes and her mouth froze wide open, in an expression of stunned surprise. She drew her head backwards, as if she just heard something ridiculous. I could easily imagine the sparks in her brain, desperately trying to connect the dots instead of just causing a short circuit. She looks like someone just insulted her mother ¨Cwell, not me obviously. But¡­ Did I say something wrong? Part I Chapter 11 – Troublemaker Chapter 11 ¨C Troublemaker
Lynett
¡°Friend¡­?¡± In front of me, there is a dumbfounded Goddess. ¡°Yeah. Friend.¡± I repeated. ¡°Isn¡¯t it¡­ that super cheesy concept humans invented¡­?¡± Yoko asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Well, that¡¯s an interesting way of seeing things, but yeah, I guess.¡± Her forehead frowned, her eyes full of suspicion, she kept looking at me without saying anything. I think she was trying to find ulterior motives in my request. ¡°What are you so suspicious about? I just want a friend.¡± I told her. ¡°I hate to say this, but I¡¯m not really good at socializing. The maids and the butlers are really nice at the mansion, but in the end, they¡¯re still servants. They are under contract. Besides, if it¡¯s you, I¡¯d have nothing to hide. You understand my point?¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t.¡± Yoko responded. ¡°Why would you want to hide anything? And did you just say ¡®maids¡¯? ¡®Butlers¡¯? Are you saying that you¡¯re living with the humans, right now?¡± ¡°Well, pretty much. Long story.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t understand¡­ It doesn¡¯t make any sense. I think my head is going to explode at any moment¡­ Actually, ever since I met you, nothing makes sense anymore. Your whole existence doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± ¡°Hum¡­ That¡¯s kind of offensive, you know?¡± I said, with a slight tone of irritation. ¡°Whatever.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m done trying to understand. I¡¯ll be your friend. Not like if I had the choice, anyway. You did create me after all. I guess I owe you that much.¡± ¡°I-Is that so¡­? Then I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± Yes!! First friend, GET! It is quite different from what I have been imagining, but I guess this will do. Instead of being a cute girl, my first friend is an arrogant Goddess who is a thousand times older than me. Thinking about it, it is pretty awkward. I think we both thought the same thing, as we stared at each other blankly, without saying anything for a while. ¡°Right. By the way, how should I call you?¡± Yoko suddenly asked, breaking the silence. ¡°We seem to have agreed that ¡®mom¡¯ is out of question. I can accept the fact that you¡¯re the Creator and my¡­ Parent¡­ but I still have my pride. And it¡¯s not like I can call you by your [Name] either. I mean, you are the Goddess of All Creations. That would be inappropriate and disrespectful.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well then, Lynett or Lyni is fine. That¡¯s how I¡¯m being called among humans.¡± I answered. ¡°Lynett? Sounds like a mascot name.¡± She said bluntly. ¡°D-Don¡¯t say that¡­ I like it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°No need to feel bad about it. Humans were never original when it comes to names.¡± ¡°Is that supposed to cheer me up¡­? Yoko you¡­ I should have called you Naruto or Swiper¡­¡± ¡°Naruto? What does it mean? Is it an insult or something?¡± She asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Not really¡­¡± I muttered. She narrowed her eyes, clearly not believing me. ¡°Anyway¡­ Returning to the main topic, who is the intruder?¡± I asked, immediately changing the subject. ¡°How come you haven¡¯t gotten rid of him yet? If it¡¯s a Low God, it should be easy for you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly the problem¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not a Low God. If he had been one, I would have killed him already.¡± ¡°¡­ You sure don¡¯t do things by half¡­¡± I said, as a forced smile appeared on my face. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I¡¯m not impulsive enough that I would kill a Low God without a reason. As useless as they are, they¡¯re still my colleagues¡¯ creations. I would have given them a warning first, just like I did with you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ So it¡¯s not a Low¡­ A Mid?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Wow¡­ Two Mids? I¡¯m starting to understand better how she ended up blowing half of the forest away. Still, I¡¯m pretty lucky. Who would have thought I¡¯d end up meeting two of my Mid Gods so fast? I wonder which one is it¡­ ¡°I just can¡¯t get rid of him¡­¡± Yoko continued. She marked a pause, and then she looked up at me, her eyes full of blame. ¡°Becausesomebodycreated us to be all on the same level, even if we each have our own specialties, it always ends up in a tie. It¡¯s not like I can prolong the fighting either. Until now, we were lucky, but if this keeps going, there will be human causalities.¡± ¡°Eh? So you do care after all!¡± I exclaimed. She shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I couldn¡¯t care less about them. But I don¡¯t want to have Naia on my back. She doesn¡¯t like it when we kill her beloved humans.¡± Obviously¡­ ¡°So, how are you going to deal with him?¡± I asked. ¡°I won¡¯t. You will.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± A smirk slowly appeared on her face. ¡°Up until now, there was no one above us, so there was no one to judge. Thus, settling disputes between Gods was often a delicate matter and it could last decades, or centuries.¡± She explained. ¡°But now that you¡¯re here, it changes everything. You¡¯re the Creator, he¡¯ll listen to you. One word from you, and he¡¯ll back down. Right,friend?¡± Yoko strongly emphasized on the ¡°friend¡±. She totally expects me to take her side on the matter. Well, if she¡¯s the one who has been invaded, I guess it¡¯s a given. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡± I glanced at her, a little surprised. ¡°What? Now?¡± ¡°I want him out as soon as possible. I can¡¯t stand his presence¡­¡± She grunted. ¡°And don¡¯t worry, in my fox form, it¡¯ll only take fifteen minutes to get to him.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? Well, it¡¯s fine I guess¡­¡± ¡°Hum¡­ Y-Your Holiness¡­?¡± A small voice suddenly called out. Who spoke? Turning my gaze to the direction of the voice, my eyes fell upon the man who brought me here. Yoko¡¯s worshipper. Crap¡­ I had completely forgotten about him. Was he here the whole time? So he heard everything, didn¡¯t he? No, wait¡­ Yoko created confusion with all her attacks, maybe he didn¡¯t hear¡­ ¡°What? You¡¯re still here?¡± Yoko asked with an indolent voice, turning to him. ¡°I thought you had run away. How come you¡¯re still alive?¡± That¡¯s not what you¡¯re supposed to ask, Yoko¡­ The man did not answer. Instead, he simply lowered his head in shame. In order to confirm my suspicion, I tried calling him out. ¡°Hum¡­¡± ¡°Y-YES?!¡± He responded hastily. His body immediately stiffened up as he looked up at me. The eye-contact didn¡¯t even last for a second. As soon as his eyes met mine, he bowed, burying his face in the ground. ¡­ Well, with such a reaction, I guess I can forget about the possibility of him not knowing. No. Even if he didn¡¯t hear anything, he definitely saw me toying around with Yoko, treating her like a pet. Seeing this, even a child would have understood that I was above her. She is supposed to be his Goddess. Of course he¡¯d get intimidated by me after seeing the way I act with her. Damn it¡­ I got careless. I was too focused on Yoko that I completely forgot about his presence. What should I do now? Disposing of the witness? It doesn¡¯t seem like a pertinent choice, the poor guy didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­ Should I ask Yoko to do something about him? No, not a good idea. I¡¯m pretty sure she will just kill him. Threatening him? It is less safe, but I guess that is the only option I have. I stepped forward.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Raise your head.¡± I ordered, trying to be as cold as possible. The man obeyed. He slowly lifted his head up, but he was still unwilling to look at me in the eyes. ¡°How much have you heard?¡± I asked with the same apathetic voice. The man froze. He probably understood that he had heard something he shouldn¡¯t have and that I wasn¡¯t very pleased about that. Still, he didn¡¯t dare to lie. He swallowed. ¡°Y-You are Her Holiness¡¯ Creator a-and the Goddess of A-All Creations¡­¡± Yup. As I thought, he heard too much. I crouched down in front of him and lifted his chin, forcing him to look at me in the eyes. I made sure to show him my most sadistic smile, to make him understand what I was thinking. ¡°Is that so? This is not good. This is supposed to be a secret, you know~?¡± I told him. Yoko suddenly spoke up. ¡°Eh? If you don¡¯t want him to know, why don¡¯t you just kill him?¡± As I thought¡­ Hearing this, the man started shivering. Ignoring Yoko¡¯s remark, I continued. ¡°So¡­ You can¡¯t tell anyone about what you saw or heard today, understood? It will be really troublesome if you started saying unnecessary things¡­ I don¡¯t like troublesome things¡­ You¡­ understand my point, don¡¯t you? You should know that I see everything¡­ I know everything¡­¡± This is embarrassing. I think I have to work on my villain lines. Hearing something like this from a teenage girl can¡¯t possibly be intimidating, yet, for some reasons, it worked. Seeing the sweat droplets on his skin running down his face and his body shivering, I concluded that he had understood. Besides, I highly doubt anyone would believe him even if he started talking. People in this world aren¡¯t aware of my existence¡­ I think¡­ The man quietly nodded. ¡°Can we go now?¡± Yoko asked, the tone in her voice clearly indicating that she was losing patience. ¡°Before that, there is something I want to ask you.¡± I said, returning my attention to her. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone. A man. It¡¯s been a few days he disappeared and his son Axis is looking for him. Since you are the one who knows this forest the best, do you happen to know anything?¡± Yoko stared at me with her squinted eyes for a while, seemingly thinking about something. She then turned her gaze on the man, bowing on the ground, completely stiff. ¡°Hey, Goyle, Roy, Troy, or whatever your name was. Didn¡¯t you say that you had a son named like this too?¡± She asked. Processing what she just said, my eyes slowly fell upon the man on the ground, who was now as rigid as a statue. It can¡¯t be¡­ Him¡­? ¡°It¡¯s Troy, Your Holiness¡­And I-I may have mentioned s-something like this but¡­¡± He tried to speak up, however, his voice fell silent again. ¡­What in the world? He is Axis¡¯ father? But¡­ He seems well and uninjured. How come did he not return to his son? No wait¡­ Is he not Yoko¡¯s worshipper? I turned my gaze to her, with a meaningful look. ¡°I told you already, I did not kidnap anyone,¡± she said, answering my unspoken thought. ¡°I found this one weakened, wandering near my den. Ever since, he wouldn¡¯t stop following me. And since he¡¯s not completely useless, I granted him a little protection against the miasma. End of the story.¡± It doesn¡¯t make any sense. That doesn¡¯t explain why he is still here, on his own will. If she had saved his life, maybe I would¡¯ve understood, but knowing Yoko¡¯s character, I¡¯m pretty sure she simply went on her way, ignoring him. Yet, he¡¯s here. Why would a man leave his family behind in order to follow a Goddess? Unless¡­ Does he want something from her? This is suspicious¡­ ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve found your man.¡± Yoko said with an unenthusiastic voice. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve settled your problem, can we go settle mine?¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± I responded, not turning my gaze away from the man. ¡°But we have to bring him too.¡± Yoko frowned. ¡°What? Why would you want to bring a mortal?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯ve been looking for him. I can¡¯t let him go now that I¡¯ve found him. I might lose him again. Besides, he could run away¡­¡± ¡°Still, it won¡¯t be possible. He¡¯s a mortal. He won¡¯t be able to follow.¡± ¡°Heh?¡± I tilted my head to the side. ¡°I thought you were going to bring us¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with you, but I¡¯m not carrying a mortal.¡± She bluntly said. ¡­ Of course¡­ Here we go again with her Goddess¡¯ pride. I looked at her blankly for a few seconds, making her understand that it was ridiculous. But since she didn¡¯t seem willing to reconsider, I sighed. ¡°Oh well, I guess we can walk then¡­ It¡¯s not like you were in hurry, right?¡± Yoko clenched her teeth as her eyelids twitched. She¡¯s annoyed, clearly understanding that I wasn¡¯t going to back down either. She clicked her tongue. ¡°Fine¡­ But he¡¯s not getting on my back¡­¡± She snorted. Without even waiting for an answer, Yoko started changing. A white glow enveloped her body, and her figure gradually became larger, taking the shape of a giant fox. As the light subsided, she laid her massive body on the ground, and gave me a quick glance. ¡°Get on. And hold tight if you don¡¯t want to fall down on the way.¡± She ordered, with a much hoarser voice. Nodding, I started climbing her shoulder by grabbing her fur. How fluffy! After making sure I was comfortably seated on her back, she got up. She didn¡¯t lie; even though she barely moved, I had to hold tight in order not to fall off. Looking down on the ground, I noticed how high I was. Fortunately, I¡¯m not scared of heights, but it¡¯s still a little unsettling. Yoko then approached Troy, who was shivering in apprehension. ¡°Yoko, be gent-¡° Before I could finish my sentence, she bit the man¡¯s arm, lifting him off the ground. The poor man cried out in pain. What a delicacy¡­ I thought she was going to grab him by his collar or something, like a mother carrying her offspring, but obviously, she seems to lack maternal instinct ¨Cor maybe she simply has something against the man. Without further delay, Yoko set off. The journey did not last very long. To be honest, I was too focused on not falling off to enjoy the scenery. Despite being in a dense forest, she was really fast, which made it harder for me to stay in place. If I had to compare, I¡¯d say she was as fast as a train. If not for the pain of being bounced in all directions, I¡¯m pretty sure Troy would have fainted. After about a quarter of an hour, Yoko finally stopped. She threw off Troy on the ground and bent down, allowing me to get off. The poor man was on his knees, a hand grabbing his chest, throwing up his meal. ¡°Is it here?¡± I asked, inspecting the surroundings. ¡°Yeah, he shouldn¡¯t be far from here. I can feel his presence¡­¡± Yoko responded, as she returned to her human form. We were in a deeper part of the forest. It wasn¡¯t much different from the place we were at just a few moments ago, besides the fact that there was an abnormally high amount of mana leaking everywhere, probably due to the other Mid God. Feeling the mana that wasn¡¯t hers, Yoko clicked her tongue. ¡°That asshole¡­ What is he doing tomyforest?¡± She growled, clearly irritated. ¡°Y-Your Holiness¡­¡± Troy spoke, as he finally managed to pull himself together. ¡°Are we really meeting another divine being?¡± She ignored him. As a puff of wind swept across the forest, I noticed red petals flying among the leaves. ¡°Roses? Here?¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s him¡­¡± Yoko responded with a voice full of anger. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, turning my gaze to her. ¡°This forest did not exist a few decades ago¡±, she explained. ¡°It started to appear once I settled down here, and only grew bigger over the time. The environment simply reacted to my mana. It¡¯s the same with him. His only presence here is starting to change the environment at his convenience. There shouldn¡¯t be any roses here¡­¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? But why roses?¡± ¡°This bastard just has bad taste.¡± Eh? O-Ok¡­ Why not¡­ So basically, the other Mid God is changing Yoko¡¯s forest to his taste, making it his own. I can understand why she is so upset and why she is so desperate in driving him out. No one would appreciate having a stranger barging into their house and changing it to their convenience. But roses? I don¡¯t remember having a Mid God who would want to have roses in-¡­ ¡­ ... Oh no. No, no, no, no, no¡­This is not good. I do remember. I have a very bad feeling about this¡­ It can¡¯t be him¡­ right? There has to be a mistake¡­ I could feel me face paling and cold sweats forming on my forehead. ¡°Lynett, is something wrong?¡± Yoko asked as she saw my expression. I swallowed. ¡°Y-Yoko¡­ Thinking about it¡­ You never clearly told me who the intruder was¡­ Which Mid God is it¡­?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it? It¡¯s Harri, the most annoying guy that I know of. You¡¯ll want to punch him each time he opens his mouth.¡± She answered. ¡­ I knew it¡­ This is terrible¡­ Of all people, it had to be him¡­ ¡°We need to go back¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°WHAT?!¡± Yoko exclaimed. ¡°Why? We came all the way here to kick him out, didn¡¯t we? You said you were going to help me!¡± ¡°I know, but¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was Harri¡­ That changes everything¡­ I can¡¯t meet him¡­¡± Troy, who had stayed silent until now, widened his eyes. ¡°A-Are you not the Goddess of All Creations¡­?¡± He asked with a small voice. ¡°Why would you be so scared of him¡­? Is he that dangerous¡­?¡± I turned my gaze at him. Slowly, I placed my hands on his shoulder, sinking my eyes deep into his, with a serious expression. He stiffened up. ¡°Listen, Troy.¡± I said. ¡°Trust me; you don¡¯t want to meet him either.Heis my most evil creation of all times.Heis so dangerous that you¡¯ll die of a heart attack even before doing anything.Heis not someone we can handle. I created him when I went through the worst period of my life¡­ That¡¯s how bad the situation is.¡± As I explained Troy the situation, his face, distorted in fear, kept getting paler and paler. On the other hand, Yoko rolled her eyes, sighing heavily. ¡°Well, I get what you mean and why you don¡¯t want to meet him, but there is no turning back.¡±She said. ¡°I want him out. If you¡¯re not going to help, you¡¯ll have the death of thousands of innocents on your conscience when I¡¯ll stop holding back while dealing with him myself.¡± Crap¡­ She¡¯s serious. ¡°Ugh¡­ F-Fine¡­¡± Before I could change my mind, Yoko started leading the way, as she had to drag Troy behind, who became unwilling to meet the intruder after hearing my explanations. Slowly, we headed toward the place where Harri¡¯s mana was the strongest. The more we approached, the more I became nervous. The unsettling feeling of apprehension kept growing in my chest. Eventually, we stopped, as the scenery in front of us completely changed. Yoko immediately flinched in horror. I could see the veins forming of her temples as she was biting hard her lower lip. On the other hand, Troy¡¯s fear subsided when I saw the scenery. Instead, he squinted his eyes and wrinkled his nose in disbelief. ¡°This son of a¡­ What the fuck did he do to my forest¡­?!¡± Yoko grunted, angrier than ever. ¡°W-What the hell is wrong with this place¡­?¡± Troy asked, as his brain was unable to comprehend the images his eyes discerned. In front of us, the familiar forest scenery completely disappeared. Instead, there was a vast meadow. My eyes were instantly assaulted by different shade of red and pink colors. Instead of the proud pines, there were blossomed cherry trees standing. Instead of forest floor, covered with leaves and branches, the ground was covered in flower beds. Thousands of roses filled the meadow. Instead of white clouds, there were cotton candy floating in the sky. There were even some unicorns grazing under the cherry trees. I feel like throwing up a rainbow¡­ ¡°Well, well, well. It seems that I have visitors.¡± An unknown voice suddenly called out. Turning in the direction of the voice, I saw him. A man who appeared to be in his late twenties was standing there. He had a structural and muscular body, without being too imposing. He had fair skin and a nice proportioned face. His golden eyes reflected the sunlight and his long, blond hair wassilky smooth and braids ran tidily down his back. He was wearing a royal outfit and a white cape fell from his shoulders. W-Well¡­ I did design him after the Prince Charming¡­ That¡¯s right. This man is my most embarrassing and shameful creation ever. No matter how hard I tried to forget, I never could. The God of Love and Chivalry, Harri¡­ Uuuugh¡­That level of childishness and vacuity is giving me cancer ¨Cagain. Part I Chapter 12 – Territory Issue Chapter 12 ¨C Territory Issue
Lynett
There was a time when I was stupid and na?ve. Back then, I still believed in Prince Charming. I thought that one day, he would come to me, riding a white unicorn, and that he would bring me in a wonderful land. Together, we would be living in a garden filled with roses. Everything would be pink. The sky, the trees, the flowers¡­ Instead of having clouds, there would be cotton candy and the sun would have the shape of a heart. Because it¡¯s much cuter that way. It was a foolish dream I had when I was a child. Of course, it didn¡¯t last long, and I tried to forget about it. I put it all behind me and never thought about it again. And yet¡­ Right now, I¡¯m living a nightmare. Everything that I tried to forget, every single detail of that embarrassing childish fantasy I had, it¡¯s all here, right in front of me. I want to kill myself¡­ I want to dig a hole and hide myself in it forever¡­ ¡°Welcome to my humble place, dear guests~!¡± Harri said, doing a reverence. ¡°To what do I owe the honor of this illustrious visit?¡± ¡°Mother fucking asshole¡­¡± Yoko growled. ¡°Yourplace?¡± Ignoring her obvious bad mood, Harri turned to Yoko, as a friendly smile appeared on his face ¨Cnot sure if it was genuine or if it was just to piss her off. ¡°Yoko, darling~, miss me already? It hasn¡¯t been that long since we last saw each other, I didn¡¯t expect to see your beautiful face again so soon! You even brought friends with you this time!¡± He turned his gaze to Troy, who was still staring blankly at the unbelievable scenery in front of him, his mouth wide open. ¡°A new lover again?¡± Harri asked, shaking his head in disapproval. ¡°Yoko, sweetheart, I already told you shouldn¡¯t do that. Love is something between only two people. It may take several billions of people to complete the world, but it only takes one to complete your love.¡± Oh dear¡­ Please, someone make him stop talking. Yoko didn¡¯t lie; he barely said anything, yet, I already want to punch him. When Harri finally noticed me, he widened his eyes. He stared at me for a while, turned his gaze to Yoko, and then to me again. A small grin appeared on his face. ¡°He~! Yoko, darling, did you have a hidden daughter? With a mortal? The others are going to lose their minds once they learn about this! You know that I always support love, no matter its nature, but the rules are the rules, you know? So, how about we come into an arrangement? I don¡¯t mind sharing this territory, but clearly, you don¡¯t think the same. So you leave me alone, and I keep my mouth shut about your secret affairs. Deal?¡± A forced smile appeared on Yoko¡¯s face. ¡°I think you misunderstood something, asshole. I didn¡¯t come here to negotiate; I came here to kick your ass out ofmyterritory. Besides, you have nothing to threaten me with. She¡¯s not my daughter.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Harri sighed in disappointment. He turned to me one more time, as a huge smile stretched on his lips. Overdoing with his movements, he put one knee on the floor in front of me and grabbed my hand, before kissing its back. Oh gods¡­ ¡°My deepest apologizes for my rudeness, young lady,¡± he said. ¡°Since your divine aura is so faint, I automatically assumed that you wouldn¡¯t be one of us, or at least, not entirely.¡± He brought his hand to his forehead, simulating a headache. ¡°Ah~! But your beauty is so blinding! If the Creator exists, then you must be his best creation! If beauty was a time, then you¡¯d be Eternity! I don¡¯t think I ever need to see the sun again, since your eyes already light up my world!" ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t handle him¡­ He is too much for me¡­ Someone please make him shut up with his stupid love lines. I can¡¯t believe I once thought that it was romantic¡­ It¡¯s just lame¡­ ¡°Keep it in your pants, Love-boy. That¡¯s our Mother you¡¯re talking about.¡± Yoko bluntly said, with a disgusted expression on her face. Harri turned his gaze on her, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Mother?¡± He repeated. ¡°That¡¯s right. Her name is Aileen, she¡¯s the Creator, the Goddess of All Creation, and our Parent.¡± She explained with a dull voice. Clearly not believing what he just heard, Harri started to inspect me from head to toes with his squinted eyes. After a while, a weak smile played on his lips as he moved to Yoko¡¯s side. He rested his arm on her shoulder and whispered something into her ear. ¡°Have you finally gone insane, Yoko? That¡¯s a child, no matter how you see it. Even if she is not a mortal, her aura is weaker than a Low God¡¯s. Besides, weren¡¯t you the one who said that such a thing as the ¡®Creator¡¯ didn¡¯t exist?¡± Yoko immediately responded by hitting him in the stomach with her elbow, forcing him to step back. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, you bastard.¡± She coldly grunted. ¡°Ha¡­ Ha¡­Such a violent woman¡­¡± Harri said, grabbing his sides. ¡°Mean girls are lonely girls, you know? At this rate, you¡¯ll never find love, sweetie! No man on this world will accept a woman like you, with such a bad character¡­¡± Yoko clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed by his remark. ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m looking for love, asshole? Who the hell do you think I am? I¡¯m the Goddess of Lust, I make all men crawl at my feet. Why would I want one of your shitty romances?¡± ¡°All men, huh? I don¡¯t remember ever crawling at your feet, minx.¡± Harri said, as a forced smile appeared on his face. ¡°And since when do you count as a man, pussy? Have you seen the place you¡¯re living in? There is nothing more girly than this.¡± She responded, with a wicked grin. W-Wow¡­ The clash is strong. Those two really can¡¯t stand each other. Thinking about it, it actually makes sense. He is the God of Love while she is the Goddess of Lust. They kind of are natural enemies. I should have made them a couple, it would have been quite hilarious¡­ ¡°So, you¡¯re here because of the territory issue again?¡± Harri asked, returning to the main topic. ¡°What are you planning to do? Do you want to fight again? You should know it¡¯s useless, there will be no winner. The only thing you¡¯ll do is destroying your forest even more.¡± ¡°If that can make you leave, I don¡¯t care. Actually, I¡¯d rather burn the whole place instead of letting you transform my forest into¡­ this¡­¡± Yoko answered, clenching her teeth. ¡°Do you not like? Lovely, isn¡¯t it?¡± He responded with a proud smile, clearly provoking her. ¡°Horrible. It looks like hell.¡± I couldn¡¯t agree any more. If she goes rampage and wants to destroy everything, I won¡¯t stop her. Actually, I¡¯d be grateful if she did. This place should have never existed in the first place. Harri sighed. ¡°So you really came here to fight¡­¡± ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t.¡± She contradicted. He furrowed his forehead. ¡°You didn¡¯t? Then how are you planning to settle this? That¡¯s not like you to be diplomatic¡­¡± Yoko pointed at me with her finger. ¡°She decides.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Following the direction of her finger, Harri¡¯s eyes widened for a few seconds as he saw me. Then, he returned his gaze to Yoko, narrowing his eyes and furrowing his forehead. ¡°You want to let the child decides the final outcome of our conflict? Why would we¡­ Wait. Were you being serious when you said that she was the Creator?¡± ¡°Of course I was, you should know that I don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°I do know that but¡­¡± He marked a pause, turning his gaze on me. ¡°But a child¡­ I can accept the fact that there is someone above us all, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never thought about it before. It¡¯s just that I imagined the Creator to be a little¡­different. You know? Someone older, with maybe a white beard and a couple of wrinkles on their face¡­¡± So he thought I was an old sage. Well, that makes sense. If someone was to create a whole world by himself, most people would think of him as a wise elder instead of a teenage girl, I guess. Harri shook his head. ¡°Sorry Yoko, I can¡¯t accept this. We can¡¯t let a random child decide the outcome of this conflict. At least, give me some substantial proof about her identity. You can¡¯t really expect me to believe that this lovely little girl is the Creator just like that, right?¡± Yoko sighed heavily before turning to me. ¡°He¡¯s all yours¡­¡± The God of Love returned his attention to me, understanding that I will be the one to prove my own identity. An appealing smile appeared on his handsome face. I don¡¯t know why, but I really can¡¯t stand his Prince Charming aura. I want to punch him¡­ As he was about to say something, I spoke first. ¡°You have a birthmark in shape of a heart on your butt¡­¡± I simply said. Harri¡¯s smile immediately disappeared, as his eyes widened. Clearly, he did not expect me to blurt out something like that. Without saying anything, he just looked blankly at me, blinking. The awkward exchange of stares only lasted for a few second though, as a sudden laughter broke the silence. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHA! A heart? HAHAHAHA! That¡¯s so lame! Suits you, Love-boy!¡± Harri¡¯s face instantly reddened, as he turned to Yoko. ¡°Silence, minx! Don¡¯t listen to her, that¡¯s not true!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°It is true¡­¡± I said, with a dull voice. ¡°Additionally, the reasons why you only have roses in your garden is because you¡¯re allergic to most flowers.¡± ¡°HAHAHAHA! That¡¯s so ridiculous! I¡¯msoootelling everyone about this!¡± Giving up in denying anything, Harri placed his hand across his face, let out a loud sigh. ¡°Fine¡­ That¡¯s my bad¡­ I should have believed in it sooner¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°Heh? You¡¯re pretty fast in accepting this, aren¡¯t you? I can tell you a couple of other things, you know?¡± I said. ¡°No need, what you¡¯ve said is enough. Unlike Yoko, I always believed that there was someone above us so it¡¯s not that hard to accept¡­ It¡¯s just that your appearance is¡­ unexpected. Besides, if Yoko says it herself, then I have even less reasons to doubt it.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Harri grabbed his neck, trying to cope with the situation. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, and then he turned his attention back at me, displaying his most charming smile. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t exactly blame me, right?¡± He said. ¡°No one would ever guess that such a lovely girl as you is the Creator! For a few seconds, I thought the heavens fell down! Turns out it was just because they lost their most beautiful angel!¡± Oh no, here he goes again with his stupid love lines. P-Please stop¡­ I can¡¯t¡­ This is so cringe worthy¡­ Ignoring my silent wish, he continued. ¡°Where do you hide your wings? Is it the sunset that I¡¯m seeing, or is it just your eyes? Want to know what I¡¯m wearing right now? The smile that you gave me!¡± ¡­ Well technically he¡¯s not wrong, but I wish he wouldn¡¯t put it that way. ¡°So you created me?¡± He asked with the same silly smile. ¡°N¡­No¡­¡± I muttered, as I could feel my body trembling in frustration. ¡°No?¡± Harri repeated, raising an eyebrow. ¡°NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! That¡¯s wrong! I wasn¡¯t the one who created you! I refuse!!¡± I snapped. It was just too much for me, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Grabbing my head, I strongly tried to convince myself that I wasn¡¯t the one who created all this. This place, this man¡­ None of it was my doing. None. Absolutely none. If I could turn back time, the first thing I would do is to punch myself. Then, I would burn every sheet in my room, erasing all evidences of his existence. ¡°Congratulations, Love-boy. Your silliness managed to drive the Creator insane,¡± Yoko said with a mocking tone. ¡°E-Eh? But¡­ I was just complimenting her¡­?¡± Harri responded, confused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± I glared at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you said¡­? EVERYTHING! Everything is wrong! This place, your face, your character, your WHOLE EXISTENCE! None of it should exist! It was just a big mistake! Beginning with your name¡­!¡± I exclaimed, as I pointed him. ¡°M-My name? Is something wrong with my name?¡± He asked, even more confused. ¡°YES! There is a spelling mistake in it! You were named after my first crush, his name was Harry! HARRY! It¡¯s not written with an I but with a Y!!¡± Taken aback by my sudden tantrum, Harri blinked at me several times while Yoko giggled, amused by the turn of the events. ¡°W-Well, it¡¯s not that bad, right?¡± He tried to reason me. ¡°Everyone makes mistakes, it can¡¯t be helped! We can¡¯t erase the past, so we just have to accept it!¡± Hearing him, I couldn¡¯t help but twitch a little. Accept this, he said? Haha¡­ I clenched my fists, ready to take out my anger on him at any moments, but in the end, I didn¡¯t. I took a deep breath, regaining my composure, and let out a loud sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ We can¡¯t erase our past mistakes¡­ But at least we can fix them.¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Harri blinked a few time, trying to process what I just said. ¡°You don¡¯t mean to¡­¡± I stepped forward, placed my hands on his shoulders and looked at him with a serious expression. ¡°Sorry, Harri, but I need you to disappear. My bad, your existence was a mistake.¡± His eyes widened. ¡°Hum¡­ Creator? Y-You¡­ You want to erase me¡­?¡± ¡°Oooooh? Well that is terrible~!¡± Yoko suddenly spoke with an evil grin on her face, clearly enjoying the situation. ¡°N-No wait! You should think about this carefully! You are clearly confused right now! Erasing a Mid God is not exactly the wisest idea! It will disrupt the balance of the world!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself, Love-boy¡± Yoko said. ¡°You don¡¯t havethat muchinfluence.¡± Harri glared at her. ¡°What in the world have you done to her? She clearly has something against me! Did you turn the Creator against me just because of a territory issue?¡± She shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. I intended to, but obviously, it wasn¡¯t necessary~! It seems that your existence is the problem!¡± Disoriented, Harri squinted his eyes and slightly tilted his head to the side. He was probably trying to figure out what the problem was, as he nervously glanced at me. Ah, this puppy face¡­He really has no idea, does he? Well, thinking about it, it¡¯s not really his fault. He didn¡¯t ask to be silly like this, I made him this way. I¡¯m the culprit and he is innocent. Worse, he is a victim. Having calmed down ¨Csomehow- I let out a loud sigh. ¡°Well, maybe I won¡¯t erase you¡­¡± I muttered. A sudden expression of relief appeared on Harri¡¯s face, while Yoko clicked her tongue, disappointed. ¡°Is that so? Too bad¡­¡± She mumbled, loud enough for us to hear. Harri glared at her, but she ignored it. ¡°So, returning to the territory issue, what do we do?¡± She asked. Both of them turned their gaze on me, their eyes full of expectations. Without uttering a world, they were clearly waiting for my final decision. ¡°She wins.¡± I simply said, pointing at Yoko with my finger, as a huge grin appeared on her face. ¡°¡­ What an obviously biased judgment¡­ Oh, well¡­ There is no point in arguing with the Creator, especially after that.¡± Harri said, with a defeated voice. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave your forest, Yoko. Still, visit me sometimes! I hope we¡¯ll become good neighbors!¡± He added, turning to the Goddess. ¡°¡­ Neighbors?¡± Yoko and I repeated at the same time. ¡°Yes, neighbors. I¡¯ll just settle to the other side of the city. That will make us neighbors, right?¡± Harri explained with a bright smile. This man¡­ He never intended to leave, did he? ¡°¡­ Are you fucking kidding me?¡± Yoko grunted, as the veins in her temples started to pop out. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t right? You never leave your forest, so it¡¯s not like it can be considered part of your territory.¡± ¡°Of course it is, you idiot.¡± ¡°You know, I have troubles understanding you, Yoko.¡± Harri sighed, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯ve avoided humans¡¯ territories for so long and suddenly, you decide to settle down next to a human city. Here, humans worship Naia. If anyone¡¯s, then this city should be considered part of her territory, but since she¡¯s not here, it¡¯s a neutral land.¡± ¡°It stopped being a neutral land once I moved here, eleven years ago.¡± She responded with a firm voice. Harri shrugged. ¡°Just because you lived here for a few years, it doesn¡¯t mean that you have enough influence to make this city yours. Except for your forest, this land is still a neutral territory. So you can¡¯t really stop me if I want to stay.¡± ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t stay. Are you stupid? You know we can¡¯t have two deities staying at the same place.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the miasma you¡¯re worried about, I¡¯ll just suppress my aura; there shouldn¡¯t be any problem then, right?¡± As Yoko heard this, even if she seemed cool-headed, her ears kept twitching. She was clearly irritated. Harri had absolutely no intention to leave, she understood that, and now, she didn¡¯t have any good reasons to drive him out either. ¡°You are one annoying bastard, you know that?¡± Yoko muttered, as a forced smile played on her lips. ¡°I know, I return you the compliment, sweetie!¡± Harri responded, with a provoking grin. So, in the end, we¡¯re back to square one. I came here for nothing. They still intend to fight over this land. I don¡¯t get it. It¡¯s just one place, isn¡¯t it? The world is wide enough for them to find another territory, so why are they being so stubborn to stay here? Is there something special here? Oh well, whatever. I¡¯m definitely not going to let them do whatever they want. ¡°Guys, you know what? I have an idea.¡± I exclaimed, as they both turned to me, raising an eyebrow. ¡°This place is my territory now. End of the story.¡± Their eyes and their mouth wide opened, they blankly stared at me. Ah¡­! Silence again, finally! Part I Chapter 13 – Unusual Trio Chapter 13 ¨C Unusual Trio
Lynett
¡°Y-You traitor!¡± Ah¡­ I want to go home already. Why do I have to resolve the disputes of two Gods who are a thousand times older than me? I feel like a mother who has to put an end to a siblings¡¯ fight¡­ which is not entirely false actually. But seriously.Are those two really partially responsible of the World¡¯s management? I hope all my Gods aren¡¯t like this. Well, if they were, I¡¯m pretty sure the world would have ended already. ¡°I asked for your help to retrieve my territory!¡± Yoko exclaimed. ¡°Who the hell told you to steal it from me?!¡± I sighed. ¡°You guys don¡¯t leave me the choice¡­ If I don¡¯t do something, this ridiculous fight will last for a while. You have drawn enough attention on yourselves like this, lately. If this keeps going, humans will retaliate.¡± Yoko shrugged. ¡°So what? I can deal with a few thousands of humans, you don¡¯t have to worry about that!¡± ¡°¡­ Yoko¡­ It¡¯s not for your safety that I¡¯m worried about.¡± She squinted her eyes before pinching her nose bridge, letting out a loud sigh. ¡°First Naia, and now you too¡­ Seriously, what¡¯s so special about them? Why do you guys want to protect humans so much?¡± She grunted. ¡°Well that was unexpected¡­!¡± Harri sneered. ¡°I guess that means we have to leave?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Not really. You know, I don¡¯t really care about all these territory issues and rules. To be honest, I have absolutely no interest in this land, but I can¡¯t let you sow panic either. So now this place is mine. You can stay aslong as you want, but no fights allowed. My territory, my rules. If you have something to say, go ahead, we¡¯ll settle this right now.¡± Harri chuckled. ¡°Haha, no way. That¡¯s fine by me! I¡¯m not crazy enough to challenge the Creator in a duel! Besides, I¡¯m a gentleman! I don¡¯t fight ladies!¡± ¡­What about Yoko, then? Is she not a woman too? ¡°This one doesn¡¯t count, it¡¯s a fox.¡± He added, answering my unspoken thoughts. ¡°How did it come to this¡­¡± Yoko complained, placing her hand across her face. ¡°I lost my territory and now I¡¯ll have to cope with this idiot everyday.¡± ¡°Sorry about that.¡± I responded. ¡°So I¡¯m guessing that you¡¯re fine with it?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± She retorted. ¡°But it¡¯s not like if I had the choice, do I? The idiot over there is fine, I can handle him, but I¡¯m not fighting the top dog. I don¡¯t want to be treated like a pet again¡­¡± Oh. Her pride must have taken a real blow back then. Sorry, I won¡¯t do it again¡­probably. ¡°But why are you guys sodetermined to stay here?¡± I asked, changing the subject. ¡°The two of you obviously can¡¯t stand each other, yet none of you is willing to leave. I doubt this is just about pride. Is there something special here? Don¡¯t Gods live isolated?¡± ¡°That depends on our personality.¡± Harri started to explain. ¡°Take Naia for example, she is pretty fond of humans. She is living among them. On the other hand, there are those of us who are much less sociable, like the minx. Yoko is reclusive. She prefers seclusion and avoids humans¡¯ territory¡­ usually.¡± Is that so? Then what is she doing here? I turned my gaze to Yoko, furrowing my forehead. ¡°If you hate humans so much, how come you¡¯ve settled here?¡± She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not that I hate them, it¡¯s just that I think they¡¯re stupid and I¡¯d rather not get myself involved with them. But well, I like it here. A few humans aren¡¯t enough to make me leave.¡± ¡°Yeah, I understood that. But why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just following my guts. I felt like staying here, so I¡¯m staying here.¡± She answered lazily. ¡­Huh? What an useless answer. So she has no good reasons to stay? It doesn¡¯t seem right. She was ready to fight an army of humans and to destroy the forest for¡­ nothing? ¡°Actually, it¡¯s the same for me too.¡± Harri suddenly spoke up, with a nonchalant smile.¡±It¡¯s hard to explain, but from our point of view, there is something really attractive around here. The aura, maybe? In any cases, it makes this place a first-class territory for a God, even if it¡¯s so close to a human city.¡± Yoko sighed, crossing her arms in front of her. ¡°It¡¯s the mana. This place is filled with mana and it only gets stronger over time. Mortals don¡¯t care about that, I even doubt that they noticed it, but for us, divine beings, mana is like essence. It¡¯s not just us actually. Any beings with a high affinity to magic like dragons or demons will be naturally drawn to places with a high amount of mana.¡± ¡°D-Dragons¡­?¡± I repeated, widening my eyes. ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen a dragon around here.¡± ¡°Of course not. What do you think my miasma is for? It¡¯s a warning. It prevents any magical beasts to get close to this area.¡± Oh¡­ So if it wasn¡¯t for her, the city would have been attacked long ago. In the end, she has a pretty good heart and she is not that irresponsible! ¡­This is what I would like to say, but knowing her personality, she probably did it for herself, so that she won¡¯t be bothered by any intruders. It wasn¡¯t enough to stop Harri from coming, though. ¡°But if you¡¯re staying here because of the mana, do you know why it¡¯s like this?¡± I asked, returning to the main topic. ¡°I don¡¯t. It started a few years ago, just a little before I arrived. I¡¯m not sure what caused this, but I don¡¯t really care. It¡¯s only beneficial for me after all.¡± So that¡¯s why they were both so stubborn to stay here. Uhm¡­? Something isn¡¯t right. It started around the same time she got here? She did say she was here for eleven years, right? What a timing... I arrived in this city twelve years ago. Coincidence? I don¡¯t think so. Is it me? Could it be my fault? Did I do something again without noticing it¡­? I remember now. Yoko said that by their presence alone, Gods could change their environment. She changed the valley into a forest, and Harri changed the forest into a meadow. And if both of their territory shared something in common, it¡¯s the fact that they were infused with their mana. ¡­ That¡¯s totally my fault. Just by being here, I transformed this place into a Gods magnet. No, actually, I am the Gods magnet. I am the reason this conflict started in the first place. I must be cursed. Wherever I go, problems follow. I think I deserve a new title. [The Troublemaker], that would fit perfectly. Wait, does this mean I¡¯ll never have a peaceful life? That¡¯s terrible¡­ Can I cry now? ¡°If you weren¡¯t so unwilling to share, we wouldn¡¯t have that much problems!¡± Harri exclaimed, glaring at Yoko. ¡°No way. First-come, first-served. I was here first.¡± She grunted. ¡°Actually, I was here first¡­¡± I said with a small voice. As they both turned to me, raising an eyebrow, I continued. ¡°You see, I moved here twelve years ago. And I think I¡¯m probably the reason why the surroundings started to change¡­¡± Yoko and Harri widened their eyes at my sudden revelation, glancing at each other. After staying silent for a while, Yoko spoke up. ¡°¡­ So this territory was yours from the beginning? Ah¡­ Now I can¡¯t even complain anymore.¡± She muttered, with a defeated look on her face. ¡°Still, that would explain a lot. You¡¯re the Creator after all. But¡­ Do you not know how to restrain yourself? I thought you wanted to hide. Why would you emit so much mana? It¡¯s just like if you were sending invitations to any strong beings.¡± Rubbing the back of my neck, a wry smile appeared on my face. ¡°Well, I actually thought I was doing a pretty good job at controlling my mana¡­ until now.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re doing it unconsciously? You¡¯re really weird.¡± Yoko bluntly said, her eyes squinted. ¡°Thanks¡­ I hadn''t noticed.¡± I hate the Gods. It must be fate. No matter which world is it, I just can¡¯t seem to live as a normal girl. Well, I guess it was to be expected. Being reborn as the protagonist of my own story, there was no way I could lead a carefree life. As my eyes drifted to the horizon, I noticed the sun falling behind and the darkness slowly taking over the sky. ¡°It¡¯s getting late¡­ I should probably go home.¡± I muttered. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go!¡± Yoko and Harri both exclaimed. Tilting my head to the side, I looked at them, my eyes tight and worried. ¡°Uhm¡­ You¡¯re coming?¡± I asked, my voice full of apprehension. ¡°Of course I am. I¡¯m your friend, remember?¡± Yoko responded, as if it was obvious. What? What does this have to do with that? No wait¡­ What exactly is her conception of ¡°being friends¡± to begin with? She probably misunderstood something. Oh, well, it doesn¡¯t really matter. But what about Harri? I slowly turned to him, narrowing my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a gentleman¡¯s duty to escort the lady back home!¡± He said, as he probably guessed my thoughts. Ah¡­ Of course. That was to be expected. Whatever, I don¡¯t care anymore. I guess it¡¯s fine if they come, it¡¯s not like if I could stop them but¡­ I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a good idea to bring two Gods in the town, especially considering their lack of common sense. Will it be fine? I can¡¯t help but be a little worried. As we were getting ready to go back, Harri suddenly spoke up. ¡°Yoko, sweetheart?¡± ¡°What?¡± Yoko growled, clenching her teeth. ¡°And aren¡¯t you going to stop with those cheesy nicknames? It¡¯s giving me goose bumps...¡± ¡°You forgot your mortal.¡± He said with a mocking grin, pointing at Troy. ¡°Ah!¡± Yoko and I both exclaimed at the same time. ¡­ Man¡­ This guy has absolutely no presence at all. Even though he was the main reason ¨Cwell, second main reason- why I came here, I keep forgetting about him. Please, manifest yourself. But well, I can¡¯t really blame him. No one would really stand out when standing alongside two Gods ¨Cthree if you include me. Seeing Troy, still confused about the whole situation, Yoko let out an exasperated sigh. On the other hand, Harri just smiled. He brought two fingers to his mouth and gave a soft blow, letting out a long whistle. A few seconds later, one of the unicorns that were grazing a little further approached. Its curly mane had a pinkish color and its big eyes were framed by long lashes. I-I¡¯m at loss for words¡­ It totally looks like Barbie¡¯s horse, except that it has a horn. Harri mounted the unicorn with ease, and then, a broad smile appeared on his face as he extended his hand in front of me.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He¡¯s not¡­ expecting me to ride with him, right? No, no, no, absolutely not. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯d rather go with Yoko¡­¡± I muttered, as I awkwardly averted my eyes. ¡°Heh?!¡± Harri exclaimed, clearly surprised by my refusal. ¡°But it¡¯s a gentleman¡¯s duty to escort the Lady! Besides, riding this stupid fox can¡¯t possibly be comfortable! She is as delicate as a dragon!¡± Well, he isn¡¯t wrong, but I am still not riding with him. I¡¯m not playing the princess sitting behind the Prince charming. Besides, I like Yoko¡¯s fluffy fur. ¡°If you want to escort a lady that much, just go with him.¡± Yoko bluntly said, annoyed by his remark, as she turned her gaze to Troy. ¡°I¡¯m not carrying him again. He¡¯s such a crybaby¡­¡± Seeing that I had no intention to change my mind, Harri let out a disappointed sigh. Riding a unicorn together with another man is probably not his ideal romantic journey. He looked at Troy, who was now as stiff as a stick, and then he sighed again. Poor Troy¡­ Even though he didn¡¯t ask to be here, no one wants to go with him. Wait, isn¡¯t it my fault? Oh, well¡­ Since we weren¡¯t leaving them the choice, Troy had to go with Harri. None of them were really happy about that and they spent the way home in silence. Me? I went with Yoko. Since it wasn¡¯t the first time that I rode her in her fox form, it wasn¡¯t as intense as before, but I still had to be careful in order not to fall off. I think she isn¡¯t used to give a ride to others, since she tends to forget that I¡¯m up there and runs as she pleases. I thought Harri and Troy would fall behind, but surprisingly, the unicorn was able to keep pace with Yoko. Well, it is a magical beast after all. We arrived at the city within thirty minutes. We stopped at one kilometer from the gates to avoid creating panic. It¡¯s not every day that you could see a Nine-Tailed fox and a unicorn after all. After dismounting it, Harri sent the unicorn back to the forest, while Yoko returned into her human form. I explained them that we needed to keep a low profile and not attract unnecessary attention. When I asked Yoko to hide her tails and her ears, she immediately threw a tantrum. I already knew that her tails were her pride, but it¡¯s not like if I asked her to cut them off, right? In the end, we came into an agreement: she could keep the ears, and one tail. At least, this way, she would pass as a demi-human. My plan was perfect. We will easily go unnoticed¡­ or so I thought. I¡¯m so stupid. There was no way we could blend in. As soon as we arrived at the gates, I felt everyone¡¯s gaze turning in our direction. For a moment, absolutely every single person there stopped what they were doing and stared at us, their eyes and their mouth wide open. That was to be expected. Thinking logically, they were two reasons why we attracted so much attention. The first reason is Yoko. Even without her nine tails, she still appears as a demi-human to the others. In the capital, where rich households abounded, demi-humans slaves weren¡¯t that rare. However, since Yoko didn¡¯t wear a collar, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t a slave but a free woman. And a demi-human walking freely around, that was uncommon. The second reason is our appearance. Because of my inhuman appearance and my golden eyes, I¡¯m used to attract a lot of attention. Eventually, I stopped caring, since at least, the others would try to be discrete when peeking at me. However, this time, since it wasn¡¯t only me, they didn¡¯t even bother to hide their surprise. There were also Yoko and Harri. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, they would both appear as absolutely perfect, without any flaws. No matter how you would see it, we were definitely an unusual trio ¨Cwell, quartet if you count Troy, but because of us, no one noticed his presence. Feeling so many gazes on me made me uncomfortable, but Yoko and Harri paid absolutely no mind to it. They just headed to the entrance, as I followed them from behind. When he saw us approaching, the gate guard quickly regained his professionalism. It was the same guard that allowed me out. ¡°Already back?¡± He said, as an awkward smile played on his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve brought friends with you this time! Then it will be one silver coin per person.¡± Hearing this, Yoko immediately clicked her tongue. ¡°You want to makeuspay? You should be honored thatwedecided to visit your damn city, yet you wantusto pay?¡± Feeling her hostility, the guard¡¯s smile disappeared. As he was about to reprimand her, I stepped forward. ¡°Sorry, she¡¯s a foreigner, she doesn¡¯t know about the rules.¡± The guard let out a comprehensive sigh. I glared at Yoko, whispering in her ear. ¡°Are you seriously trying to pick a fight with a human? What is it that you don¡¯t understand when I say that we need to keep a low profile?¡± Without answering anything, she just rolled her eyes and clenched her teeth, clearly frustrated. Turning back to the guard, I apologized one more time. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it happens!¡± He said. ¡°So, it¡¯s just the three of you, right? That will be three silver coins.¡± ¡°We¡¯re four,¡± I corrected, as I handed him four silver coins. ¡°Is that so? Sorry, I hadn¡¯t noticed¡­¡± Poor Troy¡­ Everyone forgets about him. As we made our way through the city, the intense gazes in our direction did not subside. Quite the opposite, actually. Since they were more people inside than outside the gates, there weremore eyes to stare at us. Moreover, the citizens were always eager to have something interesting to see, be it a brawl or a magic display. Since I wanted to avoid attracting the attention of influential people, I quickly headed to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild where Axis would be waiting, as the others followed nonchalantly. Entering the building, once again, everybody froze as they noticed us. Trying to pay no attention to it, I lead the group to the left, to a vacant table, situated in a remote corner. As we sat, the loud atmosphere of the Guild slowly came back and everyone returned to their occupation. ¡°So, what are we doing here?¡± Harri asked, inspecting the room. ¡°I told Axis to wait for me here, so if he went somewhere, he should be back soon.¡± I answered. ¡°Uhm¡­ Did Axis really ask you to come to find me?¡± Troy finally asked, after staying silent for so long. ¡°Yeah, who else?¡± Troy lowered his gaze, as he let out a loud sigh. ¡°This boy¡­ He really is stubborn. I told him not to.¡± So he really went to the forest on his own¡­ I wonder if Axis know about this, or if he simply misunderstood something? Either way, this guy clearly had something in mind. But well, that¡¯s not my business. I only came here to complete a request, nothing more. ¡°Look who is already back!¡± An unknown voice suddenly exclaimed. Turning in the direction of the voice, I noticed a man wearing a leather armor standing. It was one of the adventurers of the party to which Axis had asked for help, sooner. ¡°Are you already done chasing the monster of the Pine Forest?¡± He asked with a wry smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t get eaten?¡± Uhm. Typical. Since he was clearly trying to provoke me, I decided to ignore him. ¡°Monster? Who the heck dares to call my majestic form a monster?¡± Yoko quietly grunted. She had kept a low voice, so the adventurer did not understood what she had just said. However, it was loud enough for him to turn his attention to her. As he saw her, he widened his eyes, probably surprised in seeing a demi-human. Then, he started stroking his chin, inspecting her. After a while, a grin suddenly stretched in his lips. Oh no¡­ I know this face. ¡°Hey, mister!¡± The adventurer said, turning to Harri. ¡°Is she your slave? How much to borrow her for the night?¡± Ah¡­ I knew it. This definitely deserves a double-facepalm. I can¡¯t blame him for misunderstanding the situation though. I mean, Harri was wearing a royal jacket with an extravagant cape. From an outsiders¡¯ perspective, he would definitely look like a young noble from some powerful household, while Yoko, a demi-human staying at his side, would appear to be his slave. But still, he had to say it in front of her¡­ Giving a quick glance at Yoko, as I thought, her veins were popping out and a forced smile appeared on her face. ¡°Haha¡­ Did this lowly human just callmea slave? And Harri¡¯s one on top of that? Haha¡­ I think some heads are going to roll¡­¡± ¡°You want her?¡± Harri asked casually, ignoring Yoko. ¡°You must not value your life very much. Well, go ahead if you want her, she¡¯s not mine anyway. Good luck. If you¡¯re lucky, maybe you¡¯ll manage to stay alive.¡± For a few seconds, the adventurer furrowed his forehead, not understanding what he meant by that. But his confusion quickly subsided as he had obtained themaster¡¯s permission to play with his slave. On the other hand, Yoko stood up, as her lips lifted upward, showing off a broad smile. This is the smile of a child who is given a new toy, just before destroying it. Uhm¡­ I am not sure what I should do. Stopping Yoko from doing something really bad? Probably. But somehow, I don¡¯t want to. I can¡¯t help but feel absolutely no pity toward this kind of men, who use their money and power to force themselves on women, especially since theidiot noble tried to get my mother. But well, no matter how much of a douche he is, I don¡¯t think he deserves to be tormented by Yoko. ¡°Does she look like a slave to you?¡± As he heard me, the adventurer turned his gaze in my direction, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s up kiddo, you jealous? I¡¯m usually not into kids, but I can do an exception for you! Want to join?¡± He asked, with a wry smile. Uhm, as I thought, I might as well let Yoko do whatever she wants with him. ¡°Besides, slave or not, if the lady doesn¡¯t mind, then there is no problem, right?¡± He added. ¡°Sure~! I don¡¯t mind playing with you!¡± Yoko happily exclaimed. ¡°Yoko, low profile.¡± I reminded her, as I grabbed her hand. She glared at me for a few seconds, before letting out a frustrated sigh. Then, she sat again before crossing her arms in front of her, sulking. ¡°Fine¡­ Whatever. You and your rules. You never know when to have fun, do you?¡± ¡°You heard her, no playing tonight.¡± I said, returning my attention to the adventurer. His smile disappeared as he tightened his jaw, pulling his eyebrows down together. ¡°Young lady,¡± he spoke, as his expression turned sour, ¡°I don¡¯t know which family you are from, but even as a noble, you shouldn¡¯t meddle in other people¡¯s business. It will only get you in troubles, you know? No matter how powerful they may be, your people won¡¯t always be here to back you up.¡± Well, he is not wrong, but Yoko¡¯s problems are my problems too, especially since I was the one who brought her here. Besides, I am not saving her, I am saving him. I don¡¯t want his death on my conscience¡­ And it is not like I planned to run to the Whitehearts if things went wrong either. Seeing the bland expression on my face probably annoyed him, as the adventurer turned to Harri. ¡°Mister, you should teach your sister some manners.¡± He grunted. ¡°You, nobles, sure have it easy. Playing adventurers when you¡¯re bored and meddling in others¡¯ business as you please. Don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡± Haha¡­ Says the guy who clearly came here, picking a fight. ¡°Sister?¡± Harri repeated, seemingly as unconcerned as before about the situation. ¡°This young girl isn¡¯t my sister. More like my mother, actually.¡± He said this so naturally that the adventurer¡¯s face distorted in incomprehension. He didn¡¯t get the joke ¨Cwell, because there weren¡¯t any. He tried to study Harri¡¯s expression for a while, then he turned his gaze on me, and then on Yoko. However, none of us were laughing. Instead, we just looked at him with a bored expression. ¡°Bunch of crazy nobles¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°You won¡¯t feel so smug the day that arrogant attitude of yours will get you into troubles.¡± Unwilling to pursue this meaningless dispute any longer, he left, giving us contemptuous glares. Still, I am glad he didn¡¯t push it any further. Had we not been nobles, I am pretty sure it would have ended into a brawl. Having two mid Gods fighting in the middle of a human city is the last thing I want. As the adventurer left, I noticed Yoko following him with her gaze, biting her lower lips. Uhm¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like she has given up on the matter. I hope she won¡¯t do something while I am not watching her¡­ ¡°Yoko,¡± I called her out. ¡°I know, I know¡­¡± She answered. ¡°Still, don¡¯t you have any pride? You¡¯re a Goddess, damn it. The creator on top of that. Do you always let humans disrespect you like this?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a half, you know? I¡¯m used on being looked down. Besides, there is no point on going on full revenge mode just because of a few words. Humans provoke each other all the time.¡± She brought her hand to her forehead, bending backward her head. ¡°I don¡¯t get you¡­¡± ¡°DAD!¡± A childish voice suddenly called out. Turning my head to the direction to the voice, I noticed the small figure of a boy running toward us. It was Axis. He immediately threw himself on Troy, grabbing his shirt, before looking up at him with his eyes tight and worried. ¡°You¡¯re alive! Are you okay?! Did you get mistreated?¡± He asked, hastily. The startled Troy quickly regained his composure, patting the boy¡¯s head in order to calm him down. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± A bright smile appeared on Axis¡¯ face as he tightly hugged his father. After a few seconds, he turned to me, deeply bowing his head. ¡°Thank you very much, big sis! I¡¯ll never forget what you did! What happened to the God?¡± I gave a quick glance to Yoko, who was yawning of boredom. ¡°She¡­ went sightseeing¡­¡± Axis tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± He stayed silent for a while, probably trying to comprehend my words,and then, noticing Yoko and Harri, he gasped in surprise. ¡°Are they your party members? They have golden eyes too¡­ You guys must be really strong! Thank you very much in helping big sis finding my dad!¡± A confused smile appeared on Harri¡¯s face, as he clearly didn¡¯t understand the situation, while Yoko simply rolled her eyes, without uttering a word. After that, Axis stayed with us for a few minutes, eager to hear about our rescue mission. Giving him as little detail as possible, I simply told him an adventure story that I once saw in a game. I am not sure if it is because he is still young and na?ve, or if it is because I became quite skilled at lying, but he seems to have bought it. While Yoko and Harri remained silent, seemingly unconcerned, Troy would sometimes nod or add a few comments, confirming my stupid story. In the end, they left as the night began to fall. While Axis happily waved at us, Troy, on the other hand, let out a deep sigh, clearly unwilling to leave. Is his wife waiting home to beat him up or something? Oh well¡­ ¡°I guess this problem has been settled! Weshould go home too.¡± I said with a satisfied smile. Yoko and Harri suddenly stood up. ¡°Finally! I was getting tired of waiting!¡± Yoko exclaimed, stretching. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet this human family you¡¯re living with, Creator!¡± Harri added. ... I knew it. They are totally planning in coming along. I guess something like this could have been expected, but I had hoped they¡¯d return to their forest once they visited the city. I can think of at least ten reasons why it is not a good idea to bring them home, but I can¡¯t really send them back now, can I? Placing my hands across my face, covering my eyes, I let out a long sigh. I don''t think I have sighed as much as today before. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Yoko asked, seeing my expression. ¡°No¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡± I muttered. Ah¡­ I can see troubles coming. But¡­ I have the feeling that I have forgotten something. ¡­ Oh, crap. Ivy¡­ Part I Chapter 14 – Visit Chapter 14 ¨C Visit
Lynett
Umh¡­ How did this happen? Currently, I am in one of the waiting room of the Whiteheart mansion. The room was spacious, but not too empty. Pictures sprawled on each walls, depicting beautiful landscapes and, underneath, a cream carpet covered almost the whole room. In the center, there was a large and elegant table, made of a high polished wood, free of either dust or clutter. Two couches, inlaid with a fine red silk and flowers embroidered delicately, were arranged to each side of the center table. I was sitting in the middle of one of the couch, as I could feel tension and anxiety building up in me. At my right, there was Yoko. She was comfortably seated as she cross her arms in front of her, leaning on the backrest of the sofa with her feet on the table. At my left, Harri. His legs crossed, he was resting his head on his hand, his elbow placed on the arm of the couch. They totally made themselves at home. In front of us, on the opposite sofa, there were Uncle Jack and Aunt Nora. My uncle has always been a serious person. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him smile. But right now, his expression couldn¡¯t appear any more serious than this. His fingers crossed in front of him, he is looking at me as if I just brought the downfall of the family. Please stoplookingatme¡­ On the other hand, Aunt Nora won¡¯t stop clenching her teeth. Her face turned completely red. I¡¯m not sure if she is angry or frustrated right now, but she is clearly not pleased by my guests. Standing on the side of each couch, there were Ivy and Yao. Ivy was as stiff as a stick as she kept shivering, unable to withstand the tense atmosphere, while Yao won¡¯t stop hissing at us. I am not sure how long it has been since it began, but currently, we are pretty much having a staring contest. No one is saying anything; we just stare at each other in silence. While Harri and Yoko stand their ground without flinching, a huge smile on their face, I, on the other hand, can¡¯t maintain the eye-contact. What¡¯s with this situation? As I thought, it was a bad idea to bring Harri and Yoko here. This is bad. Forget about my cheat stats, if this tension doesn¡¯t subside quickly, Imight die of nervousness. I can''t stand long silences. Anyway, to explain this situation, I guess a little flashback is necessary. Returning to one hour ago, I left the Adventurers¡¯ Guild with Harri and Yoko, looking for Ivy. ????? ¡°YOUNG MISTRESS!!¡± Ivy cried out. I was approaching the plaza where I first met Axis and where I ditched Ivy. As she noticed me, Ivy ran to my side, grabbing both of my hands. ¡°Young mistress! Where were you?! Do you know how much time has passed since you disappeared? You can¡¯t leave me behind like this! I almost died of concern! What if something had happened to you?! What would I have done?! And how would I have explained this to the Lord?!¡± She exclaimed in panic, with tearful eyes. Hearing her complains, I could feel guilt slowly building up in me. I did say I would be right back after all, and yet¡­ Such a reckless behavior from me could cost her her job, or maybe even worse. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I muttered with a small voice. Seeing my regretful expression probably calmed her down a little as she let out a relieved sigh, but she wasn¡¯t over. However, as she was about to resume her lecture, she noticed the two figures standing beside me: Yoko and Harri. Her eyes widened, she just froze in place, staring at them. Her mouth opened slightly, probably trying to say something, but she just couldn¡¯t successfully utter anything. She slowly turned her gaze on me, clearly expecting me to explain the situation. ¡°Uhm, Ivy, this is Yoko, and this is Harri.¡± I introduced them. ¡°Yoko, Harri, this is Ivy, my attendant.¡± ¡°Attendant? Is she your servant?¡± Yoko asked. ¡°Something like that, yeah. But to be precise, it¡¯s my family she serves.¡± I explained. Harri suddenly stepped forward, grabbing Ivy¡¯s hand, forcefully drawing her out of her confused state. Putting one knee on the ground, he gently kissed her hand before standing again. Is he going to do that to every female he meets¡­? ¡°My deepest apologizes, My Lady!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°It seems that we caused you trouble by borrowing your young mistress at our convenience, without warning. Hopefully, this small gift will be enough to appease your anger.¡± As he said this, a rose suddenly appeared in his hand. He gently put it in Ivy¡¯s hair. ¡°There. As I thought, this flower shines even more on you. If roses could speak, I am sure this one would be crying in jealousy. The depth of your eyes easily outshine its beauty.¡± He added, with a charming smile. ¡­ Of course. I had almost forgotten that Harri was¡­ Harri. I sincerely hope that he won¡¯t do anything similar at home. Startled by his actions, Ivy turned to me in distress, clearly asking for help. ¡°Sorry, he¡¯s a bit special but he¡¯s not a bad guy.¡± I said. ¡°Anyway, Harri and Yoko are¡­ my friends¡­sort of. I was thinking of maybe bringing them home?¡± Her eyes squinted, Ivy finally managed to say something. ¡°Friends?¡± Yeah. I know what she is thinking. ¡®Young mistress, you don¡¯t have any friends, you¡¯ve never brought anyone home before¡¯ or something like that. I am not sure what she is the most surprised about, though. The fact that there is a demi-human among them, the fact that my ¡®friends¡¯ are abnormally perfect, or the fact that they have the same eyes as me. She is going to think that I am starting a ¡®Golden eyed people¡¯ club, isn¡¯t she? Nonetheless, she didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, she just awkwardly greeted them, before going ahead, leading us home. From times to times, she would give a quick glance in our direction. On the way, I firmly explained Yoko and Harri the rules they needed to follow, once we would arrive at the mansion. ¡°No matter what happens, you can¡¯t display any hostility. Obviously, you are not allowed to attack or disrespect anyone. The words ¡®God¡¯, ¡®Goddess¡¯, ¡®Divine¡¯ and ¡®Creator¡¯ are forbidden and you have to address to me with my first name, Lynett. We are friends, nothing less, nothing more. We just happened to meet randomly in the market place. You helped me with a thief and I thought of bringing you home to thank you.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever. That¡¯s a lot of rules just for a visit.¡± Yoko complained. It¡¯s not like if I had the choice, considering their character. ¡°Is that clear?¡± I asked. ¡°Sure.¡± They answered, with a dull voice. Not too convincing¡­ Are they even listening? Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind, as a wicked grin slowly stretched on my lips. ¡°And you guys are a married couple.¡± I added. ¡°WHAT?!¡± They both exclaimed indignantly. ¡°What kind of bad joke is it?!¡± Yoko growled. ¡°Why do I have to pretend to be in a relationship with this idiot? Look at his stupid face and his skinny body, there isn¡¯t a slight hint of manliness in him! And his personality is even worse, a disaster! A real fool! He is the last man I¡¯d want to be with!¡± ¡°I am the one you should feel sorry to!¡± Harri protested in his turn. ¡°This minx isn¡¯t even a woman! It¡¯s a fox! She doesn¡¯t have the kindness or the gentleness of women and she is as brutal as a demon! She is not worthy to be my wife!¡± So they were listening after all. That strong refusal, though. ¡°It¡¯s just acting, guys. It¡¯ll make our story more believable. Besides, you¡¯ll be a perfect couple! Ok?¡± I said, unable to hide my devilish smile. The two of them looked at each other for a while. Then, Yoko¡¯s face distorted in disgust while Harri placed his hand across his face, sighing. I will take that as a yes. Mufufu¡­ I am looking forward it. ¡°Tch! Creator or not, one day, I¡¯ll make you pay for this¡­¡± Yoko grunted quietly. ¡°Thinking about it, should we change your names?¡± I asked, ignoring her. ¡°No need,¡± Harri responded. ¡°Having a few people named after Gods isn¡¯t particularly rare among humans, especially if they were blessed. And Yoko and I aren¡¯t as famous as Naia around here so it should be fine. Besides, you already gave our names to your servant.¡± Right. I had forgotten. But with all this, everything should be fine, right? Nothing should go wrong¡­ As we kept approaching the house, I tried calming this unsettling feeling of nervousness in my chest, repeating the rules over and over to Yoko and Harri, making sure they had understood. When we arrived at the gates of the mansion, we were greeted by Mairin, the head house-maid. Maririn is one of the rare servants who still hate me. As the head house-maid, she has been here longer than most of the employee, ever since my father was a child. Having served the family for this long, she is extremely loyal to them and shares their values. So she clearly doesn¡¯t like my presence, as she sees me as a potential threat. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± She said. Her cold stare then directed on Ivy, who immediately lowered her head in shame. She was clearly blaming her for failing in her duty and was probably thinking of how to punish her. Sorry Ivy¡­ I will definitely make up later. "What''s with that flower in your hair?" Mairin asked, raising an eyebrow. Suddenly remembering the rose Harri gave her, Ivy quickly picked it and violently threw it on the grounds, ignoring Harri''s grief. "It''s nothing!" She exclaimed, her ears reddened in embarrassment. Noticing Harri and Yoko, Mairin slightly widened her eyes, but she did not react any further.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°So you¡¯ve brought some guests.¡± She muttered, with the same emotionless voice, as she returned her gaze on me. ¡°I will warn the Lord. He has been waiting for you.¡± Uncle Jack has been waiting for me? That can¡¯t possibly be good. ¡°Ivy, lead our guests to the waiting room,¡± Mairin ordered. ¡°Yes Madam.¡± And just like this, the four of us ended up in the waiting room. As soon as we arrived, without being asked twice, Yoko and Harri immediately sat comfortably in one of the couch, as they started to inspect the room curiously. I wish I was just as relaxed as them¡­ Following their example, I sat between them. I was starting to seriously regret bringing them here. For some reasons, I just felt that they weregoing to make a mistake and screw everything up, blowing up the cover that I struggled to keep for years. Thinking about it, my pulse rate went up. Before the panic could eat me alive, I managed to regain a steady heart beat by slowly breathing in through the nose, and breathing out through the mouth. However, just as those breathing exercises started to help me relax, I heard the sound of footsteps in the corridor, and my pulse rate shot up once again. When the door opened, I saw three figures enter the room: Uncle Jack, Aunt Nora and Yao. I stood up to greet them. As they saw my guests, their body instantly stopped moving. They just froze, staring wide-eyed at them in silence, their mouth shut tight in a straight line as Harri and Yoko simple smiled at them. They remained like this for a while, before the shock finally began to melt away. Without breaking the eye-contact, Uncle Jack and Aunt Nora sat in the opposite couch, as Yao stood next to it. ????? Now, returning to the current situation. It has been like this for at least ten minutes. The staring contest is still not over, and I am about to snap at any moment. That tension is too much, I want to run away already¡­ At least say something, damn it! I can¡¯t stand awkward silences like this! After a few minutes ¨Cvery long minutes- as if reacting to my silent wish, my uncle finally broke the silence. ¡°Ivy,¡± he spoke with a hoarse voice, without breaking the eye-contact. Hearing her name called out, Ivy flinched in both surprise and fear. ¡°YES MY LORD!¡± She shouted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you bring our guests some tea?¡± He ordered. ¡°Right away!¡± Excusing herself, she deeply bowed down in front of us before stepping out of the room hastily. Once she left, the silence immediately returned. If it wasn¡¯t for my aunt¡¯s comical expressions, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to withstand it. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long before Ivy came back with an elegant porcelain tea set. She nicely arranged it on the table and started pouring the tea. I was worried that her nervousness would make her hands shake and cause her to do a big mistake, but she seems to have regained her professionalism. Once she was done, she silently regained her place, behind me. ¡°Please, help yourself.¡± Uncle Jack said. Completely oblivious to the atmosphere, Yoko happily took her cup and drank the tea in one gulp. ¡°Tastes like crap. Is this made of vegetable or something?¡± She bluntlysaid, putting her cup back on the table. Oh come on, Yoko. Can¡¯t you read the mood? I should have told her about the etiquettes! Giving a quick glance in front of me, I tried to study the other party¡¯s expression. As always, Uncle Jack kept his poker face, seemingly unbothered by Yoko¡¯s rude behavior. I am pretty sure it is just on the outside though, since I know he can¡¯t stand anything or anyone who doesn¡¯t conform to the basic rules of courtesy. On the other, each time Yoko did or said something, Aunt Nora¡¯s facial muscles kept twitching in sync, which was quite comical. I know she is not fond of me, so it is a given that she would not like any of my guests, especially not a demi-human. Moreover, Yoko¡¯s rude behavior is definitely not helping. Had I not been here, I am pretty sure Aunt Nora would have slapped her already. ¡°Yoko, my love?¡± Harri called out, with his usual handsome-guy face. ¡°Mind your manners, will you? We¡¯re not home, right now.¡± For a split of a second, I was pretty sure that she was going to insult him, like she always does whenever he opens his mouth. However, she probably recalled my rules as a wry smile appeared on her face. ¡°Sure, honey~! My bad, my bad.¡± ¡°I am very sorry to hear it doesn¡¯t suit your taste,¡± Uncle Jack said with a cold voice, clearly not thinking it. ¡°So, who may you be?¡± Here we are. With this one question, a sudden shiver ran down my spine as I felt an unsettling anxiety tingling through me like electrical sparks. One mistake. One mistake and it''s over. Everything is exposed. Turning to Yoko, without uttering a word, I gave her a meaningful look, hoping she wouldn¡¯t say something unnecessary or screw up. Seeing my expression, she replied with a candid smile, as if saying ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I got it¡¯. ¡°Friends!¡± She exclaimed, responding to my uncle¡¯s question. ¡°Nothing less, nothing more! We just randomly met at the market place. We helped Lynett with a thief, and she thought of inviting us to thank us!¡± Isn¡¯t this exactly the same thing I said? God damn it, Yoko. I mean, I know she doesn¡¯t like to tell lies and I am grateful that she stuck to the plan, but¡­ Seriously, do your bit. ¡°My name is Harri, and thislovely,breathtakingwoman is my wife, Yoko.¡± Harri said, emphasizing on the compliments, clearly overdoing it. ¡°As she just stated, we are friends with the Cr-¡­ with Lynett.¡± ¡°Friends, huh?¡± My uncle repeated, obviously not convinced. ¡°Right, friends! Nothing less, nothing more! We just randomly met at-¡° ¡°Yoko,¡± I interrupted her. ¡°I think they understood.¡± She is such a bad liar¡­ I actually chose this story because it wasn¡¯t too far from the reality. So even though it doesn¡¯t tell everything, it¡¯s not completely a lie either. Yet, look at her. She really can¡¯t lie, can she?Thank god I didn''t make up another story. The lie would have been exposed immediately. ¡°So, you must be Lynett¡¯s family!¡± Yoko said, trying to change the topic. ¡°Are you the humans who gave birth to her?¡± ¡°She isour niece,¡± Uncle Jack quickly corrected. ¡°I am the Marquis of Eskor, Jack Whiteheart and this is my sister Nora.¡± ¡°Is that so? What a relief!¡± Yoko exclaimed before turning to me. ¡°Thinking about it, you did say that your mother was an elf, right? Good thing it¡¯s not her! I mean, I would have really pitied you if such a boobless woman was your mother, haha!¡± Yoko, I am so going to make you pay for this. Read the GODDAMN mood! The worst thing about this situation is that she is such an airhead she didn¡¯t even notice she was being rude. I gave a quick glance to Aunt Nora. As I thought, she was about to snap. Her whole body was trembling in anger as she was biting her lips and clenching her fists. She was holding it in, but not for much longer. There was just no way that she would let a (seemingly) demi-human insult her like this, right in front of her face. ¡°But, what¡¯s wrong with her? She keeps shivering. Is she sick?¡± Yoko asked, completely oblivious. ¡°No charms at all! Don¡¯t you agree honey~?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ I think the real problem is this ¡®uncle¡¯ over there.¡± Harri responded. Oh gods. Not him too. Please, Harri, don¡¯t make it worse. ¡°Look at him, as stiff as a statue. And what¡¯s with his cold stare? A real man should give off refreshing vibes and display an appealing smile in all circumstances! He is nothing like a gentleman at all!¡± ... They can hear everything you say, you know? Why are you guys talking like if they weren¡¯t here? Those stupid Gods¡­ No common sense at all. I knew they were straightforward, but can¡¯t they have a little restraint? The only rule I should have made is to keep their mouth shut all the time! Ah, whatever. I don''t care anymore... ¡°I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS ANYMORE!¡± A feminine voice suddenly shouted, as a flat palm slammed against the table. Well, it was about time. As I thought, Aunt Nora finally snapped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two? Are you out of your mind?!¡± She continued. ¡°Do you have any ideas of where you are, right now, and who you are talking to?!¡± ¡°Oh my, I think she¡¯s upset.¡± Yoko said, with a slight tone of naivety in her voice. ¡°OF COURSE I AM! Am I supposed to let myself be insulted by a lowly slave?!¡± This time, it was Yoko¡¯s turn to snap. ¡°Lowly sl-?! Hey, boobless girl. Don¡¯t say something that you will regret.¡± She grunted with an arrogant smile. ¡°I am superior to you in any aspect. Power, rank, race, face and boobs.¡± ¡°Yoko, my love, you know that there is no point in arguing with an excited woman.¡± Harri said, trying to calm the situation, completely unaware that he was only making things worse. ¡°Shut up!¡± Aunt Nora yelled, turning her gaze to Harri. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, a fool who actually dared to marry to an inferior race!Youare the worst of all, trying to mix our blood with those filthy beasts!¡± Harri widened his eyes and blinked a few time, confused. Then, he brought his hand to his face, letting out a loud sigh. ¡°Such a vulgarity¡­ Not lady-like at all.¡± Yoko suddenly bursted out in laughter. ¡°HAHAHAHAHA! See that Harri? Isn¡¯t she even worse than me? Such a bad character! HAHAHA! She must really not be popular among men!¡± Touch¨¦. Unable to withstand the affront any longer, Aunt Nora suddenly stood and raised her hand, ready to slap Yoko. However, before she had the time to give her the smack, Yoko also stood up, grabbed her hand and pulled her over, making her lose her balance. Preventing Aunt Nora to fall, Yoko placed her second arm around her waist and¡­ Huh? ¡­ WHAT IN THE WORLD IS SHE DOING?! She¡¯s kissing her!! The heck?! What is she thinking? Am I dreaming? Quickly examining the others, I noticed that everyone just froze in place, watching the scene in astonishment. Definitely not a dream. But¡­ Wow! That¡¯s my first time seeing two girls kissing. I slowly turned to Harri, the only one who didn¡¯t seem bothered by Yoko¡¯s sudden action as he took a sip of his tea nonchalantly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stop her?¡± I whispered to him. ¡°Uhm? Why would I? Leave her be, she¡¯s just discussing.¡± He simply answered, unconcerned. ¡°You call that discussing?!¡± ¡°Yes. Kissing is the language of love. Besides, it¡¯s Yoko we¡¯re talking about.¡± What¡¯s with that mentality? He is insane! All my Gods are insane! ¡°Still,¡± I insisted in a low voice, making sure we wouldn''t be heard. ¡°As the God of Love, shouldn¡¯t you be bothered by it? I mean¡­ since they¡¯re both female.¡± ¡°Quite the opposite, actually.¡± Harri shrugged. ¡°I support all kind of love. Be it with a man, a woman, or a beast. As long as there is love, it¡¯s completely fine.¡± Oh, that¡¯s quite poetic! As expected of the God of Love! But I don¡¯t think there is any love in this, so he should¡­ Wait, what?! A beast? Bestialityis ok too?! Guessing what I was thinking, as he saw my expression, a wry smile played on Harri¡¯s lips. ¡°How do you think the beastkin was created to begin with?¡± He asked. HUH?! So that¡¯s how the beastkin was created? Wait, no! It¡¯s not like that! Beastmen exist because I created them! Suddenly understanding that Harri was just teasing me, I sent a deadly stare at him. ¡°Haha, just kidding,¡± he simply said, avoiding my gaze. I could have thought of a way to punish him, but my attention returned to Yoko and Aunt Nora, as their kiss ¨Cvery long kiss- finally ended. Aunt Nora immediately collapsed on the sofa, gasping, as Yoko stole all the air from her lungs. Her face completely flushed, she grabbed her chest as her body was starving for oxygen. That sure was intense. Auntie, you need to breathe through your nose. ¡°Chill, girl.¡± Yoko said, as her lips curled into a grin. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get angry like that. It will only ruin your make-up. Have some pride and don¡¯t waste your pretty face any more than this.¡± Hearing this, everyone was drawn from the confused state that they had fallen into, as they tried to comprehend what just happened. Her breathing finally returning to normal, Aunt Nora turned her gaze on Yoko, her eyes full of anger and indignation. Obviously, stealing a kiss from her didn¡¯t help in calming her down. Quite the opposite actually. But before she could say anything, I spoke up. I didn''t need the situation to escalate more than it already did. ¡°Excuse her. They¡¯re foreigners; they don¡¯t have the same custom as us. For her, kissing is just a way to¡­ make up. She didn¡¯t mean to be rude.¡± ¡°ARE YOU KIDDING M-¡° Aunt Nora started to yell out at me, but then, she suddenly recalled who she was talking to, as she lowered her tone, averting her gaze. ¡°Even though... Even as foreigners, there are limits! And in what kind of country do people kiss each other like this?!¡± ¡°Uhm? What, would you have preferred to go all the way?¡± Yoko asked naturally, raising a single eyebrow. God damn it, Yoko¡­ Once again, read the mood. Meanwhile, my aunt just widened her eyes and furrowed her forehead, clearly not believing what she just heard. Her jaw was shaking as she was trying to say something. ¡°You¡­! Do you want to di-¡° ¡°Nora.¡± The cold voice of Uncle Jack suddenly interrupted her. Without saying anything else, he simply gave her a meaningful look. Aunt Nora looked at him for a few seconds before letting out a heavy sigh. She clicked her tongue as she crossed her arms in front of her. While she did not push the matter any further, her deadly stares at Yoko clearly indicated that she still has not given up. ¡°My apologizes, my sister has some temper issues,¡± Uncle Jack said. ¡°Please do not mind her. I am grateful for your assistance to my niece. Make yourself at home and feel free to stay as much as you want.¡± Finishing his host¡¯s speech, Uncle Jack stood up, as Aunt Nora imitated him, still annoyed. ¡°Now then, I guess we should leave some time to our dear Lynett and her friends.¡± Without even waiting for an answer, Uncle Jack headed to the door, and everyone else followed him silently. As he was about to step out of the room, he turned one last time at us. ¡°Please, take your time.¡± He added just before disappearing, as a gentle smile appeared on his face. ¡­ Did I just see my uncle smile¡­? Part I Chapter 15 – Suspicions Chapter 15 ¨C Suspicions
Lynett
BAM! Now left alone with Harri and Yoko, the sound of my head slamming against the table resonated in the room. ¡°You guys are unbelievable¡­¡± I muttered, exhausted by everything that just happened. ¡°Thank you!¡± Harri happily answered. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a compliment. And to think I am the one who needs to clean your mess¡­¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong? Everything went fine, did it not?¡± Yoko asked. ¡°Haha¡­ Do you really think so? I thought I told you guys not to disrespect anyone.¡± I sighed, once again. ¡°Yet¡­ I can¡¯t believe you insulted them right in front of their face.¡± ¡°We disrespected no one. Is it because I called your aunt boobless? I was just stating a fact, so it¡¯s not an insult. It¡¯s not my fault if she took it the wrong way!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Actually, she is the one you should blame! Even though I was being completely courteous, she is the one who disrespected us!¡± As she spoke, Harri nodded approvingly. Obviously, now that it¡¯s convenient to them, those two suddenly come to an agreement. ¡°Besides, there is nothing to be worried about,¡± Yoko added. ¡°Even if they did get suspicious about something, you¡¯d just have to give them a good beating to make them forget!¡± I sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, Yoko¡­¡± Lazily lifting my head up, I started massaging my temples, trying to get rid of the new headache assaulting my mind. ¡°Well, I do agree that you may have gone too far with the kiss, Yoko.¡± Harri said. ¡°Why did you do it? Did you feel anything?¡± ¡°Actually, I did.¡± Yoko crossed her arms in front of her and stayed silent for a while, seemingly thinking about something, and then, she turned her gaze in my direction. ¡°Lynett, did you do anything to her? When I kissed her I felt her mana core and it seemed¡­ broken?¡± Huh? Widening my eyes, I shook my head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I mean¡­ I may have tormented her a little, but I never touched her mana core.¡± Harri frowned. ¡°Someone used soul magic against her?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ And it wasn¡¯t a low level spell.¡± Yoko answered, as she started rubbing her chin. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not just the woman. I also suspect that there is something wrong with the man¡¯s mana core, but that has yet to be confirmed¡­¡± My uncle too? What¡¯s with this situation? Someone else can use soul magic here? That¡¯s impossible¡­ I would have noticed it in twelve years. Is someone targeting the family? I don¡¯t think I have to worry about mother and brother since they¡¯re protected but¡­ who would do that and why?
Jack
¡°Tell me everything about what happened today.¡± Currently sitting in my office room, I am interrogating Ivy, who nervously stands up in front of me. Nora and Yao are here too, as they followed me right after we left Lynett with her¡­ friends. ¡°Yes my lord¡­¡± Ivy responded with a small voice. ¡°The young mistress and I were just walking around the market district, rounding the stalls. However, at some point, she approached a young orphan who was waiting on the side of the road. Soon after the boy left, she ran after him, ordering me to wait for her. I believe he was a thief, my lord.¡± Uhm¡­ So far it matches the story that Lynett and her guests told us. ¡°Continue.¡± I ordered, seeing that she fell silent. ¡°T-That¡¯s all I know, my lord¡­¡± Ivy muttered, with a hint of fear in her voice. ¡°The young mistress did not return until two or three hours later. When she did, she was accompanied by this strange couple. She introduced them as her friends and told me she wanted to invite them over¡­¡± So we know nothing about them? That¡¯s not enough. Letting out a loud sigh, I gestured her to leave. ¡°Thanks, you can go.¡± I simply said. ¡°Heh?¡± Ivy widened her eyes in surprise, clearly expecting more. ¡°Is that it? Aren¡¯t you going to¡­ punish me?¡± ¡°You can see to that with Mairin. Now leave.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Without being asked twice, Ivy excused herself, deeply bowing in front of me. ¡°Yao.¡± I called out, once she left the room. ¡°Yes master.¡± Yao answered, stepping forward. ¡°Who are they?¡± I inquired. ¡°I do not know, master.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to follow the girl whenever she went out?¡± I said, displeased by his answer. ¡°And I did master, but lately, it became harder to follow her. She started to notice my presence, so I need to keep a good distance between her and me. This way, it¡¯s more difficult to track her.¡± She started to notice him? That¡¯s impossible¡­ Yao is one of the rare beastmen able to transform. As a cat, very few people would notice his presence. Tracking and stalking people from the shadows are his specialty. He is the best in his field. Yet, he lost her? ¡°Report everything that you saw today,¡± I ordered. ¡°Yes master. After catching up with the thief, Lynett gave him a pouch full of coins in exchange of the necklace he stole.¡± He said, with a dull voice. ¡°A necklace? Was it something valuable?¡± ¡°No master, just a worthless piece of jewelry. However it had some sentimental value. It was something she got from her mother.¡± Yao responded. He marked a pause before continuing his report. ¡°After that, Lynett wandered around the city, seemingly without a fixed goal. Eventually, she ended up in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. There, she met the same boy who tried to rob her. They discussed for a while, and then she left the city to head to the Pine Forest. I believe the boy asked her help for a request.¡± The Pine Forest? Isn¡¯t it an enchanted place? Why would she go there all alone? I think I even heard some rumors about a monster living there, lately. It doesn¡¯t make any sense. Even if it was to help someone, anyone sane would avoid that forest. And why would she accept a request to begin with? That¡¯s not like her. She rarely initiates any form of contact with others and tends to be reclusive. Did that boy promise her a special reward? ¡°This is where I lost her¡±, Yao continued. ¡°The city was somewhat fine, however, the thick miasma of the forest made it impossible for me to follow her, I quickly lost her track.¡± ¡°That would make sense¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot of stories about people getting lost here. What about after that?¡± ¡°Since she didn¡¯t show any signs of wanting to run away, I waited for her at the gates. It took a couple of hours, but she eventually came back¡­ accompanied with that couple, along with a third man.¡± So those two really came out of nowhere. The girl disappears in an enchanted forest and later come back with two people, who have the same golden eyes. That is too much to be a coincidence. Blessed people are not something common. Yet, this mysterious couple suddenly appears, acquainted with Lynett. That¡¯s too convenient. But then, who was the third one? ¡°What about the third man?¡± I asked, furrowing my forehead. ¡°Was he special too?¡± ¡°No, master.¡± Yao responded. ¡°Just a normal human, no particular features. I believe he was connected to the boy who asked Lynett for help since once they returned to the adventurers¡¯ Guild, the boy ran to him. They also left together. He was probably his father, or a close relative.¡± Trying to catch a glimpse of the situation, I leaned on the backrest of my seat, crossing my arms in front of me. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you are being so hesitant about, Jack.¡± I turned my head to Nora, who just spoke up. Her eyes were telling me she was getting impatient, displeased by the situation. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually let those two stay¡­ What are you waiting for to kick them out?¡± She grunted. ¡°No matter how you see it, that stupid couple is definitely suspicious, possibly dangerous. They were completely clueless about us! I get that they are foreigners, but that behavior of theirs¡­ They were too cocky! Are you seriously going to tolerate that?¡± Clearly, she is still confused and angered by what happened earlier. She is not thinking straight. Had she been able to think rationally, she would have understood that we couldn¡¯t do something that risky. She, of all people, should know that. The last time she messed with someone close to a chosen one, she almost went insane, while that someone got blessed at the very same moment. ¡°I understand your point, Nora. However, we shouldn¡¯t act reckless. Besides, I believe that you are being wary of the wrong people,¡± I said. For a few seconds, she tried to study me with her squinted eyes, clearly not understanding what I meant by that. ¡°The one you should be suspicious about isn¡¯t that couple. It¡¯s the girl.¡± I explained. Nora suddenly flinched in surprised, causing her step back. In her confusion, she clumsily jerked her knee on the corner of a chair. However, she ignored the pain as she tried to regain her normal state, without breaking the eye-contact.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°L-Lynett? Why? It¡¯s just one girl! Leave the kid alone and focus on the damn couple!¡± She exclaimed. Again with that reluctance¡­ Whenever it comes to the girl, she always back down. I gave a quick glance to Yao. He didn¡¯t say anything, but as he looked at Nora with a slight hint of frustration in his eyes, I could tell that he was agreeing with me. The real suspicious one in this story was not the couple who appeared out of nowhere, but Lynett, who brought them here. Nora¡¯s strange behavior was the very proof of that. There has been some strange things going on for the past few years, and only a fool wouldn¡¯t have noticed that each time, the girl was somehow involved. I have always been careful about her since she was a chosen one. I thought of keeping her a few years and then discard her, but obviously, I have underestimated the situation. Golden eyes. A proof of divinity. The evidence that someone had been chosen by the Gods and received their blessings. If it was only that, we could have handled her without too many problems, but then, her mother got blessed in her turn. It was probably the first hint that something wasn¡¯t right. Having one person blessed within the family was already rare enough. Two? That was unheard of. But then, they became three. Only a few months after Azariah, it was Aoban¡¯s turn to receive the blessing of a God. Most of people didn¡¯t even ask questions. The joy of having the heir of the family blessed easily overcame their surprise, as very few people noticed the unusual condition of the event. At first, since it was only Azariah and Lynett, people assumed that there was something special in Azariah¡¯s lineage which cause her to be blessed, and later passed it on to her daughter. However, with Aoban¡¯s blessings, it became clear that it wasn¡¯t the case, since those two were not blood-related. Yet, Azariah and Aoban¡¯s blessings conditions were very similar: they were both chosen after their birth. So why did those two get blessed? What did they share in common? Thinking about it, it was obvious: the girl. The first one who has been blessed, and the one relative they shared. After that, no one else got blessed. It only reinforced my hypothesis. But that wasn¡¯t all. There was also Nora. At the very same moment Azariah got blessed, Nora, on the other hand, almost lost her sanity. The timing was too much to be a simple coincidence. My sister always had temper problems and was never really mentally stable. However, what happened that time was of a whole other level. I asked doctors, healers and priests to examine her, but the diagnosis was always the same: nothing was wrong with her, she was perfectly healthy. Whatever happened to her, it was all in her head. Even after Nora somewhat regained a normal state, her behavior took a 180¡ã turn. Yao was the first one to notice it. No matter how much she hated her, she never touched Azariah again and would always avoid her and her daughter. Whenever mentioned, she¡¯d get nervous and try to change the subject. Given the timing, we first thought that she came to fear Azariah since she was somehow involved in her breakdown, however, as time passed, it became clear that the one she feared wasn¡¯t Azariah but her daughter. Why would a mage like her fear a child? She refused to take any action against her, wouldn¡¯t look at her in the eyes and even seemed¡­ submissive. Toward a child, toward a half. Whenever I tried to confront her about this, she denied the facts. Then there were the girl¡¯s mentors. Even as a ghost-member of the family, Lynett needed to receive a proper education, so I hired some tutors for her. They weren¡¯t the best but they weren¡¯t the worst either. Yet, they quickly ran out of things to teach her so I had to change them regularly. Each one of them reported the same thing about her: completely clueless when it comes to politics or social studies, but abnormally brilliant when it comes to math or science. And now, as if it wasn¡¯t enough, she suddenly brings home this mysterious couple who appeared out of nowhere. If it was only for their perfection, I could have accepted it, but their eyes¡­ Golden eyed people keep appearing around Lynett. Coincidence? Definitely not. Besides, just as Nora said, even as foreigners, the behavior of the couple was definitely unnatural. Except for the royal family and the dukes, there weren''t any family more powerfulthan us. Yet, they did not feel threatened at all. Quite the opposite actually. Their behavior suggested that we were inferior to them. A Duke family? I would have heard about them. Royalty from a small country? But they were a mixed couple. It doesn¡¯t make any sense. As long as we don¡¯t know more, we shouldn¡¯t take the risk in provoking them. No matter how you¡¯d think about it, it was clear that the girl wasn¡¯t normal. Strange things kept happening around her. So far, she has been a pretty passive and obedient child, she never caused any problems. But if one day, she suddenly decides to do as she pleases, I am not sure we will be able to stop her. I don¡¯t know what she is hiding, but that is clearly beyond us. Nora was right: it may have been a bad idea to take her in. However, since she seems to only care about her mother and her brother, as long as we have some control over them, she shouldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Master, what should we do?¡± Yao¡¯s voice suddenly drew me out of my thoughts, as my eyes fell upon him. I started rubbing my chin, thinking. ¡°Uhm¡­ Find the boy and his father, and bring them here. I want to have a little conversation with them¡­ Make sure Lynett doesn¡¯t find out about this.¡± I ordered. ¡°Yes master,¡± Yao responded, before leaving the room. Nora stayed silent for a while, looking at me with her eyes tight and worried. Then, she finally decided to speak up. ¡°Are you going to¡­ investigate about her? I told you it¡¯s useless. There is nothing wrong with her so you should drop it.¡± She really is against it. Clearly, she doesn¡¯t like the fact of doing something behind the girl¡¯s back, but that reluctance of hers onlydrives me to find more information. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not about Lynett. It¡¯s about our guests,¡± I told her, trying to reassure her. Not entirely convinced, Nora still let out a relieved sigh. ????? ¡°Please, don¡¯t feel nervous and make yourself at home.¡± A few days have passed, and Yao finally managed to find the boy and the man Lynett met that day. Receiving them in my office room, I asked the maids to prepare the tea set before they arrived so that we wouldn¡¯t be interrupted. As the curious child he was, the boy kept looking around him, inspecting the room in awe. It must be the first time that he visits a noble mansion. On the other hand, his father was pale and cold sweats formed on his face, as his body stiffened up each time I said a word. Clearly, he didn¡¯t understand the reason why I, the Marquis, summoned them, so he could only apprehend the situation. ¡°Have a seat.¡± I said, gesturing two chairs placed in front of my desk. Nervously, the two of them complied. Imitating them, I sat on my chair, at the opposite of them. Placing my hands with intertwined fingers on the desk, I smiled, trying to reduce their anxiety. ¡°Don¡¯t feel so nervous, you are not in trouble,¡± I said. ¡°Umh, my lord¡­¡± The man spoke, after swallowing. ¡°May I know the reason why you asked to see us?¡± ¡°Of course. I simply heard that you met my niece a few days ago, and I just wanted to know more about it.¡± The man furrowed his forehead while his son tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Her name is Lynett, a fourteen years old girl with golden eyes. Does it ring a bell?¡± The boy¡¯s eyes widened, as if realizing something. ¡°That¡¯s big sis!¡± He shouted. ¡°She was¡­ your niece?¡± His father asked, lowering his gaze. ¡°That¡¯s right, and she went home late that day.¡± ¡°Heh?¡± The boy exclaimed, his eyes full of worries. ¡°Did you ground her? You can¡¯t, my lord! She was just helping me! It wasn¡¯t her fault!¡± I curled my lips into a smile, trying to appear as friendly as possible. ¡°Is that so? Don¡¯t you mind telling more about it?¡± The boy nodded. ¡°At that time, it had been a few days that my dad disappeared in the forest. I submitted a request at the guild to have some adventurers find him, but no one was taking it. Only big sis accepted to help.¡± I turned my gaze on the man. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± He muttered, after hesitating a bit. ¡°I heard the rumor about a monster terrorizing the citizens, so I went to confirm it...¡± ¡°You purposely ventured in the forest, just to confirm the rumor?¡± I asked, my eyes squinted. ¡°Ah? W-Well, yes! I mean¡­ I used to be a guard so¡­ I guess it¡¯s just the old habits! You know, protecting the citizens¡¯ safety!¡± He kept stuttering and hesitating. Obviously, he was lying and unwilling to say the real reason why he went there. However, since it didn¡¯t seem to be relevant to the information I was looking for, I didn¡¯t push it any further. I returned my attention to the boy. ¡°So you asked for Lynett¡¯s assistance. Even if you were desperate, doesn¡¯t it seem a little crazy to ask the help of a fourteen years old girl?¡± ¡°At first, I thought so too¡­¡± He responded. ¡°But big sis is a mage, and a chosen one on top of that! So I concluded that she must have been really strong, and I was right! It only took her a few hours to find my dad!¡± ¡­ A mage? Lynett? Since when? What is this child talking about? ¡°Was she the one to tell you that she was a mage?¡± I asked, furrowing my forehead. The boy shook his head. ¡°I asked her. But I saw her using magic! It was a weird spell that prevented people to move, and with one word, she cancelled it!¡± That is impossible. Lynett shouldn¡¯t be able to use magic. I never hired anyone to teach her and the only ones who can use magic here are me, Nora and¡­ Azariah. Could it be her? Could she have been teaching her daughter in secret? It doesn¡¯t make any sense. That woman hates magic and never uses it. Then, could Lynett have been learning it by herself? Is it even possible? I know that elves have a higher affinity to magic than humans, but Lynett is a half. Besides, she couldn¡¯t possibly have learned any incantation by herself. Even if she did, since when was she able to use magic? How long has she been hiding it? Wait¡­ Nora. Does she know about this? Her sudden change of behavior, her fear toward the child¡­ Could it be, ever since she arrived here? No. It doesn¡¯t make any sense. I am thinking too much. ¡°And do you know anything about a foreign couple?¡± I interrogated the boy. ¡°A human male and a demi-human female. Both with golden eyes.¡± ¡°Yes, I saw them!¡± He exclaimed, as a wave of excitation swept through his body. ¡°Her party members, right? It¡¯s so cool to have a party with only blessed people! If they had registered at the Guild, I¡¯m sure they would have become famous!¡± ¡°Do you know where they are from?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t. I thought big sis was going to find my dad alone, but she came back with them, so I guess she must have met them just before going?¡± So he doesn¡¯t know either. In that case¡­ ¡°Mister? Since you were there, you should know what happened in the forest, right?¡± I asked, turning my gaze on the man. He immediately flinched, as he started playing with his nails, clearly nervous. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± He answered. ¡°I was just lost somewhere when the young lady found me. A-At that time, she was already accompanied by¡­ her friends.¡± That¡¯s a lie. He obviously knows something, yet he won¡¯t tell. He is exactly like Nora, stuttering, hesitating, and looking away. He has a reason to fear her. I can understand that Nora would lie to me, but this man? As a commoner, he should understand the power and the authority that my family possesses, yet he dares to lie. This can only mean one thing: he fears the girl more than he fears me. That is enough. There is no point in interrogating them any further; I don¡¯t think I will get any more information than this. I smiled at the boy and his father. ¡°Well, thank you very much for your cooperation! I was able to learn some very interesting facts!¡± The boy looked up at me. ¡°Uh, my lord? You won¡¯t punish her, right? She was only helping me. Big sis wasn¡¯t at fault¡­¡± ¡°Of course not. Because you told me what happened, I no longer have any reason to ground her, do I?¡± A bright smile appeared on his face. On the other hand, his father was as pale as a ghost. Sending them back, I stayed in my office, thinking about what I had learned. ????? ¡°Did you call me?¡± Nora asked, entering the room. After reflecting upon the situation and the options I had all day, I summoned my sister in my office room. Even without being asked to, she casually took a seat, in front of me. ¡°I just had a talk with the people Lynett met the same day she brought herfriendsfor the first time.¡± I said, with an indifferent voice. At my sudden revelation, Nora flinched, her eyes widened in surprise. I could see a glimpse of fear in her expression. She quickly averted her gaze, looking at the wall. ¡°Is that so¡­? Did they say anything?¡± She asked, as her voice was slightly shaking. ¡°Did you know that Lynett could use magic?¡± I inquired, going straight to the point. Nora¡¯s face immediately lost its colors, as a chill made her skin crawl. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t! Why would I? How was I supposed to know that a child was able to use magic?!¡± She shouted, clearly panicking. She knew. My expression unwavering, I fixed at her with a cold stare. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth¡­¡± She tried to convince me, as she saw my face. ¡°Sure.¡± I said with a dull voice, crossing my arms in front of me. We stared at each other for a while, without saying anything. I was expecting ¨Choping- that she would eventually confess something, but she didn¡¯t. ¡°¡­ So what are you going to do about it?¡± Nora asked, breaking the silence. Understanding that she wasn¡¯t going to say anything else, I let out a heavy sigh. Opening the drawer of my desk, I pulled out a letter that was carefully shoved in, before presenting it to Nora, in front of me. Her eyes immediately widened as she saw the seal on the letter. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, and I had to use a lot of contacts, putting pressure and using a lot of favors across the kingdom.¡± I explained. After hesitating a bit, Nora took the letter and carefully opened it. As she read its content, her face washed blank and every muscle of her body just froze. She blinked several times, making sure she didn¡¯t see it wrong, before looking up at me. ¡°Is it¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I said. ¡°The time has come for the girlto leave.¡± Part I Chapter 16 – Deal Chapter 16 ¨C Deal
Lynett
Ah~! What a nice weather we are having today! The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and not a single cloud in the sky. A perfect summer day. ¡°Mother fucking asshole! I¡¯m going to murder you! I¡¯m jealous of the people who had the chance NOT to meet you! Your existence itself is a joke, a proof that the Creator had a good sense of humor! Why don¡¯t you shut your mouth for once?! It¡¯s not like you were going to say something smart one day! I don¡¯t know what makes you so stupid, but it really works!¡± ¡°Aww! It¡¯s cute when you try to be intimidating! I don¡¯t know which language you¡¯re talkingin, but all I hear is bullshit! Beauty is skin deep, but ugly is to the bone! I used to think you were pretty, but then you opened your mouth. Look at you, stupid fox! I can¡¯t even beat you up, it would be considered animal abuse!¡± That is right. A very beautiful day. I am currently sitting in an armchair placed by to the side of the courtyard, admiring the scenery in front of me while drinking some tea. I wonder what mother is doing right now? I should have asked her to keep me company, she likes tea after all. ¡°LYNETT! Aren¡¯t you going to do something about him/her?!¡± I sighed. ¡°Shut up already, and leave.¡± Seriously¡­ Those two are really annoying. It has been two weeks since Yoko and Harri first visited the mansion. Surprisingly, nothing much happened after that, so my daily life returned to normal. Except for one thing¡­ Ever since, those two have been visiting EVERY-SINGLE-DAY. I first thought that it was because they were bored, and they would eventually stopped coming, but I was wrong. I was na?ve. By claiming this territory and imposing the No-fights rule, I thought the conflicts between Harri and Yoko would subside and that things would eventually calm down. Haha¡­ I wassooooowrong. Since they were not allowed to solve their disputes by dueling, each time they had a disagreement, those two just came here instead, asking me to be the judge. The worst thing in this story is that their disputes were always over something trivial. Seriously¡­ How old are they? They are supposed to have lived for thousands of years, yet I feel like watching children. Yoko and Harri¡¯s daily visit first surprised everyone in the house, especially my uncle and my aunt. I am pretty sure Uncle Jack really regrets telling them to ¡®come visit whenever they felt like it¡¯ now. To be honest, I do not really hate it since they keep me company, but¡­ Do they really have to come every single day just to complain? So far, their daily disputes pass as lover quarrels, but at this rate, their cover will fall apart. Ever since I discovered the weird state of my aunt¡¯s mana core, I couldn''t find out any more about it. I had absolutely no lead. If there was someone targeting the family, then the suspects were way too numerous. As nobles, they had a lot of enemies. Besides, it''s not like if I could have Yoko going around kissing people randomly, just to inspect their mana core. Especially not my uncle, he is married -I think. I never met them, but I heard that he had a family. They weren''t living here though¡­ which is kind of weird if you think about it. As the Marquis, shouldn¡¯t his family live with him in the main residence? That¡¯s suspicious¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­ This is annoying. I¡¯m getting a headache¡­¡± Yoko complained, massaging her temples. No kidding. You¡¯ve been shouting non-stop for who-knows-how-long. ¡°Young mistress!¡± A voice suddenly called out. Turning my gaze in the direction of the voice, I noticed Ivy running to my side. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± I asked. ¡°The lord wants to see you,¡± she said hastily, catching her breath. Uncle Jack wants to see me? How unusual. Did I do something? Or is it about Yoko and Harri? I would understand if he got tired of seeing those two wandering around everyday¡­ Oh well, in all cases, I don''t think I am in troubles. I turned to the two Mid Gods who were staring at me. ¡°I¡¯m leaving for a bit. Be good and don¡¯t fight while I¡¯m not watching.¡± They both replied with a forced smile, without saying anything. I know they don''t like to be treated like children, especially since they are the older ones, but since they are behaving like children, I will treat them as such. Leaving the silly ¡°couple¡± behind, I followed Ivy as she lead me to my uncle¡¯s office room. Why does she seem so nervous, though? ????? She stopped. She looked at me. She gave a weak smile. She took a deep breath. She knocked. It''s just a door, Ivy. What''s such a big deal? Did uncle threaten you, or anything? ¡°My lord, the young mistress has arrived.¡± She said with a clear and loud voice, making sure my uncle would hear her from inside the room. Hearing his voice asking us to enter, she gathered her courage to open the door. Entering his office room, I saw my uncle sitting in his chair with his usual serious expression, as my aunt was standing at his side, looking away. Clearly, she did not want to be here. It has been a while since I last came here. And when I say a while, I mean at least a decade. Thinking about it, I don''t think that I came here again since I first visited the mansion. I don''t remember much, but I think it didn''t changed a lot since then. That room was my uncle¡¯s working place. As a child, I had no reasons to be here and thus, was not allowed to come here. Whenever he had something to tell me, my uncle would be the one to come to me, so today is the first time he summoned me. Without entering the room, Ivy greeted my uncle and my aunt with a deep bow. Then, she gave me a quick glance full of pity before closing the door behind me. Uhm? Why am I pitiful? Am I in trouble after all? Thinking about that possibility, nervousness started to build up inside me. ¡°Did you ask to see me?¡± I spoke. ¡°Yes, have a seat.¡± My uncle ordered, gesturing a chair in front of his desk. I stepped forward, stopping at his desk¡¯s foot. I tried to think of a reason why I would be in trouble as I took a seat. I couldn''t find any. Well, actually, there were a lot of reasons, but the timing didn''t fit. Recently, I did nothing wrong. So maybe I''m not in trouble after all! Ivy must have misunderstood something! Unfortunately, my thought was soon refuted as I immediately heard something ridiculous. ¡°I need you to pack your things, you¡¯re leaving.¡± Uncle Jack said, going straight to the point. ¡­ ¡­ What? Excuse me? I think I misheard something. I can feel the sparks in my brain trying to connect the dots, but it just short-circuited instead. I need a loading time. Leave? Who? Me? Why? Am I being kicked out, right now? My mouth slightly opened and my forehead furrowed in confusion, I tried to study my uncle¡¯s expression. He is totally serious. ¡°You¡¯re leaving in three days,¡± he added. He really is kicking me out. It isn¡¯t like if I never planned to leave, but that is way too sudden. Before I had a chance to say something, he showed me a letter placed on his desk just in front of me, and asked me to open it, so I did. ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± He inquired. ¡°A letter of admittance under special circumstances to the Arcane Academy,¡± I simply responded, reading its title. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s yours.¡± ¡­ Huh? What did he say? I need another loading time¡­ He is sending me to school? I don¡¯t understand, it doesn¡¯t make any sense. I''m not complaining, I mean, I have been wanting to go ever since I was reborn, but¡­ Why? He has been reluctant to let me attend a school for so long, yet, now, he suddenly changes his mind? Besides, it''s not just any school. It''s the Arcane Academy. The same school brother has been sent to. It''s an independent institute, unaffiliated to any country, renowned in the whole continent. Technically, everyone can attend the Arcane Academy. But since it''s not situated in the kingdom, the students lived in dorms. So you either needed a lot of money or a powerful sponsor to send someone there. I can understand for brother since he''s the heir, but why in the world my uncle would be willing to spend so much money on me? ¡°¡­ I¡¯m going to attend a school?¡± I asked, unsure. ¡°Not exactly.¡± My uncle answered. Huh¡­? What''s with that answer? That''s even more confusing. He''s sending me to school, but I won''t beattending. Can someone explain me the logic? ¡°There is no need for you to attend, that¡¯s just a formality,¡± he started to explain, seeing the confusion on my face. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot from your tutors. Even if you lack basic common sense when it comes to anything sociological, it seems that you are quite a brilliant student in sciences and math, right?¡± Is he complimenting me or insulting me? I''m not sure¡­ ¡°With that level, there isn¡¯t much for you to learn. I guess you could use the occasion to fix that lack of skills in sociological studies, but your tutors told me you were a desperate case, so I¡¯m not expecting anything.¡± ¡­ Those bastards. I¡¯m doing my best, you know? ¡°All those theoretical classes are just a formality to you,¡± Uncle Jack continued. ¡°What¡¯s more interesting are the practical classes. It will teach you the basic battle abilities. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯ll do just as fine in magic classes, though.¡± Huh? What does he means by that? Could he be aware?Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. As if answering to my unspoken thought, a grin crept onto Uncle Jack¡¯s face. ¡°You can drop the act now. I know you can use magic.¡± As I thought¡­ My cover is done for. How did that happen? When did I screw up? Who sold me off? There isn¡¯t a lot of people aware of me being able to use magic so¡­ My gaze fell upon Aunt Nora, who had stayed silent until now, causing her to flinch. She immediately starting shivering, averting her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t glare at her like that,¡± Uncle Jack said, as he saw his sister getting nervous. ¡°She didn¡¯t say a word until the end. It was the boy you helped for a request two weeks ago who told me about it. Quite a na?ve child, I must say. He thought he was helping you.¡± Axis¡­? That uncle of mine is one hell of a bastard, manipulating a child to get the information he wants. I was right to be wary of him. He is cunning. ¡°Anyway, to be honest, I have absolutely no interest in you attending a school.¡± He continued, returning to the main topic. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s only a formality. You¡¯ll only have to attend for six months.¡± Ok, now that makes even less sense. I really don¡¯t understand him. Why only six months? Is there something special happening after that? ¡­Ah!! ¡°It seems that you¡¯ve just understood,¡± Uncle Jack said with a small grin. ¡°That¡¯s right. I want you to participate in the Great Tournament.¡± I think I¡¯m finally starting to understand. The Great Tournment. A traditional continental competition that take place every five years. It was meant for schools all around the continent to display their best students in different areas. Considering the amplitude of the event, a lot of powerful households would be attending; even the royal families were invited. Basically, it was similar to the Olympic Games on Earth -except that it was only for students, and that it wasn''t a sport competition. Anyone could try their luck disregarding the rank, the race, the gender. For students from unknown families, it was the occasion to outstand and make a name for themselves, while students from renowned families wouldreceive even more fame. The only condition to enter was to belong to one of the schools participating in the tournament. So this is why my uncle suddenly decided to enroll me to the Arcane Academy. He discovered that I had potential in magic and now wants me to participate in the Great Tournament to bring fame to the family. Humf! Not happening. I was about to reject his offer, but he didn¡¯t let me the chance. He probably read the expression on my face, as he spoke first. ¡°Lynett, do you want your freedom back?¡± ¡­ Huh¡­? ¡°Do you want your freedom back?¡± He repeated. ¡°Because I can give it back to you. Not just yours, but also your mother¡¯s.¡± My eyes and my mouth wide opened in shock, I just blankly stared at him, frozen, unable to comprehend what he just said. A wicked smile played on my uncle¡¯s lips, as he continued. ¡°Lynett, you are not a child anymore, and I believe that you are smarter than you let the others think, so I¡¯ll just treat you as a proper adult. You¡¯ve stayed long enough in this house to understand: it is time for you to make yourself useful. So I¡¯m proposing you a deal.¡± ¡°A deal¡­?¡± I repeated, mistrustful. ¡°That¡¯s right, a deal. A give/give situation. I want you to participate in the Great Tournament. Aoban will be participating too. I don¡¯t need you to win it, you just have to make it past the playoffs. You can drop out after that, I don¡¯t really care. In exchange, I¡¯ll return yours and your mother¡¯s freedom. You will be free to leave, we will no longer be chasing or threatening you. I¡¯ll even give you some money to travel, buy a house, or anything you want.¡± ¡°What about my brother?¡± I asked. ¡°Aoban is the heir of the family. Even if I wanted to, I can¡¯t really let him go. However, he is already eighteen year old. In only two years, he will be considered a proper adult. At that time, if he wants to leave, I won¡¯t stop him.¡± That''s not right. Something is off. That is way too convenient for me. I''ve always thought about leaving this place one day or another. Although they never really took any hostile action against us, I never really liked the idea of staying here, especially considering my mother''s past. However, truth be told, I never really found a way to escape this family without too many consequences. Using force? Sure, that''s easy. But what about after that? Brother and I would be labeled as runaways, and mother, as the adult, would be accused of kidnapping us. Killing my uncle and my aunt? Although a bit radical, it could have been an option if they weren''t one of the most notable families in this kingdom. Yep. Killing the Marquis and his sister is the best way to be labeled as criminals. In the worst cases, I''ll end up with the whole kingdom as my enemy. If it was only me, I could''ve handled it, but I definitely don''t want such a life for mother and brother... But now, what? Regaining my family''s freedom without having to be chased by the authorities? That sure sounds tempting. Considering my abilities, reaching the playoffs of the tournament shouldn''t be impossible. Besides, if I drop out right after that, I won''t be attracting the attention of some influential figure. Returning to a normal life without any restriction with my family¡­ That sounds just too perfect. Why? Uncle Jack has nothing to win in this. I squinted my eyes, looking at him unconvinced. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t any.¡± Uncle Jack responded with a smile. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s a give/give situation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡­¡± I said. ¡°You have nothing to win in this. You went into so many troubles to find mother and brother, then you accommodated us for years. You even gave brother a first-class education. Clearly, you had something in mind. Yet, now, you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re willing to give up on all of this? Only so that I would participate into some stupid tournament without even having to win it?¡± Hearing this, Uncle Jack chuckled a little. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to reprimand some of your tutors. It seems that you¡¯re not that stupid when it comes to human behaviors, after all.Well, believe it or not Lynett, this situation is beneficial for me too. You are right. I did have something in mind, but I¡¯m a business man. I will always take the best opportunity when it comes to me.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. However, it is only an offer in the end. Feel free to refuse it.¡± He shrugged. ¡°We can always go back to the original plan, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll like it.¡± Narrowing my eyes, I tilted my head to the side. ¡°What¡¯s the original plan?¡± ¡°I was planning to marry you off to the Duke Rutherder. He already has two wives, but he was willing to take you as his third concubine. He is a simple man, you know? Once he heard you were a pretty young maiden with golden eyes, he immediately agreed to take you in, disregarding your race.¡± Uncle Jack muttered casually. ¡­ HE WAS GOING TO DO WHAT?! The heck?! I mean, I guess I could have expected being engaged to someone as a noblewoman, especially at my age but¡­ Two wives?! A third concubine?! What kind of macho man is he? I¡¯m sure that Duke is one of those round, ugly and greedy noble you see in novels. ¡°Uncle¡­ You¡¯re such an asshole¡­¡± I unconsciously blurted out. For a few seconds, Uncle Jack widened his eyes, but quickly regained his composure as a weak smile appeared on his face. ¡°Well, coming from you, that was unexpected¡­¡± He chuckled. ¡°¡­ You¡¯re the one who told me to drop the act.¡± ¡°Indeed, but I didn''t expect you to become so straightforward.¡± He nodded with a grin. He marked a pause before continuing. ¡°So, how about it? It¡¯s not a bad deal, right?¡± Uhm¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure there is more behind all this. My uncle is definitely plotting something. Still, he is right. Even if he is indeed plotting something, it is still a good opportunity for me and I should take it. However, if I do join brother in the Arcane Academy, that means I¡¯ll have to leave mother alone here, right? I know it¡¯s only six months, but a lot can happen in six months. And I definitely don¡¯t trust my uncle, my aunt even less. I do trust Ivy, but Ivy doesn¡¯t have the power to protect her if something were to happen. Besides, she is technically under contract with my uncle. So it means that there is absolutely no one I can trust in this mansion. I can¡¯t leave mother alone in the middle of the enemy''s territory. My uncle probably guessed what was making me hesitating as he immediately spoke up. ¡°If you¡¯re worrying about Azariah, it¡¯s unnecessary. We won¡¯t touch her while you¡¯re not here, you have my word. So you can go with an easy conscience.¡± I stared coldly at him, narrowing my eyes. ¡°Am I supposed to trust your word?¡± ¡°Well, that hurts my pride a little. I¡¯m a man of my word, you know?¡± Uncle Jack said with a wry smile. ¡°But since you¡¯re also a mage, let¡¯s make things easier. If you don¡¯t trust my words, we¡¯ll just have to make an [Oath]. I will swear that neither me or my sister will touch even one of her hairs. Is it fine, this way?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Not enough.¡± My uncle raised a single eyebrow, furrowing his forehead, clearly not understanding. ¡°You¡¯re a cunning person, uncle. You could still hire some third party to harm her, without breaking the oath,¡± I explained. He let out a loud sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being paranoid? I understand your point, but what else do you expect me to do? An [Oath] only guarantees the oath taker¡¯s own honesty and integrity. It does nothing about third parties. And it¡¯s not like I could force every single person out there to join the [Oath], right?¡± I know I¡¯m probably overdoing it. If my uncle had any intention to harm mother, he probably wouldn¡¯t go as far as making an [Oath]. Besides, so far, he never touched her. I don¡¯t think I have to worry about my aunt either; she did had her lesson twelve years ago after all. Still, I can¡¯t fully trust them. Circumstances changed. Now that I know someone is targeting the family, it¡¯s even more risky to let mother alone with them. If my uncle and my aunt¡¯s mana core were damaged without them noticing, then there might be an insider. Besides, if there is someone able to use soul magic against those two, then they aren¡¯t to be taken lightly. In that case¡­ ¡°Yoko and Harri,¡± I spoke. ¡°Allow them to stay here while I¡¯m not here.¡± Realizing my intention, my uncle widened his eyes, while Aunt Nora¡¯s expression distorted in concern. After regaining his composure, Uncle Jack curled his lips into a grin. ¡°So you¡¯re going to have your¡®friends¡¯watching over her while you¡¯re not here? You sure don¡¯t do things in half. Well, I can¡¯t say that I am pleased in having this eccentric couple staying here, but fine. It¡¯s only six months after all. I do have a lot to earn after that.¡± Hearing his approval, Aunt Nora clenched her teeth, clearly displeased. Ever since she met them, she didn¡¯t bother to hide her hate for them. I can¡¯t blame her? Not a lot of people would be able to handle them, especially not after being humiliated by Yoko like this. On the other hand, Aunt Nora hates pretty much everyone, so I doubt it would have made any difference if Yoko hadn¡¯t mocked her. ¡°Auntie,¡± I called her out. Startled, her discontent quickly melted away as she returned to her nervous state, looking at me with her eyes full of apprehension. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like her, try not to provoke Yoko. I¡¯m saying this for your own good.¡± She did not answer. Well, she has been warned. Whatever happens next, it is on her. Carefully observing my behavior toward Aunt Nora, Uncle Jack stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking up. ¡°There is one question I want to ask, Lynett.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, but were you responsible for what happened to my sister, twelve years ago?¡± I blinked several times at him, and then I turned my gaze on Aunt Nora once again. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him?¡± ¡°B-Because you said it was supposed to stay a secret¡­¡± She muttered with a hint of fear in her voice. ¡°Well, at this point, it¡¯s meaningless to hide it any longer, you know? He already knows pretty much everything.¡± Uncle Jack sighed, lifting one hand to his forehand. ¡°So it was really you¡­ What did you do to her?¡± ¡°Just a little magic trick.¡± I simply said, shrugging. ¡°It¡¯d be a pain to tell you about that night, so just ask your sister. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be pleased to recount you every single detail of our playtime.¡± Without saying anything, my uncle stared at me with a serious expression. After a while, he finally broke the silence as a forced smile played on his lips. ¡°Were you always this haughty? And to think I thought you were an obedient child¡­ You sure played your cards close to your chest. How old were you then? Two? To be able to use magic at such a young age¡­ You¡¯re a real monster, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, uncle. Between your sister who enjoys tormenting people both physically and mentally, and you, who knows all about it but let her do as she pleases, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m the real monster here. ¡°Since you know about it now, you better not do anything behind my back.¡± I said, my expression unwavering. ¡°Of course not. I told you: I¡¯m a man of my word.¡± He answered with a wry smile. ¡°So, what is it exactly that you¡¯re hiding? No matter how much I think about it, I just can¡¯t seem to find a good explanation. Just who are you exactly?¡± How ironic. Twelve years ago, his sister asked me exactly the same thing. I guess I¡¯ll just have to answer the same way? ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. For you, I¡¯m just Lynett, a fourteen year old girl, perfectly normal.¡± I responded with an innocent smile. ¡°You said one question, I already answered it.¡± Uncle Jack let out a small chortle. ¡°Indeed. But you were becoming so talkative I thought you might as well spill everything. You can¡¯t blame me for trying, right?¡± He leaned on his backrest and intertwined his fingers. Returning to his usual poker-face, he stared at me with cold eyes. ¡°So, do we have a deal?¡± Uhm¡­ There is definitely more in this story than he tells me, and he is probably plotting something. Otherwise, there is just no way that he would propose me such an offer. No matter how much I think about this, he has more to lose than he has to win. My mind is telling me to refuse, warning me of probable future troubles, but if I were to follow my guts¡­ ¡°Fine, deal.¡± Part I Chapter 17 – Meeting Chapter 17 ¨C Meeting
Harri
¡°So, can you hear them? What are they saying? Don¡¯t stay so silent, I also want to know!¡± ¡°Shut up, Harri. How am I supposed to concentrate if you keep talking?¡± It¡¯s been a few minutes since the Creator left, after being summoned by the Lord of this place. Since we had nothing better to do, we decided to follow her ¨Cmore or less. Technically, we¡¯re still in the courtyard. However, we moved to the other side of the mansion, where the lord¡¯s office was situated. Standing just below the window, Yoko was leaning against the wall, her eyes closed and her arms crossed. She was focusing, eavesdropping on the conversation. I have no idea how she does that, considering how thick the exterior walls were, but I¡¯m guessing it has something to do with her fox ears. ¡°Hey, say something. I¡¯m bored.¡± ¡°Shut up already.¡± Ah¡­ The Creator should have given me some superior ears too. For how long am I supposed to stand still? Yoko¡¯s not even commentating anything; she¡¯s just listening, leaving me in the dark. So I¡¯m waiting. I just observe her, trying to guess the situation. From time to times, her eyelids would twitch and a wry smile appeared on her face. But otherwise, she stays impassible. However, the violent sways of her tail were speaking for herself: she was annoyed. Whatever she¡¯s hearing, it clearly doesn¡¯t please her. ¡°And this is why humans are so stupid¡­¡± Yoko eventually muttered, breaking the silence. ¡°They never learn their place, do they?¡± Yup. She¡¯s pissed. What did she hear? Biting her lips, she acted out her frustration silently for a few minutes, before her lips curled into an evil grin as her tails started to sway even more violently in her back. Wait, her tails? One, two, three, four, five¡­ ¡°Yoko,¡± I called her out. ¡°Why are your nine tails out? Aren¡¯t you supposed to hide them?¡± Turning her gaze to me, she narrowed her eyes before giving a quick glance in her back. She didn¡¯t even notice? ¡°Oops~! My bad, my bad!¡± She exclaimed as she made her tails disappear. ¡°I got a little excited thinking about something, I forgot about self-control!¡± Excited¡­? ¡°What did you hear?¡± I asked. Without answering anything, a broad smile stretched on her face, slowly revealing all her teeth. ¡°Hey, Harri, want some action?¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°You know we can¡¯t fight, right?¡± ¡°Oh, come on! Not everything is about fighting!¡± She answered with a wry smile. ¡°Let¡¯s have a truce! I found something much more interesting to do!¡± ¡°A truce? Of all people, to think you would be the one to call for a truce¡­ What are you thinking of doing?¡± ¡°Just doing a little favor to the Creator!¡± A wicked grin appeared on her face, stretching from one side to the other, showing every single tooth. I know this smile. It doesn¡¯t bode well for anyone. It¡¯s the same smile she always make when she¡¯s about to do one of her nasty pranks. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking of doing, are you sure you¡¯re doing this for the Creator and not for yourself?¡± I asked, clearly showing my mistrust. ¡°To me, it looks like you¡¯re quite enjoying the situation.¡± ¡°Eh~! Come on, I haven¡¯t told you anything yet! How can you be judging so fast?¡± Her voice didn¡¯t match her expressions. There was a slight hint of concern in her tone, but the grin on her face suggested that her confidence didn¡¯t falter. ¡°Well, do tell. I¡¯m listening.¡± I said as I cross my arms. ¡°I¡¯m curious to hear what you deemed interesting enough to call for a truce. However, know that if you don¡¯t manage to convince me, I will not cooperate and immediately spill the beans. So, what did you hear?¡± As her smile kept stretching wider and wider, she started to explain everything to me.
Lynett
One hour. It¡¯s the time it took for us to set the terms and the conditions of the deal. I knew that my uncle was probably up to something, but at least, this way, he won¡¯t be able to manipulate the terms of the agreement to his advantage. Still, no matter how much I thought about it, I just couldn¡¯t think of any catch. I¡¯m pretty sure there is some kind of trap, but it¡¯s still worth the risk. I always thought that everything would be solved once brother reached the legal adult age. Even if he chose not to renounce to his legacy, as a proper adult, my uncle would no longer have absolute control over him. He would probably have found a way to protect mother too. But technically, mother is already free. However, I know that she won¡¯t leave this mansion as long as we¡¯re here. And waiting for me to also reach the age of majority is not an option. My uncle pretty much stated that he won¡¯t wait until then to carry out whatever his evil plans are. And even if I manage to break off the engagement, even if I manage to reach adulthood without any problems, to be honest, unlike brother, as a female, I¡¯m not sure my wishes will be worth anything against the will of the head of the house. So it¡¯s a dead-end. As long as he is still alive, according to the law, my uncle will always have some control over mother and me. And fleeing or killing him aren¡¯t an option either. I can¡¯t see how having to deal with the authorities can end up in a good way. So in the end, the only way to get rid of him without causing any commotion is to have him grant me my freedom on his own will. Well, I¡¯m saying ¡®granting freedom¡¯, but actually, it¡¯s just him disowning me. Even if I¡¯m the previous Marquis¡¯ daughter, since father is no longer here, he does have this power. This way, he¡¯s cutting all ties with me and mother and won¡¯t be able to control our lives any longer. And to make sure he wouldn¡¯t take advantage of the future difference between our statuses, I made him swear not to use his authority against us. I took precautions in defining all the conditions of the deal, which is why it took so long for him to complete his [Oath], but at least, now I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t go back on his word. Since it¡¯s a sacred promise, an Oath can¡¯t be broken easily. To be honest, no one really knows what happens when an Oath is broken since there was no one to tell -anyone having broken an Oath before having either disappeared or completely lost their sanity. However, there were enough rumors to dissuade anyone to break one again. Still, my side of the deal was so simple while his side had so many conditions. The fact that the deal seemed so one-sided only made me feel even more ill-at-ease. My uncle seemed so relax about all this that it made it clear that he was up to something. If I could force him to talk, things would be much easier. But for some reasons, the [World System] won¡¯t let me use Mind Magic. I guess I could torture him but¡­ Well, not only it¡¯s way too drastic, and I¡¯m not so barbaric that I would torture someone without any substantial proof, but any confessions obtained under torture must be taken with a grain of salt. So I guess I¡¯ll just play along. For now, everything is at my advantage. If Uncle Jack tries to do something, I¡¯ll just have to deal with it¡­ probably. Right now, I need to inform Yoko and Harri about the situation. Thinking about it, it¡¯s been over an hour that I left them alone. I hope they didn¡¯t do anything. They were still fighting when I left, and none of them are patient enough to stay still for over an hour. I guess I can expect some mess¡­ However, surprisingly, when I arrived, I didn¡¯t see any damages. No broken dishes, no chair upside down, nothing. They were just sitting there, under the sunshade, around a cup of tea. ¡°Finally, you¡¯re back!¡± Harri greeted me with a broad smile. ¡°What took you so long?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologized as I joined them, a bit confused. ¡°You guys seem¡­ alright. What did you do while I wasn¡¯t here?¡± ¡°Nothing much, really!¡± Yoko happily answered. ¡°We were just tired about fighting all the time, so we negotiated a truce.¡± I narrowed my eyes and slightly tilted my head to the side, not sure of what I just heard. A truce? Them? What¡¯s next? Turning my gaze to Harri, I saw him nodding approvingly at Yoko¡¯s words. So it wasn¡¯t a joke. What¡¯s wrong with them, are they sick? It just doesn¡¯t make any sense. Not that I complain. If I¡¯m going to leave them alone for six months without surveillance, I¡¯d rather have them getting along. Now how do I bring up the main topic? ¡°Uhm, ok¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°Guys, you know, I¡¯ll be leaving for a while.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± they both answered at the same time. ¡°When I say a while, I mean for a few months, not just a few days.¡± I pointed out. ¡°Yeah, no problem. Go ahead.¡± Yoko replied with a smile. ¡­Huh? Is that it? What¡¯s with that lack of reaction, do they not care? That hurts me a bit¡­ ¡°I was hoping that you would stay here while I¡¯m not here. You know, protecting my mother and monitor my uncle and my aunt, in case they try to do something weird.¡± ¡°As you wish!¡± Yoko once again answered with a wide smile. That easily? Something isn¡¯t right. I knew I could count on Harri, considering his gentleman personality, but I didn¡¯t expect Yoko to accept so fast. I¡¯m basically asking her to stay in the company of both humans and Harri, whom she dislikes. I was ready to bribe her with some kind of reward, maybe giving her back her territory once I would leave, but it seems that it wasn¡¯t even necessary. ¡°Even if I¡¯m not here, you can¡¯t fight, you know?¡± I said, unsure of what was going on in her mind. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Truce, remember? We¡¯ll take avery goodcare of your family, so you can go with a light heart!¡± ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Harri added, resting his arm on her shoulder. ¡°See? We¡¯re already best buddies. We¡¯ll be cooperating, so don¡¯t worry and go. We¡¯ll take care ofthe rest!¡± Right. As if. Best buddies? Them? No one would buy this. Still, they obviously came to some agreement. I¡¯m already busy enough trying to figure out what my uncle is thinking, I don¡¯t have the time to deal with them. I don¡¯t think I should push it any further, they might change their minds. They¡¯re Gods, anyway. They¡¯re old enough to take care of their own problems ¨Cor not, but they won¡¯t go against me. I don¡¯t think they will ever betray me, so everything should be fine. ¡°Ok, then¡­ You will need to follow some rules, though.¡± As I said this, I heard the two Gods in front of me sighing loudly, rolling their eyes. ¡°Seriously? Again? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overdoing with all your rules?¡± Yoko complained. ¡°There will never be enough rules for you, guys.¡± I muttered. ¡°Anyway¡­ First! Obviously, you need to avoid using your powers. Unless the situation really requires it, you can¡¯t display any form of magic or any proof of divinity.¡± ¡°When is it when a situation really requires it?¡± Yoko asked, squinting. ¡°Well, if the enemy becomes openly hostile, I guess.¡± I answered after hesitating for a while. ¡°If my uncle, my aunt, Yao, or anyone else tries something weird, suddenly start to attack you or threaten my mother in any way, obviously, don¡¯t just stand there and watch. Fight back. Remember: you need to keep a low profile and not attract anyone¡¯s attention. However, if you have to choose, then my mother¡¯s safety comes first. Nothing else really matters.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Yoko and Harri exchanged a meaningful glance, before a grin drew on their face. ¡°So basically, you¡¯re saying that as long as we don¡¯t strike first, it¡¯s ok to fight back?¡± Yoko said, as her smile kept stretching wider. ¡°Well, that makes things easier¡­¡± Huh? She whispered that last sentence, but I definitely heard her. ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Never mind that, I was just thinking out loud. What¡¯s the rest?¡± ¡°¡­ ...Secondly. Keep an eye on my uncle. No, actually, keep an eye on everyone. Especially if someone tries to contact people outside the house. There must be someone who can use soul magic, or who knows someone else who can. We need to find who it is.¡± ¡°Easy task. Anything else?¡± Umh¡­ I think that¡¯s about it. I said the essential. As long as they follow those two rules, everything should be fine¡­ or not. I have to take their personality in account, especially if I¡¯m letting them with my mother. ¡°Special rule for you, Yoko.¡± I said, pointing at her with my finger. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate if you didn¡¯t seduce anyone in this house while I¡¯m not here. I really don¡¯t need you to worsen the situation. Besides, even if you find it funny, it¡¯ll only make things awkward for the rest of us. Think about your cover.¡± Looking away, she simply answered with a bored ¡®Sure, whatever¡¯. Would it have been anyone else, I wouldn¡¯t have been convinced. But it¡¯s Yoko, she doesn¡¯t lie so I didn¡¯t insist any further. I turned my attention to Harri, who didn¡¯t seem concerned. ¡°As for you, Harri,¡± I added. ¡°You areabsolutelynot allowed to hit on my mother!¡± He blinked several times, as he displayed a confused smile, feigning ignorance. ¡°I would never dare!¡± I grabbed his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Harri. Don¡¯t over do it with the compliments and with your ¡®gentleman¡¯ attitude. She¡¯ll misunderstand. My mother is a shy person, she¡¯s no good with attention and you¡¯ll only make her uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Uhm, understood¡­ I guess?¡± That¡¯s worrying. Up until now, I somehow managed to avoid those two meeting mother. I¡¯d rather not have them getting too close to her. I know they would never harm her purposely, but it¡¯s their passive-aggressive behavior that I¡¯m worried about. I don¡¯t want their silliness to corrupt her¡­ Mother is socially awkward enough like that, I don¡¯t need Yoko and Harri to worsen things. But well, there is no point in delaying their meeting any longer, especially if they are going to stay together for the six next months. It¡¯s been two weeks since I first introduced Yoko and Harri, so mother already heard about them. Since it was the first time I brought people home, of course she¡¯d be curious. But whenever they came, she would just stay quietly in her room, and only ask me about them once they left. I¡¯m worried she may have developed agoraphobia over the past years¡­ She never goes out and avoids meeting strangers. She also probably got worried about the racial prejudices and hides herself, not wanting to ¡®surprise¡¯ my friends. They already know about her being an elf, though. On the other hand, Yoko and Harri have been wanting to meet her since day one, curious to see what kind of woman gave birth to me. However, their curiosity quickly subsided as I explained them that she was just a normal elf ¨Csort of. Besides, since most of the time, they were too busy fighting, they forgot about it soon enough. So I need to make sure their first meeting goes well. The first impressions are always the most important. For this, I need to draw the line. ¡°One last rule. And that goes for both of you,¡± I added. ¡°No skinship with my mother allowed.¡± Yup, if I¡¯m going to let two weirdoes with my mother, this is a given. Yoko and Harri both furrowed their forehead, clearly not understanding the necessity of this last rule. However, they don¡¯t seem to contest my decision. ¡°Fine but, shouldn¡¯t I inspect her mana core first?¡± Yoko asked. ¡­She has a point. With an unknown mage targeting the family, the least I can do is to inspect mother¡¯s mana core. I may have blessed her, but I¡¯m not sure how this ¡®Divine protection¡¯ works. However, letting Yoko kiss mother is a bit¡­ Ew. ¡°I don¡¯t need to kiss her, if this is what¡¯s bothering you.¡± Yoko bluntly said, as she probably guessed what I was thinking. ¡°I just need a physical contact. The more intimate, the better though.¡± ¡°Umh¡­ Fine. One hug. Do it naturally.¡± Having finished establishing the rules, all there is left to do is for them to meet. So I guided my guests to mother¡¯s room, as I started to grow nervous. Except for special occasions or when she is out to see me, she never leaves her room so she should be here. Her room was at the opposite of mine. My uncle decided so, in an attempt to separate the young child I was from my mother and decrease my moral, making me more vulnerable. Unfortunately for him, I wasn¡¯t quite a normal child, so it was useless. Besides, ever since I was allowed out, I only need to cross the corridor to see mother. When we finally arrived in front of her room, I turned to the two Gods following me. ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t make a sound. I will talk to her first, then, when you get my signal, you can come in. Understood?¡± With a small grin, they both silently answered raising their hand, as they connected their index finger to their thumb into a circle, forming an OK sign. Knocking at the door, I didn¡¯t need to wait a long time before I heard a small voice asking me to enter. Taking a deep breath, I entered the room, giving one last glance behind me, before closing the door. I immediately noticed mother sitting in a chair beside the window. As she saw me, she gently smiled at me. ¡°What brings you here, Lyni?¡± She asked. ¡°Did your guests already leave?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, they¡¯re still here.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then you shouldn¡¯t leave them alone, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± As I fell silent, mother stood from her chair, before walking to the bed. She sat on it and patted the blanket, inviting me to come. Obeying, I stepped forward and stopped at the foot of the bed, taking a seat next to her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lyni?¡± She asked, as she brought her hand to my cheek, seemingly worried. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind? Is there something you want to ask?¡± Maternal instinct on point. I heard that mothers could tell when their children were troubled by something, I guess it¡¯s true. ¡°Mom,¡± I muttered. ¡°Have you ever thought about leaving this place?¡± For her few seconds, she widened her eyes, as she clearly not expected me to ask her something like this. ¡°Did something happen? Did somebody mistreat you? Is there something you¡¯re unhappy about?¡± She asked, her eyes tight and worried. I shook my head, reassuring her. ¡°No, I was just wondering¡­ if we were to leave, where would you want to go?¡± Mother slightly tilted her head to the side, seemingly surprised by my sudden question. ¡°Lyni, we can¡¯t leave. Your father was the head of this house. You and your brother belong to this family.¡± ¡°I know, butifyou could leave, is there anywhere you want to go?¡± She stayed silent for a while, before a weak smile played on her lips. Since I was insisting, she didn¡¯t push the matter any further and simply responded. ¡°Anywhere is fine. As long as we¡¯re together, nothing else matters. We¡¯ll always manage to overcome any hardship.¡± Oh¡­ I expected something like this. Coming from her, such a philosophic answer isn¡¯t surprising, but it¡¯s still a little disappointing. That¡¯s too vague. I know that mother is a selfless person and barely thinks of her own happiness, but she should have at least a few wishes. A place where she wants to go, a place where she wants to return. A home. Mother is really secretive, so I don¡¯t know much about her past. She never talks about it and since it¡¯s obviously filled with painful memories, I never really dared to ask. She never even told me anything about my father. Everything I know about him, I learned it from the servants. Even Aoban doesn¡¯t remember much about him, and I can¡¯t expect to get anything from my uncle or my aunt, since the daddy topic seems to be a taboo subject. Still, just because she doesn¡¯t talk about it, it doesn¡¯t mean mother doesn¡¯t have a past. How and with who did she live before she got captured? ¡°Mom¡­ Don¡¯t you have a family?¡± I eventually asked, after hesitating a bit. For a slit of a second, mother froze, clearly taken aback by my sudden question. She stared blankly at me for a few seconds before she relaxed her expression. A kind smile appeared on her face. ¡°You are my family, you and your brother.¡± ¡­That¡¯s a no? But obviously, she¡¯s only thinking about me and Aoban, so even if it¡¯s only for a few months, leaving her behind is making me feel guilty. I feel like betraying her. When Aoban had to leave, she felt really down. He sent a lot of letters and came back every semester, but as a mother, I guess it¡¯s still hard to be separated from your children. Still, she managed to endure her loneliness because I was here. But if I were to leave too¡­ Hearing a sudden chortle, I looked up at mother, who was seemingly amused by my silent dilemma. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, you know?¡± She said, still chuckling. ¡°I can take care of myself, so you can go.¡± Huh? She probably saw the confusion on my face before I could hide it, as she continued. ¡°You¡¯re leaving, right? Isn¡¯t it why you came here? I already heard from your uncle that you¡¯ll be joining your brother. So if you¡¯re worried about me, don¡¯t. You have to think about yourself first. It¡¯s a good opportunity for your future, besides, didn¡¯t you always regret not being able to go with your brother? Don¡¯t throw away this chance because of me. I¡¯m the one supposed to take care of you, not the other way around Lyni.¡± She said with a teasing smile. Oh¡­ Maternal instinct sure is a terrifying thing. But, she said that she already heard it from Uncle Jack? So he warned mother about my future departure even before consulting me about it. This bastard¡­ He knew I wasn¡¯t going to refuse, didn¡¯t he? Still, it seems that he didn¡¯t tell her everything, since mother clearly doesn¡¯t know about our deal. Well, I guess it¡¯s better this way. I don¡¯t like deceiving her, but if she knew, she would get unnecessarily worried, knowing that I¡¯m obviously taking part of my uncle¡¯s schemes. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll go¡­¡± I responded with a small voice. As a sweet smile drew on her face, she gently took me in her arms. ¡°There is nothing for you to be afraid of, Lyni.¡± She said, patting my hair. ¡°Your brother will be there with you. If anything happens, talk to him. He will protect you. And I¡¯m not going anywhere; I¡¯ll always wait for you. So you don¡¯t have to be worried.¡± That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about, although because of my asocial personality, mother is probably thinking of me as a shy and insecure young girl. But I¡¯m just awkward with people, and not really good at expressing myself or understanding others. I don¡¯t want to be the one who needs to be protected again. ¡°You too, mom.¡± I muttered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, since you won¡¯t be alone either.¡± Slowly releasing me from her embrace, mother looked at me with her squinted eyes, probably trying to comprehend what I meant by that. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She asked. ¡°Well, you see-¡° Before I could start explaining myself, a huge ¡®Bang!¡¯ echoed in the room, as the door slammed open. Two figures entered the chamber. ¡°Hello! Nice to meet you!¡± Yoko exclaimed with a broad smile. ¡­ Stupid fox. That wasn¡¯t the signal. ¡°Good afternoon.¡± Harri greeted in his turn, as he let his gaze wander around the area, trying to avoid any eye contact. Startled by the sudden intruders, mother froze, without uttering a word, as she blankly stared at them, her eyes wide opened. Since no one was saying anything, I spoke up, trying to dispel the confusion. ¡°Uhm, mom? This is Yoko, and this is Harri. They¡¯re my guests.¡± Mother slowly turned her gaze back on me, with a hint of disbelief in them. She had already heard about them ¨Cthey were a hot topic among the servants after all- but hearing and seeing are two different things. Knowing they were my friends, she was probably expecting to see people of my age. Instead she saw an incredibly good looking couple, and the fact that they both had golden eyes didn¡¯t help in subsiding her shock. She became really tense. The other side wasn¡¯t any better. Knowing Harri¡¯s personality, I forbid him to overdo it with the compliments and the skinship. But since it was contradicting his character, he started to act really awkwardly, forcing his expressions. On the other hand, Yoko just stood there, smiling. However, given the tense atmosphere, her bright smile only made mother even more uncomfortable. Well, this is what I call an awkward meeting. Eventually, getting a grip on herself, mother broke the silence. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am called Azariah. I¡¯m Lynett¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve heard a lot about you!¡± Yoko exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Harri added with an awkward smile, clearly struggling keeping my rules. Who would have thought thatnotflattering someone was so difficult? ¡°They have their own circumstances, so they will be staying here for a while,¡± I explained. ¡°They¡¯re a bit special, but they¡¯re not mean. Uhm¡­ I guess they will keep you company while I¡¯m not here.¡± I explained. Mother listened to me silently, but I could tell she was just as confused as before. I didn¡¯t exactly give her the time to digest the situation that I¡¯m imposing her. However, since they were my guests and probably didn¡¯t want to be rude to them, she didn¡¯t say anything and simply gave off a weak smile. ¡°We will be in you care ¨Cor more like the opposite but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Yoko said, as she stepped forward. Not even giving mother a chance to react, Yoko suddenly pulled her to her side and put her arms around her back. That¡¯s not what I would call a ¡®natural¡¯ hug, but well¡­ I guess this is the best she could do. Startled by her sudden action, mother didn¡¯t even think to react and just froze in place. She tensed up, receiving the surprise hug. Behind her back, I tried giving Yoko some signals, asking her to hurry, but she closed her eyes. I¡¯m not sure if she was focusing on analyzing mother¡¯s mana core or if she was purposely ignoring me. As I thought, it did last for a while. When mother finally realized the situation she was in, she tried to free herself, but Yoko showed no signs of letting her go. Since she didn¡¯t want to be rude and force the way out, she tried calling her out. However, Yoko turned a deaf ear. The awkward situation lasted for a few minutes, before Yoko finally released mother from her embrace. As if nothing happened, she simply gave off a bright smile, turning to Harri. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go, honey! Let¡¯s give some time to our friend and her mother!¡± She said, heading to the door. ¡°Sure... Excuse us.¡± Harri responded, as he followed her. Just like that, those two exited the room, leaving me and my confused mother behind. Giving a quick glance to her, she really looked like a lost child, still unsure of what happened. After staring into the distance for a while, mother turned her gaze in my direction, looking at me with dubitative eyes, clearly expecting me to say something. ¡°Uhm, well¡­ I told you they were a little special.¡± I tried to explain, as I looked away. ¡°Because she¡¯s from the beastkin, Yoko¡¯s a bit tactile, don¡¯t mind her actions.¡± She didn¡¯t answer anything. Instead, she simply kept looking at me, with the same skeptical and worried eyes. Probably not what she was expecting from my first friends. Well, if my child, who stayed a loner for years, one day suddenly came home with an eccentric couple as friends, I guess I would get worried too and start asking questions. Trying to ease her mind, I slightly tilted my head, adopted a child-like expression and displayed a candid smile. Mother sighed. Yup. She¡¯s definitely thinking that I¡¯m choosing wrong my friends and that I¡¯m hanging with the wrong crowd. But well¡­ Unlike the meeting with my uncle and my aunt, it went pretty fine. Actually, considering Yoko and Harri¡¯s excessiveness, I guess it couldn¡¯t have been better. I hope this awkwardness will quickly subside though. Otherwise, the next months are going to be a pain for those three. Part I Chapter 18 – System Error Chapter 18 ¨C System Error
Lynett
After meeting Yoko and Harri, mother started to ask a lot of questions. Where were they from? How old were they? What did they do for a living? How did we meet? For how long have I known them? I mostly answered the same way I did with everyone else: they are a foreign couple that I happened to meet randomly, and I befriended them after they helped me. Trying to give as little detail as possible ¨Csince lying too much will only backfire- I told her that I didn¡¯t know that much about them. However, without stating it clearly, I strongly suggested that they eloped, running away from the prejudices of being an interracial couple. When she understood this, mother immediately threw in the towel. She knew better than anyone else the struggles of being romantically involved with someone from another race, so I knew she would stop asking any more questions. Sorry for using your weakness against you, mom¡­ After that, I rejoined Yoko and Harri in the courtyard, where they were waiting for me. ¡°Are you done?¡± Harri asked, as he saw me approaching. ¡°Yeah, somehow. How was my mother¡¯s core?¡± I immediately inquired, turning my attention to Yoko. ¡°Intact,¡± she responded. ¡°There is nothing wrong with it.¡± I let out a relieved sigh, as it lifted a huge weight off my mind. ¡°Lynett, you said your mother was an elf, but isn¡¯t she a high-elf?¡± Yoko asked. ¡°Heh? That¡¯s right. Is there any differences?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not really the same thing¡­¡± She muttered, as she started rubbing her chin. ¡°Forget about it, what¡¯s wrong with her ears? They have such a weird shape. Is it a new fashion trend among mortals or something?¡± Hearing her words, I felt a little offended as my eyes twitched. ¡°Of course not¡­ That¡¯s my stupid aunt¡¯s doing. I made sure she regretted it, though.¡± The two gods in front of me furrowed their eyebrow, as they quickly exchanged an inquiring glance. ¡°Is that so?¡± Harri asked. ¡°But¡­ Why didn¡¯t you grow them back? I mean, you¡¯re obviously bothered by it. When the minx lost one of her tails, she grew it back.¡± Widening my eyes, I turned my gaze on Yoko. ¡°You once lost a tail?¡± ¡°Yeah. I got into a fight with Drakarth.¡± She grunted, as I clearly saw the veins of her temples popping out. ¡°This motherfucker¡­ I made sure to return him thefavor.No one touches my tails.¡± ¡°¡­ Drakarth? You pissed off the God of Anger? I knew you had some guts but¡­No wait. You grew your tail back? You can do that?! I was pretty sure you didn¡¯t have such a power!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re right, I don¡¯t.¡± Yoko shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have such a high affinity to the light attribute, so I asked Naia to do it for me. She owed me favor, you see?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Of course. I got my hopes up for nothing¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I need to find Naia if I want my mother¡¯s ears back?¡± ¡°Why would you need to find her?¡± Harri inquired, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Can¡¯t you do it yourself? This much should be nothing for you. Aren¡¯t you the Creator?¡± I let out a loud sigh. ¡°That¡¯s the point¡­ If I could, I would already have grown them back, but I can¡¯t. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t try, but the [System] won¡¯t let me do it.¡± ¡°The System?¡± Yoko and Harri both repeated, as they narrowed their eyes. ¡°Yeah. At first, I thought I couldn¡¯t heal my mother¡¯s ears because of my lack of control, but for the past twelve years, I did practice a lot.¡± I started to explain. ¡°You know, there are a lot of stray animals wandering around the mansion. Since I feed them, they came to trust me and let me touch them. I¡¯m not sure if they get into fights with each other or if the inhabitants mistreat them, but they¡¯re often badly injured, and some of them are even missing a toe, a tail or an ear. Uhm¡­ It¡¯s a little cruel, but I¡¯ve kind of been using them to practice healing magic.¡± Without saying anything, Yoko and Harri carefully listened to my story. Since they didn¡¯t seem to want to add anything, I continued. ¡°So just like that, I practice for years, without any improvements. Opened wounds or internal injuries weren¡¯t a problem, but I couldn¡¯t do anything about their missing parts. Still, I didn¡¯t give up. And after years of practice, a change finally occurred. Not what I was expecting though¡­ As I was focusing on the missing tail of a dog, I felt something changing. I¡¯m not sure what, but this time, I was convinced it was going to work. So I tried visualizing its tail, and as I thought, for the first time, mana started materializing around the missing part. However, just as it was about to work, the [World System] sent me a notification, interrupting my magic¡­¡± ¡°You got interrupted?¡± Harri repeated, drawing his head backward and squinting. ¡°Yup.¡± I sighed. ¡°Ever since, each time I tried again, the [System] wouldn¡¯t let me use magic. It¡¯s exactly the same thing with Mind magic. Do you guys know anything about this?¡± Harri shook his head. ¡°Nope, not a clue. It never happened to me before.¡± Ah¡­ Figures. Even if they did experience something similar, I¡¯m pretty sure they wouldn¡¯t even notice it. If they can¡¯t receive any messages from the [World System], they can¡¯t have any way to know about this. This is problematical. I¡¯m absolutely on my own, there. After staying silent for a while, Yoko eventually spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s the strongest magic you¡¯ve ever used?¡± She asked. ¡°Huh? Uhm, well¡­ Giving blessings, I guess?¡± I responded, unsure of myself. ¡°It doesn¡¯t count. That¡¯s not magic, pick something else,¡± she immediately said. A bit confused, I tried looking in my memories the times where I used magic. I wasn¡¯t sure why she wanted to know that, but knowing her, Yoko probably had something in mind. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t recall a lot of times where I actually used magic. I preferred using my small admin tricks over magic, since unlike magic, admin skills didn¡¯t require any mana, and thus, left no traces. There was also the risk of my magic going rampage. Over the past few years, I grew confident in my control, however, now knowing that I subconsciously infused mana all around the place, I¡¯m clearly still lacking. Besides, since there was no place for me to practice without causing damages, I never used any high level magic besides healing magic. So, the strongest spell I¡¯ve ever used? I¡¯m not sure¡­ Oh! Wait, there was that one time¡­ ¡°Then bringing someone back to life.¡± I finally answered, after thinking for a while. Hearing this, Yoko and Harri both widened their eyes. Obviously, that¡¯s not a common magic. ¡°You resurrected someone?¡± Yoko asked, clearly not believing her ears. ¡°Uhm, not exactly. She wasn¡¯t really dead, so it¡¯s not really resurrection. She was about to die for real, though. She just stopped breathing and her heart stopped beating. However, her soul wasn¡¯t completely gone yet. So I just used healing magic to restart her heart, and voil¨¤! Her soul returned and she came back to life.¡± Without uttering a word, Yoko and Harri exchanged meaningful glances. ¡°Uhm¡­ Is it that uncommon?¡± I asked, a bit worried. ¡°Not really,¡± Yoko answered. ¡°As long as it¡¯s not too late and the vessel is intact, a soul can always return to its body and the person ¡®come back¡¯ to life. That¡¯s not the problem. You do know that basic Healing magic only accelerate the healing process, right?¡± ¡°Uhm? Yeah.¡± ¡°Anything beyond that is advanced magic. So if you can¡¯t use Healing magic to regrow limbs, you shouldn¡¯t be able to use it to restart a heart. In other words, what you used back then probably wasn¡¯t Healing magic, but Lightning magic.¡± Yoko explained. Lightning? Well, that makes sense. It would work like a defibrillator, wouldn¡¯t it? Shocking people to stop or restart their heart. That sure is convenient, and also terrifying. But that¡¯s not the problem. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of the Lightning attribute¡­¡± I muttered, skeptical. ¡°That¡¯s not surprising,¡± Harri said. ¡°It¡¯s a hybrid attribute. Basically, a magic obtained by combining two different attributes. However, since you would need a high affinity with two attributes, it¡¯s extremely rare, even among Gods, so not a lot of people know about it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What are you so surprised about? Shouldn¡¯t you know that already? Are you really the Creator?¡± No, no, no. That¡¯s exactly the point. I¡¯ve never invented such rule. Actually, it¡¯s not the first time something like this happens. When I first heard about Soul and Mind magic, I thought they were only rumors, since I never invented such a thing. I only defined six different elemental magic: water, fire, wind, earth, light and darkness. There shouldn¡¯t be anything else. Yet, I eventually discovered about Soul and Mind magic, and since they¡¯re both forbidden arts, I couldn¡¯t find a lot of information on it. While Soul magic doesn¡¯t seem to be a problem, I can¡¯t use Mind magic at all. And now I discover another form of magic that I didn¡¯t invent. If I¡¯m really the Creator? To be honest, I¡¯m starting to wonder too. Maybe I¡¯m not after all. Maybe the gods just pulled a massive prank on me and manipulated my memories, making me believe that I had a past life where I created everything, whereas it¡¯s not the case. But it seems a little far-fetched as a hypothesis. What would explain my admin class, then? In that case, it can only mean one thing: someone or something is interfering with my world. ¡°So you can¡¯t regrow limbs, but you can use hybrid magic? Interesting.¡± Yoko exclaimed with a small grin. ¡°Let¡¯s try something out. Harri.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± Harri responded, probably guessing her thoughts. A second later, the atmosphere suddenly changed, as it felt a lot heavier. Everything turned into complete silence. The birds were no longer singing, the sounds of city were no longer reaching my ears, and I could feel the wind blow, but it was no longer whistling. ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked, looking all around me at the unchanged scenery. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a barrier.¡± Harri answered. ¡°It¡¯s in order to prevent any magic leakage. We¡¯re at the exact same place, but completely cut off the rest of the world. As long as the barrier is in place, no one will be able to enter it or see anything that will happen in it.¡± Oh¡­ What a convenient magic! But¡­ Why didn¡¯t they use anything similar whenever they fought, then? ¡°Little test.¡± Yoko said. Suddenly, a huge fireball appeared out of nowhere, causing me to jump backward in reflex. ¡°Yoko, what are you doing?!¡± I yelled out. ¡°Chill, no one is attacking anyone.¡± She calmly said. ¡°I just wanted to test something. Try to extinguish it. You can use whatever magic you want.¡± A test? Well, now that she says it, up until now, the fireball didn¡¯t move an inch. It¡¯s completely static, similar, yet different from the ones she attacked me with in the forest. It has exactly the same size, however, unlike before, its color appears neither yellow or red, but blue. A blue flame means a higher supply in oxygen, thus a better combustion process, right? I¡¯ve already seen what damages her ¡®normal¡¯ fireballs make, I¡¯m not sure I want to know for this one. So I just need to extinguish it. Unlike before, I¡¯m not sure a blast of wind will be enough though. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about holding back.¡± Yoko added. ¡°Whether you decide to call for a cyclone, a tsunami or a meteor, it will be fine. So don¡¯t restrain yourself and use your full powers.¡± Heh? Seriously? I can do that? That barrier is awesome, I need to learn how to use it! It¡¯s the first time I can use all the magic I want without thinking of the consequences. Fufu¡­ I got a little fired up. In that case, I won¡¯t hold back. Similarly as I did then in the forest, I started to concentrate a large amount of mana. For a while, I compressed it as much as I could, increasing its power. Then, I unleashed it all in a blast of wind. Within a second, the violent puff of wind swept everything around but the fireball. I used more mana than I did in the forest, however, as I thought, it still wasn¡¯t enough. I decided to change strategy. If you need to put out a fire, most people would first think of using water. So let¡¯s try water magic. Once again, I concentrated and materialized a large amount of mana into a waterball. I made slightly larger than Yoko¡¯s fireball. However, it didn¡¯t work either. Even if it was bigger, the waterball evaporated even before reaching its target. As I repeated my attempts to extinguish the blue flame, Yoko started to giggle, amused by my failures. That¡¯s offensive. You should never laugh at someone who is trying their best. Yoko may be right after all. I might need to call for a cyclone to put out this damn fire. Well, whatever. There is Harri¡¯s barrier after all. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes as I focused on my mana core. Disregarding anything else, I focused only on my dormant power, infusing the area with mana. I visualized the clouds forming, the humidity in the atmosphere increasing and the pressure dropping. Meditating for a few minutes, a violent wind gathered, swirling all around me, as the mana kept getting stronger. ¡°Oh my, she¡¯s really doing it!¡± Yoko chukkled. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not going to regret this?¡± Harri asked, a little concerned. ¡°Have some faith, love-boy. Everything will be fine!¡± When I finally reached my desired amount of mana, I opened my eyes, locating my target. A grin crept onto my face. I unleashed it all, releasing all the energy of the condensation of moisture in rising air at once, provoking the formation of a cyclone. Or so I thought.
Skill unavailable.
¡­ ¡­ Are you kidding me [World System]?! Again?! I¡¯m the Goddess of All Creation, damn it! If I want to call for a cyclone, I call for a cyclone! I created you, how dare you get in my way?! And ¡®unavailable¡¯? What do you mean unavailable! I have SSS-rank affinity for all attributes! I¡¯ll let it pass for Mind magic, but any elemental magic shouldn¡¯t be a problem! Yet, why do you keep interfering?! Feeling despair and disappointment suddenly enveloping me, I feel on my knees. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± Yoko burst out laughing, as she made a fireball disappear with a simple snap of her fingers. ¡°So this is what you meant by ¡®getting interrupted¡¯? Hahahaha!¡± ¡°Well, that was unexpected!¡± Harri exclaimed. ¡°¡­ You saw it?¡± I asked, turning my gaze on them. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the point. We didn¡¯t. The cyclone you were supposed to call never appeared!¡± Yoko responded, still mocking. ¡°We did feel it though! That abnormally high amount of mana that you gathered suddenly vanishing in one instant! Ten minutes of meditation for this, hahahahaha!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m already depressed enough like this? Stop laughing. That¡¯s not funny¡­¡± I muttered, offended. ¡°Actually, it is!¡± Yoko bluntly retorted, as she kept laughing. Pissed, I got up, picking up a random stick that I had found on the ground, and threw it in the air. ¡ºYoko, fetch.¡» Immediately obeying my order, Yoko performed an elegant jump, worthy of the greatest gymnasts, and grabbed the stick in the air. Landing beautifully on the ground, she ran to my side, presenting me the stick, as her tail was waving happily in her back.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Good girl.¡± I said with a wicked grin. As soon as I picked the stick, her smile disappeared and her tail froze, realizing what she just did. ¡°W-What the hell are you making me do?!¡± She shouted, as her face immediately reddened in shame. On the other hand, Harri, who just witnessed everything, blinked several times, clearly not believing what he just saw. The prideful Yoko acting like a puppy. His face distorted in disgust, as all his previous handsome features disappeared in one instant. ¡°A dog¡­¡± He muttered. Yoko immediately retaliated with a beautifully performed spinning hook-kick in his stomach. Stepping backward, Harri grabbed his sides, coughing several times. ¡°Y-You¡­ Minx¡­ Did you just hit me?¡± He said with a forced smile. ¡°You asked for it, love-boy. Who the hell are you calling a dog? Don¡¯t you dare compare me to these worthless creatures.¡± Yoko grunted. As they both started to laugh nervously, clearly intending to fight, I let out a heavy sigh. ¡ºYoko, Harri, sit.¡» Before they had a chance to do anything, they both fell on the ground. While Harri, not comprehending what just happened, tried to stand up in confusion, Yoko immediately turned her gaze on me, glaring at me with her accusing eyes. ¡°Have you forgotten about the rules already?¡± I asked. ¡°Besides, I thought you guys were having a truce.¡± Coming back to their senses, they regained their composure as they simply clicked their tongue. They were still annoyed by each other, but at least, now, they weren¡¯t displaying any hostility. After making sure they had calmed down, I freed them from my order. ¡°You really need to stop doing this¡­¡± Yoko complained. ¡°Soul magic?¡± Harri asked, finally understanding the situation. I nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t call for a cyclone, but I since you and I are bounded, I guess Soul magic isn¡¯t a problem. I don¡¯t really get the logic though.¡± ¡°Well, good thing you didn¡¯t really invoke a cyclone! It would have been really bad, otherwise!¡± He exclaimed with an ironic smile. ¡°Huh? What about your barrier?¡± ¡°Oh, that thing? Completely useless. Barriers are good, but they¡¯re really fragile. Even if it¡¯s mine, it isn¡¯t able to handle anything above B-ranked magic, so if you had invoked a cyclone, I guess you would have destroyed the country, hahaha!¡± ¡­ What? Seriously? No wonder they didn¡¯t use any when they fought. But Yoko said not to hold back¡­ I turned my gaze on her, accusingly. ¡°I figured out that you wouldn¡¯t use all your power unless you thought there would be some kind of protection.¡± She explained. ¡°I never said his barrier would protect anything though. I said it will be fine, and everything went fine, did it not?¡± I got tricked¡­ Playing with words like this, I really need to be careful of her. What if I actually did invoke a cyclone? That was a risky bet! Thinking about this, a sudden chill ran down my spine. ¡°Still, I think I¡¯m starting to get a glimpse of your situation.¡± Yoko continued. ¡°I always found it weird that you had such a small aura even though you¡¯re the Creator, supposedly almighty. I first thought that you only suppressed it. However, it¡¯s clearly not the case since you can¡¯t even control your own mana properly. As a Divine, the fact that you got reborn to humans is also strange.¡± ¡°Heh? What do you mean?¡± I inquired, furrowing my forehead in concern, as she tilted my curiosity. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the main difference between us, divine beings, and mortals?¡± Yoko asked. ¡°Uhm¡­ Immortality?¡± ¡°Correct. Well, to be exact, it¡¯s semi-immortality. Even gods can die. However, unlike mortals, we, divines, do not age. We also have a higher metabolism, making us immune against diseases and poisons, a stronger authority and obviously, stronger powers. That¡¯s the main difference between us and mortals.¡± ¡°Umh, ok.¡± I simply replied, disappointed of her answer. ¡°You don¡¯t get my point, do you?¡± Yoko asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were reborn? Doesn¡¯t it mean that you started as an infant, and up until known, kept aging?¡± ¡­ She¡¯s right! As a supposedly divine being, it¡¯s definitely not normal! I shouldn¡¯t be aging! According to what I heard, this world is at least 30000 years old. Still, physically speaking, Yoko and Harri remain exactly the same as how I first designed them. It¡¯s pretty logical. I created them this way, so no matter how much time pass, they won¡¯t change. But I¡¯m different. I didn¡¯t create myself. I died and I got reborn as an infant. I should have thought about it sooner, seeing my status. My Divine race was locked ever since the beginning. So up until now, the [World System] hasn¡¯t been considering me as a Divine, but as a mortal? Reading my expressions, Yoko smiled. ¡°Did you finally get it? Mortals do not invoke cyclones. They do not grow limbs and they do not intrude each others¡¯ mind. They also have no aura.¡± ¡­ Well, it makes sense. If my divine race is locked, then it¡¯s logical that I wouldn¡¯t be able to use any of my divine skills. No wonder the [System] said they were unavailable. But then, how do I unlock it? There has to be a way. If not, then it wouldn¡¯t even appear in my status to begin with. ¡°How do I fix this?¡± ¡°Beats me. How am I supposed to know that?¡± Yoko shrugged. ¡°Still, who would have thought the Creator would be a mortal? Talk about irony!¡± She added with a sarcastic tone. Figures. Maybe there is some kind of confusion between my past life and my current identity. Actually, thinking about it, it¡¯s very high-likely. It would also explain my pathetic physical stats. In my former life, since I was bed-ridden all the time, I never did any physical exercise so I grew up to be a really weak person. Now, even if I¡¯m nowhere near as weak as before, I¡¯m still physically much weaker than most people. And I can¡¯t say that I did a lot to fix this feebleness either. How problematic. Well, at least, now I have a lead. Even with my Divinity locked, I¡¯m still part of the Divine race, so I just need to find a way to change my racial parameters. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone changing race before, however, there were cases of elevations. While a demon could never become human, a ghoul could become a vampire through elevation, just like a wolfman could become a fenrir. Even if races were pre-determined, unlike divine beings, mortals had the possibility to infinitely elevate themselves beyond the point from which they departed. However, mortals¡¯ life is too short for them to fulfill the requirements to elevate, so there were very few cases of elevations. As for me, I¡¯m not trying to elevate. Even sealed, I¡¯m technically already a Goddess. But elevation might be the only thing that can directly change racial parameters, so finding more information about it could help me to find a way to unlock my Divinity. ¡°Do you guys know anything about elevation?¡± I inquired. ¡°What? You want to elevate?¡± Harri asked, widening his eyes. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not impossible, but I heard it¡¯s really hard. Even harder than earning titles.¡± ¡°Titles? Are they hard to earn?¡± ¡°Yeah, most of people don¡¯t have any.¡± He started to explain. ¡°Having a title is enough to make you special, while having several is enough to make you famous. Not necessarily in a good way, though. Some titles are better than others, and most of the time, harder to get.¡± Oh¡­ I had no idea. I was born with two titles, and later earned another two, so I thought it was only natural for people to have a lot of titles. I guess not. But a title isn¡¯t necessarily good, he said? I can totally relate to that. I¡¯m not really proud of my latest title, [The Liar]. I randomly earned this one a few years ago. I guess it was inevitable. I hate to admit it, but it¡¯s true that I¡¯ve been lying non-stop in this life. ¡°So, how do people elevate themselves?¡± I asked, returning to the main topic. Harri shrugged. ¡°To be honest, I have no clue. Since it doesn¡¯t concern us, we don¡¯t know much about elevation. You should ask mortals about that.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­? Well, it¡¯s ok. Thanks anyway.¡± It¡¯s a bit disappointing, but I¡¯m more than satisfied of what I learnt today. Even if they can¡¯t help me any longer, Yoko and Harri provided me way more than enough information. ?????? As the sun dipped lower in the sky and the daylight drained away, giving way to the dark of the night, the birds returned to their nest and the crickets started to sing in the swaying grasses. A cool breeze replaced the heat of the day. After an exhausting day, I returned to my room and let myself fall on the bed. So many things happened today. Overwhelmed by all the events, I didn¡¯t really take the time to think about all this rationally, and put things into perspective. I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m only starting to realize this now. I spent my whole life here, so I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t a little apprehensive of the future. Ever since I arrived here, I¡¯ve never left this place. It¡¯s going to be the first time that I¡¯m left on my own, without any supervision. Even in my past life I was never once left alone. It should be fine. Besides, I¡¯m going to meet Aoban. Now that I think about it, is he aware that I¡¯m coming? Uncle Jack warned mother, but did he think of warning brother? If not, I could surprise him. I wonder if he¡¯ll be happy to see me? I hope so. I hope he¡¯s not going to ignore me. In my past life, I was an only child, but I¡¯ve heard that usually, siblings ignore each other at school. I don¡¯t think Aoban would do that, though. He¡¯s way too kind and protective. With such a gentle personality, he must be pretty popular. Maybe he already has a girlfriend? He¡¯s already at that age after all. I don¡¯t really want to share my brother, but I can¡¯t be too selfish either, so I guess I¡¯ll support him ¨Cprobably. Still, even if it¡¯s only for a few months, I¡¯m finally returning school. How long has it been? If it wasn¡¯t for my uncle¡¯s scheme, I would be really happy about this. Attending a magic school with brother and meeting new friends, all what I¡¯ve been asking for. Yet, I can¡¯t really enjoy the situation. I mustn¡¯t let my guard down. As I kept thinking about what was going to happen from now on, a wave of fatigue swept through my body and I let myself sink off to sleep. The next days went by in a flash. I enjoyed the rest of my time here together with mother. Making her leave the residence was impossible, so we stayed in the courtyard, enjoying the nice weather. We talked about everything and nothing, but she mostly told me not to worry about anything, listen to the teachers well, do my best and enjoy school life with brother. Basically, a mother talk. Sometimes, she looked even more excited about this than me. Well, I guess sending off a child to a renowned school would be exciting for any parents, even if it means separation. As always, Yoko and Harri were here too. I figured out that it¡¯d be a good idea for all of them to spend as much time as possible together before I left, and I was right. At first, the atmosphere was just as awkward as before. However, it didn¡¯t last long as Yoko and Harri started quarrelling over nothing again, forgetting about the etiquette and relaxing the atmosphere. Seeing that they weren¡¯t bad people, mother started to open herself and is no longer intimidated by their presence. I guess they grew on her. She even called them ¡®amusing¡¯. The servants also adapted pretty fast to the situation. My Aunt¡¯s behavior made it obvious that she was being cautious of me. The servants weren¡¯t blind, and soon noticed that. It was actually the main reason why they started to approach me, disregarding the fact that I was a half -only after that, they started to genuinely care for me. So, when they were informed of my departure, most of the servants became alarmed, knowing that no one would be protecting them from Aunt Nora¡¯s mood swings anymore. Well, with Yoko and Harri around, I doubt she will find the time to bully the servants. And before I noticed it, the day of my departure already arrived. I only had one bag. I only took clothes with me. No books, no personal effect ¨Cbesides mother¡¯s ring, which was hanging down my neck, as always. The school would provide most of the supplies needed. ¡°Alright, everything is ready,¡± Ivy said, as she was done loading my luggage in the carriage. ¡°So you¡¯re really leaving¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, take care of my mom, ok?¡± I winked at her. ¡°Of course.¡± She responded. ¡°You too, young mistress, take care of yourself and the young master. And have a lot of fun!¡± I turned to mother. As I smiled at her, she stepped forward and gave me an affectionate hug. I felt a little embarrassed since everyone was watching, but tried not to pay any attention to it returned her hug. We stayed glued to each other for a while before she drew back, displaying a gentle smile. ¡°Take care. And say hello to your brother for me, will you?¡± She said. ¡°I will.¡± She was smiling, but I could see a hint of sadness in her eyes. Beside mother and Ivy, Yoko, Harri and all the other domestics came here too to send me off. My uncle and my aunt were here too, but it was just on formalities. Taking my time to look at everyone, I showed them my brightest smile, not to worry them, before politely giving a polite bow. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be going now. Thanks for everything.¡± I turned my gaze on Yoko and Harri. Without uttering a word, I simply gave them a meaningful look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Yoko said. ¡°Do what you have to do, we will do our part.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Giving one last smile to everyone, I got in the carriage. ¡°We can go now,¡± I said to the driver, who was waiting for me. Once he made sure I was comfortably seated, the driver ordered the horse to move forward, as we finally set out. If everything went fine, the journey would last two weeks. Normally, it would have last longer, but since it was only me, it was a small carriage and moved faster than the one who took several students at once. In one instant, we left the city. As the scenery of buildings changed to a scenery of trees and endless meadows, and the city slowly disappeared behind us, I suddenly felt a feeling of adventure growing into my chest. Leaving the place where I grew, I was out for the outside world. Forgetting about all my apprehensions, I leaned on the window, enjoying this new feeling of excitement.
Nora
She¡¯s gone. Finally. I won¡¯t have to be careful of my every move anymore. Can you believe it? Being cautious in my own house, what a joke. Having to tolerate this little demon and her mother without doing anything¡­ It was suffocating. However, it¡¯s over now. She¡¯s gone and she won¡¯t be coming back. But I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a good thing. After all the troubles we had to get Azariah back, letting her go now would be stupid. But her children are in the way. Aoban shouldn¡¯t have survived, and the girl should¡¯ve never been born. We only needed the damn elf, yet it didn¡¯t go as planned. Stuck in a situation where we had to use the kids as a mean of pressure on Azariah, Jack changed his plans. He found a way to get rid of Aoban without killing him. It was going to take several years, however, without anyone suspecting anything, the boy would eventually lose his position as the heir and we would gain power. The girl was useless, so Jack planned to marry her off to whoever wanted her, but like this, he would get rid of the children and isolate Azariah again. His plan was good. There was just a little problem: he didn¡¯t know the girl wasn¡¯t normal. He found out about it just a few days ago. But after all this time, he wasn¡¯t going to drop anything. The plan didn¡¯t change. However, instead of just sending off Aoban, he would also send off the girl. He would get her the same treatment as her brother. Jack didn¡¯t lie. After the tournament, we won¡¯t have anything to do with them anymore. Whatever they do after that, it won¡¯t be our problem. But there is still Azariah¡¯s issue. If she leaves, everything is over. What is he thinking? Besides, the girl is dangerous. I don¡¯t think Jack understand that. I know that he wanted to get rid of her without angering her, but that¡¯s not enough. She will eventually understand. We need her gone.Definitelygone. As the carriage disappeared in the horizon, the servants started to go back to their work, avoiding meeting my eyes. Jack already returned to his office. I need to return too, I can¡¯t cross my arms and wait. I have to do something. However, as I headed back inside, I felt a hand on my shoulder. ¡°What?!¡± I yelled out, turning around. Then I saw her, stupidly smiling at me. That¡¯s right, the beastwoman. The lowly bitch who was going to stay her for the next months. Tolerating her presence is already hard enough as it is, now, what does she want? ¡°What is it?¡± I grunted, not hiding my irritation. Still, completely oblivious to my mood, the bitch kept smiling like an idiot. ¡°Hello there~!¡± She happily exclaimed. ¡°If you have nothing to say, then don¡¯t talk to me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so cold! We¡¯re going to be roomies for the next months, right? Let¡¯s get along!¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, clicking my tongue, as I slowly lost patience. ¡°I told you already, didn¡¯t I? I just wanted us to spend some time together so that we can get to know each other. So how about a little game?¡± What? What is this bitch thinking? No, wait. This situation feels very familiar. The last time somebody came to me, smiling like an idiot and asked to play, it ended up very badly for me. Recalling that one time, an unsettling chill made my skin crawl. I have a bad feeling about this.
Lynett
It¡¯s been quite a long time since I left. I¡¯m not sure how many days have passed exactly, I lost the count, but I was hoping that we would arrive soon. As I thought, being separated from my family from the first time was quite depressing. I can¡¯t wait to meet brother. After a few hours, I grew tired of watching the scenery and the driver didn¡¯t talk much either. He just wanted to get his job done as soon as possible and had no interest in conversing with the young girl I was. So the journey quickly became boring. There were no longer any feelings of adventure or excitement left, just boredom and loneliness. I was hoping for something to happen. And as if to answer my wish, something did happen. One night, as I fell asleep watching the shimmering stars illuminating the dark night, a sudden notification sound from the [World System] woke me up. Can¡¯t even sleep in peace, now the [System] is even interrupting my sleep¡­ Letting out a lazy yawn, I stretched before rubbing my eyes, inspecting the message that appeared in front of me.
System error
A general system error occurred. Modification of the system code or a critical data structure was detected: external error. Failed to retrieve updates from server. Error 11. Server 5 has been corrupted. Antivirus software activated.
¡­ ¡­Huh? What the heck? Everything was fine, then suddenly, a system error report? It never happened before. Is it serious? I¡¯ve already seen that kind of screen in my past life. They would appear whenever a file was corrupted or a virus took over the computer, just before machine crashed. However, right now, there is no computer, just the [World System]. But it just got infected by a virus? In that case, isn¡¯t it really bad? As an unsettling feeling started to grow in my chest, a second window popped up.
Error report
*** STOP: 0x000000012 { 0x0000000000, 0xCF00EF00F, 0xEFFFE45, 0xC00000000 } BAD_POOL_HEADER (vmod.fault.SystemError) *** dxgmm.sys ¨C Address 0xf80ff453dc32 base at 0xffff36ffd87 DataStamp 0x6ue655d SYSTEM_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED SERVER 8xf00056 failure Fc557900 31ecb0ca7 80ff4009e ¨C Fs_Rec.Sys fec1478c8 0973e678 80144000 ¨C Serv_DD.Sys (multi-platform.driver.revision: 00alpha2) r00-15 FIREWALL_SWITCH_ENABLED *Collecting data¡­ *Initializing server¡­. ** *Contacting system admin¡­ *Get the authenticated user (Aileen) * @param string Aileen Public functionauthUser (Aileen =null) ** *Check if the user is authenticated asadmin. *@param string permission Public function adminCheck ()
English, please. I don¡¯t understand any of this. I may have touched computers or played some video-games before, but I¡¯ve never been a technophile. Unlike the people of my generation, I¡¯ve never really been comfortable with all the technologies we had. I don¡¯t even know how to use a Bluetooth connection, so how am I supposed to understand this gibberish?
An unidentified object has been detected. BSE process corresponding to the threat: Unknown Would you like to shut down the system to prevent any damages?
Yes No
Well, that¡¯s already more understandable. The correct answer should be ¡®Yes¡¯. I may not be very bright when it comes to computer, but I know enough to know that a computer with a corrupted server needs to be restarted. However, the [World System] can¡¯t be considered like a normal computer. Even if it¡¯s only for a few seconds, I¡¯m pretty sure that shutting it down is a bad idea. The [World System] is what is running the entire world. Wouldn¡¯t restarting it means to also restart the World? So I can¡¯t shut it down. Normally, when your computer crashed and the problem couldn¡¯t be resolved by restarting it, you would need to contact the system admin or the technical support group. Little problem: there is no technical support group, and I am the system admin, meaning I am absolutely on my own, here. Well, in all cases, ¡®Yes¡¯ is not an option. So I guess I¡¯ll just go with ¡®No¡¯.
System report
NO_SELECTED System control: recovery option disabled. *Beginning the threat prevention. *Modifying the parameters¡­ *Privileges analyzing authUser (Aileen = 1) ** *@Param restrictions lvl 1 removed.
Your privileges have been raised. Administrator skills level 2 unlocked. The Administration control panel is now available.
Eh¡­ What? Side Story – My Little Sister Side Story ¨C My Little Sister
Aoban
My younger sibling is soon going to be born. If it¡¯s a boy, then he¡¯ll become a warrior. He¡¯ll be strong and fearless. I¡¯ll teach him swordsmanship and we will play knights together. Sometimes, maybe we will get into a fight. But we will make up and then we will pull a prank on mommy together. And when we grow up, we will protect her from the bad guys looking for her and we will beat them up! If it¡¯s a girl, then she¡¯ll become a princess. I will always watch over her and protect her from any kind of harm. I will punch all the boys who will try to bully her or who will make her cry! I will also punch those who are nice to her, because father said that boys who are nice to girls are con-artists, and I should never let them close to her. My body pressed up against the wall of the corridor, I¡¯m silently waiting. ¡°Azariah, open the door!¡± A husky voice shouted. It¡¯s been almost an hour that Randy has been trying to make mommy come out. He keeps banging the door over and over but it¡¯s useless. She won¡¯t come out. Mommy is an elf, but it¡¯s a secret. If her secret is found out, she said that bad people will come for her. That¡¯s why no one can enter. ¡°Isn¡¯t it over soon?¡± An angry customer complained, bothered by the noise. ¡°Just force the damn door!¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the disturbance, sir. I¡¯ll make sure to settle this¡­¡± Randy apologized, bowing his head. The mean guy murmured something before returning to his room. While the owner was trying to force the door¡¯s handle, a big lady crouched down in front of me. She was Leonara, the owner¡¯s wife. ¡°Aoban, boy, why don¡¯t you give me the key?¡± She asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Look, your mommy is in a lot of pain right now, it could even be dangerous. We only want to help. But you have to give me the key, alright?¡± ¡°No.¡± She sighed. The big lady seems like a nice person, but I won¡¯t give her the key. I promised mommy. I will protect her secret! Ever since mommy locked herself into the room, the big lady has been trying to convince me to give her the key. At some point, she even tried to steal it from me! This is why mommy said not to judge people by their appearance. She is not such a nice lady after all¡­ But I told her I would swallow the key if she tried to steal again. Since then, she didn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m smart, aren¡¯t I? Mommy would be proud of me.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. It¡¯s been a while since she disappeared in the room. To be honest, I¡¯m worried. My sibling is taking such a long time to be born¡­ I¡¯m afraid something bad will happen to mommy. I really wanted to stay by her side but she told me to wait outside, so I¡¯m waiting. Mommy said everything was going to be fine, and mommy doesn¡¯t tell lies. So everything is going to be fine. ????? My younger sibling is a girl. Her name is Lynett but I call her Lyni, and she¡¯s so cute! When she was born, I thought she looked like an alien. Mommy said every newborn baby looked like this. New humans are really ugly¡­ But now, Lyni is the cutest sister in the world! Her eyes are the coolest. They are like two shining suns. People say it¡¯s because she is loved by the gods, but people are stupid. My sister is an angel, that¡¯s it. Why can¡¯t they see it? Lyni has the same ears as mommy, but much shorter. I wonder if bad people will come for her too? But it doesn¡¯t matter. I am the man of the family; I will protect both my mother and my sister! Once, Viran said something mean about them. Viran is the son of the owner and the big lady. He is my friend, I like him a lot. But one day, he badmouthed my family, so I punched him. He was wondering why mommy always wore a hood and why she won¡¯t let the others touch Lyni, so he asked if it was because they were ugly. I know he didn¡¯t mean it in a bad way, but that made me angry. So I punched him. And he told his mom. And his mom told mommy. And mommy scolded me. Why? I was protecting your honor! But it¡¯s okay. In the end, we made up. Then I showed him my baby sister. He said she was really cute! See? He apologized for saying she was ugly and never said anything mean again. ????? I want to play with my sister, but I¡¯m not sure how to play with a baby. Lyni can¡¯t talk, can¡¯t walk, can¡¯t run, and can¡¯t raise a wooden sword. But there is something she can do: she can understand me when I talk to her. People told me that it was ridiculous, that there was no way such a young baby would be able to understand normal conversation. That¡¯s why people are stupid. My sister is not human, she¡¯s an angel, and she¡¯s smart. Of course she¡¯d be able to understand when we talk to her! They just don¡¯t notice it. So I started telling her stories. I think she likes it a lot. She¡¯s always very focused when listening to them. But sometimes, she would frown. I noticed that most of the times, it was when I told her a story involving princesses. I thought girls liked princess stories, am I wrong? It must be because of the dragons. Dragons kidnapping princesses are too much for her, she¡¯s young after all. Next time, I¡¯ll pick something more girly. ????? One day, as I was telling Lyni stories, we fell asleep. When I woke up, I found her sleeping soundly besides me on the floor. Uhm. My little sister is really cute after all. Then I noticed we weren¡¯t alone. In the darkest corner on the room, there was something. That¡¯s right, the most evil creature in the world, a terrifying and dangerous monster. A cockroach! I was scared. I really wanted to run away. But little sister is here, and she¡¯s sleeping so peacefully. She¡¯s in danger¡­ I have to protect her!! So I gathered all my courage, slowly picked up a book, and threw it at the creature. But the cockroach easily evaded it. Humpf! Nice reflex, but I¡¯m not done yet. I picked up everything I could find in the room and aimed them at the monster, but it kept evading them. Ha¡­Ha¡­Ha¡­ I¡¯m tired. He is a worthy opponent. I shall remember you in the future. I kept struggling, trying to hit the cockroach, but it was so fast I couldn¡¯t reach it. Once itrested on a chair, I threw a pillow at it. But once again, it flew away before it could hit it. At the same time, under the weight of the pillow, the chair fell on the ground, next to little sister, barely avoiding her. ¡­ The cockroach tried to kill my little sister!! I won¡¯t forgive you¡­ Enraged, I resumed my attacks on the vile monster that tried to harm Lyni. But this time, I was fiercer, faster, stronger. Eventually, the cockroach couldn¡¯t take it anymore, so it flew away, out of the window. Victory!! I won! And little sister is safe! Just a few moments later, because of all the commotion, mommy returned to the room. But as soon as she entered, she almost fainted, seeing the mess. It can¡¯t be helped mother, it was a battlefield. ¡­ ¡­ She grounded me. I don¡¯t understand. I protected my little sister, didn¡¯t I? Side Story – A Mother’s Circumstances Side Story ¨C A Mother¡¯s Circumstances
Azariah
How did this happen? The ground was completely stained in red and the reek of blood spread out. ¡°Take the women and the children alive, and kill the men!¡± A soldier shouted. Dead bodies could be seen everywhere. There were those who had been killed trying to protect their loved ones and those who ended their own life, refusing to be captured. But all of them were my friends, my family. Completely powerless, I¡¯m staring blankly at the corpse in my arms. It was a young male elf. His beautiful green hair had been stained by the red color of his own blood and his eyes were lifeless. I placed my hands on his throat were a clean deep cut could be seen. ¡®Rakiel¡­¡¯ He died instantly, before bleeding out, having his neck severed. At least, he didn¡¯t suffer¡­ The screams of women losing their husband and the cries of children snatched from their parents could be heard. I know I should be running away, but as I watch the lifeless body in my arms, I can¡¯t seem to find any strength. Everything just looks so unreal. Until yesterday, we were still laughing together. ¡°Take this one.¡± The dry order of a human soldier forced me to come to my senses and realize the slaughter. This is reality. As another human soldier pulled my arm, forcing me to get up, his superior inspected me with his lustful eyes. ¡°Good. This one will be worth a lot.¡± Darkness suddenly erupted as the world collapsed. Everything was now completely and utterly silent. ????? ¡°Miss?¡± A low voice called out. A dream¡­ I abruptly opened my eyes and saw the face of an old man. That¡¯s right, he¡¯s one of the attendants of the family. ¡°Sorry to wake you up, but it¡¯s time. The young master is waiting for you¡±, he said. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± I answered. It¡¯s been a little more than six months since I arrived in Eskor, the capital city of Agraal. Currently, I¡¯m staying in the main residence of the Whiteheart family, together with my two children. But it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯m here, I used to live here too a couple years ago. I hate this place. The only person who used to appease a little all the negative feelings that this place gives me already disappeared a long time ago. Now, only unhappy memories remain. Still, I¡¯m living here. This is a price I have to pay to protect my family. Guided by the attendant, I¡¯m heading to a small room of the mansion, where my son Aoban is waiting for me. We¡¯re actually not blood related, but I¡¯ve raised him for as long as I can remember. Upon entering the room, I notice the small boy rushing towards me with a huge smile on his face. ¡°Mother! How do I look?¡± He asked as he span around, showing off his beautiful silken garments. ¡°Good.¡± I answered him with a gentle smile. ¡°You look like your father.¡± I could tell his embarrassment by the look on his face and by his cheeks that flushed pink. ¡°I-Is that so?¡± He said as he tried to suppress a proud smile. ¡°Where is Lyni?¡± ¡°The young Lady should be coming soon¡±, the attendant answered. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent a maid to look after her.¡± Today, we¡¯re celebrating Aoban¡¯s seventh birthday. Before the festivities, I planned to go on a walk with my two children. We¡¯re not allowed to go out, so we will only be in the garden, but it will be the first outing in a while I had with my family. The door opened as I noticed a small child entering, accompanied by a maid. ¡°She¡¯s ready.¡± The maid said. She¡¯s Lyni, my daughter. And this child is special¡­ ????? It all began a few years ago with the raid of my village by human slavers. It was a secluded village, situated deep within the mountains, far from any kind of civilization. It should have been hidden well enough, yet the humans found us. Everything that happened next came so fast. It was a surprise attack, before we could do anything to retaliate, it was already over. Those who had not been killed had been captured and we were soon separated to be sold in different kingdoms. As a child, I¡¯ve been warned well enough to know what to expect. The life of elves slaves in a human territory is far from being easy. I¡¯ve heard enough stories from my people to know that. I know I should have been taking my own life to avoid this, but I was a coward, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to. In the end, I ended up in Agraal, sold to one of the most powerful families. ¡°Please, take care of this child.¡± That was the first order and only order I received from my master. I soon understood the situation. My new master, the Marquis Lloyd Whiteheart, was a widower. He had recently lost his wife after she died giving birth to his son, Aoban. Now left without a mother and too busy to raise him by himself, he asked me to take care of the child instead. I didn¡¯t understand. It didn¡¯t make any sense. He could¡¯ve asked anyone else. A nursemaid, a servant¡­ Anyone human. Why would he ask me, an elf, to take care of a human child? Because of their rarity, elves slaves are expensive. There was just no way that the Lord had purchased me just in order for me to play the nanny. He must have had something else in mind and I did not trust him. But it didn¡¯t matter. He was my master and it was his order. Besides, no matter how sly humans may be, the child was innocent. He had yet to be corrupted by his people. Eventually, I met a young cat-boy. Just like me, he was a slave of the family. Because we were both in the same situation, I thought we could get along. But no matter how hard I tried, the boy would never open himself to me. I soon understood that, unlike me, he was born a slave. Conditioned to his position from the start, he was loyal to his masters, no matter how bad they treated him. So he saw me, who was craving for freedom, as a threat. As time passed, I learnt that the Master wasn¡¯t a bad person. He was very different from what I¡¯ve been told about humans. He was actually a decent man. My life as a slave wouldn¡¯t have been so bad if it wasn¡¯t for his relatives. No¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for everyone else. Besides him, everyone was treating me as the lowly slave I was. He was my only ally. Maybe because we both lost someone dear to us, but I eventually opened my heart to him. He even gave me back my freedom. I could¡¯ve chosen to leave but I didn¡¯t. My place was at his side. He and his son had already become my new family. But things change. One night, there was an assassination attempt. With most of the member of the family absents, the targets were clear: the Lord Lloyd and his son Aoban. Most of the guards weren¡¯t here that day, we were easily overwhelmed. Following the Marquis¡¯ wish, I fled the house together with his son, to put him in security. But I never came back. The word that the Lord went missing after the incident quickly spread. Without my only protector, there was nothing else for me in that mansion, so I fled. To protect the child Lord Lloyd had entrusted me with and the growing life within me, I ran away as far as possible from that family. Still, it wasn¡¯t enough. They found us again and this time, there was no escape. ?????This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. We had an agreement. I returned with them, and they wouldn¡¯t harm my children. I still have no idea why they want me back so much, but I don¡¯t have the choice. This is the price to protect my family. I got separated from the children, and I can only see them for a few minutes a day. But at least, I know they¡¯re safe and well. That¡¯s all what matters. My position within the mansion wasn¡¯t specifically determined, but I still had to work. I was a bit apprehensive of what kind of work I would have to do considering my past time here, but surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t much. Running errands, cleaning, cooking¡­ Just the kind of work any servant would do, not the kind of work for a slave. Additionally, they never really mistreated me again. I had no idea what they were thinking, but they clearly had something in mind. From time to time, Lady Nora would summon me in her chamber. But, she never did anything to me ¨Cagain. Instead, she would just grin at me, intimidate me and send me back. Sometimes, she would give me a lot of things to do in order to exhaust me, but that¡¯s it. I know what she¡¯s trying to do. It¡¯s a mental battle. She¡¯s expecting me to break down anytime, but I won¡¯t. I have a family to protect. However, one day, I went too far. Lady Nora had summoned me. As usual, she kept talking about how cunning I was for seducing Lord Lloyd and taking advantage of his son. I¡¯m already used to that talk and I know there is no point in arguing so I¡¯m just listening. Seeing my lack of reaction probably annoyed her, as she raised the sensitive subject: Lord Lloyd¡¯s disappearance and his assassination attempt. ¡°You know I find the timing quite weird, Azariah¡±, she started. ¡°On day, there is an assassination attempt on my brother, and the next day, you disappear. Quite a coincidence, isn¡¯t it?¡± So she wants to frame me for it. How futile. I tried to keep my composure, but Lady Nora probably saw the irritation on my face before I could hide it as she grinned. ¡°You know what I think?¡± She continued. ¡°I think that you tried to kill my dear brother and kidnapped his heir in order to take over the household.¡± I was laughing internally. She was being so ridiculous that I couldn¡¯t help myself but smile. She didn¡¯t miss that. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± She asked, as her grin disappeared, irritated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry My Lady, it¡¯s just that¡­ You calling Lord Lloyd ¡®dear brother¡¯ is quite ironic¡­¡± I answered. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°My Lady¡­ You never liked him, did you?¡± She flinched. ¡°He was the only decent human being in this household, and he would always be in your way. You¡¯ve never liked the way he managed things. He was a fair man and you couldn¡¯t stand him as the head of the family.¡± ¡°You¡­ You know nothing¡­¡± ¡°I know that you would¡¯ve rather have him disappear, he and his family. Isn¡¯t it why you killed Lady Mello?¡± ¡°Y-You crazy woman!¡± She shouted. ¡°I have nothing to do Aoban¡¯s mother¡¯s death! She gave birth outside the city during a storm, the healers couldn¡¯t make it! It was an unfortunate accident!¡± ¡°True. But you were with her that night. Aren¡¯t you a mage, My Lady? You could¡¯ve healed her, but you chose not to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Clenching her fists, her eyes looked like they were about to pop out. But she soon regained her composure. ¡°Azariah¡­ It seems like a few years of freedom has driven you insane¡±, Lady Nora said. ¡°Since when do you dare to talk back like that?¡± She¡¯s pissed. I know that, and I might regret it if I push it any further, but I need to know. ¡°Since you¡¯re trying to frame me for your own actions.¡± I spoke. ¡°What?¡± She said, as she raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°I have to agree with you My Lady. The timing was too perfect. The only day where the Lord was alone with his son and a couple of guards, he was attacked. It can¡¯t be a coincidence, there was an insider.¡± I tried to study Lady Nora¡¯s reaction, but she stayed silent, listening to me. So I continued. ¡°Lord Lloyd was my only ally, my only protector. Why would I try to kill him? On the other hand Lady Nora, you and Lord Jack have much more to win from his sudden disappearance. A total control of the family. You just needed him and his heir gone.¡± ¡°¡­ You¡¯re forgetting something Azariah. If what you said was true, why would we take back Aoban? He would be in the way. So why would we be providing him a roof and an education?¡± ¡°That¡­ I have yet to find out. But I will find out.¡± Lady Nora stared at me for a while, without saying anything. Then she sighed, as a small grin appeared on her face. ¡°Those few years of freedom really drove you insane¡­ You seem to have forgotten your position. Should I remind you a little?¡± She said. ¡°Follow me. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll make sure you never see that filthy daughter of yours again.¡± I flinched. Cold sweet started to form on my forehead as an unsettling chilling made my skin crawl. I know what she intends to do. This is not the first time. I know what to expect. I tried to keep my composure, but all my past memories of the time I spent here suddenly assaulted my mind. Fear slowly took over my body. As I followed her, she guided me in front of a small room. The room. She opened the door, and I immediately noticed Yao laying on the floor. His nose broken, he had been beaten up for hours. He was covered in blood and had even more cuts than before. ¡°Yao, get out.¡± Lady Nora ordered coldly, ignoring his state. ¡°I¡¯ve found a new toy to play with.¡± The cat-boy struggled a little to get up. Then he politely bowed to Lady Nora, before he headed to the door. As he passed beside me, I heard himwhispering in my ear, smiling. ¡°Have fun with the mistress.¡± ????? After that, a few days have passed. I¡¯m not sure how many exactly, I¡¯ve lost the track of time. I had to see my daughter. Since it was the night, I slowly entered her room, hoping not to wake her up. But she woke up, and as she saw me, her face distorted in horror. ¡°M-mommy¡­?¡± She asked, her voice wavering. I¡¯m so stupid¡­To let my daughter see me in a state like this, I¡¯m shameless as a mother. Still, I approached her. I needed to see her better, to cuddle her, to kiss her. How many days has it been? I missed her so much¡­ I thought I¡¯d never see her again. Lyni squinted, as the muscles of her chin started trembling. In order to ease her mind, I tried to smile. No matter the circumstances, a mother should always be strong in front of her children. If I can''t even smile for her, how scared is she going to be? She can''t feel threatened. I want her to feel protected. ¡°It¡¯s okay mommy, it¡¯s fine.¡± Ah¡­ Again¡­ This child has always been different. Even as a baby, she never cried much and wasn¡¯t scared of strangers. She always seemed intelligent. One minute, she would silently analyze her environment, and the minute later, she would act like a child. I thought that maybe, being blessed by the Gods, she also received a greater intelligence. Once again, she perfectly saw through me. With only those few words, I felt something breaking within me. I tried to hold it in, but my emotions suddenly swirled like ocean currents, deep and strong. I was so scared. Scared to lose her. I was weak and powerless, I couldn¡¯t protect her. Because of me, she would be in danger. I wanted to run away, far from here, from everything. But I couldn¡¯t leave Aoban behind, and this indecisiveness of mine will eventually cause me to lose both of my children. I wish I could turn my tears off, or at least save them until I''m alone, not exposed in front of my daughter like this. What is she going to think if she sees her own mother in such a pitiful state? Eventually, I faintedin exhaustion. ????? I had a dream. I was lost all alone in the darkness, silently suffering. I tried to scream, call for help, but my voice wouldn''t come out. Then, an angel came down for me. She was the most beautiful angel I¡¯ve ever seen. Her golden eyes were glowing like two suns in the darkness and her silky blond platinum hair was floating like a flag behind her. In her back, there was two pair of wings. Their color, black and white, were mismatched. She seemed so distant, yet so familiar. The angel quietly whispered something. As she smiled, a bright light suddenly chased the darkness and the pain away. The dream ended. I slowly opened my eyes and I saw Lyni besides me, seemingly worried about something. Was she awake the whole time? How careless of me, falling asleep while letting my two years old daughter worry about me. I tried to reach her cheek to reassure her, as I immediately noticed something. My body did not ache anymore. All my wounds were gone. My bruises, my cuts, there was nothing left. How¡­? How long have I been asleep? It couldn''t possibly be more than a few hours so how? Healing magic? It was the only explanation. But who would use magic on me? Then I recalled my dream. An angel coming out of nowhere, saving me and chasing the pain away. Golden eyes, and platinum hair¡­ So distant, yet, so familiar. Was it really a dream? My eyes slowly rested on my daughter, who began to panic about something. ¡°Lyni¡¯s not human, mommy! She¡¯s an angel!¡±Aoban¡¯s voice suddenly resonated in my head. Could it be¡­? ¡°Lyni¡­ Did you¡­?¡± Before I could finish, she rushed forward. Grabbing my clothes with her tiny hands, she looked up at me with her distressed eyes, whining. Tears burst forth, spilling down her face, drenching my shirt. Her nose grew red at the tip, as noisy sobs echoed through the room. ¡°Again¡­ She¡¯s doing it again¡­ Acting like a child¡­¡± It wasn''t the first time. Lyni was always smarter and more mature than the children of her age. Yet, right now, she had suddenly regressed. I tried to understand the situation. But no matter how hard I thought about it, nothing made sense. The healing magic, the dream, and now Lyni. However,when her eyes met mine, I suddenly remembered. She¡¯s my daughter. Isn¡¯t it all what matters? I¡¯m not sure what she¡¯s hiding, but if she won¡¯t talk about it, then I won¡¯t ask. One day, maybe, she¡¯ll open herself to me. Then, I¡¯ll listen to her. For now, let¡¯s keep things the way they are.She is just my lovely daughter, and as her mother, I need to protect her smile. The next day, something unimaginable happened. My eyes had turned golden. It took some time for me to notice it, since I don''t particularly care about my appearance and don''t look at myself in mirrors -especially not after what happened. However, given the reactions of the others, I soon noticed that something was wrong. I first thought it was because of my ears, so I tried not paying attention to them. However, their reactions still seemed disproportionate. No matter how surprising it was, it was no reason to over-react like that. Then, eventually, the rumor spreading in the house reached my ears. It was said that I had been blessed. It didn''t make any sense, but seeing how people reacted when they saw me, I decided to check it myself. The rumor wasn''t unfounded. My newly golden eyes were the proof of that. No wonder peoplemade such a fuss about it. So far, only newborns had the potential to receive a God''sblessings. I wasn''t sure how it happened, but it would also explain my instantrecovery. The change was so sudden and improbable that everyone started to ask questions. The Marquis, the maids, Aoban¡­ Everyone except forher. I smiled. ¡°An angel, huh¡­?¡± Side story – A Mysterious Young Mistress Side story ¨C A Mysterious Young Mistress
Ivy
I remember my first meeting with the young mistress. It had only been a few months since the attack on the Whiteheart household when I joined them. With the lord and his son still nowhere to be found, the lord¡¯s younger brother was temporarily bestowed with the title of Marquis of Eskor. The investigation kept going but as the months passed, people slowly stopped hoping for the lord¡¯s return and the investigation efforts dropped. Commoners like me had no real interest in the nobles¡¯ affairs. The assassination attempt merely served as a new subject of gossip, but without any real progress in the investigation, people quickly lost interest in it. While this case was never officially closed, it soon became completely forgotten by the general population. As a lot of servants were killed during the attack, when things finally calmed down, the Marquis hired new employees. I was one of them. I was never familiar with high nobility, but when the opportunity to work for such an esteemed house came to me, I took it without a second thought. The Marquis was always busy. Strangely enough, his family never moved in. In nobility, only the heir was allowed to stay in the main residence. Once they reached the age of seven, the other sons either joined an order of knighthood or were left in the care of a branch family as an apprentice. In either case, they permanently left the house once they got married. Perhaps it was because he expected his older brother and his son to return anytime, but even after he became the new head of the house, the Marquis¡¯ family never moved in with him. For us, employees, it was only beneficial. With less nobles in the residence to look after, the life in the Whiteheart household as a servant was not so bad. The working conditions were good and the income was high. The only downsides were the occasional whims of the lord¡¯s younger sister, Lady Nora. But it wasn¡¯t my first time working with nobles, so overall, this job was pretty peaceful. However, with no family to support or to return to during days off, my life at the Whiteheart estate was also pretty dull and boring. But it all changed when the young mistress arrived. It was twelve years ago. Although it was a summer day, the weather wasn¡¯t particularly good. The morning had been sunny, but in the afternoon, a thick layer of clouds suddenly appeared, scattering showers in the capital in a rumbling thunder. An ominous sign. After leaving the estate for a couple of months, the Marquis and the Lady had finally returned. But they hadn¡¯t returned alone. I was on kitchen duty that day, so I didn¡¯t see the carriage arrive, but it didn¡¯t take long for the news to spread around the estate. ?????? ¡°Guys! Guys! They¡¯re here!¡± A valet suddenly barged in the kitchen. At his announcement, several servants sighed. ¡°Looks like the peaceful days are over¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t slack off anymore, huh?¡± ¡°I just hope the Lady is in a good mood.¡± The head cook loudly cleared his throat. ¡°Alright, alright! This does not change anything for us. Keep working!¡± He ordered before turning his attention to the valet. ¡°And you, don¡¯t you have anything better to do than disturbing my kitchen?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never guess who¡¯s back!¡± The valet declared, ignoring the head cook¡¯s remark. ¡°What? The Lord and the Lady, obviously.¡± ¡°The young master!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Silence fell upon the room as we all exchanged doubtful gazes. ¡°The young master¡­ Is he talking about the young master Aoban?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he die during the attack on the mansion two years ago?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± The valet insisted. ¡°I saw it with my own two eyes! He grew quite a bit, but it was definitely him!¡± The news caused a sudden commotion in the kitchen. Even the head cook stopped working to join the gossip. The lost heir had been found. Not only the Marquis returned safely from his business trip, but he also returned with the heir. ¡°T-Then! Does that mean Lord Lloyd is also back?¡± Someone abruptly asked. ¡°Ah, no.¡± The valet replied with a much quieter voice than before. ¡°They only found the young master. There is still no news about Lord Lloyd.¡± The enthusiastic ambiance suddenly died at his answer. ¡°Oh¡­ Then he¡¯s still missing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably dead already, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Ah, but! That¡¯s not it!¡± The valet then exclaimed with an eager voice, trying to bounce back from the heavy mood. ¡°That woman has also returned! The elven slave!¡± A new commotion arose in the kitchen. This time, people exchanged looks of disbelief and soon started to voice their discontentment. ¡°For real? Then the young master was with her all this time?¡± ¡°Did she kidnap him?¡± ¡°After everything the Lord did for her¡­¡± ¡°She has some guts to come back.¡± A little confused by the sudden protest, I leaned forward to whisper in the ears of a fellow maid. I hadn¡¯t been here for too long, but as far as I knew, there shouldn¡¯t have been an elven slave here. ¡°Hey, what is this all about?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh, right, you¡¯re new Ivy so you probably don¡¯t know.¡± She replied as she glanced back at me. ¡°Well, there used to be an elven slave here. It was said that she was in an intimate relationship with Lord Lloyd.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± I guess those kind of things happen quite frequently among noble houses. ¡°Yeah, and ultimately she disappeared during that incident two years ago,¡± she added. ¡°Along with the young master and the Lord.¡± ¡°Guys!¡± The loud voice of the valet called us out. ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°There¡¯s still more?!¡± A confident smile drew on his face as we were all eager to hear what he had to add. ¡°She returned with another child! A half! Apparently, she¡¯s Lord Lloyd¡¯s daughter!¡± A brief silence settled in as we were all doubting what we just heard. ¡°What?¡± ¡°U-uh¡­ That¡¯s a joke, right?¡± A half. There was a lot of rumors circulating about them. None of them were positive. Deformed and ugly, most halves did not make it to adulthood. They were a symbol of aberration. A deviancy that needed to be corrected. Thus, they were considered an ominous sign. Thinking about it, I then remembered the sudden thunder of this afternoon. An ominous sign. A feeling of uneasiness grew in my heart, and I could tell we all felt the same. ¡°They¡¯re not¡­ planing to keep it here, right?¡± ¡°There is no way! Wouldn¡¯t that bring the fall of the house?¡± ¡°You might as well condemn us all right now!¡± As all the eyes turned to the valet, expecting an answer, he brought his palm to his neck and adverted his gaze. ¡°Well, the thing is¡­ She¡¯s also a Chosen One,¡± he tried to explain. ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°Oh, and by the way, the Lady is also bald now.¡± ¡°HUUUUUUUUUH?!¡± ?????? A few days had passed since the Marquis and the Lady returned and that half was still the main subject of all our gossips. Since then, it had been confirmed that she was indeed Lord Lloyd¡¯s daughter so the Marquis personally ordered that she should be treated as such. A half as a young mistress. What a joke. At least, this is what we all thought. Nevertheless, that was the lord¡¯s order and we were only employees so we had to comply. It was the beginning of the week, still early in the morning. All the employees had been gathered in the servants¡¯ quarters to receive our schedule for the week. I had been on kitchen duty the past week so I would most likely change department this time. I was only hoping not to find myself with the Lady. I unfolded the paper that had been handed to me holding onto that hope, but I soon found myself sighing in disappointment. ¡°Lady Nora¡­¡± Those who had heard me looked at me, full of sympathy. Some even muttered words of encouragements. ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°May the Goddess be with you.¡± They all knew I was going to suffer this week. But as I was starting to think that I was the unluckiest of the servants, the cries of another maid soon retorted that idea. ¡°Noooo!! I don¡¯t want to! Why me?!¡± ¡°Come on Tia, it¡¯s just for a week.¡± Tia was one of the maids who joined the household at the same time as me. She was usually always high in spirits, but this time, she was collapsed on the ground, shaking her head in denial. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked while approaching to comfort her. ¡°She was assigned to the half-breed,¡± a fellow maid explained. No wonder. Tia looked up at me with teary eyes. ¡°W-What about you, Ivy?¡± She asked with a small voice. ¡°Where were you assigned to?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ To Lady Nora¡¯s chambers.¡± Tia suddenly pounced on me to grab my clothes. ¡°Switch with me!!¡± She demanded with an almost threatening tone. ¡°Please!¡± ¡°I-I just told you I was assigned to Lady Nora¡¯s chambers!¡± I responded a little confused, as I never saw anyone so eager to serve the Lady. ¡°Yes, I heard! I¡¯d rather serve that witch than the half-breed!¡± In a swift movement, I put my hand over her mouth to shut her up. ¡°Keep your voice down!¡± I cautioned her. ¡°What if someone heard you? Do you want to be whipped?!¡± Around us, a few servants gave her understanding looks. No one liked the Lady, but no one was also brave enough to defame her openly like that. While most employees would not report that, with the ever-present temptation of earning the Lady¡¯s favors, the solidarity between servants remained poised on a knife-edge. ¡°B-but¡­!¡± She managed to mutter through my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to serve that half!¡± Tia collapsed again on the floor in a dramatic fall, sobbing. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Halves carry all sorts of disease!¡± She lamented. ¡°What if I catch something?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine,¡± I tried to comfort her. ¡°It¡¯s just for a week!¡± ¡°Switch with me!¡± She asked once again. While I understood her fears, I didn¡¯t want to catch something either. But as I adverted my gaze, she became even more insistent. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, Ivy! I¡¯m getting married in three weeks, I can¡¯t die before that!¡± I don¡¯t want to die either! ¡°I¡¯ll give you all my days off!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cover for you whenever you want to!¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll massage your shoulders!!¡± Ultimately, I accepted. I didn¡¯t want to and I wasn¡¯t really interesting in what she had to offer, but I always had issues when it comes to refusing favors. Moreover, I¡¯m weak to sobbing maidens -although I¡¯m sure Tia is aware of that and took advantage of it. So here I was, one hour later, standing in front of the door of this infamous ¡®young mistress¡¯.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Despite being reluctant to enter, the fact that I would only be on morning duties already cheered me up a little. I only had to wake her up, make the bed, dress her and feed her breakfast. And that was it. Other maids would take over for the rest of the day while I would return to my own duties. ¡®May the Goddess protect me.¡¯ I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. ¡°Young mistress, it¡¯s morning!" I loudly exclaimed to announce my presence. ¡°I¡¯m coming in!¡± Gathering my courage, I opened the door and entered the room. The first thing I noticed was that the young mistress was nowhere to be seen. It was only seven in the morning, yet, the bed was empty. And not only it was empty, but it was also all made -although a bit unevenly. And then I saw her. As I started to survey my surroundings, my eyes fell upon a small child, standing by the window. She was nothing like I expected her to be. In fact, she was the opposite of everything I expected her to be. Who said halves were monstrous? She was the most beautiful child I had ever seen. Pretty, lovely, angelic, but above all, surreal. I still don¡¯t know what struck me the most. Was it her doll-like face? Or maybe her stunning golden eyes. She was too perfect. She simply didn¡¯t seem human. For a moment, I thought that it couldn¡¯t be her, that I had the wrong room. But as I lost myself in her gaze, I remembered the valet saying that she was a Chosen One. Those golden eyes were the very proof of that. It was really her. At least, it didn¡¯t seem like she was carrying any disease. In fact, she seemed quite healthy. Maybe it was because of the Goddess¡¯ blessings? In any cases, that was a relief. As I realized that I was staring at her for a while now, I came back to my senses and cleared my voice. ¡°Good morning young mistress! My name is Ivy, I¡¯ll be taking care on you every morning this week,¡± I introduced myself with the friendliest possible smile. I didn¡¯t expect to receive an answer from such a young child, but I was at least expecting some kind of reaction. Yet, she didn¡¯t move at all. She was just silently staring at me -assessing me. ¡°I see that you are already awake, and¡­ all dressed.¡± I finally noticed.¡±W-Well then, I¡¯ll return with your breakfast.¡± With still no reaction from the toddler, I politely lowered my head as I exited the room. Did someone already come? It was only seven in the morning, yet, the young mistress was already up. Then again, she was only two. At that age, children have lighter sleep in the early morning hours, so it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if she had woken up on her own. But since she was all dressed up and since the bed was made, I¡¯m guessing that another maid came by to do my job. But then again¡­ Looking at how messily the bed was made, it¡¯s hard to think that this is the work of a maid. I stopped by the kitchen to retrieve the young mistress¡¯ meal. There were cereal dishes, a serving of grapes and some peanut butter toasts. I could tell those were some of the leftovers of yesterday¡¯s breakfast. I wasn¡¯t sure these were appropriate for a toddler to eat, but that wasn¡¯t up for me to decide, so I simply put the plates on a trolley. From my point of view, it was still a generous meal. ¡°Young mistress, this is Ivy,¡± I announced through the door upon returning. Since once again, I received no answer, I entered the bedroom, pushing the laden trolley in. The young mistress hadn¡¯t moved. She was still standing at the same place I left her a few moments ago. As I was starting to think that maybe she was a doll after all, the young mistress came to sit at the table, patiently waiting for me to unload the trolley. And once the plates were all neatly displayed in front of her, she started eating. All by herself. Confused, I blinked several times to make sure I didn¡¯t see it wrong. I thought she was quite well behaved to come to sit at the table on her own when she saw me bringing her her breakfast, but I definitely didn¡¯t expect her to eat by herself. I had taken care of toddlers before, but I had never seen one feed themselves. Not like that. Most of the time, they would just dig in their meal with their bare hands, and the times they had been taught to eat with a spoon, it would get messy in a hurry. Yet, the young mistress was not only sitting, but also eating properly. Actually, she was even better behaved than the young master, even though the young master was four years older and received a strict education as the heir of the house. Maybe¡­ it¡¯s because she¡¯s a Chosen One? Once she was done, she simply looked up at me. She didn¡¯t leave the table until I was done reloading the trolley. The following days, the same things happened. Each time I went to wake her up, she already up, dressed, and the bed was made. And when I brought her her breakfast, she ate by herself. Ultimately, I was forced to realize something: no one came in before me. To begin with, no one wanted to -she was a half after all. No, the young mistress woke up on her own. She dressed and made her bed all by herself. While the idea would have never crossed my mind before, ever since I witnessed her table manners, it didn¡¯t seem that far-fetched anymore. She was a Chosen One after all. The Goddess¡¯ blessings probably made her brighter than other children. ?????? ¡°So, how are you holding up?¡± Tia asked. We were currently in the servants¡¯ hall, where most of the staff was congregated for mealtime. It was already way past noon, since we needed to wait for the masters to finish their meals to have our own, so the hall was already quite noisy as we all eagerly dug in our plates, exchanging gossips. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I responded, shrugging. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I guess.¡± ¡°Really?¡± She creased her brows. ¡°That¡¯s not what I heard.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you know about Camille?¡± She asked. I nodded. ¡°She¡¯s the one assigned to the half-breed in the afternoon,¡± Tia explained. ¡°From what she told me, there is definitely something wrong with that brat.¡± I raised an eyebrow in incomprehension. ¡°Once, she came to find the room wet.¡± The corner of my lips slightly curled into a wry smile as I sighed. ¡°She¡¯s a toddler. She can wet the bed once in a while.¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Tia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not only talking about the sheets of the bed. I mean the entire room! Even the floor was flooded! Camille said she spent the entire afternoon cleaning up.¡± As I narrowed my eyes, full of doubt, Tia continued. ¡°Another time, she found soil on the floor. Like actual soil. Except that nobody but the maids come inside the room, and the half-breed doesn¡¯t go outside.¡± ¡°So what, it just appeared out of nowhere?¡± I joked. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s weird!¡± Tia exclaimed. ¡°And yesterday, she found the window glass cracked. No apparent reason either! There was no strong winds yesterday, and no other windows but this one was cracked. That half-breed is cursed, I¡¯m telling you.¡± ¡®Cursed? A blessed child?¡¯ The wry smile on my face grew wider at this thought. At that moment, someone sank in the seat next to me. It was Camille, her face drained of all its energy. ¡°I want to quit,¡± she complained as she let her head drop on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± I tried to cheer her up. ¡°You won¡¯t find a better job. It¡¯ll be over in a week anyway.¡± ¡°You look awful,¡± Tia then commented, her eyes full of pity. ¡°Did you catch something?¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t say that,¡± Camille groaned. ¡°I¡¯ve been praying the Goddess every morning and every evening.¡± ¡°How zealous of you.¡± Camille did not miss the sarcastic tone in Tia¡¯s voice, but before she could retort anything, a fight broke out between two butlers at the next table. ¡°Well, if we can¡¯t even eat in peace now¡­¡± Ignoring Camille¡¯s remark, I turned in the direction of the brawl. A couple of other servants had rushed in to separate the two butlers. ¡°What¡¯s the commotion about?¡± ¡°They¡¯re arguing about the half,¡± a valet next to us answered. ¡°How surprising,¡± Tia sneered with the same sarcastic tone. ¡°Nowadays, it¡¯s always about the half-breed anyway.¡± ¡°What about the young mistress?¡± I questioned. The valet sighed loudly. ¡°Well, Paul keeps saying that the half might not actually be Lord Lloyd¡¯s daughter, and Orlo didn¡¯t like that so¡­¡± My brows furrowed at his explanation. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ A dangerous rumor he is spreading there,¡± I noted. ¡°Well, I agree with him,¡± Camille suddenly spoke up. I turned my attention to her, my eyes budging. ¡°Why would you say that?¡± Tia asked, seemingly as surprised as me. ¡°I mean, have you seen that half?¡± Camille responded with a contemptuous voice. ¡°She looks nothing like Lord Lloyd!¡± ¡°Uh. Really?¡± Tia glanced at me, clearly expecting me to say something. She never had the occasion to meet the young mistress yet. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know,¡± I said, my gaze wandering on the floor. ¡°I¡¯ve never met Lord Lloyd before so I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell, but¡­¡± But I have met the young master. And it¡¯s true that his sister doesn¡¯t look like him at all. Even if they are only half related, there should be some kind of similarity, right? This had never crossed my mind before. ¡°What about you?¡± Camille asked, addressing the valet next to us. ¡°You knew the Lord. And you¡¯ve met the half. What do you think?¡± The valet didn¡¯t answer. The grimace on his face spoke for himself. Could it be really possible? I turned around in the direction of the two butlers, now full of doubt. They were still arguing. ¡°That half is a bastard of unknown origin, I tell you!¡± Paul was shouting, trying to free himself from the grasp of other servants holding him back. ¡°There is no way she is the Lord¡¯s daughter!¡± ¡°Watch what you¡¯re saying!¡± Orlo rebuked. ¡°This is an insult toward Lord Lloyd! Are you trying to shame this house?¡± ¡°Shame? Me? Accepting an unknown bastard is what is shaming this house! Look at me in the eyes and tell me that you are a hundred percent sure that the blood running in her veins is the blood of the Whitehearts!¡± Orlo¡¯s eyes twitched as he ground his teeth. After all, no one could be sure about that. ¡°Lord Lloyd was an upright and respectable man!¡± Paul continued. ¡°He would have never fallen as low as fathering a half-breed!¡± ¡°This half-breed is your young mistress¡±, Orlo reminded bitterly. ¡°The Marquis himself announced her as Lord Lloyd¡¯s daughter. Are you questioning his assessment?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that god damn elf is trying to fool us all! Can¡¯t you see that? She disappeared with the young master two years ago and now she¡¯s trying to bring an unknown bastard into this noble house!¡± As Paul kept slandering the young mistress and her mother, doubt arose among the servants in the hall. ¡°He has a point, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that she doesn¡¯t look like Lord Lloyd at all¡­¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Orlo ordered. ¡°This is your young mistress you are doubting! The Lord¡¯s flesh and blood! And you guys call yourselves servants of this noble household?¡± ¡°I serve the Whitehearts, this bloody half is not my young mistress,¡± Paul groaned. ¡°In the Goddess¡¯ name, who knows where she comes from! Her father could be anyone! That god damn elf already seduced the Lord, do you really think she stopped there? She even fooled the Marquis into accepting that bastard into the house! Who knows, she might even go after him this time!¡± Before Orlo could retort anything, the dispute was interrupted as the doors of the hall opened and someone entered. It was a young woman. An elf. And although I had never seen her before, I could immediately tell who she was. There was only one elf around here after all, and seeing a couple of servants gasping at her sight only confirmed my assumptions. The young mistress¡¯ mother. I had never seen an elf before, but now I could tell that the rumors were true. Elves are surely breathtaking. She was definitely the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Even as a female, I could feel the blood slowly running into my cheeks watching her. It¡¯s no wonder the previous Lord fell for her. But¡­ I think I can understand where Paul is coming from, now. I¡¯ve never seen the previous Lord, but according to the others, the young mistress does not look like him at all. And now that I see her, I can tell that she doesn¡¯t really look like her mother either. With a child taking after neither parent, it¡¯s no wonder such rumors arose. Then again, the young mistress is still very young. Maybe once she grows up, she¡¯ll be more similar to her parents. The mighty fuss in the room died down at the elf¡¯s arrival, replaced by a deadly silence. For a few seconds, the young woman¡¯s eyes met Paul¡¯s, who was just dissing her a few moments ago. But she immediately broke the the eye contact as she adverted her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Mairin,¡± she said with a monotone voice. ¡°Umh¡­ Mairin is not here,¡± someone hesitantly responded in the crowd. ¡°I see. If she comes by, tell her that the Lady is looking for her.¡± Without waiting for an answer, the young elf turned back, retracing her steps, and left as swiftly as she arrived. Upon her departure, a restless feeling grew in the hall. ¡°Hey¡­ Isn¡¯t it bad?¡± ¡°Do you think she heard?¡± ¡°There is no way she didn¡¯t!¡± As all the eyes turned to Paul, who was just as startled as anyone by the young elf¡¯s appearance, he regained his composure. ¡°S-So what?¡± He declared after clearing his voice. ¡°If she heard and didn¡¯t even try to defend herself, isn¡¯t it the proof that I¡¯m right?¡± This time, he didn¡¯t sound too convincing. But everything he said before made sense -at least, enough sense to rise the doubt among the servants in the estate. The commotion that day didn¡¯t last long after that as the head butler soon arrived to announce the end of the break, but it remained in everyone¡¯s head. ?????? The following days, unable to forget what Paul said, I found myself acting more distant and more awkwardly around the young mistress. I was perfectly aware of it, but I couldn¡¯t help it. The past few days passed in a flash, and surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought. But now, I was growing uncomfortable again. I had very little interactions with the young mistress to begin with. She never talked. Servants aren¡¯t supposed to talk in the presence of their masters unless they are solicited, but normally, with children, it¡¯s different. Because of their need for attention, the servants would always converse with them. The young master was especially very talkative. But with the young mistress, there was no such a thing. It seemed that she simply didn¡¯t want any form of attention, which did not help in bounding with her. Such a weird child¡­ I can¡¯t wait for the week to finish and be reassigned somewhere else. As usual, I silently observed the young mistress eating. She never finished her plates -the servings were too much for a child her age after all- but I was starting to grasp her appetite, so I could tell she was almost done. However, this time, before she finished, I was startled by a little voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay,¡± the young mistress said without even looking up. ¡°I can eat alone.¡± Uh¡­ HUH?! D-Did she just dismiss me?! I can¡¯t believe it. This is my first time hearing her voice and the first thing she¡¯s telling me is basically ¡°Go away¡±? W-Why? Does she not like me? What did I do wrong?! At that moment, I suddenly realized. ¡®Such a weird child¡­¡¯ My own hypocrisy. ¡®I can¡¯t wait for the week to finish and be reassigned somewhere else.¡¯ It doesn¡¯t matter how professional I am. It doesn¡¯t matter how many fake smile I wear. A child would be able to tell. ¡®What did I do wrong?¡± Everything. ¡®Does she not like me?¡¯ Of course not. Not with the way I treated her. ¡®Why won¡¯t she open up to me?¡¯ Because I won¡¯t open up to her. I was the first one to put a distance between us. It hit me hard. Just how awful must I have been for a two-years old to reject me? The worst about it was that it was my own selfishness that made me realize it. I¡¯ve been distant with the young mistress ever since I met her -no, even before then. Yet, being rejected by her hurt my pride. Thinking about it, the young mistress never did anything wrong. She was always well-behaved. Even when I treated her coldly, she never said anything. The young mistress may be a half, she may be a bastard, but ultimately, isn¡¯t she just a child? I suddenly felt embarrassed by my own behavior. How immature. I¡¯ve always wondered why the Goddess never blessed me with children. Now I know. It¡¯s because I¡¯m not worthy of it. How can someone who can¡¯t even treat an innocent toddler properly deserve to be a mother? How awful must it have been for that poor child. I¡¯m probably not the only one treating her that way. With the entire world giving her the cold shoulder, of course she would become reserved. Of course she would never talk. It¡¯s not that she is brighter because she¡¯s a Chosen One, she was simply forced to mature prematurely because of her hostile environment. A two years-old should be lively, always playing, and yet¡­ A sudden flow of emotions rose in my heart. And a new resolution. As I showed no signs of leaving, the young mistress looked up at me. So I gently smiled at her, and this time, it was a genuine smile. Not a forced smile, not a professional smile, simply the smile an adult should have toward a child. And for the first time, the indifferent look on the young mistress¡¯ face changed. Her mouth remained an uncharacteristic grim line, but her bright eyes widened in surprise. The eye-contact did not last, as she lowered her head, resuming her meal at a faster pace, but I could see her reddened ears. So the young mistress is shy. I chuckled. ¡°What?¡± She muttered. ¡°Nothing.¡± I responded. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until you finish to leave.¡± ¡°¡­Ok.¡± ¡°Today is a good day, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Mmh.¡± ¡°And the weather is quite nice too! It¡¯s been a long time we hadn¡¯t had such a sunny day!¡± This time, the young mistress did not respond. But I kept talking anyway. It doesn¡¯t matter if she fall silent. If I open up to her, surely, one day she will do the same. ?????? It was the beginning of a new week, and as always, all employees were gathered in the servants¡¯ quarters. A new week, in other words, new assignments. ¡°So this time I¡¯m on laundry duty, huh?¡± Thinking back of the past week, a faint smile played on my lips. ¡®Oh well, another time I guess.¡¯ As I was preparing myself to get to work, I passed by a maid lamenting her plight. ¡°Ugh¡­ This time it¡¯s me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll survive. The others did. It¡¯s just a half anyway!¡± Picking up the word ¡°half¡±, I stopped halfway, my eyes locked on the maid. She was kneeling on the floor, devoid of any motivation, sobbing. She reminded me of Tia, last week, when she was first assigned to the young mistress. I silently chuckled at this sight. I didn¡¯t blame her for being apprehensive. I was too. It couldn¡¯t be helped, considering halves¡¯ bad -but unfounded- reputation. However, I did pity her. After all, at this rate, she was never going to find out how lovely the young mistress can be. A broad smile on my face, I approached from behind and patted the maid¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Huh? Ivy?¡± I slightly bent forward, holding up the paper showing my assignments for this week at her eye level. ¡°Do you want to switch with me?¡± Part II Chapter 19 - Unknown Object Chapter19 ¨C Unknown object
It was a land of endless woods. The densely packed trees loomed high above, but their twigs curled in a distorted way, as the cold and the wind still howled in tempestuous gusts. The forest, dark and foreboding, was bereft of noise, as if every rustle was stolen away in the night. A thick mist floated in the air, as a glimpse of moon and stars could be seen in the cloudy sky. Without any maps to follow and the woodland stretching unbroken for miles, the perpetual dark would disorient more than one. Anyone sane would refuse to step into the forest, so it was usually silent. However, this night, the sound of footsteps could be heard. A dozen of figures were making their way through the branches and the knotted roots. The group was following nothing else but their senses. In these lands, it was the only way to navigate. Despite the icy breeze flowing around them, they still sank in the thick maze of woodland, seemingly not bothered by the utter blackness of nighttime. In the darkness, anyone would have mistaken the group for humans. However, they weren¡¯t. While their general aspect was the one of a human¡¯s, they still had some distinct features. Their eyes were glowing in the night, and instead of having nails, they had claws. On their forearms, there was a nascent fur that went down until their hands. They also had pointy ears, similar to elvish ears, but much shorter. Infamous for being cursed, transforming whenever the full moon crested in the sky, they were werewolves. ¡°It should be here. Start searching.¡± The cold voice of the one who seemed to be the leader ordered. Proudly standing in the semi-shadow, he knew no fear. He was on the top of the food chain and he knew it. With the killer instinct of a wolf, but the intelligence of a human, he led his pack to be the strongest. Their kills were always premeditated. They weren¡¯t murders, but slaughters. Still, they did not kill randomly. They were not monsters; they were protectors, fighting for their kind¡¯s survival. Immediately complying with the alpha¡¯s orders, the group split up. Only one boy stayed behind. Not even older than twelve, he was the splitting image of the leader, in a younger version. ¡°You should start searching too, Virion.¡± The alpha muttered. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you with me so that you could sit there and wait. It is time for you to deserve your place within the pack.¡± ¡°Father, I¡­¡± As his voice died down, the boy fell silent for a few seconds. He wanted to speak up, but he knew that the chief¡¯s words were absolute and that it was useless to contest. He had grown in these hostile lands, so the ominous atmosphere they gave off did not impress him. However, this time was different. The pack didn¡¯t know what kind of threat they would be facing off, so the boy couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. Still, his father wasn¡¯t going to spare him. The young werewolves were taught the hard way, and those who couldn¡¯t follow were left behind. Being the Alpha¡¯s son wasn¡¯t going to help him, he knew that. In order to survive in these lands, the pack needed to be ruthless. Only the strongs were allowed to stay, while the weaks were exiled. It was a test. The boy knew that if he couldn¡¯t do this much, the pack will definitely abandon him, and here, being left alone was equivalent to a death sentence. Putting his fears aside, the boy gathered his courage as a new glimpse of determination could be seen in his eyes. ¡°Yes, father.¡± He said, before disappearing behind the trees in his turn. Not even bothering looking behind him, where his son just left, the leader stayed indifferent. As a father, he should have felt some pride seeing his boy wanting to prove himself, or some concern knowing that he would be venturing alone in this dangerous place. Yet, the chief didn¡¯t feel any of these, or at least, he didn¡¯t manifest it. He had learnt to never show his emotions and stay cold-blooded in all circumstances. Werewolves were known to have anger issues, so they were taught from a young age to control their emotions. As the Alpha, he was even more expected to stay emotionless all the time. Besides, he didn¡¯t have the time to worry about his son¡¯s safety. A few days ago, visible from several kilometers around, a huge pillar of light appeared in the sky. It was something that no one had ever seen before. It lasted only for a few seconds, but in that instant, a colossal amount of mana disrupted the atmosphere. It was only a few seconds. Just a few seconds. Yet, it felt as if the sky was shattering. For the first time in his life, the alpha werewolf felt fear. If there was anyone capable of invoking such a magic, then they would make a formidable opponent. A formidablelastopponent. The leader knew that the pack had no chance to win against such a powerful entity, still, his pride as a werewolf forbid him to run away. So he led some of his strongest fighters to the place where the pillar of light appeared, prepared to defend the pack and die in honor. Yet, there was no trace of a potential enemy. As he focused on his senses, he smelled the decomposing leaves and the loam in the earth, and he heard the soft susurration of the branches and his own noisy breath, but no signs of life. Most of animals ran away when the light pillar appeared. Insects returned to the ground, rodents hid in their den and the closest herd was at least five kilometers away. Still, the werewolf alpha kept searching. There had to be something, someone. The light pillar may have appeared from nowhere, but it wasn¡¯t without any reason. Besides, everyone saw it. He couldn¡¯t have imagined it. After a few minutes, a sudden howl interrupted the deadly silence of the forest. A rallying call. Someone had found something. As soon as the call reached their ears, pinpointing the origin of the howl, the pack soon gathered again. The alpha was the last one to arrive. As he approached the group, with a quick glance, he checked the presence of everyone. It was his duty to make sure no one was left behind. Much to his relief, everyone was unharmed and responded the call, including his son. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± He asked, going straight to the point. ¡°Yes, right here.¡± One of the men answered, inviting the alpha to follow him. As the leader made his way through, the others respectfully stepped back before following him. Reaching the side of the one who spoke, his eyes fell upon an unknown object, only a few meters away. It was something he had never seen before, so he couldn¡¯t help but squint at its sight. The object was small, insignificant. Had it been in other circumstances, the pack would have ignored it. However, forming a magic circle, the strange marks on the grounds suggested that the object was not common and that it was indeed the reason behind the appearance of the huge pillar of light. Driven by an unsettling curiosity, Virion, the alpha¡¯s son, stepped forward, trying to take a better look. However, he was suddenly stopped as he felt a hand on his shoulder, preventing him to advance any further. It was his father. ¡°Don¡¯t. We don¡¯t know what it is.¡± He muttered. The boy looked at his father for a few seconds before turning his gaze back on the unknown artifact. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look dangerous. Shouldn¡¯t we inspect it?¡± He asked. ¡°The chief is right, Virion.¡± One of the men said. ¡°Even if it looks harmless, don¡¯t forget this is what caused that pillar to appear. By touching it, you could activate a spell. You could also break some kind of seal, who knows?¡± Hearing this, the boy widened his eyes. He had a hard time believing that the object, not even bigger than his head, could be activating some kind of deadly spell. However, if it was something similar in power than the light pillar he saw just a few moments ago, then it was definitely not wise to touch it. ¡°Rufus,¡± the leader called out. ¡°Return to the village and ask the shaman to come. He might be able to tell what it is.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The one called Rufus politely bowed before disappearing in the shadow. Silently waiting, the group focused on the unknown object. No one dared to approach it, so they just looked at it. Trying to take a guess at what it was, each one of them displayed their knowledge in magic. However, werewolves were more famous for their brute strength rather than their magic skills. With no reliable sources, their ¡®knowledge¡¯ in magic was nothing more but baseless rumors. No actual facts. It was also the reason why the alpha requested the presence of the shaman, possibly the only member of the pack with enough magic knowledge to determine the nature of the artifact.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. However, after debating for about thirty minutes, they all suddenly took a stance, as they detected someone approaching. Werewolves detect their own kind. What reached their nose wasn¡¯t the familiar scent of a comrade, but the scent of an outsider. The hair on their forearms stood up as some of them even started to growl, ready to fight. ¡° ¡­ A female?¡± Virion spoke, as he recognized the sweet aroma of a female¡¯s scent. ¡°Do not let your guard down,¡± his father ordered. ¡°That¡¯s a succubus.¡± The boy blinked his eyes several times. He never met one, but he had heard of succubus before; a female demon seducing men to steal their life force. Since he was entering his teenage years, where the pheromones reached their peak, he had been warned more than once to be careful of succubus and not to succumb to their advances. Tensing up, he imitated his seniors, taking a stance. As the scent slowly became stronger, the growls became louder. Finally, a shadow appeared, descending upon the black sky, and then suddenly dropped to the ground with its wings closed. As the leader had expected, it was indeed a succubus. The demon had the appearance of an attractive woman, with ram horns growing on her forehead, featherless wings, and a long tail in the shape of an arrowhead. In barks and grunts, the werewolves communicated and spread wide, sending some to circle around, cutting off any means of escape for the outsider. ¡°Greetings, gentlemen.¡± The succubus said with a seductive smile, unimpressed by the display of coordination. Not falling for her tricks, the group glared at her, their eyes full of hostility. Their lips pulled back to reveal yellow stained fangs, they let out a low warning growl. The message was clear: the demon was not welcomed here. ¡°My, my¡­ How friendly!¡± She exclaimed with a sarcastic tone. ¡°I will take the ¡®gentlemen¡¯ back.¡± As her eyes fell on the young werewolf who was imitating his seniors, trying to intimidate her with his small teeth, she giggled, amused. ¡°What are you doing here, succubus?¡± The chief inquired calmly, displeased as he clearly saw the demon¡¯s attention shifting to his son. ¡°You must be the alpha. How about you tell your boys to back off? I did not come here to fight.¡± ¡°Then leave!¡± One of the men suddenly shouted, letting out a loud snarl as he took a threatening step forward. The demon chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible. You see, you are not the only one interested by that strange pillar of light.¡± ¡°It happened within our territory, our pack will take care of it. You have nothing to do here, so leave!¡± The whole group became agitated, as everyone followed the example of their brother, shouting and intimidating the demon, trying to make her leave. They strongly believed that since it occurred in their territory, it was their problem and the demon had nothing to do here. However, they were soon interrupted by their leader¡¯s voice. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± He ordered. ¡°Can¡¯t you see her tiara?¡± Hearing his words, the group immediately fell silent. Too busy trying to chase the succubus away, they failed to notice the tiara on her forehead. The ornamental band was made of black jewels and seemed directly inserted on her skull. The Twilight diadem. It was an extremely rare magic item which increased its owner¡¯s strength or mana, in accordance with their race, and raised their affinity to darkness magic. It was something that He gave to all His servants, a proof that they belonged to Him. Even though it was a rare item which was worth millions, it was no different than a slave collar. According to some rumors, He would even drop some of His blood on the tiaras, changing their properties and allowing Him to keep track of them. If the demon was indeed one of His servitors, then she was not someone the pack could attack. ¡°Did you come here on His behalf?¡± The alpha asked, returning his attention to the succubus. ¡°You are a smart man,¡± the demon chuckled. ¡°That is correct. He ordered me to investigate about that strange phenomenon.¡± With their assumptions now confirmed, the werewolves clenched their teeth, understanding that they couldn¡¯t chase the intruder away. They were no longer growling, however, they were still showing signs of discontent, glaring at her. Ignoring them, the succubus stepped forward in the direction of the unknown artifact as she forced her way. Seeing the object, she narrowed her eyes. ¡°Is that it? This is what caused that sudden disruption in the air?¡± She inquired, doubting her own eyes. ¡°We don¡¯t know that yet,¡± the werewolf alpha responded. ¡°However, it is highly-likely the case.¡± ¡°What in the world is that thing?¡± The succubus thought out loud. Like the others, she deemed wiser not to touch the object; however, it did not stop her from approaching it. Being careful not to erase them, she inspected the marks on the ground. ¡°Could it be¡­ a human attack?¡± She said, as she rubbed her chin. Out of the four intelligent species that populated the world, humans were known to be the weakest. They neither had the strength and agility of beastmen, nor the high magic affinity of elves. Yet, they were estimated to have the world¡¯s largest population. Since the beginning of time, humans counterbalanced their weaknesses with technologies. When they did not have the teeth and claws of beastmen, they invented weapons. When they did not have the magic affinity of elves, they created magic items. More than once, the humans surpassed themselves and surprised the other races by proving their inventiveness. Right now, seeing the artifact, it was logical to think it was another one of those humans¡¯ inventions. An unknown object and an unknown spell. Who else but humans could be responsible? ¡°Humans did this?¡± Virion asked, raising his eyebrows. He had heard that humans preferred long and complex strategies to bold attacks. They were cowards, but coming from them, a surprise attack was still unexpected. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the case.¡± His father retorted, confirming his doubts. ¡°Even if humans were able to invoke such a powerful magic, they wouldn¡¯t be able to do it remotely, and there isn¡¯t a single human around here. Besides, I doubt they would want to start another conflict. They have been weakened by the last war. They didn¡¯t have enough time to regain forces.¡± ¡°True, but you never know what¡¯s going on in their minds.¡± The succubus muttered. ¡°They could have allied with the elves, or got their hands on some unknown technology. Besides, that thing does look like something the humans would invent¡­¡± Crossing her arms in front of her, she fell silent, pondering. She tried to think of a rational explanation for this situation. A few minutes later, her cogitation was interrupted as two figures appeared from the shadow. The man called Rufus had returned, accompanied by village¡¯s shaman. As soon as he saw the demon, just like the others before him, Rufus took a stance with his teeth bared in a snarl, openly showing his hostility. This time however, the one to mollify him wasn¡¯t the alpha, but the shaman behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t. I can feel Him. She is His servitor.¡± He said. ¡°Correct. Looks like there aren¡¯t only stupid people among werewolves!¡± The succubus exclaimed, clearly provoking the pack. Ignoring her words, the shaman walked to the side of the leader, as his eyes fell on the artifact. ¡°Is this the reason why you called me?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes.¡± The alpha answered. ¡°This is probably what caused the pillar of light. Can you tell us what it is?¡± The shaman stayed silent for a while, his eyes not leaving the object. Because of werewolves¡¯ racial characteristics, he couldn¡¯t be considered a proper mage. However, his knowledge in magic was on par with the greatest mages, and it was said that he had the ability to perceive and interact with the spirit world. He had stayed the pack¡¯s shaman for three generations now. Yet, in front of the unknown object, he was just as clueless as the others. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before. However, this is not a magic artifact. It doesn¡¯t emit an ounce of mana.¡± ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s not dangerous?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of anything, but as long as no one touches it, nothing should happen. It seems to need some kind of external action to be activated.¡± It was just as they said. Hearing this, the men exchanged curious glances, while a sudden chill ran down the young Virion¡¯s spine, realizing that he could have activated an unknown magic. He let out a relieved sigh, grateful that his father was here to stop him in time. ¡°Mmmh¡­ This needs to be reported.¡± The succubus muttered. As she spread her black wings, ready to fly away, all the eyes turned in her direction. ¡°I will now be going to inform Him of the situation. Until the moment He decides to take action,if He decides to, I will need you and your boys to secure the area.¡± The demon said, addressing herself to the leader. ¡°No one must find about the artifact. No one must touch it. You don¡¯t have to be on duty all the time. Creating a barrier should be fine, as long as you don¡¯t let anyone get close. Do this and He will reward you.¡± Without even waiting for an answer, the demon disappeared in the night sky. She didn¡¯t let the time to the alpha werewolf to reply, because she didn¡¯t need to. It wasn¡¯t a request. Anything said on His behalf was to be considered an order. Everyone knew this, those werewolves weren¡¯t an exception. Quickly adapting to the situation, the leader turned his gaze on the shaman. Without even uttering a word, he simply gave him a meaningful look. Understanding the silent order, the shaman respectfully bowed his head. ¡°I will be creating a barrier.¡± He said. ¡°Good.¡± The leader responded. ¡°Rufus, Yovel and Diego. You stay here with the shaman. The others, you return to the village with me. We need to inform the pack about the situation. Then, we will patrol around the borders. If someone was there, we need to find him.¡± As they heard their chief¡¯s orders, everyone nodded. Part II Chapter 20 - Disappearance Chapter 20 ¨C Disappearance
-Earth The sleek subway was running over the railway so fast that the world sliding by the window became a hazy blur. Inside, people were invading each others¡¯ personal space, jostling back and forth each time the vehicle accelerated or slowed down. As the windows were whistling, sucking in the stale tunnel air, there were small movements among the passengers. Most periodically checked their phones, playing a game or reading texts. Others read books, did crosswords or simply watched the passing scenery through the shaking windows; anything to avoid an eye contact. As a voice announced the next stop, a young man stood up from his seat. From afar, he looked like a proper adult. However, up close, there were still some childish facial features betraying his young age. ¡°Alex? What are you doing?¡± Another passenger asked. ¡°I¡¯m getting off,¡± the young man announced. ¡°Already? That¡¯s not your stop.¡± ¡°I have to go somewhere today.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well then, see you tomorrow!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The brakes squeaked and everyone became careful not to fall as the subway came to a stop. The doors opened with a gasp of air and passengers arrived and departed, jostling one another. In the rush hour, the subway station was a seething mass of impatient people. It was a challenge to navigate through the crowd with so many people, each heading to their respective destination. Once out of the subway, Alex moved along in the thick crowd, orienting himself by intersections. The city was a maze of streets and alleys. Tall buildings were smudged by a sunless sky filled with smog and the streets were so busy that you could hear the incessant honking of the vehicles even from the darkest alley. The young man trudged along the street at an unusually slow pace, somewhat nostalgic. The scraggy clouds were rolling in and he had no motivation or energy. It was a day of melancholy. He was not the kind of person who was always sentimental and thought about the past a lot, but today was a special day, so he couldn¡¯t help but revive childhood memories. It was her first anniversary of death. Recalling the days when she was still here, before he knew it, Alex had arrived. He was now facing an apartment complex. The building was large and made with old-fashioned bricks, making it look as if it was ancient. Among the modern buildings made of glass and steel, the complex looked out of place. On the ledge, pigeons were peering down at him. Used to being fed by some of the tenants, they were probably waiting for him to drop something to eat. 22 Haven Street. It was here. The elevator had been out of service for a couple of days now. The residents were forced to climb the stairs and there has even been a few cases of elders falling, forcing the landlord to take action and invest in renovations. Fortunately for him, Alex was only going to the first floor. Yet, his brain was still struggling to tell each foot to take the next step. He wasn¡¯t tired or anything, but his body just refused to go further. One year was not enough. The young man was still not ready to return there and face the reality. But no matter how slowly he walked, he still arrived at his destination. Next to the door he was facing, a mailbox was fixed on the wall, with a single name written on it. ¡®Woods¡¯ A little apprehensive, Alex rang at the door and waited. Only a few seconds later, he heard the approaching of footfalls. There was the noise of a key in a lock and the door opened. Standing before him was a middle-aged man. His eyes were bleary; Alex could tell he was exhausted, both physically and mentally. This man was his uncle, David Woods. He was in his late fifties, but life didn¡¯t go easy on him and he aged much faster than he should have. He looked much older than his real age. ¡°Hello Alex.¡± He said, as he invited the young man to come in with a weak smile. ¡°Hello,¡± Alex responded. ¡°Sorry for being late, there was traffic congestion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m grateful enough that you decided to come.¡± ¡°Is Aunt Helen here?¡± ¡°Yes, she was waiting for you.¡± Closing the door behind him, the young man noticed the bare walls devoid of the usual framed pictures and the boxes full of clothes and other stuff replacing the furniture that once stood there. He had always thought that this place was small, but now that it was empty, he could see how large it really was. His uncle and his aunt were moving. It has been a year since their daughter passed away and after grieving for months, it was time to move on. However, they couldn¡¯t do it by staying here. This place and this city were full of painful memories. Down the street, there was the school where she once attended. A little furthermore, there was her favorite restaurant, where they used to go every week-end. Next to the shopping mall, there was the playground where she learned how to ride a bike. It was as if the whole world was conspiring to remind them of her. So they decided to leave and today, Alex came here to help them pack up. Entering the kitchen, the young man saw his aunt Helen seated at the table, looking at a sketchbook with a melancholic, yet amused smile. Just like his uncle, she seems drained. As Alex approached, Helen finally noticed him. ¡°You¡¯re here? Sorry for bothering you, you must be busy.¡± She said with a gentle voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was the one who proposed to help after all.¡± Alex answered. The young man leaned across the table, trying to take a look at what his aunt was staring at so emotionally. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± He asked. Helen didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she just handed him over the sketchbook. It was a child¡¯s drawing. In the middle, there was a stick figure wearing a cape with random hearts drawn around it. Alex couldn¡¯t tell if it was a boy or a girl. The figure had long braided hair, big eyes framed by long lashes, and was holding a rose in its hands. Right next to it, there was something that looked like an animal. Judging by the single horn drawn on its head, he was guessing that it was a unicorn. ¡°What is it?¡± The young man asked, squinting at the sketchbook. ¡°Her Prince Charming,¡± Helen sneered. This was Prince Charming? Alex winced, as he tried to take another look at the drawing. But no matter how he looked at it, it just seemed to be one of these androgynous guys that you could find in Otome games. And a unicorn? Obviously, his cousin had a terrible taste. ¡°And here I thought she hated cheesy romances¡­¡± Alex said with a sarcastic tone. ¡°It hasn¡¯t always been the case,¡± Helen mumbled, as a sad smile drew on her face before she fell silent again. The young man could tell that she was struggling to hold back the grief. It was just a stupid drawing. Yet, this one stupid drawing was enough to evoke old memories. And one memory aroused another, until there was nothing to remember. Her smile, her voice, the warmth in her eyes¡­ Everything was slowly wilting away from their memories. Realizing the finality of death, Helen suddenly remembered that she was not ready to say goodbye, even though her daughter was already gone. As tears started to silently flow down on his aunt¡¯s face, Alex knew that he had to say something. Still, he couldn¡¯t find the right words. In this situation, there was nothing that could make her feel better. One year was not enough. ¡°She is in a better place, now.¡± A voice suddenly spoke up. Turning in the direction of the voice, Alex noticed his uncle David. Walking into the room and stopping at his wife¡¯s side, David started to pat her shoulders. ¡°She is in a better place now,¡± he repeated with a forced smile. ¡°There is nothing to worry about.¡± Once again, Helen didn¡¯t reply anything. She just kept looking at the sketchbook with tender eyes, as if it was her own daughter. There was no way to comfort her, not today, so Alex decided to give her and his uncle some time alone as he silently left the kitchen. Wandering in the house, thinking about what he could do to help, the young man eventually stopped in front of a wooden door. It was giving access to a small room,herroom ¨Cor at least, it was supposed to become her room, but she never got to use it. After hesitating a bit, Alex pushed the door.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The first thing he saw was a figure sitting on the floor. For a split of a second, he thought ¨Choped- that it was her, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Hey.¡± The figure simply said with a husky voice. It was a young boy, dressed in the usual torn jeans and hoodie of teenagers, whom Alex immediately recognized. It was Jonas, one of his cousin¡¯s friends. ¡°You¡¯re also here to help?¡± The boy asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Alex replied. ¡°What can I do?¡± The boy shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. We¡¯re supposed to sort out what can be kept and what needs to be let go, but there is just paper here. Mountains of paper.¡± Jonas was right. The room was fairly new and lacked some personality. There were barely any personal belongings here. With only a bed, a desk and a closet, it looked more like a cheap hotel room than a teenage girl¡¯s room. The only things that were out of the ordinary were the scent of paper in the air and the piles of notebooks and sheets everywhere. Drawings, mostly, but also some texts. The only things that she left behind. Sorting things was never an easy task, but when the stuff you had to sort all had the same sentimental value, it was even more difficult. Considering the amount of paper there was, it was clear that not everything could be kept. But how were they supposed to choose what was to be kept and what was to be thrown away when it¡¯s all the same thing? Should they keep the oldest drawings or the most recent ones? The most detailed or the most beautiful? The only one who could tell was no longer here. Unable to choose, Alex took a glance at Jonas, trying to determine how he was coping with the situation. He was silently chuckling. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± He asked. As the young man approached, Jonas shifted his attention on him and showed him the sheet of paper he was looking at, still chuckling. It was another drawing, slightly better than the one Alex saw just before. Stick figures again, except that this time, there was also a dragon. The reptile seemed angry, breathing fire in the air and holding a girl. Next to it, a man was wielding a sword. He had a crown drawn on his head, so he was probably a king, or a prince. And on the bottom of the page, a single word was written in capital letters:¡®CHARIZARD¡¯ ¡°Can you believe that she was the one who drew this?¡± Jonas asked with a mocking grin. ¡°Well, she hasn¡¯t always been good at drawing.¡± Alex responded, unable to hide his smile. ¡°Yeah, I can see that. Why Charizard, though?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± The young man shrugged. ¡°At some point, she used to be quite obsessed with Pok¨¦mon. Do you know what was the first thing she wanted to do after being discharged from the hospital?¡± ¡°Eating a hamburger?¡± Jonas tried to guess. ¡°Worse. Playing Pok¨¦mon Go.¡± The boy widened his eyes, clearly no believing what he just heard. He knew that his friend has always been a little special, but he couldn¡¯t believe that the first thing she wanted to do after years of being bedridden was to hunt pixels in the streets. For a few seconds, he just blankly stared at the young man, trying to guess if he was being serious or not. However, the awkward silence did not last, as they both soon burst out laughing. Alex and Jonas never really got to know each other. They met for the first time a year ago, at the funerals. Back then, they didn¡¯t talk much. It wasn¡¯t exactly the best day to make new friends. After that, they bumped into each other several times. When you lived in the same part of the city, it wasn¡¯t that rare to see a familiar face. Still, their exchanges had always been brief, and somewhat awkward. Not wanting to evoke painful memories, they avoided talking about her. However, since they didn¡¯t know each other personally, they soon ran out of things to say. Today was different. Maybe because it was her death anniversary or because they were in her room, but the mood didn¡¯t seem as heavy as usual. The two boys kept discussing for a moment, while continuously browsing in the piles of paper. After avoiding the subject for a year, they started trading stories and sharing memories about her. In the end, they spent more time looking for weird drawings to make fun of than to actually sort things. ¡°Uhm? I think I got something.¡± Jonas eventually said, as he took out a small box, mostly hidden among the piles. There was some dust on it, but even though it seemed like an ordinary cardboard box, Alex immediately recognized his handwriting on it. ¡°Congratulation, you¡¯ve found me.What does it mean?¡± Jonas asked, reading the message written on with a broad tip marker. ¡°It¡¯s a gift. For her hospital discharge.¡± Alex explained. ¡°I had completely forgotten about it. I hid it here for her to find, but well, you know¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Jonas didn¡¯t add anything. He just kept staring at the box in silence, like a curious child. Alex could tell by his eyes that he was eager to know what was inside, but he didn¡¯t dare to ask, feeling that it would be rude, since it was originally meant for her. ¡°You know, you can open it if you want.¡± The young man finally told him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter anymore.¡± As he said this, Jonas drew his head backwards, before a slight flush appeared on his face, showing his embarrassment as he clearly didn¡¯t expect me the young man read through him. ¡°Okay,¡± he mumbled, trying to hide his reddened ears. Using a pair of scissors, Jonas sliced the tape at the ends of the box and down the middle, being careful not to damage what was inside. Once the tapes completely removed, he unpacked the box and revealed its content. It was a small device, delicately wrapped in a piece of cloth. ¡°No way!¡± The boy exclaimed. ¡°Is that¡­¡± ¡°A Galaxy S7 Edge.¡± Alex interrupted him. ¡°Pretty cool, isn¡¯t it? There is even the Gear VR included.¡± His mouth agape, Jonas stared at the young man with an almost stupidly dumbfounded face. ¡°You bought her a cell phone?¡± He asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Alex replied, shaking his head. ¡°Her parents were the ones to buy it, I only chose the model.¡± ¡°Dude, she would¡¯ve loved it! It¡¯s too bad she never got to use it¡­¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the young man mumbled with an almost inaudible voice. His cousin never had a phone. The hospital forbade the use of cell phones since apparently, their signals could potentially disrupt medical equipments. Seeing so many teenagers using them, her parents always felt guilty not being able to offer her one. So once they learned that she would be discharged soon, the first thing they wanted to buy her was a phone. However, his uncle and his aunt were not familiar with all the new technologies, so they asked him to choose for them instead. Alex did not have that much knowledge in phones either, but he was still in a better position than them to pick something that she would like. He ended up choosing a model that was popular among his friends. As long as it had a long-lasting battery life and a processor strong enough to run Pok¨¦mon Go, it was enough. After that, David and Helen saved some money, and somehow managed to purchase the phone second-hand. It did not have its original packaging anymore, but it was still in perfect condition. Then, together, they decided to surprise her by hiding it in her room. Finding a surprise gift after returning home. It would have been the icing on the cake. Unfortunately, life decided otherwise, and they all forgot about it. ¡°Is it still working?¡± Alex asked. ¡°It remained here for over a year after all.¡± ¡°Wait a second, I¡¯ll try turning it on.¡± Jonas pressed the power button of the phone for a while. Just when he was starting to think that the battery was dead, the logo Samsung appeared on the screen, indicating that the phone was loading. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s working!¡± He exclaimed, a huge smile drawing on his face. It took about a minute for the device to boot up, before the lock screen appeared. As he saw the phone¡¯s wallpaper, Jonas slowly shifted his gaze on Alex. ¡°Is that her?¡± He inquired, raising an eyebrow. The young man nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± The phone¡¯s wallpaper was showing a family picture, taken in a restaurant. A couple and a little girl, who looked about five years old, were sitting at the table ¨CDavid, Helen and their daughter. The little girl was turned away from the table and seemed distracted, not looking at the camera. Helen was trying to make her seat properly, and David was rearranging his posture. They didn¡¯t look very well organized, but they all looked happy. ¡°She looks so different here!¡± Jonas exclaimed. ¡°The Ails I knew was depressive, never smiling and had this gloomy aura shouting¡®don¡¯t come near me¡¯around her. I wish I had known her then. How was she like?¡± ¡°Brighter,¡± Alex answered, after thinking for a while. ¡°Always smiling and running around, to the point that it was almost annoying. If you took your eyes off her for a second, she disappeared the next one. And once you found her again, she was almost always in trouble¡­¡± Remembering the days where he had to run after her, the young man let out a loud sigh. Amused, Jonas chuckled. For him, who has always known her as a calm and indifferent person, it was hilarious to imagine her younger and hyperactive version. As his chortles subsided, Jonas returned his attention on Alex, showing him the phone. ¡°So, what do we do with this? I¡¯m guessing that we¡¯re not throwing this away, right? It¡¯s still in a good condition.¡± Alex rubbed the back of his neck, pondering. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ I see no point in keeping it. It¡¯s just an ownerless cell phone.¡± ¡°So¡­ Sell it?¡± The boy suggested, tilting his head to the side. While their daughter was still alive, David and Helen contracted a lot of debts in order to pay for her treatments. The insurance money wasn¡¯t enough to pay back all the loans, so selling the phone was not a bad idea. They needed money, even a little. Besides, even if they were to keep it, neither David or Helen would be able to use the phone. Theirs was digital, so Alex knew that they would not know how to use a smart phone. However, he was still a bit unwilling to sell the phone, considering that it was originally meant for her. ¡°Uhm¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just ask my uncle and my aunt.¡± Alex finally said. ¡°They were the one who bought it after all. They might want to keep it, since it does have a sentimental value.¡± ¡°Like everything else here,¡± Jonas added before letting out a complaining sigh. Ignoring the boy¡¯s last remark, Alex headed to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, so don¡¯t make a mess,¡± he said, half joking. Without uttering a word, Jonas simply replied with a wry smile. The young man left the room, closing the door behind him. Assuming that his uncle and his aunt would still be where he left them, Alex headed to the kitchen. However, he barely had the time to take a few steps when he heard a huge crash coming out of the room he just left. ¡®Just when I told him not to make a mess¡­¡¯ Retracing his steps, the young man returned to his cousin¡¯s room. ¡°Jonas, you okay?¡± He called out, as he approached the door. No answers. Alex pushed the door, and as it opened with a creaking sound, a blast of cold air streamed past him. Without warning, he was suddenly blinded by the whitest light that he had even seen. The light seared into his eyes before he had even the time to close them. Out of reflex, the young man brought his hands before his face, in a useless attempt to block the light that was assaulting him. After a few seconds, the flash disappeared. Alex blinked several times, trying to recover his sight. He closed his eyes for five seconds, and then opened them briefly before repeating the operation a couple of times. Slowly, the loose forms of colors became clear, and Alex regained his vision completely. Confused, the young man looked around him, trying to understand what just happened. However, all he could see was just the same room a before. White walls, a wooden floor, a bed, a desk, a closet and endless piles of notebooks and sheets. Did he imagine it? An unsettling feeling growing in his chest, Alex kept inspecting the room. After a while, as he started to think rationally again, he finally noticed something missing ¨Csomeone. ¡°¡­ Jonas?¡± Gone. He was there just a few moments ago, but now, he was completely gone, leaving no trace behind. He just simply disappeared. Part II Chapter 21 - Arrival Chapter 21 ¨C Arrival
Lynett
[Map]. With this single word of mine, a new window appeared in front of me, similar to the status screen. However, this time, instead of the usual tables, there were drawings of lands and oceans. The world map. It¡¯s been a couple of days since the intrusion was first reported and to be honest, there hasn¡¯t been much progress since. It was the first time that the [World System] requested for my assistance. Usually, it was the other way around. Since I refused to shut down the system, it was now expecting for me to deal with the ¡®threat¡¯ by myself, raising my privileges. I can accept that. My job as an admin, I guess. But the timing is a little inconvenient. So far, the only useful thing I discovered was this: an interactive geographic map of the world¡¯s territories, showing different data, like demography, reliefs or natural resources. However, at the moment, I did not care about all that. I was much more interested in the two icons that the map was showing. The first one was a red marker, indicating my position somewhere in the center, in the Middle Continent. The second one was a cross, much farther in the north, indicating the location of my problem, theunknown object. It was situated right in the middle of the North Continent, beyond the ocean, and this raised two problems. First, the North was the realm of the most infamous beings in the world, demons, and I certainly didn¡¯t want to go there. Don¡¯t be mistaken. I have nothing against demons. Demons here are quite different from those of Earth. Here, they were just another species among the others. Well, to be exact, they weren¡¯t exactly a species but a grouping of several species. By definition, we called anything that was not a human, an elf or a demi-human a demon. It could be a vampire or a werewolf, just like it could be a dryad. My problem was not the demons themselves but their ruler. That¡¯s right: the Demon Lord. I had completely forgotten about him up until now, but he does still exist. In a way, being the Demon Lord was just a title. He certainly was far stronger than the others, but in the end, he was still a mortal. If I were to give an example, on one-on-one, I would say that he would last maybe one hour against Yoko,if she¡¯s in a good mood. However, if possible, I still wanted to avoid having anything to do with him. Being involved with one of the Great Leaders would bring nothing but troubles. Who knows? One misunderstanding and I might find myself in the middle of a war. The second problem was the fact that the unknown object was situated in another continent. The thing is that here in Erthia, most people didn¡¯t even know that there were other continents. I had the occasion to see what people called the World map a couple of times now, but it was actually just a map of the Middle Continent. There are five continents in Erthia, all separated by oceans. However, besides the other Gods and a small elite, this is something that only I know. Each continent was a world on its own, self-sufficient, with little to no interactions with the others. Most people had no idea of what lied beyond the oceans, so I doubt a lot of them would be willing to navigate in unknown seas. However, good news is that our little virus seems inactive. I was getting concerned about this potential threat, but it¡¯s been a few days already, and I haven¡¯t received a new report from the [World System]. Furthermore, after checking its position every day, it doesn¡¯t seem to be moving. I¡¯m even starting to wonder if it is really a threat. ¡°Young miss, you¡¯re awake? We have arrived!¡± A loud voice suddenly called out, pulling me out of my thoughts. ¡°Yes, give me a second,¡± I replied. Overwhelmed by the recent events, I completely forgot that I was on my way to meet my brother. That¡¯s right. For now, let¡¯s put aside the intrusion problem, and focus on the present moment. After all, after fourteen years, my school life was finally about to start. Picking up the single bag carefully placed between my feet, I alighted from the carriage as I saw the coachman waiting for me. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± he said with a dull voice. Surveying my surroundings, I failed to spot any buildings. Instead, there were mountains and hills for as far as the eyes can see. As I was looking across the seemingly endless meadows, a soft breeze ruffled the white petals of wild flowers and a sweet fragrance of honey reached my nose. It was certainly a beautiful scenery. However, it was also very different from what I expected. ¡°Uhm¡­ There is nothing here,¡± I told the coachman. ¡°This is as far as I can go,¡± he explained. ¡°Someone should come to pick you up at anytime now, you just have to wait. In all cases, my job here is done.¡± Without giving me a chance to reply, the coachman approached his horses. After such a long journey, they were exhausted and their neck was lathered in thick sweat. The coachman took the flask filled with water attached to his waist and poured its content on his animals, in order to cool them down. Then, he gave them a small pat before taking the front seat of the carriage, and with a gentle whiplash, he ordered them to move forward. Leaving me behind in the middle of nowhere, the carriage left. As I watched the vehicle slowly disappear from sight, I started growing restless. I couldn¡¯t help but think that the coachman got the destination wrong. These lands seemed like a perfectly wild area, without any human presence. Encountering a magical beast or a wild animal was not particularly worrying me. I was much more concerned by how I was supposed to find the school by myself. I wanted to ask the coachman to wait with me, but I didn¡¯t dare to ask. Paid on a commission basis, I could understand why he was such in hurry. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t have to wait too long and my worries quickly subsided as I saw a woman heading in my direction. Dressed in a tight-fitting garment and her black hair swept up into a bun, she reminded me of a lawyer. Distant and professional. However, as her eyes met mine, she greeted me with a warm smile. ¡°Hello. You must be Lynett, right?¡± She asked. I nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°My name is Agatha Kelly. You can call me Mrs. Kelly. I¡¯m the Chief Secretary of the Arcane Academy.¡± She introduced herself. ¡°Are you alone? And is that all you have?¡± She then inquired, as her eyes fell upon my suitcase. ¡°Yes, is it weird?¡± Mrs. Kelly shook her head. ¡°Not weird, but rare,¡± she explained. ¡°Usually, young nobles are always accompanied by one or two attendants. They also have this bad habit of taking too many bags with them.¡± I see her point. It was true that I didn¡¯t have a lot of personal effects and I couldn¡¯t bring Ivy with me. The Academy allowed young nobles to bring one attendant with them ¨Ctwo for the richest- provided that they would also be enrolled in the school. While they didn¡¯t follow the same classes as their master, they were still considered students of the academy. Such a practice wasn¡¯t rare. Usually, in order to build loyalty, noble families would take in young orphans or children sold by their parents at a very young age and made them become attendants of their children, which is why most of the time, masters and attendants are about the same age. Not in my case though. Ivy, my attendant, was originally a maid. As I grew older, my uncle didn¡¯t bother hiring someone new and just changed Ivy¡¯s job, so I couldn¡¯t bring her with me. Already in her forties, she was clearly past the age to go to school. ¡°So, shall we go?¡± The chief secretary proposed with a gentle smile, as she invited me to follow her with her hand. ¡°Is it far?¡± I asked. ¡°I can¡¯t see the school anywhere.¡± Seemingly amused, Mrs. Kelly chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t have to walk a lot. In fact, we are already here.¡± I tilted my head to the side and squinted, trying to study her expression. She didn¡¯t seem to be joking. So what? Is the school hidden or something? ¡°The Academy is protected by a barrier,¡± Mrs. Kelly then started to explain, confirming my assumptions. ¡°It may not look like this, but this place is actually infused with mana and attracts a lot of magical beasts, so the headmaster created a barrier to protect the school from a potential attack. It also avoids unwarranted visitors.¡± She marked a pause, as she showed me the sterling silver ring placed on her pinky finger. ¡°You¡¯ll need this to enter the barrier. It¡¯s a proof that you belong to the school. Every student and every staff member here possesses one. You¡¯ll receive yours as soon as your enrollment is completed, but for now, I¡¯ll have to ask you to stick with me. Alright?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Mrs. Kelly extended her hand in front of me, clearly expecting me to take it. At my age, it was pretty embarrassing to hold hands with someone else, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. With a simple nod, I took her hand and she guided me to the path she had taken through the meadows to meet me. After only a few seconds, similarly to the time where Harri used his barrier, I felt the atmosphere change as it became a lot heavier. It was as if I just left an air-conditioned room and was now assaulted by a sudden heat wave. It was clearly not a pleasant feeling. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Mrs. Kelly said, as she saw me wincing, before letting go of my hand. Taking another look at my surroundings, I could finally see it: the Arcane Academy. Mrs. Kelly didn¡¯t lie. It was here the whole time, just before us. As we approached the gates, I felt the excitement slowly building up within me and soon became unable to hide my enthusiasm, a broad smile drawing on my face. Mrs. Kelly chanted an incantation and the gates immediately opened, offering a view on the Academy. Buildings and facilities made out of stone were scattered throughout the main campus. Made of pointed arches, buttresses and rib vault, they gave off a strong gothic vibe. ¡°Welcome to the Arcane Academy!¡± Mrs. Kelly announced enthusiastically. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Her hands joined in front of her chest, she looked at me with bright and expectant eyes. She almost seemed like she was the one who was about to join the school. ¡°It¡¯s huge,¡± I answered. ¡°Much bigger than I thought. There are also a lot of open spaces, it¡¯s pretty nice.¡± ¡°Right?¡± She exclaimed. ¡°Everything was designed for the students¡¯ comfort! Each structure was ingeniously placed in order to avoid the pupils to walk long distances and each department possesses their own internal structure. However, it hasn¡¯t always been like this. It started from nothing. When it was first built, the Academy only had one library and one building. Lectures, classes, laboratory work¡­ Everything was done in the same place!¡± Lost in her own enthusiasm, Mrs. Kelly started to tell me about the incredible history of the Academy. Clearly, she took her pride in this school and was really keen about her work. However, while I thrilled to discover this place, I didn¡¯t share her excitement. I¡¯ve never really been passionate about history. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I simply feigned listening to her. ¡°But enough about that,¡± she finally said, after what seemed an endless monologue. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone show you around later. For now, I¡¯ll take you to your room. After such a long journey, you must be tired, right? It mustn¡¯t be fun to haul your luggage around.¡± Mrs. Kelly invited me to follow her as she guided me across the school. It must have been time for classes; we didn¡¯t pass a lot of students. Only a few were out, studying on a bench or discussing with each other. However, although I only saw a little, I was glad to notice the racial diversity among the students. Growing in a human kingdom, I wasn¡¯t used to see this many non-human races. Actually, if it wasn¡¯t for my mom, Yao, and the other rare demi-human slaves, I would have almost forgotten that there were other races. After walking for a while, we stopped in front of a large building made of concrete steel sheets. ¡°This is your dormitory. Your room is on the second floor, number 24. You¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± Mrs. Kelly inquired, as she handed me the key of my room. I nodded. ¡°Good. I need to inform the headmaster that you have arrived,¡± she added. ¡°Take your time to unpack your suitcase and get familiarized with your new environment. I should be back in ten minutes.¡± Mrs. Kelly excused herself and left, returning in the direction from which we came. Dragging my luggage behind me, I entered the dormitory. The first thing I saw was an old staircase twisted in a perfect spiral. Although it looked worn down and tired, there was absolutely no trace of dust. I placed my hand on the wrought-iron banister and walked swiftly to the second floor, as the stairs creaked in complain with each step I took. It didn¡¯t take me long to find my room. I ventured into the hallway and stopped in front of the door numbered 24, before unlocking it with the key Mrs. Kelly just entrusted me. The room wasn¡¯t really large, but it still appeared somewhat spacious. Two neatly made beds pushed against the wall, a bureau and a straight-backed chair, a dresser with a gilt mirror over it, and one window curtained with white cotton cloth. The decoration was minimalist. However, judging by the draws overflowing with clothes and the few books placed on the desk, this room already has an occupant. ¡°So I have a roommate...¡± Solely base on the decoration and the clothes, it was hard to determine my roommate¡¯s gender. He was either a modest boy or a boyish girl, although I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s the latter, since I don¡¯t think the dormitories are mixed. Looking around, trying to find more information, my eyes eventually fell upon the books stacked on the desk. They were all science textbooks ¨Cmostly math and physics. It seems like my roomie is a nerd. I browsed through the first page of one of the notebooks left here and immediately found what I was looking for: my roommate¡¯s name.Nomi. Yup, definitely a girl¡¯s name. ¡°What the heck?¡±A voice suddenly exclaimed. I shifted my gaze toward the door, where someone just entered. It was a young girl, as tall as your average sixteen years old. Her eyes were grey, glistening like sparkling diamonds, and her long purple hair was tightly tied into a ponytail, revealing long ears pointing toward the ceiling. She was an elf; the first one I¡¯ve ever seen besides mother. ¡°Who are you and why are you rifling through my belongings?¡± She inquired, with a slight hint of indignation in her voice. So this is Nomi. I was completely mistaken; there is nothing boyish in her. Nomi moved forward with a serious look on her face, clearly upset that someone touched her stuff without her permission. However, her expression quickly softened as she noticed my luggage. ¡°Could you be Minette?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s Lynett,¡± I corrected her. ¡°And you must be Nomi, my roommate.¡± Nomi didn¡¯t bother to respond. Instead, she gave me a critical look, inspecting me from head to toes. Tilting her head to the side, she kept squinting, as if something was bothering her. I wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but it made me pretty uncomfortable. After a short moment, she took a step forward and raised her hand to my cheek. Her sudden action startled me, but I soon realized what she was trying to do. She passed her fingers in my hair, slowly uncovering my ears. ¡°You¡¯re a half.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Nomi placed her hand across her face, seemingly dejected. ¡°First a human, now a half.¡± She complained. ¡°I should have known something was up when they told me my new roommate would be an elf.¡± ¡°Well, half elf. Is that a problem?¡± The young girl flinched. She was about to say something, but the words never came out. Instead, she let out a loud sigh. ¡°Nevermind¡­¡± Nomi walked past me, stopping at the foot of one of the bed, just before she returned her attention on me. ¡°This is your bed,¡± she explained. ¡°I¡¯ll make some space later on so that you can stow away your stuff, but for now you can use the top left drawer.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I replied. ¡°Also, I would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t touch what belongs to me anymore,¡± she noted. ¡°Ah, yeah, sorry¡­¡± Nomi glared at me coldly, still upset. I know I¡¯m at fault here -nobody likes it when a stranger rummages through their things- but isn¡¯t she overreacting? I mean, it¡¯s just a notebook after all. It¡¯s not like there was anything important in it¡­ right? ¡°Oh, and one last thing,¡± Nomi added, as she suddenly remembered something. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. Just because we share a room, it doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯re friends, okay? I wouldn¡¯t want to be associated with a slave¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡­ Ouch. That hurts. It hasn¡¯t even been one hour that I arrived, and I¡¯m already being disliked ¨Cby my roommate on top of that. I had prepared myself for something like that. I wasn¡¯t so na?ve to think that the prejudices would suddenly vanish, just because the Academy accepted students disregarding their race and their background. While the rules stated that students should be judged only for their true worth, it didn¡¯t mean everyone shared the school¡¯s value. I knew that. Still, I couldn¡¯t let it pass. No matter the prejudices she had against me, she had no right to insult my mother. Whatever happened to her, it wasn¡¯t her fault. She was a victim, and if there is one thing I can¡¯t stand, it¡¯s victim blaming. ¡°My mother isn¡¯t a slave,¡± I retorted. Or at least, not anymore. However, since Nomi clearly had something against slaves, I omitted to mention this specific detail. ¡°So what? You¡¯re going to tell me you were born out of love, or something?¡± She asked, half joking. ¡°Actually yeah, this is pretty much what happened.¡± Nomi furrowed her brows, not pleased by my answer. For a few seconds, she just glared at me in silent. Then, she let out a stifled chortle. ¡°A traitor¡¯s daughter then. Even better!¡± She exclaimed with a sarcastic tone. Obviously, this young lady has human issues. She didn¡¯t like the fact that my father was human, and she hated even more the fact my mother, an elf, liked a human, going as far as calling her a traitor. While her hatred toward humans was justified ¨Cafter all, no one would appreciate having their people captured and traded as trophies- I couldn¡¯t help but feel disheartened seeing this vicious circle of distrust and hate. ¡°You know, humans are not all that bad,¡± I tried to reason her. ¡°You should give them a chance. They have some good people too, like the maids in the residence where I grew. They were all really nice!¡± ¡°They¡¯re servants. They¡¯re paid to be nice. It¡¯s just human hypocrisy,¡± Nomi coldly retorted, annoyed by my attempt to advise her. Although I prefer to tell myself that it¡¯s not the case, she does have a point. Even if their kindness is now genuine, it hasn¡¯t always been the case. I didn¡¯t forget how the maids used to avoid me when I first arrived at the residence. In fact, if it wasn''t because they had been ordered to, they would''ve probably never approached me. ¡°Well then there is my brother!¡± I exclaimed after pondering for a while, as I remembered Aoban. Born human but fostered by an elf, he was raised without any prejudices and was the perfect example of an open-minded and tolerant human. ¡°Unlike me, he is completely human,¡± I explained. ¡°But he is really kind! You should meet him if you haven¡¯t already. He is also in this school, his name is Aoban!¡± As she heard this, Nomi widened her eyes. ¡°Aoban? As in Aoban Whiteheart? You¡¯re that guy¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°Oh~! So you know him after all! Isn¡¯t he a great person?¡± I asked, suddenly excited to talk about my brother. But Nomi just burst out laughing, and I felt my enthusiasm slowly melting away as I understood something wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Agreat guy?" She repeated with a mocking toneonce her laugher subsided. ¡°Your brother is a jerk!¡± What the¡­ How rude! How could she call him a jerk, Aoban of all people? My brother is the kindest person in the world! First she insults my mother, and now my brother. I give up. No more attempt to reason her and no more attempt to be friendly. She doesn''t even like me anyway. I guess she and I will never be on the same wavelength after all. The door opened, and we both turned our gaze toward the entrance, as a woman walked into the room. It was Mrs. Kelly. ¡°Uhm? You two have already met each other?¡± She asked as she saw us. ¡°Well, that¡¯s perfect! I¡¯m sure that you will get along well!¡± Completely oblivious to the mood, Mrs. Kelly showed us her brightest smile, seemingly convinced to witness the beginning of a great friendship. Nomi and I exchanged a quick glance, without uttering a word. She gave me a meaningful look and grinned in a somewhat provoking way. I sighed. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re already best friends¡­¡± Part II Chapter 22 – Encounter Chapter 22 ¨C Encounter
Lynett
¡°Lynett Maedis Whiteheart! You¡¯re finally here! I¡¯ve been expecting you!¡± A skinny man heartily exclaimed as he saw me walking in, accompanied by the chief secretary. He was the headmaster of the Arcane Academy. Seated in his office, he already appeared somewhat tall, but when he got up to greet me, I saw how tall he really was. He wasn¡¯t intimidating, though. He was lanky and his cheek bones gave him a skeletal look. He was also much younger than I expected. Even though he had some facial hair, he didn¡¯t look older than thirty. ¡°You¡¯ve been expecting me?¡± I inquired, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, yes of course!¡± The headmaster replied enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to accommodate a new student, especially one as talented as you! I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes. The marquis he... Uhm, what was your relationship with him again?¡± ¡°Niece.¡± ¡°Right, niece!¡± The headmaster repeated. ¡°Well your uncle spoke very highly of you, Lynett!¡± That¡¯s a little hard to imagine. I had very few interactions with my uncle but I know he¡¯s not the kind to brag a lot, especially not about me. Although I don¡¯t think that he despise me, he definitely doesn¡¯t hold me dear to his heart. Actually, he went through so many troubles to hide my existence it was hard to imagine him suddenly commend me. ¡°He told me you were full of surprises!¡± The headmaster continued. ¡°Even though you never attended a school before, you still managed to get an apprenticeship! That¡¯s very impressive! If you knew how many of our students are trying to get one¡­ We¡¯re doing our best to support them, but it¡¯s not an easy task. Masters are picky about their disciples, especially ones as young as you!¡± An apprenticeship? What kind of lies did Uncle Jack tell him? I don¡¯t mind the lies -actually, I¡®m even grateful that my uncle made up such a story instead of me- but I would have appreciated if he warned me beforehand. The headmaster looked at me with bright eyes, full of expectations. ¡°Also, there is something I¡¯m really curious about. May I ask?¡± He inquired with a candid smile. ¡°Sure,¡± I nodded. ¡°Which deity blessed you?¡± He asked. Taken aback by the question, I widened my eyes. I knew people were naturally curious about my eyes, but no matter how much they wanted to know, they never asked anything about them. There seemed to be some kind of taboo around the subject. ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± the headmaster immediately apologized, as he saw my expression. ¡°As I thought, it¡¯s a little rude, isn¡¯t?¡± I shrugged. I didn¡¯t particularly mind the question, it was just unexpected. To be honest, I¡¯ve never really understood why it was such a delicate matter either. ¡°You see, I¡¯m a theologian,¡± he explained. ¡°You could say that my job is to study deities and anything connected to them. And although it¡¯s been going on for years, if there is something that we don¡¯t understand well, it¡¯s when a child is blessed.¡± The headmaster marked a pause and nodded to himself, stroking his chin. Then, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth as he patted my shoulder in a friendly way. ¡°I apologize again if I was too direct,¡± he said.¡±But I¡¯m a researcher! It¡¯s difficult for me to hide my enthusiasm after meeting a chosen one, especially one like you!¡± I tilted my head to the side. ¡°One like me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Aoban¡¯s sister, right?¡± The headmaster asked, seemingly not expecting an answer as he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve worked with a lot of chosen ones before, but it¡¯s my first time coming across siblings who were both blessed!¡± Ah, right. I had forgotten about this little detail. I knew this was going to raise some questions one day. I don¡¯t regret blessing my brother or my mother, but a family ofchosen onesisn¡¯t something that goes unnoticed. ¡°There must have been some special circumstances, which is why you were both blessed.¡± The headmaster noted. ¡°I already asked your brother about this before, but he doesn¡¯t seem to know much about it¡­ I was hoping that maybe you could enlighten me on this point.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Sorry¡­ I don¡¯t know much either.¡± The headmaster dropped his shoulder as he let out a disappointed sigh. ¡°I see¡­ It can¡¯t be helped then.¡± I feel a bit sorry for him, but well¡­ As a theologian, this man can be both helpful and dangerous for me. I have to be careful of what I tell him. Besides, even if I wanted to, I¡¯m not sure I can really help him. I¡¯m not a real chosen one after all. ¡°Headmaster, the form,¡± Mrs. Kelly suddenly reminded him. ¡°Ah, right!¡± He exclaimed. Recalling the reason of my presence, the headmaster headed to his desk and took out a sheet of paper from one of his drawers. ¡°It¡¯s not going to take long,¡± he said, giving me the registration form. ¡°Most of the fields have already been filled. I¡¯m just going to ask you to check, and sign at the bottom of the page.¡± I took a look at the form. As the headmaster said, it was almost entirely filled, providing basic information such as my name, my age, or my legal guardian. After checking that everything was correct, I noticed the blank fields at the bottom of the page, which immediately reminded me of the status window. Main-class, sub-class, but more importantly, magic affinities. I looked up at the headmaster, who was waiting for me to sign. ¡°Uhm¡­ The blank fields¡­¡± ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t pay attention to that,¡± he said. ¡°Since we have no precious records of your abilities, and since you didn¡¯t pass the entrance exam, you can let them blank for now. We¡¯ll fill them as soon as our teachers evaluate your level.¡± Hearing this, I furrowed my brows. Depending on how they were going to do that, it could be bad for me. The headmaster smiled warmly at me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. If you¡¯re as good as I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯ll have absolutely no problems!¡± He said, seeing the concern of my face, as he probably thought I was worried about my future performances. I shifted my gaze back on the registration form. Besides the fields concerning my class and my affinities which were left blank, everything else was filled correctly. I checked one more time that there were no mistakes and signed at the bottom of the page. ¡°Perfect!¡± The headmaster exclaimed, as I handed him over the form. ¡°Welcome to the Arcane Academy!¡± Mrs. Kelly approached and forced into my hands a small folder. ¡°This contains everything you need,¡± she explained professionally. ¡°Your time schedule is in there. You will begin your classes tomorrow, so take the rest of the day to familiarize with the school.¡± I nodded. ¡°Take also this,¡± the headmaster added as he gave me a sterling silver ring, similar to the one Mrs. Kelly showed me. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re a student of this school, so don¡¯t ever take it off. Consider this as your student ID.¡± The ring was much larger than I expected. I could¡¯ve easily placed it on my thumb if I tried to. Taking example on Mrs. Kelly and the headmaster, I put the ring on my pinky finger. While no rules stated that the ring was to be placed on this particular finger, placing it on another one would¡¯ve been inappropriate, since each finger had a specific meaning. As soon as I put it, the ring reacted to my mana and started to shrink until it fitted perfectly the size of my finger. ¡°I guess everything is in order now,¡± Mrs. Kelly said. ¡°Ah, right!¡± The headmaster suddenly exclaimed, as he seemingly recalled something. ¡°Have you met your roommate already, Lynett?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Remembering about thecuteNomi, I sighed. ¡°Yeah, I did¡­¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, they¡¯re already getting along!¡± Mrs. Kelly exclaimed with a broad smile before I had a chance to add anything. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡± The headmaster replied. ¡°I guess I was worried about nothing!¡± ¡°Worried?¡± I repeated, raising an eyebrow. The headmaster exchanged a quick glance with the chief secretary before turning his attention back on me. ¡°Well, I guess I can tell you now,¡± he said. ¡°Your roommate, Nomi Drosriah, she¡¯s a nice girl but¡­ She can have some issues¡­¡± I squinted at his words, trying to guess what he was trying to say. I didn¡¯t have to think too long though, as Mrs. Kelly immediately responded to my curiosity. ¡°She got into a fight with her previous roommate,¡± she simply said with a dull voice. ¡°We had to separate them.¡± Great. My roommate is a thug. ¡°Kelly, that¡¯s a bit too direct¡­¡± The headmaster scolded the Chief Secretary. ¡°But well¡­ As I said, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± He added, trying to reassure me. ¡°If your first encounter went smoothly, I see no reason why the situation would get out of hand, right?¡± Except that it did not go as smoothly as he thinks¡­ Even if she didn¡¯t get violent, Nomi openly showed her hostility. Why did they put me with such a bothersome roommate to begin with? They¡¯re sacrificing me, aren¡¯t they? Why else would they put the transfer student with the troublesome kid¡­ Suddenly, I was pulled out of my thoughts as I heard loud knocking sounds coming from the entrance. ¡°Ah! He¡¯s here. Come on in!¡± The headmaster ordered with a loud voice. The door opened and a boy entered the room. He closed the door behind him, before politely greeting the headmaster and the Chief Secretary. ¡°Lukas! Sorry to bother you and thank you again for taking time out of your day to come,¡± the headmaster said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± the boy named Lukas responded. The headmaster shifted his gaze on me. ¡°Lynett, this is Lukas, a diligent student of the school. I called him today so that he can show you around the school. I¡¯d gladly do itmyself, but I have business to take care of. Besides, I doubt you would want to spend the rest of the day with a boring man like me!¡± He joked. I looked at the boy -who was not really a boy anymore. He seemed to be older than me. His face was stern, but when our eyes met, his previous expression completely melted away as a friendly smile appeared on his face. ¡°If you have any questions, don¡¯t hesitate to ask him.¡± The headmaster said. I nodded. Accompanied by Lukas, I exited the headmaster¡¯s office. For a while, we didn¡¯t say anything. I simply followed him as he guided me through the academy, seemingly with a particular destination in mind. Lukas was much taller than me and his face was somewhat familiar. His dark brown hair was long enough to be tied into a short ponytail and his eyes were like two onyx stones. From his clothes, I could tell he belonged either to a noble house or a rich family. They weren¡¯t particularly extravagant, but they were high-quality. It was not something a commoner could afford. Still, despite his status, Lukas seemed very well-mannered and friendly to anyone. On the way, he was greeted by several students ¨Cfrom the rich merchant¡¯s son to the simple commoner. Obviously, he was very popular. ¡°You look confused,¡± he eventually said after a few minutes, breaking the silence. ¡°Is it because of the headmaster?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Not really. I mean, he sure is different from what I¡¯ve expected, but that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Is that so? And what did you expect?¡± He inquired. ¡°An old man with a white beard.¡± Lukas chuckled. ¡°Well, he may not look like one, but he¡¯s totally like an old man. Completely engrossed by his work.¡± He marked a pause, as he glanced at me. ¡°Thinking about it, he¡¯s probably going to be on your back for a while. That guy is obsessed with chosen ones, you know?¡± I sighed. ¡°Yeah, I had guessed.¡± Lukas didn¡¯t add anything. Instead, he gave me a half-smile. I wasn¡¯t sure if he was pitying me or mocking my situation. Maybe it was both. ¡°And what do you think of the Academy so far?¡± He asked, changing the subject. I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I haven¡¯t been here for a long time, but my roommate already hates me.¡± Lukas let out a half stifled laugh. ¡°Really? Already? How come?¡± ¡°No reasons, really¡­ She¡¯s just a prideful elf who doesn¡¯t like the fact that I¡¯m different from her. I guess I¡¯m not good enough for her.¡± Recalling how ridiculous the situation was, I sighed. Having only known mother so far, I had almost forgotten about elves¡¯ infamous reputation for being extremely narcissistic. I guess it wasn¡¯t only a rumor. With a higher affinity to magic, a longer life span and perfect visuals, it¡¯s no wonder elves became so conceited. But if Nomi was truly like the elves I¡¯ve heard about before, then changing her mind will not be easy. ¡°An elf, huh?¡± Lukas muttered with a thoughtful look. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, then. You were just unlucky. Elves and their pride¡­¡± My lips stretched into a small grin, pleased to know that he shared my opinion. We seemed to be on the same page. If possible, I¡¯d love to get to know him more. Having a friend here will be helpful. ¡°Don¡¯t be too disheartened by this,¡± Lukas said, trying to cheer me up. ¡°And don¡¯t worry too much about your race either. You don¡¯t look like a half at all, so as long as you don¡¯t purposely disclose it, no one would guess!¡± He does have a point. My ears are hidden, and even though my bleached hair is unnatural, it doesn¡¯t particularly stand out. I¡¯m not especially hiding my origins, yet very few people know that I¡¯m a half. Usually, people are too busy to look at my eyes to notice anything else ¨Cbesides her¡­ Uhm? Wait¡­ Suddenly realizing something, I stopped, forcing Lukas to do the same as he looked at me. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± He asked. ¡°If I don¡¯t look like a half¡­ How did you know that I was one?¡± I inquired my eyes squinted, full of suspicion. ¡°I don¡¯t think I mentioned anything about it.¡± Lukas didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by my question, as he answered right away. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you!¡± He explained. ¡°I must say, you¡¯re quite famous in the family.¡± What? What is that supposed to mean? Before I had a chance to ask him, Lukas continued. ¡°Oh, by the way, if you¡¯re going to stay here, I have an advice for you. Try to avoid mentioning that you belong to the Whitehearts. Here, boasting about your family will bring you nothing but troubles. Especially in our case. We¡¯re not exactly well appreciated here.¡± We? I could feel an ironic smile playing on my lips as everything started to get linked in my head. ¡°Sorry, what did you say your name was again?¡± I asked, half-hoping to get a different answering from the one I expected. ¡°Lukas,¡± he simply replied. ¡°I mean your full name.¡± Lukas fell silent for a few second as a wry smile appeared on his face, slowly revealing all his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it?¡± He asked rhetorically. ¡°It¡¯s Lukas Whiteheart.¡± Ah¡­ I knew it. Of course something like that had to happen. I knew I had heard his name somewhere; he¡¯s my cousin, Uncle Jack¡¯s son. No wonder his face looked so familiar. This can¡¯t be a coincidence. Thousands of students and the one who happened to be my guide is him. I can never let my guard down, can I? And here I thought that he seemed like a good guy¡­ Lukas chuckled, clearly amused by my expression. ¡°You hadn¡¯t realized?¡± He asked. ¡°Was I supposed to?¡± I replied, with a slight hint of annoyance in my voice. ¡°We never met and your name is a pretty common one.¡± ¡°You have a point. My bad, I guess?¡± He said with an unapologetic smile. He totally did it on purpose. He¡¯s teasing me, I know it. Arcane Academy, Day 1: first contact with the enemy established. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, I mean you no harm. I just wanted to surprise you,¡± Lukas tried to justify himself, as he saw that I was upset. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to trick you.¡± Yeah, not convinced¡­ Seeing my lack of reaction, he sighed loudly. ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to see me as your enemy,¡± he said, guessing my thoughts. ¡°Is it because of my father?¡± I didn¡¯t answer anything, but it was enough for Lukas, as he took my silence for a yes. ¡°I guess it is¡­ Is he such a bad guy?¡± He asked, forcing himself to put on a smile. I raised an eyebrow and drew my head backwards, not sure to understand his question. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know better? He¡¯s your father after all.¡± Lukas let out a small chortle. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t! He may be my father, but I only see him twice a year. You¡¯re the one living with him, you know him better than I do.¡± Twice a year? Damn, Uncle Jack¡­ What are you doing? I know you¡¯re the head of the household and you¡¯re busy with family affairs, but you can¡¯t neglect your own family like that, especially not to the point where your own son says he doesn''t know you. ¡°So, is he?¡± Lukas repeated his question, as he didn¡¯t get an answer. I tried to think of a proper answer. He seemed genuinely curious about him. No matter how much I disliked Uncle Jack, to Lukas, he was still his father. Thinking about it, there was no real reason for me to think of my uncle as a bad guy. He sure wasn¡¯t a great guy, but he wasn¡¯t necessarily evil either. Actually, among high-ranked nobles, he was a pretty decent person. As far as I know, he never took any hostile actions against me or my family, he provided Aoban an education and I can¡¯t condemn him for trying to sell me off ¨Cit was a common practice after all, among both nobility and common people. Giving a quick glance at Lukas, he was looking at me with round eyes, sparkling with anticipation. ¡°I guess he isn¡¯t¡­¡± I finally replied, after hesitating for a while. A childish smile suddenly stretched on Lukas¡¯ face. ¡°Really? Good to hear!¡± Don¡¯t be so happy¡­ He may not be really evil but that doesn¡¯t make him trustworthy either. Still, Uncle Jack should be ashamed. For his own son to be this relieved to hear that his father isn¡¯t a bad guy¡­ Exactly what kind of reputation did he build? Lukas¡¯ mood enlightened. He became quieter, seemingly lost in his thought, as he unconsciously increased his walking speed. He was hard to read. When I first saw him, I thought he looked like a serious boy. However, talking to him, I came to understand that he was much more na?ve than he seems. There was something childish in his personality. I¡¯m still not sure if I can trust him, but he does look pretty clueless. As I felt my stamina slowly running out after walking through what seemed an endless maze of corridors, I called out Lukas, pulling him out of his thoughts. ¡°Uhm, Lukas? Weren¡¯t you supposed to show me around the school? We¡¯ve been walking for a while now, but you still haven¡¯t presentedme anything.¡± ¡°Forget about the visit,¡± he replied nonchalantly. ¡°Depending on your major, you¡¯ll only use two or three of these facilities. It would be useless to make you visit the whole Academy. Besides, to be honest, I¡¯ve been here for almost six years, and I still don¡¯t know what half of these buildings are for!¡± I think they chose the wrong person to be my guide¡­ ¡°Well, fine but¡­ Where are you taking me, then?¡± I asked, slightly worried. Lukas glanced at me, giving me a knowing smile. ¡°To your brother!¡± Part II Chapter 23 - Reunion Chapter 23 ¨C Reunion
Lynett
After walking for about ten minutes, we had finally arrived. The academy was at least as big as a small city, and with the students going from one class to another, it was easy to miss someone. However, Lukas seemed to know perfectly Aoban¡¯s schedule as he knew exactly where to find him at this moment. By the time we arrived, classes were already over. The corridors were now full of students and I could feel curious gazes directed on us. ¡°Wait here,¡± Lukas said. ¡°I¡¯m going to check, and then I¡¯ll ask him to come out.¡± ¡°Check what?¡± I asked, furrowing my forehead. ¡°If everything is fine. Sometimes, there can be some troubles.¡± ¡°Troubles? What kind of troubles?¡± Lukas didn¡¯t get to answer my question as we were interrupted by a loud clattering noise. The door we were facing suddenly opened and slammed violently against the wall, as a figure appeared. It was a young boy, barely older than me. Seeing how he so brutally opened the door, he was desperate to get out of the room. However, he had not expected Lukas to be on his way. He avoided him just in time, but he hadn¡¯t seen that I was right behind him as he bumped into me instead. Instinctively, I tried to reduce the impact of the fall by landing on my hands, but I soon regretted my decision. The unknown boy fell on me, crushing my fragile bones with all his weight. For a spilt of a second, I could have sworn that I heard my elbows cracking. Being pampered my whole life didn¡¯t do me any good. I have zero tolerance to pain. On the impact, I forgot to open my mouth and a cry of pain got stuck in my throat. It is during moments like these that I suddenly remember that being almost completely immune to magic is useless when I get hurt from stupid accidents like this. However, the pain didn¡¯t last long as my elbows healed almost immediately. ¡°This kind of troubles,¡± Lukas said with a sardonic smile. I looked up at the boy who bumped into me. It was a demi-human. Two horns sprouted out of his forehead and instead of having human ears, he had long flurry ears, similar to the ones of a rabbit, but slightly shorter. Hmm¡­ Is that a goat? A goat-boy? Well, that¡¯s a first. As he tried to get up, the demi-human boy sent me a deadly glare, clearly blaming me for what happened. Obviously, I wasn¡¯t the one in the wrong but he didn¡¯t seem willing to apologize, even though he was the one who didn¡¯t watch where he was going. His nose was bleeding. I think it was already like this since he didn¡¯t bump into me hard enough to break his nose, but even if he did¡­ I¡¯m not at fault, right? I mean, he dislocated my elbows. I¡¯m much more to be pitied than him. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think anyone had the time to notice this. ¡°Don¡¯t let him go! Catch him!¡± As he heard a loud voice coming out from the room he just exited ¨Cor should I say escaped?- the demi-human boy started to panic, forgetting about me. He quickly got up on his feet and tried to run away. Unfortunately for him, he wasn¡¯t fast enough as two older boys caught him before he had a chance to do so. ¡°Got you! Where did you think you were going?¡± One of them asked as a mischievous smirk appeared on his face. The two boys each firmly grabbed the demi-human boy¡¯s arms, making sure he wouldn¡¯t escape. This situation¡­ Two older students surrounding a junior and keeping him against his will¡­ No matter how I see it, it¡¯s bullying, isn¡¯t it? Thinking about it, it does make sense. In such a huge school where nobles, commoners, humans and demi-humans come into regular contact with each others, I guess bullying was to be expected. No wonder this poor boy was so desperate to run away. But where are the teachers? ¡°Guys, guys!¡± Lukas called out, raising his hands in front of his chest in a gesture indicating to stop. ¡°Not now, we have a guest.¡± He didn¡¯t look surprised to witness such a sight. I felt disappointment slowly growing within me as I started to consider the possibility that he might be acquainted with the two bullies. It was unexpected. As far as I can tell, Lukas didn¡¯t seem like such a person. However, it didn¡¯t look like a racial issue, considering the fact that he didn¡¯t mind me being a half. The two bullies definitely heard Lukas but ignored him, focusing on keeping the demi-human boy immobile. Seeing this, I couldn¡¯t help but pity him a little. I did resent him for hurting me, but it¡¯s not like he did it on purpose. I definitely didn¡¯t want to get involved with this and risk becoming a target instead of the demi-human boy, especially since it''s not my problem. However, I was raised with morals. Surveying my surrounding, I noticed that no one was willing to interfere. Most students chose to ignore the scene, resuming whatever they were doing, while others simply watched, with a small hint of a smile on their face. Damn snobs¡­ Unable to watch the poor boy struggling any longer, I decided to step in. However, before I could do anything, I felt Lukas¡¯ hand on my shoulder, stopping me. As I looked at him, he simply smiled at me without saying anything. ¡°Alright, hold him tight!¡± A voice suddenly ordered, coming out from the same room the two boys just left. A third boy appeared, seemingly siding with the bullies as he rushed to their side to grab the demi-human boy by his collar. He raised his fist, ready to hit him, while his friends made sure that their victim would not be able to dodge. I know I should have done something, but my brain ceased working as I immediately recognize the newcomer. ¡°B-Brother¡­?¡± His punch stopped halfway as he heard my voice and looked at me. When his gaze met mine, he completely froze, his eyes wide open. ¡°Lyni?¡± Ah¡­ It¡¯s him. It¡¯s definitely Aoban. What the hell is he doing? I tried to interpret the situation the best as I can, but none of the conclusions I came up with were good. I was in denial. He couldn¡¯t be my brother. Aoban would never gang up with bullies against a single boy, weaker than him. I tried to convince myself that it was just a misunderstanding. Unsure of what was going on, the demi-human boy took advantage of the confusion to free himself from the loosened grasp of his captors and wiggled his way out, pushing the bullies. ¡°Shit, he¡¯s getting away!¡± As one of the boy was about to run after him, he was stopped by the other. ¡°Give it up. It¡¯s a demi-human. You won¡¯t match his speed,¡± he said, shaking his head. The boy clicked his tongue as he watched his victim slowly disappear from afar, before venturing his frustration on my brother. ¡°What the hell, Aoban?!¡± Brother did not answer but somehow managed to pull himself together. ¡°You!¡± He exclaimed, pointing at me. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?! Don¡¯t tell me you ran away from home?¡± His sudden fuss attracted attention as his friends exchanged an inquiring glare and a few students started to gather around us, curious to see what was going on. Without giving me a chance to respond, Aoban immediately shifted his attention to Lukas as he noticed him.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Lukas!¡± ¡°¡¯Sup?¡± Lukas simply answered with a nonchalant smile. ¡°What are you two doing together?! And how in the world did she end up here?!¡± Lukas shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t know. I found her wandering here. She said Aunt Nora kicked her out.¡± ¡°WHAT?!¡± ¡°Haha, just kidding.¡± Aoban did not find this really amusing. I could tell that he was still confused and was not in the mood to joke around. He really had no idea I was coming, huh? ¡°Hey, Aoban, what¡¯s going on?¡± An unknown boy approached, trying to calm him down. When his eyes fell upon me, he blinked several times. ¡°A chosen one? I¡¯ve never seen her before. You know her?¡± A smirk slowly stretched on the face of one of his friends as he studied me. ¡°Is it her? Your secret lover, that is.¡± He asked with a teasing tone. ¡°Lover my ass, she¡¯s my sister!¡± Aoban immediately corrected him, clearly annoyed by this last remark. At his revelation, the boy widened his eyes. He looked at brother, his eyes full of suspicion, before turning his attention on me, and then to brother again. ¡°Seriously? But¡­ She¡¯s also a chosen one.¡± As curious students kept gathering around us, I felt the need to clear this awkward misunderstanding. I didn¡¯t want people to mistake me for my own brother¡¯s lover. That would be just¡­ wrong. ¡°Uhm¡­ Hello. My name is Lynett Maedis Whiteheart, I¡¯m Aoban¡¯s sister. Nice to meet you all,¡± I introduced myself. For a few moments, everyone became completely silent. It was so sudden that I even thought that I had become deaf for a second. However, this hypothesis was soon refuted as a notification sound rang in my ears.
Infamy +10
Wh¡­ WHAT?! WHY?! What have I done?! How in the world introducing myself made me infamous?! I demand an explanation! Hearinga small chuckle, I shifted my gaze on Lukas. His lips were twitching. He was definitely fighting a smile. He had this¡°I told you so¡±expression on his face. Thinking about it, he did tell me to avoid mention my family name. Could it be because of that? Just because of one name? This damn household¡­ What in the world did they do to be so infamous? ¡°S-Seriously?!¡± A voice suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. It was the same boy who mistook me for Aoban¡¯s girlfriend. ¡°But¡­ You¡¯re a chosen one. She¡¯s a chosen one. Then it means¡­ You siblings were both blessed? Is that even possible?¡± Aoban let out a loud sigh. ¡°Why are you so surprised? I already told you about it.¡± ¡°But I thought you were lying!¡± He blurted out. ¡°I was so sure that you were just bragging!¡± Brother¡¯s eyelids twitched, clearly upset to learn that his own friend took him for a liar. Taking a look at the others, they all adverted their eyes, exposing their inner thoughts. Obviously, they all shared the boy¡¯s opinion. None of them seemed to have considered the possibility that brother was telling the truth. ¡°But Aoban, I thought you said your sister didn¡¯t attend a school,¡± someone noted. ¡°What is she doing here?¡± Brother furrowed, as he turned his attention back on Lukas and me. ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know¡­¡± He muttered, loud enough for us to hear. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, you¡¯re going to scare me,¡± Lukas said, half-joking. ¡°She transferred here today, so I volunteered to show her around the school.¡± I could hear some ¡°Ooooh !¡± coming from amongst the crowd, but brother didn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°Transferred?¡± He repeated, raising an eyebrow. ¡°How the hell are you aware of this and not me?¡± Lukas shrugged. ¡°Beats me.¡± Aoban kept staring at Lukas, seemingly expecting more from him. Eventually, he turned his attention on me. ¡°Is it true?¡± He asked. I nodded. Brother brought his hands to his head and started massaging his temples, clearly trying to get rid of the new headache assaulting his mind. I was a bit disheartened to see him so bothered by my surprise arrival. I knew I couldn¡¯t expect him to treat me the same way he did at home, but I didn¡¯t think he would be so upset by my presence. Maybe I was wrong, but this is the feeling I got. ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s fine,¡± he said. ¡°But how did you get in? I thought the academy didn¡¯t accept new students in the middle of the year.¡± ¡°Uncle Jack he¡­ Uhm¡­ Actually I¡¯m not sure either. Bribes, I guess?¡± Aoban squinted his eyes and tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case. The school doesn¡¯t give any special treatment, not even to royal families, so I don¡¯t see why they would do one for us.¡± He commented. ¡°Besides, uncle doesn¡¯t spend money thoughtlessly. If you wanted to join, he would¡¯ve waited for the next year to enroll you, instead of paying the full fees when there is just a couple of months left.¡± Yep, that¡¯s my brother. He sure is a thinking boy. ¡°It¡¯s because I need to enter the tournament,¡± I explained. As he heard this, Aoban¡¯s mouth dropped open. He drew his head backwards, staring at me in disbelief. A few students, who had listened to our conversation, burst out laughing. However, brother gave each one of them a threatening glare and their laughs subsided as they looked away. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me away from the crowd, far from the indiscreet eavesdroppers. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± One of his friends called out. ¡°Leaving already? You need to introduce us!¡± ¡°Later,¡± Aoban replied. ¡°I need to talk to my sister.¡± ¡°Oh, come on! You always talk about her, and now that she¡¯s here, you won¡¯t even let us talk to her?¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not trying to keep her for yourself? You sis-con!¡± This time, brother did not pay attention to the teasing remarks of his friends. He was much more focused on getting me away from the others. Only Lukas was allowed to follow us. Once we arrived to a remote corner, he let go of my wrist. His expression was sterner than ever before. ¡°Lyni, are you serious about that?¡± He asked. I nodded. ¡°Y-You¡­ Do you even know how dangerous it is? Do you not know how many people get hurt?¡± He inquired, outraged by my recklessness. ¡°How could uncle allow something like that?¡± Actually, Uncle Jack is the one who asked, so¡­ ¡°Besides, you can¡¯t even fight!¡± He added. ¡°I can,¡± I retorted. ¡°I can use magic.¡± Aoban furrowed his forehead, clearly not believing me. ¡°No you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yes I can.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Not long ago. I learned it from a magician who was passing by. He saw potential in me and took me as his disciple,¡± I explained, trying to match my story with the one my uncle told the headmaster. ¡°Really? That¡¯s impressive!¡± Lukas exclaimed. Brother, however, was not as na?ve. His eyes were telling me that he didn¡¯t fully believe in me. ¡°Even if it¡¯s true,¡± Aoban eventually said, ¡°how can you expect competing against the best fighters in the world? A lot of people have been preparing for this tournament for years. Do you really think you stand a chance, even though you just learned magic?¡± Ah, dear brother, if you knew¡­ First of all, it¡¯s not the world we¡¯re talking about, but just one continent. Secondly, I¡¯m pretty sure I can kick the ass of any kids out there, without even using divine magic. ¡°Why would you even do that? That¡¯s not like you¡­¡± He added, as his expression changed. There was no longer any trace of anger on his face. Instead, he looked full of concern. ¡°I just felt like it,¡± I shrugged. It would have been easier to explain the whole thing to Aoban, I¡¯m sure he would have understood, but it seemed too risky to talk about it in front of Lukas. As clueless as he may be, he was still Uncle Jack¡¯s son. There was still the possibility that he might be siding with his father, and I didn¡¯t fully trust him yet. So for now, I decided not to talk about my deal with Uncle Jack. However, I knew that Aoban would not believe in me ¨CI didn¡¯t expect him to. He probably could tell that I was lying. He was my brother, he knew me. He was perfectly aware that I didn¡¯t like to fight, that I wasn¡¯t competitive, and that I surely wasn¡¯t looking for notoriety. Wanting to enter the tournament was completely out of character. Still, he didn¡¯t push the matter any further. He probably understood that I couldn¡¯t talk about it, not now at least. ¡°If you¡¯re so worried, you¡¯ll just have to protect me!¡± I suggested, half-joking. ¡°You will be entering the competition too, aren¡¯t you?¡± Brother sighed, before his lips curled into a small smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that, kiddo.¡± He said, as he started patting my head. ¡°You two sure get along,¡± Lukas noted, with a hint of jealousy in his voice. ¡°Aoban, won¡¯t you share your sister with me? I haven¡¯t seen mine ever since she got married.¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± brother retorted. The two of them burst out laughing, exchanging a knowing glance. I wasn¡¯t sure why, but their laugh was infectious so I started laughing along with them. I had missed such a relaxed family atmosphere. ¡°Good to see you, sister,¡± Aoban eventually said with a broad smile, continuing messing up my hair with his hand. ¡°I never thought you and I would be attending school together one day. You totally caught me off guard.¡± Relieved to hear that he wasn¡¯t displeased to see me, I became unable to hide my smile and let him spoil me a little. I don¡¯t really like being treated like a child, but brother is an exception. However, this short moment of happiness didn¡¯t last as I suddenly recalled something: the demi-human boy. I looked up at Aoban. ¡°Uhm, brother¡­What was it all about?¡± I asked, a little apprehensive. ¡°What about?¡± He inquired, completely clueless. ¡°The demi-human boy¡­¡± Aoban fell silent for a few seconds, not breaking the eye-contact. Then, he exchanged a quick glance with Lukas. ¡°Did you become a thug?¡± Brother shifted his gaze back on me, as a sad smile drew on his face. ¡°Of course not,¡± he said. ¡°You misunderstood. You know I¡¯ll never do anything that would make mom sad.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± Before I finished, Aoban bent his knees to be on the same eye-level than me and placed his hands on my shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it Lyni. I definitely won¡¯t let anyone harm you.¡± His eyes were so serious; I could tell there was something worrying him. I felt relieved to see that he was still the same brother that I ever knew, but he still hasn¡¯t answered my question. What was it all about, and who was that demi-human? Aoban would never harm anyone without a good reason. Part II Chapter 24 - A Legendary Magical Beast Chapter 24 ¨C A Legendary Magical Beast
Lynett
Why do this always happen to me? Currently, my hands are tied together and there is a cloth over my head, covering my face. Yep, there is no mistake, I am being abducted. A few moments ago, I was still talking to Aoban and Lukas. I tried to get more information about the demi-human who escaped, but none of them were willing to talk so I let it go. They won¡¯t be able to hide it forever anyway. This is school and people talk ¨Ca lot. It¡¯s almost as bad as a neighborhood full of housewives. Attempting to divert my attention, the two of them changed the subject. It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t see what they were trying to do, but at this point, it didn¡¯t really care anymore. Aoban asked me a lot of questions, mostly about mother. He seemed to be worried about her, so I told him about Yoko and Harri, leaving out the details. Obviously, I omitted to mention anything about their true origins or their personalities. Brother only needed to know that mother was safe. Those two were weirdoes, but they were trustworthy and that¡¯s all I needed. Lukas was much more silent. He merely listened, seemingly enjoying hearing stories about home. In the end, the three of us talked until the sun dipped lower in the sky, announcing the end of the day and the beginning of the evening. Aoban was the first to leave. He had to go somewhere; something related to the student council, I didn¡¯t really catch it. Lukas proposed to escort me back to my room, but I turned down the offer, not wanting to bother him any longer. Besides, I wanted some time alone. However, I clearly not expected to be attacked on my way back to the dormitory. Before I knew it, someone sneaked behind me and put his hand over my mouth, preventing me from screaming. To be honest, at that time, I was so confused that the idea didn¡¯t even cross my mind. Then, I heard him casting a spell on me. I¡¯m pretty sure it was supposed to make me fall asleep, but obviously, the magic didn¡¯t work on me. Once he estimated that the spell had become effective, my captor put a bag over my head and placed me on his shoulder, carrying me like a bag of potatoes. Which lead us to the current situation. When I finally came to understand what was happening, I realized it was too late to warn my abductor that I was still conscious, so I decided to play dead. I was curious as to why I was being kidnapped. Besides, it¡¯s been a long time that I stopped being conscious of the dangers around me. My captor seemed pretty strong. While it¡¯s true that I was shorter, and thus lighter than the other kids of my age, no one is supposed to lift a fourteen year old that easily. However, he didn¡¯t emit a lot of mana. First, I thought that I was being abducted because of my status. Noble kids being snatched away for a ransom were something that occurred pretty often. If that is the case, then my captor is going to be very disappointed. I highly doubt my uncle would pay anything for me. However, thinking about it, this scenario was very unlikely. What kind of idiot would abduct a kid at their own school? Besides, it wasn¡¯t any school. It was the Arcane Academy. It was protected by a barrier, and the only way to get in was this special ring given to the students and the staff members. Moreover, if I¡¯m guessing right, those rings are all unique. Once they are given an owner, they will only react to their mana, making it impossible to steal them. Which means that my captor belonged to the school. So, guess number 2: someone hired an insider to get rid of me, blaming it on the school. Oh, and when I saysomeone, I already have a good idea of who it is. My uncle wouldn¡¯t do something as reckless as this, so who else but my aunt? She is totally the kind of person to stab you in the back when you¡¯re not watching. Besides, I had already noticed that she started to become rebellious, my warning of twelve years ago slowly losing its effect. And then, guess number 3: someone is pulling a massive prank on me. This hypothesis seems a little far-fetched, but why not after all? Kids are kids. Left on their own, with almost no adult to supervise them, not a lot of kids would resist the temptation to prank the new student ¨Cme. Besides, I¡¯m not sure if it was because of the spell my captor casted on me or because my head was upside down, but I was starting to feel dizzy and it was hard to think rationally. At last, after a few minute, my captor finally let me down. I could feel that we were still outdoors, except that this time, we were no longer alone. I detected four people, including two mages. But their mana seemed instable, so I¡¯m guessing they were only beginners. I was carefully seated on the ground and tied up against a tree. ¡°Is it her?¡± ¡°No mistakes, I followed her until she was alone.¡± Hearing their voice, my captors were much younger than I expected. Adding the fact that their mana core didn¡¯t seem fully mature yet, I understood that they were probably students, eliminating my first and second guess as to why I was being abducted. Who would hire kids to kidnap another kid? Certainly not my aunt. ¡°What do we do now? She¡¯s not reacting at all.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t kill her, did you? Maybe I should¡¯ve gone instead of you¡­¡± ¡°O-Of course not! She¡¯s just sleeping! Besides, do you really think you would¡¯ve been able to carry her over here by yourself?¡± ¡°Well, at least, I would¡¯ve casted the spell properly!¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ Excuse me but I¡¯m awake,¡± I finally said, tired of listening them arguing. As I spoke, my captors fell silent. I heard them whispering something to each other, but with my ears covered, I couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying. After a short moment, someone approached me and took off the bag over my head. The first thing I saw was a rabbit. To be more precise, it was a rabbit mask. A boy was leaning over me, wearing some kind of carnival mask. Looking around, I noticed that his friends were all wearing a similar mask. It was so unexpected, if I hadn¡¯t had some self-control, I would have definitely burst out laughing. ¡°Stay calm, if you panic, you¡¯ll only make things worse,¡± the boy explained in an abnormally deep tone, probably trying to mask his real voice. ¡°I am calm,¡± I replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I couldn¡¯t see his expression, but I¡¯m pretty sure he was getting flustered. Oh well¡­ My eyes no longer covered, I was very curious to find out about my captors¡¯ identity. Their masks prevented me to see their face, but it¡¯s not like I needed to see them to find out who they were, right? [Status].
[Status]
Name: Hevos Kache Race: Human Class: Apprentice Mage
Gender: Male Age: 16 Level: 11
Vitality: 255 Defense: 76 Strength: 67
Mana: 321 Intellect: 278 Agility: 65
Yup, I knew it. Definitely a student. I also checked the status of the others. As I thought, they were all pretty young, between fifteen and eighteen years old. Two mages, one rogue and one ranger. Two humans and two demi-humans. Quite an unusual combination. However, I was now sure about one thing: I don¡¯t know them. I¡¯m pretty good at remembering people and their name didn¡¯t seem familiar at all. So what do they want with me? ¡°Hey, are you listening?¡± The one named Hevos asked. ¡°Ah, sorry. I was checking something. You were saying?¡± ¡°You¡­ Do you even understand the situation you¡¯re in? You better start taking us seriously, or else, we¡¯ll make you regret it!¡± ¡­ Huh? Is he trying to intimidate me? With this cute rabbit mask? Seriously? Ufufu¡­ Amateur. I kind of feel like trolling him a bit, now. I gave him a half smile as I infused a small amount of mana in the ropes tying me up. I made sure the fire would not spread and then I burned them. Now free of any kind of ties, I stood up to be on the same eye-level than my captors ¨Cwell, more or less, since I¡¯m shorter than them. My captors didn¡¯t try to stop me. I think they got too confused to do anything, as they just froze in place. Seriously, guys¡­Had you not considered the possibility that you weren¡¯t the only ones able to use magic? Especially here. ¡°A mage?¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Um, excuse-me, Hevos? I¡¯m pretty sure you and I don¡¯t know each other, and I don¡¯t think I had the time to do anything to piss you off yet. So, what do you want from me?¡± ¡°¡­ My name isn¡¯t Hevos.¡± ¡°Yes it is.¡± ¡°No it isn¡¯t.¡± He didn¡¯t seem willing to admit it. Unfortunately for him, even if he covers his face and masks his voice, he can¡¯t hide his status from me. I tilted my head, a small smile drawing on my face. ¡°Hevos Kache, isn¡¯t it? And this is Teka, Frost and Ansin,¡± I said, designating each one of them. My captors didn¡¯t react immediately. They silently exchanged inquiring glances, probably trying to figure out if someone understood what was going on, until Hevos suddenly grabbed the collar of the demi-human who brought me here. ¡°You! Did you betray us? We asked you to bring her here, who the hell asked you to tell her everything?!¡± ¡°What? Are you crazy? Why would I tell her anything, it wouldn¡¯t bring me much good either! Besides, I¡¯m telling you she was unconscious!¡± ¡°Then how the hell does she know about us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Why don¡¯t you ask her instead!¡± ¡°Look, guys, I don¡¯t really care about your identity,¡± I explained, trying to calm them down. ¡°I just want to know why you brought me here.¡± Once again, my captors didn¡¯t answer anything. I waited for a while, thinking that maybe one of them would eventually say something, but they just stared at me without uttering a word.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Oh well¡­ Whatever,¡± I sighed.¡±In that case excuse-me, but since you won¡¯t say anything, I¡¯m returning to my room.¡± As I took a step forward, Hevos immediately blocked my way. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say it? To my room.¡± I heard him click his tongue in annoyance, as he started to gather mana in his hands. ¡°And do you really think we¡¯ll let you leave?¡± He threatened. I sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your mana. This level of magic won¡¯t have any effects on me.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Then how about this?¡± Hevos clenched his fists. His mana suddenly became stronger and the wind started to howl as the air pressure dropped all around him. He was about to use medium magic. For someone of his age, I guess it was something impressive. Still, it was far from being enough to harm me. However, before he could start his chant, he was interrupted by one of his friends; the other mage, I think his name was Frost. ¡°Hevos! Stop it. She¡¯s provoking you,¡± he said. ¡°She wants you to use a strong spell. By using this much mana at once, you¡¯re basically sending an alert to the teachers!¡± No, I didn¡¯t think that far ahead. I meant what I said. Still, I learned something good. I¡¯ll refrain to use high-level magic from now on. Frost shifted his attention on me. He brought his hand to his face and took his mask off, revealing his juvenile, yet stern face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t leave,¡± he said. As the others understood that it was no longer needed for them to hide their face, they followed the example of Frost and took their mask off. ¡°Ah!¡± I immediately recognized a familiar face. The quiet boy over there, who still hasn¡¯t said anything. It¡¯s him, there is no mistake. The demi-human boy from earlier, the one who dumped into me, the goat-boy. I felt a wry smile drawing on my face as this whole situation began to make sense. ¡°Is this about my brother?¡± I inquired, letting out a loud sigh. ¡°So you do know after all,¡± Frost replied, confirming my guess. ¡°It makes things easier. Don¡¯t take it personal, we have nothing against you.¡± ¡°Alright, time~! I just transferred, so I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on between you and my brother. Would you mind to explain?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you. This is something only between us and your brother.¡± ¡­ Dude, really? Didn¡¯t you guys just get me involved by kidnapping me? I think I have the right to know, don¡¯t I? Frost willed mana into his entire body. I could almost see it swirling around him like dancing flames. Although not as much as Hevos in amount, his mana was much purer, unrefined. ¡°We have a message for your brother,¡± he said. ¡°Next time, tell him to mind his own business.¡± ¡°Eh? You¡¯re going to attack me?¡± I asked, unsure of his intentions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you too badly. It¡¯s just a warning.¡± Right¡­ So I¡¯m supposed to just sit there and wait for him to attack me. And once he¡¯s done, I¡¯ll just have to return to my brother and beg him to leave them alone, or else they will bully me again. Is this what they¡¯re expecting? Haha¡­ I was told that I was simpleminded, but those guys are actually worse than me! ¡°Tisdus, guardian and executioner, in these mortal plains I invoke you,¡± Frost started to chant. ¡°Come around and feel free, deliver your wrath and destroy my enemy. I summon you hear my plea, I summon you to this spot, so mote it be!¡± A magic circle appeared in front of him and all the mana he had gathered vanished in an instant, aspirated by the new light emitted by the circle. From the light, a white silhouette became apparent, gradually becoming larger until it reached the size of a bike. After a few seconds, as the glow finally subsided, I saw it: a magical beast. ¡°You¡­You¡¯re a summoner?¡± Frost smiled proudly in front of me. ¡°This is Tisdus, a C-ranked magical beast, and my most loyal companion!¡± The beast was barely bigger than a large dog but its body was massive and finely muscled. However, its most distinctive feature was its heads. Yes, plurals. The beast had three heads, all baring their sharp teeth at me. I know it was supposed to be intimidating, but in my eyes, it was just grotesque. It looked like a cheap version of Cerberus. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I had heard about summoners and invocations before, but it was my first time witnessing one. To be honest, one of the things that I was the most excited about when I joined this school was this: learning how to get your own fantasy pet. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Frost asked as he saw my expression, his previous smile now completely gone. I didn¡¯t reply but I could feel my grin stretching larger. On the other hand, Frost¡¯s expression became sterner. His beast probably reacted to his emotions as it started to growl at me. Ufufu¡­ Finally something interesting! I never summoned anything ¨CI never really had the occasion to try it, but as far as I know, it should be pretty easy. In brief, to summon a magical beast, only two things were required. First, you needed mana. Unlike other creatures, magical beasts didn¡¯t feed themselves on fresh flesh or plants. They only needed mana to survive. In exchange of their absolute obedience, they consumed their contractor¡¯s mana. I heard that magical beasts were picky about mana, but since I managed to attract two Mid gods with a simple mana leak, I shouldn¡¯t have any problem withthis. Secondly, you needed a magical beast ¨Cor to be more precise, a bounded magical beast. It¡¯s obvious, but if there is nothing to summon, then a summoning can¡¯t possibly succeed. There are several ways to bound with a magical beast, but to be honest, I don¡¯t know much about them. It was a bit more complicated than this, but basically, as long as you fulfilled those two conditions, then you could summon a magical beast. So¡­ I have the mana, but I don¡¯t have the magical beast. Is it really a problem though? I mean¡­ If I don¡¯t have the magical beast, can¡¯t I just create one? Iamthe Goddess of All Creations after all. Yep. Let¡¯s try it. I wanted to wait for classes before trying something like this, but my patience reached its critical point. Excitement prevailed over reason. Besides, with a fellow summoner, nothing should go wrong, right? Imitating Frost, I willed mana into my body. I think he understood what I was trying to do, as he suddenly furrowed his eyebrows. Now then¡­ What should I summon? If I don¡¯t settle this right now, those guyswillbother me again. They seemed pretty simpleminded. Instead of going after my brother, they went after me. I know that brother is strong -from what I¡¯ve heard, he is probably one of the top students of the school. So, since he¡¯s high likely too strong for them, those guys decided to attack me instead, the presumably weak little sister. Basically, they¡¯re just like my aunt. They¡¯re going after people weaker than them, but once they meet someone stronger, they lower their head and keep a low profile. So I need something strong. A magical beast strong enough to beat them, but not too impressive either. I wouldn¡¯t want to traumatize those poor boys for the rest of their life. They¡¯re just kids after all. But in that case, I guess a dragon is a no go ¨Ca shame really, I love dragons. So¡­ Something small, maybe? Yes, small is good. This way, I¡¯ll be able to carry it wherever I go. Oh! And it needs to be cute. For cuddle times. Yep. Strong, small, cute. Strong, small, cute. Strong, small, cute. Now the chant. I shouldn¡¯t need it, but since it¡¯s my first time, I prefer using a chant. What was it again? Oh, right¡­ I cleared my throat. ¡°To you, my future cuddle partner, strong, small and cute, in these mortal plains I invoke you. Come around and feel free, deliver your wrath and destroy my enemy. I summon you hear my plea, I summon you to this spot, so mote it be!¡± Immediately reacting to my words and my thoughts, in a blinding light, a magic circle appeared in front of me. Ufufufu¡­ It worked. It really worked. I¡¯m a genius. ¡°W-What?! That¡¯s MY chant!¡± Frost exclaimed, furious that I stole his chant. ¡°Wait, wait, wait! More importantly, isn¡¯t it a summoning circle? She¡¯s also a summoner? What the hell is going on?¡± My captors all went into panic mode, as no one had expected me to use summoning magic. They looked at each others, exchanging worried looks and waiting for someone to say something, but they were all in the same confused state. In the end, it seems that they agreed to join their force to fight whatever was going to appear as they all took a stance. I was just as nervous as them, but not in the same way. I was excited, impatient to meet my new friend. There was a broad smile on my face, stretching from ear to ear, and a slight tingling sensation in my heart. Yep, it was this feeling you had has a child whenever opening a Christmas present. Finally, the light started to die down as a small figure appeared. And my smile disappeared. ¡­ Oh no. No, no, no, no. This can¡¯t be happening¡­ I blinked several times, making sure my eyes didn¡¯t play tricks on me, but no matter how much I tried to convince myself that I saw it wrong, the figure before me did not change. This has to be a joke¡­ The small creature turned its head in my direction, looking at me with its beady black eyes. And it spoke. ¡°Pika?¡± N¡­ Noooooooo!! It¡¯s Pikachu!! WHY?! Why, why, why, whyyyyy?! Why is it always a damn Pok¨¦mon?! To begin with, I don¡¯t even like Pok¨¦mon THAT much! I may have liked it before at some point in my life, but it¡¯s all in the past! Besides, of all Pok¨¦mons, why Pikachu?! I HATE Pikachu! He has always been my least favorite Pok¨¦mon! I never understood his insane popularity and I quickly got tired of seeing him everywhere. I couldn¡¯t stand his voice and although he might be cute, his temper¡­Ah, that temper! If I had to give a gender to Pok¨¦mons, then Pikachu would be female. A female always on her periods!! Ugh¡­ I want to cry¡­ If I had known, then I would have asked for Vulpix instead. At least, Vulpix is fluffy. Uhm? Wait a second¡­ Thinking about it, didn¡¯t I ask for something strong? Since when is Pikachu considered strong? This is a scam! I demand a refund! ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!! What is this thing? A yellow rabbit? It looks so stupid! Hahaha!¡± ¡°A-Actually it¡¯s a mouse¡­¡±I muttered, too ashamed to say it out loud. My captors burst out laughing. Seeing my confidence, they had probably been expecting something more intimidating, but instead, they saw a flashy yellow rabbit. Holding their sides, they were unable to contain their laughers. Except for Frost. Unlike his friends, he was not amused by the situation. On the contrary, I think he was even angry. ¡°You¡­¡± He grumbled with his clenched teeth. ¡°Are you making fun of me? Are you seriously planning to use this stupid rabbit to fight my Tisdus?¡± Oh¡­ He thought that I was underestimating him. Well, he¡¯s not entirely wrong. While Pikachu wasn¡¯t planned, it¡¯s true that I never really took him seriously. ¡°Tisdus! Eat him!¡± He ordered. The beast immediately obeyed. Its teeth bared in a snarl, it let out something that sounded like a bark before pouncing furiously on my Pikachu. It sank its fangs into its prey¡¯s flesh, not giving him a chance to react. Pikachu was still looking at me when it got attacked. The attack wasn¡¯t fatal, but it looked extremely painful. Yet, Pikachu didn¡¯t move an inch. As if nothing happened, it kept staring at me with his round eyes, except that there was now a head biting his skull, another one biting his right arm and another one biting his left ear. Not really sure of what was going on, I looked up at Frost. He was as confused as me. What the hell is wrong with this Pikachu? Does he not feel pain? And then I saw them. The small sparks forming on his cheeks. Oh crap. When I finally understood what Pikachu had in mind, it was already too late to warn the others. In an instant, Pikachu released all the energy he had stored in his cheeks in a burst, electrocuting everything within a radius of twenty meters ¨Cincluding me, but fortunately, the attack had no effect. However, as for everything else, it was a complete different story. The trees were burnt, the magical beast Frost summoned vanished, and the boys? They all collapsed on the ground. ¡­ Pikachu used Thunder, it was super effective! No, more seriously, that¡¯s it? It¡¯s already over, just like that? Oh wait, thinking about it, Harri did mention something about Lightning being a hybrid attribute, something supposedly rare and hazardous. In that case, wouldn¡¯t that make Pikachu, an electric type, super dangerous? No wonder he¡¯s considered ¡®strong¡¯ here. Still ridiculous to me, though. But now what? What am I supposed to do with this scene? That previous attack surely didn¡¯t go unnoticed. It¡¯s only a matter of time before someone comes here. ¡°Hello? Is somebody here? Is everything okay?¡± I heard a voice calling from afar. Yep, as expected, someoneiscoming over here. But¡­ ALREADY?! Crap, crap, crap. W-What do I do? There is no way I can explain this. Should I run away? No, not a good idea. If I get caught running away, people will automatically assume that I¡¯m responsible of this. And with this crappy endurance of mine, Iwillget caught. Besides, why should I run away in the first place? Aren¡¯t I the victim here? I¡¯m the one who got abducted and who got attacked first. ¡­ Nah. Who cares about the truth? Seeing me, completely fine, surrounding with unconscious bodies, there is no way anyone is going to believe me. So there is no other choices¡­ I turned my attention to Pikachu. ¡°Pikachu!¡± I called out. The Pok¨¦mon twitched his ears happily upon hearing his name. ¡°Shh! Shh! Leave! Disappear! Get away from here! I don¡¯t want to see you anymore!¡± I tried to chase it away, but Pikachu clearly didn¡¯t understand what I wanted as he simply tilted his head. God damn it. How do I cancel a summoning? The only one who could show me is there, laying unconscious on the ground. As I heard the heavy footsteps slowly getting closer, I frankly started to panic, and since Pikachu didn¡¯t show any signs of leaving soon, I kicked him. Don¡¯t judge. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. Besides, it¡¯s Pikachu we¡¯re talking about. Not only he has a bad temper, but he¡¯s also known for his stubbornness. If I hadn¡¯t done this much, I¡¯m pretty sure he would¡¯ve never left. At least, the trick worked. Pissed off, the Pok¨¦mon immediately retaliated by releasing an electric discharge at me. Once again, it had no effect and I had what I wanted. Upset, Pikachu walked away, sulking. With the main culprit now gone, I laid down next to the unconscious boys, I closed my eyes and I played dead. Only a few moments later, I heard a strident scream. ¡°AAAAAAH! S-Someone¡­ Students were attacked!!¡± ?????? ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you again in my office so soon, Lynett,¡± the headmaster sighed heavily. After the incident, the four boys and I were transported to the infirmary, where we received the greatest possible care. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t as bad as it looked, and the boys recovered without sequelae. Once we all regained consciousness, we were immediately summoned in the headmaster¡¯s office. ¡°So, does anyone mind to tell me what exactly happened?¡± The headmaster asked with a serious tone, his fingers intertwined on his desk. ¡°We already did!¡± Hevos exclaimed, losing patience after telling the same story again and again. ¡°She did it!¡± He said as he pointed at me. The headmaster slowly shifted his gaze on me, seemingly unconvinced. ¡°Lynett? I¡¯ve already heard the boys¡¯ version several time, I would like to hear yours now.¡± I stayed silent for a few seconds before lowering my gaze, adopting a victim¡¯s look. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I mumbled with a wavering voice as I started to tear up. ¡°I was returning to my room when I suddenly got attacked and dragged in an unknown place¡­ The boys they¡­ They surrounded me and threatened me. And then everything went blank¡­¡± The headmaster listened to my story in silent, but there was a hint of pity in his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s lying!¡± The boys suddenly yelled in frustration. ¡°She is the one who summoned it! That yellow rabbit which attacked us!¡± ¡°Mind your manners young man!¡± Mrs. Kelly immediately cautioned. ¡°You are in the presence of the Headmaster!¡± Ufufu¡­ Too bad for you, guys! Your word against mine. Even though it was a 4 versus 1, I had a huge advantage. Thanks to my title [The Liar], people believed in my lies much easily. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t going to make them believe that a dog was a unicorn if I said so, but they were more prone to take my side in this kind of dispute. Besides, even without this title, I¡¯m pretty sure the headmaster would have still believed in me rather than the boys. Too focused on trying to convince him that I summoned Pikachu, the boys made a fatal mistake. They forgot to deny the fact that they did isolate me and try to intimidate me, basically giving away the fact that I was the victim. After staying silent for a while, the headmaster sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that we found traces of a magical beast, and it¡¯s true that Lightning magic was used,¡± he muttered. ¡°But if there is really a magical beast capable of using such a dangerous attribute out there, then this is a very serious matter¡­¡± The headmaster marked a pause, before he returned his attention on me. ¡°Alright, you may go Lynett. You have my deepest apologizes. For you to experience such a frightening experience on your first day¡­ I am deeply ashamed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, thank you for your concern,¡± I said, wiping my fake tears. Mrs. Kelly escorted me to the door as the boys watched me leave, powerless. ¡°As for you, boys,¡± the headmaster added, ¡°I think we need to discuss a little about your behavior.¡± With a satisfied grin on my face, I exited the room. That night, the rumor spread quickly within the school. No one knew how or why, but a legendary magical beast capable of using Lightning magic appeared in the campus and attacked students, before suddenly vanishing in the wild. After that, the students were warned to stay cautious whenever leaving the buildings and the teachers stayed on the alert, continuously patrolling the Academy¡¯s grounds. However, the magical beast remained untraceable. Still, Pikachu, legendary? Best joke ever. Part II Chapter 25 - Emergency Chapter 25 ¨C Emergency
Harri
Streams of sunlight filtered through a thin layer of clouds as the daylight washed the gray sky into pastel colors. Birds were singing melodious chorus so as to awake their surroundings, the twilight slowly melting away. It was a beautiful and calm morning of summer. ¡°It can¡¯t believe it! I won¡¯t tolerate this any longer!¡± ¡°Please calm down, My Lady!¡± Just kidding. It¡¯s been a long time that we have had a quiet day here. I got used to it. Whether it¡¯s early in the morning or late in the evening, these constant shouting became common. No one is truly paying attention to it anymore ¨Cexcept for the maids, as they don¡¯t have the choice. Currently, I¡¯m in the courtyard, sitting at small table as I silently take a sip of my tea. It¡¯s a habit I''ve had for as long as I can remember. Relaxing in the morning around a cup of tea, as you feel the rising sun¡¯s rays gently kissing your skin. There is no better feeling than this. Unfortunately, ever since I settled here, my morning routine has been interrupted and I have to cope with this never-ending commotion every day. I am not alone, though. Azariah, the female elf who gave birth to the Creator, is keeping me company. It seems that she also appreciates drinking tea, and since it was only the courtyard, it wasn¡¯t so difficult to make her join me. Except for this, she never truly left her room. She doesn¡¯t seem to have any hobbies either. A shame, really. At such a young age, she should take time for herself. She might be an elf, a mortal¡¯s life span is too short not to enjoy the small pleasure of life. ¡°Why are they still here?! Kick them out already!¡± A female voice ordered. Without even bothering to take a look, I could already tell who this voice belonged to: Lady Nora from the Whiteheart household. Well, she might be called Lady Nora, but she is nothing like a lady. Always shouting, complaining and throwing tantrums. In a way, she kind of reminds me of Yoko. Speaking of which, Yoko became much calmer nowadays. Usually, when she finds a new toy to play with, she stops bothering me ¨Cnot that I''m complaining, I¡¯m not really tempted by the idea of dealing with two wild women at once. So it¡¯s regrettable for this ¡°Lady Nora¡±, but Yoko has set her eyes on her. ¡°We can¡¯t, My Lady!¡± A maid tried to reason with her as her voice betrayed her anxiety. ¡°They¡¯re the young mistress¡¯ guests!¡± ¡°Do you think I care about such a futile detail? I¡¯m ordering you to throw them out! Now!¡± ¡°But the Lord¡­! He perfectly stated that we were to do everything to make them feel home until the young mistress returns!¡± The spoiled little lady clicked her tongue in annoyance. She was about to add something, but the words never came out as her attention shifted on the manor¡¯s entrance, where a tall figure just appeared: Yoko. Feigning ignorance, Yoko approached with a broad smile on her face. I can tell she¡¯s provoking her. ¡°Hey bestie~!¡± She exclaimed. As she heard her, the Whiteheart lady twitched her eyelids. Obviously, that didn¡¯t bother Yoko ¨Cquite the opposite, I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s enjoying it- as she continued. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Still angry? Come on! I told you I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose! It was just an unfortunate accident!¡± The little lady¡¯s anger did not subside. On the contrary, her body kept trembling in frustration and she wouldn''t stop clenching her teeth. Noticing the blood rushing to her mistress¡¯ head, the maid grabbed her arm, immediately turning her attention back to her. ¡°My Lady¡­¡± She didn¡¯t say any further, her eyes were speaking for her; she was begging her not to do anything reckless. Nora gave her a threatening glare, but although her hands were shaking, the maid did not loosen her grip. Eventually, the little Lady clicked her tongue and with a swift movement of the arm, she forced the maid to let her go, throwing her on the ground at the same time. ¡°Damn it, Jack¡­!¡± She growled to herself as she walked away, ignoring the servant. She crossed the courtyard, passing by the table where I was relaxing with the Creator¡¯s mother. Usually, she would mutter one or two disparaging remarks. But this time, she simply ignored us. As she left the residence, I noticed the carefree Yoko approaching. ¡°So, what did you do this time?¡± I asked with a faint sneer on my face. ¡°Not much really,¡± she shrugged, as she let herself fall onto one of the chair. ¡°She is surprisingly more patient than I thought. I was so sure she¡¯d snap this time.¡± ¡°Oh? Is she a tough one to deal with?¡± An evil grin slowly stretched onto her face. ¡°Of course not,¡± Yoko replied. ¡°I know her kind very well. There is no easier target than people like her. It might take a little longer than I expected, but she will break.¡± I could tell that she was enjoying the situation. As a Kitsune, one of her favorite things to do, if not her favorite, was to break people. More precisely, it was to destroy their pride. As time passed, mortals emancipated themselves. Their faith and beliefs decreased drastically, and incidentally, their self-esteem skyrocketed. Deities never meddled in mortals¡¯ affairs. Civil wars, politic wars, even the so called Holy wars, supposedly in Our names¡­ We never got involved in any of them, it was against the Rules ¨Cbesides, even if it wasn¡¯t for the Rules, I doubt a lot of us care enough to intervene. So in a way, the mortals¡¯ emancipation was a good thing. The problem was this haughtiness of theirs, which they developed over time. Personally, I find it cute. But for some of the others like Yoko, it¡¯s unacceptable. So she particularly enjoys putting them back in their places. The more arrogant the person is the better. It starts with childish pranks. Harmless, they weren¡¯t meant as an attack to their life, but rather as an attack to their pride. It was her way to tell them that they weren¡¯t worth to be taken seriously. But then, it usually escalated quickly. Once she lost all interest in playing with her targets¡¯ emotions, she completely crushed their soul. As someone who¡¯s been tormented quite a lot by Yoko, I can¡¯t help but feel a little sorry for the little lady. But, well¡­ We had an agreement. She is all hers, so I can only hope for her that this little game will end before Yoko grows bored of it. Watching the entrance of the residence, where her toy just left, Yoko flicked her tail back and forth. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to follow her?¡± I asked. ¡°In the middle of the town? No way,¡± she grunted. ¡°Too many humans.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Giving a quick glance to Azariah, she had a concerned expression. ¡°What is it?¡± I inquired. A faint smile appeared on her face. ¡°I think Lady Yoko is a nice person,¡± she explained. Hearing her referring to the Goddess of Mischief as nice, I let out a half stifled laugh while Yoko grinned ironically. ¡°She¡¯s very friendly and easygoing,¡± Azariah continued. ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to keep acting that way around Lady Nora. She might misunderstand your intentions.¡± ¡°Misunderstand?¡± Yoko repeated. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Well¡­ The Lady is of a very poor character. She is quite easily susceptible and she could think that you¡¯re provoking her.¡± Yoko raised an eyebrow in incomprehension, as she looked at the young elf who seemed genuinely worried for her. Then, she chuckled in amusement. ¡°Oh, sweetie, that is no misunderstand. I am provoking her. And I sincerely hope that this little Lady got the message as well.¡± Her eyes squinted, Azariah slightly drew her head backward, clearly confused by Yoko¡¯s answer. She then directed her gaze to me, probably expecting me to say something, but there is really nothing to say. ¡°Just don¡¯t mind her,¡± I advised. ¡°She can take care of herself.¡± The young elf didn¡¯t seem really convinced. Her face was full of concern. But eventually, her expression softened as her lips curled to form a small smile. ¡°I see,¡± she muttered. ¡°You must have great trust in each other not to worry like this.¡± I wouldn¡¯t use the word ¡®trust¡¯ here. It¡¯s just that you just can¡¯t possibly be concerned about a dragon when its opponent is a squirrel. ¡°For how long have you two known each other?¡± She then suddenly asked. ¡°Since the beginning of times, unfortunately¡­¡± Yoko responded first, as she sighed loudly. ¡°For a very long time,¡± I corrected. ¡°Is that so? Did you met in the Church?¡± The Church? Oh, right. The golden eyes. Thinking about it, it¡¯s true I¡¯ve hear stories about the Church recruiting blessed children to be raised and indoctrinated with their ideology. I can see why she assumed such a thing. Well, she¡¯s not too far from the truth. Yoko and I definitely didn¡¯t meet at the Church, but the place we met isn¡¯t so different. Recalling about the old times, I grinned. ¡°You could say that,¡± I finally answered. Azariah fell silent as she looked away into the distance, ostensibly pensive. Yoko, who had been observing her for quite a while, grinned in an unpleasant way. ¡°What is it?¡± She asked with that annoying know-it-all smile of hers. ¡°You¡¯ve been wanting to ask something for a while, haven¡¯t you? What is it?¡± The young elf looked slightly taken aback. ¡°I was just¡­ surprised that you received the Church¡¯s education,¡± she answered anyway. ¡°Well, didn¡¯t you?¡± I inquired. ¡°No, someone like me couldn¡¯t possibly have¡­¡± Why not? She is a chosen one after all. A real one. ¡°What¡¯s so special about the Church anyway?¡± Yoko wondered, her eyes squinted. ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of arrogant mortals who one day randomly declared themselves as Gods¡¯ messengers.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to hold the Church in high regard,¡± Azariah noted, with a faint smile. ¡°That¡¯s surprising.¡± ¡°Some people just don¡¯t know their place anymore. You wouldn¡¯t like it either if you were in our position.¡± ¡°Your position?¡± ¡°So what about the Church¡¯s education?¡± I changed the subject, returning to the main topic. Azariah turned her attention back on me. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ Since it¡¯s a religious education, I thought it would strongly emphasize on theism,¡± she explained. ¡°Well¡­ It would, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± The elf stayed silent for a few second, as she kept fidgeting with her hands. Then, she looked up at us. ¡°Do you know a lot about deities?¡± She asked, a little hesitant. Uho¡­ I see. So this is what it is about. We are stepping on dangerous grounds, we probably should stop here. But as I was thinking this, I noticed Yoko¡¯s grin growing larger. ¡°We certainly do, don¡¯t we Harri?¡± She answered while giving me a meaningful look. Then, she directed her gaze to Azariah. ¡°What is it that you want to know?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Yoko¡­ What are you trying to do? ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand,¡± Azariah replied. ¡°What makes me¡­ No. What makes us special.¡± Yoko and I squinted at her answer. Seeing our confused expression, the elf smiled weakly before continuing. ¡°My daughter, my son and I¡­ I¡¯m trying to understand why we were blessed.¡± Huh? That¡¯s it? ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Yoko demanded raising a single eyebrow, as she apparently thought the same thing. ¡°Yes, well¡­ It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wondering for years. Is it strange?¡± No. I guess it¡¯s a given. Chosen ones would want to know this kind of things. However¡­ ¡°No reasons,¡± Yoko stated with a dejected expression, seemingly disappointed. ¡°I hate to destroy your ego, but there probably weren¡¯t any reasons at all behind your blessings. You weren¡¯t blessed because you were special, you are special because you were blessed.¡± She is right. There can be many reasons why an Original would choose to bless a mortal. However, most of the time, there isn¡¯t any reason at all. Why do we bless them? Because we can, it¡¯s just as simple as this. To begin with, chosen ones aren¡¯t as special as mortals tend to think. They were newborns among others after all. And if all newborns share one thing in common, it¡¯s their undetermined future. Contrary to general beliefs, there isn¡¯t such a thing as destiny. A child¡¯s future is completely blank. Environment, upbringing¡­ There are a lot of factors that can determine one¡¯s future. Mortals tend to think some are just born to do greater things, but that is wrong. Some are simply raised to do greater things. In the end, even if some are starting off life more advantaged than others, mortals all have the same potential as individuals. Chosen ones are no exceptions. They weren¡¯t ¡°chosen¡± because they were meant to accomplish wonders; they are simply more likely to accomplish wonders because they were ¡°chosen¡±. As for why they were ¡°chosen¡± instead of another, this was just a matter of pure luck. However, the young elf didn¡¯t seem satisfied by Yoko¡¯s blunt answer. ¡°No reasons? But I¡­¡± Yoko sighed heavily. ¡°Look, if you don¡¯t believe me, and if you want a reason so bad, why don¡¯t you ask her directly?¡± ¡°Her?¡± ¡°Naia.¡± Hearing the name of the Goddess of Light, Azariah flinched in surprise and widened her eyes. ¡°There is absolutely no way that someone like me could ask Her anything¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry and just ask her. She¡¯ll tell you why she blessed you. Although it was probably just on a whim¡­¡± Azariah chuckled a bit. ¡°I wish I could, really. It would be a great honor to meet her, let alone speak to her¡­¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Yoko suddenly interrupted her. ¡°You¡¯ve never met her before?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± the young elf responded as if it was obvious. Hearing her answer, Yoko and I exchanged a brief gaze. We both thought of the same thing. ¡°Pardon me,¡± I spoke up. ¡°As this is a religious kingdom worshiping Naia, we automatically assumed she would be the one who blessed you so we didn¡¯t ask but¡­ Is she? Is she the one who blessed you?¡± Azariah slightly tilted her head to the side. ¡°Well, who else?¡± Who else, indeed. However, it¡¯s definitely not Naia. Naia always comes in contact with her Chosen ones. Had she been the one who blessed her, she would have reached her at some point. But then, who? This land is religious, its people definitely aren¡¯t neutral. Who would care to bless someone else¡¯s worshiper? ¡°You¡¯re not from here, are you?¡± Yoko abruptly asked. ¡°I should have thought about it, but this is a human kingdom. You probably weren¡¯t born here.¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡± The young elf replied with a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. ¡°Then Naia is not the one who blessed you,¡± Yoko explained. ¡°You most likely were blessed by the God of your birth place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably not the case.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°Because I was already here when I was blessed.¡± Yoko furrowed her brows hearing this. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t born here?¡± ¡°I did, and I wasn¡¯t. But I didn¡¯t receive my blessings as an infant. It happened only recently.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Hearing her nonsense statement, Yoko and I both froze in surprise. My eyes wide open, I carefully studied her expression trying to spot any subtle cues that could reveal a lie, while Yoko drew her head backward, looking utterly perplexed. The young elf didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Instead, she was simply smiling, as if expecting our reactions. ¡°Hold on a second,¡± Yoko said raising her hand up, as she recovered from the shock. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did Lynett not tell you about it?¡± Azariah asked, seemingly amused. No, she didn¡¯t. She never mentioned anything like that. Did she think that it was something trivial? Yoko broke into nervous laughter. ¡°There seem to be some kind of misunderstand. That is very unlikely to happen.¡± ¡°But it did happen.¡± ¡°No, no, no, I can assure you. That is not possible.¡± Yoko declared, emphasizing each word. She marked a pause before turning to me. ¡°Right¡­?¡± An eyebrow lifted in a quizzical expression, I could tell that the young elf¡¯s unwavering stance managed to raise doubt her mind. However, Yoko is right. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t possible,¡± I seconded. There is a reason why only newborns were blessed until now. It¡¯s because only newborns can be blessed. Or to be more specific, unborn mortals. It¡¯s not that we won¡¯t give our blessings to adults. It¡¯s simply that we can¡¯t. Giving or receiving blessings is a complex, multiform phenomenon that can result in drastic changes. Appearance, affinities, life-span, natural predispositions¡­ It is something that often transcends and modifies an individual¡¯s core parameters, which is why only unborn children can be ¡°chosen¡±. Because once an individual is born, anything that defines them can no longer be changed. Neither by me, by Yoko, nor even by Naia. Azariah lowered her eyes, seemingly disappointed. She sighed. ¡°So even the Church doesn¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so defeated,¡± I tried to cheer her up. ¡°There must be some kind of explanation.¡± ¡°What explanation? Like some kind of super deity?¡± Yoko sneered as she let herself sink into her chair. But her mocking smile vanished soon enough, realizing that there might be more truth than fancy in her half-assed joke. We exchanged a silent, but meaningful eye-contact, as we both came to the same realization. A super deity¡­? Thinking about it, she is her mother, right? And even if it¡¯s true that no one should be able to bless an adult, if there was someone capable of doing that, wouldn¡¯t that be her? Moreover, she did mention once that she gave blessings before. Oh, that fool¡­ She didn¡¯t dare, did she? Did she actually bless her own mother? ¡°When you say you were blessed only recently, when was it exactly?¡± ¡°It was twelve years ago, I believe,¡± the young elf responded after hesitating a bit. Twelve years ago¡­ She returned fourteen years ago. That timing is way too convenient. This can¡¯t be a coincidence. That fool really did it. She blessed her own mother. ¡°That fucking idiot¡­!¡± Yoko grunted, as she probably came to the same conclusion as me. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Azariah asked, seemingly confused by her sudden outburst. Yoko let out a loud sigh as she brought a palm to her face. ¡°Naia is not going to be happy about this¡­¡± Yoko is absolutely right. Naia might be the Goddess of Light, she is also the Goddess of Order, something that mortals tend to forget. She is a stickler for rules and doesn¡¯t like abnormalities. And as stubborn as she is, she can be a pain in the neck. Blessing her own mother wasn¡¯t a smart move... I hope the Creator knows what she¡¯s doing. ?????? ¡°Let me in!!¡± An abrupt yell came out of nowhere. It was high-pitched, likely a child. The sudden commotion attracted a lot of attention. A couple of servants came out of the mansion, rushing towards the entrance of the residence. ¡°What is it, this time?¡± Yoko complained. ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± A maid responded as she re-filled our now empty cups of tea with the same usual professionalism. ¡°It¡¯s just a beggar. Nothing you need concern yourself about.¡± A beggar? I¡¯m pretty sure I heard the voice of a child. Directing my eyes towards the gate, there was indeed a child. Surrounded by some guards and a couple of servants blocking his way, he was seemingly trying to get inside the residence. ¡°Let me pass, you idiots!¡± ¡°This little brat! Stay still for a second! Do you even have any idea where you are?!¡± A guard groaned as he tried to immobilize the child, but the boy did not listen. Instead, he kept struggling, wiggling his way out of his grasp. But each time he tried to force his way inside the residence, he was blocked by a wall of servants. The scene went on for some few minutes. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The head house-maid eventually lost patience. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re being paid for? Get rid of him this instant! Make his head fly, for all I care! This is the private property of the Marquis of Eskor! This is no place for a beggar!¡± The guard ground his teeth as he glared at the head maid. I could tell his pride was wounded, being yelled at by a woman. But the house maid did not flinch. Instead, she shot him back his glare. The guard clicked his tongue before directing his frustration back on the boy. ¡°Out of my sight!¡± He grabbed the boy by his collar and violently tossed him on the ground, before drawing his sword. His job at stake and his pride wounded, he lost his temper. He was no longer treating the child as a child, but as a mere intruder. ¡°Another step and you¡¯ll be considered a trespasser! As a guard of the House and according to the law, I¡¯ll execute you on spot!¡± ¡°Such a cruel way to treat a child¡­¡± I heard the young elf at my side mutter, as she watched the scene full of concern. However, the boy was not intimidated. He immediately got back on his feet as he wiped the dust on his face, before provoking the guard even further by sticking his tongue out. ¡°Dumbass!! Let me in! If you don¡¯t, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to get executed!¡± He threatened in his turn. ¡°I know the lord and I know his family!¡± The guard¡¯s face turned crimson red. ¡°You little¡­. How dare you utter such an obvious lie! Do you truly wish to die?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a lie! They¡¯re my friend! I even drank tea with them!¡± His veins popped out, the guard raised his sword in a menacing stance. ¡°Since you keep blabbing lies, I hope you¡¯re prepared for the consequences!¡± However, before he could drop the blade on the boy, a loud voice interrupted him. ¡°SHUT THE FUCK UP!¡± The guard turned around in surprise, and everyone else imitated him. ¡°You¡¯re giving me a headache!¡± Yoko hissed, as she slammed the table, spilling the tea at the same time. The head maid approached calmly before ordering one of a subordinate to clean the table and bring a new set of tea. ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience,¡± she said with her head down. ¡°We will deal with this immediately.¡± Then, she gave a meaningful look to the guard, who flinched as he met her eyes. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, humans are so loud¡­¡± Yoko continued to grumble. As I took a look at the guard who was about to comply with his silent order, I noticed the boy looking in our direction with round eyes. He blinked a couple of times, and then suddenly, startling everyone, he let out a yelp of surprise. ¡°AAAAAAH!¡± He exclaimed, his finger pointing at us. ¡°I know them!¡± ¡°Eh¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Taking advantage of the confusion, the boy managed to force his way inside the residence, as he rushed to our side. ¡°What are you doing?! Why are you letting him in?!¡± The head maid shouted, as the servants exchanged confused looks. ¡°Uh, well, he said he knows the guests,¡± one of them responded. ¡°That¡¯s obviously a lie!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lie!¡± The boy immediately retorted as he hid behind Yoko. ¡°I do know them! Right?¡± Unfortunately for him, the Goddess of Lust and Mischief had absolutely no intention of siding with him. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± She simply asked, with a disinterested voice. ¡°Wh-?!¡± Upon hearing her answer, the boy flinched as his whole body became tense. Her words were putting him in a bad situation and he knew it. ¡°Little shit¡­! It really was a lie after all!¡± The guard immediately came to grab the child who was now starting to panic. ¡°W- W- Wait! No, no, no, it¡¯s not a lie!¡± The boy turned in Yoko¡¯s direction one more time. ¡°Miss! Miss! It¡¯s me! Don¡¯t you recognize me?!¡± ¡°Never seen you in my life before,¡± she responded with a yawn. A sadistic smile drew on the guard¡¯s face as he started dragging the child. The boy struggled to break free but without success. He then turned his gaze on me. ¡°MISTER! Tell them!¡± What? Me too? ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me!¡± He yelled with a frantic voice. ¡°I¡¯m Axis! Have you already forgotten?!¡± Axis? Am I supposed to remember someone with that name? I¡¯ve met so many people and I¡¯ve seen so many faces in this one life time that I¡¯ve long stopped remembering the irrelevant ones. Taking a good look at the boy, his clothes were ripped and dirty, and his unmatched shoes were completely worn out, making him look like a beggar. However, his face did seem familiar. Still, I couldn¡¯t remember him. He didn¡¯t have any particular traits and his face was the kind of common face you¡¯d see anywhere in the street. ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me!¡± The boy cried out. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The guard shouted. ¡°Your lies aren¡¯t fooling anyone anymore, you¡¯re dead meat!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me! Axis!¡± He kept yelling anyway. ¡°We met a few weeks ago! With big sister Lynett!¡± At that moment, the guard froze and the servants started exchanging whispers. ¡°What are you stopping for? Throw him out!¡± The head maid ordered. ¡°Umh¡­ He just said the young mistress¡¯ name,¡± one of the servant pointed out. ¡°So what? It¡¯s just a name!¡± ¡°But the young mistress isn¡¯t publicly known. If he knows her name, he might be telling the truth.¡± ¡°I am!¡± The boy spoke out. ¡°I told you I knew the lord and his family!¡± As the servants were discussing, unsure what to do, I finally remembered. If the boy says we met a couple weeks ago with Lynett, it significantly reduces the circumstances to only one possibility. The day we met the Creator. Thinking about it, there was indeed a mortal and his son, back then. ¡°We know him,¡± I spoke out. ¡°Huh? We do?¡± Yoko asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Remember that human who used to follow you around like a puppy? That¡¯s his son.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Now that you mention it¡­¡± The guard, unconvinced, looked down on the boy who was now full of confidence again. When the boy arrogantly smiled at him with his ¡°I told you so¡± expression, he clicked his tongue and shifted his attention to the head maid. However, she silently shook her head. The guard unwillingly let the boy go before everyone returned to their activities. ¡°Humpff! I told them I knew the Lord¡¯s family. I¡¯m going to tell big sister and they¡¯re all going to lose their jobs! Serves them right!¡± Axis muttered in a barely audible voice. ¡°So, what are you doing here?¡± I asked. ¡°Does your father know you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°My fath- AAAH! Right!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Where¡¯s big sister? I need to talk to her!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re referring to Lynett, she¡¯s not here, so you can go home,¡± Yoko said with an annoyed tone. ¡°I can wait!¡± Axis insisted. ¡°When is she coming back?¡± ¡°In a couple of months.¡± ¡°W-WHAT?!¡± ¡°She left a few weeks ago,¡± I explained. ¡°She won¡¯t come back until the 12th moon.¡± ¡°The twelfth¡­ That¡¯s in five months!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you to go home, kid,¡± Yoko sighed. ¡°No, I can¡¯t! I really need to talk to her! Now! It¡¯s an emergency!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a problem.¡± Axis fell silent for a moment. Then, he looked up at us, his eyes full of expectations. ¡°Then you do it! You can help me instead!¡± He suggested with enthusiasm. ¡°No,¡± Yoko flat out rejected him. ¡°What? Why? You don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m about to ask!¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t want to know,¡± she replied. ¡°Whatever you want, it¡¯s not my problem. Deal with it yourself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so selfish! You can¡¯t do that!¡± The boy complained. ¡°Oh, trust me, I can.¡± Yoko replied with a much serious tone. ¡°What makes you think I should help you in the first place? Your kind has always been like this. Weak and useless. Unable to do anything by themselves. Always praying for a miracle and waiting for help. So you do that. Beg for help. But don¡¯t think for a second that we should help.¡± Yoko¡¯s harsh word hit him hard. Although he was young, he perfectly understood the meaning of her words. He couldn¡¯t find anything to say. He then directed his gaze on me. Despite not voicing it, I could tell he was now expecting me to help. ¡°My apologizes,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Meddling in mortals¡¯ affairs is out of question. That goes against the very first Rule. Besides, we have our own mission. We need to stay here and watch over the Creator¡¯s mother. Axis lowered his head. ¡°But¡­ I really need help. It¡¯s urgent¡­!¡± He muttered through clenched teeth, tears forming in his eyes. As the boy started sobbing, Azariah silently approached him before crouching down to his level and putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Are you Lynett¡¯s friend?¡± She asked with a gentle smile. Axis looked up at her. ¡°Who¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m her mother,¡± she introduced herself. ¡°Her mother?¡± The boy repeated. ¡°You¡¯re also a chosen one?¡± Azariah patted the child on the head as she started comforting him, just like a mother would. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the matter is, but you shouldn¡¯t cry like that or your parents will be sad,¡± She spoke with a soft voice. The boy nodded and wiped his tears away, his cheek a little flushed. He let the elf spoil him for a few minutes when his eyes suddenly glimmered with renewed hope. ¡°You help me!¡± He then declared. ¡°Any chosen one will do, so you help me!¡± The young elf, taken aback, silently looked at the boy who was watching her with a childlike expression. I can already tell she won¡¯t be able to refuse such beaming eyes. ¡°Uh, I can try,¡± she accepted with an indecisive smile. His eyes alight, Axis screamed with delight as he started pouncing and bouncing with a huge grin. His good mood was so intoxicating that Azariah and even a couple of servants began chuckling at his sight. ¡°Well, shit.¡± Yoko blurted out. Yeah, this is not good. Part II Chapter 26 - Debut Chapter 26 ¨C Debut
Lynett
I failed my school debut. I was determined to change my image and leave the awkward and asocial me behind, so I tried to smile and pretended to be a shy little lady, but it didn¡¯t work. Actually, I didn¡¯t even get a chance. Before I knew it, people already feared me. To be fair, they didn¡¯t exactly fear me, but they were intimidated. I thought things would be different here, turns out they¡¯re not. I wasn¡¯t the only chosen one here. So even if I was special, I wasn¡¯t special enough to become this famous ¨Cor should I say infamous? However, having enrolled school in the middle of the year and being Aoban¡¯s sister didn¡¯t help in going unnoticed. And then, the incident happened. Yep, the Pikachu incident. With the barrier, and all the first-class mages -aka the teachers- patrolling, the Arcane Academy was one of the safest place in the world and it had never been attacked ¨Cuntil Pikachu. So it may seem ridiculous, but it was a huge issue, especially since Pikachu supposedly used a hybrid attribute. And then there is me, the transfer student who directly got involved in the incident on her first day. Now, most of people thought of me as some kind of a thug, causing problems as soon as I arrive. Um¡­ Excuse me, people? I was the victim, remember? Nobody cares¡­ The results? I was shunned. The students were avoiding me and of course, I couldn¡¯t make a single friend. I am now absolutely sure to be cursed¡­ It¡¯s not that bad though. I¡¯m probably trying to convince myself that I¡¯m not that pitiful, but I don¡¯t really hate the situation. Of course, if I could have the normal social life of an average teenager, I would gladly have it, but I¡¯m used to being alone so the situation isn¡¯t so hard to accept. Besides, even without friends, school life is keeping me busy. For example, right now, I¡¯m running. Why, you say? Because I¡¯m chasing someone. That¡¯s right. The idiot has been running away from me for about five minutes. Which means it¡¯s been five minutes I¡¯ve been running like a fool in the middle of the corridors, trying my best to avoid bumping into someone. ¡°Sorry! My bad¡­ Oops! Sorry! Excuse-me!¡± Damn it¡­ Not only I hate running, but now I also look like an idiot. Once I catch him, he¡¯s dead. I was trying my best to keep up but unfortunately for me, he was fast, I was not. My stamina has always been a disaster and any physical effort was complicated for me. Moreover, I¡¯m short. Doesn¡¯t matter, you say? Yes it does. Because I¡¯m shorter, I need to make bigger steps to match his. So no matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t reduce the gap between us. Instead, it kept increasing. But after a few more minutes, not seeing me behind, he probably thought I had given up as he started walking again. I took advantage of the moment and finally caught up. Alerted by the sudden sound of my footsteps, the boy turned around and noticed me. He tried to run again, but this time, I didn¡¯t let him. Now that I finally got you in sight, you¡¯re not getting anywhere¡­ ¡ºBind.¡» Losing its momentum, the boy fell loudly on the ground, as the other students around him gave him weird looks. Knowing that he won¡¯t be leaving anytime soon, I finally stopped to catch my breath. I think I stayed there at least a few minutes, doing nothing but breathing deeply. Well, what can I say? Running is exhausting, especially for me. Once my breathing finally returned to a slow and rhythmic pattern, I walked up to the boy who was still struggling to get away, unable to comprehend why he couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Finally, got you.¡± ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?! Leave me alone! Why are you chasing me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re running away! Why are you running away?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re chasing me!¡± At this rate, this discussion won¡¯t be going anywhere¡­ I sighed. ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I explained. ¡°No way, get lost!¡± ¡°I just have one question.¡± ¡°What is it that you don¡¯t understand in ¡®no way¡¯? You¡¯re really not right in your head! Just leave me alone! Do you have any idea what¡¯s going to happened to me if a teacher sees us together?¡± I tilted my head in incomprehension as I gave him a silent answer. ¡°I¡¯ll be in huge troubles!¡± He yelled out in frustration. ¡°Because of your lies, I¡¯m in a tight situation! I received a warning from the headmaster and I am to stay away from you! If a teacher sees us right now¡­ They¡¯re going to get the wrong idea and think I¡¯m bullying you! And me? I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°You?¡± I repeated. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Maybe I¡¯ll be transferred to a lower class, maybe I¡¯ll be forbidden to participate to any competitions or worse! Maybe I¡¯ll be expelled!¡± I gave him an apathetic look as I answered with a disinterest voice. ¡°Oh¡­ How terrible for you.¡± Sensing my sarcasm, the boy glared at me. ¡°Whose fault do you think it is?!¡± He asked. ¡°Yours?¡± I tried to guess. ¡°Yours! If you hadn¡¯t lied, I wouldn¡¯t be in this situation!¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t tried to intimidate me, you wouldn¡¯t be in this situation,¡± I corrected. The boy was shaking in frustration as he couldn¡¯t find anything to respond. That¡¯s right, this is Frost. One of the boy who kidnapped me the day I transferred to threaten my brother. After the incident, I had expected for them to retaliate anytime for revenge, but they surprisingly didn¡¯t. I finally understand why. Seems like the headmaster¡¯s word is absolute. Frost eventually stopped struggling to get free of his invisible bind, so I released him. ¡°¡ºRelease.¡»¡± His eyes widened, he looked up at me as he understood that I was responsible for his temporary immobility, but he didn¡¯t try to run again. ¡°Look, it¡¯s already forgotten so let¡¯s leave the past behind.¡± I suggested. ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± For a moment, he seemed to have considered reconciliation, but then, he refused once again. ¡°I said no way! What past? For me, the problem is still very current! My life is a mess ever since you arrived! Now, I have a bad reputation, I lost credit in the eyes of the teachers, the headmaster is on my back, and my friends give me the cold shoulder!¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± I complained. ¡°That¡¯s not my fault! You got yourself in this situation! Besides, if your friends started to ignore you once you got in trouble, then they are not your friends!¡± Frost suddenly got up in anger. ¡°What do you know? You don¡¯t even have friends!¡± How mean! How could he¡­? You don¡¯t get to raise the sensitive topic! ¡°I- I do have friends!¡± I retorted. ¡°Yeah, right! Imaginary friends don¡¯t count!¡± He mocked. ¡°They are not imaginary! They are very real! I have two of them! Their names are Yoko and Harri! They might not be here right now, but unlike yours, my friends will never betray me!¡± Frost paused for a moment, as he raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yoko and Harri? Aren¡¯t those¡­ the names of the Goddess of Lust and the God of Love?¡± He asked. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He then suddenly burst out in laugher. ¡°You really lack imagination, hahaha! You could¡¯ve at least picked other names! Like, what? You want to make me believe that your two only friends just happened to be named after Gods? What a coincidence!¡± This bastard¡­ He doesn¡¯t believe me. For once, I¡¯m telling the truth! As I was about to shut him up, Frost suddenly gasped, choking his laugher at once. Blood drained from his face, he instantly blanched. For a moment, I thought it was because he read through my expression, but then I noticed he was looking behind me. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked as I turned around. ¡°S-Shit! It¡¯s Aoban Whiteheart!¡± He exclaimed. From afar, I spotted a small group walking in our direction. Frost was right. It was indeed Aoban, and I also recognized some of his friends. They hadn¡¯t seen us yet, but it was only a matter of time. Too busy chasing Frost, I failed to notice that we ending up in the upperclassmen¡¯s buildings. Well, we did run for a while after all... Alarmed by the turn of events, Frost started to panic. Aoban wasn¡¯t fond of him and he knew it. Once the rumor I had been kidnapped reached his ears, brother made sure to make publicly known that he was going to ¡°deal¡± personally with anyone bothering me. Frost was a talented summoner, but he was far from being a match for Aoban. He was younger, less experienced, and even when it comes to plain magic, he didn¡¯t even the skills of Aoban. That¡¯s just how talented brother was ¨Cor at least, that¡¯s what I heard because to be honest, I¡¯ve never really seen him in action. Dealing with the teachers was something, but dealing with Aoban was a whole other story. He had every reason to fear him. In this Academy, students were allowed to fight. As a matter of fact, they were even encouraged to fight, provided that their fights would follow that school¡¯s rules. As Aoban¡¯s group was closing the distance between us, Frost suddenly rushed to the closest door and tried to force the handle, but it was locked. ¡ºOpen.¡» The [World System] obeyed my command and the door opened itself. This time, it was my turn to rush to the door. I pushed Frost inside the room and closed the door behind us in hurry. As Frost looked at me with confused eyes, I grabbed his head and forced him to crouch down, so as not to be seen through the door¡¯s window. Luckily, the room was empty. It seemed to be some kind of storage room: the perfect hiding place. I brought my index finger in front of my mouth, signaling Frost not to make a sound, and we waited. We waited for Aoban¡¯s group to pass by. We heard their footsteps slowly becoming louder, and then gradually subsiding. Once we couldn¡¯t hear them anymore, we both sighed in relief. Frost then looked up at me, his eyes squinted. ¡°You know, I really don¡¯t like your brother,¡± he explained after staying silent for a while. ¡°I know,¡± I simply responded. ¡°Our views differ and I don¡¯t like the way he deals with¡­ well, things,¡± he continued. ¡°I know,¡± I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m telling you he¡¯s my enemy, so I have every reason to avoid him.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°And I¡¯m telling you I know all about that already.¡± ¡°But¡­ Why are you avoiding him?¡± He finally asked. I stayed quiet for a moment before breaking the eye contact. ¡°I¡¯m not avoiding him¡­¡± ¡°Of course you are. If not, what was that all about? You seemed almost more desperate than me to hide.¡± ¡°Fine, maybe I¡¯m avoiding him,¡± I eventually answered as I let out a loud sigh. ¡°But that¡¯s none of your business.¡± Frost clicked his tongue, somehow dissatisfied by my answer, but he didn¡¯t insist any further as he understood it was pointless. Brother is¡­ Well, it¡¯s brother. He is kind and all, and I love him. We always had a good relationship, but ever since I started attending school, things started to change a little¡­ Aoban has always been very protective. Because we didn¡¯t have a paternal figure, he behaves both as a brother and a father towards me. I understand. I feel the same sometimes, especially since I watched him grow. This behavior of his never really bothered me, I even found it cute. But now, it¡¯s totally getting on my nerves. Actually, brother is the main reason why I couldn¡¯t make friends. Sure, I transferred. Sure, I have golden eyes. Sure, I got involved in a problem on my first day. But to be honest, all those reasons were not enough to have me shunned by my peers. Quite the opposite, actually. Students were naturally curious, and because of all those reasons, I attracted their attention. But then, Aoban had to throw in his two cents, and all this attention turned into something somewhat negative. The one people truly feared wasn¡¯t me, it was my brother. It was only by association they started to be wary of me. Aoban was talented. I¡¯ve heard enough to understand he was some kind of sword prodigy. Over the years, my uncle hired the best tutors he could find for him, so whether it is physically or intellectually, brother belonged to the bests. As for his magic abilities, they were not particularly exceptional but they were definitely above average. Aoban had a greater control of his mana than most people, and his magic affinities weren¡¯t low either. Then, appearance wise, although I wouldn¡¯t call him handsome ¨Cespecially since he¡¯s my brother, his facial features were all well defined and equally balanced, giving off a nice vibe. Basically, he¡¯s strong, smart and not bad looking. On the top of that, he¡¯s the heir of a noble family. He was meant to become popular. However, with popularity come hatred and fear. No one just reaches the top without gaining enemies. Aoban was no exception. He had a lot of enemies. There were those who belonged to a rival household, those who had a differing political opinion, and those who were simply jealous. But all were wary of him. In a world where equity and equality don¡¯t exist, people learned to fear those who gained too much power and influence too quickly. Turns out brother might not be as innocent as I thought either¡­ And if I¡¯ve learned one thing from war strategy games, it¡¯s that if your enemy is too strong, don¡¯t attack directly. Aim for the weaknesses! In this case, that meant me. For Aoban¡¯s many enemies, I, the random sibling, was an easy target. Brother was perfectly aware of that. Now that I¡¯m ¡°vulnerable¡±, his parentification issue has gotten worse. He¡¯s always been overprotective, but now, he¡¯s starting to be controlling. Obviously, after intimidating anyone trying to get to know me, the rumor quickly spread: ¡°Do not get close to the transfer student, or else, Aoban Whiteheart will kill you¡±. Seriously¡­ This sister-complex of his is no longer amusing. It used to be cute but we are no longer children. This is starting to become toxic. ¡°You okay?¡± I heard a voice calling out. ¡°Ah, yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking about something else¡­¡± I responded, as I returned my attention to Frost. ¡°What were we saying again?¡± ¡°Nothing. You were just stalking me.¡± ¡°Oh, right! I needed to ask you something!¡± I suddenly remembered. ¡°And I said I wouldn¡¯t answer, so don¡¯t bother asking.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a summoner, right? How do you cancel a summoning?¡± I asked anyway. ¡°Are you deaf? I told you not to ask!¡± Frost sighed, bringing his palm to his face. ¡°But that¡¯s all you wanted to ask? And here I though it was something important¡­¡± I tilted my head to the side. ¡°What else would I ask you? We aren¡¯t even friend.¡± ¡°Exactly. Why would you ask me anything?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a summoner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a summoner yet! I¡¯m a mage! Apprentice mage to be exact!¡± He corrected. ¡°I¡¯m only starting to specialize in summoning magic! Besides, aren¡¯t you a better summoner than me? Didn¡¯t you summon that yellow rabbit the teachers are looking for?¡± I gave him a bitter smile. ¡°Wait,¡± he suddenly added, seemingly realizing something. ¡°Is that what it is all about? Your yellow rabbit.¡± ¡°Uh, kind of?¡± ¡°You¡­ Still haven¡¯t canceled your summoning?¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± An awkward silence briefly filled the room as I stared into those brown eyes, looking at me in disbelief. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Frost yelled. ¡°It¡¯s already been a week! I thought it disappeared!¡± ¡°I thought so too!¡± I tried to explain. ¡°But then, this morning, I woke up to him looking at me like a creepy stalker! He was just there, sitting in the window ledge, watching me sleep for gods know how long! I was lucky my roommate wasn¡¯t here¡­¡± ¡°This morning?¡± Frost repeated, raising a single eyebrow. ¡°Where is he right now?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I tried to lock him up in the closet for the time being, but he destroyed it and then he fled.¡± The boy gasped, his brows creased. ¡°Y-You let your little monster on the loose?! What are you waiting for to make him disappear!¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m here for! I need you to help me cancel the damn summoning!¡± ¡°And how am I supposed to help? That¡¯s your familiar!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a summoner! Tell me how you cancel a summoning, and I¡¯ll manage to make him disappear, somehow.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how, I just do it!¡± Feeling the frustration slowly building up inside me, I let out a loud sigh. ¡°You¡¯re not helping you know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the weird one, here!¡± Frost tried to justify himself. ¡°If you want him gone, just tell him so! It¡¯s just as simple as that!¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡± I grunted. ¡°I tried, it¡¯s not working.¡± ¡°Well, try again! It¡¯s your familiar, you¡¯re the master! Absolute obedience, remember? A contracted beast can never go against its master¡¯s word!¡± Ah. Aaaaaaaaah!! The contract! I should have thought about it! Summoners need to pass a contract with a magical beast fist, before they can summon it. But I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t just summon Pikachu, I created it. We never entered into a contract. That¡¯s why he¡¯s not listening! He¡¯s still unbound! Coming to this sudden realization, I wrapped my arms around my head. ¡°Y-You okay?¡± Frost inquired. I looked up at him. ¡°Hypothetically speaking¡­ If there was something wrong with the contract, is there any other way to make a magical beast disappear?¡± Frost squinted his eyes, clearly not understanding my point. But he answered anyway. ¡°Well, you can¡­¡± He stopped for a few seconds, then, seemingly remembering something, he sneered. ¡°Not saying.¡± ¡°Are you being serious, right now?¡± ¡°Dead serious. Have you forgotten? I told you I wouldn¡¯t answer.¡± ¡°Oh, come on! We were getting somewhere, here! You should know better than anyone that we can¡¯t let Pikachu roam around freely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡±I asked with a straight face. However, he showed no signs of changing his mind. Instead, his grin only grew larger. So I decided to go for the same strategy. ¡°I¡¯ll barge out of the room crying, and I¡¯ll tell everyone you bullied me.¡± ¡°W-What?! That¡¯s a lie!¡±Frost complained. ¡°Well, the perception of truth is relative. In the end, the only thing that matter is what people believe in. ¡± ¡°I could get expelled!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your problem, right?¡± I retorted, repeating his own words. His face brightened to a crimson tone. ¡°You!¡± He snapped, as he abruptly grabbed me by my collar. ¡°Do you think this is funny?!¡± That moment, we were suddenly interrupted as we heard the creaking noise of a door opening. Turning our attention to the entrance of the room, we noticed the tall boy who just entered. Recognizing the newcomer right away, Frost froze -no pun intended. ¡°Brother,¡± I called out. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Lyni? I thought I heard your voice so I¡­¡± Aoban started before his gaze shifted from me to Frost, who instantly stiffened up the moment his eyes met Aoban¡¯s. ¡°You! What do you think you¡¯re doing right now?¡± Suddenly realizing what the situation looked like, Frost immediately let go of me. Instinctively, he rose both of his arms in the air in an attempt to look as harmless as possible. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± He tried to explain. But clearly, brother had no intention of listening. ¡°Misunderstanding my ass! What were you about to do just now?¡± ¡°Nothing, absolutely nothing at all!¡± Aoban shoved Frost against the wall as he let the door slam behind him. Taking a closer look at the boy, his expression hardened. ¡°I recognize you,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you one of those cowards who tried to intimidate my sister a week ago?¡± ¡°No! I-I mean yes, but this time it¡¯s not like that! I swear!¡± In the grip of silent panic, Frost¡¯s face fell faster than a waterfall. Failing to convey his words properly, he turned his wild eyes to me. His pupils were completely dilated, screaming for help. Seeing his helpless puppy face, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him. I know I did say I was going to tell everyone he bullied me if he was not going to help, but it was mostly bluff. I had no intention of doing so. And even if I did, right now, it was going out of control. I stepped forward to grab my brother¡¯s forearm. ¡°Aoban, just calm down for a second and listen to him.¡± I suggested. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± ¡°What are you saying? I clearly saw him. He was about to hit you.¡± He growled before shifting his gaze to me. He slowly furrowed his eyebrows. I could see the worried look in his eyes. ¡°Is he threatening you?¡± He was getting the wrong idea. I could see the matter escalating quickly. I really needed to reason him. ¡°No he isn¡¯t,¡± I calmly explained as I took a step closer. ¡°Like he said, you misunderstood.¡± Aoban wiggled his arm out of my grasp, his eyes full of suspicion. ¡°What were you doing together then?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Just talking.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Nothing much. About classes, stuff like that.¡± Brother gave Frost a deadly glare, which immediately made him stiffen up. ¡°With him? Why?¡± He groaned. ¡°Because we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°Friends¡­?¡± Aoban repeated, looking at me skeptically with his eyes narrowed. He clearly didn¡¯t believe me. I know I should have come up with a better excuse, but to be honest, at that time, I couldn¡¯t think of anything else. As I was about to explain myself, I was cut short by Frost. ¡°T-That¡¯s right, we¡¯re friends!¡± He seconded, stuttering. As desperate as he was, I¡¯m pretty sure he would have agreed to anything. But that wasn¡¯t enough to convince Aoban. ¡°Are you taking me for an idiot? There is no way you would be friends with him.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Brother sighed, ¡°Lyni, have you forgotten what he did to you last week?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± I replied while shaking my head. ¡°But people make mistakes. We¡¯ve already discussed about it and we got over it.¡± Aoban remained silent for a while. His eyes were intensively looking at me, probably trying to read my expression. But I didn¡¯t let any signs betray me. ¡°I won¡¯t accept that.¡± He eventually replied curtly. The tone in his voice was indicating that he had lost patience. He returned his attention to Frost before grabbing his collar. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I called out as I placed a hand on his arm. But he pushed me away, keeping a threatening glare on Frost. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure this scumbag understands what happens when he approaches you.¡± He explained as if it was obvious. ¡°Stop it! I told you we¡¯re friends!¡± ¡°And I told you I won¡¯t allow that.¡± Hearing his cold and harsh voice, I snapped. I did not recognize my kind and gentle brother. At this moment, he almost seemed like a stranger. ¡°What do you mean you won¡¯t- I don¡¯t need your permission!¡± I bellowed. ¡°I can choose my friends on my own!¡± ¡°Clearly, you can¡¯t.¡± Aoban shot back. ¡°What? What is that supposed to mean!¡± ¡°It means that you need to get back,¡± he ordered. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡± I declared, and since he didn¡¯t show any signs of letting go of Frost anytime soon, I butted in between them. ¡°You need to chill out and listen to me!¡± ¡°No, you listen to me! Get back!¡± He tried to push me away once again. Don¡¯t. Do. It. Lynett. Calm down. Oh fuck, whatever. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, seriously!¡± I yelled, as I shook him away. ¡°How about you mind your own business!¡± Aoban¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at me in disbelief. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What what!¡± I continued. ¡°You have a problem with my friend? How about you learn to choose yours first before you try to lecture me about it!¡± Hearing that, brother¡¯s eyes twitched. It was very slight, but I definitely saw it. ¡°Lynett¡­ What are you trying to say?¡± He questioned, anger growing in his voice. Brother never called me by my name. Lyni, Lyni, Lyni¡­ With him, it has always been Lyni. So the moment I heard the name ¡®Lynett¡¯ coming out of his mouth, I understood immediately that he was really annoyed. Still, I did not back down. Normally, I would have. Truth be told, confrontations aren¡¯t my forte. I hate arguments. It always ends up with both parties feeling hurt and angry. So usually, I let it go. No, actually, I always let it go. Because it¡¯s pointless. Because I¡¯m afraid of shattering something. But this time, I knew I couldn¡¯t. Besides, I was just as annoyed as him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard what people say about you and your friends!¡± I yelled. ¡°And I saw you bullying that kid!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Brother yelled in his turn. ¡°No, you¡¯re right, I don¡¯t! You of all people! Is this school your kingdom? Do you think you can do whatever you want and beat up people just because you¡¯re a little stronger than them?¡± His face mottled crimson, he finally let go of Frost as he completely turns his attention to me. ¡°That is none of your business!¡± Aoban declared. ¡°Excuse-me?! So you can meddle in my life, but I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your brother!¡± He stated, as if it was justifying his actions. ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re my brother, not my father! So how about you stop acting like it!¡± ¡°Everything I¡¯m doing is for you!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for anything, I can take care of myself!¡± ¡°No you can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Uhm, guys¡­¡± A little voice suddenly spoke up. ¡°WHAT?!¡± Brother and I both shouted in unison as we shifted our attention to Frost. Startled, the poor boy gasped. He then lowered his eyes, letting his gaze wander on the floor. ¡°No, uh¡­¡± He muttered with a weak voice. ¡°I just¡­ I¡¯ll just¡­ get going, so you guys can continue¡­¡± Frost let out a forced and awkward chuckle in hopes to lighten the mood as he slowly headed toward the door under Aoban¡¯s glare. But brother did not stop him. With my previous frustration now relieved, I felt my pressure suddenly dropping, and at the same time, cold sweats forming on my face as I realized the situation. C-Crap¡­ I overdid it. I got carried away. I do not have a bad tamper. In fact, I consider myself as a pretty calm person. I don¡¯t whine, I don¡¯t fuss, I don¡¯t throw tantrums. Usually. But when frustration builds up, it has to explode at some point. As Frost was about to leave the room, he bumped into someone. That someone was one of brother¡¯s friend. I remember him from the day I arrived. He glared at Frost on the impact, but he did not push it any further. He simply ignored the fleeing boy as he entered the room, seemingly looking for my brother. ¡°Aoban, is everything ok?¡± He inquired once he spotted him. ¡°We heard you shouting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Brother hissed, looking in my direction. ¡°Is that so?¡± His friend replied, overlooking the tone in his voice. ¡°We¡¯re waiting for you, you know?¡± He followed Aoban¡¯s gaze and he finally noticed me. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re¡­ the sister! Lynett, right?¡± He asked rhetorically. ¡°What¡¯s up, how are you doing?¡± ¡°Good, thank you.¡± I simply responded as I avoided an eye contact. Seemingly confused by my cold answer, Aoban¡¯s friend blinked a couple of time. He looked at me for a few seconds, then at my brother, and then at me again. ¡°Am¡­ Am I interrupting something?¡± He inquired, finally reading the mood. Brother was still glaring at me. Eventually, he let out a loud, complaining sigh. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± He mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Aoban passed by me, heading toward his friend. He gave him a pat in the shoulder, as if to tell him to follow him, which he did. Before leaving the room, brother turned in my direction one last time. ¡°This discussion is not over,¡± he stated. ¡°Whatever¡­¡± I muttered, loud enough for him to hear. Part II Chapter 27 - Friend Chapter 27 ¨C Friend
Lynett
The sky was consumed in different shades of grey and white, the sunlight barely managing to penetrate the thick whitened haze. No visibility, 100% humidity, it was a dull and grey day. The perfect weather for my current mood. It¡¯s been a moment since I parted ways with Aoban, but my heart is still unsettled. I haven¡¯t completely calmed down yet. It might actually be the first time I had a big fight with him. I really don¡¯t look forward to our next meeting¡­ I got in an argument with Aoban, I still don¡¯t know how to get rid of Pikachu and I lost Frost. Talk about having a bad day¡­ I was now heading to the library. I wanted to clear my mind, and with the sky filled with clouds threatening to transform the scenery into a giant puddle anytime, it was the perfect day for a read. Besides, what better source of information than a library? It was almost evening. With the classes over, the corridors and the courtyard were now filled with students. I tried to take a shortcut, but with so many people, it was difficult to avoid everyone. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± ¡°Please, give me another chance!¡± ¡°You already had your chance! We¡¯re done here!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work harder! I¡¯ll do my best so-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough, you keep ruining everything!¡± Great. A group of students arguing. What a timing. I definitely wasn¡¯t in the mood to get myself involved in it, especially since I just had an argument with my brother myself, so I simply tried to ignore it. However, as I was just about to pass by them, one of the said student fell right in front of me, barely avoiding me. Damn it. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked, offering a hand, no longer able to continue ignoring the matter. The young girl on the floor looked up at me. When our eyes met, she gasped in surprise, but she quickly regained her composure. ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± she replied as she took my hand. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I hope I didn¡¯t hurt you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± When she got up, I noticed she was actually much taller than me. I know I¡¯m short, but even so, the difference in height really surprised me. She was at least a head taller than me. Height aside, she looked like your plain regular teenage girl, I guess. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± a voice ordered. I turned my attention to the group of students with whom the girl was arguing and who were just about to leave. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you at least apologize?¡± I stopped them. ¡°You pushed her, didn¡¯t you?¡± The one who seemed to be the leader clicked his tongue in annoyance after glaring at me. ¡°Mind your own business,¡± he groaned with a stern voice. Recalling my brother¡¯s words, I suddenly felt the flash of annoyance coming. This is exactly why I didn¡¯t want to get involved inin th¡­ ¡°What? Got a problem?¡± The boy asked with arrogance, as he saw the corner of my lip twitch. Before I had a chance to reply anything, one on his pal grabbed his arm and whispered something in his ear. I couldn¡¯t hear it, but I could guess. I could read my name on his lips. He was warning him about me. The boy once again clicked his tongue. Then, with much reluctance, he turned around, probably deciding it was wiser to ignore me. But¡­ ¡°Apologize,¡± I insisted. ¡°I-It¡¯s fine!¡± The girl stammered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± I was being stubborn, I know. But to be honest, I just wanted to vent my renewed frustration on him. The boy faced me, took a threatening step and approached his face to mine. ¡°I¡¯M SO-RRY,¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°Happy?¡± After this ingenuine apology, he rejoined his friends. He gave me one last glare before disappearing in the corridors. Asshole. ¡°Thank you.¡± I turned my gaze on the young girl, who was now displaying a weak smile. ¡°And sorry about that,¡± she added. ¡°I got you involved in my problems.¡± ¡°No problem. They were in the wrong.¡± ¡°No, it was my fault¡­¡± She said in a whisper, before letting out a somewhat forced chuckle. ¡°But it¡¯s fine, I¡¯m used to it!¡± ¡°Used to it?¡± I repeated, my eyes squinted. ¡°Are they harassing you?¡± ¡°N-No, it¡¯s not like that!¡± She immediately denied, her eyes widened, clearly taken aback by my question. ¡°They¡¯re not such bad people! They¡¯re- We¡¯re in the same working group. Well, were.¡± Oh, I see. I¡¯ve heard about it. Here, only half of evaluations are based on your own merit. Since this academy aim to form future soldiers, adventurers or diplomats, it emphasizes teamwork a lot, which is why the other half are group evaluations. Students were thus compelled to belong to a working group. Although it might seem unfair at first, this rating system was actually quite representative of each students¡¯ worth. Most of the time, there were hardly any difference in the level of members from the same group. Birds of a feather flock together. The best students teamed up together, while the weakest ones didn¡¯t have the luxury of choice. In the end, the groups were quite uniform. As for me, I didn¡¯t have a group yet. I had yet to be evaluated so I was not assigned to any group. And finding one? I can¡¯t even find a friend. Anyway, I think I¡¯m starting to see the bigger picture. They probably failed an evaluation and argued about it. I heard disputes are quite frequent when it comes to project groups. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, you¡¯ll make up.¡± I tried to cheer the girl in front of me. But it didn¡¯t seem to have worked as she sighed loudly. ¡°Not this time,¡± she complained. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It was my last chance. They kicked me out. I¡¯m no longer part of the group. ¡± I raised an inquisitive brow. ¡°I¡¯m not very talented,¡± she explained with a faint smile when she saw my expression. ¡°I¡¯m slow and clumsy, and I have troubles following everyone. I¡¯m always a burden to them. And this time, I really screwed up big. Because of me, our group dropped in the general ranking.¡± ¡°So they kicked you out?¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s just mean.¡± She seemed really depressed about it. She didn¡¯t seem like she was slacking off. Quite the contrary, she gave the impression of being a hardworking person, so I just felt that I needed to say something to comfort her. Hearing me, the young girl looked at me with round and surprised eyes. Then, despite her situation, she started chuckling. ¡°You¡¯re a kind person,¡± she giggled. ¡°Not really¡­¡± Her words really made me feel awkward. I was genuinely sorry for her, but at the same time, I could also understand to some extent how frustrating it must be to have someone slowing you down. ¡°You are,¡± the girl asserted with a friendly grin. ¡°You don¡¯t even know me but you took my side. And you¡¯re also cheering me up. You have a gentle heart.¡± I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, so I tried to suppress a smile to hide my embarrassment. I was used to flattery. Be it from my mother or from the maids, I received compliments on a daily basis. At some point, it became something normal. However, being praised by a total stranger was completely different. If I learned to remain unfazed by the servants¡¯ flattery, it was somehow delightful to be complimented by this young girl. I guess it¡¯s pretty nice to talk to people sometimes. Huh? Wait a second. I¡¯ve just realized it, but aren¡¯t I having a normal conversation with someone my age? It¡¯s¡­ IT¡¯S MY CHANCE! Calm down Lynett, don¡¯t screw it up. Act normal. This is your one chance to get a friend that will not threaten to destroy a whole kingdom if she¡¯s upset. Your social life depends on this. She seems friendly and she doesn¡¯t look too intimidated by me. This is perfect. Stay natural. I cleared my throat. ¡°Do you know what happens to deposed kings?¡± I inquired. The young girl tilted her head. ¡°Mhm? They get replaced?¡± She tried to guess. ¡°They get throne away!¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡­ What¡¯s with that awkward silence? She¡¯s not reacting at all! ¡°Oh, was that supposed to be a joke?¡± She eventually asked as she finally understood. ¡°That was funny, haha.¡± ¡­ I get it. It wasn¡¯t funny at all. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to laugh. Damn it, I¡¯m so embarrassed. And I ruined this perfect opportunity. I should have just asked for her name¡­ ¡°By the way, my name¡¯s Vivian,¡± the young girl then introduced herself with a gentle smile. Huh? She just¡­ Ooooh! ¡°M-My name¡¯s Lynett!¡± I exclaimed awkwardly. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± She chuckled a little. ¡°You know?¡± ¡°I recognized you. Your eyes, your hair¡­ You¡¯re the new student, right? And Aoban Whiteheart¡¯s younger sister.¡± So she does know after all. I thought she might not have been aware of it since she didn¡¯t try to immediately avoid me, but I guess it¡¯s not the case. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I sighed. Vivian waited for me to re-establish an eye-contact before giving me a half smile. ¡°Well, it was nice to meet you Lynett,¡± she said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll leave you alone. I won¡¯t bother you anymore than that. You were heading somewhere, right?¡± Oh. She¡¯s leaving. ¡°Yeah, I was going to the library,¡± I responded with a small voice, my previous enthusiasm now completely gone. ¡°Huh?¡± Vivan widened her eyes in surprise. She gave a quick glance behind her before returning her attention to me. ¡°But¡­ Uhm. The library isn¡¯t that way,¡± she explained after hesitating a bit. ¡­ Lukas, this is all your fault. Had you done your job properly and made me visit this god damn school, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten lost. I¡¯m totally blaming you. I must really look like an idiot¡­ As she didn¡¯t get an answer, Vivan broke the silence first. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, should I accompany you?¡± Huh? I looked up at the girl in front of me. She was displaying her brightest smile. ¡°Y-Yes please!¡± I blurted out, almost by reflex. ¡°If that¡¯s not bothering you!¡± ¡°No it¡¯s fine, I needed to borrow books anyway! Follow me. I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± An angel! She must be angel! She is so kind! I wasn¡¯t sure whether she understood that I was trying to befriend her, or she simply proposed to accompany me out of courtesy, but either way, I was just grateful. I happily followed Vivian as she guided me through the corridors of the academy. This time, however, I made sure to let her lead the conversation. I¡¯ve never really been chatty, so I wasn¡¯t sure what to talk about. But more importantly, I didn¡¯t want to take the risk to ruin the mood by making another lame joke. As I thought, Vivian is really kind. I could already tell. She seemed like a really cheerful girl and, unlike me, she never seemed to run out of subject to talk about. My complete opposite. I wonder how old is she? She¡¯s taller than me, so I suppose she¡¯s older. But then again, she seemed taller than most girls. Ah, I¡¯m jealous. Looking more closely, she also seemed kind of cute. Yeah, a bit of make-up, and with that face and height, she would¡¯ve totally been able to become a model by my old world¡¯s standards. After a few minutes, we finally arrived. To be honest, I didn¡¯t pay attention at all to the route so I probably won¡¯t be able to come back here on my own. I was too focused on Vivian¡­ The library was as large as I expected it to be. The walls of the room were covered with shelves, leaving only a small gap for the door. There were row after row of neatly lined up books, and a nice scent of paper filled the air. With most bookshelves reaching all the way to the ceiling, there were even little ladders on rails to let you reach the top books easily. It was just like in movies. It was my first time being in an academic library, and I was definitely not disappointed. ¡°Here we are!¡± Vivian announced. ¡°Are you looking for something in particular?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ Not really,¡±I replied. ¡°Books about magic in general I guess.¡± ¡°Are you a mage?¡± I nodded. ¡°Me too!¡± Vivian added with a huge smile. ¡°What a coincidence! I¡¯m sure you and I will get along!¡± This is it, right? She basically just offered me her friendship, right?! I shyly returned her smile when she suddenly took my hand. ¡°Come here!¡± Vivian instructed as she forcibly guided me through the study tables. S-Slow down! Unlike you, I have short legs! Eventually, she stopped in front of what seemed to be the magic section. ¡°Pick anything you like!¡± She said with a proud smile. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± The books were arranged in alphabetical order. Anything I like, huh? ¡­ Mmh? Those titles¡­ Magic 4 Kids. Magic as Easy as 1, 2, 3. Mana is an Open Spell-book. The Wizard King. And even a title that reminds me of that one edition who used to be so popular on Earth. Magic for fools¡­ I looked up at Vivian, who seemed to be waiting for me to pick something. ¡°Uhm¡­ Aren¡¯t those children books?¡± I asked. ¡°Not really?¡± She tilted her head to the side. ¡°Isn¡¯t it what you were looking for?¡± ¡°I was hoping for something more serious and more detailed.¡± ¡°Is that so? You won¡¯t find anything else here though.¡± Uh¡­ HUH?! ¡°This library is divided in different floors, and the books are arranged by level.¡± Vivian explained. ¡°The ground floor is the beginner level.¡± ¡°A-All those books are for children?!¡± ¡°Not exactly. Although it¡¯s true they¡¯re mainly aimed at younger audience, since it¡¯s often at this age people are initiated to magic, they can also be read by adults! Some of them are even specifically made for the illiterates, with almost no text and only images.¡± Wow. There is at least half a million books here. And there are all meant for novices? Gods. ¡°The thing is, I learned the basis of magic a long time ago,¡± I explained. ¡°So I was expecting something more¡­ advanced.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s going to be a problem¡­¡± Vivian muttered with a long face. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Lynett, you didn¡¯t pass the test, right? You probably don¡¯t have access to the upper floors yet.¡± I furrowed my brows. ¡°I need a permission to borrow books?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± What do you mean, of course? I can understand arranging books by their levels. It¡¯s actually a pretty smart idea. But limiting their access? I get that books are precious here, but what¡¯s the point? What did I come here for, then? ¡°If you want, I can borrow some books for you.¡± Vivian proposed, as she saw the disappointment in my expression. ¡°You can do that?¡± I asked with a renewed enthusiasm. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have access to the last floors, but I can at least borrow you intermediate level books.¡± She¡¯s an angel. I¡¯m sure about it now, she¡¯s an angel. ¡°Then I¡¯m counting on you,¡± I told her with a serious tone. Vivian chuckled a bit. ¡°Any preferences? You said you were looking for books about magic, right?¡± ¡°Summoning magic,¡± I specified after thinking for a while. ¡°Oh, and if you find anything about demons, it would be also appreciated.¡± I hesitated asking her for books about soul magic. However, not only I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll find anything here, but since it¡¯s a forbidden magic, I also don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to ask this to someone I just met -although she does seem very nice. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find you these,¡± Vivian exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment, wait for me, okay?¡± I nodded. As she left for the staircase, I sat at one of the tables, letting my gaze wander freely in the library. Although it was the beginner floor, and its books should be mainly aimed at children, there weren¡¯t so many children here. In fact, there were mostly people my age. Teenagers, or even young adults. Vivian was right. Adults did read those books with childish-sounding titles. Well, why not? As long as the content is good. After all, it¡¯s true that not all beginners were children. Thinking about it, only nobility had the privilege to send their children at school at a young age like this. Most people would start their apprenticeship in their teenage years. After waiting for about twenty minutes, Vivian finally returned, her arms carefully wrapping a bunch of books. ¡°Here!¡± She neatly lined all the books on the table so I could see them better. ¡°These are for you,¡± Vivian said, as she pointed the first two books. Fundamentals of Arcane Familiars and Shadowbringers. ¡°I hope this is what you were looking for. I wanted to to bring you some more, but I can only borrow four books at once.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than enough! Thank you very much!¡± Delighted, I took the two books. They were old and heavy, but the leather still felt soft as I ran my finger over the gold lettering. I had almost forgotten this feeling of excitement when you got a new book -although they¡¯re not exactly mine. Then, my eyes fell upon the two remaining books. Aqua Pura and Guidebook of Healing Rituals. ¡°What about these?¡± I asked. ¡°They¡¯re for me,¡± Vivian responded as she took a seat next to me. ¡°You¡¯re a water mage?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, her lips proudly curling into a smirk. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Huh? W-Well, I haven¡¯t specialized yet.¡± ¡°I see. I heard the Whitehearts have a high affinity to the Light attribute. You should become a healer!¡± ¡°I guess.¡± A healer, huh? That¡¯s not a bad idea. I remember I once wanted to become a healer. But if I officially specialize in Support magic, won¡¯t it mean I¡¯ll have to completely rely on my teammates when it comes to battles? And what about solo battles? Mmh. Maybe not after all. However, it¡¯s true that I¡¯ll have to choose a specialization soon. It¡¯s better not to let the world know that I can do anything. At that moment, a clanging sound echoed through the campus. A pealing of bells announced it was now five o¡¯clock. ¡°Already?¡± Vivian got up and carefully placed her books in her arms. ¡°Heh? You¡¯re leaving?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she responded. ¡°I hadn¡¯t notice it was already this late.¡± Oh, of course. She¡¯s a student too, she must have things to do. To think I took her time even though she was busy¡­ I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hold her back, although I was a little disheartened to see her leave. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t stay, but I hope you¡¯ll enjoy your books!¡± Vivian said with a friendly smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine! Don¡¯t mind me.¡± We probably won¡¯t meet again, right? This academy is huge, and there is over 10,000 students here. The probability of bumping into her again is pretty low¡­ Thinking about this, I mustered my courage and called her out. ¡°Vivian! Will I see you again?¡± The young girl glanced at me with round eyes, her head slightly tilted. After a short moment of silence, a grin played on her lips. ¡°Sure!¡± She responded, the broad smile on her face growing. ¡°We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± Eh¡­ Eh?! Really? ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll have to return these eventually,¡± she continued as she pointed the two books she lent me. ¡°They¡¯re under my name.¡± Oh. Right. Of course. As she was about to leave, Vivian abruptly stopped and turned in my direction one more time. ¡°How about tonight?¡± She inquired. ¡°Tonight?¡± I repeated, my brows furrowed. ¡°Yes, if it¡¯s okay with you, how about we eat together tonight?¡± ¡°S-Sure!¡± Vivian chuckled. ¡°Cool! Then eight o¡¯clock at the Glasshouse refectory. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± She waved at me with a gentle smile before leaving the library, this time for sure. ¡­ I HAVE A FRIEND! Hahahaha! How about that Frost? No tails, no golden eyes, a real normal human friend! Moreover, I¡¯m eating with her tonight! Hehehe, a meal with a friend. How long have I dreamt about this? Damn, I want brag about it. I want to go home and tell mom that I¡¯m eating with a friend. I¡¯m definitely regressing mentally. But who cares? After all, I have a friend! Today is a great day! After Vivian left, it took me a while to calm myself down. If from an outside perspective I was completely composed, in my head, my brain cells had already decided to throw the biggest party of the year. ?????? I¡¯m an idiot. Once I completely regain my cool, I decided to read the books Vivian had gotten for me as I had time to kill until the evening meal, and since I was in a library, there was no better thing to do. I decided to start with the book about summoning magic, Fundamentals of Arcane Familiars, and I finally have a way to get rid of Pikachu. Thinking about it, it should have been obvious. I feel so stupid¡­ Magical beasts feed on mana, so familiars are entirely dependent on their owner. Once their owner run out of mana, they can no longer maintain a material form so they disappear until being summoned again. There is another way to force them to disappear though. By defeating them. Familiars don¡¯t die. Once they are defeated, they simply vanished and can¡¯t be summoned again for a certain period of time. The cooldown time entirely depend on the condition of the familiar and its master. I haven¡¯t passed a contract with Pikachu, so he isn¡¯t a familiar. But his situation isn¡¯t so different. All magical beasts are territorial. If you defeat them, unlike familiars they won¡¯t vanish, but they will still leave the area, searching for another territory. So basically, I just need to beat Pikachu up until he decides to leave. This is totally animal abuse, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m quite reluctant to do it¡­ Moreover, there is one more problem. Since Pikachu isn¡¯t a familiar, he might actually die if I go to hard on him. I created him so I feel responsible for him. I don¡¯t want to keep him, that¡¯s for sure, but I don¡¯t want to kill him either. I mean, creating him just to kill him afterwards? That would be so cruel¡­ How troublesome. I decided to leave things as they are for the moment. I¡¯ll figure something out. Eventually¡­ I had stayed in here for quite a long time, now. It should be almost time. I left the library, heading to my room. I had to ask for the way several time since I had no idea how to get there. Turns out that the library isn¡¯t that far from my dormitory. Looking at the sky, I could guess it was about 7:30 p.m. Throughout the years, I learned to tell the time by tracking the sun¡¯s position in the sky. That¡¯s how most people did without a clock or a watch. I did have a pocket watch, but since I rarely went out, I never really took the habit to always wear it. When I finally arrived in front of my room, I noticed the door was unlocked. Was Nomi inside? I opened the door, and I saw her. My roommate was seated on her bed, facing the entrance. She was leaning forward, her elbows resting on her knees with her fingers intertwined. Her face was devoid of expression, her eyes however¡­ She looked furious. ¡°W-What?¡± I asked, a bit hesitant. ¡°You scared me. Were you waiting for me? What¡¯s with that expression?¡± Without breaking the eye contact, Nomi lifted her left hand to show me something. ¡°What is this?¡± She questioned coldly. As I followed the direction of her hand, my eyes fell upon what was left of the closet Pikachu destroyed this morning before fleeing. A wooden skeleton of charcoal. Fuck. Nevermind, Pikachu, you¡¯re dead. Part II Chapter 28 - Team Chapter 28 ¨C Team
Lynett
It was already past eight o¡¯clock. I was supposed to be on time, but listening to Nomi nagging me about the destroyed closet held me up. Obviously, I didn¡¯t tell her about Pikachu. I just told her that I was practicing fire magic when it happened -somehow. But then, she nagged even more about not using magic in the room. I was hurrying to the refectory, hoping that Vivian hadn¡¯t left yet. Fortunately, it was pretty close to my room. I just had to go downstairs and cross a couple of corridors. It took me less then five minutes to reach it. The refectory was a grand room, to say the least. Huge carved tables of oak with raw barks at the edge dominated the space, left without a tablecloth. The floor beneath it all was slate and the walls were covered with a damask patterned ivory paper. On the center of each table, a chandelier hung down the ceiling on a wrought iron chain, providing the proper ambiance lighting for a fine evening meal. The hall was a discord of loud chatter. With people raising their voice to be heard above the din, it was in no shortage of ambiance. I looked around the busy tables, searching for a familiar face, when someone snuck up on me. ¡°Boo!¡± A high-pitched voice rang in my ears. I turned around almost immediately. ¡°Did I startle you?¡± Vivian asked with a beaming face. ¡°You sure did!¡± I exclaimed. The young girl chuckled proudly. ¡°Sorry for being late,¡± I said. ¡°My roommate held me up. You didn¡¯t wait for too long, did you? ¡° She shook her head. ¡°Nope! At least, you gave me time to think about what I¡¯d be taking tonight!¡± She joked. ¡°Although I have to admit, I was starting to wonder whether you stood me up or not.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­¡± I apologized once more. We made our way to the buffet tables. The food seemed washed-out and overcooked, but at least it was plentiful. The options weren¡¯t limited. There was a cold buffet for the starters, a warm buffet for the main course, and a third buffet for the desserts. Vivian filled her plate with a large serving of lean meat and lentils. I wasn¡¯t feeling particularly hungry, so I just took some salad. We sat at the end of the nearest table. Vivian immediately dug into her meal as she began to eat heartily. ¡°So yummy~!¡± I didn¡¯t share her opinion. I had been accustomed my whole life to high-quality food, cooked and prepared by master chefs, so this kind of meal didn¡¯t impress me. It wasn¡¯t particularly bad, but it did lack flavor to my taste. In a way, it kind of reminded of my hospital days. The mushed vegetables, the chewy meat¡­ That same-old gray taste, served on a gray plate¡­ Nevermind, it was kind of bad. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t take a large serving. Looking at Vivian¡¯s enthusiasm, I was seriously starting to wonder if the food we were eating came from the same kitchen. I suppose for a commoner of this world, this is a small taste of luxury -or maybe it¡¯s just my salad that¡¯s bland. Despite this, I was in a particularly good mood. It was the first time I was eating with a friend after all. ¡°By the way, did you start reading the books?¡± Vivian asked, as she kept chewing on her meat. ¡°Yep,¡± I responded. ¡°I¡¯ve already read the first half of the summoning book. I should be done in a few days.¡± The young girl stared at me in awe. ¡°Really? You¡¯re fast!¡± ¡°I tend to read a lot on my free time,¡± I explained. ¡°That¡¯s probably why.¡± ¡°Are you the studious type?¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± There was a hint of doubt in my voice. Reading has always been one of my favorite activities, but I only read about things I liked, so I never really considered it a studious hobby. I do know for sure that I would¡¯ve never opened a book about politics if my tutors hadn¡¯t forced me. ¡°What about you?¡± I returned my attention to Vivan. ¡°What were you doing until now?¡± ¡°Practicing,¡± she answered, her mouth filled with partially masticated meat. She is a commoner alright. I guess she wasn¡¯t taught about etiquette and manners. ¡°I¡¯m not very talented, so I need to train regularly if I don¡¯t want to fall behind.¡± So she is diligent, after all. I didn¡¯t get the wrong impression. ¡°By the way, I heard you were involved in that accident a few days ago.¡± Vivian continued, nibbling on her fork, her plate now almost empty. ¡°Did you see it? The legendary beast?¡± A smirk played on my lips as I understood that she was referring to Pikachu. ¡°Uh¡­ Yeah, I guess.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± Vivian exclaimed, her mouth and her eyes wide-opened. ¡°What did it look like?¡± I scratched my head, trying to think of a way to describe the ¡°fearsome¡± Pok¨¦mon. Since it was said to be legendary, people had some insane expectations about its appearance, and as a wise man -whose name I don¡¯t remember- once said, rumors grow deformed as they travel. The last I heard, the legendary beast was two meters tall, had razor-like claws, and invoked the thunder with its cries. I felt really bad when I saw the sparkles in Vivian¡¯s eyes, as I was about to crush her expectations. However, I didn¡¯t even get the chance. Before I could start my description, I was distracted by the clanging sound of a plate slamming against the table, right next to me. When I turned my head, I noticed the tall boy who just arrived. You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­ ¡°What are you doing here, brother?¡± I asked coldly. In one instant, my good mood was gone. Aoban didn¡¯t pay attention to the tone in my voice as he took a seat next to me. ¡°I¡¯m eating,¡± he simply replied. ¡°Like I said, what are you doing here, brother?¡± I repeated. ¡°This is not your refectory.¡± Aoban ignored my remark. Instead, he stared straight into my eyes, his face completely serious. ¡°We need to talk,¡± he said. God damn it. The talk. Just as I feared. I broke the eye-contact, sighing. ¡°Can this wait? I¡¯m with a friend right now.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± Aoban hadn¡¯t noticed Vivian¡¯s presence. When I mentioned her, he frowned, clearly displeased. It didn¡¯t take him long to spot the now completely tensed up Vivian. ¡°Who are you?¡± He groaned audibly. Vivian didn¡¯t openly panic like most people did when confronted to my brother. But I could see that she had noticed from the corner of her eyes Aoban¡¯s judging glare. ¡°Erm¡­ My name¡¯s Vivian.¡± She introduced herself with a small voice. ¡°Vivian who?¡± ¡°Just Vivian.¡± Aoban raised a skeptical eyebrow. ¡°How did you guys meet?¡± ¡°Brother,¡± I cut him off. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing right now?¡± ¡°Getting acquainted with your friend.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re interrogating her,¡± I corrected, as I crossed my arms against my chest. I gave him a stern look, but he simply ignored it. I let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Fair enough, I¡¯ll introduce her to you. This is Vivian, we met on this campus, like most people. She helped me find my way back when I was lost and we became friends. What else would you like to know? Her address? Her parent¡¯s occupation? Her hobbies?¡± Aoban shot me an annoyed glare. It was straight provocation. I was perfectly aware of it. But it was time for him understand that he was violating my personal boundaries. ¡°I¡¯m just worried for you,¡± he tried to justify himself. I sighed. ¡°I can take care of myself, I¡¯m no longer a child.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a target, Lyni. And you¡¯re too naive for your own good. People will try to deceive you.¡± ¡°Like I said, I can take care of myself,¡± I repeated, impatience growing in my voice. ¡°Besides, if you dealt with your own problems, maybe I wouldn¡¯t be a target in the first place.¡± I wasn¡¯t looking in his direction, but I could guess his expression right now. Before he could say anything, I continued. Now that I made my point clear, I had no intention of resuming our argument from this afternoon. ¡°Where¡¯s Lukas anyway? And what about your friends?¡± Aoban didn¡¯t reply immediately. ¡°They¡¯re at the Eastern Refectory. I came alone.¡± His voice was filled with acrimony. Since I understood he wasn¡¯t going to leave, I decided to confront him about his reasons for coming.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Look, I-¡± I turned in his direction, expecting to see him, but instead, I saw the face of a stranger who just butted in between us. ¡°Hello! May I sit here?¡± Who in the world¡­? The stranger didn¡¯t even wait for a reply. He casually sat at our table before greeting us with a broad smile. He was being unusually friendly, yet, I couldn¡¯t remember him from anywhere. He was definitely older than me. There was something mature about him, I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. But his brown curls and his freckled complexion gave him a strong boy-next door vibe. I gave a quick glance at my side. Vivian was growing more and more uncomfortable. Too many people at this table. To think that it was supposed to be only the two of us¡­ ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, right now?¡± Aoban asked with a threatening tone. ¡°Chill down, Whiteheart. I¡¯m not here for you.¡± Great. Another one of my brother¡¯s acquaintances. Now I definitely don¡¯t want to know him. Moreover, they don¡¯t seem to be on friendly terms. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± Aoban continued. ¡°This is not your refectory.¡± ¡°I return you the remark. This isn¡¯t your refectory either.¡± Yes, thank you. ¡°Find yourself another table. My sister¡¯s here.¡± A smirk played on the stranger¡¯s face. ¡°That gives me as much right as you to stay here. You see, my sister is also here.¡± His sister? He can¡¯t possibly mean¡­ He shifted my gaze on the only other girl at this table. Her head lowered, her bangs didn¡¯t allow me to see her face anymore, but I could see her clenching her fists under the table. ¡°She¡¯s your sister?¡± Aoban groaned. ¡°Come on Vivian, don¡¯t stay silent. Why don¡¯t you introduce me to your new friend?¡± The boy was displaying a bright smile as he said this. However, the tone of his voice didn¡¯t sound even remotely friendly. ¡°No, I¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s voice was barely audible. Her head kept sinking even lower than it already was. It almost seemed like we were going to be the same height. ¡°I knew something was fishy...¡± Brother clicked his tongue and grabbed my wrist. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± He then declared. ¡°Wh-What?¡± He suddenly pulled me, forcing me to get up. ¡°Wait, let go!¡± ¡°She¡¯s not your friend,¡± he said. I tried to break free of his grasp but he was using much more strength than usual. And if it was going to be strength competition, I had no chance of winning. He was clearly mad. ¡°Let go!¡± I yelled. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me!¡± Aoban suddenly loosened his grasp, allowing me to break free. ¡°Come on, Whiteheart. You don¡¯t want to make a scene, do you?¡± Brother¡¯s eyelid twitched as he shot a threatening glare at the boy. ¡°What did you came here for exactly?¡± He asked. The boy smirked. ¡°I told you, I didn¡¯t come for you.¡± He shifted his attention me, and his smirk changed into a wide smile. ¡°You¡¯re Lynett, right? I have a proposal for you.¡± Huh? I could hear the grinding noise of brother¡¯s teeth behind me. ¡°My name is Fabio Rutherder,¡± the stranger finally introduced himself. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± I can¡¯t say the same but¡­ Rutherder? It sounds familiar¡­ ¡°He¡¯s the son of the duke,¡± Aoban grunted in a low voice. The son of a duke? Then he has a higher social standing than us? Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait. The Duke Rutherder? I remember that name. Isn¡¯t it he the pervert I was supposed to be married off to? The one with three wives or something? How could I forget. He is quite infamous in our kingdom. Although polygamy was legal, in aristocracy, it was considered highly immoral, especially in a religious kingdom like ours. Yet, the Duke Rutherder shamelessly kept seeking for new concubines, and as the king¡¯s younger brother, nobody tried to stop him. So he¡¯s the son of such a depraved noble? And what about Vivian? I thought she was a commoner. Is she an illegitimate child? Thinking about it, does it mean I could have become Vivian¡¯s stepmother? Dear gods¡­ Fabio glared at Vivian for a few seconds before returning his attention to me. ¡°You seem to have gotten friendly with this dead-weight,¡± he said. ¡°But she¡¯ll be of no use to you whatsoever. I recommend distancing yourself from her.¡± What the fuck? That¡¯s rude. That¡¯s your sister you¡¯re talking about. Vivian didn¡¯t try to defend herself. She simply gave a resigned smile, obviously used to this kind of treatment. ¡°I heard you want to join the Tournament,¡± Fabio continued. ¡°So?¡± ¡°How about you join my group?¡± He finally proposed. ¡°For you to have been transfered without an exam, you must be quite skillful, am I wrong? I even heard you got yourself an apprenticeship.¡± So this is what he had in mind. ¡°My group consists only of the best elements,¡± Fabio explained proudly. ¡°We are among the favourites for the upcoming tournament, so if you want to enter the competition, your best chances are with us. How about it? Not a big deal, right? I¡¯ll even be your friend if you need one.¡± The arrogance in his tone was really starting to piss me of. And I wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, right now?¡± Aoban spoke up, exasperated. ¡°She will not join your group, nor will she be your friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she can decide for herself, Whiteheart.¡± Fabio replied, his smile unwavering. ¡°The first tests are group trials. She can¡¯t join the tournament without a team.¡± ¡°She can join mine, that¡¯s not a problem,¡± brother retorted. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Yours is already full. What will people think if you kick out one of your members just so that you can include your sister?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my problem. She¡¯s joining my team, so back off.¡± ¡­ Um, excuse me? Does my opinion not count? I¡¯m done with this. In the end, it¡¯s another of Aoban¡¯s issues. They can argue all they want, I¡¯m out of here. I took Vivian¡¯s hand, pulling her out of her thoughts, as I signaled her to come with me. ¡°Lyni, where are you going?¡± Brother asked. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m not joining any of your teams.¡± I replied coldly. ¡°I thought you wanted to enter the tournament,¡± Fabio said. ¡°You can¡¯t join if you¡¯re alone, you know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware. But I¡¯m not alone. I have a team.¡± Aoban and Fabio both furrowed the brows in incomprehension, so I raised Vivian¡¯s hand. ¡°She¡¯s my team,¡± I declared. ¡°Huh?! Me?¡± Fabio¡¯s smile vanished, no longer amused by the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to win?¡± He inquired. ¡°I do, and I will.¡± ¡°With this dead-weight?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± He suddenly burst out laughing. ¡°I misjudged you, Lynett Maedis Whiteheart. What a let down. You aren¡¯t nearly as bright as I was expecting you to be. I guess you are a Whiteheart, after all.¡± Ignoring his mockery, I headed to the exit. But this time, it was Aoban¡¯s turn to stop. ¡°She¡¯s a Rutherder,¡± he stated as he grabbed my arm. I shook my head. ¡°No, she¡¯s just Vivian.¡± I shook away his hand and passed by him, dragging the confused Vivian with me, and I hurried to the exit, before any of them had the heart to stop us. Even once we left the refectory, I kept walking for a moment, making sure to get far enough not to be found. Once we were finally alone, I let out a heavy sigh. Talk about a first evening with a friend¡­ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Vivian eventually broke the silence. I gave her a weak smile. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. I got you involved in my problems.¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯re even then,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Besides, I know how Fabio is. I understand you needed an excuse to get yourself out of this situation.¡± ¡°An excuse?¡± I then understood she was referring to my earlier statement. ¡°Vivian,¡± I called her out. ¡°It wasn¡¯t an excuse. I meant what I said before. I do want us to be a team.¡± Her eyes widened, she blinked at me several times. ¡°Did you¡­ not hear what Fabio said?¡± ¡°I heard.¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t lying, you know? I am a dead-weight. I told you, didn¡¯t I? Even my previous teammates kicked me out of their group!¡± ¡°I have no intention of abandoning you later on, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant! Don¡¯t get me wrong, I really appreciate the thought, but there is no way you¡¯ll even get selected for the preliminaries if you team up with me! At best, I¡¯ll be completely useless. At worst, I¡¯ll slow you down!¡± That definitely won¡¯t be an issue. I smiled at her, trying to ease her heart. ¡°Vivian, you¡¯re my friend. I want us to be together.¡± Her face initially sank in disbelief. But then her expression changed into one of relief. A weak smile played on her lips, and quickly grew into a large grin. ¡°See? You are nice after all!¡± ¡°Is that a yes?¡± I asked. ¡°Are you accepting my offer?¡± ¡°Do I have the choice?¡± She joked. I grinned. ¡°Still, who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d be finding a new group so fast!¡± Vivian exclaimed. ¡°You do know we¡¯veknown each other for only a day, right? I could be taking advantage of you!¡± ¡°Ugh, please don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re starting to sound like my brother,¡± I complained. Vivian chuckled softly. ¡°I¡¯m a bit jealous of you,¡± she then admitted with a bitter smile. ¡°Jealous? Why?¡± ¡°You have such a great brother.¡± That¡¯s¡­ The impression she got? ¡°Vivian,¡± I called her out. ¡°Do you like my brother?¡± Her cheeks suddenly turned red. I¡¯m guessing she felt her face burning hot as she immediately looked away and tried to hide her rosy features behind her slim fingers. Now, not only her cheeks, but her whole face turned scarlet. ¡°W-What are you saying?¡± She panicked. ¡°Of course not! What gave you this idea?¡± She was being so obvious I couldn¡¯t help but let a grin spread over my face, which she didn¡¯t miss. ¡°What¡¯s with that smug face, I¡¯m telling you that¡¯s not it!¡± She hurried on. ¡°You got it wrong! I-I mean, I do think he¡¯s pretty cool and handsome but¡­ That¡¯s not what I meant when I said that!¡± Aren¡¯t you just admitting it, though? And handsome? Who? Aoban? It makes sense though. If she likes him, that would explain why she didn¡¯t run away on sight when we met. Most people feared my brother so they didn¡¯t get involved with me. But when she saw me for the first time, although she perfectly knew who I was, Vivian didn¡¯t try to avoid me or anything. She might even have gotten close to me because I¡¯m the sister, but even if it¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t hold it against her. I mean, it¡¯s not like she pushed her friendship on me -quite the contrary. That¡¯s a pretty good thing though, isn¡¯t it? I like Vivian, so I wouldn¡¯t mind her dating my brother. She seems like a good person so far. And if they get married, she might even become my sister-in-law. That¡­ actually doesn¡¯t sound so bad. As someone who belongs to nobility, I¡¯ve always thought that Aoban would end up marrying a spoiled little lady. I¡¯d much rather have Vivan as m- ¡°Lynett!¡± Her voice suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re not listening, are you? Stop imagining things! I¡¯m telling you you got the wrong idea!¡± Her brows furrowed, she deeply looked into my eyes, her lips firmly pressed together in a flustered expression. ¡°Okay, sorry.¡± I didn¡¯t insist any further. I did want to tease her, but I didn¡¯t want to upset her. She denied it so hard¡­ Maybe she isn¡¯t even aware of her own feelings? Or maybe I¡¯m really getting the wrong idea¡­ A maiden¡¯s heart is such a mystery. Vivan let out a relieved sigh. ¡°When I said I was jealous about your brother, I meant your relationship with him,¡± she then explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean your brother himself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so special about our relationship?¡± I asked, my eyes squinted. ¡°Well, he cares about you. I suppose that¡¯s how normal siblings are.¡± Although she was smiling, she had a somewhat sad expression on her face. Normal siblings? Does she not get along with her siblings? Thinking about it, it¡¯s true that she didn¡¯t seem close to her brother. Maybe she wants to talk about it? ¡°Are you saying this because of Fabio?¡± I asked. Vivan¡¯s bitter smile confirmed my thoughts. ¡°He was mean to you,¡± I added. ¡°Are you guys really related?¡± ¡°Well, we do have the same father, but we don¡¯t share the same mother. I¡¯m an illegitimate child.¡± She explained, confirming my earlier assumption. That explains why she does not carry her father¡¯s surname unlike her brother. ¡°My mother was a servant in the Rutherder household,¡± Vivan continued. ¡°She was chased out by the legal wife when she got pregnant with me, but the Duke took us back in when he found out. I was already seven at that time, so when I met Fabio for the first time, my arrival wasn¡¯t looked upon favorably. As far as I can remember, we were never close.¡± Sounds like a tough childhood. ¡°So he was always mean to you?¡± I inquired once she was done talking. Vivian shrugged. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. He¡¯s the legitimate son and I¡¯m just the child of a mistress. It was the same thing with the other children of the household. Ultimately, we¡¯re only half related.¡± She marked a pause before shifting her gaze to me. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m a bit jealous of you.¡± I see. She must have had a lonely childhood. If she was never close to any of her siblings, it¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s envious of my relationship with my brother. Even if we¡¯re going through a bad phase, we do get along pretty well. He¡¯s my only brother and my best friend, I wouldn¡¯t trade that for anything in the world. However, I think she misunderstood something. ¡°You know,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m an illegitimate child as well. And Aoban is actually my half-brother.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡± I nodded. ¡°I was legitimized by my uncle later on, but I was born out of wedlock. Aoban is the son my father had with his first wife.¡± ¡°And you guys are that close despite of this?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Vivian blinked several times at my response. Then, she let out a small chortle. ¡°Then I¡¯m even more jealous of you!¡± She joked. I wonder what was so different for her. Our situations are pretty similar, yet the outcome is so different. Is it the age? Unlike her, I have known my brother ever since the moment I came into this world. Or maybe it¡¯s because Aoban never knew his mom. We share the same father by blood, but we also share the same mother in our heart. That makes us practically full siblings, right? I never had any other sibling, so I don¡¯t have any ground of comparison, but I don¡¯t think being only half related should affect a relationship that much¡­ ¡°You know what, maybe Fabio is just an ass¡­¡± I concluded. Vivian burst out laughing. ¡°That¡¯s probably the case!¡± Part II Chapter 29 - Rival Chapter 29 ¨C Rival
Lynett
This has to be a joke¡­ I have been waiting for this day forever and this is a huge let down. My first magic lesson. It has already been a little more than a week since I arrived here, and I had yet to practice magic. Regardless of their major, the students of this academy followed the same kind of syllabus. Two weeks of theoretical classes, two weeks of practical classes, and a final examination at the end of the month. According to their results, students could be promoted or demoted to another class. Since I wasn¡¯t admitted to this school the traditional way, I was assigned to the beginner class. It didn¡¯t particularly bother me, since I knew I¡¯d have the opportunity to get into a better class once the monthly examination was over, but now I¡¯m starting to lose patience. ¡°Now begin to bring awareness to your breath, as you feel the lightness of your body,¡± the teacher instructed with a soft voice. ¡°Your mind is completely aware, your body is completely relaxed. You are present, you are here, you are one.¡± I-did-not-sign-in-for-a-yoga-class. I know this is the beginner class, but are they being serious right now? It¡¯s been almost two hours that we¡¯ve been doing the same breathing exercises. That¡¯s right. They were teaching us how to control mana. This was something I always took for granted before so I had almost forgotten, but it¡¯s true that normal people first needed to learn how to use mana before learning how to use magic. Only now I realize how lucky I was, never to have to go through that unlock-your-chakra bullshit. I¡¯m definitely not patient enough for meditation. I want to return to my room¡­ The worst about it? This class is mandatory. I can skip theoretical classes just fine -and I did-, but practical classes are mandatory. Which means I¡¯ll have to endure this for two entire weeks. And here I thought magic school would be fun... ¡°Lynett?¡± The teacher called, as she saw me zoning out. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Er¡­ No, everything¡¯s fine,¡± I replied. ¡°Stay focused. It is important to clear your mind so that you can feel the mana flowing in your body.¡± I can feel the mana just fine¡­ The exercise continued for at least another hour before the teacher decided it was time for a break. Another minute and I would¡¯ve really passed out of boredom. ¡°It¡¯s exhausting¡­ Who would have thought it¡¯d be this hard to become a mage?¡± ¡°Right? I should have chosen the swordsmanship major!¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m making some progress! I could feel my body burning hot with energy!¡± ¡°Really? This must be your mana!¡± Nah, it¡¯s called a headache. This is what happens when you stay in the sun for too long. It was kind of cute though. That innocence. Magic as always been as easy as 1, 2, 3 for me, so I can¡¯t really relate. As I kept listening to the other students¡¯ conversations, one of them said something that caught my attention. ¡°Look, that¡¯s Mustache!¡± I turned in the direction of their gaze and I noticed Mr. Glenn. Among the students, he was best known as Mr.Mustache, or just Mustache. The reason? The splendid mustache he was growing, one that could put even Friedrich Nietzsche to shame. ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡± What, indeed. Mr. Glenn was a well known teacher. If I remember well, he teaches Magic Empowerment to the most advanced classes. For what reason did he come here to see us, rookies who are still learning how to control mana? "Mr. Glenn!¡± Our teacher exclaimed when she spotted him. ¡°Greetings, Mrs. Olga,¡± he responded with a friendly smile. ¡°Am I bothering?¡± ¡°Of course not! We were just having a break.¡± The two teachers discussed for a while under the curious gazes of the students. Eventually, Mr. Glenn turned his head in our direction and Mrs. Olga clapped her hands a couple of times to attract our attention. She waited for us to fall silent before clearing her throat. ¡°Mr. Glenn came to visit us. Why don¡¯t you greet him?¡± ¡°Hello Mr. Glenn!¡± We shout out in unison. The old teacher chuckled loudly. ¡°You still seem full of energy!¡± He joked as he started twirling his mustache. ¡°Are you children listening to Mrs. Olga well?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Mr. Glenn nodded proudly. ¡°Good, good! Mrs. Olga may be a new teacher, but she is no less outstanding! Study well, and you may find yourself in one of my classes in a few years!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Heard that? Mustache¡¯s class!¡± ¡°Can you imagine being in one of the advanced classes?¡± Mr. Glenn¡¯s few words were enough to encourage the whole class. A sudden positive energy quickly spread among the students. Their whisperings did not go unnoticed as the two teachers exchanged chuckles. Once the ambient noise finally subsided, Mr. Glenn cleared his throat. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to check on the other classes.¡± He saluted our teacher before turning in our direction. Then, as he was about to leave, his gaze stopped on me. ¡°Well, well. A new face!¡± He commented as he continued playing with his facial hair. ¡°A Chosen One I¡¯ve never seen before. Could she be¡­?¡± He glanced at Mrs. Olga who simply nodded at him. His smile widened. ¡°The famous Lynett!¡± He then exclaimed as he came closer. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you!¡± Mr. Glenn wasn¡¯t really that old. He was, at most, in his fifties. However, as he continued to pat my head enthusiastically, he reminded me of a grandpa. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you here!¡± He added with a childlike smile. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t pass the entrance exam,¡± I tried to answer as I rearranged my hair before he cut me off. ¡°Right, right, the entrance exam¡­¡± Mr. Glenn fell silent as he continued to mumble something under his beard, his mustache curling around his finger. I can tell it¡¯s a habit and I probably shouldn¡¯t be watching but it was weirdly fascinating. As I kept staring at his mouth, it didn¡¯t take me long to notice the smirk forming on his lips. ¡°I know!¡± He then exclaimed. He leaned forward to reach my eye level and rested a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you accompany me?¡± I raised a dubious eyebrow, trying to understand the meaning behind his words. Without even giving me a chance to reply, Mr. Glenn turned to his colleague. ¡°Mrs. Olga, would you mind if I borrow you a student?¡± Although she seemed a little concerned at first, when Mrs. Olga understood he was referring to me, her expression quickly softened. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s Lynett, I guess it¡¯s not a problem,¡± she considered. ¡°It¡¯s not like if this young lady was invested in my classes anyway.¡± I know she said that jokingly, but I couldn¡¯t help but break into a nervous laughter in embarrassment when I heard her, especially since she does have a point. Mrs. Olga definitely isn¡¯t a bad teacher, but hey. Anyone would be bored if they had to attend to a beginner class of something they¡¯ve already mastered. In the end, without consulting me, the two teachers agreed that I would go with Mr. Glenn. For what, I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m not complaining. Since the class was about to resume, we left our own way, leaving the not so enthusiastic students with Mrs. Olga. As we walked, I realized that Mr. Glenn wasn¡¯t as talkative as he seemed. He didn¡¯t say a single word. He simply glanced my way once in a while to make sure that I was following him, smiled, and kept going. Since I realized he wasn¡¯t the one who was going to break the silence, I spoke first. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked. Mr. Glenn grinned at my sudden interest, as if he had been waiting for me to ask. ¡°At the beginning of the week, I usually like to visit different classes¡± he explained. ¡°It¡¯s part of my job to keep an eye on the students and their progression.¡± He marked a pause, bringing a palm to his neck, and glanced at me over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of this department, you see?¡± He added. ¡°I know.¡± His grin grew wider. ¡°I¡¯m flattered!¡± He said half-joking. Mr. Glenn wasn¡¯t just a teacher. He was also responsible of this school¡¯s magic department. As far as I know, while the headmaster was in charge of supervising the school, each department of this academy also had a head teacher. Mr. Glenn was one of them. Usually discharged of their duties as a teacher for two half-days or one day a week, they also had the responsibility of supervising the other teachers of their department, their students, and ensure that the standards in teaching and learning are being achieved. Kind of like an educational inspector. ¡°Is this where you¡¯re bringing me?¡± I inquired. ¡°To another class?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind some company,¡± he admitted. ¡°Besides, I thought it would be more interesting for you. From what I¡¯ve heard, you already can use some magic. Mrs. Olga¡¯s classes mustn''t be very challenging, right?¡± I really didn¡¯t want to bad-mouth Mrs. Olga in front of her superior, but remembering her meditation sessions, I couldn¡¯t help but agree. ¡°Not really,¡± I mumbled. ¡°I thought so!¡± As I heard Mr. Glenn chortling out loud at my side, I deemed wiser not to ask anything else. Thus, the rest of the walk passed off in silence. Ultimately, after a quarter of an hour, we arrived at our destination. The first thing I noticed was the difference in the working environment. Most practical classes were conducted outdoors, but while our class only looked for an empty open space, this area was actually designed for real training. Dummies for the students to practice on, some devices I didn¡¯t know of, and a lot of obstacles arranged for real circuit training. Yeah. This is definitely closer to what I had in mind when I thought of practical classes. The area wasn¡¯t empty, and it didn¡¯t take long for the class that was using it to notice our arrival. There were about sixty students for only one teacher. Definitely not a small class. ¡°Mrs. Borge!¡± Mr. Glenn called out. A female teacher in her thirties turned in our direction. Dressed in a simple but practical blue robes, she already seemed much more of a magic teacher than Mrs. Olga. ¡°Mr. Glenn,¡± she greeted us in a neutral manner as we went to meet her. ¡°May I help you?¡± ¡°Oh no, don¡¯t mind me!¡± Mr. Glenn exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m just here to observe, as usual.¡± ¡°And this is?¡± Mrs. Borge asked when her eyes fell upon me. ¡°Right, this is Lynett. A transfer student. Would you mind if she joins your class this one time?¡± The female teacher tilted her head and furrowed an eyebrow as she raised a hand to stroke her chin. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think this is a problem, but we¡¯re almost done,¡± she then responded. ¡°Perfect!¡± Mr. Glenn declared, ignoring her last remark. ¡°Lynett, why don¡¯t you go sit over there?¡± He suggested as he turned my way. I nodded and, following his hand gesture, I walked to join Mrs. Borge students to sit among them. Becoming the center of their attention, I could feel myself growing uneasy. However, among the curious stares, I soon noticed the insisting gaze of a familiar face. A relieved and delighted grin drawing on my face, I made my way through the crowd of students and hurried to sit at her side. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Vivian exclaimed, as discreetly as she could. I shrugged. ¡°Mr. Glenn brought me here.¡± ¡°I can see that, but-¡± Mrs. Borge loudly cleared her throat. ¡°Silence please,¡± she demanded, staring in our direction. ¡°We will now continue the class. Have some patience, it¡¯s almost over.¡± Mrs. Borge seemed naturally charismatic. She had an authoritative, yet soothing voice. It didn¡¯t take long for the gossips to die down and for the students to become attentive again. It took a few minutes, but eventually, the teacher stopped looking our way as she resumed her class. ¡°So, what were you doing with Mustache?¡± Vivian whispered, her curiosity unwavering. ¡°He came to my class and then he just brought me along.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Who knows?¡± Vivian squinted her eyes, trying to read my expression. ¡°You¡¯re really something else,¡± she then blurted out. ¡°Why?¡± I inquired, my brows furrowed. ¡°You¡¯ve just transferred, and you¡¯ve already caught the eyes of the head teacher,¡± she explained. ¡°Isn¡¯t it exactly because I transfered that I caught his eyes?¡± She tilted her head, and after a while, she let out loud sigh. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Looking around me and inspecting the other students, I noticed no other familiar face -not that I know a lot of people anyway. They were all quite engaged in their lesson. The students listened attentively to the teacher and carefully observed their classmates practicing, waiting for their turn. ¡°So that¡¯s your class, huh?¡± I asked. ¡°They are all so diligent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Mustache is here,¡± Vivian explained. ¡°They¡¯re not usually so attentive.¡± ¡°Mr. Glenn?¡± She nodded. ¡°He is in charge of the advanced classes after all, they want to impress him.¡± Oho, I see. ¡°Besides, as a head teacher, he is also one of the jury of the selection board,¡± Vivian added. ¡°The selection board?¡± ¡°Yeah, you know, for the examinations at the end of each month. They decide if you stay in your current class or if you¡¯re promoted or demoted to another class.¡± No wonder. Basically, he¡¯s one of the big guys. He gets to decide of your future within this academy. Well, coming from a head teacher, I guess it was to be expected. But looking at his nonchalant face, it was still hard to believe. He really gave off a strong grandpa next door vibe, although he was not that old. Then again, in this world, it was not uncommon to become a grandparent in your forties. Returning my attention to class, it looked that the students took turns to practice their magic in front of the teacher. The exercise seemed to be about hitting one of the six targets on the yard, all set five meters apart from each others. The most basic training method when it comes to long-ranged attacks. The exercise didn¡¯t seem too difficult. The targets were unmoving and big enough to be hard to miss, yet, less than half of the students managed to hit them. Listening to the Mrs. Borge¡¯s explanations, it looks like the main problem is the students¡¯ limited range of control over their mana. ¡°Alright, I think that¡¯s enough for today,¡± the teacher finally announced. ¡°It¡¯s wasn¡¯t so bad, I can see some progress.¡± The tired students¡¯ face brightened at her words. ¡°Nobody tried to hit the thirty meters target though,¡± Mrs. Borge noted. ¡°Since the class is ending, does anyone want to try?¡± The students were hesitant, understandably so. The ten meters target didn¡¯t seem to pose too much of a problem, the five meters one even less. The difficulty seemed to start at fifteen meters, and so far, no one managed to hit the target at twenty meters, so of course, hitting a target at thirty meters away would appear impossible. Still, a couple a hands went up. I understood soon enough, seeing the quick glances given to Mr. Glenn. The presence of the head teacher was tempting. The more Mrs. Borge waited, the more hands rose. However, at some point, a student volunteered more confidently than his peers, which the teacher didn¡¯t miss. ¡°Lucius,¡± she called him out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show your classmates what you¡¯re capable of?¡± ¡°Yes, Mrs. Borge.¡± In an assured manner, the boy called Lucius stood up and made his way through the other students to join the teacher. ¡°What, Lucius again?¡± ¡°Such a teacher¡¯s pet.¡± The boy didn¡¯t seem very popular among his peers. But seeing the other students averting their gaze when the boy glared at them, I could tell that his confidence was probably not just for show. ¡°Vivian,¡± I called out in a small voice. ¡°Is he good?¡± ¡°Rather than good, he¡¯s excellent,¡± Vivian conceded after letting out a long sigh. ¡°He¡¯s the best of our class. The teacher always calls him for a final demonstration at the end of the class, supposedly to motivate us.¡± The best of this class, huh? Well then, let¡¯s see what he¡¯s worth. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready,¡± Mrs. Borge said. The boy nodded. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and took a deep breath. The other students all fell silent. Despite the fact that they didn¡¯t seem to appreciate him, they were still very interested in his performance. Suddenly, following his chant, a fire ball gushed out of the boy¡¯s hand to reach the target without a problem. In an instant, the previous silence disappeared, commotion rising among the students in awe. Even the teacher was clapping. ¡°Wow, you saw that?¡± ¡°He really hit the target!¡± ¡°That fire ball was huge!¡± ¡°As expected of Lucius.¡± As everyone was praising the boy, only one person was left unimpressed: me. I was genuinely confused. I didn¡¯t understand the cheers. This is the best student of the class? From my point of view, his performance was mediocre. Out of all those who tried before him, he had the worst control of his mana. The only reason why he hit the target was that he used an enormous amount of mana, to make sure the fireball wouldn¡¯t change its course. But that¡¯s just reckless. Such a simple spell shouldn¡¯t use this much mana. In a real battle situation, he would have collapsed within the five first minutes. And that fireball wasn¡¯t that big. His was definitely bigger than the students¡¯ before him, but that¡¯s just because he kept fueling it with mana. Besides, it had the same size of the fireball my aunt did twelve years ago. Does that make her a genius or are they just over-impressed because they¡¯re inexperienced? ¡°Vivian, what did you think of his performance?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The girl beside me tilted her head. ¡°It was awesome, wasn¡¯t it?¡± As I thought. I think I get it. They are merely judging his performance by what they see. Physically. Mana can¡¯t be seen. It¡¯s something that you feel. Thinking about it, I think Yoko mentioned something like that before. Humans do not have the ability to feel mana -not without a device. Their affinity to magic isn¡¯t high enough. They can feel strong disturbances but that¡¯s about it. So it¡¯s no wonder they were impressed by Lucius¡¯ magic. His fireball¡¯s size was definitely bigger than the others¡¯, and it did reach its target. But at what cost? ¡°Very impressive,¡± Mrs. Borge acclaimed. ¡°Now then, does anyone else want to try?¡± ¡°Huuh?¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Not after Lucius¡­¡± This time, there were no volunteers. It seems that rather than motivating them, Lucius¡¯ performance was totally discouraging them. It¡¯s understandable though. No one would want to try after the -supposedly- best student. ¡°I want you all to work hard until you can all do the same. Next time we¡¯ll-¡± Mrs. Borge didn¡¯t finish her sentence as she was startled by a sudden hand rising up in the air -mine. ¡°Lynett, what are you-¡± Vivian started before I cut her off. ¡°I would like to try, please.¡± I announced, loud enough so that everyone could hear me. As the other students all turned in my direction in surprise, Mrs. Borge gave a quick glance to Mr. Glenn, as if to ask if it was okay. Mr. Glenn nodded with a smile, and Mrs. Borge returned her attention to me. ¡°Alright, Lynett is it?¡± She spoke up. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Following the teacher¡¯s order, I stood up to join Lucius. He was glaring at me, clearly not pleased by the fact that I was trying to steal his spotlight. Well, sorry, but it can¡¯t be helped Lucius. I don¡¯t want a spotlight. I don¡¯t need a spotlight. Standing out won¡¯t do me anything good, but this time, I¡¯ll make an exception. After all, circumstances have changed. I haven¡¯t forgotten my main goal in this Academy: the Great Tournament. Considering the fact that over fifty schools will take part to the competition, each school has a limited number of participants. One hundred students per school. The Arcane Academy has over ten thousand students. One hundred out of ten thousand¡­ That¡¯s the top one percent. So if I want to participate, I need to stand out. And quickly. The tournament takes place in five months, but the play-off will begin a month before that. And in order to to give them the best possible odds, most schools will train their candidates for at least a month. Which means the tournament participants will be selected within the next three months. Time is against me. So sorry about that Lucius. As I approached, the boy stepped aside, still glaring. ¡°You know what you have to do, right?¡± Mrs. Borge asked. I nodded. Locking the target with my eyes, I raised my arm and focused mana in my hand. At this point, controlling my mana was as easy as controlling any part of my body. Unlike my peers, who needed at least a few seconds to focus their mana into one point, in an instant, my mana was concentrated at the end of my hand, ready to be launched. However, as I realized something, I immediately interrupted the magic. Crap¡­ I don¡¯t know any chants! I had completely forgotten. Revealing that I can use [Voiceless Incantations] is definitely not an option so what do I do? I could have stolen Lucius¡¯ chants but I absolutely wasn¡¯t paying attention to it so I can¡¯t remember it¡­! Noticing my sudden pause, the teacher called me out. ¡°Lynett? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, one moment, please!¡± ¡°What in she doing?¡± ¡°Is she nervous?¡± Lucius didn¡¯t miss the occasion to affirm his superiority. ¡°So what, were you just for show?¡± He mocked arrogantly. ¡°Lucius, let her focus,¡± Mrs. Borge demanded. The boy didn¡¯t add anything else, but the sneer on his face indicated me that he was no longer considering me a threat. Shit. That god damn chant. ¡­ Wait. A chant is a chant, right? Mages create their own chants when they come up with a new spell. In other words, it doesn¡¯t have to mean anything. As long as I say something. A smirk appeared on my face and Lucius frowned at my renewed confidence. Once again, a raised my arm and focused my mana at the end of it. ¡°Abracadabra.¡± With this one word of mine, a fireball appeared and shoot the target. Swift and precise. Since I still didn¡¯t have a full grasp of the average level of a student here, I made sure it would be exactly the same size as Lucius¡¯ fireball. The lack of reactions bothering me, I turned around to inspect the other students. They were frozen in place, all looking at the target with dumbfounded faces. The atmosphere suddenly stiffened up, the first one to pull themselves together was the teacher. ¡°V-Very impressive!¡± She exclaimed as naturally as possible. Weird. Is it the chant after all? ¡°She reached it¡­¡± ¡°So fast¡­!¡± ¡°Just like Lucius!¡± ¡°No, wasn¡¯t it even better than Lucius?¡± Hearing this last remark, Lucius clenched his fist, glaring furiously at me. Then, he turned to the teacher. ¡°Mrs. Borge!¡± He called out. ¡°I would like to try again!¡± A little startled at first, the teacher didn¡¯t seem to find any inconvenience with that -after all, students were finally willing to hit that thirty meters target. ¡°Yes, of course, go ahead.¡± The boy shot me one last deadly glare before focusing on the target. Once again, he closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. ¡°? Ignis, I implore thee! I cry foul, feel the wrath within me. Devour my soul and bring destruction before me! ¡ºFireball¡»!¡± Ah, what a fool. This time, he put even more mana in it. The spell did work, though. The fireball, which appeared even bigger than before, hit the target. And just like that, a new commotion rose among the students. ¡°Wow, did you see that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s even bigger!¡± ¡°Lucius is the best after all!¡± The boy, cheered up by his audience¡¯s acclaims, puffed out proudly his chest and turned to me, a presumptuous grin on his face. Ah¡­ How childish. ¡°Abracadabra.¡± The students fell silent again as I launched a second fireball to the target. Once again, I adapted its size to Lucius¡¯ fireball. The boy, whose grin disappeared faster than lightning, froze in disbelief. After a while, finally coming back to his senses, and without even asking for the teacher¡¯s permission this time, he immediately started chanting again. ¡°? Ignis, I implore thee! I cry foul, feel the wrath within me. Devour my soul and bring destruction before me! ¡ºFireball¡»!¡± As I expected, he once again concentrated more mana into his spell. This is madness. He is playing with fire. Unfortunately, this is not a game he can win. Not against me. ¡°Abracadabra.¡± I launched another fireball to hit the target. Frustrated, the boy immediately retaliated. ¡°? Ignis, I implore thee! I cry foul, feel the wrath within me. Devour my soul and bring destruction before me! ¡ºFireball¡»!¡± ¡°Abracadabra.¡± ¡°? Ignis, I implore thee! I cry foul, feel the wrath within me. Devour my soul and bring destruction before me! ¡ºFireball¡»!¡± ¡°Abracadabra.¡± The teacher didn¡¯t dare to interrupt our little clash, as the students simply watched, their mouths wide-open, unable to take their eyes off of us. Lucius¡¯ fireball was growing in size each time, but so was mine. However, while mine kept a steady course, his were progressively losing in speed and accuracy. He was exhausting his mana pool and it was starting to show. He quickly ran out of breath, cold sweat forming on his forehead. Although he was trying not to show it, it was obvious to all, his strength was leaving him. He kept rubbing his eyes, meaning that his vision was becoming blurry. He was going to pass out at any moment now. I have to give it to him, he lasted longer than I thought. ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop now?¡± I suggested. But that angered him even more. Ignoring my proposition, the boy gathered every last bit of his strength to cast one last spell. However, this time, in the confusion, he messed his incantation up. One stutter. Just one stutter. This is all it takes for an incantation to fail. Lucius knew it. He did manage to make a fireball appear, but this time, it was too unstable. He had no control over it. The fireball drifted randomly and ended up vanishing upon hitting the ground not even ten meters away from him. Either from the shock or from exhaustion, the boy collapsed on the floor, his eyes locked on the spot where his fireball was extinguished. He missed the target. And I wasn¡¯t going to miss it next. He knew it. It was his loss. Neither the students or the teacher said a word. Not even the students who were talking behind his back. Seeing him in this state, who would have the heart to say anything? It can¡¯t be helped, but I- W-WAIT! What are you doing Lucius? Why are your eyes wet?! Y-You¡¯re not going to cry, are you? As disappointment over took him, tears started to flow down on Lucius face. S-Shit¡­ He really is crying. Come on, don¡¯t do that to me. Aren¡¯t you the one who started this? I am very uncomfortable with crying people. Crap, crap, crap. He¡¯s crying. In front of everyone. What about your pride, Lucius? Now the whole school is going to say that I made a boy cry. As his sobbing became uncontrollable, everyone started to panic. The teacher tried to cheer him up, praising him his performance, but Lucius wasn¡¯t listening. On the other hands, the students started to gossip among them, watching the scene their eyes full of pity. Some were glaring at me. Ah, fuck. Now I¡¯m starting to feel bad. Well, he is just a kid after all. That fight wasn¡¯t even fair to begin with. Fine. You win. As I raised my hand, preparing to launch another fireball, all eyes turned on me. They were probably thinking I was going to rub it in. But it was the contrary. ¡°Abracadabra.¡± A fireball gushed out of my hand, but as soon as it appeared, I made it vanish. Unable to comprehend the scene, the students exchanged doubtful looks. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Oh, what a shame! I ran out of mana!¡± I loudly exclaimed, making sure everyone one had heard me. The awkward silence didn¡¯t last long as the students quickly accepted my explanation. After all, there would be no other reasons why my fireball suddenly disappeared, right? Besides, from their perspective, it would make sense to run out of mana after casting so many spells -just like Lucius. Speaking of Lucius, he quickly regained control of himself. After staring blankly at me for a few seconds, he wiped the tears off his face and got up. ¡°Hah, it¡¯s my win!¡± He declared proudly, his fists resting on his chest in a triumphant pose. Well, he sure recovers fast. Lucius kept staring at me, his eyes full of confidence again, probably expecting some kind of reaction from me. Ah, yes, yes, you win. Whatever, kid. I showed enough for today anyway. The demonstration over, Mrs. Borge let out a relieved sigh. Applauses rippled around the yard as palpable excitement spread among the students. It seems that they had been quite satisfied with this display of magic. Among them, Vivian was particularly enthusiastic with her clapping. ¡°It¡¯s ok, you did great!¡± She shouted when our eyes met. ¡°You were awesome too!¡± I tried to hide a weak smile, seeing her attempting to comfort me after this ¡°defeat¡±. Completely oblivious of her surroundings, Vivian kept waving at me, a broad smile on her face. She sure is precious. After a few moments, Mrs. Borge decided it was time to call the class back to order and clapped in her hands a couple of times to catch our attention. It took some time, but the students eventually calmed down. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she spoke up once the silence was finally back. ¡°Hopefully you all will be able to learn something from this. This demonstration was surely-¡± ¡°Impressive!¡± Mrs. Borge turned in the direction of the voice who just cut her off and we all did the same. It was Mr. Glenn. He had stayed quiet during all this time, simply watching from afar, but now he was finally butting in. ¡°Really impressive,¡± he repeated all smiles. ¡°Don¡¯t you think so Mrs. Borge?¡± ¡°Of course Mr. Glenn. I¡¯m glad to hear you liked it.¡± Hearing the head teacher himself praising his performance, a candid smile spread on Lucius¡¯ face. This time, there was not the slightest trace of arrogance in it. ¡°I believe this deserves a place in one of my classes, what do you think Mrs. Borge?¡± A couple of voices gasped in surprise at this proposition. Some students started muttering in a low voice while others were eying Lucius with envy. The boy, who initially was as taken aback as his peers, quickly regained his senses. His smile grew wider, turning into something much less sincere. His ego was back. He was now glaring arrogantly at his peers. Anyone could tell what he was thinking. They were all hoping to join the big boss¡¯ class one day and were all training for this purpose, but he was the one who had been chosen. Mrs. Borge, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem surprised. She still had the same serious expression on her face, although there was a hint of resignation in it. ¡°I believe you are better-qualified than I, when it comes to this matter, Mr. Glenn,¡± she pointed out. The head teacher grinned. As he approached us, Lucius stiffened up, straightening his back. He tried to hide his growing smile, to appear as serious as possible. He didn¡¯t have to try for too long though. When the head teacher finally stopped at his side, his smile vanished on its own. Even though he was right beside him, Mr. Glenn had no interest in him. He was completely ignoring him. Instead, he was completely focused on me. The head teacher slightly bent forward to give me a smile. ¡°I expect a lot from you Lynett,¡± he said. Uhm¡­ Me? Lucius¡¯ expression fell apart as he realized that Mr. Glenn was talking about me. His mouth kept opening and shutting like a goldfish, but no sound came from it. The students were as dumbfounded as him, not comprehending the situation. Only Mrs. Borge seemed to have expected this as she let out a long complaining sigh. ¡°Why her?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Lucius do better?¡± ¡°She ran out of mana!¡± ¡°Uh, why me?¡± I asked, as confused the others. As they said I ¡°ran out¡± of mana first. So from an outside perspective, Lucius would be a better choice, even though he messed up his last spell. ¡°Seeing such a wonderful performance really lifted up my spirits! It even reminded me of something that happened to a friend of mine, a while ago,¡± Mr. Glenn commented, completely ignoring my question. ¡°Would you like to hear it?¡± ¡°Sure?¡± I responded out of politeness. ¡°Well you see, back when I was a teenager, I had a friend, whom I met in this very school actually,¡± the head teacher related. ¡°He was a disaster when it comes to magic, but he was excellent with the sword.¡± What the hell is he talking about now? ¡°It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach the top,¡± Mr. Glenn continued. ¡°He quickly found himself offered to became the disciple of a sword-master. And so he did become his disciple. But my friend was what you would call a genius, you see? So after a few years, he had already surpassed his master.¡± Yeah? I don¡¯t really care, though. Why is he telling me this? ¡°He was thirsty for power, but there was nothing left from him to learn from his master. So you know what he did, Lynett?¡± The head teacher asked. ¡°No I don¡¯t,¡± I replied, trying to hide the boredom in my voice. At this moment, an unpleasant grin spread on Mr. Glenn¡¯s face. ¡°He hid his own abilities,¡± he emphasized. A shiver ran down my spine as I suddenly understood the reason why he was telling me this story. ¡°He wanted to learn a new style so he went to find another master,¡± Mr. Glenn continued. ¡°But no masters would accept the disciple of a rival, you know? So that idiot tried to pass off as beginner. Very foolish of him, don¡¯t you think?¡± I broke into a nervous laughter. ¡°W-Why?¡± I wondered, as normally as possible. ¡°Because he got busted immediately! After all¡­¡± The head teacher gave me a meaningful smile. ¡°After all, the masters saw right through his act. No matter how clumsy his swordsmanship was, no matter how slow he would react, he couldn¡¯t fool them. Because a real master would be able to tell. By the way he holds his sword, by the way he walked. He could tell he was no amateur.¡± Fuck. Lucius and the others kept staring silently at the head teacher with confused expressions. They didn¡¯t understand the point of telling us this story. They couldn¡¯t. After all, the underlying message in it was addressed to me. Mr. Glenn placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned forward. ¡°Nice try, young lady,¡± he muttered with a smirk. Redressing himself, he turned in the direction of Mrs. Borge. ¡°Well then, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I must get going now!¡± The female teacher sighed. ¡°Of course.¡± Leaving the confused students behind, Mr. Glenn exited the yard. After a couple of meters, he stopped, turning around one last time. ¡°See you tomorrow in my class, Lynett!¡± He shouted, contentedly waving in my direction. ¡­ Shit. Humans can¡¯t feel mana, right? Part II Chapter 30 - Magic Lesson Chapter30 ¨C Magic Lesson
Lynett
I messed up. It was careless of me to think that no one would be able to tell. Most people wouldn¡¯t, but there are always exceptions. That¡¯s right, he is in charge of the magic department, of course he would be able to tell. It¡¯s not so bad though. I wanted to stand out, and now that the head teacher is keeping an eye on me, I definitely do. I¡¯m just hoping not to attract too much attention, to the point where the big shots would notice me. Just enough so that I would be selected as a participant for the upcoming competition, and that¡¯s it. I need to be forgettable. ¡°You are incredible!¡± Vivian exulted. I could almost see some stars in her eyes. ¡°Keep your voice down,¡± I advised. ¡°We¡¯re not alone.¡± After the class ended, I joined Vivian in the refectory for lunch break. It¡¯s been five minutes since we''ve sat down at the table, but she still hasn¡¯t started eating. Instead, she keeps talking about what just happened. ¡°The advanced class,¡± she dreamed. ¡°Do you even realize? You just arrived and you¡¯re already joining Mustache¡¯s classes! You are so awesome!¡± I could feel my cheeks turning red as she kept showering me compliments. ¡°But¡­ didn¡¯t you find it weird for him to choose me instead of Lucius?¡± I inquired. The young girl tilted her head, her eyes wandering. ¡°To be honest, I did at first, just a little bit,¡± she admitted. ¡°But since it¡¯s Mustache, he probably has his reasons.¡± Lost in her own enthusiasm, Vivian finally started eating her lunch. I¡¯ve already noticed it last time, but she seems to have a big appetite. This time again she took a big serving. Well, she¡¯s a growing girl, I guess? It was somewhat pleasing to see her eat to her heart content. No useless etiquette, just a girl and her meal. Our last meal together didn¡¯t go so well and she couldn¡¯t finish her dinner, so hopefully, this time it¡¯ll all go well. But of course not¡­ ¡°And have you seen Lucius¡¯ face? That was hilarious!¡± As Vivian burst out laughing, remembering the scene, someone kicked the bench she was sitting on, choking her laughter at once. When she turned around, she gasped in surprise. ¡°Glad to hear I amused you,¡± Lucius snarled with a threatening look. Vivian immediately lowered her gaze, her face flushing in embarrassment. The boy however, didn¡¯t pay any more attention to her than this. He immediately shifted his furious gaze on me. ¡°I want a rematch,¡± he demanded. I blinked several times at him. ¡°A rematch?¡± I frowned. ¡°What for?¡± Lucius¡¯ eyelids twitched as he shot me a deadly glare. Suddenly, he slammed the palm of his hand down on the table, causing the plates to jolt on the impact. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb!¡± He bellowed. ¡°I know you cheated!¡± What the hell? That¡¯s ridiculous. ¡°You stole my place!¡± He continued. ¡°I should be the one to go to the advanced classes, not you! So I demand a rematch!¡± Well, I can see where he is coming from, but that¡¯s really not my problem. In fact, I even let him win to save his face, isn¡¯t that enough? I sighed. ¡°Not interested,¡± I said as I took a sip in my cup of water. The boy glared at me for a few seconds. Then a smirk formed on his lips. ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that.¡± What is he thinking? Lucius straightened his back and took a deep breath, puffing out his chest. ¡°My name is Lucius Bain!¡± He suddenly shouted, attracting the attention of everyone around us. ¡°By the old laws of this school, I hereby challenge you to a duel!¡± ¡­ What? That¡¯s it? I frowned a little confused at the boy who was grinning confidently. And then I sighed. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you next- Wait what?!¡± His face washed blank in surprise, Lucius looked at me with wild eyes. ¡°I said I refuse,¡± I repeated with the same disinterested voice. ¡°You can¡¯t refuse a duel!¡± He exclaimed, outraged. ¡°Of course I can. I just did.¡± ¡°Do you have no honor?!¡± ¡°Nope, I don¡¯t.¡± Bewildered, Lucius stayed still for a few seconds. He had clearly not expected me to decline, not in front of this many witnesses. But I couldn¡¯t care less for my reputation. Thanks to my brother, it was already bad anyway. So I¡¯m not going to bother myself with him. The chatters of the surrounding people brought back the frozen Lucius to his senses. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just admitting in front of all those people that you cheated?¡± He finally got a hold of himself. I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was losing confidence. So I simply tilted my head at his accusations. ¡°I cheated?¡± ¡°Yes you did!¡± Lucius denounced, as he pointed at me. ¡°That incantation of yours¡­!¡± ¡°You mean ¡®Abracadabra¡¯?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t even mean anything!¡± Well, he does have a point, but that¡¯s not going to help him. After all, there is no way for him to check. ¡°Yes it does,¡± I lied. ¡°It means ¡®Fireball¡¯ in an ancient language.¡± The boy flinched at my casual explanation as the people around him were starting to grin out of amusement. I flatly refused his duel and now, his groundless accusations were making a fool out of him. He knew it. He clenched his fists, slowly losing patience. ¡°E-Even if that was true,¡± he grunted. ¡°What kind of chant is that short?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Why not? Such a simple spell as casting a fireball shouldn¡¯t have a long chant to begin with.¡± For the boy, it was straight provocation. I was basically telling him that he was the abnormal one, for being unable to cast a simple fireball without a long chant. Still, he couldn¡¯t find anything to retort so he simply took it in, his face reddening in anger. Around us, those who had listened to our conversation mocked the poor boy. Vivian was no exception. She tried to hide a chuckle with her hand, but it didn¡¯t escape Lucius¡¯ eyes. ¡°What are you laughing at?!¡± He vented his frustration on her. ¡°You think this is funny?¡± Startled, Vivian averted her gaze, but her smile was not subsiding. ¡°Well, kind of,¡± she admitted in a low voice, loud enough for Lucius to hear. The boy¡¯s eyelid twitched as the veins in his temples were ready to pop out. He couldn¡¯t tolerate the humiliation any longer, or at least, not coming from Vivian. ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you, dead-weight!¡± Lucius scoffed with a mocking grin. Vivian¡¯s expression immediately hardened at his words. So far, I noticed that the nickname ¡®dead-weight¡¯ was something she was especially sensitive about. ¡°You can¡¯t even cast a spell properly!¡± The boy continued. Vivian¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, so I glared at him. He was taking it out on her purposely. However, before I could say anything to him, Vivian spoke first. ¡°At least I can admit defeat,¡± she retorted dryly. Well, I didn¡¯t expect that. And neither did Lucius. ¡°What did you say?¡± The startled boy asked. ¡°You heard me.¡± Lucius ground his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose!¡± He shot. ¡°You were being dominated during the whole exercise,¡± Vivian stated with a sharp tone, slowly losing patience in her turn. ¡°And Mr Glenn chose her, not you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because she cheated!¡± Annoyed, the young girl got up from her seat to face Lucius. ¡°No she didn¡¯t! We were all here, we saw what happened, you lost!¡± The boy ground his teeth, unsure what to respond. I must say I¡¯m surprised as well. I didn¡¯t expect Vivian to suddenly take my defense. Giving a quick glance around him, Lucius noticed the crowd of students that had gathered around us, alerted by the sudden commotion. If he didn¡¯t want to lose face, he knew he couldn¡¯t back down. ¡°Who are you to butt in anyway? My business is with her! What are you, her lover?¡± He barked in a mocking tone in an attempt to humiliate her. But Vivian didn¡¯t react to his provocation. ¡°I¡¯m her friend!¡± She responded. ¡°Yeah, right!¡± Lucius sneered. ¡°I bet you forced your friendship because she¡¯s new! Let me guess, you got kicked out again of your group, right? And now you¡¯re leeching off of her, following her around like a puppy!¡± Actually, that¡¯s pretty much the contrary. As Vivian glared at him with wide red-rimmed eyes, the boy smirked.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°What? It¡¯s the truth!¡± He scoffed, provoking her even further. ¡°Dead-weight!¡± But not only did Lucius not expect Vivian to retort, he also not expected her to retort the way she did. Neither did I, to be honest. ¡°Crybaby!¡± The young girl spat. It was probably on the spur of the moment, but that one word was enough to send Lucius into shock. Only for a while, though, as fires of fury and indignation began smoldering in his eyes. ¡°Say what?!¡± He raged. ¡°We all saw you crying like a little girl when you failed your incantation!¡± Vivian shamelessly denounced out loud. ¡°How old are you? Even my ten years old sister doesn¡¯t cry when she gets hit with a belt!¡± The boy wrinkled his nose at her accusation, as the wide judgmental stares of the others around did not go unnoticed by him. He took a menacing stance. ¡°Are you picking a fight with me?!¡± But Vivian stood her ground. ¡°What if I am?!¡± Lucius took a step forward, until there was only a few centimeters left separating them. He glared right through her, but that wasn¡¯t enough to intimidate Vivian as she glared right back at him. ¡°Then I challenge you to a duel,¡± the boy declared, without breaking the eye-contact. ¡°I¡¯ll make you swallow back your words. You¡¯re going to crawl on the ground.¡± Vivian did not back down. ¡°Come at me, I¡¯m waiting for you!¡± ?????? Well, that escalated quickly. After their little clash ended, Lucius immediately stormed out of the refectory, leaving us behind. And now I¡¯m dealing with a completely depressed Vivian. It didn¡¯t take long for her to cool down, and once all the tension relieved, she immediately realized the situation she got herself into. The lunch break was now long over and the refectory was mostly empty, yet Vivian won¡¯t budge at all. After falling into a temporary state of panic, she switched to some kind of resignation mode. Her head down on the table, she kept muttering things in a barely audible voice. ¡°I am so dead¡­¡± Seeing her in this state, I really felt guilty. What happened kind of was my fault. She took my defense and ended up accepting Lucius¡¯ challenge instead of me in the heat of the moment. I wanted to comfort her somehow but I wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡°I am so fucking dead,¡± Vivian repeated. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I provoked him.¡± She sighed. ¡°S-sorry,¡± I awkwardly apologized. The young girl looked up at me. Reading the guilt on my face, she gave me a half smile. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± she tried to cheer me up. ¡°I¡¯ve always been like this. My mom always told me that my biggest flaw was being too hot blooded.¡± Yeah, I would¡¯ve never guessed, but now I can totally see it. ¡°She also told me to fix it if I didn¡¯t want it to be the end of me,¡± she swallowed an ironic chortle. ¡°She was so damn right.¡± Vivian let out another long sigh. ¡°Although it¡¯s been short, I¡¯ve enjoyed your company until now,¡± she eventually mumbled. ¡°Thank you for being my friend.¡± Perplexed, I frowned at her words. ¡°What are you saying?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re talking as if you¡¯re going somewhere.¡± The young girl smiled bitterly. ¡°At the end of the week, I¡¯m going to get my ass kicked by Lucius in front of everyone,¡± she explained. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be demoted.¡± My brows furrowed even further at her answer. ¡°Why would you be demoted? It¡¯s just a duel.¡± Vivian moaned in complain. ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± she grumbled. ¡°I already have bad results from the previous group tests, so if on top of that, I lose a duel, there is no doubt I¡¯ll be demoted next month.¡± The young girl grabbed her head and shook it in denial. After a few seconds, she stopped upon realizing something. ¡°And if this reaches my brother¡¯s ears¡­¡± She muttered in a worried voice. ¡°If Fabio ever hears about it, he¡¯ll definitely report it to our father! And father will pull me out of the school!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± I gesture her to calm down. ¡°You can¡¯t be sure about that.¡± ¡°Lynett,¡± Vivian looked at me with teary eyes. ¡°The only reason my father sent me to this school is because I had potential in magic. If he ever found out I got demoted after all this time, he¡¯ll pull me out of without a second thought. And then¡­¡± She marked a pause, her expression darkening. ¡°And then he¡¯ll sell me off to some old pervert,¡± she cringed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen how my father treats his concubines, I don¡¯t want to live a life like that!!¡± ¡°O-Okay, calm down!¡± I tried to reason her. ¡°You¡¯re his daughter, he wouldn''t do that!¡± Vivian stopped and looked at me. A weak smile played on her lips. ¡°I appreciate your optimism, Lynett, but you don¡¯t know my father,¡± she sighed. ¡°I¡¯m a girl, and the child of a maid on top of that. My only value in his eyes is to be married off.¡± Well, considering the duke¡¯s reputation, I don¡¯t doubt it. Seeing the now completely downhearted Vivian really saddened me. I wanted to cheer her up somehow. ¡°You know, you just have to win!¡± I declared. ¡°That way, you won¡¯t be demoted and you¡¯ll even teach a lesson to Lucius!¡± The young girl squinted at my statement. It was obvious, yet, she was clearly not even considering it. ¡°You want me to win against Lucius?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Vivian blinked at me several times before bursting out in laughter. But there was no amusement in her laugh. Simply pain and resignation. ¡°Lynett,¡± she called me out once her laughter had subsided. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear him? I can¡¯t even cast a spell.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you can,¡± I retorted. ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be in Mrs. Borge¡¯s class.¡± The young girl sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, I- I think I¡¯ll just show you.¡± Redressing herself, Vivian picked up a glass of water and put it right in front of her. She gave me a meaningful look before focusing all her attention on it. For a moment, nothing happened. She simply looked like a girl with a weird fascination for the cup of glass. However, after a while, I could feel her mana clustering in front of her. ¡°Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea,¡± she started chanting. ¡°Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee. Let the sacred water flow, ¡ºWater Blast¡»!¡± Her incantation over, the glass of water started shaking uncontrollably. And after a few seconds, it exploded, the liquid splashing all over the table. Uhm? I don¡¯t see what the problem is? She just casted a spell properly, didn¡¯t she? Moreover, her control was pretty good. No, actually, I¡¯d even say it was excellent. Learning how to control mana was the main issue of all mages, yet her control was almost flawless. Coming from a student, that was quite unexpected. So what is she talking about? Vivian was looking at me, waiting for a reaction. I tilted my head in confusion. ¡°Well, you can cast a spell after all!¡± A weak smile appeared on her face. ¡°But I can¡¯t do it again,¡± she explained, her voice full of frustration. ¡°Huh?¡± Vivian carefully picked up a shattered piece of glass and inspected it for a few seconds. ¡°The water¡¯s gone,¡± she noted. I frowned at her random comment. ¡°Well, you kind of broke that glass, so it splashed everywhere, yeah.¡± She smiled. ¡°Without water, I can¡¯t cast another spell,¡± she then finally clarified. Huh? As I tilted my head at her confession, Vivian sank deeper in her seat, slouching down on the table. ¡°My magic has a weakness,¡± she explained with a long sigh. ¡°It is limited to manipulating water from already existing sources but it can¡¯t create it. That¡¯s why most of the time I¡¯m unable to cast a spell.¡± Mmh? Unable to create it but manipulating from already existing sources? That¡¯s sounds like¡­ Uh, wait. Could it be¡­? That would explain her insane mana control¡­! Suddenly coming to a realization, my expression changed. I think Vivian misread it as disappointment as she apologized right after, but it was far from it. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you¡­ I would completely understand I you didn¡¯t want to team up with me anym-¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome!¡± I interrupted her, suddenly getting up from my seat and grabbing her hands. Startled, the young girl almost fell over. ¡°You are awesome!¡± I repeated. Vivian blinked at me confusedly several times. ¡°You have no idea how much of a genius you actually are!¡± I told her with much enthusiasm. But the poor girl couldn¡¯t understand my sudden high spirits. She squinted her eyes. ¡°Are you¡­ mocking me?¡± She asked doubtful. A huge grin spread on my face. ¡°Come with me.¡± Without really leaving her the choice, I dragged Vivian out of the refectory. I guided her outside, in a remote place of the courtyard with no one to bother us. As I finally stopped, the young girl spoke up. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± She inquired with a hint of concern in her voice. I let go of her hand and faced her, full of expectations. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you incredible you are!¡± I declared with assurance. Vivian frowned, still convinced that I was teasing her. ¡°There is no need for you to do that,¡± she fretted. ¡°I understand my own limitations perfectly. You saw it, didn¡¯t you? I can¡¯t create magic.¡± A large grin spread on my face. ¡°I saw it,¡± I confirmed. ¡°And there is nothing wrong with you. Let¡¯s just say that you have a condition.¡± Vivian¡¯s expression collapsed at my words. Did she misunderstand me? ¡°A condition¡­¡± She repeated, somewhat lethargic. ¡°As I thought, I¡¯m cursed, aren¡¯t I?¡± A curse? ¡°No, no, no,¡± I immediately denied, trying to clarify the situation. ¡°Rather than a curse, it¡¯s a [Skill].¡± The young girl¡¯s eyes widened at my explanation. That¡¯s right. A skill. It took me a while to notice their existence as they do not appear directly in the status window, but they are indeed present. I randomly discovered that fact a few years ago. Back then, Aoban was still living with us in the Whiteheart estate. He received the visits of private tutors everyday and as I came to watch one of his sword practice one time, his tutor said something that caught my attention. ¡°If you want to master the skill [Whirlwind], you¡¯re going to have to put forth more efforts than that.¡± ¡®Skill¡¯. Maybe it¡¯s because it sounded very RPG-like or maybe it¡¯s my [Administrator] instincts, but that one word really captured all my interest. And as the word ¡®Skill¡¯ kept crossing my mind while watching the two of them sparring, it appeared. The skills window. Later, I discovered that skills are actually much more present than I expected. Most of them are everyday-life skills, such as [Cooking] or [Smithing]. But some of them are much rarer. And if I¡¯m not mistaken, Vivian has a skill that is especially rare and precious. Let¡¯s check it out, shall we? [Skills Menu].
[Skills Menu]
[Forgery] lv1, [Herbalism] lv3, [Hijack] lv1
Well¡­ Let¡¯s not ask how she got that [Forgery] skill. What really interests me is¡­ Ufufu¡­ I wasn¡¯t wrong. [Hijack]. That¡¯s a goddamn OP skill she got here, and she¡¯s not even aware of it. ¡°A [Skill] you say,¡± Vivian finally managed to articulate, the initial shock subsiding. ¡°There is no way I would have a skill, I have never¡­¡± Her voice died down as she didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but I could tell what she was thinking. Besides the racial [Skills] or class [Skills], most [Skills] needed to be learned. In some rare cases however, newborns could be granted a [Skill] upon birth. It was completely random. Since [Hijack] is a high-level skill, I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s Vivian¡¯s case. It was an advanced version of the skill [Mana Control] so it¡¯s no wonder her control is so good. Normally, it would take several decades for a mage to master this skill. That girl has no idea how lucky she is. A dead-weight? Yeah, right. She just doesn¡¯t know how to use it properly. And since she doesn¡¯t know, I¡¯ll teach her. ¡°Listen Vivian, your mana is special,¡± I explained. ¡°It works like a parasite.¡± The young girl cringed upon hearing the world ¡®parasite¡¯. It¡¯s not the most enticing image, but at least, it¡¯s the easiest way to explain. ¡°That¡¯s why you need an external source of water,¡± I continued. ¡°Instead of generating magic directly, your mana needs a host. It takes over and seizes control of the mana in already existing sources of water.¡± Vivian stared blankly at me for a few seconds. Then, she finally spoke up. ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t it a huge disadvantage?¡± I clicked my tongue several times, shaking my index finger in front of her. ¡°Wrong!¡± I retorted. ¡°Quite the contrary!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a water mage! Without a source of water, I can¡¯t-¡± ¡°Look around you, Vivian!¡± I exclaimed, spreading my arms. ¡°There is water everywhere! In the trees, in the air, even in the ground! Just because you can¡¯t see it, it doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t any!¡± Erthia is a world of life, and life can¡¯t exist without water. This is why anywhere she goes, she is almost sure to find some water. It would have been more troublesome if her attribute was Fire, but fortunately it¡¯s not. ¡°I can¡¯t possibly control water that I can¡¯t even see,¡± she mumbled unconfidently. ¡°It¡¯s going to need some practicing, but by the end of the week, you¡¯ll be able to do it!¡± I assured her. The young girl stayed still for a while, seemingly unconvinced. Then, she displayed a weak smile. ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I¡¯m a water mage,¡± she said, dejected. ¡°How do you expect me to win against Lucius with water magic?¡± There seems to be a misconception about water magic. While at a high level, all attributes are equally powerful, it¡¯s true that at a low level, they don¡¯t always have the same worth. When it comes to combat magic, the Water attribute is the least appreciated. You can¡¯t exactly defeat your enemies by throwing some water at them after all. And although water does have some healing attributes, it¡¯s not as efficient as Light magic. Which is why water mages aren¡¯t really popular. However, Vivian¡¯s case is completely different since she has the skill [Hijack]. After all, [Hijack] works best with the Water or Air attributes. This is perfect. [Hijack] and water. This is going to be a deadly combo. ¡°It¡¯s exactly because you¡¯re a water mage that you will be able to win,¡± I revealed with a huge grin. ¡°First, you need to learn how to take control of invisible sources of water. If you manage to do that, then you¡¯ll never lose against Lucius.¡± Vivian frowned in confusion. She didn¡¯t fully believe me, but her eyes were betraying her interest. ¡°How?¡± She asked. The edge of my eyes cracked as my grin spread wider. ¡°Vivian. Did you know that the human body is sixty percent of water?¡± At first, the young girl didn¡¯t understand my point. She tilted her head, pondering for a few moments, before her face distorted in horror. That¡¯s right. The human body is mostly made up of water. The heart, the brain, the skin, the muscles¡­ Even the bones. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly be thinking¡­!¡± ¡°Of course I am!¡± I avowed proudly. ¡°If you learn how to control the water contained in living things, you¡¯ll be invincible! Because it won¡¯t matter who your enemy is! Whether they¡¯re a human, a beastman or a demon. Whether they¡¯re a warrior or a mage. Whether they¡¯re a prince, or even a king! It won¡¯t matter how many layers of armor they¡¯re wearing, since you¡¯ll be attacking from the inside! Whether you choose to explode their blood vessels, crush their lungs or¡­¡± I marked a pause, remembering something. ¡°Or even break every single one of their bones! You¡¯ll bring them to their knees within five seconds, they won¡¯t even understand what¡¯s happening!¡± Ah~ Good old memories! Vivian didn¡¯t seem to share my enthusiasm. ¡°That¡¯s barbaric¡­!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s smart!¡± I corrected. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to win?¡± She flinched. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to teach Lucius a lesson? Don¡¯t you want to show that asshole of a brother you have, what you¡¯re capable of?¡± Alright, I got her. She didn¡¯t utter a word, but her expression was speaking for herself. Her fists clenched in frustration, her eyes were burning with determination. ¡°Then I¡¯ll teach you!¡± I declared. ¡°Trust me, I¡¯ll make you rise to the top.¡± That¡¯s right. This is my gift as a friend. My reward for her, for standing up for me. Besides, the first trials of the tournament are group tests. I can¡¯t possibly pass by myself. Well, actually, I probably could but if possible, I¡¯d like to avoid that. I don¡¯t want all eyes on me. So if I¡¯m going to participate in the competition, I need my teammates to be strong as well. Behold, world. Starting today, I¡¯m creating a monster! Part II Chapter 31 - Teammates Chapter 31 ¨C Teammates
Lynett
Alright, this isn¡¯t so bad. I¡¯ve trained Vivian the whole afternoon and so far, it¡¯s going pretty well. I decided to start her training with a puddle. While it''s true that water is omnipresent in the environment, it¡¯s almost never under its ¡®traditional form¡¯. And that¡¯s a problem. Because the less pure it is, the harder it is to control. To begin with, water is almost never pure. Since it dissolves many materials, water is almost never just water. But the more it is mixed with other elements, the more adulterated the mana in it is, making it harder to control. Vivian has no problem with clean water, but this one puddle is already making things harder for her. Still, she¡¯s going to have to learn to go past that, as there is definitely going to be more than just a little bit of dirt mixed in the water of living beings. It¡¯s not like she has absolutely no control over it though. The puddle is reacting to her mana, and she can somewhat form a waterball with it. Somewhat. To be honest, it¡¯s not exactly a ball. It has an undefined shape, but at least, all the water is clustered together. For a first day, it¡¯s really not so bad. It¡¯s been a few hours since she started this exercise and I could feel her mana depleting, so I decided to call off our private magic lesson for the day. Exhausted, Vivian collapsed on the ground when I finally signaled her to stop. ¡°You¡¯re an even harsher teacher than Mrs. Borge,¡± she said, half-joking. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not doing too badly,¡± I grinned. ¡°But will I really be able to defeat Lucius at this rate?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I assured her, ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? You¡¯ll be ready by the end of the week.¡± Although not completely convinced, Vivian gave me a half-smile. I extended my hand for her to take it and helped her up. ¡°You and I are going to be invincible,¡± I told her, ¡°the upcoming tournament will be a piece of cake!¡± At that moment, I felt her slightly loosening her grasp as she looked at me, her eyes wide-open. Something¡¯s wrong. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t want to?¡± Thinking about it, I never really asked her if she was willing to join the competition. She agreed to form a team with me, but that was for the school¡¯s group tests only. She never said anything about the tournament. And those are two completely different things. In the tournament, there will be no wooden swords, no dummies, no magical defense to protect us. We will be in a real battle situation, against real people. Blood will flow, students will get hurt, and although extremely rare, participating could even result in death. This is not something I can force her to take part of if she doesn¡¯t want to. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to,¡± Vivian eventually explained herself, ¡°but as we are now, we can¡¯t really join the competition.¡± I tilted my head, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Lynett, have you read the general terms and conditions of participation for the tournament?¡± She asked as she read my expression. She means the stuff that is always at least five pages long to basically say nothing? Yeah, I never read that. As Vivian took my silence for a no, she gave me a weak smile. ¡°As I thought,¡± she sighed. ¡°You know, the first part of the competition are group trials. You need a team to enter the tournament.¡± I frowned. ¡°I know that. That¡¯s why you and I-¡± ¡°A five-person team,¡± Vivian then cut me off to clarify. Uh. HUH?! What? Never heard about that! There is a specified number of participants in one team? I did think they would limit it, but¡­ To impose a specified number of participants? I thought we could join with only two people, just like for the school¡¯s group tests. No, actually, thinking about it, it makes sense. Group test are all about performance, but the tournament is about competition. The different teams will face each other, so of course there will be a specified number of people in a team. Otherwise it wouldn¡¯t be fair. Damn. I must admit it, I didn¡¯t think about that. Vivian was silently chuckling, seemingly amused by my reaction. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that we need to find three other people to join our team?¡± I rhetorically asked. How am I supposed to convince three other students to join us when it took me fourteen years to find Vivian? ¡°If you absolutely want to enter the competition, then yes,¡± she responded, still chuckling. ¡°What about you? Do you even want to join the tournament?¡± The young girl shrugged. ¡°Well, to be honest I don¡¯t particularly care,¡± she admitted. ¡°I¡¯m only joining because you want to. The Grand Tournament is such a huge scale event, it is normally reserved to the brightest students. It¡¯s not something someone like me would even dream of entering. If it wasn¡¯t for you, this very idea wouldn¡¯t even have crossed my mind.¡± So I am dragging her into this competition after all. Sorry Vivian, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s worth it. ?????? It¡¯s alright, I got this. To make sure that Vivian¡¯s good will won¡¯t go to waste, I promised myself to find three other teammates. However, since I¡¯m already socially awkward enough as it is and since I can¡¯t exactly randomly ask people if they¡¯re willing to join our team, I decided to create flyers. Yesterday, after parting ways with Vivian, I spent the whole evening hanging out those flyers all around the school, after carefully choosing the most strategical spots. ¡®Looking for teammates to enter the upcoming tournament. I¡¯ll be waiting for you tomorrow after classes at the entrance of the Eastern Dormitories. My name is Lynett, I have golden eyes.¡¯ That¡¯s all it said, but it should be enough to attract some people. I didn¡¯t specify the gender, the age or even the class required to join -since anyone will do- so there should be a lot of people interested. Moreover, I mentioned my golden eyes. Not only it¡¯ll make it easier to find me, but it should also bait a few more people. It should be fine. I just have to wait for the classes to end. Anyway, today was a new day, and as promised previously by Mr. Glenn, I am currently attending his class. Surprisingly, it¡¯s going pretty well. I had totally prepared myself to being excluded, but besides the few weird looks I received when Mr. Glenn introduced me, the students don¡¯t treat me badly. They¡¯re simply ignoring me -but not in a bad way. Actually, rather than ignoring me, they just quickly forgot about me and returned their focus to Mr Glenn. Completely different from yesterday. Practical classes were different from theoretical classes. The students weren¡¯t dispatched in the different classes according to their age, but according to their level. However, since with age comes experience, there was still a correlation between those two. The beginner classes were mostly made up of children and pre-teens while the intermediate classes were composed mainly of teenagers. In this class, the students were all about my brother¡¯s age. Although they technically still fall under the ¡®teenager¡¯ category, the conscientiousness on their face made them look more mature, almost like young adults. I was definitely the youngest here. As I kept inspecting my classmates, impressed by their genuine diligence, a single thought crossed my mind, and a grin spread on my face. ¡®Lucius definitely doesn¡¯t have his place here.¡¯ Or at least not yet. He might be the best of his class, I can tell with one glance the difference of level. He¡¯s definitely not fit to be here, not for the next couple of months, maybe even years. It¡¯s no wonder Mr. Glenn wasn¡¯t impressed by him yesterday. I could actually have some fun, here. ¡°You guys know what day today is, right?¡± Mr. Glenn announced all smiles, his arms crossed in front of him. The students, however, didn¡¯t seem to share his enthusiasm, as a couple of them sighed. Mr. Glenn raised his arm. ¡°Go prepare yourself,¡± he instructed. Following the gesture of his hand, I noticed he was showing a bunch of equipment stacked together on the ground. Leather armors, gloves, helmets, shields and even some wooden swords. As I frowned in confusion, the other students immediately headed toward the equipment stack. Most of them put on armors and helmets, while others simply took a shield. But all picked up a weapon. What the hell are they doing? We are mages, this is clearly close combat equipment. Completely disoriented, I gave a quick glance at Mr. Glenn. He was displaying a broad smile in contrast to his students, devoid of any motivation. Unsure of what was going on, I imitated my classmates. Maybe he will explain afterwards? The shield was too heavy for me so I simply put on some leather armor and picked up a wooden dagger. As I returned to my place, I heard a couple of students sighing in frustration. ¡°I hate tuesdays¡­¡± Uhm? ¡°Alright, is everyone ready?¡± Mr. Glenn inquired in a loud voice. ¡°Yes!¡± At that moment, another class arrived. Accompanied by a female teacher in her thirties, the students were all holding a bow and were all wearing a quiver. Archers. ¡°Mrs. Ahl,¡± our teacher exclaimed as he spotted his colleague, ¡°we were waiting for you!¡± ¡°Mr. Glenn,¡± the female teacher greeted. ¡°I hope we¡¯re not too late.¡± ¡°Absolutely not, they just finished preparing themselves.¡± While the two teachers seemed quite friendly with each other, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case for their students. The newcomers were displaying wide grins, eying us in some kind of vicious way, while the students from my class simply sighed in resignation. ¡°Alright guys, take position!¡± Mr. Glenn instructed once he had finished his conversation. ¡°We¡¯ll begin.¡± The students all took a stance. ¡°Ready yourselves,¡± Mrs. Ahl ordered her class in her turn, ¡°draw!¡± Following her command, Mrs. Ahl¡¯s students all picked up an arrow from the leather quiver hanging from their shoulder and nocked it. They pulled the string and drew their bow backward, aiming at- Mmh? MMH?! W-Wait, wait, wait! What do they think they¡¯re doing right now? Aren¡¯t they aiming at us?! As I felt myself growing restless, I tried to survey my surroundings. None of my classmates were panicking -just me. In fact, it seemed like they were all used to this, ready to pounce. ¡°On the count of three,¡± Mr. Glenn¡¯s voice resonated in my head, ¡°one!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Wait, wait, wait! Is he being serious? ¡°Two!¡± For real?! He¡¯s going to let them shoot at us? ¡°Run to the woods,¡± I suddenly heard the boy next to me mutter, as he read the confusion on my face. ¡°Three!¡± The countdown reaching zero, a swarm of students erupted in a frantic race as all started to run in the same direction, trying to take shelter in the woods. Following the stranger¡¯s advice, I imitated my classmates. There was no need for us to turn around, we could all tell the shower of arrows was imminent. We could hear the piercing twang of the strings and the arrows whistling in the air. ¡°And don¡¯t forget!¡± Mr. Glenn shouted, ¡°you are not allowed to use magic!¡± What the hell is he talking about?! As the first rush of arrows arrived, those who had shields raised them above their head as the others did their best to avoid the rainfall of projectiles. They weren¡¯t real, but it still looked like it¡¯d hurt like hell to get hit by them. For a moment I regretted putting down that shield, then, I realized I could take advantage of my height to sneak into the crowd and use my classmates as protection. Desperate times call for desperate measures!
Agility +1
Oh, shut up [World System]. Not now. Surprisingly enough, I didn¡¯t fall behind. Maybe it¡¯s because as fellow mages, my peers shared the same crappy endurance as me? Or maybe they were simply just overequiped. In any cases, we all eventually managed to reach the woods. Taking advantage of the trees¡¯ protection, we stopped to catch our breath. ¡°Fuck¡­ Those goddamn archers¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to regret that¡­!¡± ¡°I fucking hate Tuesdays¡­¡± Trying to make sense of what just happened, I let myself fall on the ground. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I mumbled to myself. Is this like a normal occurrence in advanced classes? ¡°Oh, you survived!¡± Turning in the direction of the voice who just spoke up, I noticed the same boy who warned me to take shelter in the woods just a few moments ago. ¡°You¡¯re okay?¡± he asked. I looked up at him, still disoriented. ¡°What was that?¡± I repeated with a louder voice this time. The boy sat at my side, displaying a forced smile. ¡°The Tuesday exercise. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± My mouth dropped. ¡°You do this every tuesday?!¡± ¡°Every tuesday,¡± he sighed, ¡°Mr. Glenn¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°But¡­ Why?! You are mages!¡± The boy¡¯s lips curled into a wry smile as he let out a sarcastic snort. ¡°It¡¯s exactly because we are mages,¡± he explained, his voice betraying his resignation, ¡°since we¡¯re vulnerable to physical attacks, Mr. Glenn had this idea to make us train with other classes once or twice every week, to teach us how to dodge and how to defend ourselves. That¡¯s also why he wouldn¡¯t allow us to use magic.¡± That¡¯s insane! ¡°The other classes are fine with it?!¡± ¡°You kidding?¡± An ironic grin spread on his face. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t miss the occasion to practice with living and moving targets.¡± That goddamn Mustache! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get back at them tomorrow,¡± the boy tried to cheer me up. I tilted my head. ¡°Tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll switch roles tomorrow,¡± he explained as a sadistic smile crept onto his face, ¡°you just need to make sure to survive until then.¡± I let out a loud sigh, already discouraged. ¡°Well, as long as I stay here, it shouldn¡¯t be too complicated, right?¡± The boy looked at me with a blank expression for a few seconds before a smile played on his lips. ¡°I really suggest you not to,¡± he then advised, ¡°they¡¯re merely giving us a short break. In a couple of minutes, they¡¯ll go after us.¡± ¡­ You got to be kidding me. ¡°And that¡¯s not even the worst part!¡± he continued, his smile not subsiding. He was clearly enjoying my reactions. I sighed. ¡°Surprise me.¡± The boy marked a dramatic pause. ¡°Mr. Jorren¡¯s class will join too!¡± I slightly drew my head backwards, my eyes squinted, full of suspicion. ¡°Mr. Jorren¡¯s class?¡± I repeated. His grin grew wider. ¡°The warriors¡¯ class!¡± ¡­ Now this is just great. Looking down at the dagger in my hand, I suddenly understood the need for a weapon. That crazy teacher wants us to defend ourselves against actual warriors. And without magic. This is madness. I get that he doesn¡¯t want us to rely entirely on magic, but there is no way a mage would stand a chance against a warrior in close combat. This is not good. Without magic, I¡¯m pretty much useless. Should I cheat and use magic after all? ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± the boy recommended as he probably guessed my intention, ¡°he¡¯ll know immediately.¡± Yeah, I guess he would. Mustache, I hate you. ?????? I¡¯ve never been this exhausted in my life before. And when I say my life, I mean both my lives. After four hours, the exercise finally ended. To summarize it, I ran, I hid, I panicked. That¡¯s about it. I did end up cheating though. I tried to play by the rules, but ultimately, I realized my current physical capacities alone were far from enough to escape warriors, or even archers. So, since I couldn¡¯t use magic without taking the risk of being immediately found out, I used something that didn¡¯t need any mana. My administrator [Skills]. Although not an unbreakable defense, it did allow me to shake off my pursuers more than once. I can¡¯t believe this is legal to torture students like that¡­ Those archers and warriors were clearly having fun hunting us down. Now the only thing I want is to give them a taste of their own medicine. That goddamn teacher lost my respect. From now on, it¡¯s no longer Mr. Glenn. I¡¯ll call him Mustache, just like everyone else. Like, for real Mustache. A witch hunt -both literally and figuratively speaking- is definitely not the best way to raise one¡¯s physical capabilities! ¡­ Or maybe it is. I have to admit my stats rose faster in four hours than these past few years. That was the only benefit from this torture. I gained three points in agility and two in stamina. In four hours. Then again, my physical stats are really low to begin with, making them easy to rise. Only now I realize what kind of sluggish life I lead until now. Anyway, the time of deliverance was finally here. The hellish exercise over, I waited for Vivian at the refectory for the lunch break. The torture has ended, let¡¯s just forget about it. ¡°So, how was your class?¡± Vivian asked, her eyes sparkling, full of expectations, as she sat at my side. ¡­ Well, how should I say this? ?????? W-Why¡­? This is not good. That¡¯s not how it was supposed to be. I told Vivian that I wouldn¡¯t be able to train her today and asked her to simply continue the same exercise from yesterday. So after we finished our meal, she left to practice her magic while I headed to the Eastern Dormitories as planned. But this is not going well. I definitely mentioned the time and the location on the flyers, I even mentioned my appearance. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to find me, so why isn¡¯t anyone coming? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m hardly noticeable! I¡¯ve been here for at least two hours, and although I did receive a couple of glances from passersby, no one stopped so far. You can¡¯t possibly be saying that, out of ten thousand students, there isn¡¯t a single soul interested in joining the tournament, right? So what¡¯s the problem? Me? Am I too impatient? Maybe I am, it¡¯s only been two hours after all. ¡­ Alright. This is definitely not going well. I waited a couple more hours, and I could now see the sun slowly sinking below the horizon. The afternoon was reaching its end, leaving the door open for evening, and there was still no one. I sighed, realizing the harsh reality. No one¡¯s coming. As I stretched my body, getting ready to leave, I noticed Vivian approaching from afar. ¡°So, how was your training?¡± I asked once she got closer. Judging by her beaming face, it probably went well. ¡°Great! I can freely control it now!¡± she proudly announced. If that¡¯s true, then she really is progressing fast. There is no doubt that her [Skill] is helping her, but her enthusiasm also plays a role in her rapid growth. I guess she is what you would call a natural. ¡°I wish I could show you, but I ran out of mana,¡± she admitted, silently chuckling at her own clumsiness. Yeah, I can definitely tell she gave it her all. On the other hand, on my side¡­ ¡°What about you?¡± Vivian eventually asked. ¡°Any luck?¡± I sighed. ¡°None.¡± I told her beforehand the reason why I wouldn¡¯t mentor her today, but now it feels stupid. Not only did I miss her training but it was all for nothing. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± the young girl inquired. ¡°Well, no one¡¯s coming so there is no point in waiting any more than that,¡± I explained indifferently, trying not to show my disappointment. Vivian tilted her head to the side, her eyes rising to the sky, seemingly thinking about something. ¡°You know,¡± she spoke after a while, ¡°I saw a guy pacing on my way here. He had one of your flyers in his hands so he was probably interested. Maybe he¡¯s too shy to come?¡± ¡°Really?!¡± I exclaimed, my voice betraying my excitement. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Just around the corner.¡± Without wasting any more seconds, I grabbed Vivian¡¯s hand to drag her to the spot she just designated. We can¡¯t miss this chance. Anyone will do, we need teammates. Reaching the said-corner, I finally spotted the boy who was still pacing. I was seeing him from behind so I couldn¡¯t see his face, but judging by his height, he should be about our age. Perfect. ¡°Are you interested in joining our team?!¡± My sudden call caused the boy to flinch in surprise. He turned around, allowing me to take a look at his face, and as our eyes met, I tilted my head to the side. ¡°¡­Frost?¡± I frowned. ¡°W-What?¡± The boy tried to keep his composure. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I started as my eyes fell upon the paper he was holding in his hands. Remembering the reason I came here, my eyes squinted even more. ¡°You want to join our team?¡± ¡°No!¡± He immediately denied, hiding the flyer behind his back. ¡°I mean¡­ Maybe, I don¡¯t know.¡± As I gave him a judgmental stare, he became even more flustered. ¡°What! Whose fault do you think it is? It¡¯s not like I wanted to come, but I didn¡¯t have a choice! I had a team! I was going to participate! But ever since that incident with you happened, I was cast aside and no one else would accept me, and, and¡­¡± Watching him desperately trying to justify himself was pretty amusing, I must admit it. But let¡¯s not push it too far. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind you joining, you know?¡± The boy froze at my words as he silently looked at me for a few seconds. Eventually, he understood that I wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°Is that so,¡± he mumbled, his ears slightly flushing in embarrassment. It¡¯s not what I expected, but at least we have another person in our team now. ¡°What, you guys already know each other?¡± Vivian asked, clearly confused. I turned my attention on her. ¡°Yeah, something like that,¡± I responded, ¡°this is Frost. I met him the day I arrived here.¡± I omitted to mention the circumstances of our meeting since it was embarrassing for both of us. ¡°I¡¯m Frost,¡± the boy introduced himself to Vivian, extending his arm in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m a mage, I specialize in summoning magic.¡± ¡°Oh, nice to meet you,¡± Vivian shook his hand, ¡°my name is Vivian, I¡¯m also a mage. I specialize in water magic.¡± Frost¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Vivian asked, full of concern. ¡°You¡¯re a mage?¡± he inquired. The young girl nodded. Frost frowned at her. He directed his gaze toward me, seemingly expecting something, then toward her, and toward me again. ¡°She¡¯s a mage,¡± he muttered, clearly puzzled. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what she said,¡± I emphasized, raising an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re a mage,¡± the boy added. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°And I¡¯m a mage!¡± I crossed my arms in front of me, not understanding his point. ¡°So? Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Is that a problem? Is that a problem, she says!¡± the boy suddenly exploded. ¡°We can¡¯t win with this kind of team! I¡¯m out!¡± ¡°W-W-Wait! What are you talking about?¡± I panicked. It was already hard enough to find a single teammate, we can¡¯t afford to lose him. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Are you listening? She¡¯s a mage, you¡¯re a mage, I¡¯m a mage,¡± Frost repeated, the tone of his voice growing impatient. ¡°Mages are the most important assets of a team, which is why they are always protected by their team members. But if we¡¯re all mages, who¡¯s going to protect us?! We¡¯ll all be dead before casting the first incantation!¡± I¡­ didn¡¯t think about that. Out of desperation, I was willing to recruit anyone but he has a point, doesn¡¯t he? It might be a problem. We need to consider the balance of our team. I can handle myself since I can use [Voiceless Incantation], but I am certainly not planning on disclosing that, and I need to think about Vivian and Frost. ¡°Well, if we recruit two close-range combatants, it should be fine, right?¡± I suggested. But Frost didn¡¯t seem convinced as he placed a hand on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s suppose that we do manage to recruit two close-range combatants,¡± he considered, ¡°they¡¯ll keep busy two members of the opposing team. But what about the remaining three? In a five-person team, there is almost always one healer and one ranged fighter. That leaves us with one melee fighter, still.¡± Listening to Frost¡¯s rational explanation, Vivian nodded in approval while I could feel the headache coming. Do we really have to talk about strategy now? The tournament is in five months. ¡°You¡¯re a summoner, right?¡± Vivian asked, seemingly thinking about something. ¡°Can¡¯t your familiar be a tank?¡± Frost widened his eyes at the young girl¡¯s suggestion before bringing a hand to his chin, carefully considering it. ¡°It¡¯s risky, but I guess that could work,¡± he admitted after a few seconds. Vivian¡¯s expression brightened at his approval. ¡°So we just need to find two close-range fighters, right?¡± I summarized. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be so difficult.¡± Although I say that, I¡¯m not entirely confident in this. But for now at least, Frost is one of us. As I prepared myself to lead the way to the refectory, I felt the boy¡¯s hand holding me back. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he asked. ¡°The refectory,¡± I responded, ¡°I was thinking of going before it¡¯s crowded.¡± ¡°What about the recruitment?¡± I blinked at him several times before letting out a small sigh. ¡°You know, I waited the whole afternoon,¡± I explained, ¡°if anyone was interested, they would have come by now.¡± ¡°I think we should still wait a little bit more,¡± Frost insisted, ¡°someone might come last minute.¡± I really didn¡¯t have the courage to do so, especially after wasting an entire afternoon like that. But I didn¡¯t want Frost to threaten to leave either. He seemed especially persistent about it. However, before I had the chance to make a choice, I heard a little voice calling me out. ¡°Hello? Are you Lynett?¡± Wait, for real? Turning my head in the direction of the voice, I saw a small boy looking at me with beaming eyes. Although he was young, twelve years old at most, he was about the same height as me. Looking down, I immediately noticed one of my flyers in his hands. A smirk spread on my face. ¡°You¡¯re hired!¡± I enthusiastically exclaimed as I grabbed both his hands. ¡°Huh? Really?¡± the boy exulted in delight. ¡°Wait, what?!¡± Frost shouted, bewildered. Vivian didn¡¯t say a single word but I could see on her face that she was as surprised as him. ¡°Hold on a second Lynett, what are you talking about?¡± I pointed the paper in the boy¡¯s hands. ¡°He obviously wants to join our team.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean!¡± Frost exasperated. ¡°That¡¯s a child!¡± ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s also a beastman!¡± I pointed out. That¡¯s right. Beside his small size, the boy¡¯s most particular features were the little round ears sprouting out his head and the tail swaying on his back. He was a beastman without a doubt. But not any kind of beastman. The black stripes on his orange tail were speaking for themselves. He belongs to the tigerkin. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted a close-range fighter,¡± I told Frost, a confident grin on my face, ¡°You¡¯ve seen his tail, right? He¡¯s a tiger. What better close-range fighter than one of the most powerful sub-races of demi-humans?¡± Frost narrowed his eyes, carefully inspecting the demi-human boy. ¡°But he¡¯s a child¡­¡± he repeated, clearly reluctant. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate him because of his age,¡± I furrowed my brows as I tried to reason with him, ¡°I once saw a demi-human boy beat up a full-grown adult, and a trained bodyguard on top on that, within mere seconds!¡± Frost was not fully convinced. I could still read the hesitation on his face. ¡°He¡¯s a tiger, Frost, a tiger!¡± I emphasized. ¡°A super predator! A master hunter! A fearless combatant!¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± he finally gave in as he let out a long sigh. ¡°I get it! I hope you¡¯re right.¡± A broad smile on my face, I faced the demi-human boy. ¡°Welcome to the team!¡± I declared. ¡°As you already know, I¡¯m Lynett. Nice to meet you!¡± ¡°Welcome!¡± Vivian congratulated him in turn. ¡°I¡¯m Vivian!¡± The boy happily returned our smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± he beamed. ¡°I¡¯m Jalone!¡± Frost was the last one to introduce himself. ¡°I¡¯m Frost,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to ask this of someone younger than me but¡­ We¡¯ll be counting on you to protect us. I¡¯ve heard that the tigerkin make terrific melee fighters.¡± Jalone tilted his head to the side as he raised a single eyebrow. ¡°You want me to be a melee fighter?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re all mages so¡­¡± The demi-human boy blinked a couple of times at us before displaying a large smile. ¡°But I¡¯m a mage as well?¡± ¡­ Huh? Say what? ¡°I¡¯m a mage!¡± he repeated as he didn¡¯t get an answer. A brief and awkward silence settled in as we all exchanged meaningful glances. ¡°Dude,¡± Frost spoke up, ¡°can I quit, now?¡± Fuck. Part II Chapter 32 - Burden Chapter 32 ¨C Burden
Lynett
He¡¯s got to be joking. ¡°You¡¯re a mage¡­?¡± The demi-human boy crossed his arms in front of him and puffed out his chest, displaying a proud grin, completely oblivious to the gloomy atmosphere. ¡°I am!¡± He boasted. ¡°But¡­ You¡¯re a beastman,¡± Vivian hesitantly pointed out. ¡°I know,¡± Jalone blustered, still not reading the mood. ¡°I¡¯m amazing, right?¡± It¡¯s not that demi-humans can¡¯t be mages, it¡¯s just very uncommon -and for a good reason. To counterbalance their unmatched physical abilities, their intellect stat is significantly lower than any other race, greatly limiting their magic potential. And while it can be raised, sooner or later it will reach a cap and it won¡¯t be able to be pushed beyond that. It¡¯s a racial restriction. To put it simply, demi-humans just suck at magic. I cleared my throat. ¡°Uhm, don¡¯t you think you¡¯ll be better off as a melee fighter?¡± I suggested as subtly as possible. ¡°Like a warrior, maybe?¡± But the boy clearly couldn¡¯t read between the lines. ¡°I belong to a family of warriors!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°My siblings, my parents, and every single one of my cousins. They are all great warriors!¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°But it was my dream to become a mage,¡± Jalone suddenly added, the hint of nostalgia on his face. ¡°Magic is just so much more fascinating. It comes from nothing and creates miracles.¡± Ah, I feel you, boy. This is exactly how I first felt when I arrived in this world. ¡°Anyone can become a warrior where I come from, but not anyone can be a mage. So I¡¯ll be the first one!¡± Seeing the sparkles in his eyes, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell him we were actually looking for a melee fighter. ¡°My father was completely against it, though,¡± Jalone continued, lost in his own memories. ¡°He said that we were a bloodline of prideful warriors. That having a mage among us would be extremely shameful. So he disowned me!¡± Alright, this story is taking a dark turn. This was definitely not something to laugh at, yet the boy was recounting it with a bright smile. ¡°But I¡¯ll show him!¡± Jalone vowed in a triumphant pose. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the tournament, win every single battle and prove him wrong! I¡¯ll show the world that even a beastman can be a great mage!¡± I squinted my eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why you want to participate in the competition?¡± As the boy confirmed my assumption with a nod, I let out a long sigh. That¡¯s a honorable dream, I guess. But who can tell him that we don¡¯t want another mage in the team now? Definitely not Vivian. Her expressions kept changing as Jalone told us about himself. First, she was confused -as we all were. Then, she started pitying the boy. And now, she was looking at him with admiration. I can tell that in her heart, he¡¯s already one of us. She definitely won¡¯t be the one driving him out. I gave a quick glance at Frost. The remaining bits of his soul were slipping out of his body, his face completely devoid of any emotion. ¡°I¡¯ll summon something to be our meat shield,¡± I told him in a low voice. ¡°So it¡¯s fine that way, right?¡± Frost didn¡¯t react for a while. When he finally directed his gaze on me, he sighed loudly. ¡°Whatever¡­¡± ?????? To get to know each other and strengthen our bond, we decided to all eat together. What better icebreaker than a convivial meal? We waited a little more for other potential team members, but no one expected anyone else to come and no one did. By the time we arrived, the refectory was already quite crowded. However, it wasn¡¯t the peak period yet so we still managed to find a table without too much trouble. As usual, Vivian took big servings. Frost was quite surprised when he saw the amount of food on her plate. It was larger than his, even though she was a girl. But ironically enough, the one who had the most to eat on his plate was the smallest one of us all -Jalone. ¡°I¡¯m growing,¡± he simply said when we commented about it. ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t you come sooner?¡± Vivian asked the demi-human boy as she took a bite of her food. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the flyers?¡± That¡¯s very unlikely. I made sure to put them at places where everyone could see them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t read them,¡± Jalone responded with his mouth full. Vivien tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re illiterate?¡± The young boy nodded. ¡°Aren¡¯t classes difficult to follow if you can¡¯t read?¡± Jalone shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t signed up for most classes so it¡¯s alright,¡± he explained indifferently. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on becoming a diplomat, I only care about becoming a mage, so I don¡¯t need to know about maths or politics.¡± That¡¯s actually a rational choice. ¡°Then how did you find out about us recruiting?¡± I queried. ¡°I just happened to hear it. Some people in my class were talking about a team of outcasts being created for the tournament.¡± Vivian almost choked on her food. ¡°As a demi-human mage, no one accepted me so far, so I thought it just might be my chance,¡± Jalone continued. ¡°A team of outcasts?!¡± I sputtered, offended. ¡°Yeah,¡± the boy nonchalantly confirmed, still focused on his meal. ¡°Thats¡¯s¡­!¡± ¡­ actually pretty accurate. Thanks to Aoban, I¡¯ve been shunned from my peers the second I arrived, and Vivian was not only kicked out from her previous group, she also seems to be quite renowned for being a dead-weight in her class. I glared at Frost, who was not even trying to hide his laughter. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t laugh if I were you,¡± I advised, ¡°that also includes you.¡± That¡¯s right. Ever since the Pikachu incident, he is labeled as a bully. No one approaches him, and even his friends abandoned him. Realizing that, Frost choke down his laughter at once. And now, with a demi-human mage that nobody wants, we definitely are a team of outcasts. This is low-key depressing. ¡°By the way, do you have a name for the team?¡± Jalone asked, his eyes beaming with sudden interest. This boy just can¡¯t read the mood, can he? ¡°No we don¡¯t,¡± I responded. At this point, we might as well stay as the Team of outcasts. ¡°Then let¡¯s choose one!¡± he suggested. ¡°Our team isn¡¯t even complete yet,¡± Frost pointed out, ¡°it¡¯s pointless to name it now.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The demi-human boy sighed in disappointment. ¡°Then how about nicknames for everyone?¡± I squinted my eyes. He seems really eager about naming things. But it didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea. At least, it would allow the mood to lighten up a bit. ¡°Just Lyni for me,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m usually called.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re The Boss!¡± the boy interjected. I frowned. ¡°The Boss? Why am I The Boss?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the leader, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a leader.¡± Jalone mouth fell wide open as he looked at me with bewildered eyes. ¡°You need a leader!¡± he prompted. ¡°Do we?¡± I squinted, unconvinced. ¡°Yes!¡± Staring at the boy who was not going to let it go, I sighed. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± I conceded. ¡°We can choose a leader. How about we go with age? The leader should be the oldest, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ten!¡± Jalone enthusiastically exclaimed. Well, nobody was going to ask you but¡­ Ten? He¡¯s younger than I thought. He¡¯s quite big for his age, he¡¯s as tall as me. Is it because he¡¯s a demi-human? ¡°I¡¯m fourteen,¡± I said in my turn as I saw the boy staring at me with insistence. I glanced at Frost. ¡°Sixteen,¡± he casually revealed. We all directed our eyes to Vivian. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m seventeen.¡± That¡¯s surprising, she¡¯s older than I thought. She closer in age with my brother than with me. Thinking about it, I never really asked her age, right? ¡°It¡¯s settled then,¡± I concluded. ¡°Vivian¡¯s the leader.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± The young girl yelped. ¡°W-Wait, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m fit to be the leader! No matter how you think about it, aren¡¯t you a better choice than me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really want to be the leader though,¡± I confessed. ¡°Frost?¡± ¡°I pass,¡± he flatly declined. ¡°Then what about me?¡± A little voice spoke up. ¡°I can be the leader!¡± We all turned our attention to Jalone, whose eyes were glowing with expectation. Then, we exchanged a silent but meaningful glance. Ultimately, much to Jalone¡¯s disappointment, we decided to stay without a leader for now. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s urgent anyway. While the boy seemed quite motivated to become our representative, none of us were comfortable with letting a child be our leader. The rest of the meal went on peacefully. Forgetting about the team and the tournament, we shared stories and anecdotes about classes. Although they didn¡¯t attend the same course as they all had different specialties, the three of them were all in intermediate classes, so they were quite eager to hear about the things we did in advanced classes. But when I told them about the Tuesday exercise, they all blanched in horror. Afterwards, we talked about much more general things. Food, dreams, life in the capital. While Vivian and I were both from Agraal, Frost and Jalone came from different kingdoms, so it was quite interesting to hear about the differences between our nations. Just a simple and casual discussion between teenagers.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. School life isn¡¯t so bad after all. It was now pretty late in the evening and the hall was starting to become overcrowded. As we had long since finished eating, we decided to give up the table and continue our conversation outside. However, on our way out, we were blocked by someone. Oh for the love of¡­! Can¡¯t I just spend one peaceful moment in this goddamn refectory? Each time I come here, something always happens! ¡°What now?¡± I grumbled. It was Aoban. Again. Vivian and Frost both stepped away, averting their gaze awkwardly when they noticed him. I can¡¯t blame them, though. Their last meeting with brother didn¡¯t exactly go well. ¡°What is this?¡± Aoban asked as he showed me one of my flyers. ¡°Advertisement,¡± I coldly responded. ¡°I¡¯m recruiting.¡± Brother frowned, clearly not pleased by my answer. ¡°You¡¯re recruiting people through advertisement? Is this some kind of a joke?¡± I knew that whatever I was going to say, brother was not going to like it, so I simply gave him a silent answer. ¡°Lyni,¡± he called me out. ¡°Are you serious about participating to the tournament?¡± I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re going to find yourself in real battle situation. You might even get injured. You know that, right?¡± I nodded. ¡°What if I tell you to forget about it? You¡¯re not going to listen, are you?¡± I nodded. Brother clicked his tongue in exasperation before letting out a sigh of resignation. ¡°Take Lukas with you,¡± he then demanded. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to stay with you, but at least Lukas will protect you. He is quite proficient with Light Magic, he¡¯ll be a good healer.¡± I squinted my eyes at his unexpected request. ¡°Erm, no thank you,¡± I politely declined. Aoban frowned. ¡°What? Why?¡± Mmh, let me think. First, you¡¯re controlling enough as it is, I don¡¯t want one of your spies in my team. Secondly, Lukas is Uncle Jack¡¯s son. I¡¯d rather not have him involved in this competition. We might find ourselves with a conflict of interest. Thirdly, I haven¡¯t really spoken to him ever since I arrived. We¡¯re not exactly close, so I don¡¯t picture myself asking him to join my team just because you want to. And lastly, did you just say a healer? I think that¡¯s enough reasons for me to decline. ¡°We don¡¯t need a healer,¡± I decided to go with the last excuse. ¡°We have enough mages like that, we¡¯re already four.¡± ¡°You have four mages?¡± Brother scowled. ¡°Are you trying to go for a full mage team?¡± No, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m trying to avoid, thus not accepting Lukas. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We¡¯ll be the strongest mage team in the competition!¡± Oh boy¡­ I had forgotten about Jalone. As usual, unable to read the mood, the demi-human boy meddled in the conversation, a bright and ignorant smile on the face. At his side, I could see Vivian and Frost silently apologizing with their eyes for not being able to hold him back. Aoban frowned even further when he saw the unknown boy interjecting. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. ¡°My name is Jalone!¡± the demi-human boy happily introduced himself. ¡°A future archmage!¡± Brother inspected the boy with piercing eyes for a few seconds before turning his attention on me. ¡°That kid is in your team?¡± I didn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t dare to. I knew what he was thinking and I knew it wasn¡¯t good for me. Jalone was just a child, and a demi-human mage on top on that. Anyone would think that I¡¯m not taking this seriously if I told them I was planning to participate in one of the largest-scale competitions on the continent with him. Brother was no exception. As expected, as he took my silence for a yes, he let out a sarcastic chortle. ¡°Is this just a game for you?¡± he growled, his patience reaching its limit. ¡°Is this whole competition a joke to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not! I¡¯m serious about this!¡± I tried to convince him. ¡°Serious?!¡± brother repeated with an air of offended dignity. ¡°You call this serious? You think you can join with your team of clowns?¡± I widened my eyes. ¡°Clowns?¡± ¡°A kid!¡± Aoban shouted as he designated Jalone with his hand. ¡°One of the bloody bastards of the Duke!¡± he moved to Vivian. ¡°And let me guess, that little thug is also part of your team?¡± he finished, pointing at Frost. I couldn¡¯t find anything to retort as brother pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to get rid of the sudden headache assaulting his mind. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fifth member yet, do you?¡± he eventually asked with a calmer tone of voice. ¡°No, we don¡¯t,¡± I muttered. Aoban took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh, relieving his tension. Once he had somehow regained a cool state, he directed his gaze on me. ¡°Good,¡± he said before walking away. Good? I grabbed brother¡¯s arm, a restless feeling growing in my chest. ¡°What do you mean ¡®good¡¯?¡± I questioned. ¡°Since you don¡¯t have a fifth member yet, I¡¯ll make sure you never find one,¡± brother callously declared. ¡°What?!¡± Aoban¡¯s eyes were cold and cruel. He felt so distant. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you get yourself killed in that tournament,¡± he scowled. ¡°And since you¡¯re not listening and insist about participating, you¡¯re not giving me a choice. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re not eligible to even be selected.¡± I glared at him, dumbfounded. He is dead-serious. ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± I ranted. ¡°I need to participate!¡± ¡°Why?!¡± Frustration was building up within both of us as he couldn¡¯t understand why I kept insisting about the tournament. It was pointless and dangerous. But it was also necessary. ¡°For mom,¡± I reluctantly explained, realizing that I never truly told him. ¡°To protect mom.¡± It was the breaking point of his patience. As Aoban didn¡¯t get the full story, he still couldn¡¯t understand my point. ¡°You? Protect mom?¡± he sneered. ¡°Do you even know anything about mom?¡± His expression turned into something which I really didn¡¯t like. Disdain, irony, resentment. How am I supposed to interpret this? ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I grumbled, my eyes narrowed and set hard. ¡°It means that mom protects you. I protect you!¡± brother emphasized. ¡°You, are not protecting anyone!¡± At this point, he snarled more than he spoke. ¡°I could if you give me a chance!¡± ¡°How? By participating in some stupid competition?¡± Aoban snorted with laughter. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not!¡± He immediately refuted. ¡°You¡¯ve never been serious about anything Lyni, and that¡¯s the problem! You are always so carefree about everything, just like if life itself was a game to you!" Uh, well, about that¡­ ¡°You¡¯re so busy playing around you can¡¯t even see what everyone else is doing for you! How much we sacrifice for you!¡± I flinched. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you think I want to be here, in this stupid school? Do you think mom wants to stay in that goddamn residence, being looked down on, by even some lowly servants? It¡¯s all for you Lyni! For you! And yet, here you are, fooling around, exposing yourself to danger like an idiot!¡± His words kept crashing out unchecked, punching into the air, as brother let his heart out. ¡°I haven¡¯t asked for anything!¡± Aoban glared at me, a vein almost popping in his temple and his fists tightly clenched. ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake Lyni, once, just once, listen to me!¡± He begged. ¡°You are being such a burden right now¡­!¡± W-What¡­? ¡°What did you just say¡­?¡± I managed to mumble, my heart unsettled. ¡°You are a burden, okay?! A real pain in the ass!¡± As Aoban trashed out everything he had to say, something broke within me. My heart sank. My face became rigid, expressionless and I stopped listening to him as he kept spitting words after words. Once he had finally finished venting out all his frustration, my vision became blurry. Before I realized, tears started to form in my eyes and I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to hold them back for long. When brother saw that, all his anger suddenly vanished, just like if it never existed, as his expression collapsed in regret. He had went too far and he knew it. But it was too late. He had said the forbidden word. In one instant, old memories started to flow back as the same single word kept resonating in my mind. Something, that I buried deep within my heart a long time ago, suddenly arose. Shit. ¡®burden¡­¡¯ Not now, not after all this time. ¡®¡­burden!¡¯ Shut up. I had finally erased that memory from my mind, so why now? Stop remembering, Aileen. Stop. This is all in the past. You are Lynett now. ¡®This child is a burden!¡¯ ?????? I hate God. But when did I start hating him? Why did I start hating him? Was it because of my cancer? No, it was way before that. My father¡¯s family was catholic. But they weren¡¯t just your average catholic family going to the church every Sunday. No. They were real fanatics. They believed in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and in the Trinity. They believed in the reality of good and evil, and in heaven and hell. They worshiped the Virgin Mary and put the Church teachings above secular ideologies. My mother, on the other hand, was not only an atheist, she was also a divorcee. For my father¡¯s parents, who strongly believed in the indissolubly of marriage, her arrival in the family was not looked upon favorably. Still, despite their objections, my parents still got married. The first few years of their marriage were pretty decent. My grandparents weren¡¯t the most welcoming parents-in-law, but they were somewhat bearable while my uncles and my aunts were pretty friendly with my mother. As the first born of eight children, my father¡¯s marriage was celebrated quite enthusiastically. However, it all changed when it was discovered that my parents had fertility problems. After a couple of years without birth, the behavior of my father¡¯s family changed drastically. My grandparents jumped on the first occasion to blame my mother for the lack of pregnancy. They blamed her for using birth control pills the first few years of their marriage, they blamed her for her lack of faith. Since a child was a blessing of god, it could only be her own fault if she didn¡¯t get pregnant. ¡®You deserve this.¡¯ Of course, this was too much for my parents to bear. My father did not hesitate to put an end to this toxic relationship with his parents as they wouldn¡¯t stop shaming his wife. His siblings weren¡¯t any better. While they stayed supportive on the surface, they were low-key agreeing with my grandparents and would often talk behind my parents back. In the end, my father broke all ties with his family, staying in touch with only one of his sisters. My birth only made things better for a short time. When it was found out that my mother was pregnant, after almost twenty years without a single call, my father finally reached out his parents. While they had been terrible parents to him, he still wanted to give them a chance with me. But then I got sick, and he soon enough regretted that decision. I have very few memories of my grandparents, but I do remember one thing. I remember waking up one night hearing voices arguing. I remember walking down the stairs and stopping in front of the living room. I remember not entering immediately as there was no need for me to. The dispute came right through the walls, as loud as a radio playing music. I could recognize my parents, but I couldn¡¯t recognize the other voices. Their words were very clear, though. ¡®You brought this on yourself, this is a punishment from God! That child is a burden!¡¯ Although I couldn¡¯t completely understand back then, I wasn¡¯t stupid. I knew they were talking about me, and I knew it wasn¡¯t in a good way. And when I finally entered the room, I saw them. This is my clearest memory of my grandparents. Them, looking down on me with their eyes full of hatred as my mother took me away. I did not receive a religious upbringing so I didn¡¯t really know who that God they were talking about was. But at that time, my grandparents were, for me, the very personification of evil. I didn¡¯t know who that God was and I didn¡¯t know if he existed. But if he did, and if he was loved by such people, then he could only be evil. That¡¯s how before I could even completely grasp the concept of God, I started hating him. And by the time I was old enough to understand that my grandparents were abnormal, my heart was already too tainted with resentment to embrace this God of theirs. This is only one memory, but this one memory is etched in my mind as clear as if it was yesterday. Because my grandparents had a point. I was a burden. I was no blessing, I was only filling my parents¡¯ life with hardships and anxiety. It was not worth the very few happy moments we shared. Millions of questions sprouted in my mind when I got reincarnated here, but there is one thing I always told myself. That this time, I wouldn¡¯t be a burden. Yet, here you are, brother. You, of all people, calling me a burden. My heart drowning in feelings of betrayal, regret and disappointment, and my mind flooded with painful memories, I was unable to hold back the tears. I could feel them flowing down my face uncontrollably. I had cried before, I was good at faking it. But this was the first time since I got reincarnated that I was genuinely crying. Family is never perfect, but at least, I thought that Aoban would never hurt me. I thought we could be here for each other. Ever since I got reborn, he has always been my closest friend, so why would he say that? I know it¡¯s not the same. I know. He¡¯s not looking at me the way my grandparents were. His eyes aren¡¯t filled with contempt. Instead, he¡¯s looking at me tenderly, his expression full of concern. I can tell he¡¯s already regretting his words, but I can¡¯t help it. I keep seeing my grandparents¡¯ face overlapping with his and I hate it. Unable to watch me in this state any longer, Aoban broke eye-contact. ¡°Go home Lyni,¡± he muttered, his voice filled with regret. ¡°You don¡¯t belong here.¡± His shoulders slumped, brother turned around. He had shattered something and he knew it, but he wasn¡¯t going to apologize. ¡°W-Wait,¡± I tried to articulate through my uncontrollable sobbing. But brother didn¡¯t look back. Instead, he kept walking away. ¡°Wait¡­!¡± I pleaded as my bottom lip kept quivering, more tears threatening to spill. I was definitely clearer this time, but brother still didn¡¯t stop. He was leaving and I didn¡¯t have the heart to hold him back. My mind and my body were in conflict. I wanted to grab his hand, I wanted to make him stay, but my body just wouldn¡¯t listen. Is that it? Is that really all? Are you just going to leave, Aoban? ¡®Hello Lynett! My name is Aoban, I¡¯m your big brother!¡¯ I suddenly remembered my first meeting with Aoban. His smile, his voice¡­ His innocence. ¡°Hold it right there¡­¡± Memories flooding back into my head, I could finally feel my muscles regaining some strength. That¡¯s right. I do remember that little boy with messy hair looking down on me with beaming eyes, vowing to protect me. I still remember. You¡¯re not getting away with it Aoban. You can¡¯t just leave like that. You don¡¯t get to just throw away everything we had until now just like that. But you¡¯re not going to change your mind and you¡¯re not going to apologize, I know that. I know you. You¡¯re more stubborn than a mule. So I¡¯ll make you. I¡¯ll force you to change your mind. I¡¯ll shove it into your head until you understand. Even if it means that I need to confront you. Even if it means that I need to break your spirit... I¡¯m not throwing away our relationship! Finally regaining full control of myself, I wiped the tears on my face and clenched my fist, my expression hardening. ¡°HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, AOBAN WHITEHEART!¡± My voice resonating in the hall, brother had no choice but to stop. He turned around, looking at me with wild eyes. I had called his full name, so he knew it wasn¡¯t good. I shot him a glare, my eyes burning with determination. I took a deep breath. ¡°My name is Lynett Maedis Whiteheart!¡± I loudly declared. At that moment, Aoban understood what I had in mind as his face collapsed in one instant. But I didn¡¯t give him the time to stop me. ¡°Aoban Whiteheart!¡± I called out. ¡°By the old laws of this school, I hereby challenge you to a duel!¡± Brother immediately turned blue in the face. ¡°Take that back!¡± He ordered. ¡°No.¡± I had trapped him in a situation where he couldn¡¯t escape. In front of this many witnesses, Aoban won¡¯t be able to refuse. His honor won¡¯t let him do so, even if I am his sister. I could feel many stares on us. The entire hall fell silent. Not everyone had followed our dispute, but everyone shared the same expression on their face. Vivian and Frost both froze in astonishment. Blood drained from their face, they completely lost their colors as they displayed their best grimace at me. Even Jalone, who so far couldn¡¯t read the mood, was giving me a concerned look. That¡¯s how serious the situation was. ¡°Do you even understand what you¡¯re doing right now?¡± Aoban growled. ¡°I perfectly am.¡± For a while, brother glared right through me. But as he understood I had no intention of backing down, his face slightly softened. ¡°Fine.¡± His expression changed from furious to serious. He straightened his back, facing me. ¡°My name is Aoban Whiteheart,¡± he announced sharply. Realizing where this was going, Vivian quickly regained her senses as she grabbed my clothes, trying to attract my attention. But I ignored her. I knew what she wanted. She wanted me to withdraw, and I had no intention of doing so. Aoban marked a pause, as we both glared at each other. His eyes hardened. ¡°I hereby accept your challenge.¡± Part II Chapter 33 - Go-Ahead Chapter 33 ¨C Go-Ahead
Lynett
¡°What were you thinking?!¡± Alright, I¡¯ve done it. ¡°Do you even realize your situation?!¡± There is no turning back now. ¡°Lynett, are you listening?!¡± Vivian¡¯s ringing voice forcefully pulled me out of my thoughts. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± After accepting my challenge, Aoban left the refectory and as soon as he disappeared, I was dragged out, away from the growing commotion. We were now in a secluded place, not too far from the dormitories, and although I haven¡¯t checked out of politeness, I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s been at least ten minutes that I¡¯ve been listening to Vivian¡¯s non-stop nagging. It feels like I¡¯m being scolded by my mother, really. Once she finally seemed to have finished, she bit her cracked lips and buried her head in her arms, slowly shrinking. She looks ten times more worried now than she was when she realized she accepted Lucius¡¯ duel. ¡°I think what you did was really cool,¡± Jalone¡¯s hesitant voice broke the silence. ¡°Don¡¯t encourage her!¡± Scolded Vivian. I smiled wryly at her, trying to ease her worries. ¡°It¡¯s just a duel, you know? Just like you and Lucius. It¡¯s the same thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m mad at you!¡± The young girl stressed, her voice filled with both concern and anger. ¡°You¡¯re repeating my same stupid mistake! You got carried away by your emotion and signed your own death warrant! Besides, it¡¯s not the same thing! You¡¯re not fighting Lucius, your opponent is Aoban Whiteheart! He¡¯s a swordsman, and one of the best!¡± Yeah, yeah, brother is amazing, I get it. ¡°Vivian,¡± I called her out. ¡°Just worry about your own duel, I¡¯ll take care of mine.¡± Her eyelids twitched at my unreasonable demand. ¡°Have you forgotten? I promised you that you would win,¡± I reminded her, ¡°and I certainly intend to do the same. So have some faith in your friend.¡± The young girl stayed silent for a few seconds, her eyes squinted, before a forced smile appeared on her face. ¡°That¡¯s unfair of you. To use the friendship card.¡± I grinned. As Vivian let out a resigned sigh, Jalone suddenly butted in front of me. ¡°I have faith in you!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for you!¡± A little surprised at first, I smiled at his enthusiasm. ¡°Thanks,¡± I patted his head. The boy happily received my gratitude and Vivian finally let out a small chuckle, only Frost had yet to make a comment about this seemingly hopeless fight. ¡°Can you win?¡± He eventually spoke up. I turned my attention to him. His arms crossed in front of him, he was looking at me stoically. ¡°I¡¯ve already had a glimpse of your powers,¡± he continued. ¡°I know you¡¯re strong, much stronger than you look. But can you win against your brother?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell if he was worried about me or simply assessing my power as a teammate. I tilted my head to the side. ¡°I can,¡± I nonchalantly responded. Despite a very slight squint of his eyes, Frost¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being overconfident?¡± He inquired. ¡°You realize your opponent is a swordsman, right? No matter how skillful you are, as a mage, you are clearly at a disadvantage here.¡± That would have been true for anyone else, but I¡¯m me, so I¡¯ll be fine. Since Frost only received a sigh from me as an answer, he continued. ¡°I know he¡¯s your brother but¡­ Do you really understand how strong he is? Have you ever even seen him fight seriously?¡± ¡°Have you ever seen me fight seriously?¡± I retorted with a slightly irritated tone. Frost did not answer immediately. I could guess that he was recalling our little clash from the other day. By now, he probably understood that I was merely toying with him back then. ¡°What are your chances for this fight?¡± Frost finally asked, after remaining silent for a while. His rigid eyes were giving me a hard stare. I smirked, raising both my thumbs up. ¡°One hundred percent!¡± Vivian and Jalone both gasped at my bold declaration. Frost, on the other hand, kept his composure. However, his expression softened a little. Whether he believed me or not, my assurance relieved him to some extent. ¡°Don¡¯t let us down then,¡± he said, displaying a half smile. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you.¡± ¡°Why do you care?¡± I sneered. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s just a duel, it¡¯s not a group fight. Whether I win or lose, it won¡¯t affect you in any way.¡± ¡°It will,¡± the boy sighed, his facial muscles tensing up once again. ¡°Our group¡¯s image is already bad enough as it is. We have a reputation to build.¡± I guess that¡¯s true. ¡°So don¡¯t you dare lose or I¡¯m out of the team,¡± he added, hopefully jokingly. Not that I intend to lose, though. ?????? After somehow easing their mind, I parted ways with my teammates. It was getting late and the curfew was approaching, but since the dormitories were close, it didn¡¯t take me long to return to my room. Thankfully, I didn¡¯t come across a lot of people on my way back. Considering my brother¡¯s reputation, the news of my duel with him surely spread around the school, so I didn¡¯t really want any more judgmental stares. I had finally calmed down after all. ¡°You have some guts,¡± Nomi declared as soon as I entered the room. She was looking at me with a smug face, her lips forming a full grin. Fuck, she knows. I tried to ignore her as I closed the door behind me and headed straight to my bed, but she had no intention of leaving me alone. ¡°I heard you challenged your brother to a duel,¡± she smirked, clearly amused by the situation. ¡°So what?¡± I sighed. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re brave or just stupid!¡± ¡­Ok, maybe I¡¯ll just ignore her completely. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be upset,¡± Nomi called out as she read my expression. ¡°I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°As if,¡± I grumbled. ¡°I bet you can¡¯t wait to see me bite the dust.¡± ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m on your side,¡± she repeated. ¡°I¡¯m hoping for your victory.¡± The young elf was displaying a large smile. It was hard to read her. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was serious or simply mocking me. So far, she has only acted with hostility toward me, so it was difficult to believe in her sudden support. ¡°You think I can win?¡± I inquired, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Of course not.¡± Yeah, figures.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°I said I was on your side, but it doesn¡¯t mean I think you can win,¡± the young elf shrugged. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re a mage, right? In a duel, you barely have any chance against a swordsman. And your opponent isn¡¯t just any swordsman. Only an idiot would actually believe you can win this fight.¡± ¡°Then why are you on my side?¡± Nomi gave me a meaningful look as a grin crept onto her face. ¡°Well, I¡¯d give anything to see the great honor student, Aoban Whiteheart, defeated by his own sister. That would be quite a sight, don¡¯t you think?¡± Ah, I get it. She may not like me, but she dislikes my brother even more. What¡¯s her problem, for real? ¡°So, here¡¯s a tip to help you for the duel,¡± Nomi continued since she received no answer from me. ¡°Your brother¡¯s swordsmanship is quite exceptional, but it has a weakness.¡± I frowned at her words, as she suddenly piqued my interest. ¡°His fighting style is exclusively offensive,¡± she explained. ¡°He is terribly lacking when it comes to defense, so it¡¯s not so hard to lay a hit on him. Just don¡¯t let him attack first.¡± That¡¯s quite interesting, although I doubt it will really help me. But¡­ ¡°How do you know that?¡± I asked, my eyes full of suspicion. ¡°I¡¯ve sparred with him a few times,¡± the young elf casually revealed. ¡°I just figured out that the best way to fight him was to not let him land one hit after another.¡± My eyes squinted even further. ¡°You¡¯ve sparred with him?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Nomi confirmed, ¡°we¡¯re in the same class.¡± The same- wait¡­ ¡°You took the swordsmanship major?¡± The young elf nodded. Ah¡­ First a demi-human mage, now an elven swordswoman. What is the world coming to? I set different stats for each race for a reason. But if she¡¯s in the same class as Aoban, then she must be in the advanced classes, right? Then it means she¡¯s actually good at it? As Nomi remained indifferent to my judgmental stare, I suddenly realized something. A swordswoman? ¡°Are you interested in the upcoming Tournament?¡± I asked. The young elf didn¡¯t answer. She simply frowned at the sudden change of subject instead. ¡°Would you like to-¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask me to join your team, are you?¡± Nomi cut me off. Uh¡­ Yes? ¡°In case you¡¯ve forgotten, let me remind you that I am not your friend,¡± she continued in a dry tone of voice. ¡°Just because I¡¯m supporting you in your duel, it doesn¡¯t change a damn thing.¡± Right. The usual disdain and arrogance in her attitude returned, her previous amiability vanishing in one instant. Well, at least, that¡¯s the Nomi I know.
Harri
The smell is very subtle but the flavors are strong. The sweet and creamy aroma awakes my taste-buds as I let the warm drink sit on my tongue. The taste is rich and unique. It leaves an alluring sweetness in the mouth after each sip. This one is definitely much stronger than the one from yesterday. ¡°Do you not enjoy your tea?¡± I asked the young woman sitting next to me, as I take another sip. ¡°Mmh? Ah, no, it¡¯s good,¡± Azariah responded after gathering her thoughts. She¡¯s been daydreaming a lot lately, completely unaware of her surroundings. ¡°Do you have something on your mind?¡± The young elf remained silent for a while, staring blankly at her cup. ¡°I was just thinking about that boy,¡± she eventually explained. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have let him go, after all.¡± Axis, mmh? ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about him,¡± I advised. ¡°I told you I¡¯ll take care of it. He should have arrived safely by now.¡± ¡°I hope so, but¡­¡± She has a kind heart. ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, we¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± Although that is very unlikely. ¡°But where is Yoko?¡± I tried to ease her mind, moving to another topic. ¡°She was supposed to meet with us a long time ago.¡± ¡°Lady Yoko is in the mistress¡¯ chambers,¡± the maid beside us answered. Again? ¡°Would you like me to go pick her up?¡± I sighed loudly. ¡°No, there is no need. It¡¯s only a matter of time before she joins us anyway.¡± Yoko has been more aggressive these past few days. Is she growing impatient? At this point, it¡¯s just stalking, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Is she going to be alright?¡± Azariah asked, her eyes tight, full of concern. ¡°She will,¡± I smiled gently at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± At that moment, a loud crash coming from upstairs resonated in the mansion. And here we go again¡­ Suddenly, a swarm of servants started to rush back and forth in the hallway, running frantically, as the maid beside us tried not to pay attention to it. ¡°What is it this time?¡± I complained. One of the servants, who had heard me, stopped at our side. ¡°We apologize for the commotion, we will deal with this immediately,¡± he bowed his head. I feel sorry for them, always cleaning up after Yoko. ¡°What did she do?¡± I asked. He seemed hesitant to reply. ¡°Well, Lady Yoko she¡­ She replaced the mistress¡¯ shampoo bottle with¡­ glue.¡± ¡­ Oh, come on, Yoko. This is just childish. I placed a palm across my face, letting out a loud sigh of dismay, as the two women at my side gasped in horror. ¡°The mistress,¡± the maid quavered. ¡°D-Did she¡­?¡± ¡°She washed her hair with it,¡± the servant confirmed her unspoken thought. ¡°She is furious.¡± Wouldn¡¯t be the first time. Azariah suddenly got up from her seat. ¡°W-We need to find Lady Yoko!¡± She exclaimed, her face completely blanched. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I tried to reassure her, unsuccessfully. ¡°No, no, no, we need to find her before Lady Nora does or¡­!¡± The rest of her sentence remained choked in her throat, but the fear on her face spoke for herself. Judging by their expressions, the servant and the maid shared her feelings. At that moment, completely oblivious to the mood, Yoko entered the room. Ignoring the astonished servants staring at her, she carefreely came to join us, a proud smile on her face. ¡°You should have seen her face!¡± She boasted, letting herself fall into one of the seats. ¡°You are being so immature,¡± I complained in a low voice. ¡°Silly pranks like this are the best way to deal with people like her!¡± She bragged, a wide grin playing on her lips. ¡°A prank¡­?¡± Azariah mumbled, bewildered. ¡°My Lady, do you realize what you¡¯ve just done?!¡± Yoko played dumb as she silently tilted her head, an innocent smile on her face. ¡°Lady Nora is especially sensitive when it comes to her hair!¡± The young elf explained in a panic. ¡°Ever since she-!¡± The loud sound of a door slamming interrupted her as the said-Lady barged into the room, followed by a couple hand-maids. Everyone froze in horror at her sight. Everyone except Yoko. As if she had been expecting her, the grin on her face spread larger. ¡°My Lady!¡± The servants quickly greeted her. But the mistress of the house completely ignored them. Her eyes were set on Yoko and Yoko only. She stomped her way to us as the goddess at my side remained perfectly still in her seat, unimpressed. ¡°You!¡± She snarled, glaring furiously at Yoko. ¡°I like your hairstyle,¡± Yoko noted with a smile, clearly provoking her. Her hair was a mess. Usually long and smooth, it was now unruly, all tangled up on her head, and vaguely resembling a bird¡¯s nest. I must admit it, it is quite an amusing sight. However, beside Yoko, the others were completely frozen in fear, they clearly didn¡¯t share this thought. ¡°Do you have a death wish?!¡± The little lady yelled. ¡°To offend me in my own house, do you want to be hanged?! I do not care if you are a guest or a foreigner, I will not let this go!¡± ¡°Offend you? This is a misunderstanding, My Lady,¡± Yoko declared, purposely exaggerating her innocent act. ¡°I would ne-ver~! I admit switching the two bottles was my mistake, but aren¡¯t you also to blame for not explaining to the poor ignorant guest that I am which one was the shampoo bottle?¡± ¡°Explain?! What kind of idiot doesn¡¯t tell the difference between shampoo and glue!¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Yoko exclaimed as she clapped her hands. ¡°Only an idiot would actually put glue in their hair!¡± Ah¡­ She¡¯s not even trying to be subtle about her provocation. ¡°Don¡¯t be so upset!¡± She continued, all smiles. ¡°One shampoo or two, and I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all come off! Just make sure to not confuse the two this time!¡± The servants¡¯ faces kept decomposing at each one of Yoko¡¯s remarks as their mistress was boiling in anger. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Yoko continued to tease, as she had no intention of stopping there. ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad! I¡¯m sure that-¡± ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t-!¡± As Yoko tried to reach the little lady¡¯s hair with her hand, one of her handmaid suddenly butted in to shove her arm away. However, the swift movement also brushed her mistress¡¯ head, causing her hair to fall off. ¡­ Wait, what? Her hair fell off? As I watched the big clump of hair on the ground in confusion, all the servants suddenly averted their eyes, cold sweat forming on their forehead. Then I saw the bare head of the little lady, and I understood. ¡°A wig¡­?¡± I mumbled. The handmaid who caused the incident immediately collapsed on her knees. ¡°M-My apologizes, My Lady!!¡± Her head sank to the floor, I could only imagine the face she was making. Fortunately for her, her mistress¡¯ anger was not directed toward her. Or at least, not anymore as Yoko¡¯s sudden burst of laughter broke the tense silence. ¡°What the hell? A wig? Hahahaha!¡± She didn¡¯t even try to contain herself. ¡°What are you, a grandma? Why in the world are you wearing a wig?¡± The servants were growing nervous, seeing their mistress¡¯ body shaking in rage. They could see the anger boiling as hot as lava in her system, ready to erupt at any time, and Yoko¡¯s hysterical laughter didn¡¯t help in calming her down. ¡°The mistress has a medical condition, this is no laughing matter!¡± One of the handmaids explained, trying to hush Yoko. ¡°She was a victim of a malicious attack a while ago! The incident made her lose all her hair and ever since, she¡¯s been under a lot of stress, making her unable to properly grow it back!¡± However, her desperate attempt to ease Yoko¡¯s fit of giggles was unsuccessful as the goddess simply laughed louder instead. ¡°Hahahaha, I¡¯m sorry but, this is hilarious! Don¡¯t you think?¡± Judging by their expressions, they clearly don¡¯t. ¡°A medical condition? You should have said so sooner!¡± She mocked. ¡°This way, I could¡¯ve have helped you properly glue it to your head!¡± That was it. That was the final straw. Unable to withstand the humiliation any longer, Nora let the raging sea of anger inside her burst out in an action that she will soon enough regret forever. Completely red in the face and with fires of fury blazing from her eyes, she slammed her hand against Yoko¡¯s face, shutting her down at once. She¡¯s done it now, huh. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my brother, you would be dead!¡± She growled with a threatening tone. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s dead, mortal. You fell into her trap. Unaware of the situation that she just got herself into, the little lady stomped out of the room to vent out her remaining rage, followed by her panicked handmaids. The atmosphere was now more tense than ever. ¡°A-Are you alright?¡± Azariah spoke up, as she was the first one to get a grip on herself. Yoko did not respond. She was blankly looking at the door where the little lady just disappeared with wild eyes, as she silently brought a hand to her reddened cheek. Concerned about her lack of reaction, the young elf turned towards me. ¡°What should we do?¡± She asked with a small voice. ¡°It wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought, but¡­ I think Lady Yoko is shocked!¡± Of course she is. A mere mortal dared to lay a hand on her. That is not something she would ever tolerate but¡­ This is also what she had been waiting for. A noxious smile slowly crept onto her face as her eyes crinkled at the edge. ¡°Are you¡­ Alright?¡± Azariah repeated, confused by her sudden change of expression. But Yoko did not answer. She immediately turned her attention to me instead. ¡°Harri,¡± she called out. ¡°You saw it, right?¡± I sighed. ¡°Yeah, I saw.¡± ¡°She laid a hand on me, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yeah, she did.¡± Her grin widened, slowly revealing all her teeth. ¡°What does the First Rule says?¡± She asked rhetorically. Absolute neutrality. Do not show favoritism to any mortals and do not take part in any of their affairs. We are mere observers. We shall only intervene when the balance of the world is at stake¡­ or when an act of blasphemy has been committed. ¡°And what about Her rule?¡± Yoko continued, as she did not expect an answer. Keep a low profile and do not attract any attention. But if anyone becomes openly hostile, fight back. ¡°So this is my go-ahead, huh?¡± Her tail swaying back and forth behind her back in excitement, I could only feel sorry for that foolish lady. In a swift jump, Yoko got up from her seat and leaned toward me. ¡°You¡¯re going to lose your bet you know?¡± She whispered in my ear. Then, she gave me a meaningful look before heading to the door. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go after her?¡± Azariah suggested, still worried. ¡°She seems¡­ shaken.¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine, don¡¯t mind her,¡± I told her as I got up in turn. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°Yes, there is something I need to take care of.¡± Yoko has a point. At this rate, I¡¯m probably going to lose our bet. I should probably also speed things up. Now then, where can I find this ¡®Uncle Jack¡¯? Part II Chapter 34 - Duel Chapter 34 ¨C Duel
Lynett
Today is Friday and here, Fridays are special. There are only morning classes on Fridays. The afternoons are reserved for spare-time, cultural activities, and most importantly: duels. It was on Friday afternoons that all the duels that had been declared during the week took place. Although they were allowed -and even encouraged- in the school, duels followed a very strict code of conduct, so they were strongly supervised by teachers. It was one of the reasons why all duels were held at the same time: because it¡¯s simply easier to organize. The duels took place in the academy¡¯s arena. Originally, they were simply held in an open field, but since duels are open to an audience, it didn¡¯t take long for them to become a public event where the students would come in droves to watch them. It was not only a great source of entertainment but it could also be very instructive. So, ultimately, the headmaster deemed it wiser to contain the public and hold the duels in the school¡¯s arena. I met up with Vivian and the others at the arena a quarter of an hour before the beginning of the fights. I spent the past few days coaching her, but I wanted to make sure to give her one last overview about her training before we went in. As I thought, she is pretty nervous. She was already pretty tense about fighting Lucius before, and even though I did manage somehow to raise her confidence these past few days, now it¡¯s all gone. Hopefully she¡¯ll be able to get a grip on herself soon, because we need to part ways now. The duels were held in order of level, and since beginner classes were not allowed to participate, combatants from intermediate classes would be the first to fight. Vivian was among the first participants. It was probably what she was thinking about as she stepped inside the arena, blood completely drained from her face. Come on Vivian, you can do it. As she disappeared into the participants¡¯ zone, Frost, Jalone and I went to find a seat in the stands. The arena was already quite crowded. Definitely not crowded enough to the point where it would fill even a third of the stands -it was designed to hold thousands of spectators after all- but it was an impressive amount of people for a duel between children. Since I was in the advanced classes and considering Aoban¡¯s reputation, I knew I would be among the last to duel. So, I decided to watch the fights with Frost and Jalone in the stands until then. As the two boys simply tried to find seats with a good view, my eyes were surveying the stands, looking for someone. ¡°Is Mustache coming?¡± I asked, still looking. ¡°Huh? Of course he is, he is in charge of the magic department,¡± Frost responded as if it was obvious. ¡°All of the head-teachers need to be present for duels. They are the judges after all.¡± Yeah, I thought so. I need to know where he is going to be. ¡°Is he going to be in the stands?¡± ¡°Nah,¡± the boy shook his head. ¡°They have special seats down there in case they need to intervene. The other teachers will be though, if they¡¯re coming.¡± My eyes followed the direction his finger was pointing in and I immediately spotted the head-teachers arriving, as the duels were about to begin. Among them: Mustache. Perfect. As Frost and Jalone were about to sit, I called them both. ¡°Guys, we can¡¯t sit here,¡± I told them. ¡°We need to go a little bit further.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± They exclaimed in unison, raising an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just trust me. It¡¯ll help Vivian to win.¡± Although they weren¡¯t too convinced about this, they still decided to trust my guts and follow me. ¡°Is this some kind of superstition?¡± Frost tried to guess. ¡°Like if we sit facing the sun it¡¯ll bring good luck or something?¡± ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± It wasn¡¯t the reason at all. The reason why I wanted to move was to sit as far as possible from Mustache. We managed to reach our seats just in time, as one of the head-teachers walked in to announce the beginning of the duels. Two students entered the arena, facing each other, and on his signal, the duel started. It wasn¡¯t as loud as I expected it to be. Although I could see the expectations in their eyes, the audience was staying still, throwing a remark or two once in a while, but they weren¡¯t cheering. I can¡¯t say if I¡¯m relieved or disappointed. I¡¯ll be the one down there shortly so I¡¯m glad to know my future spectators are somewhat indifferent, but when I heard the word ¡®arena,¡¯ I had a totally different atmosphere in mind. It is a bit of a letdown, I guess. Eventually, after a few minutes, the first duel ended. Well, that was a boring opening. A few more duels followed after that, but it was pretty much the same thing. The boys, however, didn¡¯t seem to share my opinion. Jalone was only showing interest when the combatants were mages and completely stopped paying attention when they were of another class. Frost, on the other hand, seemed quite engaged in all duels, even though he was silent. Ultimately, after maybe half an hour, the moment we had all been waiting for arrived. ¡°Next, Lucius Bain and Vivian of Lorns!¡± Finally. I woke up Jalone who was falling asleep, bored from the previous fight. ¡°It¡¯s her turn,¡± I told him. The demi-human boy quickly straightened up as he started looking for Vivian with his eyes. When he finally spotted her, he got up to cheer for her. ¡°Go Vivi!!¡± He suddenly yelled, enthusiastically waving his arms in the air. ¡°We believe in you, you¡¯re the best!¡± I doubt she can hear him, but it¡¯s the thought that counts. The others around us, however, definitely heard him. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to lose for sure.¡± I recognize some of her and Lucius¡¯ classmates. Perfect. Watch properly. She¡¯s going to blow them away. To be honest, Vivian had no chance of winning yet. I trained her the whole week, telling her that she would be able to beat Lucius, and I was thinking about what I said. But I forgot about something. I omitted one parameter when teaching her how to use [Hijack], and that one parameter makes the difference. The intellect stat. By now, Vivian has no problem controlling all kinds of water sources. She¡¯s not proficient at it yet, far from it, but it should have been enough to control a human being¡¯s water. If it hadn¡¯t been for the intellect stat. I noticed that way too late yesterday night, as I told her to try her new spell on Frost, who had volunteered for it. It didn¡¯t work at all. Like, not even a bit. We had tried before on all kinds of plants and it worked just fine, but as soon as we switched the target to a human being, it stopped working. When I wondered what could have gone wrong, it didn¡¯t take me long to understand. The difference between a plant and a human: consciousness. The more sentient a being is, the higher their intellect is. The intellect stat influences two things: magic attack but also magic defense. Plants do not have intellect but humans do. Thus, unlike humans, plants have no defense against magic. Well, to be exact, all living beings possess some kind of defense against magic. But we definitely can¡¯t compare the defense of a plant and a man. I have checked neither Vivian¡¯s nor Lucius¡¯ status, but I¡¯m pretty sure that it¡¯s not necessary. Using [Hijack] on someone is different from throwing a fireball at them. The attack isn¡¯t external but internal. So you would need to completely go through their natural magic defense. And that, unless there is a significant difference between the intellect of the user and the target, is impossible. I totally overlooked that fact since it doesn¡¯t apply to me. A few years ago, I used something similar against my aunt. It wasn¡¯t the skill [Hijack], but it basically worked the same way. I simply took control of the water in her body to torture her. And it was easy. But it was easy because of the colossal difference between our stats. Because I¡¯m not a mortal. Vivian is. So we found ourselves in a deadlock. Because if she can¡¯t use [Hijack], then she can¡¯t win. But I promised her a victory and I intend to keep that promise. We just need to change strategy. We just need to cheat a little bit¡­ I told Vivian to follow the original plan. Don¡¯t think about anything else and eventually, it¡¯ll work. I will be the one to do the cheating, and that is exactly why I wanted to be as far as possible from Mustache. I¡¯m going to use magic and that annoying teacher has the annoying ability to detect mana. But even if he is more sensitive to it than his peers, he is still human in the end. He shouldn¡¯t be able to detect it from that far away. Even if he is, he won¡¯t be able to tell who is using magic among all these students. And he¡¯s not allowed to leave the arena to check until the duel is over. So I should be safe. I inspected my surroundings and, as Frost said, there was indeed a couple of teachers seated among the students. They seemed to be strategically scattered in the stands. It didn¡¯t particularly bother me, though. I spotted Mrs. Borge not too far away, but she couldn¡¯t detect my mana last time, and she¡¯s a teacher in intermediate classes. So the only one I need to be worried about is Mustache. And Mustache is far away and very busy. Alright, now, where is Vivian? There she is¡­ ¡ºBuff.¡»
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
I only intended to raise her intellect, but that¡¯s not bad either. That¡¯s not enough though. Again. ¡ºBuff.¡»
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
And again. ¡ºBuff.¡»
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
¡ºBuff.¡» ¡ºBuff.¡» ¡ºBuff.¡» ¡ºBuff.¡»
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes: Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
The target¡¯s following stats have been raised for the next 10 minutes:If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Vitality +10, Mana +10, Strength +10, Defense +10, Intellect +10, Agility +10
Buff failed
Hmm? Again.
Buff failed
Buff failed
Buff failed
I see. It must have reached some kind of cap. Oh well, it should be enough. Now moving on to Lucius¡­ ¡ºDebuff.¡»
The target¡¯s following stats have been decreased for the next 10 minutes: Vitality -10, Mana -10, Strength -10, Defense -10, Intellect -10, Agility -10
The target¡¯s following stats have been decreased for the next 10 minutes: Vitality -10, Mana -10, Strength -10, Defense -10, Intellect -10, Agility -10
The target¡¯s following stats have been decreased for the next 10 minutes: Vitality -10, Mana -10, Strength -10, Defense -10, Intellect -10, Agility -10
The target¡¯s following stats have been decreased for the next 10 minutes: Vitality -10, Mana -10, Strength -10, Defense -10, Intellect -10, Agility -10
The target¡¯s following stats have been decreased for the next 10 minutes: Vitality -10, Mana -10, Strength -10, Defense -10, Intellect -10, Agility -10
The target¡¯s following stats have been decreased for the next 10 minutes: Vitality -10, Mana -10, Strength -10, Defense -10, Intellect -10, Agility -10
Error
Huh? Only six times? And this time it¡¯s ¡°error¡± instead of ¡°Failed¡±¡­ Oh wait. His stats just probably can¡¯t go any lower. Hopefully it¡¯ll be enough¡­ Alright Vivian, it¡¯s your turn now. To be honest, even now, Vivian is at a disadvantage. I have boosted her stats as much as I could, but it¡¯s still going to take her a while before she breaks through Lucius¡¯ defense. And in the meantime, Lucius will attack her. So I gave her two instructions. First, never stop moving. I noticed it in Mrs. Borge¡¯s class, but in intermediates classes, the kids are barely learning to hit unmoving targets. Lucius may be the best of his class, he is no exception. It¡¯s already difficult enough for someone who¡¯s trained to hit a moving target, so for someone who isn¡¯t, it¡¯s nearly impossible. Staying in constant movement will allow Vivian not to get hit. But while doing so, she still needs to attack. Most kids at this level wouldn¡¯t be able to move while chanting, as an incantation requires a lot of focus, but Vivian is an exception. Thanks to her skill [Hijack], her mana control is good enough that she can afford to move while chanting. Second, aim for his limbs. I told her to avoid the torso. The mana core is where the magic defense is the highest, and since the mana core is located close to the heart, it would take too long to break into Lucius¡¯ defense anywhere near that. And of course, the head is also a no-go, as it is too dangerous. Vivian¡¯s control may be good, it isn¡¯t that good. One mistake, and she could blow his head off. We don¡¯t want to kill the poor boy, we only want him to forfeit. If she follows these two rules, Vivian will be fine. The loser will be the one who runs out of stamina first. And not only did I raise all of her stats, but Lucius also has a tendency to deplete his mana very fast. Maybe this time he¡¯ll learn his lesson. Now, all I have to do is watch. ¡°We are here today to resolve the dispute between Lucius Bain and Vivian of Lorns,¡± the head-teacher supervising the event loudly announced. ¡°Both parties will engage until one is well blooded, disabled, or unconscious, or until one of the challengers forfeits and begs pardon.¡± The two combatants glared at each other, clearly not considering that last option, as the head-teacher kept listing all the rules. It was just a formality but it was mandatory. He also did it for the previous duels and after thinking about how he¡¯ll have to repeat it for all the upcoming fights, I kind of felt sorry for him. ¡°Alright, in position!¡± He finally finished. Vivian and Lucius both took stance. Vivian didn¡¯t seem nervous anymore. She was burning with determination instead. On the other hand, Lucius wasn¡¯t looking too good, and the duel hasn¡¯t even started yet. I guess they¡¯ve both started to feel the effects of my little gifts to them! ¡°Begin!¡± Despite his condition, Lucius immediately started chanting. While the participants couldn¡¯t hear us, we, the audience, could perfectly hear them. All sounds coming from the battle area were amplified using magic so I immediately recognized the same chant Lucius used before. ¡°? Ignis, I implore thee! I cry foul, feel the wrath within me. Devour my soul and bring destruction before me! ¡ºFireball¡»!¡± A fireball gushed out of his hand, heading straight to Vivian, but it didn¡¯t reach her. Following my advice, the young girl instantly started moving. Without giving the boy a chance to hit her, she ran circles all around him. ¡°Stop moving!¡± Lucius ordered in frustration, as none of his attacks reached her. But obviously, Vivian didn¡¯t listen. When he tried to adapt his fireballs¡¯ courses in prediction of her trajectory, she would suddenly change direction and when he missed, she would smirk at him. Lucius immediately understood that she was mocking him and, as usual, blinded by his pride, he put even more mana into his spells. It was pointless though, if he couldn¡¯t hit her. He was only going straight toward his own destruction. Vivian, on the other hand, was quite relaxed. I can tell she is starting to enjoy this. Seeing her like this, no one would have guessed how nervous she was before the fight. However, she was also slowly tiring herself, running around so much. Too immersed in her new position of control, she completely forgot to attack. But she soon remembered it, as she finally started to cast her spell. ¡°Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea. Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee.¡± Lucius seemed quite disoriented, seeing her chanting as she kept running. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°What is she doing?¡± ¡°Is she trying to cast a spell while on the move? Can she do that?¡± ¡°Of course not! She¡¯s in the intermediate classes!¡± The growing commotion didn¡¯t last long in the stands, as nothing happened following her chants. ¡°See? It¡¯s not working!¡± But unaware of her audience comments, Vivian kept chanting anyway. ¡°Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea. Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do, dead-weight?¡± Lucius sneered at her seeming failure. ¡°Having trouble to cast a single spell?¡± But Vivian ignored him. ¡°Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea,¡± she continued, imperturbable. ¡°Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee. Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea. Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee. Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea. Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee.¡± Lucius wasn¡¯t the only one to mock her. Snickers and giggles could be heard all around the stands. Even Frost and Jalone were getting restless. ¡°Is she going to be alright?¡± Jalone asked. I could hear the concern growing in his voice. ¡°She is, don¡¯t worry,¡± I told him. ¡°It¡¯s all going as planned, trust me.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. I did expect this to happen, and so did Vivian. I had instructed her to keep chanting even if it doesn¡¯t seem to work. After all, eventually, it will. And as I thought, it was starting to work. It took quite some time, but I could now feel a very subtle trace of Vivian¡¯s mana in Lucius¡¯ body. And it was slowly, but surely, getting stronger with each one of her chants. Completely oblivious to what was waiting for him, Lucius lost patience. He had exhausted most of his mana pool and Vivian was still unscathed. Out of desperation, as still he couldn¡¯t hit her with long distance attacks, he charged. He was now going for close combat. In a duel of mages, although not forbidden, this would have normally been considered a disgrace. However, in this particular case, circumstances were in Lucius¡¯ favor. From an outside perspective, Vivian just kept running away from the fight without attacking back. This was not the kind of behavior you were supposed to have in a duel, so no one blamed Lucius¡¯ actions. However, he never reached her. Having taken beyond a reasonable amount of his mana, Vivian finally cast her spell. ¡°Let the sacred water flow, ¡ºWater Blast¡»!¡± Lucius was stopped mid-course as he collapsed on the ground, screaming in agony. His muscles were all suddenly assaulted with a shap, throbbing pain. The spell wasn¡¯t too strong, but it was sufficient. After all, when the attack comes from the inside, it¡¯s extremely painful. HIs nerves being over-solicited, it was easy to imagine the burning sensation searing through his body. Confused, the audience fell silent at the unexpected turn of events. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± ¡°Did she do something? I can¡¯t see anything!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he just collapsed from mana exhaustion?¡± ¡°That suddenly?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just an after-effect¡­¡± ¡°Forfeit!¡± Vivian ordered as she approached the boy on the ground confidently. At this point, she no longer had anything to fear from him and she knew it. Lucius barely managed to raise his head to glare at her. ¡°What did you do?¡± He growled, his body still shaking in pain. He was on his knees, completely huddled up on himself. His complexion was ashen and he couldn''t stop panting. Coming from the proud and arrogant Lucius, it was kind of pathetic to see. Still, his eyes were burning with anger, indicating he had no intention of giving up yet. ¡°You lost, forfeit!¡± Vivian ordered one more time. But Lucius didn¡¯t comply. As he simply shot a deadly glare at her as an answer, Vivian started chanting again. ¡°Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea. Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee. Let the sacred water flow, ¡ºWater Blast¡»!¡± His face contorted, Lucius writhed in pain. His eyes were watered in agony as he bit his lower lip, trying to keep himself from crying out. His muscles quivered. The pressure exerted against them and the pain increasing in waves, they were threatening to implode at anytime. The boy tried his best to hold it in, but eventually, his pain came out in a sudden shriek. It was clearly unbearable, still, he refused to forfeit. So Vivian launched a second spell. And a third. And a fourth. ¡°Let the sacred water flow, ¡ºWater Blast¡»! ¡ºWater Blast¡»! ¡ºWater Blast¡»!¡± That¡¯s¡­ escalating, I think? I definitely didn¡¯t expect Lucius to hold out for this long and Vivian is starting to lose patience. The atmosphere was extremely tense. Although they didn¡¯t really understand what was going on, the spectators didn¡¯t keep their eyes off of the battle area for one second, as they could only listen to Lucius¡¯ screams in silence. Alright, this is definitely escalating. Vivian totally looks like a villain now. We need to put an end to this before- W-WAIT! WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING?! She¡¯s concentrating her mana in his head! That goddamn hot-blooded girl! I told you the head was a no-go! Are you trying to kill him?! ¡°For the last time,¡± she snarled with a threatening voice. ¡°Forfeit!¡± Lucius struggled to meet her eyes. And when he did, he only smirked at her. ¡°In your dreams!¡± He managed to articulate through heaving breathing. Annoyed, Vivian ground her teeth. ¡°Goddess of the Sea, this is my devotion, this is my plea,¡± she started. Wait, is she serious? ¡°Grant me the strength to defeat what is harmful to me, and in return I honor thee.¡± Don¡¯t-you-dare. ¡°Let the sacred water flow!¡± As she was about to finish her chant, I jumped onto my feet, preparing myself to intervene, but Mustache was faster than me. ¡°¡ºWater Bl-¡»¡± The head-teacher appeared out of nowhere, right in the middle of the two of them. He grabbed Vivian¡¯s arm and immediately interrupted her spell. Hmm? Her mana vanished? ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he said with a sharp tone of voice, the usual friendliness on his face totally gone. ¡°This fight is over.¡± ¡°W-Wait a second!¡± Lucius tried to speak up. ¡°I can still fight!¡± ¡°I said this fight is over,¡± Mr. Glenn repeated, even more dryly. ¡°You lost.¡± The boy¡¯s expression collapsed. This duel originally started because he wanted the head-teacher¡¯s recognition and now, the very same teacher declared his loss. Mr. Glenn then turned to Vivian. When she met his eyes, all her previous frustration vanished in one second. His expression softened as he showed her a gentle smile. But he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Alright, alright, this duel is over!¡± His colleague loudly announced, approaching. ¡°The winner is Vivian of Lorns!¡± The arena stayed silent for a while. ¡°What¡­? What just happened?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± But an enthusiastic clapping soon broke the silence. ¡°Congratulations, Vivi!!¡± Jalone screamed out his lungs. ¡°I knew you could do it! You¡¯re the best!¡± Soon, applause followed. It was somewhat shy, but it was there. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening,¡± I heard one of her classmates mutter. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what happened, but she won, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess it was kind of impressive.¡± Frost looked blankly at Vivian for a few seconds before moving on to me. He gave me a weird look, his eyes narrowed. ¡°Did you do something?¡± He can tell? Oh well. Maybe I¡¯ll explain to him later. The head-teacher supervising the event then started to clap his hands, reclaiming attention. Once the commotions finally fell silent enough for him to be heard, he spoke up. ¡°We will now be moving on to the advanced classes!¡± He announced. I guess my turn is coming. Part II Chapter 35 - Gesundheit Chapter 35 ¨C Gesundheit
Lynett
I take back what I said before. The public isn¡¯t indifferent. The moment the teacher supervising the event announced the opening of the advanced classes¡¯ duels, the atmosphere radically changed. Since I didn¡¯t know when exactly it would be my turn, I left the boys to join the participants zone. I am no longer in the stand so I can¡¯t see them, but I definitely can hear them¡­ I can hear the students yelling, erupting in cheers. I think I can even hear some of them jumping. The only things missing are the ground shaking and the loudspeakers, and there you have it: the stadium atmosphere. I¡¯ve actually never gone to see a game so I¡¯m not sure, but at least, this is definitely what I would expect from it. The audience wasn¡¯t indifferent. It had just been waiting for the real battles to begin. And now that the novices¡¯ duels were over, the real show was starting. I don¡¯t feel so good. I am quite uncomfortable with crowds. Because of my eyes, I¡¯ve learned to tolerate it, but I still really don¡¯t like having all eyes on me. I can handle a little attention. I could have handled the audience from before. But now they all just went crazy, cheering like madmen. From the participants¡¯ zone, we couldn¡¯t see the fights. We just patiently waited all together for our names to be called. I didn¡¯t know anyone there. The participants were all older than me, all serious, and last but not least, they were all prepared. Because of that, the atmosphere in the waiting room was pretty tense. Combined with the fact that I couldn¡¯t see anything of what was happening outside and with the public¡¯s loud cheering, I was really starting to grow anxious. It¡¯s not like I wasn¡¯t confident in winning, but the atmosphere was just hard to bear. I think I can understand Vivian now¡­ So I sat in a corner, buried my head in my arms, and I closed my eyes. Letting myself get swallowed by darkness always had a relaxing feeling for me. It wasn¡¯t so difficult as the others around me were very quiet. Some were meditating, others were stretching, all were silent. If it hadn¡¯t been for the noise outside, I would¡¯ve probably fallen asleep. And I waited. For quite a while, I think, as I quickly lost track of time. But eventually, I emerged from my stand-by mode as I felt a hand on my shoulder. ¡°You alright?¡± It was an unknown boy. The stranger crouched down to reach my level. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± He asked, his eyes looking genuinely worried. I¡¯ve learned to become wary of strangers approaching me, but that boy didn¡¯t seem to have any ulterior motive. I shook my head. ¡°No I¡¯m not,¡± I responded. ¡°Not anymore.¡± ¡°Good, because you¡¯re next,¡± the stranger told me with a half smile. Uh¡­ HUH?! Already? No wait, I did wait for quite a while¡­ But my heart is still not ready. ¡°As I thought, you didn¡¯t hear the teacher coming in, right?¡± The unknown boy continued. ¡°He announced the next three competitors. Your name was among them.¡± Huh? Really? ¡°You weren¡¯t budging though, so I thought maybe you passed out or something. I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt your mediation.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t. Thank you for warning me.¡± I was lucky. I totally didn¡¯t hear anyone coming in. Did I fall asleep after all? As the stranger helped me up, I felt myself weak in the knees, and it wasn¡¯t because my legs had gone numb. My duel with Aoban now imminent, I was growing anxious again. The unknown boy didn¡¯t miss that as he let out a small giggle. ¡°So you are nervous after all,¡± he joked, reading my expression. ¡°Maybe just a little,¡± I admitted. ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s your first duel, it¡¯s alright to be nervous.¡± He was really friendly. I thought that maybe I knew him after all, but after examining his face more carefully, I was sure that I had never seen him before. ¡°Do you know me?¡± I asked. The stranger smiled. ¡°Well, doesn¡¯t everyone?¡± He has a point. At that moment, the door of the waiting room opened. ¡°Lynett Maedis Whiteheart?¡± I heard my name. ¡°You¡¯re up next.¡± So it¡¯s time. I headed to the door as the unknown boy gave me one last smile. ¡°Good luck!¡± ?????? The person waiting for me there was a young girl around Aoban¡¯s age. She was probably a student, but the folder she was holding indicated that she had some kind of responsibility in the event. ¡°Are you ready?¡± The young girl asked. I nodded. ¡°Good, follow me.¡± Complying with her instruction I followed her through the maze of corridors. It didn¡¯t take long for us to reach our destination. From there, I could finally see what was going on outside. The entrance of the battle area gave us a view of the battle currently happening. ¡°Wait here, it will soon be over,¡± the young girl ordered before disappearing in the corridors, without even waiting for a reply. She wasn¡¯t wrong though. The current duel was reaching its end. It was a clash between swordsmen. I didn¡¯t know much about swordsmanship, but you didn¡¯t have to be an expert to understand that this duel was one-sided. I didn¡¯t see the whole fight, but at this point, the issue was clear. One of the competitors was being overwhelmed by his opponent and although he still held his ground, it was only a matter of time before his defeat. Eventually, as I expected, the boy lost his balance and his challenger used the opportunity to disarm him. In a duel, with the exception of mages as they didn¡¯t have a weapon, being disarmed was as good as losing. The boy knew that. ¡°I forfeit,¡± he reluctantly grumbled. But with the sound amplification, it was loud enough for everyone to hear, so a teacher stepped in to announce the end of the fight. The disappointed boy left the arena, passing just by me, as the audience erupted in cheers. It was at that moment that I realized how many there actually were. There definitely wasn¡¯t as many people in the stands before, so when did they multiply? It¡¯s no wonder they are so loud. ¡°Next, Lynett Maedis Whiteheart and Aoban Whiteheart!¡± Finally hearing my name being called, I stepped into the pit, and everything became silent. A little surprised at first, I gave a quick glance at the stands. I could see people cheering and yelling, yet, no sound reached my ears. I soon understood that the pit was completely soundproof. Whatever magic they were using to amplify the sounds coming from it, it was also nullifying all noise from the outside. So the audience can hear us, but we can¡¯t hear them. It¡¯s kind of a relief, to be honest. At least, I won¡¯t be distracted by the spectators. I might even forget about them. Finally reaching the center of the battle zone, I stopped beside the teacher supervising the combat. Aoban was already there, standing right in front of me. I hadn¡¯t seen him since our dispute, but it felt like it¡¯s been really a while. He wasn¡¯t the same. The atmosphere around him was different. His expression was deadly serious and his eyes were cold. There was not a faint trace of the usual kindness I was used to. Brother has felt like a stranger to me more than once ever since I arrived here, but this time, I was feeling really threatened. His eyes piercing right through me, I never knew how scary and intimidating he could be. ¡°We are here today to resolve the dispute between Lynett Maedis Whiteheart and Aoban Whiteheart,¡± the head-teacher loudly announced, following the usual procedure. ¡°Both parties will engage until one is well blooded, disabled, unconscious, or until one of the challengers forfeits and begs pardon.¡± Brother did not take his eyes off of me for a second. He was not purposely trying to intimidate me. He was just being his usual self. That¡¯s right, this is the normal Aoban. The kind and gentle Aoban was exclusive to mother and me, but right now, I wasn¡¯t his sister. He was not staring at his beloved Lyni, he was staring at a rival. At that moment, I understood that he was not going to go easy on me. ¡°Does anyone want to withdraw?¡± The teacher asked, as he finished listing the rules. Withdrawing was allowed. As long as the fight hasn¡¯t started yet, a duel could be easily called off by an apology from one of the challengers. But this was entirely up to the challengers to decide. Usually, the one supervising the duel wouldn¡¯t even ask the question as it could easily be interpreted as an insult to one¡¯s honor, so I knew the teacher was asking that for me. I could easily guess his thoughts: I have no chance of winning in his eyes. But I¡¯ll soon enough prove him wrong. ¡°No,¡± I replied, as brother did the same. The teacher let out a small sigh. ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°In that case, take position.¡± Aoban and I both moved away from each other, so as to let a distance of about fifty meters between us. Normally, it should have been ten meters, but as soon as one of the challengers is a long-ranged fighter, the distance between the competitors increases to fifty meters. I was still at a disadvantage though. Duels were usually held between people with the same kind of fighting style. A warrior against a rogue. A ranger against a mage. Long-ranged fighters against long-ranged fighters, and close-ranged fighters against close-ranged fighters. As soon as you started mixing the two together, the fight stopped being fair. It might have been different in a real battle situation, but in a duel, there were rules, so no one expected me to win. A duel between a mage and a swordsman was totally unfair. Mages and swordsmen have always been mortal enemies. They were each other¡¯s greatest weakness. The only thing that made the difference in the clash between a mage and a swordsman was distance. As long as the mage kept a reasonable distance between him and his enemy, then he would have enough time to cast his spells while staying out of range of the swordsman¡¯s attacks. Conversely, if the swordsman managed to close the distance, then the mage was done for, as he wouldn¡¯t be able to cast spells anymore.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. In a duel, challengers begin at a definite distance from each other and fight in an enclosed area, so I was at a total disadvantage. Or at least, this is what everyone thought. Distance was not a problem for me. Whether we begin at one meter or fifty meters from each other, it doesn¡¯t change a thing for me. Because I don¡¯t need time to cast a spell. Because I use voiceless incantations. Still, I was not planning on disclosing that fact. I needed to fake chants, so starting at this kind of distance wasn¡¯t so bad. As brother and I took stance, facing each other, the head-teacher finally announced the beginning of the duel. ¡°Begin!¡± Genius or not, I could easily defeat Aoban in mere seconds if I decided to. But I couldn¡¯t go full power on him and I needed my victory to feel real to the others, so I can¡¯t have him collapse suddenly without a reason. I guess I could torture him until he concedes like Vivian did, but he¡¯s my brother. I don¡¯t want to hurt him. Besides, even if I did, there is no telling that it will work. Lucius did hold out for a long time after all. So I¡¯ve thought about a way to win without harming him and without using high level spells. The only thing I need to do is hold out for long enough that his defeat doesn¡¯t look too unnatural. I expanded my mana field so as to control the air around Aoban. But as I started to execute my plan, I immediately noticed brother charging at me. So he intends to finish this fight quickly, huh? Well, it¡¯s fine. I just need to distract him enough to keep him at a distance. One of my main issues in this duel are the incantations. The audience will definitely be able to hear me so I need to be consistent with them. One attack, one incantation. I need to be able to remember them but at the same time, I can¡¯t have people understand them. I¡¯ve already been seen using magic so I¡¯ll keep ¡®Abracadabra¡¯ for fireballs. As for the rest, well¡­ I guess it will be time for my knowledge in foreign languages to shine! But for now¡­ ¡°Abracadabra!¡± I launch a fireball at Aoban in order to slow him down in his course. However, it wasn¡¯t very effective. Brother didn¡¯t decelerate one bit. Unimpressed by my spell, he simply deflected the fireball with his sword. And although it was a wooden sword, his movement was so swift that it didn¡¯t even catch on fire. Yeah, I expected that much. ¡°Abracadabra!¡± This time, I launched ten consecutive fireballs at him. Coming all at the same time, he had no choice but to halt his course. Although Nomi said defense wasn¡¯t his forte, Aoban had no problem stopping the fireballs. But I didn¡¯t expect them to hit him in the first place. I was only buying some time. Keeping him busy, I kept sending fireballs at him as he kept deflecting them. Brother tolerated it for a while as he probably expected me to run out of mana. A normal person would have, casting spells one after another, but certainly not me. Eventually, he had enough. Instead of deflecting the fireballs, brother decided it was better to avoid them. With a swift jump to the side, he resumed his course toward me. So I called back my fireballs. Just like homing missiles, the blazing orbs Aoban just evaded changed their course, flying straight to him. Brother didn¡¯t see them coming but he felt the heat increasing in his back. He turned around just before they could hit him. Startled by the unexpected attack at first, he still managed to deflect most of the fireballs. Most, but not all. Unable to avoid or deflect them all, he had no choice but to slash down some of the fireballs. They exploded on impact with his sword, unleashing a lot of heat. Brother was unharmed, but his sword was beginning to show signs of strain. It was a training sword after all. It could handle exchanging a few blows, but it wasn¡¯t designed to resist magic. Brother clicked his tongue. If his weapon broke, then he would have no other means with which to fight. Not letting him rest, I sent a couple more fireballs at him. Aoban glared at me. He knew I wouldn¡¯t let him avoid them. But he couldn¡¯t afford to keep deflecting them, or slashing them either, at the risk of wearing out his blade. ¡°Spirit of the day, wisdom of the night,¡± he suddenly started chanting. ¡°Sweep my enemies away, out of my sight. ¡ºVortex¡»!¡± An incantation? Mana swirled around him as Aoban summoned the wind. His magic wasn¡¯t very strong, but amplifying it with a whirlwind slash of the sword, it was enough to brush to fireballs coming at him away. It was a bit surprising. I knew brother could do a bit of magic, but I didn¡¯t expect him to use it in the duel. ¡°Are you done?¡± He asked dryly. Oho. He¡¯s not in a good mood. ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn,¡± he continued, as he didn¡¯t expect an answer. Aoban focused. His mana left his body, passing through his sword. He stabbed the ground with his blade. His fierce and blazing eyes were locked on me. ¡°Earth my mind, earth my body,¡± he chanted, supplying magic power to his weapon. ¡°Grant me the strength to defeat my enemy. ¡ºEnhancement¡».¡± Fuck me. Power overflowed his blade as Aoban used Reinforcement magic to strengthen his sword. Without wasting another second, brother charged, quickly closing the distance between us. I need to keep him away, but I guess fireballs won¡¯t really work anymore, huh? Well, that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s try something else. I let my mana flow out of my body, spreading it in the ground under my feet and I extended my arms forward. Now, as for the chant¡­ Let¡¯s go with French for now. ¡°Les coccinelles sont des col¨¦opt¨¨res!¡± Aoban frowned upon hearing my weird chant, but I didn¡¯t let him the luxury to stay surprised for too long. I lifted my hands in the air and an earth pillar suddenly rose from the ground. Feeling the earth crumbling underneath him, brother leapt aside, allowing him to evade the attack. I tried to take advantage of the moment and immediately summoned a few more pillars. Aoban, however, saw it coming. Impassible, he swung his blade around him, easily slashing down the living earth and returning it to the ground. ¡­ Did he just cut earth pillars in half¡­? With a wooden sword? That Reinforcement magic of his is going to be quite a hassle. Aoban didn¡¯t just harden his blade, he infused mana into it and created several layers of magic defense on top of that, increasing its power. He can pretty much cut down anything now, can¡¯t he? As I was thinking that, I noticed Aoban coming closer at an alarming pace. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Did he also enhance his physical abilities? He definitely wasn¡¯t that fast before! This is not good. The moment he reaches me is the moment when my plan falls apart. For a moment, I considered debuffing him. However, it would be too obvious. Unlike Lucius, Aoban was constantly moving around, never staying still for a second. A sudden decrease in his stats would be immediately noticeable. Still, I can¡¯t let him get closer. Not yet. I need to keep him away just a bit more. ¡°Poudre de perlimpinpin!¡± The land growled as this time, I summoned an earth wall. I made sure to make it extra thick and extra long to prevent brother from cutting it down. He will have to go all the way around it if he wants to reach me, allowing me to gain some time. Or at least, this is what I thought. But brother simply forced his way through the wall. I heard his blade whistling in the air and the next thing I saw was my earth wall collapsing, and he appeared, still charging. Fuck¡­ ¡°Poudre de perlimpinpin! Poudre de perlimpinpin! Poudre de perlimpinpin! Poudre de perlimpinpin!¡± Several earth walls rose from the ground. However, as soon as they had been erect, they immediately collapsed as Aoban mercilessly destroyed them one by one, barely slowing down in his course. He was only a few meters away from me now. Alright, I¡¯m starting to panic. ¡°Abracradabra! ?Met¨ª la pata! ÐÂÄê¿ìÀÖ! Dov¡¯¨¨ il gabinetto per favore! ?? ?? ?? ???! Les coccinelles sont des col¨¦opt¨¨res! ¤æ¤Ã¤¯¤ê¤ªîŠ¤¤¤·¤Þ¤¹! Poudre de perlimpinpin! Abracadabra, abracadabra, abracadabra!¡± Yelling out random chants, I casted one spell after one another. But none of them worked. Brother easily blocked the gusts threatening to slice him with his sword. Any earth structure was smashed back into the ground, he struck down any projectile I sent and he easily vanquished the flames racing in his direction by summoning the wind. What the fuck, Nomi? Didn¡¯t you say it would be easy to lay a hit on him? This is definitely not going well. Was it too arrogant of me to think I could defeat him with low level magic? Do I really have to cast advanced spells? If I do, I¡¯ll have to kiss my normality goodbye. But if I don¡¯t, then I¡¯m going to lose for sure. As I was starting to get in a difficult position, I finally saw it: the glimmer of hope. Aoban¡¯s expression was becoming stern. He was forcing his eyes to stay firm, fighting to keep attention on me as I could finally see the first drops of sweat forming on his face. At last, my magic is starting to work! Ever since the beginning of the fight, without anyone knowing, I¡¯ve been altering the air around him, slowly removing oxygen. Naturally, brother didn¡¯t immediately feel that. The objective was to make him gradually lose stamina, without it looking too unnatural. No matter how skillful he is, brother is a mortal. Deprived of oxygen, it was only a matter of time before his body started to deteriorate. As for the rest, the fireballs, the earth pillars, the gust of winds¡­ It was only meant to occupy him a bit, accelerating the asphyxiation process by forcing him to exert himself physically. Now that his body was starting to show the first signs of oxygen deprivation, he didn¡¯t feel so threatening anymore. His movements were slowing down and they will continue to do so. Soon, he won¡¯t be able to avoid my attacks. And there I¡¯ll have it: my victory. Without even -seemingly- using a single high level spell. But I need to hold on for a little bit more before landing the finishing move. On the surface, Aoban remained composed. However, I could see in his eyes that his confidence was slowly wilting away. He couldn¡¯t manage to catch his breath, growing more tired by the second. I, on the other hand, showed no signs of mana exhaustion. Understanding that time wasn¡¯t on his side, he became even more aggressive, trying to finish the fight quickly. As I I kept him busy with my magic, Aoban stopped trying to avoid the attacks. In a desperate attempt to close the remaining distance between us, he covered his face with his arm and charged, letting himself get hit by one of my fireballs. Startled, I immediately launched another one to dissuade him from coming closer, but once again, he took the blow directly. So he¡¯s just going to sacrifice his body? Well, in that case, time to flee. Since I couldn¡¯t hold him away anymore, I turned on my heels and immediately started running, much to Aoban¡¯s annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t run away!¡± He ordered with a curt voice. ¡°What do you expect me to do? Wait for you?¡± I shot back. ¡°I¡¯m a mage, of course I¡¯ll run away!¡± The pit being an enclosed area, there was not a lot of place for me to run to. But if I can buy some time, even a little, then I¡¯ll gladly run. Despite my poor endurance, brother had trouble catching up with me. He was exhausted. Besides, I didn¡¯t make things easy for him. I kept summoning earth walls in his path. He could ignore my attacks if he wanted, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the earth walls. Blocking his way, he had no choice but to smash them down, burning away his remaining strength. However, this little cat and mouse game didn¡¯t last for long, as I quickly reached a dead end. With the walls of the arena in front of me and with brother behind me, there was no other way for me to run to. I turned around, erecting one last earth wall. ¡°Poudre de perlimpinpin!¡± Not much to my surprise, the wall soon collapsed, as brother forced his way through. He appeared like a zombie, rising from the rubble. He was starving for air, breathing heavily and fighting not to succumb to the exhaustion. But the light in his eyes was still there, burning with determination. ¡°If you want to forfeit, now is the time,¡± he said, as composedly as he could, trying to avoid betraying his poor state. I gave him a silent answer. Aoban frowned, before letting out a long, complaining sigh. ¡°Fine,¡± he grumbled in resignation. ¡°You leave me no choice.¡± Brother reluctantly readjusted the weakened grip on his sword. He raised his blade, preparing himself to strike me down. However, as his eyes met mine, I saw my reflection in his pupils and I read the hesitation on his face. I took advantage of the moment. ¡°Let there be light.¡± I closed my eyes as a flash of light appeared, shining brighter than the sun. The light seared into Aoban¡¯s eyes. Out of reflex, he tried to cover his face but it was too late. Blinded by the light, brother did not see me approaching. I shoved my palm forward, just in front of his chest. I will not make the same mistake, brother. I will not hesitate. ¡°Gesundheit!¡± In one word, I released all the mana I had clustered in my hand as a sudden blast of wind gushed out my palm. Aoban was violently thrust aside. As he hit the ground, his first reflex was to grab his chest. Hit right in the solar plexus, he was gasping for air. However, the lack of oxygen around him didn¡¯t help in catching his breath. With him in this state, I had no trouble in stealing his sword. Completely disoriented, brother didn¡¯t even notice that his weapon was no longer in his hand. I raised the blade and placed it on his shoulder, right next to his neck. It was over. I returned the air around Aoban to its original state, allowing his breath to return to a slow and rhythmic pattern. His frantic breathing finally calmed down as brother also recovered his sight. It didn¡¯t take long for him to then notice his sword in my hand, the blade kissing his neck. ¡°I win,¡± I declared. I had expected him to be furious. To burst out his indignation. To be in denial. But surprisingly, none of that happened. Aoban stayed rational and calmly analyzed the situation. He silently stared at me for a while, before his eyes fell upon his emptied hand. Eventually, a resigned sigh escaped his nose as he came to the same conclusion as me. ¡°You do,¡± he admitted. The threatening atmosphere around him was all gone. However, the kind and cheerful brother I knew didn¡¯t return just yet. ¡°The duel is over!¡± I suddenly heard a voice announcing out loud. ¡°The winner is Lynett Maedis Whiteheart!¡± Noticing the head-teacher who had just stepped into the arena, I suddenly remembered my audience. I raised my eyes to the stands. I still couldn¡¯t hear them and from here, I couldn¡¯t properly see their expression either, but I could definitely see the swarm of students fussing. Without a single sound, it was a strange, yet amusing scene. ¡°I owe you an apology,¡± brother suddenly spoke up. I couldn''t see his face properly. He was still on the ground, staring at his emptied hand, seemingly dejected. I sighed. ¡°And I owe you an explanation,¡± I responded. Aoban looked up at me, his brows furrowed and his eyes squinted, as he tried to read my expression. I bet he thought that I was angry at him about last time. I did cry, after all. But I¡¯ve long since moved on to something else. I didn''t condemn him for his harsh words. He was trying to protect me, I knew that. And in the spur of the moment, he said things he didn¡¯t really believe. It¡¯s fine, it happens. The only thing I wanted from him is for him to understand that I didn¡¯t need his protection. And for that, I needed to explain the whole situation to him. A very subtle smirk played across brother¡¯s lips. ¡°Alright, seems fair.¡± Part II Chapter 36 - Aftermath Chapter 36 ¨C Aftermath In the corridors of the Academy, a young woman was making her way to the teachers¡¯ room. Holding four cups of coffee in her hands, she was struggling to not burn herself as the hot liquid threatened to spill at each of her steps. Arriving at her destination, she gently kicked the door a couple of times to announce her arrival as someone came to open up. ¡°Oh my, Mrs. Olga! Let me help you with that.¡± Finally off-loaded of her extra cups of coffee, the young teacher came to grab a chair at the table, where most of her colleagues were already seated. ¡°So, did I miss anything?¡± She asked, going right to the point. As a new teacher in the school, Mrs. Olga felt really pressured into giving her best for her students. Because of that, she often spent her Friday afternoons providing support sessions for pupils in difficulty. Despite this, she was still very interested in the duels¡¯ outcome, as they could sometimes be very unexpected. As soon as her last session ended, she headed straight to the teachers¡¯ room, as she knew her colleagues would be there, discussing the students¡¯ performance. ¡°This time was spectacular!¡± A male teacher exclaimed, as he extended his arm to reach for one of the cups of coffee. ¡°You¡¯ve really missed something, Mrs. Olga. There were so many surprising outcomes!¡± ¡°Really?¡± This is what she had been hoping to hear. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Well, to be exact, out of all the duels that were held today, only two of them were very unusual,¡± the male teacher explained. But it was still two times too many, so Mrs. Olga¡¯s interest didn¡¯t decrease one bit. ¡°The first fight was a duel between mages. Both students were from Mrs. Borge¡¯s class and one of them was the best in his class.¡± ¡°And he lost?¡± Mrs. Olga guessed. Her colleague nodded. ¡°Not only did he lose, but the way he lost was really strange!¡± ¡°How so?¡± The male teacher brought a hand to his neck, looking slightly embarrassed. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure,¡± he admitted, his gaze wandering on the table. ¡°I¡¯m only a math teacher so I¡¯m not really familiar with magic, but¡­ We didn¡¯t see anything.¡± Mrs. Olga frowned at his explanation. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®you didn¡¯t see anything¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as you heard, the girl casted a spell, but we couldn¡¯t see anything. Her magic was invisible.¡± The young woman frowned even further. Support spells were often invisible, but when it comes to invisible offensive spells, only one kind of magic crossed her mind. Dark magic. However, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Not only did this school not teach anything about it to its students as it was a forbidden art, but only demons were known to use dark magic. And there were no demons in the Academy. As she was thinking this, Mrs. Olga turned her attention to Mrs. Borge, who had stayed silent until now. If anyone here could be able to tell what really happened, it would be her, a teacher from the intermediate classes, specialized in magic. Moreover, this concerned her student. She was the best one to know about her abilities. ¡°Did that really happen?¡± Mrs. Olga inquired. But Mrs. Borge only gave her a long sigh as an answer. At that moment, the door opened as the head-teachers entered the room. The duels had long ended now, and after finally closing up the event, it was time for them to consult each other about it. As usual, they decided to hold their usual post-event meeting in the teachers¡¯ room. ¡°Mr. Glenn,¡± the two female teachers greeted, as they noticed their superior coming in. ¡°Oh, I see that everyone is already here!¡± Mr. Glenn noted. ¡°Please don¡¯t get up. It will be quick.¡± The head-teachers all took a seat around the table. With most of the school¡¯s teachers present, the room was now almost full. ¡°Let us begin,¡± Mr. Villin, the head-teacher in charge of the swordsmanship department, said, not wasting a single second. ¡°I believe everyone agrees that some duels today were a bit¡­ surprising.¡± As the professors exchanged agreeing looks, a voice suddenly spoke up. ¡°Did someone use dark magic?¡± Mrs. Olga¡¯s unexpected interrogation caused a little commotion to rise in the room as all eyes turned on her. Her assumption wasn¡¯t irrelevant. Not everyone here was familiar with magic, but they all understood to some extent that the student named Vivian of Lorns used an abnormal spell. ¡°Alright, alright, please, calm down everyone. No dark magic has been used,¡± Mr. Glenn immediately assured before turning his eyes on Mrs. Olga. ¡°What made you think that, Mrs. Olga?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard a student used invisible magic, so¡­¡± ¡°Wait a second,¡± someone abruptly interjected. ¡°If no dark magic was used, then how do you explain Vivan of Lorn¡¯s victory? As far as everyone knows, she has always been mediocre. How could she have won against Lucius Bain, who is considered the best in his class?¡± Without waiting for a reply, the man shifted his gaze on Mrs. Borge. ¡°Mrs. Borge. They are both students of your class. What do you have to say? Do you think it is possible for Vivian of Lorns to beat Lucius Bain?¡± ¡°No,¡± the female teacher immediately replied, without even having to think twice about it. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have been possible.¡± Her arms crossed in front of her, she was displaying a hard expression. ¡°Why the jaded look, then, Mrs. Borge? Isn¡¯t this a good thing?¡± One of her colleagues noted. ¡°A second-rate student defeating a talented classmate is something to be praised! She¡¯s your student, you should be proud of her.¡± However, the female teacher seemed to disagree as she let out a long sigh. ¡°I would have been if she had defeated him with her own abilities,¡± she muttered loud enough to be heard, disappointment showing on her face. Several teachers frowned at her revelation. ¡°Are you suggesting that she didn¡¯t defeat him by herself?¡± Mrs. Borge didn¡¯t utter another word. However, that was enough for the others as they took her silence for a yes. A clamor of indignation was raised in the room as the possibility of cheating was being considered. Duels were meant to oppose two challengers for their real worth. Any form of external aids were thus absolutely forbidden. If a student resorted to the use of a magic item or something of the likes to assure her victory, then it would be absolutely scandalous. As the commotion grew in the room, only one person did not seem to be surprised by the unexpected revelation. ¡°Mr. Glenn,¡± someone called out. ¡°Do you know anything about that?¡± The head-teacher was displaying a large smile. ¡°Naturally,¡± he admitted. During the event, he had been the first one to notice that Vivian was being helped. As the one in charge of the magic department, it was easy for him to detect the mana of a third party involved in the fight. However, he had been unable to pinpoint its source. ¡°As you all know, magic can be a bit tricky,¡± Mr. Glenn began to explain. ¡°It can be cast at a long distance and the source of its power, mana, is not visible. This means that it is very easy for a third party to intervene without anyone knowing.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The teachers began to gossip as Mr. Glenn presented a small object resembling a stone on the table. ¡°Which is exactly why we use this,¡± he continued. ¡°That¡¯s a magic item!¡± Mrs. Olga immediately recognized. ¡°Indeed,¡± the head-teacher confirmed with a smile. ¡°Each time a competition is held, I distribute this to some of the teachers under my wing before scattering them through the stands. It allows me to keep an eye on everyone and prevent external intervention. This wonderful device is able to detect mana fluctuations, you see?¡± As a few eyes widened at this information, one professor in particular did not seem thrilled at the sight of the magic item. ¡°Please, don¡¯t give me that look, Mr. Villin,¡± Mr. Glenn joked as he noticed his colleague¡¯s disapproving glare. ¡°I have, naturally, obtained the headmaster¡¯s permission to use these. As you know, our school has a strict policy when it comes to cheating, so we considered it to be necessary.¡± ¡°I have never heard about this before,¡± Mr. Villin noted, his eyes narrowed. ¡°The responsibility of preventing magic abuse was mine so I didn¡¯t deem it necessary to share this information with you,¡± the head-teacher explained, ¡°especially since, so far, it hasn¡¯t been of any use. No one would care to cheat for a duel after all. They aren¡¯t even an official competition.¡± Mr. Glenn marked a pause, the smile on his face widening. ¡°But I guess today was a different story!¡± The head-teacher pressed his body against the back of his chair, his fingers intertwined neatly on his lap. ¡°So, did any one of my little spies catch a naughty student in the act?¡± The teachers started to exchange silent gazes, waiting for someone to come forward. ¡°I did,¡± Mrs. Borge then spoke up, as all eyes turned on her. Mrs. Borge had been attending duels for as long as she could remember. As one of the established mages of the school, Mr. Glenn often counted on her to supervise the event from the stands. She didn¡¯t mind it. Not only was it one of her responsibilities as a teacher, but it also allowed her to see how students coped with a battle situation. She was particularly delighted this time to hear that some of her students would be participating. Yet, this expectation was soon pushed aside since, for the first time in a few years, her magic stone reacted. ¡°So, who was it?¡± ¡°Lynett Maedis Whiteheart.¡± The revelation raised a new commotion in the room. This name was familiar to everyone here. Lynett was not only a transfer student, she also a chosen one, and the sister of Aoban Whiteheart. She was also one of the students involved with the legendary magical beast incident. But that wasn¡¯t all. For most people here, Lynett was also the one other student who had unexpectedly won her duel this afternoon. They had all expected to move on to her later on, but they hadn¡¯t expected her to be mentioned twice. In the growing agitation, only Mr. Glenn remained unfazed. Although he had not expected it, he was not surprised one bit to hear her name coming up. The young girl had already caught his eyes a few days ago. Like most people, he was initially interested in her because of her golden eyes and her relationship with one of this school¡¯s best students. But when he met her, he quickly understood that she was probably even brighter than her brother. At her age, it wouldn¡¯t have been weird for her mana core to be unstable. It usually took years to form, after all, and decades to mature. However, hers was nothing like that. Her mana core showed absolutely no signs of irregularity. It was actually even more stable than most confirmed mages. And when he saw her using magic, it was clear that the girl was no beginner at all. Mana was a wild power that could never be completely tamed. It would normally take years for someone to have even the slightest control over it. Yet, the girl controlled her mana as easily as if it were a part of her body. She could focus it in an instant, adapt its abundance to her will, and even suppress it mid-spell. Yet, she didn¡¯t seem willing to show all the extent of her powers, so it was hard for him to determine her real level. But now, Mr. Glenn was even more convinced that the girl was at least at the level of an established mage. Despite what he said, it was actually not the first time someone tried to cheat during a duel. A lot of students had tried before her, but she was the first one to succeed. The magic devices, after all, didn¡¯t just detect mana. They also created interferences by generating a mana field. No normal mage should have been able to cast a spell in such conditions. Yet, the girl did it without a problem. ¡°I knew something wasn¡¯t right with that child,¡± a voice suddenly spoke up. ¡°She must have cheated in her duel as well! Otherwise, there is no way she would have been able to defeat Aoban Whiteheart.¡± A couple of heads nodded at the statement. ¡°Moreover, aren¡¯t they siblings? He must have gone easy on her.¡± ¡°Please, people, do not assume such things,¡± Mr. Glenn requested. ¡°The outcome of the duel between Vivian and Lucius may be debatable, but Lynett¡¯s victory is, however, completely legit.¡± Most teachers weren¡¯t completely convinced about that. Not only did a mage defeating a swordsman in a duel not make sense to begin with, but the swordsman was also Aoban Whiteheart, one of the best elements of this Academy. For him to lose against his younger sister, it was unthinkable. It was not enough to doubt Lynett¡¯s victory though. The girl didn¡¯t use any weird spell. In fact, she only used some of the most common ones. But considering how many magic attributes she used in a single fight, it was understandable. Most people would have a high affinity with only one or two attributes. Some people could control more, but the more affinities you had, the less powerful your attacks with each one of them would be. If anything was strange, it was how the girl kept casting one spell after the other, without depleting her mana pool. ¡°I agree with Mr. Glenn,¡± the head-teacher in charge of the swordsmanship department added. ¡°Aoban Whiteheart is one of my students. I taught him the way of a swordsman myself. He would have never done something as shameful as going easy on his opponent, even if said opponent was his own sister.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Villin.¡± With the opinions of the two head-teachers agreeing with each other, the other professors had no choice but to accept the situation. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you guys see it yourself?¡± Mr. Villin went on. ¡°He was exhausted. He fought his best, although¡­¡± Although he did exhaust himself at an unusual rate. Mr. Villin did not finish his sentence; but he had trained the boy personally, so he couldn¡¯t help but to have noticed his weird condition during the fight. However, thinking back about the duel between Vivian of Lorns and Lucius Bain, he quickly connected the dots together. Mages were known to have a poor physical condition, yet, Vivian demonstrated endless endurance and great agility during her duel. Whatever Lynett did to help, it was probably a passive spell, and she must have used something similar on her brother. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just assume that her victory was legit. Didn¡¯t you feel something was off? Her chants were¡­ unusual, which is the least we can say about them,¡± a male teacher pointed out, still doubtful. ¡°I believe this deserves some digging.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give that to you,¡± Mr. Glenn smirked. ¡°I have practiced magic for my whole life, but I¡¯ve never heard of something like this before.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a mage, but it did sound weird to me, too.¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Lynett Maedis Whiteheart has elven blood,¡± Mrs. Borge reminded. ¡°It could be Elvish.¡± However, her assumption was immediately refuted. ¡°I assure you that it¡¯s not,¡± Mrs. Enrys said. Mrs. Enrys was one of the few elves among the teaching staff of the school. She had learned the elven language as part of her legacy, and Lynett¡¯s chants sounded nothing like it. ¡°Mr. Adlar?¡± Mr. Villin called out. ¡°You¡¯ve studied the ancient languages. Did it sound familiar to you?¡± Mr. Adlar crossed his arms as he tilted his head, his eyes raising to the ceiling. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± he answered. ¡°In fact, it didn¡¯t sound like one language at all. There was absolutely no consistency between her chants.¡± ¡°So, what, it¡¯s just gibberish?¡± ¡°It could be an extinct tongue, for all we know.¡± ¡°And how did she learn an extinct tongue?¡± ¡°Well, that is the question, isn¡¯t it?¡± As the professors debated on the subject, a hand rose in the air as Mr. Jorren suddenly remembered something. ¡°Wait, what about Vivian of Lorns?¡± he asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the professors shifted their gaze on him. ¡°We have the proof that she cheated. Are we not going to take action about it?¡± ¡°Well, technically, Lynett Maedis Whiteheart is the one who cheated,¡± Mrs. Borge pointed out. ¡°But it was her victory that was rigged.¡± The male teacher turned to Mr. Glenn. ¡°Mr. Glenn, if you knew something wasn¡¯t right, why didn¡¯t you stop the fight?¡± The head-teacher displayed a half-smile at the question. ¡°Because I believe that she deserved to win.¡± Mr. Jorren frowned at his words, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°Vivian may have been helped, but the magic she used to win was her own,¡± Mr. Glenn explained. ¡°So yes, I believe her win was well deserved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± ¡°Mr. Jorren has a point,¡± Mrs. Enrys joined the contest. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have won if it weren¡¯t for Lynett Maedis Whiteheart¡¯s intervention.¡± ¡°Not as of now, no. But eventually, she would have. I believe this girl has potential for growth.¡± The others winced in disagreement. Mr. Glenn was the best one to tell this kind of thing when it comes to magic, but it didn¡¯t feel right to let an act of cheating go unpunished. The school policy was clear: zero tolerance about cheating. Both girls should be expelled. ¡°Please, ease your minds my friends,¡± the head-teacher said as he read his colleagues¡¯ expressions. ¡°It was just a foolish mistake. Which one of you never made a mistake in their youth? It would be a real shame for our school to lose some of its best elements because of the stupid mistake a teenager made.¡± A few professors furrowed their brows at his statement. ¡°Some of our best elements?¡± Mrs. Borge repeated, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Vivian?¡± ¡°Like I said, I believe that she has the potential to grow.¡± This didn¡¯t make any sense. Vivan lacked the ability to create magic out of nothing. Mrs. Borge knew that better than anyone, as she had been stuck with her for the past four years. Although Vivian¡¯s control was top-tier, this weakness of hers made her unable to advance to other classes. On the other hand, she was there during her duel. She did see her bringing Lucius to his knees. She did see her using magic. Unknown magic. ¡°Are you referring to the spell she used to win the fight?¡± Mrs.Borge asked. ¡°Do you know anything about it?¡± An all-knowing smile spread across the head-teacher¡¯s face. ¡°I may have an idea.¡± The others didn¡¯t push the matter any further. As Mr. Glenn fell silent, they understood that it was pointless to ask anything else. Ultimately, Vivian of Lorns was a student under his responsibility. If he chose to not do anything about her, then they didn¡¯t really have a say in this. If anything happened, it was on him anyway. The head-teacher was quite optimistic about the young girl. Her sudden progress was quite astonishing. If they gave her the chance, then she was sure to become brilliant. However, he also knew that this recent growth was not random. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just keep an eye on these two girls, all right?¡± Part II Chapter 37 - Visit Chapter 37 ¨C Visit
Lynett
Alright, Lynett. Do not panic. Think rationally. Why is there a naked girl in my bed? I never thought I would¡¯ve found myself in a situation like this. I thought it only happened in the movies. One would think I partied so hard last night that I ended up blacking out, bringing a girl into my bed. But this is a misunderstanding. I promise. I have never touched a single drop of alcohol in any of my lives, I never got drunk, and I certainly did not party last night. After the duel ended, I tried to connect with my brother, but he was immediately brought to the infirmary to treat his injuries. It seems that my attacks left some burns on his skin. Although it was not serious, it needed to be treated soon so as not to let a scar appear. It¡¯s¡­ not my fault? I mean, how was I supposed to know he was going to take the blow directly? Sorry, brother¡­ So I tried to meet up with Vivian and the others instead, but I soon changed my mind as I was assailed with questions the second I left the pit. The next participant, who had witnessed the fight, couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. He asked me how I did it, if there was any trick, if brother lost on purpose, how big my mana pool was, stuff like that. In short, it was a real pain in the ass. Fortunately, he was soon called to join the battle zone as the next duel was announced. However, I then realized it would be the same fuss for everyone, so I decided to leave the arena before the end of the event, to avoid meeting anyone else. I did come across a few people on my way back to my room, but the word of my victory had not yet reached the ears of those who didn¡¯t come to see the fight, so it wasn¡¯t a problem. I¡¯m going to have to wait for things to calm down a bit before showing my face again. Fortunately, it was now the weekend so I had planned to spend the next couple of days locked up in my room without going outside. And that¡¯s what I did. I locked myself in my room, collapsed on my bed and quickly fell asleep, exhausted by this overwhelming day. Which brings us to the current situation. I repeat it but, why in the goddamn world am I waking up next to a naked girl? Why? How? Who? When? And¡­ WHY?! Alright, calm down Lynett. You have done nothing wrong. It might be a prank. Let¡¯s analyze the situation for now. The door is still locked, no one could have entered the room while I was sleeping. Nomi is the only one else to possess the key, but her bed is empty. Maybe she¡¯s the one trying to pull a prank on me? But it doesn¡¯t sound like her. Thinking about it, did she not return last night? Or maybe she just woke up before me? In any case, I¡¯m just grateful that she¡¯s not here to witness this very misinterpretable scene. Now the window. It is indeed open, but this is the second floor. You¡¯d have to be extremely agile to climb up here, and then again, there are bars over the windows. A human being wouldn¡¯t have been able to pass through. So, how? I have not a single clue. Now, who? The girl was¡­ kind of cute, I¡¯ll admit it. In fact, I¡¯d even say she was extremely cute. But she was also very young. She looked even younger than Jalone which made things even weirder. Two pointed ears sprouted out her head, disclosing the fact that she was a demi-human. Her hair was completely devoid of any color and stopped just above her shoulders. It was completely smooth. I could tell without even running my fingers through it that there was not a single clump in it. As the girl readjusted her position in her sleep, her bangs moved aside to reveal her long eyelashes. Yeah, she¡¯s cute. Should I wake her up? Probably not. She could misinterpret the situation herself. I tried to get off the bed as discreetly as possible, so as not to disturb the stranger¡¯s sleep. Then, I unfolded the untouched blanket and spread it over her naked body. And I headed to the door. I had planned to stay locked up in my room for the whole weekend, but now, I think I¡¯d rather face the outside world. However, as I was about to step out of the room in silence, the door opened itself. And Nomi appeared. Fuck. My. Life. It didn¡¯t take her long to notice the stranger in my bed. Her face distorted in disgust as her eyes fell upon me. She is totally judging me. ¡­ How should I say it¡­ The awkward exchange of stares lasted for a few seconds. Very long seconds. Nomi didn¡¯t utter a single word. She didn¡¯t dare to. Her judgmental glare was enough, anyway. Then, she closed the door, as if nothing happened, and I heard her quickly walking away. Yeah, I knew this would happen. I stormed out of the room to catch up with her. ¡°Wait, this is a misunderstanding!!¡± I tried to clarify the situation as I grabbed her arm. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± she yelled, shaking my hand away. ¡°I don¡¯t swing that way!¡± ¡°What way?! Like I said, this is a misunderstanding!¡± Nomi cringed, avoiding eye-contact. ¡°Wow, and here I thought you had gone up in my estimation after yesterday¡¯s duel,¡± she quipped, choking down an ironic chortle. ¡°Now you just dropped down as low as possible! Pedophile!¡± ¡°For the love of¡­! Just listen to me! This is not what you think it is!¡± As both our voices rose above a reasonable sound level, a few students left their room to see what was going on. Nomi ground her teeth at the unwanted attention. She leaned forward to whisper in my ear. ¡°Get her out of our room, now!¡± she ordered with a curt voice. ¡°If anyone finds out about this, you and I are both in trouble.¡± Yeah, I bet. Nomi gave me a meaningful look before walking away under the curious stares of the others. And I did the same. As naturally as possible, I retraced my steps. I returned to my room, making sure no one was peeking inside as I closed the door behind me. What do I do now? As I could feel myself growing restless, I noticed a couple of eyes staring at me. Crap. She¡¯s awake. Probably woken up by my sudden dispute with Nomi, the young girl was sitting on my bed as the blanket I spread over her fell from her shoulder, revealing everything. Uh¡­ Should I look away? I probably should have, but, seemingly not bothered by being seen, the girl was staring intensely at me, making it difficult for me to break the eye-contact. Young lady¡­ Did your parents not teach you about modesty? I know we¡¯re both girls but¡­ I can seriously see everything. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s supposed to be embarrassed, yet, I can feel my cheeks blushing. ¡°Erm¡­ Hello?¡± I tried to speak up. The young girl did not answer immediately. She silently stared at me for a few more moments before a smile broke onto her face. Then, she jumped from the bed and she threw herself on me. ¡°W-WOUAH! Hold on a second, what are you doing?!¡± I panicked. ¡°Mother!¡± Mother? The young girl embraced me as she buried her face in my chest like a child. ¡°Uh, erm¡­ I think you got the wrong person?¡± I didn¡¯t dare to push her away. ¡°I have certainly not given birth before, and I¡¯m too young to be a mother.¡± The young girl looked up at me, displaying a gentle and innocent smile. ¡°You are the boss¡¯ mother, therefore, you are my mother!¡± she said. I frowned, trying to comprehend the meaning of her words. Then, I finally noticed the tails swaying back and forth happily in her back. Huh? Not one tail but two? At that moment, everything suddenly became clearer. There were not a lot of multi-tailed beasts in this world to begin with after all, but this fluff? I¡¯ve already seen it before. ¡°The boss¡­ Are you referring to Yoko?¡± I asked. The young girl nodded. Finally receiving confirmation that I had not kidnapped a child in my sleep, my heartbeat returned to a somewhat slower pace as I let out a relieving sigh. I still didn¡¯t know how she got in here, but this child was somehow related to Yoko and I long stopped trying to apply logical thinking when it comes to my gods. I returned my attention to the young girl, who was still looking at me with her round and beaming eyes. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I questioned. ¡°Oh, and how did you pass through the barrier?¡± That¡¯s right, the barrier. I thought intruders couldn¡¯t enter the Academy. And that girl is clearly neither a student nor a member of the school staff. I mean, there were children in this school but, although she looks like one, that child does not fall under the mortal category. The multiple tails in her back are speaking for herself. ¡°The boss sent me to find you,¡± the young girl replied. ¡°This territory¡¯s barrier has a lot of flaws, so it was quite easy for a high-level spirit like me to enter.¡± I blinked a couple of times at her casual explanation. ¡°Yoko sent you to find me?¡± I repeated, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Yes!¡± Oh¡­ Oh no. I don¡¯t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this. This can¡¯t possibly be good. ¡°Alright,¡± I cleared my voice as I mentally prepared myself for whatever was coming next. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°To deliver a letter,¡± the young girl said as she looked away. Following her gaze, my eyes fell upon a small envelope on the mattress, right next to my pillow. Totally panicked by the presence of a stranger in my bed, I had absolutely not noticed it before. A loud sigh escaped my mouth. Alright, here we go. ¡°By the way, how did you find me?¡± I wondered as I approached the bed to reach for the envelope. ¡°I doubt you took a carriage and I don¡¯t see a map with you. The region is vast. It mustn¡¯t have been easy to find me.¡± ¡°It was,¡± the young girl contradicted. ¡°I just tracked your scent.¡± My scent? She knows my scent? I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Do you know me?¡± The young girl gave me a meaningful look before her lips played into a mischievous smile. Suddenly, light erupted from her body, a white glow enveloping her. Her figure changed shape as it started to shrink. Once her transformation was over, the light subsided, and a little fox appeared on the spot where she had been standing before. A very little fox. It was no more than forty centimeters tall. For a normal fox, it should have been the average size. But this girl was no normal fox. She was a fox spirit, a kitsune, like Yoko. And I have seen how big Yoko is in her fox form, and if I¡¯m correct, this isn¡¯t not even her maximum size. It is, however, suddenly easier to imagine her slipping through the window bars like this. Then, I finally realized. Those adorable tiny paws, this fluffy white fur, those round little eyes. I¡¯ve seen them before. ¡°Y-You! You¡¯re the two-tailed fox I met in the enchanted forest!¡± I suddenly remembered. ¡°Yoko¡¯s pet!¡± The little fox nodded its head in an adorable manner. Awww¡­! Yeah, she¡¯s definitely cute. I had completely forgotten about her. Thinking about this, it¡¯s true that she was with Yoko when I first met her. But then, Yoko kind of gatecrashed the Whiteheart¡¯s residence and made herself at home, completely abandoning her forest. And I haven¡¯t seen that little fox since. I wonder if it stayed in the forest this whole time. As I was thinking this, the little fox¡¯s body emitted light as it returned to its human form. Aaaaaaaand she¡¯s naked again. ¡°First, why don¡¯t you put some clothes on?¡± I suggested, averting my eyes. I grew a little too comfortable with her, I completely forgot she was naked this whole time. Although her dress was revealing, Yoko at least had the decency of transforming with some clothes on, so I¡¯m pretty sure she can do the same. But the young girl frowned at my proposition. ¡°Why?¡± She asked, her head tilting to the side. ¡°I find human clothes quite uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Maybe, but aren¡¯t you cold? You no longer have fur right now, so¡­¡± It might be summer, but the Academy is located in an elevated area, so it is significantly cooler than most provinces of the region. The fox girl hesitated for a while, clearly not willing to dress up. But I can almost see the hairs on her arms standing up. ¡°I¡¯m going to lend you some clothes,¡± I told her as I understood she wasn¡¯t going to admit it was a bit chilly.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I headed for the dresser and pulled out a simple dress from one of the drawers. She¡¯s not that much shorter than me so it should fit her without a problem. I handed the clothes to the fox girl. Although reluctant at first, she ended up accepting it. As she was dressing up, I remembered the reason why she was here, so I picked up the envelope I just placed on the chest of drawers. It was a very simple one. No crest, no signature. Well¡­ No visible signature. There was definitely a subtle trace of Yoko¡¯s mana on the envelope. I took out the letter, and as the fox girl was struggling to put on the dress I just gave her -like, what the hell? It¡¯s just a dress- I started reading it. ¡® Dear Lynett, I¡¯m leaving on a journey. Harri will stay at the mansion. I¡¯m lending you this child as a gift. Her name is Two. Use her well. See you later~ ? -Yoko ¡¯ ¡­ Huh¡­? WAIT WHAT?! What the hell, Yoko?! What do you mean you¡¯re leaving on a journey?! What about my mom?! That goddamn fox! I shouldn¡¯t have trusted her! What is she thinking? She had the past millennia to travel, so why now? What¡¯s with the timing? Not so long ago, she was ready to destroy an entire kingdom because she didn¡¯t want to leave, and now that I¡¯m asking her to stay, she leaves?! For fuck¡¯s sake! You and your whims, Yoko! Next time I see you, I¡¯ll get back at you for sure! ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± a soft voice brought me back to reality. ¡°¡­You put it on backwards,¡± I told the fox girl, as the sudden pressure within me dropped in an instant. Alright, let¡¯s calm down first. Mom will be fine, Harri is still with her. As for Yoko¡­ She wouldn¡¯t let me down. That¡¯s not like her. Yoko may be capricious and unpredictable, she is also trustworthy. She must have her reasons. But that¡¯s exactly what I would like to know. What are her reasons? She didn¡¯t mention anything in the letter. Or did she? I inspected the letter more carefully, trying to see if I missed anything. Then I saw it. On the back, at the very bottom of the letter, written in small print: ¡® PS: Your aunt is missing. ?¡¯ ¡­ WHAT?! Ok, now I¡¯m panicking. What in the world is going on at home?! What happened?! Why is Aunt Nora missing?! Not like I care if she disappeared or something, but she wouldn¡¯t have suddenly vanished without a reason! What the hell is wrong with this family? People just keep disappearing without a trace! First my dad, now Aunt Nora? I thought it would be safe to leave mom alone¡­ Should I go home after all? Does Aoban know anything about this? And what about Lukas? O-Ooooh¡­ My head. ¡°Now I¡¯m done,¡± the fox girl once again brought me back to my senses. She put it on correctly this time. ¡°Hey,¡± I called out, ¡°do you know anything about this?¡± I showed her the letter in my hand, but the young simply shrugged at its sight. ¡°Did Yoko not tell you anything?¡± She shook her head. ¡°She said she¡¯d be leaving for a while, so I should deliver this letter to you and stay at your side until she returns.¡± So she does intend to return eventually. Good. I kept re-reading Yoko¡¯s letter, but I couldn¡¯t find any hidden message in it. Then, my eyes stopped at the following sentences: ¡°I¡¯m lending you this child as a gift. Her name is Two. Use her well.¡± I looked up at the fox girl, who was seemingly waiting for me to do something, as my eyes squinted. ¡°Your name is Two?¡± I asked, doubtful. The young girl nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not a name, that¡¯s a number.¡± ¡°The boss named me,¡± she explained. Yoko did? ¡°Why did she name you ¡®Two¡¯?¡± As the fox girl turned around to proudly show me her tails, I suddenly understood. Oh my god, Yoko. You didn¡¯t. Tell me you didn¡¯t name her Two because she has two tails. So, what? When she gains her third tail it changes to Three? Wow¡­ I can¡¯t believe you once said human names were not original when you yourself suck at naming people. Poor child¡­ ¡°So, what do you intend to do?¡± I inquired of the fox girl. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of staying here, are you?¡± Two tilted her head at the side, not understanding my question. Yeah, she totally is planning to stay here. ¡°Hey, listen,¡± I tried to reason with her. ¡°You can¡¯t stay here. There are only mortals here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a mortal, though,¡± she retorted. I flinched. ¡°Well, maybe not¡­ But at least I have this!¡± I showed her the ring on my pinky finger. ¡°It means I¡¯m allowed to stay here.¡± Two furrowed her brows. ¡°How do I get one?¡± she asked, determined not to leave. ¡°You can¡¯t, it¡¯s for mortals.¡± ¡°But you-¡± ¡°I¡¯m an exception.¡± Her shoulders slumped as she lowered her head, clearly disappointed. Her lower lips protruded in a sulky pout, she cast her sad eyes on me. No, no, no. Don¡¯t give me that look. ¡°Why do you absolutely need to stay?¡± I averted my eyes on the floor, trying not to succumb to her charms. ¡°This is a very boring place, you know?¡± ¡°I am to stay at your side,¡± the fox girl explained, ¡°the boss¡¯ orders.¡± I sighed. ¡°Look, you don¡¯t have to listen to her,¡± I told her, ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of relationship you have with Yoko, but she¡¯s not here right now so you¡¯re free to go anywhere you want.¡± ¡°This is where I want to be,¡± she insisted anyway. What a stubborn girl! Is this a common trait in the fox race? Yoko is also stubborn as hell. ¡°Are you going to abandon me too?¡± The young girl suddenly asked. Abandon? What do you mean abandon? I am not your mother, I do not have that possibility to begin with. Startled by her bold question, I shifted my gaze on her. Looking at me with pleading eyes, her face was the perfect picture of misery. God dammit, I¡¯m weak. That¡¯s right, she may not be a mortal, she is ultimately still a child. And no child would want to be left behind. If Yoko was some kind of maternal figure to her, it¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s so desperate to cling on me as her own mother basically threw her onto me. Shame on you, Yoko. Shame. ¡°Fine, you can stay,¡± I told her in a resigned sigh. As I said this, her face lit up, brighter than the sun, and a beaming smile spread across her grim features. Yeah, this is definitely the innocence of a child. It should be fine. I don¡¯t think her staying here will cause much of a problem. She may not be a mortal, she is no deity either. Her emerald green eyes were the very proof of that. On the other hand, I need to implement rules of precautions. Yoko probably told her about my identity so we can never be too careful. But even before protecting my identity, we need to protect hers. ¡°You¡¯re going to need a name if you want to stay here,¡± I started to explain. The fox girl furrowed. ¡°I have a name,¡± she said. ¡°No, like I said, it¡¯s a number,¡± I retorted, ¡°it doesn¡¯t feel right as a name.¡± She tilted her head, her eyes raising to the ceiling, as she carefully considered my proposition. ¡°Is there any name you would like to be called?¡± I inquired. But the young girl did not reply. Instead, she furrowed even further. However, as no idea seemed to have crossed her mind, she simply shook her head, her expectant eyes locked on me. Mmmh¡­ How troublesome. If she has no idea, I¡¯ll have to pick one for her. That¡¯s quite a big responsibility. Names are quite important. They follow us for the rest of our lives after all. So I need to choose a name that will fit her, but at the same time, I don¡¯t know what her personality is like. And appearance-wise? What¡¯s her most striking feature? As I thought, it would be those tails, right? Those white, soft and furry tails. Just like¡­ Oh! I got one. ¡°Cotton,¡± I spoke up. ¡°How about Cottontail?¡± ¡°Cottontail?¡± the fox girl repeated. ¡°Is this my name?¡± It was hard to read her expression. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was disappointed or not. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, we can choose another one,¡± I offered. However, it didn¡¯t seem necessary as a smile finally broke onto her face. Dimples formed on her cheeks as her lips curled up into a smooth parabola. It was just a simple smile, yet something about it felt so genuine that for a split second, everything felt like it stopped around me. For some reason, at that very moment, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of her. I felt connected with her. Is she¡­ using her charms on me? Suddenly, the fox girl bent the knee. As a sign of reverence, she lowered her head and placed a hand on her heart. ¡°I, Cottontail, accept the [Name] you have bestowed me,¡± she started. ¡°In gratitude, I pledge my loyalty to you and recognize you as my master.¡± What? ¡°I swear to uphold your standards and to fulfill to the best of my abilities your highest expectations. Until the last breath leaves my body, I swear to slay your enemy. I shall honor your name and not bring you any shame. And in the night, you shall be my guiding light.¡±
You have successfully formed a [Contract] with Cottontail.
Uuuuh¡­ That¡­ wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Now I get it. She wasn¡¯t using her foxy charms. It was just the [World System] bonding me with her. Cottontail got up, now displaying a proud smile. ¡°Did we just form a [Contract]?¡± I asked her with a confused voice. The young girl proudly nodded. ¡°How¡­?¡± ¡°Because you have honored me with a [Name],¡± she explained. A na-¡­ That¡¯s it? That¡¯s the one condition to form a [Contract]? A [Name]? But then¡­ ¡°What about Yoko?¡± I suddenly remembered. Cottontail raised an eyebrow. ¡°What about her?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you also in a [Contract] with her?¡± I asked. ¡°How did you manage to form two [Contracts] at once?¡± If I understand well, in this [Contract], I am the master. Which makes me the contractor, and her the contracted one. And as far as I know, while it is possible for a contractor to enter several [Contracts], it is not possible for a contracted one to have several masters. ¡°I have never formed a [Contract] with the boss,¡± Cottontail clarified with squinted eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± I drew my head backwards. ¡°But didn¡¯t she also name you-¡± ¡­ No, wait¡­ She didn¡¯t! I said it myself! ¡®Two¡¯ is not a name, it¡¯s a number! Did Yoko know? Is that why she gave her a number instead of a proper name? A warning would be nice, Yoko! Urgh¡­ ¡°Mother?¡± Cottontail called me out. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± I marked a pause, staring right at her. ¡°Are you going to keep calling me that?¡± The young girl innocently tilted her head to the side. ¡°Is this not okay?¡± ¡°¡­No it¡¯s not.¡± She let her gaze randomly wander in the room, seemingly pondering. ¡°Then, Master?¡± ¡°How about Lynett?¡± I suggested. ¡°That¡¯s my name.¡± ¡°Master it is,¡± she turned a deaf ear. Oh, well. I guess it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like if arguing will change her mind, anyway. Whether I like it or not, I have gained a servant. Now then, what does this faithful servant status look like? [Advanced Status].
[Advanced Status]
Name: Cottontail [New] Race: Fox Spirit Main-Class: Mage
True Name: Cottontail [New] Sub-Race: None Sub-Class: Sorceress
Age: 257 Level: 365 Affiliation: Aileen
Gender Female Rank: S
Titles
Favorite of the Goddess of Lust and Mischief Familiar of the Goddess of All Creations [New]
Reputation
Fame: 76 Infamy: 777
Stats
Vitality: 3880 (Regen: 50 min) Mana: 4227 (Regen: 125 /min) Stamina: 1603 (Regen: 100 /min)
Strength: 57 (Melee Attack: 22 max) Intellect: 2674 (Magic Attack: 2000 Max) Dexterity: 603 (Ranged Attack: 200 Max)
Physical Defense: 23 Magic Defense: 2405 Luck: 100 (Critic Ratio: 0.07)
Agility 1157 (Evasion: 562) Charisma: 2074 Wisdom: 578
Magic Affinities
Fire: A- Wind: C Light: F
Water: F- Earth: F- Darkness: B+
Huh? Did I see that right? ¡®Familiar of the Goddess of All Creations¡¯? Not ¡®servant¡¯ but ¡®familiar¡¯? Isn¡¯t that degrading? Is it because she¡¯s not a mortal? Her real appearance is that of a fox after all. Yeah, that must be it. It is a bit weird though, as she is in her human form, but at least she¡¯s cute. Yep. I wanted a cute familiar, now I¡¯m saved. I¡¯ll take Cottontail over Pikachu anytime. That being said, she has some really high stats. Yoko and Harri aside, she has the highest stats of all the people I encountered ever since I reincarnated. I guess this much should have been expected from a fox spirit. They are considered an S-ranked magic beast after all. I¡¯m a bit worried about her growth though, as she¡¯s not an adult yet. She¡¯s probably not even at half of a future capability. But fox spirits mature slowly. They gain a new tail every century, which means Cottontail won¡¯t suddenly grow more powerful for a while. That¡¯s good. She¡¯s already too powerful to be handled by most mortals anyway. Suddenly pulled out from my thoughts, I heard a loud knocking at the door. I made the status screen disappear as I shifted my attention to the entrance, wondering who was there. Nomi wouldn¡¯t knock, so whoever it was, it wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Hello?¡± a voice sounded across the door. ¡°Lynett, are you here? This is Mrs. Kelly. May I see you for a moment?¡± The Chief Secretary? Yeah, this is not good. ¡°Cotton,¡± I turned to the fox girl, ¡°hide!¡± ¡°Huh? Where?¡± Although Cottontail did not question my order, it was a small room, so her options to conceal herself were limited. But with the now destroyed closet and the compartments under the bed, there was truly nowhere for her to hide. Or at least, not in this form. ¡°Transform back!¡± I instructed. The girl complied. In one instant, her figure shrank as her appearance changed into that of a white little fox. I picked up the small animal in my arms and rushed to the dresser. There, I emptied one of the drawers before laying down Cotton in it. However, before I had a chance to close the drawer, Mrs. Kelly entered the room. ¡°I¡¯m coming in!¡± she announced far too late. Our eyes met, and I froze on the spot. Awkward. The Chief Secretary gave me an amused smile, as she quickly understood the situation. ¡°Are you trying to hide that?¡± she asked, her eyes falling upon Cotton. ¡°Is that a magical beast?¡± ¡°Erm¡­ That¡¯s my familiar,¡± I tried to justify myself. ¡°I see. So you¡¯ve already contracted your first familiar, huh?¡± Mrs. Kelly approached to observe the little fox closer. She extended her hand forwards, but Cotton refused it, looking away. The Chief Secretary didn¡¯t take it to heart, though, as she immediately turned her focus back onto me. ¡°This is a cute familiar,¡± she praised. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide her, you know? You¡¯re free to summon your familiar in your free time, as long as you keep it under control.¡± Does she not see Cotton¡¯s tails? Or does she not care? ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± I changed the topic. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Mrs. Kelly exclaimed as she remembered her reason for coming. ¡°Are you free right now?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I need you to come with me,¡± she prompted. ¡°You have a visitor.¡± Part II Chapter 38 - Request Chapter 38 ¨C Request
Lynett
What in the world is he doing here? ¡°Big sister!¡± Following her visit, the Chief Secretary led the way to the headmaster¡¯s office. Seeing me growing restless -no one would go to the headmaster¡¯s office with a light heart after all- she explained that I was not in trouble and that there was someone waiting for me there. Someone from the outside. As far as I knew, the school did not allow visitors. To begin with, the Academy was located in a rather hostile region, secluded from any civilization. Very few people would care to risk such a journey just to visit a relative. It¡¯s not like if students were hostages after all. They returned home during the holidays. So I had no idea who this visitor of mine could be. As much as I would have loved to, it was very unlikely to be my mom. My uncle or my aunt? Not a chance. And I had no other relatives. So I concluded that it must have been a mistake. However, now that I see him, I understand it¡¯s not. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere!¡± the young boy exclaimed. It was Axis, the child I met not so long ago in Eskor, who tried to rob me. How did he get here? ¡°A teacher on patrol duty found him wandering in the area,¡± Mrs. Kelly explained. ¡°With all the dangerous beasts roaming around, we couldn¡¯t let such a young child alone out there so we brought him here. Turns out he was looking for you this whole time. Do you know him?¡± I nodded. ¡°I do. We come from the same kingdom. What is he doing here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we would like to know but¡­¡± the Chief Secretary let out a long sigh, ¡°he wouldn¡¯t tell us.¡± ¡°I told you I came for big sister Lynett!¡± Axis shot. ¡°Anyway,¡± Mrs. Kelly readjusted the glasses on her nose bridge, ¡°we¡¯ve called for a carriage, but it will take a while for it to arrive. Since you know him, do you mind looking after him for a couple of days? The headmaster and I are quite busy, and the other staff members all have their own duties.¡± And I don¡¯t? I¡¯m a student, I know it¡¯s the weekend, but I also have things to do, like homework and stuff like that! Well, actually I don¡¯t, but imagine if I did! ¡°Naturally, we will take that into account in your record,¡± she continued, ¡°we will be more lenient for your next assessments.¡± So, basically, she¡¯s not giving me the chance to refuse. ¡°Alright,¡± I accepted. ¡°I can do that.¡± Axis came for me for a reason after all. I¡¯m interested in what he has to say. The severe features of Mrs. Kelly softened as she let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, if you need anything, let me know,¡± she said. ¡°In the meantime, I apologize, but I¡¯ll need you to leave the room as soon as possible. The headmaster will return soon.¡± Yeah, she did seem in a hurry. I wonder if there is something wrong with the board? As Mrs. Kelly pretty much kicked us out, I brought Axis to my room. While boys weren¡¯t allowed in our dormitory, Axis was an exception as I had a special authorization from the Chief Secretary. Nomi hasn¡¯t heard about it yet, though. I hope she won¡¯t mind it too much. But seeing the big deal she made out of Cotton¡¯s presence, she probably will, although those two situations aren¡¯t exactly alike. Axis followed in silence, too busy admiring the facilities of the school to utter a single word. For a boy like him, who has probably known nothing else but streets and precariousness, I can imagine how impressive it must be. He was in awe at the simple sight of the courtyard. ¡°Welcome back, Master,¡± Cottontail greeted us upon our arrival. She was not in her fox form anymore. ¡°Wow!¡± Axis marveled at her sight. ¡°A demi-human girl! You have two tails? That¡¯s so cool!¡± He had already seen Yoko before, but coming from a human kingdom, I guess he was still not used to seeing demi-humans. ¡°Axis,¡± I called him out. ¡°What did you come here for?¡± Now that we were alone, it was time for him to explain his presence here to me. The boy¡¯s amazement died out as soon as he heard me. He put on a straight face again. ¡°Big sister, I need your help!¡± he explained, his expression set hard. Yeah, I can guess that much. If he came all the way here, it must be serious. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked. ¡°My dad disappeared!¡± ¡­ Again¡­? What the hell is wrong with his dad? He has a son, yet he keeps leaving him behind and disappears. Last time, it was the exact same story. Troy had supposedly ¡®went missing¡¯ and Axis came to me for help. Turns out he was just following Yoko around, on his own free will, like a faithful puppy. Thinking about it, didn¡¯t Yoko leave the capital recently? Could this be related to his so-called disappearance? Maybe he followed her again? What¡¯s his problem, is he in love with her or something? I sighed. ¡°Listen Axis, I don¡¯t think we can find your dad this time,¡± I tried to explain to him. ¡°You should let it go.¡± ¡°What?! No!¡± the boy protested. ¡°He¡¯s been kidnapped!¡± Yeah, I¡¯ve heard that before. I can¡¯t blame him, though. His dad pretty much abandoned him. It is only natural for him to be in denial. ¡°Alright, alright. First, how about you tell me how you got here?¡± I tried to divert his attention, allowing him to calm down. ¡°Huh? Well¡­ I got here by unicorn,¡± the boy revealed. By uni-¡­ What the hell has he been smoking? ¡°It was super fast,¡± Axis shamelessly continued, ¡°it took less than a day to come here!¡± Right. I¡¯m guessing it also rode a rainbow to get here, huh? And that it left a drizzle of sparkles behind it? ¡°Can you believe that, big sister? A unicorn!¡± Axis insisted. ¡°Mr. Harri wasn¡¯t lying!¡± ¡­Harri? Oh wait, fuck. He¡¯s actually telling the truth. If it¡¯s Harri we¡¯re talking about, then it wouldn¡¯t be weird for a unicorn to be involved. In fact, I did see him ride a unicorn before. But as a legendary type of beast, it shouldn¡¯t have approached mortals. How did Axis find one, let alone ride it? ¡°Did Harri bring you to the unicorn?¡± I guessed. The boy nodded. ¡°I came to find you, but you weren¡¯t here,¡± Axis started to recount. ¡°Mr. Harri told me you were away, out of the kingdom, and when I asked a coachman to bring me to you, he said the journey would take at least two weeks! But I didn¡¯t have two weeks before me, it was an emergency! So Mr. Harri proposed his help. He said he knew a means of transport that would be faster than anything else, but¡­¡± The boy marked a dramatic pause, bringing his index finger in front of his mouth. ¡°¡­ it¡¯s a secret. That was a unicorn!¡± Wow. What a way to keep a secret, Axis! Well, he is a child after all. Children just can¡¯t keep their mouth shut. ¡°So Harri lent you a unicorn?¡± Axis nodded. That¡¯s weird, though. I know Harri¡¯s chivalry code includes helping those in need, but he¡¯s not supposed to involve himself with the others. I specifically asked him not to. So why did he do it? Why did he help Axis? It¡¯s not like if it was a minor thing, he went as far as lending him a legendary magical beast. While not a direct proof of divinity, this is definitely not something that goes unnoticed. Yet, Harri still helped him. Which means he must have considered that the situation required it. Which means my mom was involved in the matter. Maybe it is related to my aunt''s disappearance? ¡°Did you meet mother?¡± I asked. The boy blinked at me twice, before a smile spread across his face. ¡°I did!¡± he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. I thought so. ¡°She was really beautiful!¡± the boy continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t know your mother was an elf, big sister. It was my first time seeing one! Although her ears were a bit weird...¡± ¡°Did you say anything to her?¡± I cut him off. ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Axis pondered. ¡°She did say she would help me, though!¡± Ah, I get it. Harri must have prevented her from getting involved in Axis'' problems by sending him to me. What a hassle. So if I just send him back, he¡¯ll probably just go back to her, huh? ¡°You know, if your father was kidnapped, why don¡¯t you alert the authorities?¡± I suggested, returning to the main topic. I need to get rid of him. ¡°I know they weren¡¯t of great assistance last time, but isn¡¯t it better to maximize your chances of finding him?¡± Especially if he¡¯s running after a Goddess. ¡°We can¡¯t!¡± Axis flatly refused my proposition. ¡°We can¡¯t have the authorities involved!¡± ¡­Mmh? That¡¯s a pretty strong reaction. ¡°Why not?¡± The boy clenched his fists, his narrowed eyes cast down on the floor. ¡°Dad broke the law,¡± he explained, his voice full of frustration. ¡°If the authorities learn about this, they¡¯re not going to help him. Instead, they¡¯ll only make things worse.¡± I furrowed my brow. That¡¯s new. ¡°What did he do?¡± I asked. Axis seemed unwilling to answer. However, if he wanted me to help, he knew he wouldn¡¯t have the choice but to tell me everything. ¡°He assaulted someone,¡± he eventually disclosed, with much reluctance. ¡°He attacked someone with a knife, and when others tried to stop him, he threatened to slit his throat.¡± ¡­ WHAT?! What the hell? Isn¡¯t he just a criminal then? ¡°But they were bad people!¡± Axis shouted in a desperate attempt to justify his father¡¯s actions, as he read the surprise on my face. ¡°They deserved it!¡± Well, considering this world¡¯s customs, I can only give him the benefit of the doubt. I have met Troy before, and it¡¯s true he didn¡¯t seem like a guy who would do this sort of thing without a reason. ¡°What did they do?¡± I inquired, trying to get a better insight of the whole story. ¡°They are holding my mom hostage,¡± Axis promptly replied. ¡°They¡¯ve been asking for a ransom for months, but we don¡¯t have money! Dad was desperate so he¡­¡± His mom? So he does have a mom after all! And if she¡¯s been held hostage, it¡¯s no wonder she was never in the picture whenever I met Axis or his father. Maybe Troy didn¡¯t go after Yoko, in the end. After all, if he went as far as threatening someone to save his wife, he must be quite in love with her. So far, Axis¡¯ story makes sense. There is just one thing that doesn¡¯t add up. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to the authorities?¡± I questioned one more time, my eyes full of doubt. ¡°I understand that your father crossed a line, but if what you say is true, then he had legitimate reasons to do it. The authorities would have been lenient about his actions. Besides, if your mother¡¯s been kidnapped, that¡¯s even more reasons to report it to them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± the boy got flustered. ¡°The authorities won¡¯t help! They can¡¯t do anything about those people! My mom was kidnapped legally, and now, it¡¯s my dad¡¯s turn!¡± What? What is he talking about? That doesn¡¯t make any sense. There is no way a kidnapping would be legal. No one can be taken against their will. As archaic our society was, citizens had rights. Every subject of the kingdom had the right to be protected. For someone to be captured, it could only mean that they had lost those rights. Which means they were either a criminal, or¡­This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Oh. Oh, shit. ¡°Who are they?¡± I asked Axis, my voice wavering, as I just came to a conclusion. ¡°Those people who captured your mom and your dad, who are they?¡± The boy winced, grinding his teeth. His gaze lost somewhere in the room, he let a loud sigh escape from his mouth. ¡°Slave traders...¡± Crap. Crap, crap, crap, I fucking knew it. Those goddamn slave traders. That¡¯s right. In Agraal, human trafficking was allowed. So if someone, for whatever reason, lost their rights as a citizen, it would be completely legal to capture them. Shit. This isn¡¯t funny. ¡°Did you tell her?¡± I suddenly grabbed Axis by his shoulder. ¡°Did you tell her anything about this?!¡± ¡°What?¡± The boy was startled. ¡°Tell who?¡± ¡°My mother!¡± I yelled. ¡°You said she was willing to help you! Does it mean you told her about this?¡± Confused, Axis shook my hands away. ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Oh thank gods! Considering mom¡¯s history with slavers, I certainly don¡¯t want her to be involved with them again. In fact, if possible, I don¡¯t want her to even hear anything about them. She¡¯s suffered enough. There is no need for her to bring up the painful memories of the past. It is a real relief, though. For a moment, I thought mom had agreed to help him because he told her about his circumstances. Having been a slave herself, it is possible that she wouldn¡¯t have been able to refuse him. Now, I definitely can¡¯t let him go back to her for help. ¡°How in the world did you get involved with slavers?!¡± I was growing a headache. ¡°It¡¯s not like it was a choice!¡± Axis growled. Obviously. ¡°We couldn¡¯t pay back our debts, so they just took my mom! And now, they took my dad as well!¡± Yeah, this is what slavers do. Taking advantage of people¡¯s weaknesses to enslave them. Shit. And here I thought it would be something trivial again. Slavers? I had been expecting anything but that. That is really not good. Realizing the severity of his situation, the boy fell on his knees. ¡°Big sister¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, help them! Help my parents! If it¡¯s you, you probably can do it!" He looked up at me, his desperate eyes full of expectations. "I know you¡¯ve already helped me once, but if you help me just once more, I¡¯ll do anything!" he continued, "I¡¯ll be your servant, your shield, your puppet, anything! I¡¯ll dedicate my entire life to you! I promise!¡± As hundreds of thoughts crossed my mind, weighing the pros and cons of letting myself get involved with this matter, Axis'' lowered his head. He clenched his fists tightly on his knees as he bit his lower lip. "Please," he begged once more, worried by my lack of reaction, "they''re all I have¡­" Finally giving in to despair, tears started to spill from the boy¡¯s eyes. Despite his efforts to hold them in, the tears kept falling down his face. This is not right. Such strong words should never come out from a child¡¯s mouth. Yet, here he is, begging me for his parents¡¯ life. He probably knows he¡¯s next, but he¡¯s not thinking about himself. He¡¯s not asking me to save him, he wants me to save his parents. ¡°Axis,¡± I called out, ¡°how well do you know those slave traders?¡± The boy looked up at me with confused, watery eyes. ¡°How long have they been in the business, and have they always operated in the capital?¡± I clarified my question. He wiped his tears. ¡°I don¡¯t know for how long exactly,¡± he replied, his voice still shaking from his emotions, ¡°but their organization had the monopoly in the capital for at least these past twenty years. Because of that, no one can touch them. They¡¯re not afraid of anything.¡± That¡¯s all I needed to know. ¡°You said Harri¡¯s unicorn brought you here, right? Where is it now?¡± Axis squinted his eyes, not understanding the point of my question. ¡°I left it outside,¡± he answered anyway. ¡°Mr. Harri asked me not to get it too close to human accommodations, so I left it a bit further to look for the entrance of the Academy.¡± Perfect. ¡°Get up,¡± I said. Disoriented, the boy still complied. I shifted my gaze to Cottontail. Seemingly unconcerned and uninterested by this whole situation, she had stayed silent until now. ¡°Cotton,¡± I called. ¡°Yes Master,¡± she immediately answered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Without any further delay, I headed to the door. Cottontail, who had figured my intentions out, followed me without any questions. Only Axis didn¡¯t understand what was going on. ¡°Where are you going?¡± he inquired, his eyes tight and worried. ¡°You wanted my help, didn¡¯t you?¡± I replied. ¡°Let¡¯s get on with it.¡± Realizing what I¡¯ve just said, Axis¡¯ eyes glimmered with renewed hope. ¡°You¡¯re going to help me?!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I told him, ¡°so hurry up. We don¡¯t have a minute to waste.¡± The boy rushed to my side. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± To be honest, I would have normally never agreed to help him. Not that I don¡¯t care -I feel sorry for him, I really do- but in the end, there is no way I would risk my own situation for his. Years ago, I made a decision. I vowed to never meddle in others¡¯ business. For as long as I, mother or brother aren¡¯t concerned about it, I will not intervene in any matter. Because once I start getting myself involved, I won¡¯t be able to stop. That was the one condition for me to have a somewhat normal life. But it wasn¡¯t just about me. It was also about mom and Aoban. As my direct relatives, whatever I do, it will affect them. So I won¡¯t take that risk. I won¡¯t ever meddle in others¡¯ business at the risk of putting mom and Aoban¡¯s lives at stake. Because this is what happens when you start getting involved with others¡¯ matters: you become a target, and so do your loved ones. I am not going to let that happen. I can take care of myself. Mom and Aoban can¡¯t. I guess I can protect them to some extent, but ultimately, there is only so much one can do. I am not omnipotent. It only takes one second. One second of carelessness, one second of me not looking, and the tragedy happens. There is no way I would take that risk. So I will not carelessly expose them to danger by involving myself in other¡¯s problems. No matter how selfish it is, I will turn a blind eye to everything. My priority is those two, and those two only. The others don¡¯t matter. This time, however, the situation is a bit different. This time, slave traders are involved. And I have a grudge against slave traders. So this isn¡¯t about meddling in someone else¡¯s business. This isn¡¯t about helping anyone. This is just my own personal vendetta. ¡°Axis,¡± I called as I led the way outdoors, ¡°those slavers, you said they were in an organization, right?¡± ¡°I did,¡± the boy confirmed. ¡°And if they¡¯ve led the market for the past few years, they must be quite renowned, right?¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°They are¡­¡± he grumbled. My lips curled to form a smirk. ¡°So that means they¡¯re not hiding, right?¡± ¡°Why would they be?¡± Axis pointed out. ¡°What they¡¯re doing is not illegal. And they have a lot of wealthy clients among the nobles. Offending them would be like offending nobility, so no one would dare to tell them anything.¡± Good. Then they¡¯ll be easy to find. After a few more moments, as we finally reached the borders of the campus, I stopped, turning around, my eyes halting on the fox girl. ¡°Cotton,¡± I called, ¡°lead the way.¡± With a single nod of the head, the girl complied and stepped forward to take the lead. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because of the [Contract], but she really seemed to be in tune with me. It was just like if she could read my thoughts. There was no need for me to put them into words, she just seemed to guess what I had in mind. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Axis asked. ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± I replied, ¡°we¡¯re going back to Eskor.¡± "You mean right now?" his eyes widened. "Is that a problem?" I inquired, "I thought it was an emergency." "No, no, it is! The sooner the better! I''m not sure when they''ll leave after all, but," Axis marked a pause, looking at me, "won¡¯t you get into trouble if you leave like that?" I squinted my eyes at the young boy. He had so desperately tried to convince me to help him I had not expected him to worry about things like this. "I will," I told him. "Huh?! I-I thought so¡­" As the boy''s voice fell silent, I gave him a half smile. "Which is exactly why we''re not leaving through the main gate," I explained. "Cotton is leading us to where the barrier is the weakest. If we leave the Academy there, no one will know about it." "What about your classes?" Axis inquired. "Won''t people notice it if you''re gone?" "It''s the weekend, Axis," I pointed out. "And we''ll be back before Monday." "You think so?" I hope so. The Agraal kingdom wasn''t located that far away from the Academy. In fact, it was one of the closest nations. However, while the kingdom had a vast territory, most of it was uninhabitable. From the steep lands to the sloughts and dense forests, only a very small part of the entire territory had been converted into settlement lands, so travelling across the kingdom was not an easy task. A few roads had been built for carriages and horses, but most of them simply skirted the inhospitable lands. With so many detours, it was only natural that a journey there would take at least two weeks. It was even longer than a journey to another, further kingdom. However, I don¡¯t intend to use one of those landscaped roads. We won¡¯t be taking any detours, we will go in a straight line towards the capital. Besides, we won''t be going by carriage. We''ll go by unicorn. It can not only go through steep paths, it is also much faster. Much, much faster. Axis said it himself. He took less than a day to arrive here. So if I feed the magical beast some of my mana, it should take even less time. That is still a risky bet, though. I don''t know how much time it''ll take me to find Axis'' parents, so it is best to leave as soon as possible. "Sorry," the boy muttered as he did not receive a confirmation from me. "It''s fine," I told him. "I needed to go home anyway." Yoko''s letter was really concerning me. I wanted to use this opportunity to make sure mom was alright, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to go check on the Whitehearts either. As we reached the edge of the school grounds, the forest became thicker. It was hard to notice the metal fences amidst all those bushes and trees, but they were here. "How are we going to go past these?" Axis worried. "We jump." The boy drew his head backwards at my unreasonable reply. The fences were really high, at least two meters tall. It was unthinkable for a normal human being to jump above, not to mention that if they failed, they could easily impale themselves on its spiked railings. That''s what he thought, at least, until Cotton proved him otherwise. With a swift jump, the fox girl bounced back on a tree trunk above the railings, landing on the other side of the fences with ease. Naturally, I wasn''t going to let Axis'' try that. Without leaving him the time to be impressed, I lifted the boy up in the air with wind magic and tossed him next to Cotton, before joining them in turn. Disoriented at first, Axis quickly understood that whatever happened, it was my doing, as he saw me levitating right after him. We were now officially no longer in the school grounds. Cottontail looked around her, seemingly looking for something. When she finally found it, she extended her arm in front of her. "It''s here," she said, as the atmosphere seemed to deform itself at the touch of her hand. The fox girl took a step forward, disappearing into the invisible wall. So this is where the barrier''s weakest point is, huh? "Let''s go," I told Axis. Intimidated by the unknown magic, the boy still gave me a nod. To make sure he wouldn''t get lost behind, I took his hand before following Cotton through the barrier. Maybe I''m getting used to it, but it wasn''t as bad as when I first experienced it. A sudden gust of wind simply blew hot as the air around me changed. I could now see Cotton again. On the other hand, turning back, I could no longer see the Academy. Escape successful. Poorly tolerating the sudden change of atmosphere, Axis threw up a little. "I''m okay..." the boy muttered, once his retchings subsided. I extended my hand in front of me for him to take it and helped him up. Axis was still a bit shaken when he realized the scenery around him changed. "Do you recognize this place?" I inquired. The boy hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. He probably won''t be able to guide us to Harri''s unicorn then. Well, that''s fine. It¡¯s a magical beast after all. And if there is one way to attract a magical beast, it¡¯s mana. I leaked out a bit of my magical power, inviting the legendary beast to come over. The unicorn wasn¡¯t the only magical beast around, so I made sure not to let too much of my mana flow out. I didn¡¯t want to attract all the monsters of the area after all, I only wanted Harri¡¯s unicorn. Considering its rank, I had no doubt it would be the first one to react to my mana. It was the mount of an Original God after all, it was used to divine magical power. As I had expected, after only a couple of minutes, the unicorn appeared before us. The stallion emerged from behind a tree, its white coat shining in the darkness and its pinkish mane flowing in the air like flames. It was ridiculously sparkly, as glossy as silk. I¡¯m not an expert when it comes to equines so I can hardly distinguish different horses, but I¡¯m pretty sure this is the same unicorn I saw with Harri when I first met him. It¡¯s hard to forget such flashiness after all. I had hoped it would be a different one¡­ I repeat, but this one looks like Barbie¡¯s horse. Axis, who had completely recovered from his vertigos, widened his eyes at the sigh of the magical beast. ¡°How¡­?¡± ¡°I called it,¡± I explained, before he could finish his sentence. ¡°That¡¯s the unicorn who brought you here, right?¡± The boy nodded. ¡°Alright, get on.¡± The stallion was by no means small in size, and with no saddle or bridle to help him, Axis wouldn¡¯t have been able to get on it if not for my help. Using magic, I lifted the boy in the air, just enough so that he could climb on the unicorn and grab its mane. Once I made sure he was properly settled, I turned to Cotton. ¡°Can you transform back into a fox?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course.¡± There was no way I could leave Cottontail behind. She just arrived and seeing how comfortable she is with wearing clothes, she is clearly not familiar with human customs. Besides, it may be because of the contract, but she already seems quite dependant on me. However, if I wanted to bring her along, she needed to become smaller. Cotton wasn¡¯t that big. She was the size of an average ten years old child, barely smaller than me. However, if the three of us are going to mount the unicorn, we better lighten its load as much as possible. It¡¯ll also make the journey more comfortable as we won¡¯t be all cramped on the magical beast. According to my request, the fox girl shrank back to her fox form. I picked her up in my arms as Axis¡¯ jaw dropped on the floor. ¡°Huh?! How¡­?¡± This time, there was no need for me to interrupt him as he cut his question short himself. At this point, he¡¯s probably getting used to abnormalities anyway. He¡¯s already seen a unicorn, how much more shocking can it be to see someone transform? Letting the boy recover from his surprise, I joined him on the unicorn. I placed Cottontail between us, to make sure she wouldn¡¯t fall off. The little fox comfortably settled in, snuggling against me. Yeah, she¡¯s adorable. Is this what it is like to have a pet? I¡¯ve always wanted one. Although it wasn¡¯t exactly planned, I don¡¯t regret forming a [Contract] with her. ¡°Are you ready?¡± I asked Axis, who still had troubles to adapt himself. ¡°Yeah...¡± he mumbled in hesitation. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± The magical beast erupted into a sprint as I supplied it with mana. I had expected its sudden start, but it was still more brutal than I thought. I had to hold on its mane very tightly so that I wouldn¡¯t fall off, and the fact that I had never ridden a horse before didn¡¯t help me stay still. Axis seemed much more comfortable than me. As the thundering sounds of its hooves broke the silence of the forest, the unicorn galloped through the trees at breakneck speed. It was almost unreal how easily it advanced into the woodland, seemingly not minding the uneven earth. In no time at all, it had reached the high plains. Without any more obstructions on its path, it became even faster. I had to create an air shield so as to not let the wind whip our face. Did Axis simply bear with it on his way here? I didn¡¯t really know how to interpret a horse¡¯s body language, but its ears flat back and its hooves tearing into the barren earth, the unicorn seemed happy to have the landscape streaming past, as it let small snorts out his nostrils. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was going in the right direction though. It just started racing as soon as I gave it mana, before I could even direct it. It was most likely running back to Harri, but I needed to make sure of that. We can¡¯t get lost in the middle of nowhere after all. [Map]. I inspected the map who just appeared before me, and the unicorn was indeed bringing us back to Eskor. And it was doing so very fast. If it keeps up at this pace, we¡¯ll probably arrive in a few hours. As I studied the map more carefully, however, trying to calculate precisely how long it would take us to reach the capital, something suddenly caught my attention. In the northern continent, there was a marker, a cross. It indicated the emplacement of the unknown object which appeared a few weeks ago, crashing the [World System]. It had been there for quite a while now, so seeing it didn¡¯t surprise me. No. What surprised me was its emplacement. So far, it had stayed at the exact place, somewhere in the middle of the North Continent. But now, it was further in the south. The unknown object was on the move. Part II Chapter 39 – Slaver Camp Chapter 39 - Slaver Camp
Lynett
Come on. This has to be a joke. Why now, after all this time? Ever since I received those error messages from the [World System], there isn¡¯t a single day I haven¡¯t checked the location of the unknown object with the [Map]. There wasn¡¯t much I could do from a distance, and I pretty much had zero information about it, but the [Map] at least allowed me to ease my mind by letting me know that it was inactive. And it is exactly because I checked its location every day that I can tell it moved. The unknown object wasn¡¯t exactly on the move, or at least, at the map¡¯s scale, it didn¡¯t seem to be in motion. But it definitely moved from its original location. Crap. I thought it was inactive, why did it relocate now? It¡¯s not like I had planned to ignore this matter forever -I did receive a warning message from the [World System] after all, it wouldn¡¯t have been wise to turn a blind eye to it. But I had hoped it could have waited until I settled the matter with my uncle, and since it seemed inactive, I thought it wasn¡¯t urgent. But now, it moved. What changed? Maybe it¡¯s alive. Maybe it stayed dormant for all this time, and suddenly woke up for whatever reason. But the [World System] described it as an object, and I¡¯m pretty sure it can make the difference between a living organism and an inanimate item. But then, if it¡¯s not alive and it¡¯s moving around, it means someone is moving it. And that is not good. Because it means there is a risk that someone will activate my little virus. I definitely need to take action about this, but at the same time, I can¡¯t leave, not now. Should I just send someone else? It would be quite convenient if I could¡­ but who? It would need to be someone both capable and trustworthy. Thinking about this, my eyes fell upon the sleeping fox on me, letting out a long yawn, seemingly unbothered by the rhythmical shocks of the unicorns¡¯ hooves on the ground. ¡­Nah. Don¡¯t even think about it, Lynett. It¡¯s a fox. What can a fox do? Besides, you don''t even know her that well yet. The [Contract] may prevent her from turning her back on me, but that doesn¡¯t necessarily make her trustworthy. What¡¯s more, this is a potential world threat we¡¯re talking about. I can¡¯t entrust such an important matter to a spirit. She may be stronger than most mortals, she is not invincible either. I would need someone at least at a god¡¯s level to deal with that. And as it happens, I do know such people. But one left on a whim, and the other is keeping a close watch on my mother. As for the rest¡­ I haven¡¯t gotten in touch with them yet, but even if I do, they won¡¯t necessarily be on my side. Yep. That¡¯s a dead-end. Fuck. ¡°Big sister¡­¡± Axis¡¯ voice brought me back to the present moment. I couldn¡¯t see the boy¡¯s face, but his tone sounded worried. ¡°What are you going to do once we get there?¡± he asked. I frowned at his question. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I inquired. ¡°I¡¯m going to help your parents, isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± ¡°It is, but¡­¡± his voice grew weaker, hesitant, ¡°how?¡± How? I didn¡¯t really think about it. I must say I¡¯ve been distracted by another problem. I casted my eyes up in the sky, pondering. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll figure it out on-site,¡± I eventually concluded. Unsatisfied by my answer, the boy turned around to give me a weird look. ¡°You don¡¯t have a plan?!¡± he sputtered. ¡°I plan things as I go along.¡± Axis¡¯ eyes twitched just before he turned back, facing the road, as he probably didn¡¯t want me to read his expression. I can imagine how frustrating my answer can be. His parent¡¯s lives are on the line, so going there without a plan is just reckless. Yet, I¡¯m his best shot, so he can¡¯t bring himself to show me his disappointment. I¡¯m not particularly worried, though. Or maybe I am. We¡¯re talking about people playing with human lives as a living here, after all. I¡¯ve never dealt with this kind of person before. My aunt may be violent, thoughtless and selfish, at least she¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s¡­ Nevermind, I can¡¯t think of any redeemable qualities for her. They¡¯re probably the same kind of people. Still, I probably should think up a plan. This isn¡¯t just about me, after all. Alright. For now, let¡¯s forget about the unknown object. I¡¯ll deal with it as soon as I¡¯m done with this, but until then, I need to focus on the present matter. ?????? Ten hours. This is the total time it took us to reach the capital. A record time, indeed. Going on a journey on a horse has always been on my bucket list, and now that I¡¯ve done it, I can confidently say that I¡¯m not looking forward to doing it again. The first three hours were somewhat bearable. The unicorn kept a steady speed, seemingly unbothered by the occasional changes of terrain. Whether it was steep, flat, rocky or muddy, it seemed to keep a firm footing while I seized the moment, enjoying the ever-changing scenery. However, after a couple of hours, the magic faded. I quickly learned to relax my tense body and counterbalance myself with air magic instead of just clenching and gripping the unicorn, but the ride still became uncomfortable. My butt was sore, my arms were stiff, and I could feel the cramps coming. Nobody told me that riding a horse could cause body aches. Isn¡¯t the horse supposed to do all the work? Why is it so physical? However, the unpleasant experience was finally reaching its end. I woke up Axis who fell asleep during the journey. Exhausted, both emotionally and physically, I allowed him to lean on me to rest as the unicorn continued on its course. I am still amazed by how he managed to sleep in those conditions. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± I gently taped the boy¡¯s shoulder. Axis opened his eyes, slowly regaining his senses as he stretched his back. Without waiting another second, I got down from the unicorn with Cotton on my shoulder. Finally! The unicorn hadn¡¯t stopped directly at the gate of the capital, but the city was in sight. By foot, it would take us less than a quarter hour to reach it. ¡°Where are we?¡± Axis asked a little confused as he couldn¡¯t immediately recognize his surroundings. ¡°The enchanted forest,¡± I replied, helping him down. We were in the forest where I first met Yoko. ¡°The one beside Eskor.¡± ¡°Already?¡± Axis exclaimed, finally spotting the city from afar. I nodded. Leaving the magical beast behind, we finished the rest of the journey on foot. It didn¡¯t take us long to reach the main road. It was evening already, yet, the main road was still busy with people trying to get in and out of the capital. Most of them were merchants, but a few seemed to be travelers, like us. We easily blended into the crowd whereas a couple of eyebrows were raised at the sight of Cotton. While her presence attracted curious gazes, it wasn¡¯t surprising enough to disturb the peace. I¡¯m starting to think that people have no idea what a fox spirit is. Finally reaching the gates, we joined the end of the queue and waited for our turn to come. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I told the boy at my side, who was growing visibly nervous. For now, we need to locate Axis¡¯ parents. As I was thinking this, I noticed the golden plate on the carriage in front of us. On it, the name of a famous merchant guild was inscribed, and with a few mercenaries obviously hired to guard it, the carriage clearly belonged to a wealthy trader, used to do business in the area. Seemingly representing no threat, the mercenaries deemed it unnecessary to stop me as I approached the front of the carriage. There, a middle aged man was seated, hunched over a box, whip and reins in his hands. ¡°Hello?¡± I tried to get his attention. The grumpy merchant sighed when he saw me. ¡°What do you want, kid?¡± he complained. ¡°If you want to cut the queue, forget it. Get in line, like everyone else.¡± His expression was of frustration and fatigue. Like most people here, waiting had made him irritable. However, the second I took out a golden coin from the pouch I didn¡¯t forget to bring, his worn-down face illuminated with interest. ¡°I would like to buy something,¡± I said. ¡°But of course, of course!¡± the merchant quickly got down from his seat. Realizing that I was a client, he immediately recovered his professionalism. There was no longer any trace of fatigue on his face as he promptly guided me to the back of his carriage to show off his goods. ¡°I have the best merchandise in the city,¡± he asserted with a confident smile, ¡°fabrics, materials, weapons, food, you name it! I have everything in there. Do you have something on your mind, young lady?¡± His carriage was indeed full of bric-a-brac. However, there was nothing in there I needed. I only wanted his knowledge of the current market. ¡°How much for this?¡± I pointed at a random garment. ¡°You have a sharp eye, young lady,¡± the merchant complimented. ¡°This is one of the finest cloaks you¡¯ll find in the whole kingdom! The wool is from mountain sheeps, it has been spinned and weaved with the greatest care. But it isn¡¯t too warm, either, being just perfect for everyday use. It will fit you perfectly!¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°How much?¡± I repeated, not very interested in his speech. A bright smile spread across the merchant¡¯s lips. ¡°Two gold coins,¡± he responded. That¡¯s quite expensive for a cloak, but if it can make him more open to discussion¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± I declared, ¡°I¡¯ll also take the one beside it.¡± ¡°This one is made of cotton yarn. How about four silver coins?¡± ¡°Sold.¡± ¡°Wonderful! You won¡¯t regret your purchases, young lady.¡± The merchant unloaded his carriage of the two goods as I handed him the money due. I put on my newly bought cloak, allowing Cotton to hide in it, and gave the second one to Axis. ¡°Here, take it,¡± I said, ¡°this one¡¯s for you.¡± ¡°F-For me?¡± the boy repeated, taken aback by my sudden gift. ¡°Yes, take it before I change my mind.¡± Without being asked twice, Axis grabbed the cloak. He let his finger run along the textile, enjoying the softness of the cloak, as his eyes sparkled. It wasn¡¯t even of such a high quality, yet, he seemed delighted about it. I guess I did well buying that for him. As the boy happily put on his cloak, I returned my attention to the merchant. A satisfied smile on his face, he was counting the coins I just gave him. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± I inquired. ¡°Of course, anything!¡± the merchant turned to me with a friendly expression, putting away the money. ¡°My little brother and I are traveling to the south,¡± I randomly made up a story, ¡°but I¡¯m worried the roads aren¡¯t safe.¡± ¡°Only the two of you?¡± the merchant widened his eyes. ¡°Of course it¡¯s not safe! Such young children shouldn¡¯t be traveling alone! Forget about the wild beasts, you could come across bandits! Those lawless scum are merciless even with children!¡± I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes to appear as worried as possible. ¡°Do you know where we can find someone to protect us? We had a bad previous experience with mercenaries and adventurers. They ran away with some of our money so we don¡¯t really trust them anymore.¡± The merchant brought his hand to his chin. ¡°I see,¡± he muttered, ¡°it¡¯s true that they could easily take advantage of children like you. They are not always very trustworthy¡­¡± The merchant definitely noticed the sullen glares of the mercenaries at his side, whom he just indirectly insulted, but he didn¡¯t pay them any attention. ¡°How about joining someone else for the journey?¡± he proposed. ¡°It¡¯s always safer than traveling alone.¡± I shook my head. ¡°We¡¯re going to a very secluded village, no one else is going there.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± The merchant fell silent. His gaze lost somewhere on the ground, he stayed still for a few moments, pondering, before an idea finally crossed his mind. ¡°Then how about slaves?¡± There it is. ¡°Slaves would never betray you,¡± he continued, ¡°they¡¯ll protect you with their lives, and if needed, you can always abandon them and run away.¡± It felt almost unreal how easily he talked about human lives being disposable. But in a country where slavery has been implemented for millennium it was inevitable that he had different values. ¡°Young lady, you seem wealthy enough to afford a couple of slaves. If you¡¯re lucky, you might even be able to buy a beastman. With that, your security is assured!¡± ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± I acknowledged, ¡°where can I buy some slaves?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait for a few days,¡± the merchant explained, scratching his head, ¡°our slave traders are currently out of town.¡± At that moment, Axis¡¯ face collapsed. His eyes left the precious cloak on his shoulders to lay on the merchant. ¡°They left?!¡± he cried out in surprise, ¡°but they were here just yesterday!¡± ¡°Yes, well they left this morning,¡± the merchant casually explained. ¡°Where to?¡± I asked, as the boy directed his panicked eyes on me. It didn¡¯t seem logical for the only slave traders of the area to abandon the city. ¡°Where else? Their camp, obviously.¡± I frowned. ¡°Their camp?¡± I repeated. The merchant nodded. ¡°Yes, they do that once in while, as the supply of slaves isn¡¯t continuous,¡± he confirmed. ¡°I heard their recent raid was successful, so once they return, there¡¯ll probably be a whole new stock of slaves for sale.¡± Shit. ¡°There should still be a few slaves left in the market though, if you¡¯re in a hurry,¡± the merchant continued. ¡°But at this point, it¡¯s probably only children and elderly, so if you want a strong slave to accompany you for your journey, I suggest that you wait for the restocking.¡± That¡¯s definitely not an option. ¡°And where is their camp?¡± I asked. ¡°A little further in the north, beyond the pine forest and just before the Gray Hills. Quite a secluded area to-¡± the merchant started before suddenly stopping, realizing something. He marked a pause and directed his squinted eyes on me. ¡°You¡¯re not planning to go there, are you?¡± I smiled. ¡°Of course not!¡± I denied. ¡°Thank you for your help, mister.¡± I took Axis¡¯s hand, immediately pulling him out of his thoughts, and left the waiting line, heading to the forest. There was no need for us to enter the town anymore. ¡°Where are you going?¡± the confused merchant inquired. ¡°If you leave, you¡¯ll have to queue up all over again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I told him, ¡°since we¡¯ll be staying here for a few days, my brother and I will collect a few mushrooms in the forest to sell. We¡¯ll return before nightfall.¡± Not entirely convinced by my explanation, the merchant raised an eyebrow. Collecting herbs was the task of young adventurers and considering the amount of money I had, there was no need for us to do that. Still, he didn¡¯t try to stop us. Unrelated to us, he had no reason to. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Axis finally asked as we left the main road, sinking into the pine forest. ¡°You¡¯re not serious about collecting mushrooms, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± I smirked, ¡°we¡¯re going to the slavers¡¯ camp.¡± The boy widened his eyes. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°You said that those slavers were using your mom as a means to extort money from your dad, right? So I doubt they just sold her off,¡± I explained. ¡°And your dad was captured recently. Your parents are most likely both there.¡± ¡°But, even if they are¡­ it¡¯s probably well-guarded, isn¡¯t it?¡± he worried. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°You¡­ still don¡¯t have a plan, do you?¡± I gave the boy a meaningful smile. Axis blinked at me several times. ¡°M-Maybe it¡¯s better to wait for them to return to the city!¡± he suggested. ¡°Then, we can sneak them out or something and-¡± ¡°Axis,¡± I called out, ¡°we don¡¯t have time, it¡¯s now or never. There is no telling if your parents will be among the next restocking of slaves, and even if they are, just because they are in the city, it doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s going to be easier to save them. On the contrary, we¡¯re taking the risk of having the authorities getting involved.¡± The boy ground his teeth, unable to find anything to retort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I continued, ¡°we¡¯ll save them. I promise.¡± ?????? One hour. One more hour to reach our destination. The pine forest wasn¡¯t small enough to be crossed on foot, so much to my dismay, we had to return to the unicorn to reach the slavers¡¯ camp. Fortunately, the journey was much shorter than before, so the discomfort didn¡¯t last long. Following the merchant¡¯s directions, the magical beast stopped on a small hill, just a few hundred meters away from the camp. Up there, hidden in the vast vegetation, we could clearly see everything. The camp wasn¡¯t nearly as small as I imagined it to be. It was far, far bigger than that. How many tents were there? Three hundred? Four hundred? It looked more like a camping site for an army than a simple slaver camp. I expected a few dozens of slavers, terrorizing maybe twenty, fifty slaves at most. But there clearly wasn¡¯t just fifty slaves. There were thousands of them, all untied, uncuffed, but all wearing the same locking steel collar, preventing them from running away. Shit. And here I was thinking that I just needed to charge in, get rid of the slavers and free Axis¡¯ parents. Among all these people, it¡¯s already hard enough to spot the slavers, so how am I supposed to find his parents? It¡¯s as bad as finding Wally. I guess it¡¯s going to be a little more complicated than I initially thought¡­ ¡°Cotton,¡± I called out. Cottontail immediately jumped out of my cloak, landing right in front of me as she looked up at me with expectant eyes. ¡°Can you transform?¡± I asked. The little fox nodded. Light erupting from her body, Cotton changed back to a human. ¡°Alright.¡± I turned to Axis. The boy was frozen in terror at the sight of the camp. He too, probably imagined that it would be smaller. But now that he could see it with his own eyes, he understood that it was a suicide mission. There would be at least a hundred slavers here, supervising the camp. If we wanted to free his parents, we would have to defeat them all. We might even have to face all those slaves, who had no choice but to obey them. And that, for only the three of us, was impossible. At least, that is what he thought. ¡°Axis,¡± I brought him back to reality, ¡°I¡¯m going down there with Cotton. You stay here.¡± ¡°What?! Why? What are you going to do?¡± ¡°First, I¡¯m going to locate your parents.¡± The boy furrowed. ¡°How? The moment you approach, they¡¯ll attack you!¡± he exclaimed, his eyes tight and worried. ¡°Axis,¡± I called, ¡°what do you think of me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The boy tilted his head, wincing at my random comment. ¡°How do I look?¡± I clarified my question. ¡°You look¡­ pretty?¡± he hesitated. ¡°And? What else do you notice when you see me?¡± ¡°Ummh¡­ Your eyes. They¡¯re golden.¡± I directed my gaze to Cotton. ¡°What about her?¡± I asked. ¡°She¡¯s also pretty,¡± Axis noted, ¡°she¡¯s a cool-looking demi-human with two tails.¡± ¡°Right?¡± I smirked. The boy frowned even further, still not understanding my point. ¡°What do you think our value is to slave traders?¡± I continued. Axis raised his eyes, pondering. ¡°I guess you would be pretty valuable?¡± ¡°So what do you think is going to happen if they find us, Cotton and I, all alone and helpless in the middle of nowhere?¡± Finally understanding where I was coming from, his eyes enlightened. ¡°They¡¯re going to capture you!¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± But Axis didn¡¯t approve of that plan. ¡°You¡¯re going to let them capture you?!¡± ¡°Axis, if we want to locate your parents, we need to infiltrate that camp,¡± I explained. ¡°And the best way to do that is to let ourselves be captured.¡± ¡°But they¡¯re going to enslave you!¡± he opposed. ¡°They¡¯re going to put that slave collar on you and you won¡¯t be able to go against them anymore!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I have a plan.¡± The boy frowned, not entirely convinced. ¡°You do?¡± Not really. It¡¯s just an assumption, but it¡¯s a relatively safe one. Cotton is a spirit. As a spirit, she can¡¯t be bound by a simple collar. And even if she could, as my familiar, as long as our [Contract] is effective, she can¡¯t enter another contract, not even a slave-master one, so she should be safe. As for me, well¡­ I¡¯d like to see them try. It¡¯s certainly not a magical item that will bind my will. My [Authority level] is way too high for that. ¡°I want to come with you!¡± Axis demanded. ¡°No,¡± I flatly refused, ¡°you¡¯re staying here.¡± ¡°Why? I can help!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t. You¡¯ll be in the way. Besides, they might not even want to capture you,¡± I explained. ¡°Cotton and I may have some value in their eyes, while you are but a simple human boy. You¡¯re frail and small. They might think that you¡¯re not even worth feeding and then they would just kill you on spot.¡± Axis flinched at my harsh, but fair remark. Frustrated, he clenched his fists and bit his lower lip. ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay here and keep watch¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Yeah, you do that,¡± I patted his shoulder, ¡°and if something happens, you take the unicorn and run back to safety, okay?¡± The boy shyly nodded, clearly not pleased with the idea. ¡°Until then, I have one instruction,¡± I said, ¡°and that also applies to you Cotton.¡± As Axis looked up at me, an eyebrow raised in curiosity, Cottontail simply nodded with her head. ¡°From now on, no matter what happens, do not address me by my real name,¡± I demanded. ¡°From now on, call me Aileen.¡± If anything happens, I need to be able to disappear. I can¡¯t let anyone track back the incident back to me. So just for the next few hours, I¡¯ll stop being Lynett. Just for the next few hours, I¡¯ll go back to being Aileen. ¡°Alright¡­¡± Having made sure they both understood my order, I gave Axis and Cotton one last meaningful look. ¡°Shall we go, now?¡± I have some unfinished business to settle with those slave traders. A business going back over fourteen years ago. Part II Chapter 40 – Responsibility Chapter 40 ¨C Responsibility
Lynett
Ah¡­ I¡¯m tired. My legs are aching and I can feel my heart beating through my chest. Getting down that hill is more physical than I thought. I¡¯m not even going up, I¡¯m going down, so why is it so exhausting? How can people say exerting yourself feels good? I hate feeling tired like this. Exercising releases endorphins? What a load of bullcrap. I guess I¡¯m really not cut out for sport after all. Finally reaching the valley, I let a long sigh of relief escape my mouth. ¡°You okay, Cotton?¡± I asked the young girl at my side. Cottontail nodded, her face impassible. Why am I even asking? She¡¯s not even sweating one bit. I¡¯ll just comfort myself pretending it¡¯s normal since she¡¯s a spirit. The camp probably wasn¡¯t too far from here, but since we couldn¡¯t hear any voices in the distance, we set out again on our way. ¡°Cotton?¡± I called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you know where we¡¯re heading to?¡± ¡°A slavers¡¯ camp,¡± the fox girl responded. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I confirmed, ¡°a lot of mortals will be there.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I marked a pause, carefully studying the fox girl¡¯s expression. ¡°How do you feel about mortals?¡± I asked. ¡°I think they¡¯re fragile,¡± Cotton replied immediately, without having to think about it, ¡°but quite prolific. A good compromise for their survival since they don¡¯t live long.¡± Such a bland response. As I thought, although she doesn¡¯t particularly disdain them, she doesn¡¯t feel any sort of attachment for them either. They are simply disposable beings in her eyes. ¡°Cotton, when we get there, don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± I ordered. ¡°Follow my lead. No matter what happens, do not pay attention to the mortals. Do not talk to them, do not attack them. Just¡­ Let me handle this, alright?¡± The fox girl did not reply immediately. But after a few seconds of reflection, she accepted my order. ¡°Alright,¡± she complied, not questioning my intentions. Good. She¡¯s not very talkative, but at least, she¡¯s obedient. She¡¯s much easier to handle than Yoko, I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll cause any problem. After walking for a few minutes, there were finally some changes in our surroundings. Cottontail was the first to stop. Then, right after her, detecting an unknown mana, I realized that we weren¡¯t alone anymore. ¡°Someone¡¯s here,¡± the fox girl said. ¡°Yeah, there are two of them.¡± Since the strangers hadn¡¯t noticed our presence yet, I turned to Cottontail, for one last rehearsal. ¡°You remember what I said, right?¡± I inquired. Cottontail nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t talk, don¡¯t attack, don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± she replied, ¡°just follow your lead.¡± ¡°Good, and who am I?¡± ¡°Aileen.¡± Perfect. My eyes set on the direction of the two strangers, I took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ?????? It was just as I expected. The two strangers were slavers, patrolling around the area. Seeing how they allowed themselves to rest, lazily chatting on the ground, they had clearly not expected to meet intruders. Nevertheless, the moment we got within their sight, they quickly got back onto their feet. The first one to react was the older one, a bulky middle-aged man. ¡°Don¡¯t let them get away!¡± he shouted to his partner, as he first charged Cottontail. According to my request, the fox girl did not try to fight back and allowed the man to overpower her, tackling her to the ground. Following his example, his partner, a much younger boy, charged at me. Without resistance on our part, it was easy for the two slavers to subdue us. Within the matter of a few seconds, we found ourselves completely tied. Then, eager to show their comrades their new found captures, the two slavers brought us to their rallying point. And just like that, Cottontail and I infiltrated the slavers¡¯ camp. The camp seemed even bigger from here. Completely crowded with slaves, it was hard to see the end of it. Still, among all these people, our abductors still managed to venture deep into the camp, as the slaves opened a path for them upon their arrival. And after a couple of minutes, we finally reached our destination. Stopping in front of a bigger tent, the two slavers put us down on the ground, as the older one whistled loudly. ¡°Guys!¡± he called, ¡°check this out! Look at what we found!¡± A few slavers came out of the tent. Immediately noticing our presence, they quickly gathered around us. ¡°Shit, a chosen one and a demi-human?¡± ¡°And quite pretty too. Talk about a booty!¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to fetch a lot!¡± As the slavers grew excited at out sight, one of them crouched down to reach my eye-level. He extended his arm to grab my cloak, carefully studying its fabric, and frowned. ¡°That¡¯s some high quality apparel,¡± he noted before getting up, returning his attention to our abductors. ¡°That one¡¯s clearly a noble,¡± he pointed out, ¡°or the daughter of a wealthy merchant.¡± ¡°Who cares?¡± the bulky slaver dismissed with a shrug. ¡°Do you know where we found them? In the middle of the forest. No noble or wealthy trader would let their daughter wander there, all alone. She¡¯s probably a runaway. No one will look for her.¡± ¡°What about this one?¡± Their attention shifted to Cottontail. ¡°They were together, she¡¯s probably a servant who followed her.¡± ¡°No collar?¡± The bulky slaver shrugged. ¡°There are some people like that once in a while, who consider demi-humans our equals. But it doesn¡¯t matter now. Now, they¡¯re our booty.¡± The others nodded at this statement, seemingly convinced. ¡°Hey, kiddo!¡± one of them called out. The young boy who captured me immediately took a step forward. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Bring the collars.¡± Complying with that order, the boy headed to the big tent, before coming out of it only a few seconds later, two locking steel collars in hands. As he was about to hand them over, his senior gave him a meaningful look. Understanding the silent order, the boy crouched down in front of us. He brought one of the collars to my neck but, his eyes meeting mine, he suddenly stopped in his action. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up.¡± The boy averted his eyes, unable to maintain the eye-contact. I guess one of them still has some conscience left. He couldn¡¯t have been older than Aoban, so I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how he ended up becoming a slave trader. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± he muttered, guilt showing on his face, before bolting the collar around my neck.
You have been enslaved.
ERROR The required conditions have not been met: target¡¯s authority level too high. EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED ** [Will bending] failed [Limitations] failed ** [Slavery Contract] could not be established.
Yeah, I thought so. No surprises here. I shifted my gaze to Cottontail, who also received the slave collar. Judging by her lack of reaction, I¡¯m guessing it doesn¡¯t have much effect on her either. Completely unaware of that, the slavers exchanged proud grins. They had no way to guess the collars weren¡¯t effective against us. ¡°Perfect! Excellent additions to our stock!¡± ¡°And they seem quite the obedient type too!" ¡°The others are going to be delighted when they hear about that!¡± ¡°Kiddo! Put them with the others!¡± Leaving his seniors to boast about their recent catch, the young boy invited us to get up. ¡°Come with me, please,¡± he asked politely. He led the way a bit further into the camp, as Cottontail and I followed him in silence. A few moments later, the boy stopped. Surrounded by slaves and tents, this part of the camp didn¡¯t seem so different from the others, but we had walked for a while, so I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re somewhere in the center. The boy turned around, taking a knife out of his pocket. With the slave collars¡¯ on, there was no longer any use to keep us tied, so he extended his arm to cut the ropes around our wrists. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± he apologized one more time. His mission accomplished, the boy turned around and disappeared into the camp, leaving us behind. Finally left unsupervised, I inspected my surroundings. The slaves around us had been eying us with wariness ever since we arrived, but the moment the slaver boy disappeared, the tension somehow relaxed. I, on the other hand, was growing worried. Remembering the reason why I was here, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how I was going to find Axis¡¯ parents among all these people. I did ask Axis for information about his mother during the journey, information that could help me find her. But he simply said she was of average height, that her hair was black, long and straight, and that she had hazel eyes. That fits the description of about one fifth of the women here. I did know Troy though. He looked like your perfect average human male and had no particular features either, but at least, I knew his face. I would be able to recognize him if I saw him.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I heard a voice suddenly speak up. Turning in the direction of the voice, I noticed a young woman looking at me, her eyes full of concerns. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she repeated, a little bit louder this time. ¡°I know it must have been scary, but you¡¯re okay now.¡± I blinked a couple of times, a little bit confused, as a few other slaves approached. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine,¡± one of them said, ¡°as long as you don¡¯t fight back, they¡¯re not going to hurt you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not alone,¡± another added, ¡°we¡¯re with you.¡± Remembering the collar around my neck, I realized they were trying to reassure me. But before I could answer anything, someone else spoke first. ¡°What are you guys doing? Isn¡¯t she a noble?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore,¡± the young woman said, ¡°we¡¯re all lumped together in the same situation anyway.¡± But the man clearly disagreed. ¡°Just because she was enslaved, it doesn¡¯t change anything,¡± he growled, ¡°you know how nobles are. She¡¯s not like the rest of us.¡± ¡°Gale,¡± the young woman called out, ¡°she¡¯s not the one who put that collar on you. She¡¯s just a child.¡± The man named Gale clicked his tongue in annoyance, as the woman turned her attention back on me. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him,¡± she tried to ease my mind with a soft smile, ¡°he has a grudge against nobles.¡± Yeah, I can see that. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally,¡± another slave advised, ¡°he ended up here because he pissed off some big shot.¡± ¡°How about you mind your own business?¡± Gale snarled. But his comrade ignored him. ¡°We all have our own history,¡± the young woman added. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where we came from. Now, we all share the same fate. We need to support each other.¡± She was looking at me, but her words were clearly directed to Gale. Gale understood that perfectly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got here, and you don¡¯t have to tell us,¡± the young woman continued, ¡°it¡¯s going to be fine, now.¡± This time, she was addressing herself to me, and since she seemed to expect a reaction from me, I nodded my head. ¡°Uh, okay¡­¡± Her face brightened as a soft smile spread on her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± she said, patting my head. I know she was trying to reassure me, but it¡¯s true that it wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought. I had expected a bunch of depressive slaves, resigned to their fate, but hope hadn¡¯t left most of these people. A few children could be seen playing with each other while the other slaves were clustered in small groups, chatting together. I think there were even some families here. They definitely didn¡¯t seem like people to be sold. It was probably the strong solidarity that had developed among them which helped them withstand the situation. ¡°Oh, my name is Clarice, by the way,¡± the young woman introduced herself. ¡°What should we call you?¡± ¡°Aileen,¡± I responded, ¡°my name is Aileen.¡± Clarice flinched as I revealed my name. And she wasn¡¯t the only one. I received a few curious gazes as the slaves around us interrupted their conversation. ¡°Your name is Aileen?¡± Gale repeated, his eyes squinted. He seemed determined to ignore me until now, but my name somehow peaked his interest. ¡°Yes?¡± He exchanged a silent, but meaningful look with Clarice. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked, concerned about the lasting silence. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Clarice dismissed with a smile, returning her attention to me, ¡°it¡¯s not important. What about your friend?¡± she asked, shifting her gaze to Cotton. ¡°She seems awfully quiet.¡± Unwilling to meddle with others, Cottontail hid behind me. She hadn¡¯t said a word until now, and I knew this wasn¡¯t going to change. ¡°Cottontail is a bit shy,¡± I lied, ¡°she¡¯s not good with strangers.¡± ¡°I see, we won¡¯t bother her then,¡± Clarice gave the fox girl a compassionate look. ¡°Try to get accustomed to this place, though. You don¡¯t know how long you¡¯ll be here, so try to make yourself comfortable, okay?¡± The young woman was being unusually friendly and caring. It really didn¡¯t seem like I was in a slavers¡¯ camp. ¡°You¡¯re quite lively for someone who is about to be sold,¡± I noted. But Clarice didn¡¯t reply. She simply gave me a half-smile. ¡°If you guys need anything, let me know,¡± she then added, changing the subject. Well, ¡®we all have our own history,¡¯ huh? Fine, I won¡¯t push it any further. It¡¯s not my problem anyway. I have my own issues to deal with here, anyway. ¡°Actually, there might be something you can help with,¡± I remembered. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone,¡± I explained. ¡°Do you know of a woman called Olivia? She should be in her thirties.¡± As Clarice tilted her head, pondering, I continued. ¡°She has hazel eyes, and her hair is black, long and straight. She¡¯s about one meter and sixty tall, and she¡¯s been there for a few months now.¡± Unfortunately, after carefully thinking about it, the young woman shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t ring a bell,¡± she apologetically said, before turning to her friends. ¡°Guys?¡± "Nope.¡± ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°I do know of an Olivia, but she¡¯s blond and she¡¯s in her twenties.¡± Yep, I thought so. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s here?¡± Clarice inquired. ¡°If she¡¯s been there for months, she could have already been sold.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s very unlikely, she should still be here.¡± I brought a hand to the nape of my neck, a long sigh escaping my mouth. ¡°Sorry we couldn¡¯t help,¡± Clarice apologized. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I didn¡¯t think it would be that easy to find her anyway,¡± I tried to ease her mind. With a name as common as Olivia, I knew I wouldn¡¯t find her immediately. And with no surname and no particular features either, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. I might have to ask every single person out there if they know her to find her. Fortunately for me, Axis¡¯ mother wasn¡¯t the only person I was looking for. ¡°What about Troy?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you know of a guy named Troy?¡± If Olivia is a relatively common name, Troy is already rarer. There might be a couple of thousands slaves here, they aren¡¯t millions either, so if anyone has heard that name before, it¡¯s highly likely to be my guy. ¡°He¡¯s about this tall, brown hair and¡­¡± I started describing Troy, but soon realized that it wasn¡¯t necessary, as Clarice¡¯s wide eyes revealed that this name did sound familiar to her. ¡°You know him?¡± I inquired. ¡°Troy, is it?¡± The young woman averted her eyes, a forced smile playing on her lips. ¡°Well, Troy is¡­ Umh¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Gale interjected. Shit. ¡°Gale!¡± Clarice immediately turned around to shoot him a deadly glare. ¡°What? It¡¯s true. Dead is dead. There is no need to beat around the bush.¡± The young woman returned her attention to me, her eyes full of worries. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him!¡± she demanded. ¡°Troy isn¡¯t dead!¡± She didn¡¯t seem to be lying, but at the same time, she didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced by her own words. ¡°Where is he?¡± I hesitantly asked, my heart unsettled. ¡°Up the hill,¡± Gale responded, finally approaching. Following his gaze, I noticed a huge canvas shelter on a small hill, secluded from the other tents. ¡°See that?¡± Gale pointed with a quick gesture of the head. ¡°That¡¯s the slavers¡¯ base of operations. And you don¡¯t want to go there. Because if you do, you¡¯re not coming back. No one ever did.¡± He marked a pause, giving me a meaningful look. ¡°Troy went there,¡± he continued with the same hard expression. ¡°He rocked the boat, trying to start a revolt, so he was dragged there, and no one saw him since.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything!¡± Clarice stressed, ¡°he could still be alive!¡± ¡°That was two weeks ago, Clarice,¡± Gale emphasized. ¡°The dude tried to start a revolt, do you really think the slavers would have allowed him to live?¡± Shit, shit, shit. You better be alive, Troy. I made a promise to your son. ¡°What the hell was he thinking?¡± I complained, thinking out loud. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t it your fault?¡± ¡°Gale!¡± Clarice scolded. I frowned, looking up at Gale. He was giving me an accusing glare. ¡°What are you saying? How is this my fault?¡± The man sneered at my ignorance. ¡°The dude was delirious,¡± he explained, ¡°he started spurting out nonsense as soon as he arrived. He mentioned an Aileen. Wasn''t he talking about you? You said you know him, right?¡± Aileen? Not Lynett but Aileen? Aileen is the name I gave when I introduced myself to Yoko, but Troy knows that I am known as Lynett among normal people. So if he used my [True Name] instead of my mortal name then¡­ ¡°The Gods¡¯ judgement will fall upon us, he said,¡± Gale continued with an ironic smile. ¡°Their wrath will be delivered to those who force their will upon the others, and the slaves will be freed.¡± Oh, that fucking idiot. I should have known he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep his mouth shut. ¡°He told us he knew the Gods personally and that we were under their protection. That we should fear nothing.¡± You have some guts, Troy. Now I¡¯m tempted by the idea of abandoning you to your fate. As I could feel the headache coming, I noticed a little hand pulling my dress. My eyes fell upon a small child, who I didn¡¯t even see approaching. ¡°Are you the Aileen Troy talked about?¡± the little girl asked, her eyes full of expectations. ¡°Are you really going to save us all?¡± My eyelids twitched as I tried to keep a straight face. ¡°What did he say about me?¡± I inquired. ¡°That you were a goddess!¡± Yeah, I thought so. Troy, I¡¯m going to save your ass just because I promised Axis, but after that, you¡¯re dead. I sighed. ¡°And you believed him?¡± I patted the little girl¡¯s head. ¡°Do you think I look like a goddess?¡± The little girl stared at me silently for a few seconds before a smile broke onto her face. ¡°Yeah!¡± she beamed. Well¡­ Before I could add anything else, a woman appeared out nowhere. Forcing her way through the crowd, she dashed to our side, suddenly stopping right next to the little girl. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please don¡¯t mind her,¡± she apologized in a hurry, her head lowered. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s alright?¡± Unable to meet my eyes, the unknown woman -probably her mother- took the little girl in her arms and quickly re-entered the crowd. A little startled by her weird behavior at first, I then quickly noticed the weird looks of the other slaves, all around us. ¡°Troy is quite famous here, you know?¡± Gale suddenly started to recount, regaining my full attention. ¡°A lot of us were enslaved because of a debt. And when you¡¯re in that case, families are quick to abandon you. But Troy didn¡¯t. He kept coming here every single day, bringing slavers all the money he had collected during the day to beg them not to sell his wife. Quite an admirable man.¡± ¡­Okay? ¡°But then he stopped coming,¡± he continued, ¡°for weeks. And since there was no point in keeping his wife, it was decided that she would be sold away. Only then he reappeared. But well, you know the rest of the story.¡± Gale marked a pause, his expression hardening. ¡°So, what did you tell him?¡± he questioned, glaring at me. ¡°Did you scam him? Troy isn¡¯t such a gullible guy, but considering your eyes¡¯ color, it wouldn¡¯t be so weird for him to believe you if you told him you were a goddess or something.¡± What kind of groundless accusation is that? ¡°I haven¡¯t scammed anyone,¡± I objected, slightly annoyed. But Gale clearly had no intention to listen. ¡°Were you that bored?¡± he scowled, completely deaf to my words. ¡°You nobles have it easy, huh? You live on people¡¯s taxes, and when you¡¯re bored, you can decide to play with a poor, desperate man¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Gale!¡± Clarice called out, grabbing his arm. ¡°Watch your words! She¡¯s a chosen one!¡± ¡°So what? Fuck the gods and their chosen ones,¡± he spat, shaking her hand away. Quickly understanding that arguing with him would be pointless, I let a long sigh out of my mouth. ¡°Does it even matter to you what I do?¡± I grumbled. ¡°It does,¡± Gale declared, returning his attention to me. ¡°Because this isn¡¯t just about Troy. It¡¯s about all of us. Look around you.¡± The slaves around us had all fallen silent. Some of them were looking at me with the same expectant eyes as the little girl before, while others squinted suspiciously at me. But all attention was focused on me. ¡°When Troy started spurting out this nonsense about the gods coming to our aid, his words spread quickly. And no matter how foolish it sounded, some people actually believed him. Do you know why?¡± he queried, clearly not expecting an answer. ¡°Because this is how desperate they are. No matter how much they hide behind smiles, no matter how they play all buddy-buddy with each other, we all know what¡¯s coming for us once we¡¯re sold away. That¡¯s why, as crazy as it sounded, people were willing to hold onto that idea of a divine intervention.¡± Yeah, I can understand that. I know that feeling. Being so helpless that you can only wait, pray and hope. But it¡¯s exactly because I¡¯ve been there before that I can¡¯t help but feel annoyed at this. ¡°So what?¡± I croaked. ¡°What do you expect me to do?¡± ¡°Take responsibility,¡± Gale demanded. ¡°Those people are all expecting something from you. You started this by deceiving Troy. Now you end it.¡± I clicked my tongue as I felt the annoyance growing in me. Responsibilities? What responsibilities? Don¡¯t make me laugh. Why should I have to be responsible for the life of strangers? Why should I bear their hopes and expectations? This is exactly why I never wanted to follow the path of a hero. Those people are desperate, I know that. But the look in their eyes is unbearable. This is not about pressure or anything. But for some reason, this is just... annoying. I do feel sorry for them, I really do, but I came here for my own selfish reasons and that¡¯s not going to change. ¡°I owe you nothing. Nor to you, nor to anyone else here,¡± I declared. ¡°Why should I take care of you people¡¯s credulity? If you believed the words of a delirious man, that¡¯s your own fault. Don¡¯t blame it on me.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°What?¡± I cut him off. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted to hear? I am not here to be your savior.¡± Emphasizing this last sentence, I made sure everyone heard me. Around me, people¡¯s expectations died out soon enough. I had flatly crushed their hopes and beliefs. Disappointment showing on their face, the initial amiability of the slaves quickly disappeared, leaving room for hostility. It couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°If you want a miracle, create one yourself,¡± I advised. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for it. And don¡¯t expect others to save you.¡± I know better than anyone how pointless it is to wait for a miracle. I¡¯ve waited all my past life for one, and when it finally came, the gods spit on my face. Miracles don¡¯t exist. The best thing you can do in a bad situation is to turn the odds in your favor. And you can¡¯t do that by only waiting and praying. You can''t do that by leeching on the others. That''s not how the world works. No longer welcomed here, I turned on my heels as I signaled Cottontail to follow me. No one tried to stop me, not even Clarice. But it¡¯s fine. I no longer had any reasons to stay here after all. I knew where to find Troy and, lucky me, he was at the slavers¡¯ headquarters, the one other place I intended to go. There, I should probably be able to meet the slavers¡¯ leader. And even if he isn¡¯t there, I should at least meet someone important. Important enough to tell me what I want to know. Leaving Clarice, Gale and the others behind, I headed to slavers¡¯ base of operations with Cotton. ¡­ ¡­ But it''s strange. I feel weird. Why am I so irritated? Part II Chapter 41 – Leven Chapter 41 ¨C Leven
Lynett
I¡¯m pissed. I¡¯m pissed. I¡¯m fucking pissed. I stomped my way towards the hill, trying to calm myself down, but this annoying feeling of irritation didn¡¯t leave my heart. Why am I so pissed? ¡°Should I kill them?¡± a little voice suddenly spoke up. ¡°What?¡± I winced at Cottontail¡¯s unexpected proposition. ¡°You¡¯re upset,¡± she explained, seeing the surprise on my face. I don¡¯t usually let my emotions be apparent, but Cottontail perfectly read through me. [Familiar Contracts] synchronized emotions between the contractors, allowing the familiar to understand better its master¡¯s needs. Being bound together, Cottontail could easily gauge my emotional state. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I told her. ¡°But they¡¯ve upset you,¡± the fox girl insisted anyway, ¡°they should be punished for it.¡± I sighed. ¡°Cotton,¡± I called out, ¡°you can¡¯t go around killing people just because I¡¯m a little upset.¡± Cottontail frowned, clearly disagreeing with me. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not them,¡± I continued, ¡°it¡¯s me.¡± I was being abnormally irritated. Slaves couldn¡¯t be blamed for their situation, they were the victims in this story. I perfectly understood that. Yet, I couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated looking at them. And it wasn¡¯t empathy that I was feeling. Not even close. Unhappy with my decision, Cottontail fell silent, sulking behind me. Trying to settle down this growing feeling of annoyance in my heart, I continued walking for a few minutes. Then, having reached our destination, I stopped, my eyes cast up a small hill, on a huge canvas shelter. Okay, I¡¯m here. If Troy¡¯s alive, this is where I¡¯ll find him. It¡¯s also where I¡¯m most likely to find the slavers¡¯ leader. Killing two birds with one stone. But how do I get there? The shelter was guarded, clearly secluded for a reason. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Not too far from here, a slaver noticed me approaching. ¡°Fall back in line,¡± he ordered with a raspy voice. The slaver gave me a threatening glare, warning me not to come any closer. Guessing that he was probably on watch, I suddenly figured out how to go to the canvas shelter. If the slavers won¡¯t allow me to go there by my own will, I just need them to be the ones to bring me there, just like with Troy. In other words, I just need to commit an act of insubordination. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± the slaver growled as I didn¡¯t budge, ¡°fuck off.¡± The slaver was not alone. There were three of them, all seated around a fire. But considering their red flushed cheeks and the bottles lying discarded on the ground, they had clearly been drinking all afternoon. Perfect. Alcohol makes people sensitive, easy to provoke. ¡°Dickhead,¡± I spat, not missing the opportunity to vent all my frustration on him. The slaver flinched at my random insult. ¡°What did you say?¡± he frowned, unsure of what he just heard. ¡°Arsehole.¡± Confused at first, the slaver exchanged an inquiring look to his pals, but they were just as bewildered as him. ¡°Are you guys allowed to drink during your watch? I didn¡¯t know they hired drunkards among slavers. Having a hard time because how pathetic you are?¡± Finally giving in to my provocation, one of them stood up. His legs wobbling, struggling to keep balance, he gave me a threatening glare. ¡°Hey, you! Come over here!¡± he ordered. Complying, I came to their meeting, followed by Cottontail. Once I was finally in his reach, the slaver grabbed me by my collar. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± he scowled. He was reeking of alcohol. ¡°Not really,¡± I responded, turning my head away so as not to smell his breath. ¡°Seems to me like you¡¯re asking for a beating,¡± the slaver sneered, ¡°and if that¡¯s the case, you only had to ask! I¡¯m quite good at beating people, you see?¡± ¡°Yeah, I bet,¡± I taunted. ¡°You look like the kind of dude who beats his own wife. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to hear that she ran off with a younger guy.¡± His smirk disappeared and his eyelids twitched. Obviously, I hit a nerve. ¡°Or maybe she just ran off because you¡¯re a drunkard and you look like a squid,¡± I rubbed it in. His two pals bursting out in laughter, the slaver shot them a deadly glare. ¡°Quit it!¡± he ordered. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± But his friends completely ignored his threat. ¡°Touch¨¦?¡± Enraged and humiliated, the slaver returned his attention to me. He strengthened his grip on my collar and pulled me, lifting me up close to his face. ¡°You little shit! Seems like you forgot your place,¡± he snarled. ¡°Since you want to die so bad, I¡¯ll give you a glimpse of hell!¡± ¡°Come on, dude!¡± one of his pals called out, choking down his laughter. ¡°She¡¯s a Chosen One, you¡¯re going to drop her value.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± the other added, ¡°it¡¯s not everyday we have a Chosen One in our stock. You don¡¯t want to piss the boss off, do you? Don¡¯t let her get to your head!¡± But the slaver clicked his tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± he growled, ¡°I won¡¯t leave a scar.¡± His eyes locked on me, he grabbed one of the bottles laying on the ground and smashed it, splintering the glass. Understanding that it was pointless to insist, the two other slavers didn¡¯t try to stop him. One of them sighed, scratching his head, while the other simply shrugged as the drunkard brought the broken glass to my neck. Mmmh¡­ What about the canvas shelter? However, before the glass could sink into my flesh, Cottontail stepped forward, grabbing the slaver¡¯s arm. ¡°What do you want, midget?¡± he scowled, glaring at her. ¡°Stay out of this if you don¡¯t want to get beaten as well.¡± But Cottontail did not let go. She reaffirmed her grip instead, impassible. However, behind this mask of indifference, I could feel her emotions flowing within me. And I immediately understood what she had in mind. ¡°Cotto-¡± Before I could stop her, a loud cracking noise sounded in our ears, soon followed by the shrill cry of the slaver. Seared by pain, the drunkard immediately let go of me to grab his arm. Disoriented, the two other slavers didn¡¯t immediately understand what just happened. ¡°Fuck! That little bitch just broke my arm!¡± There was not a single drop of blood, but there was a clear mark of Cottontail¡¯s grip on his arm, so it wasn¡¯t so difficult to imagine the cracked bones underneath. And merely a few seconds later, his skin started to rot, eaten away by an evil power, craving for destruction. Dark magic. ¡°What the fuck is that?!¡± the drunkard shrieked. ¡°Cotton!¡± I called. ¡°Have you forgotten about what I told you?¡± ¡°He was going to harm you,¡± she explained unapologetically, ¡°it is my duty to protect you.¡± Those goddamn contract terms! ¡°Kill them! Kill them both!¡± ?????? Well, it wasn¡¯t so bad. The three slavers quickly retaliated but, naturally, they were no match for Cottontail, who easily defeated them in mere seconds, breaking a couple more bones in the process. I didn¡¯t have to do anything. Cotton didn¡¯t let me. Not worth my efforts, she said. Obviously, the commotion didn¡¯t take long to attract attention. In a few minutes, reinforcements came as a couple dozen slavers arrived to subdue the wild fox girl. Their threatening stance didn¡¯t help in calming her down. Since I couldn¡¯t convince Cottontail to stop, determined to protect me, I surrendered, letting myself be captured. Only then she understood they were actually no threat, and finally conceded the fight. It just only took like half of them to subdue her. Only. After that, the slavers brought us up to the hill. It didn¡¯t go as smoothly as I¡¯d planned, but at least, the initial goal was accomplished. We were now in the slavers¡¯ headquarters. ¡°Those fucking bitches broke my arm!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I hear you.¡± Our hands now tied again, we silently listened to the drunkard complain as a couple of slavers kept a close eye on us. ¡°Fucking bitches¡­ Fucking bitches! That¡¯s a fucking act of rebellion and I¡¯m going to fucking murder them!¡± Dude¡­ Can¡¯t you stop with all those ¡°fucking¡± already? I mean, if you want to curse, you could at least diversify your vocabulary. In front of him, clearly tired of listening to his endless ranting, a man who seemed to be some kind of secretary was seated at a table, buried in red tapes. He was trying to focus on the documents before him, but the drunkard¡¯s constant shouting wasn''t helping him concentrate. ¡°Look, I get it,¡± he sighed, clearly not interested in his story. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, so how about you let me do my job now?¡± ¡°Look at my fucking arm!¡± the drunkard bellowed, shoving his arm to his face. ¡°Look at it! They broke it! They fucking broke it!¡± Exasperated, the secretary suddenly stood up, slamming his palms against his desk. ¡°Nobody cares about your fucking arm, Reed!¡± he shouted. ¡°What did you say? Do you want me to break yours as well?!¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The secretary cringed, covering his nose. ¡°You reek of alcohol¡­ Maybe if you took care of that drinking problem of yours, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. How many times have I told you to stop drinking during your shifts?¡± The drunkard spat at his feet. ¡°Mind your own business, toothpick!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to do, but you¡¯re making things a bit difficult,¡± the secretary retorted, unfazed by his rude action, ¡°so how about you fuck off and let me do my job? Unlike you, I have some work to do.¡± ¡°I was fucking attacked and I want my fucking revenge!¡± ¡°And I told you we¡¯ll take care of it!¡± Tired of arguing, the secretary sighed loudly. He massaged his temples, trying to get rid of the upcoming headache, and turned towards the other slavers. ¡°Get this fool out of here,¡± he demanded, with a quick gesture of the head. The other slavers nodded. They forcefully grabbed the drunkard and dragged him out of the tent. ¡°Let me go, you arseholes! I¡¯m going to murder you all! I¡¯ll kill these two bitches first and then you are all next! You hear me?! You¡¯re next!¡± Unimpressed by his threat, the secretary returned to his desk. ¡°Fucking idiot,¡± he muttered, ¡°does he even know how to do something other than fight?¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that,¡± another slaver advised with a half smile, amused by the scene. ¡°Reed may be a fool, but he is quite capable during raids.¡± ¡°Then find him some village to raid, because in the meantime, I¡¯m the one who needs to clean up his mess!¡± The secretary clicked his tongue, letting himself sink into his chair before inspecting all the papers in front of him. ¡°Where was I?¡± he thought outloud. ¡°Fuck. I need to sort out all those slaves before the next supply.¡± ¡°Hey, Eddie!¡± someone called him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What about those two?¡± Their eyes shifted in our direction as the secretary brought a palm to his neck, remembering the origin of the problem: us. His eyes hard and focused, he carefully studied us, trying to figure out what to do with us. I could tell that he wasn¡¯t looking at us as fellow human beings, but as simple products to sell. Eventually, a loud sigh escaped his mouth. ¡°Such a waste¡­ Put them with the others,¡± he ordered. ¡°Huh? You sure? They seem like they could fetch quite a lot.¡± ¡°You have enough on our hands like that, we don¡¯t need other insurgents.¡± The other slaver tilted his head, not entirely convinced. ¡°If you say so¡­¡± he doubted. ¡°Is it safe, though? They seem quite strong.¡± ¡°They are knee-high to a grasshopper, what do you think they can do?¡± the secretary pointed out, his eyes rolling. ¡°They have the collars!¡± ¡°Well, they did defeat a few of our men. Have you seen Reed¡¯s arm? It looked¡­ necrotic.¡± ¡°Reed is a drunkard. Last time he fell and twisted his ankle, he couldn¡¯t even tell until the next morning because that idiot was completely numb to pain.¡± The slaver paused for a moment before an ironic smile broke onto his face. ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± The matter closed, he moved towards us to grab our collar. Then, with a swift movement, he forced us to get up, easily lifting us both. ¡°Let¡¯s go ladies!¡± he announced, all smiles. ¡°Come with me, and don¡¯t make a scene, alright?¡± Completely inconsiderate of us, the slaver barely allowed our feet to touch the ground as he pulled our collars, leading the way further into the shelter. A few minutes later, we had reached the other side of the tent. But as soon as we crossed the exit, my stomach lurched, a nauseous smell assaulting my nose. By reflex, I tried to cover my nose. However, I soon remembered that my hands were tied behind my back. I tried to bear with it, but the scent was really nauseating. Even Cottontail couldn¡¯t help but cringe at it. The slaver was the only one who didn¡¯t seem to mind it, clearly already used to it. In front of us, a few dozen slaves were all crammed together in a small pen, sitting and lying in their own feces and vomit. ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± the slavers ordered, as he noticed our reluctance to advance any further. He dragged us to the pen, opened the gate, and immediately threw us in. ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± he instructed, before a smirk appeared on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t stay there for too long!¡± Seemingly enjoying the situation, the slaver shifted his attention to the slaves on the ground. ¡°New friends for you guys,¡± he scoffed, ¡°but be careful of the furry one. She bites!¡± As the slaver disappeared, returning to the tent, I couldn¡¯t help but freeze on spot, completely grossed out by my surroundings. Alright, Lynett. Calm down. Don¡¯t forget why you¡¯re here. It¡¯s just poop, pee and vomit. Now is not the time to be a snob. Think about those poor people¡¯s condition. Who cares about hygiene, right? Trying not to think about where I was putting my feet, I used magic to burn the ropes off of my wrists and forced myself to move. I am so going to throw these shoes away after this¡­ Around us, the slaves were completely devoid of any spirit. Most of them were alive -at least I think so- but none of them were moving. Those who weren¡¯t sleeping were blankly staring forward, completely ignoring me. They were all in bad shape, though. Some were nothing but skin and bones while others had clear marks of physical abuse all over their body. Great. So not only they beat them, but they also starve them? Those slavers are beyond redemption. I looked all around me, trying to find someone who wasn¡¯t completely dead inside. ¡°You''re only children¡­¡± I suddenly heard someone speak up. Turning to the direction of the voice, my eyes fell upon an injured man. His clothes weren¡¯t as soiled as the others¡¯, indicating that he hadn¡¯t been there as long as them, but both his legs were severely injured, making him unable to stand up. I crouched down beside him, inspecting his open wounds. The blood was still fresh, the injuries were recent. And exposed like that, in such an unsanitary environment, they were going to get infected for sure. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯m fine,¡± the man assured with a smile as he saw me inspecting his legs. ¡°Did they do that to you?¡± I asked. ¡°No, I was bored so I did it to myself,¡± he joked. ¡°It¡¯s always been my dream to be a crippled, you see?¡± ¡°What did you do to piss them off?¡± ¡°Well, I might have sneaked into one of the slavers¡¯ tent to choke them in their sleep. Their constant snoring was bothering me, you know?¡± He tried to laugh, but with this many injuries, each one of his giggles brought pain. He couldn¡¯t help but wince. ¡°You must be quite lively to still joke around like this,¡± I noted. ¡°Would you rather have me eat my own shit like the others?¡± ¡°¡­They eat their own shit?¡± ¡°Some do.¡± I cringed. ¡°I think you¡¯re fine the way you are.¡± A smirk spread across his face. ¡°What about you, kids?¡± he inquired. ¡°How did such children like you ended up here?¡± I exchanged a quick glance with Cottontail before returning my attention to him. ¡°I insulted them, she kicked their ass.¡± Cottontail nodded. The stranger chortled. Then, he grabbed his sides, wincing from pain. ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologized, a little bit guilty of making him suffer. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he smiled, ¡°if I¡¯m going to die, I might as well laugh a little bit.¡± He seemed quite tranquil with the idea of dying. ¡°You¡¯re not injured enough to die.¡± ¡°Kid,¡± the stranger called, his smile not subsiding, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to destroy your optimism, but we are insurgents. We inspire rebellion. They¡¯re not going to let us live.¡± I stared at him silently for a few seconds. Unlike all the other slaves I met before, he wasn¡¯t just smiling to reassure himself, he was genuinely at peace with his own situation. Even in this state, he didn¡¯t seem miserable at all. I guess this is what people call having charisma. However, remembering my main objective, I soon broke eye-contact. Whatever. Not your problem, Lynett, not your problem. Do not forget why you¡¯re here. ¡°Do you know of a guy named Troy?¡± I asked, my eyes wandering around. ¡°I thought I would find him here.¡± ¡°Troy?¡± the stranger furrowed. ¡°Yeah, I do. Who doesn¡¯t? Especially after all the fuss he¡¯s made these past few weeks¡­¡± He sighed plaintively, clearly not pleased to hear me mention Troy. ¡°That fool isn¡¯t here,¡± he continued. ¡°The slavers didn¡¯t want to take the risk of another rebellion rising, so they kept him separated from the others.¡± Great. So where is he, then? The stranger fell silent, now displaying a hard expression. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to hold him in high regards,¡± I commented. ¡°Didn¡¯t Troy start the rebellion? As an insurgent, I thought you would respect him a bit more.¡± An ironic smile played on his lips. ¡°Respect?¡± he repeated. ¡°Troy is nothing but a delirious fool who got dozens of us tortured by starting a stupid rebellion.¡± I frowned. ¡°Stupid? Didn¡¯t you rebel yourself?¡± The stranger sighed. ¡°I rebelled because I¡¯d rather die than have my free will stolen from me. And if I¡¯m going to die, I might as well stir up trouble and bring as many of those shitty slavers as I can with me. But I certainly didn¡¯t rebel because I believed in Troy¡¯s stupid prophecy.¡± I blinked at him several times before an amused smile stretched across my face at his words. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± the stranger inquired, noticing my sudden change of expression. ¡°So you¡¯re not much of a believer, huh?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m just not going to wait for the Gods to descend from their divine throne to save my mortal ass!¡± A small chortle escaped my mouth. ¡°I like you!¡± I told him. Taken aback by my sudden declaration, the stranger¡¯s eyes widened. Then, a smug smile appeared on his face. ¡°I appreciate that, but I think you¡¯re a bit young for me, kid,¡± he joked. ¡°You also have an interesting choice of place to declare your love!¡± I smirked. ¡°Yeah, I do find the sight and the scent of poop quite romantic.¡± I marked a pause, staring at him. ¡°You¡¯re pretty brave despite your circumstances, you take the matter in your own hands,¡± I continued with a more serious tone, ¡°I like people like you.¡± ¡°Brave, huh?¡± the stranger repeated. ¡°Some would say stupid.¡± ¡°Maybe, but it¡¯s always better than doing nothing at all.¡± At least, not everyone has the courage to try to change things. I certainly didn¡¯t. Neither did most of those slaves. In a hopeless situation, it¡¯s much easier to wallow in self-pity. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ve changed my mind!¡± I declared as I got up. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The stranger gave me a half smile. ¡°Why? Are you going to write me a love letter?¡± he teased. ¡°Alright, quit it old man,¡± I tried to suppress a smile, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Old man? Kids are so harsh these days. I¡¯m still in my prime, you know?¡± he clarified. ¡°Not even forty yet.¡± ¡°Fine, young man,¡± I patronized. The ¡®young man¡¯ smirked. ¡°I¡¯m Leven,¡± he finally introduced himself. ¡°Leven?¡± I raised my eyes to the sky, as I thought about something. ¡°Weird?¡± ¡°No,¡± I shook my head, ¡°interesting.¡± ¡°Interesting?¡± Leven raised an eyebrow. I grinned. ¡°Did you know? Leven means ¡®life¡¯ in Dutch,¡± I explained. Leven squinted his eyes, clearly not comprehending my words. ¡°In what?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your place to die yet, Leven.¡± I placed my hands on his legs. Light erupted from my palm, startling the young man, as I let my mana flow in his body. ¡°What the-?!¡± In a few seconds, the wounds on his legs closed, and the bruises on his body disappeared, leaving only blood trails as the last evidence of his previous state. Leven inspected his body, completely dumbfounded. He palpated his face, his arm, his torso. Then, he pulled up his trousers, revealing his now completely healed legs. There was no trace of injuries left and the pain was gone. ¡°How¡­¡± He looked up at me with bewildered eyes, slowly connecting the dots together. ¡°Do you want to stir up some more trouble with me, young man?¡± I proposed, giving him a meaningful look, as I extended my arm in front of me. Leven blinked several times. Then, his brain having finally processed what I just said, a huge grin broke onto his face. ¡°Hell yeah!¡± He took my hand and I helped him up. ¡°Perfect.¡± With Troy nowhere to be found, I headed towards the pen¡¯s entrance. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡± Leven advised as he saw me approaching the gate. ¡°That gate is infused with magic, so if you touch it¡­¡± I placed my palm on the gate and opened it. ¡°¡­Nevermind,¡± he finished. Freedom! Finally stepping outside the pen, I could feel a new breath of fresh air filling my lungs. Well, not exactly. The nauseous smell was still quite present, but mentally speaking, it was already a huge relief to leave that unsanitary place. Cottontail and Leven followed me outside the pen, leaving the gate opened behind them for the other slaves to leave. However, they didn¡¯t budge, seemingly not even noticing they could now escape. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them,¡± Leven said with a hard expression. ¡°They¡¯ll leave when they¡¯re ready.¡± If they¡¯re ever ready¡­ The young man gave me a half smile, probably guessing what I was thinking, as he invited me to get moving. Leaving the soulless slaves behind, we walked away from the pen. ¡°So, what are you planning to do now?¡± Leven asked with a bright smile, trying to lighten up the mood. I cast my eyes up to the sky. ¡°Find their leader, I guess,¡± I responded. ¡°Sounds like a good plan,¡± Leven approved, although I¡¯m not sure he said that seriously. ¡°By the way, what should I call you?¡± I shifted my gaze to Cottontail, who was still silently following from behind, without showing any signs of wanting to join the conversation. ¡°This is Cottontail,¡± I introduced, ¡°she¡¯s a bit reserved and not very talkative.¡± ¡°Hi!¡± Leven raised a hand in a greeting gesture, a friendly smile on the face, but as I had expected, Cottontail did not react. She didn¡¯t even give him a glance. ¡°A bit reserved, huh?¡± he repeated, emphasizing each word. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ail-¡± Suddenly recalling that Troy had already spread my name around here, I stopped, not sure whether it was a good idea to use my real name anymore. However, as I thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem like such a bad thing after all. I turned to Leven, who was still waiting for me to finish my sentence. ¡°I¡¯m Aileen,¡± I finally introduced myself. Leven flinched as I revealed my name. He stared at me for a few seconds, trying to read me, before a wry smile played on his lips. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m going to hell.¡± Part II Chapter 42 – Confrontation Chapter 42 ¨C Confrontation It was early in the morning. The camp was deserted of almost any slavers, who had long gone to rest in their tent. Outside, the slaves were sleeping on the bare ground, trying their best not to invade each other¡¯s personal space. Had it been winter, they would all have slept together, snuggling up, but it was summer, so overcrowded places could soon become unbearable. Fortunately for them, this year¡¯s summer was relatively mild, so the nights weren¡¯t too hot. It was still dark outside, and the air was still cool, filled with moisture. However, the first signs of life soon started to show, as the birds began their morning chorus. It was only a matter of time now before the early sun started to rise, dyeing the sky to a soft gray color. But amidst this musical silence, birds were not the only one that could be heard. In the camp, a man was trying to make his way through the sleeping slaves. In a too great rush to watch where he put his feet, he stepped on a couple of them, as they groaned upon their brutal awakening. But the man didn¡¯t care to apologize. They were, after all, only slaves. He had something much more important on his mind. Something much more preoccupying. Finally reaching his destination, he stormed into one of the tents. ¡°Ed!¡± he shouted, his eyes looking for someone. Inside, another man was trying to finally find some sleep, after pulling an all-nighter. It was Eddie, the camp¡¯s accountant. Unlike most slavers, Eddie was not physically bulky. He was of an average size, not very imposing, and quite boring looking. But he was also one of the highest ranked slavers here. He was, after all, the brain of this camp. Eddie was one of the very few members of the slavers¡¯ gang to be literate. Among all the musclebrains, he was the only one truly proficient with numbers out there, which is why, despite not participating in raids, he was promoted to accountant. These past few weeks, Eddie had been very busy. The gang had recently received a huge order of slave supply. Five thousand of them, regardless of their gender, age or race. It was the biggest order the gang had received ever since Eddie arrived, and naturally, they didn¡¯t have this many slaves in stock. The gang frequently needed to resupply the market in slaves, so they never accumulated more than a thousand of them at once. But this order was also a golden opportunity for the slavers. Slaves did not all hold the same value. While it was easy to find buyers for strong men and beautiful women, it was already much harder to sell children, elderly or weaklings. But this time¡¯s client offered to buy anyone. And not only were they willing to buy anyone, they also offered one silver coin per head. A total of fifty gold coins. A golden opportunity. For the gang, it was absolutely out of question to miss such a great deal. In order to satisfy the client¡¯s order, they had temporarily stopped resupplying the market and recently multiplied their raids, capturing as many slaves as possible. In the matter of only a few months, they had achieved their goal, accumulating over five thousand slaves. But this sudden growth in the number of slaves also brought a few problems. The camp did not have the capacity to hold this many slaves and quickly became overcrowded. Outnumbered, it was difficult for the slavers to keep an eye on everyone. It didn¡¯t take long before the first revolt emerged. Revolts were not so uncommon. They happened once in a while, so the slavers were used to it. But this time was more challenging considering the number of slaves involved. All of this because of one man, Troy. The idiot had been enslaved a few weeks ago, after he failed to pay back his debts in time. Completely wild and dissident, the slavers had been unable to completely tame him. Too entertained by his behavior though, they had also completely underestimated the threat he represented. In only a few days, Troy had rallied hundreds of slaves to his cause, provoking a major uprising. Still, with the slave collar on, they didn¡¯t represent a real threat, and the rebellion was easily put down. However, dozens of slaves were killed in the process. And those losses weren¡¯t insignificant. Each one of them was worth one silver coin after all. After the uprising, things calmed down a little bit at the camp, but the atmosphere was still as tense as ever. While most slaves didn¡¯t dare to do anything, fearing reprisals, others didn¡¯t care to hide the spite in their eyes. Even if no other major uprising occurred since, a few insurgents did appear from time to time, causing trouble. It was amidst all these disturbances that the camp¡¯s accountant needed to keep track on each one of the slaves. The deadline for the order was approaching and the leader was soon going to return. In order to arrange everything before that, Eddie had been working non-stop for the past few days, sorting out the remaining slaves. After a sleepless night, he ultimately went to rest in his tent, only to be disturbed as he was finally starting to fall asleep. ¡°Ed, Ed!¡± the slaver rushed to his bed. ¡°What?!¡± The accountant got up at once, shooting the slaver a deadly glare. ¡°We have a problem!¡± His eyelids suddenly twitched, as this is exactly what he had been fearing to hear. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked with a much calmer, but serious voice. ¡°We have escapees!¡± The accountant frowned. ¡°I just went to check on the insurgents,¡± the slaver continued, ¡°and the gate was opened! Three of them are missing!¡± The gate was infused with protection magic, reacting to the slave collars. Were any of the slaves to touch it, they would immediately be thrust away, assailed with searing pain. A slave wouldn¡¯t have been able to open it. Only a slaver could have. Which means there was an idiot out there who forgot to close the gate behind him after visiting the insurgents. The accountant grabbed his head at this thought, suddenly assaulted with a migraine. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had to clean after his companions¡¯ mess. ¡°Who¡¯s missing?¡± he inquired, a long sigh escaping his mouth. ¡°Well, there¡¯s number 4889.¡± ¡°Number 4889?¡± With over five thousand slaves in the camp, it was impossible for Eddie to remember each one of them. But as the accountant, he had to go through the insurgents¡¯ files several times and he did remember number 4889. Number 4889 was a lunatic. At a first glance, he didn¡¯t seem very dangerous. He used to only be a logger from a remote village after all. But this village was recently victim of an epidemic outbreak. And since the lord of the region refused to take action, fearing the spread of the disease, the villagers took arms. However, a few dozens of villagers with hoes naturally stood no chance against the lord¡¯s army of knights, and the rebellion was obliterated. Those who had not been killed were sold to slavery. Number 4889 was one of them. But that wasn¡¯t why Eddie remembered number 4889. The real reason he remembered him is that the same day he arrived, he attacked a group of slavers during the night, managing to kill two of them. Number 4889 was dangerous. He was used to mutiny, and clearly not afraid of death. If he managed to escape, there was no doubt he would try to take up arms once again. Eddie clicked his tongue. They could not afford another rebellion. Not now. ¡°What about the other two?¡± he asked. ¡°As far as I remember, number 4889 is injured. He couldn¡¯t have gone far alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the other two.¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re not sure?¡± The slaver scratched his head, seemingly embarrassed. ¡°Well, they haven¡¯t received a number yet,¡± he explained. ¡°Remember the two little girls of yesterday? It¡¯s them. They were just captured yesterday so we don¡¯t have much information on them yet.¡± Eddie squinted his eyes. He did remember the two new insurgents of yesterday. A chosen one and a demi-human girl. And while neither of them seemed threatening, they did cause a problem the very same day they arrived. Just like number 4889. A bunch of troublemakers. ¡°How dangerous are they?¡± he asked, recalling yesterday¡¯s incident. He had dismissed Reed¡¯s words before, but now, he was starting to get cautious. ¡°The chosen one is pretty harmless,¡± the other slaver said, ¡°but the demi-human girl on the other hand¡­ She took out several of our men yesterday.¡± ¡°That little girl? By herself?¡± ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, yes. Maybe that¡¯s because she¡¯s a mutant? Have you seen her tails? They¡¯re split in two.¡± That could be a possibility. But in that case, it wasn¡¯t good for them. A mutant, a lunatic and a chosen one. The risk for another uprising was real. ¡°We need to find those three, and fast,¡± the accountant declared, ¡°before the leader returns.¡± The slaver nodded and rushed to the entrance, ready to begin his search. However, as he was about to leave the tent, he bumped into someone. ¡°Who the hell-?!¡± he started, just before gasping, recognizing the newcomer¡¯s face. ¡°B-Boss!¡± The accountant directed his attention to the entrance, where their leader just came in. ¡°Who exactly do you need to find before I return?¡± the leader asked with a hard expression. Eddie immediately came to greet his superior. ¡°Glad to see you have returned safely, boss,¡± he bowed his head. ¡°Forget about that, what is this story all about?¡± The accountant exchanged a worried glance with the slaver. ¡°It¡¯s really no big deal,¡± the slaver tried to explain, ¡°three insurgents escaped during the night. But it¡¯s just a matter of time before we find them!¡± However, his attempt at smothering the problem didn¡¯t seem to have worked as the leader¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Have you interrogated the remaining rebels?¡± he asked. ¡°They¡­ are in no condition to talk.¡± There was a very subtle change in the leader¡¯s expression. Obviously, he wasn¡¯t pleased to hear about this problem. He had left, a while ago, to meet with their client and finalize the deal, and the first thing he hears about upon his return is that some new problem arose in his absence. He had only left for a little while, yet, his men weren¡¯t able to maintain order in this camp. He couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed. ¡°Bring me the remaining insurgents,¡± he ordered curtly. ¡°Yes!¡± Understanding that his boss was not in a good mood, the slaver quickly disappeared outside. The leader then shifted his gaze to the accountant. ¡°Ed,¡± he called out. ¡°Yes, boss.¡± ¡°Wake the others up.¡± ¡°Of course, but¡­¡± the accountant marked a pause, concern growing on his face, ¡°what do you intend to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to show you how to deal with rebels.¡±
Lynett
¡°Are you not going to take a break?¡± I turned to Leven. ¡°Look, the sun¡¯s rising,¡± he pointed the sky out. Following his finger, I indeed noticed the yellow sun shining from afar, slowly rising from the ground. Its light scattered around, filling the sky and illuminating the clouds with shades of orange and pink, announcing the end of the night.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°It¡¯s morning already?¡± Realizing how much time had passed, I stepped up the pace. ¡°Hey, hey, slow down!¡± Leven tried to reason with me. ¡°You¡¯ve searched for them for the entire night! How about you rest a little?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to rest, Leven.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten a wink of sleep!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m not tired.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. Although my legs were starting to be sore, I really didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all. ¡°Are you?¡± I then redirected the question to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± he smirked, ¡°I¡¯ve rested long enough while I was crippled.¡± And I guess it¡¯s pointless to ask Cottontail. After escaping, the three of us sneaked back into the camp, where we¡¯ve been actively looking for Troy, Olivia, and the slavers¡¯ leader. However, by the time our search started, the sun had already set, making our search even more difficult. I knew Troy, and I had a vague idea what his wife looked like. Leven knew the slavers¡¯ leader. However, in the dark, it wasn¡¯t easy to find them among such a large crowd. Ultimately, we had spent the entire night wandering in the camp, seeking for either Troy, his wife or the slavers¡¯ leader. But we couldn¡¯t find a single one of them. ¡°I don¡¯t know about Troy, but what are you going to do when you meet the slaver¡¯s leader, anyway?¡± Leven suddenly asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll improvise, I guess.¡± ¡°Are you going to make his stomach burst?¡± he continued. I furrowed my brows. ¡°What?¡± Leven smiled. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not much of a believer so I don¡¯t know a lot about divine retribution or stuff like that,¡± he explained, ¡°but I remember my wife once telling our daughter to eat slowly, otherwise, if she swallowed any seeds, the gods would punish her by making it sprout in her stomach, bursting her belly from the inside.¡± ¡­ What the actual fuck? What a thing to say to a child! ¡°A very efficient lecture!¡± he casually continued. ¡°She stopped eating like a pig and properly chewed on her food before swallowing it after that!¡± Of course she did. That poor child was most likely traumatized. ¡°So you have a wife and a daughter, huh?¡± I commented, realizing I knew pretty much nothing about him. Leven gave me a half-smile. ¡°Had,¡± he corrected. Oh¡­ ¡°So! What exactly are you, anyway?¡± he continued, completely changing the subject. ¡°You never told me, have you?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± I inquired, not pushing the matter any further. ¡°I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking! I haven¡¯t been here for a long time, but I¡¯ve heard a lot of different rumors about you.¡± ¡°What kind of rumors?¡± ¡°Well, some say that you¡¯re a hero, some a divine messenger sent by the Gods. Others believe you are the reincarnation of all the deceased slaves¡¯ spite. There are even some who claim you are a Goddess yourself.¡± Yeah, it¡¯s consistent from what I¡¯ve heard yesterday. ¡°So, which one is it?¡± Leven pressed with a childish curiosity. ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked, one more time. The young man pondered, carefully studying me with his eyes. ¡°I think you look kind of weak to be any of those things,¡± he eventually answered. I smirked. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong.¡± At that moment, I noticed some movement within the camp. Slavers started to run back and forth the tents, and a few minutes later, they scattered amidst the slaves. But what truly concerned me was the fact that they were all armed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Leven muttered, his eyes now tight and worried, also noticing the slavers weird behavior. ¡°GET UP!!¡± they all suddenly started to shout. ¡°Move your lazy asses, you little shits, it¡¯s no longer the time to sleep!¡± The slaves woke up in confusion. Disoriented, they tried to inspect their surroundings. But the sudden commotion didn¡¯t help, as each one of them turned to the other, in an attempt to understand what was happening. ¡°We said get up!¡± the slavers continued to bellow, kicking anyone who wasn¡¯t fast enough in waking up. In the matter of only a few minutes, all slaves had been woken up. But the slavers didn¡¯t let them the time to recover from their brutal awakening. ¡°Now get on the move! And faster than that!¡± As the slavers led the slaves to one same place, Cottontail, Leven and I had no other choice but to blend in. ¡°Lower your head,¡± Leven advised. ¡°Some of them might recognize us.¡± Leven was right. Among the slavers, a few of them could be seen surveying the crowd with their eyes, seemingly looking for someone. And after our escape from yesterday, it was without doubt us. The slavers guided us to the outskirts of the camp. With all the slaves now assembled together, it was more crowded than ever. Some groaning could be heard, as people stepped on each others¡¯ foot. The only benefit of this was that it was easier for Cottontail, Leven and I to hide ourselves amidst this crowd. ¡°Oh, shit,¡± I then suddenly heard Leven mutter. ¡°What is it?¡± Following his gaze, I finally noticed something. In front of us, about twenty meters from here, there was a row of slaves on their knees. Their hands tied in their back, I immediately recognized these lifeless eyes of theirs. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t those the other insurgents that were with you in the pen?¡± I turned to Leven. ¡°Yeah, they are¡­¡± The usual playfulness in his face was totally gone. ¡°This is not good.¡± Right next to them, a few slavers could be seen. I recognized the secretary from yesterday, but couldn¡¯t recognize the others. One face was familiar to Leven, though. ¡°Aileen,¡± he called, ¡°that¡¯s the leader.¡± That¡¯s the leader? So he finally shows his face, huh? As the leader loudly clapped in his hands to attract our attention, the slavers immediately demanded the silence among the slaves. Terrorized, it didn¡¯t take long for them to fall quiet. ¡°Greetings everyone!¡± the slavers¡¯ leader started. His voice was unexpectedly loud. Unlike at the academy, I couldn¡¯t detect any magical device. Yet, I could perfectly hear him. Despite being twenty meters away, his voice was loud and clear. ¡°I apologize for interrupting your night,¡± he said, clearly not being sincere, ¡°there was a problem we needed to take care of.¡± There was something very condescending in his expression. He was smiling, but there was nothing genuine about it. ¡°I hope we have all slept well,¡± he continued with the same deceitful smile, ¡°because your peaceful days are over.¡± At this announcement, the slaves grew restless, exchanging a couple of worried glances. "Word has reached my ears that there has been some¡­ disturbances, lately.¡± The slavers¡¯ leader gave a quick glance above his shoulder. He brought his palm upwards and moved his finger repeatedly towards him, in a gesture to invite someone to come over. At that moment, another slaver showed up. He approached the leader, dragging someone behind him, before tossing him in front of him, at the sight of everyone. ¡°Oh my Goodness!¡± ¡°Is that¡­?¡± The slaves gasped in surprise as they all immediately recognized him. And they weren¡¯t the only one. This face was familiar to me as well. ¡°It¡¯s Troy!¡± ¡°It¡¯s really him!¡± ¡°He¡¯s alive?¡± The slaves took out the words from my mouth. It was indeed Troy. He was in bad shape, but it was definitely him. His clothes were ripped, soiled with both dirt and blood, and his face was swollen, covered with bruises. The slavers clearly didn¡¯t go easy on him. But at least, he was in one piece. ¡°There was no need to look for them, after all,¡± Leven sneered, ¡°they both showed up on their own.¡± True. With Troy and the slavers¡¯ leader now in our radar, only Olivia was left to be found. ¡°Looks like you all recognize him,¡± the slavers¡¯ leader continued, a grin forming on his face. ¡°That¡¯s right, this is the fool behind your recent uprisings. And these,¡± he moved to the insurgents, ¡°are the idiots who were stupid enough to follow him, and unlucky enough to get caught.¡± The leader marked a pause, as the tension was slowly rising among the slaves. ¡°In other words, these are the nuisances who dared to break the peace in my camp, and I really fucking hate nuisances,¡± he then added, the smile on face his vanishing in an instant. ¡°I thought I made that clear already, but clearly, you guys seem to have forgotten your place.¡± The first signs of panic started to show in the crowd, as a couple of slaves lost their nerve, feeling the retribution coming. As the leader raised a hand, a few other slavers showed up. They stopped right behind the row of insurgents, and placed a knife against their neck. And this is when hysteria broke in the crowd. In a desperate attempt to escape the upcoming slaughter, the slaves tried to run away. However, surrounded with slavers, there was nowhere for them to go. The slavers beat down anyone trying to step out of the line. Despite being outnumbered, they were armed. They had no problem pushing back the swarm of panicked slaves. In a few minutes, they managed to restore order in the crowd, as the slaves understood it was pointless to try to escape. ¡°Calm down, you morons,¡± the slavers¡¯ leader spoke up, ¡°you¡¯re not going to die, I need you alive.¡± He shifted his gaze to the insurgents. ¡°Them, on the other hand¡­¡± The leader extended his arm forward, as someone came to bring him a glaive. He took the the blade in his hand, and grabbed Troy by his hair, forcing him to raise his head. Barely conscious, Troy groaned painfully, as the others watched in distress. ¡°Let that be a lesson to all of you,¡± he threatened, ¡°this is what happens when you forget your place.¡± ¡°Troy...!¡± ¡°May the Goddess protect him¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t watch this!¡± ¡°That fucking maniac is going for a public execution!¡± Leven ground his teeth, his eyes burning with rage. ¡°But I¡¯ll offer you a chance to save him,¡± the slavers¡¯ leader suddenly proposed, to everyone¡¯s surprise, ¡°to save him, and the other rebels.¡± Confused, the slaves exchanged inquiring looks. ¡°You see, I¡¯ve heard something interesting,¡± the leader continued, a smirk forming on his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that among the insurgents, three of them managed to escape this night.¡± Oh, shit. I can see where this is going. ¡°The slave numbered 4889, that you might know under the name of Leven, and two new captures. A demi-human girl with two tails, and a chosen one.¡± At that moment, a sparkle lighted in Troy¡¯s eyes, as he finally showed some kind of reaction. ¡°W-What did you say¡­?¡± he managed to articulate. ¡°A chosen one? W-What did she look like? What was her name?! Did she-¡± But the slavers didn¡¯t let him finish his sentence. One of them kicked him in the stomach, while another pinned him to the ground, forcing him to bite the dust. ¡°Silence, you piece of trash! You shut up and listen!¡± The slavers¡¯ leader didn¡¯t even care to give him a glance as he casually continued his speech. ¡°I can¡¯t have three rebels on the run in my camp, you see? But if those three surrender right now, I¡¯ll consider sparing the life of the others,¡± he offered. ¡°So if anyone has seen them or is hiding them, I really suggest you step forward. It is a golden opportunity to save your peers, isn¡¯t it?¡± My eyes locked on Troy, who was still struggling to shake the slavers off, I couldn¡¯t help but think about Axis. A promise is a promise, isn¡¯t it? I stood up, ready to raise my hand, but Leven grabbed it before I could do anything. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, right now?¡± he scolded. ¡°I¡¯m surrendering,¡± I replied. ¡°Are you crazy? He¡¯s going to kill you!¡± ¡°Well, if I don¡¯t, he¡¯s going to kill them instead.¡± Those people aren''t related to me. Whatever happens to them isn''t my problem. But if they die because of me, that''s a whole other story. And I needed to speak with the slavers'' leader anyway. Leven winced at my gullibility. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, he¡¯s going to kill them either way!¡± he stressed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you actually believe him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth a try!¡± I assured. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I thought you weren¡¯t afraid of death!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, but I refuse to die pointlessly! The only reason I followed you is because I thought you¡¯d allow me to bring a few of those slavers down before I die!¡± I sighed. ¡°Fine, do whatever you want, but Cottontail and I are going. We¡¯re busted anyway.¡± Leven finally noticed the few glares directed on us. While not everyone might know him, a chosen one and a two-tailed demi-human girl were definitely not something that goes unnoticed. It didn¡¯t take long for the slaves around us to spot us. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that them?¡± ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Understanding that it was pointless to stop me, Leven let go of my arm. He clicked his tongue before letting out a sigh of resignation. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re here!¡± I stepped forward, loudly announcing myself. The leader grinned at my sight. He gave his men a quick gesture of the head, and two slavers immediately came to subdue both Cottontail and I. They grabbed us by our collar, ready to drag us away, but were distracted by a loud noise as Leven loudly cleared his throat. ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯m number 4889,¡± he revealed, raising a hand in the air. Confused at first, the slavers quickly called a third one to capture him. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to die pointlessly,¡± I told him, as the slavers dragged us away. ¡°Yeah, you better make their stomach burst,¡± Leven smirked, ¡°otherwise, I¡¯ll curse you even after I¡¯m dead.¡± The slavers brought the three of us to their leader. As they tossed us at his feet, the leader smirked, shifting his attention to the one beside him: the secretary dude from yesterday. ¡°See? It wasn¡¯t so difficult,¡± he said with a smug face. However, it was also at that moment that my eyes met with Troy¡¯s. ¡°Your Holiness!!¡± he suddenly exclaimed. Using the confusion created by words to slip away from the slavers¡¯ grasp, he came to kneel in front of me, burying his head into the ground. ¡°I am honored by your presence! I knew you would make the righteous choice and come to save us all!¡± ¡°Shut up, Troy,¡± I immediately cut him short, shooting him a deadly glare as I felt the annoyance coming back. ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡± the slavers¡¯ leader inquired, his eyes squinted. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind him, boss, he¡¯s delirious.¡± He furrowed his brows, inspecting the man on the ground, but he quickly lost interest in him. ¡°Whatever,¡± he said. ¡°Bring him away, I don''t need him anymore.¡± Two slavers nodded. Complying with his order, they grabbed the poor man, forcing him to raise his head. ¡°No, wait!¡± Troy tried to put on a fight as he was dragged away a bit further. ¡°I¡¯m not done here! Your Holiness! Your Holiness!¡± Ignoring his cries, the slavers¡¯ leader shifted his attention back to us. ¡°So! I believe we have some accounts to settle,¡± he started, a vicious smile playing on his lips. My eyes locked on him, a sudden rush of adrenaline surged within me as my mind was flooded with past memories. In front of me was the slavers¡¯ leader. According to Axis, the one man responsible for all the slave operations in the capital for these past twenty years. In other words, this man was most likely my mother¡¯s abductor. My lips stretching, I slowly revealed every single one of my teeth as I returned him the same vicious smile. ¡°Yeah, we do.¡± Part II Chapter 43 – Ascension Chapter 43 ¨C Ascension
Lynett
His eyes were cold, emotionless. Feeling absolutely not threatened at all, the slavers¡¯ leader was standing right in front of us, his guard completely opened, as he carefully studied each one of us, stroking his chin. His men, however, were a bit more cautious. Their hands resting on their swords, they were ready to pounce at any time, were any of us to make the slightest suspicious move. ¡°You look strong,¡± he eventually spoke, his eyes focused on Leven. ¡°Number 4889, was it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m honored that you remember my number, sir,¡± Leven sarcastically spat with an arrogant smile, which the other slavers didn¡¯t miss. The leader, however, paid it no mind. ¡°So, what is it that you¡¯ve done exactly?¡± he asked. ¡°He murdered two of our men the night he arrived,¡± the secretary dude at his side responded. ¡°Art was murdered in his sleep, and he got John right after, while he was trying to subdue him.¡± ¡°Art and John, huh?¡± A grin appeared on the slavers¡¯ leader¡¯s face. ¡°Pretty impressive.¡± ¡°Well, they were slowpokes so it was easy,¡± Leven taunted. Falling for his provocation, a slaver came to grab him by his collar. ¡°You piece of shit! Your death is going to be slow and painful!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± the leader ordered, ¡°I¡¯m not finished here.¡± The slaver ground his teeth as he reluctantly let go of Leven, still glaring at him. So the leader¡¯s word is absolute, huh? ¡°It says on your report that it took a total of five people to take you down,¡± the leader continued, impassive, ¡°and that you managed to injure three of them before being completely subdued. You seem to have experience when it comes to fighting. What did you do for a living?¡± ¡°I cut down trees,¡± Leven replied with a straight face, ¡°It¡¯s just your men who are pathetically weak.¡± Offended, the slavers shot him a deadly glare. Their leader was the only one to be seemingly impressed by his boldness, judging by the smirk on his face. ¡°Strong and audacious, huh?¡± he noted. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike it. Would you like to work for me?¡± Leven frowned at his unexpected proposition, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. Outraged, a slaver immediately came forward to express his disapproval. ¡°Boss!¡± he shouted. ¡°He killed Art and John!¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± the leader replied with a disinterested voice, ¡°but if those two weren¡¯t able to defend themselves against a mere logger, it¡¯s their own fault. I have no need for weak men.¡± His harsh statement caused the slaver to flinch. ¡°But¡­ Even if it¡¯s true, he¡¯s an insurgent! He rebelled once, he will do it again! A former slave like him can¡¯t be trusted!¡± The leader sneered at these words. ¡°Trust?¡± he repeated with an ironic smile. ¡°Like you think I trust any of you? You bunch of thugs are only here because I pay you. The moment a better opportunity to earn money presents itself, you will no doubt stab me in the back.¡± The slaver tried to disagree, but he couldn¡¯t find anything to retort. ¡°Money buys loyalty,¡± the leader continued, before shifting his attention back to Leven, ¡°and now, I¡¯m offering to buy yours.¡± ¡°You want to buy me?¡± Leven repeated with a hard expression, before a grin spread across his face. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m listening. How much are you offering?¡± I frowned, giving Leven a condemning look. He can¡¯t be seriously considering his offer, right? ¡°One gold coin,¡± the leader proposed. His men all winced in synchronization, clearly disapproving of this offer. ¡°Boss, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± the secretary dude tried to reason with him, but he was immediately cut off. ¡°Silence,¡± the leader ordered. ¡°If I say one gold coin, it¡¯s one gold coin.¡± As the slavers exchanged dubious looks, their leader turned to one of them. ¡°You,¡± he designated the one who grabbed Leven by his collar just before, ¡°bring him the money.¡± Despite grinding his teeth, the slaver complied. He glared at Leven and, without breaking the eye-contact a single second, he unwillingly brought a pouch full of coins. Then, he took a golden coin out of it and tossed it at his face. ¡°There,¡± he said, just before spitting at his feet. Ignoring his rude action, Leven looked down on the single golden coin who just fell on the ground. ¡°One golden coin?¡± he mumbled. ¡°A peasant like you should be satisfied with that, right?¡± the slaver added, his voice filled with contempt. ¡°It¡¯s probably more money than you¡¯ve ever seen in your entire life.¡± But Leven clearly disagreed. ¡°Satisfied?¡± he repeated, a grin breaking onto his face. Something triggering within him, Leven suddenly pounced on the slaver. In a split second, he stole the knife at his waist and used it to slash his throat, not even leaving the poor man a chance to react. He died before he could even understand what was happening. The others, however, were quicker to react. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°That little bastard!¡± ¡°Grab him!¡± Leven immediately tried to go for the leader, but his men didn¡¯t leave him the chance. In an instant, a swarm of slavers came to subdue him. Leven may have managed to put on a fight against five of them before, but this time, there were more than ten of them. He was quickly subdued, tackled to the ground. Seemingly unfazed by this sudden attempt of murder towards him, the leader simply let out a long sigh. ¡°How disappointing,¡± he said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to take that for a no?¡± ¡°You, son of a bitch!¡± Leven bellowed, struggling on the ground. ¡°One golden coin? Are you fucking kidding me? Is that what human lives are worth to you? My wife¡­ My daughter¡¯s lives... One golden coin?! Go to hell!¡± The leader sighed once more. ¡°Such a waste¡­ Hold him well,¡± he ordered his men, ¡°we¡¯ll take care of him just after I¡¯m done with the other two.¡± ¡°Fuck¡­! Come back here you bastard! Don¡¯t hide behind your men! Fight me fair and square!¡± But the leader had no reason to listen to him. His interest in Leven now gone, he moved to Cottontail, completely ignoring the corpse at his feet. ¡°So this is the mutant girl?¡± he inquired. ¡°Yes, this is her,¡± the secretary dude responded. ¡°She is also quite a dangerous one. Apparently, she took down dozens of our men on her own.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± The slavers¡¯ leader stepped forward to better inspect her. However, Cottontail did not appreciate that. When he tried to reach her chin to raise her head, she immediately growled, threatening to bite his hand off. ¡°Another fierce one, I take it?¡± the leader grinned, seemingly amused by the little girl¡¯s attempt to intimidate him. ¡°And the chosen one,¡± he finally moved onto me. ¡°A pretty face indeed.¡± But the leader didn¡¯t linger on me for very long. Unlike with Leven and Cottontail, he quickly lost interest in me as he simply sighed complainingly. ¡°Such a waste, such a waste¡­¡± he mumbled. He turned to his men. ¡°Alright, execute them all.¡± The slavers nodded at his order. ¡°Huh? You sure, boss?¡± One of them inquired. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we at least keep those two alive and sell them?¡± ¡°I have a reputation to keep, I can¡¯t sell disobedient slaves,¡± the leader replied. ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to discipline them and they¡¯re a symbol of rebellion. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°Oh, alright¡­¡± As the slavers came to drag us and line us up with the other insurgents, widely exposing us to the crowd, commotion rose among the slaves. It was just like Leven had predicted. The slavers¡¯ leader never had the intention to spare a single one of the rebels. This was a warning. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to press you, Aileen,¡± Leven muttered with half-smile at my side, ¡°but if you want to make anyone¡¯s stomach burst, now would be a really good time.¡± I smiled. He never misses the opportunity to joke around, does he? Despite the situation¡­ ¡°Etch this into your memory, people,¡± the leader declared, ¡°this is what happens when you mess with me.¡± He marked a pause, turning in our direction, as the slavers were awaiting for his command. ¡°Any last words?¡± ¡°Yes, fuck you,¡± Leven blurted out. This time, the leader did not react positively to his boldness. Instead of an amused smile, his face showed nothing but disappointment. And as the other insurgents were certainly not going to add anything else, considering their mental state, he continued. ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing else¡­¡± ¡°I have a question,¡± I finally spoke up. The slavers¡¯ leader directed his attention to me. ¡°What is it?¡± he sighed, already disinterested in what I had to say. ¡°Where¡¯s Olivia?¡± I asked. The leader squinted his eyes. ¡°Olivia? Who the fuck is Olivia?¡± I turned my head, inspecting the row of insurgents. ¡°That guy¡¯s wife,¡± I said, designating Troy as I finally spotted him a bit further. Unlike the other insurgents, Troy had been gagged. He was being held against the ground by two slavers, as he kept struggling, sending me all sorts of signals with his eyes to attract my attention. ¡°How the hell should I know that¡­ Ed!¡± the slavers¡¯ leader called. ¡°Yes, boss?¡± the secretary dude replied. ¡°What happened to this guy¡¯s wife? Did we ever have her?¡± ¡°We did, but she died eight months ago.¡± ¡­ Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­ ¡°So he said,¡± the leader turned back to me. I shifted my gaze to Troy. He was giving me a meaningful look. For real? She¡¯s dead? What am I going to tell Axis? I promised to bring back his mother. I know I¡¯ve done nothing but lie ever since I reincarnated in this world, but promises are different. I¡¯ve always kept my promises. And now I¡¯m going to have to tell that boy his mother died. And not recently on top of that. She died eight months ago. That was before we even met. I clicked my tongue, glaring at the slaver. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± the secretary dude said, noticing my expression, ¡°we didn¡¯t kill her. She was already unstable when she arrived, and she couldn¡¯t adapt herself to her new situation. She took her own life only a few days after arriving at the camp.¡± Even if that¡¯s true, she wouldn¡¯t have killed herself if it weren¡¯t for them. ¡°You said she died eight months ago,¡± I pointed out. ¡°In eight months, you¡¯ve never thought about telling her husband about it? Didn¡¯t he come every day?¡± According to the other slaves, Troy has been coming here quite regularly in order to pay the slavers and assure his wife¡¯s safety. He clearly wasn¡¯t aware about her death. And neither was Axis. ¡°He did, didn¡¯t he?¡± the slaver holding him down sneered. ¡°That fool had no idea she was dead and still kept coming every single day to give us money. And when he finally found out, he flipped out and tried to start a rebellion!¡± I don¡¯t blame him. Those jerks purposely hid that fact from him to take his money. ¡°He owed us money, anyway,¡± the secretary dude explained, indifferently. ¡°What would it have changed to tell him about it? If it wasn¡¯t for her, he probably wouldn¡¯t have paid us back.¡± ¡°It was his wife, he deserved to know.¡± ¡°So what?¡± the slavers¡¯ leader interjected, slowly losing patience. ¡°I don¡¯t care if she was someone¡¯s wife, daughter or mother, she died. It¡¯s just as simple as that. End of the story. Can we move on now?¡± But Troy clearly disagreed. His furious eyes cast on the leader, he was trying to grumble something through the piece of cloth he was biting. ¡°What? You got something to say?¡± the leader taunted, a smirk on his face. He approached Troy, crouching down on him. ¡°An insect like you doesn¡¯t get to say anything. Your wife died because she was weak. She died because you are weak. Don¡¯t blame it on me if you weren¡¯t able to protect her.¡± ¡°What a piece of shit¡­.¡± Leven muttered, loud enough for the others to hear. The leader got up, shifting his gaze to him. ¡°I may be a piece of shit,¡± he admitted, ¡°but you, you are going to die.¡± My eyes locked on him, a long sigh escaped my mouth. ¡°So you feel absolutely no guilt at all, huh?¡± I said. ¡°Guilt?¡± the leader repeated, turning in my direction. ¡°What is there to feel guilty about? I am only a businessman. There is a demand, so I¡¯m offering a supply,¡± he explained. ¡°Those people didn¡¯t end up here without a reason. They¡¯re here because they deserve to be here. Most of them, like the idiot over there, couldn¡¯t pay back their debts. But if you can¡¯t pay back a loan, then don¡¯t get one in the first place! And the others? Just a bunch of thugs who thought it was a good idea to challenge the system, or to offend nobility. What did they expect?¡± An arrogant smile spread on his face. ¡°I am only a good Samaritan offering them a chance to make amends for their mistakes.¡± Hearing his nonsense, I couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s suppose that this is true,¡± I proposed. ¡°Let¡¯s admit for a second that it is their own fault they ended up here. What about raids?¡± The slavers¡¯ leader eyelid twitches at my words. ¡°When¡¯s the last time you¡¯ve checked the law?¡± I continued. ¡°Slavery may be legal, but raids aren¡¯t. It is absolutely forbidden to enslave someone without a proper reason. I was merely walking around in the woods when your men attacked me. You¡¯re not a businessman, you¡¯re just a criminal.¡± The slavers¡¯ leader glared at me for a few seconds, keeping a straight face. Then, his lips curled into a grin. ¡°So what?¡± he said. ¡°What are you going to do about it? Report me to the authorities? The moment that collar is locked around your neck, you are nothing but a lowly slave. Your words are worthless. Besides¡­¡± His grin widened. ¡°The ones in power are the same ones who come for me to buy slaves. They know about it. They¡¯re just turning a blind eye on it. Do you know why?¡± He marked a pause, turning to face the crowd. ¡°Because you people are cattle! Nobody cares about your lives!¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The slavers¡¯ leader snorted, returning his attention to me. ¡°You see? This is how the world works. People aren¡¯t equal. There are those who get stomped on and those who do the stomping. It¡¯s called hierarchy. You can only pray that you won¡¯t come across someone stronger than you, that¡¯s it. It can¡¯t be helped. No one is to be blamed.¡± Ah¡­ I¡¯m tired. ¡°What? Angry?¡± he scoffed. Angry? No, I¡¯m not angry. To be honest, I feel¡­ Nothing. Absolutely nothing at all. No anger, no frustration, no irritation, nothing at all. I feel empty. Because no matter how harsh his words were, I knew he was right. The world has never been fair to begin with. It¡¯s life. That¡¯s the only way it can work. But as human beings, we are capable of compassion. This man is a piece of trash without a doubt. He has no scruples destroying the lives of the others for his own benefit. Yet, I can¡¯t feel angry at him. I don¡¯t even find him hateful. Just¡­ Pitiful. Ah¡­ I knew this would happen. I knew this would happen one day, from the moment I was reborn. And that is exactly why I tried not to meddle in others¡¯ business. Because I always feared for this moment to come. For the moment I stopped being capable of empathy. Because it would be the moment I completely stopped being human. My body is already no longer human. I noticed that a long time ago. I have never once fallen ill in this life. Not a single cold, nothing. People thought it was because I was blessed. It wasn¡¯t until I was three that I noticed something really wasn¡¯t right. At that time, someone tried to poison me. However, it took us a long time to notice that as it had no effect on me. It wasn¡¯t until one of the maids was caught poisoning my meals that I understood that I actually had consumed a large amount of toxins and that I was immune to it. Naturally, the maid was executed, and we never found out who ordered my assassination, although I have a pretty good idea. But that¡¯s not it. Over the years, my biological needs also continuously decreased. When I was a baby, I was almost constantly hungry. However, as time passed, my appetite declined. As the daughter of a noble house, my meals were all generous and flavourful. Yet, I didn¡¯t feel hungry at all. I kept eating less and less, to the point where the maids started to worry about my health. If it wasn¡¯t for them, I wouldn¡¯t be eating three times a day. In fact, I probably wouldn¡¯t even eat once. I have already skipped meals during my short time in the Academy, and even after going days without eating, I still didn¡¯t feel hungry at all. It was the same thing with sleep. I gradually lost the need to sleep, to the point where I spent most of my childhood nights sneaking out in the library. At this point, I only ate and slept out of habit, but my biological needs disappeared a long time ago. Soon, I will probably stop aging too. Everything that made me mortal was disappearing, as my body changed to become the body of an immortal. And with my mortality now completely gone, there was only one thing left making me human. One thing which I¡¯ve been desperately holding on to ever since I discovered that I was reborn here. But now, it was disappearing, too. Empathy. The ability to share someone else¡¯s feelings, experiences. The ability to relate. And that is exactly the problem. I can¡¯t relate. Not anymore. How am I supposed to? People live their lives to the fullest because it¡¯s ephemeral. Because one day, they die. But I won¡¯t. If I miss an opportunity, I know there will necessarily be another one, so why bother? My time isn¡¯t being counted. I have eternity in front of me. So I can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t identify myself with the others anymore. I can, to some extent, attempt to rationalize my feelings, but I can¡¯t feel emotionally connected to them. Worse, the value of life itself has dropped in my eyes. Life is precious, I know. Or at least, I used to. But I just watched Leven murder a man in cold blood and I didn¡¯t even bat an eye. He may have been a slaver, but he was also human. Chances are he had a loving family. Yet, I watched him get his throat sliced. I watched him bleed out as blood poured out his neck, splashing everywhere. I watched the life in his eyes vanishing. And I didn¡¯t feel a damn thing. Nothing. Not even the slightest flinch. I just feel completely disconnected from reality. This entire world, after all, is my creation. The result of my childish fantasies. And all those people here are dispensable. I have felt like this before. I remember. It was before I got sick, when I used to play in the yard behind the house. One day, I witnessed something particular. I witnessed two colonies of ants fighting each other. And I didn¡¯t do anything, I just watched. I was old enough to understand what death was, yet, I felt absolutely nothing at all watching those poor ants die. They were, after all, only ants. Their deaths didn¡¯t matter. They were dispensable. If a colony died out, another would replace them, and the cycle of life would continue. This is exactly how I¡¯m feeling right now. I see all those people and I feel nothing. I know they''re innocent. I know they don''t deserve to be here. But I still feel disconnected from them. I know what¡¯s right and what¡¯s wrong, I know it. But I just can¡¯t feel it. This was not how a normal person was supposed to feel. A normal person would not ignore the others'' suffering. A normal person would not consider the others'' life dispensable. This was not the mindset of a human being. I was perfectly aware of it. This was the mindset of someone considering themself as superior. This was the mindset on someone placed above. This goddamn divinity is messing with my mind, and despite being aware of it, I can''t stop it. This is exactly what I feared would happen ever since I learned about my abnormal status when I got reincarnated here. Ever since I tortured my aunt in cold blood. My humanity was dying. But despite this, I still had one thing left. One thing that couldn''t be corrupted. Morals. ¡°I have only one thing left to ask,¡± I told the man in front of me, having made my decision. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been operating in the capital for over twenty years. Have you ever smuggled any elves?¡± The slavers¡¯ leader squinted his eyes. ¡°Elves?¡± he repeated, before a proud smile broke onto his face. ¡°Oh, elves! Of course I have. Who do you think I am? They are the finest captures a slaver like me can stumble upon. You don¡¯t come across them every year, but sometimes, if you¡¯re lucky, you can find an entire village of them.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then? And then we capture them all! The men aren¡¯t needed and too dangerous, so they are all slaughtered, but the women on the other hand¡­ Every single one of them is worth thousands of normal slaves. If they don¡¯t kill themselves first, that is. They¡¯re prideful creatures, after all. Out of ten elves, maybe one or two survive,¡± he proudly recounted. ¡°Not that I blame them. Considering the treatment that awaits them, I would probably also killed myself if I was in their place.¡± So he¡¯s aware about it after all. ¡°Do you remember someone called Azariah?¡± I finally asked. ¡°Azariah? What¡¯s up with you and all those names? First Olivia and now Azariah?¡± Yeah, figures. I expected this. Of course he wouldn¡¯t remember. It was years ago, and he has probably smuggled thousands of people these past few years only. Why would he remember her? She was for him, after all, only one among many ¡°cattle.¡± Too bad for him, though. This one cattle is precious to me and now, he''s going to pay the price for messing with her. I raised my arms up to my neck to grab the slave collar around it. It unlocked at the contact with my hand. ¡°How-?!¡± The leader gasped as I tossed the collar at his feet, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. The slaves and the slavers all exchanged confused glances as no one could understand how I took the slave collar off on my own. ¡°You know what?¡± I said, ¡°I agree with you. The world is unfair, it¡¯s all about luck. Like you said, you can only pray that you won¡¯t come across someone stronger than you.¡± I marked a pause, giving him a meaningful look. ¡°Unfortunately for you, your luck has run out.¡± I turned to the fox girl at my side. ¡°Cottontail,¡± I called. She got up and imitated me, taking off the collar around her neck, much to everyone¡¯s surprise. ¡°Murder them all.¡± With the single nod of the head, Cottontail disappeared in a swift jump. Next, screams could be heard as blood spurt out like fountains all over the place, slavers dropping down one by one like flies. The fox girl was so fast they couldn¡¯t keep track of her. Using nothing else besides her nails and teeth, she tore off the skin on their neck, exposing their bare muscles as blood flowed out of the ruptured vessels in rhythmical sprays. ¡°F-Fuck!¡± ¡°Where is she?! Catch her!¡± As panic broke out, Leven took advantage of the confusion to shake off the slaver holding him and attacked him. And he wasn¡¯t the only one. Among the crowd, a few dozen of the slaves seized the opportunity to join the battle, pouncing on the slavers around them, while the others desperately tried to get away. It was total chaos. ¡°Shit!¡± The slavers¡¯ leader cursed as he could see his men getting overwhelmed. Understanding he needed to take action quickly, he turned in the direction of the crowd. ¡°¡ºEnough¡»!!¡± he shouted, his voice resonating through the valley. In one instant, every one of the slaves froze, under the influence of their collar. The [Slavery Contract] allowed the master to use Mind Control on the slaves, bending their will to his convenience. Unable to disobey the leader¡¯s word, the slaves all winced in pain as the Mind magic took over their body. The slavers immediately reacted. They took advantage of the magic to overthrow the situation. The rebels were immediately subdued while others directed their blade against innocent slaves. Sensing my hesitation, Cottontail stopped the bloodshed and returned to my side. The situation now under control, the slavers¡¯ leader turned his attention back to me, shooting me a deadly glare. ¡°You! What did you do?!¡± he bellowed. ¡°How the fuck did you do that?!¡± He ground his teeth, receiving a simple apathetic look from me as an answer. ¡°Who are you?¡± he groaned. This time he was completely on his guard. ¡°My name is Aileen,¡± I said with the same straight face. ¡°Remember it well, as it will be the last name you will hear.¡± ¡°Aileen?¡± Commotion started to rise among the slaves as I introduced myself. ¡°You heard that?¡± ¡°Is it the same Aileen Troy has been talking about?¡± ¡°She must be! Didn¡¯t he recognize her earlier?¡± Too focused on me, the leader didn¡¯t pay attention to the growing agitation around him. I took a step forward as he flinched in apprehension. ¡°Stay away!¡± he ordered before directing his attention elsewhere. ¡°Ed!¡± Following his eyes, I noticed the secretary dude grabbing Troy, placing a knife to his throat. Cold sweats forming on his face, he was panting heavily and his hands were shaking. Clearly, it was his first time witnessing such a slaughter. Well, technically, it was my first time too... ¡°Take another step forward and his head flies!¡± the leader threatened. But that was without counting the bold statement of Troy ¡°I don¡¯t care, kill him!¡± he shouted, finally freed of his gag. ¡°Let him feel the wrath of all those who died!¡± ¡°So he says,¡± I told the leader. The slavers¡¯ leader flinched, understanding he was losing control of the situation. Then, he immediately turned to his men. ¡°Guys!¡± This time, it was the other slavers¡¯ turn to take random hostages in the crowd. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Please¡­!¡± ¡°Have mercy!¡± ¡°Try anything, and those little shits die one by one,¡± the leader said, returning his attention to me. I see. So he¡¯s taking the entire crowd hostage to prevent me from doing anything. That¡¯s quite bothersome. I can kill one slaver or two, that¡¯s easy. But I can¡¯t kill every one of them at once. Scattered among the slaves, I would need a massive spell to do that. And massive spells kill without discrimination. The slaves would die as well. I need to kill the slavers one by one. But by the time I spot them all, some of them would have had the time to kill their hostage. Really. Such a pain in the ass. ¡°Kill him!¡± someone suddenly shouted. Turning my head in the direction of the voice, I noticed a hostage giving me a meaningful look. ¡°Kill him!¡± he repeated. ¡°Silence!¡± the slaver holding him hostage ordered. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± His face was familiar. I quickly recognized him from yesterday. He was the slave who tried to lecture me about taking responsibility. I think his name was Gale. ¡°Aileen!¡± he yelled, completely ignoring his captor. ¡°You¡¯re the one who said it, right? Not to expect someone to save us! It doesn¡¯t matter if we die, so kill him!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± hollered another slave. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Me neither!¡± ¡°I have a family!¡± ¡°So what?!¡± Gale shouted. ¡°I have a family too, and I don¡¯t want to die either! But if my death can allow the others to be freed, then I¡¯ll die!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Come on, people!¡± he continued ¡°This is the miracle you¡¯ve all been waiting for! Is life so great? Do you want to live so bad that you are all willing to crawl at the feet of a piece of shit like him? If I¡¯m going to live miserably, then I¡¯d rather die!¡± His powerful words caused the other slaves to fall silent. ¡°Aileen!¡± he called once more. ¡°With this shitty collar around my neck, there is nothing else I can do but give you my life! So kill that piece of shit! Make him tremble like he made our children tremble!¡± Gale¡¯s unwavering determination eventually managed to reach the others. ¡°Kill him¡­¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Make him suffer!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him go!¡± As each one of the slaves soon started shouting all kind of murder threats, the remaining hostages also joined Gale¡¯s cause. ¡°If¡­ If it can allow my family to be freed¡­¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right¡­! What¡¯s the point of living such a miserable life?! I don¡¯t care about dying, kill him!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m also willing to die if I can watch that jerk suffer!¡± ¡°Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!¡± Most of them were trembling, unable to overcome the fear of death, but they kept shouting anyway, ordering the slavers¡¯ leader¡¯s execution. A smirk forming on my lips, I shifted my gaze back to him. ¡°Hear that?¡± I said, ¡°looks like you¡¯ve lost your shields.¡± The slavers¡¯ leader flinched at my words. ¡°T-They¡¯re all going to die!¡± he threatened. ¡°Are you really going to sacrifice them all just to kill me?!¡± ¡°You know, back in my old world, there was something called democracy. It''s a bit complicated, and I''m too lazy to explain it to you anyway, but it was based on one thing: the majority decides," I told him, giving him a meaningful grin. "And this is what they want, so¡­¡± Understanding there was no way out, the slavers¡¯ leader drew out his sword. Not even his men would be able to save him this time. As Cottontail stepped forward, I called her back. ¡°Cotton, step aside,¡± I ordered. ¡°He¡¯s mine.¡± The fox girl nodded. Seeing her walking away, a new wave of confidence lifted him up. The slavers¡¯ leader readjusted his grasp on his sword as an arrogant grin spread across his face. He had seen Cottontail in action and had been warned about her, but he had no reason to fear me. To him, I didn¡¯t seem to be a threat. The tables had turned. Confident in his win, the slavers¡¯ leader rushed forward, throwing himself onto me. ¡°Leven,¡± I called, ¡°this one is for you.¡± As the young man raised an eyebrow in confusion, I spread my mana in front of me. I took over the leader¡¯s body, letting my magic flow into his stomach, and then I made it burst from the inside. His guts spilling out of his belly, the slavers¡¯ leader died instantly, choking on his own vomit of blood, before falling on his own sword. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Leven exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s fucking nasty!¡± Witnessing their leader¡¯s death, the remaining slavers quickly understood they were next. As panic took over their mind, they started executing the slaves in a desperate attempt to create confusion. Hysteria broke out once again in the camp, as slaves started to run for their life. Unfortunately for the slavers, there was nowhere for them to go. ¡°Cotton,¡± I called. Understanding my silent order, Cottontail rushed forward into the crowd to stop the slavers¡¯ killing frenzy. She hunted them down one by one, as I helped her from here, without moving from my spot. As a dedication to Leven, I burst out the insides on any slavers entering my sight. The show was only beginning. ?????? It took quite a bit of time, but with the two of us, Cottontail and I eventually managed to decimate all of the slavers. The losses, however, were quite considerable. Over five hundred dead among the slaves. This was the price to pay for freedom. Unable to celebrate the end of the slavers¡¯ control, it was in a heavy atmosphere that the survivors spent the next two hours gathering their dead, in order to give them a proper departure. ¡°Is this all of them?¡± I asked, staring at the stockpile of corpses in front of me. ¡°Yes,¡± a young woman muttered in a small voice. It was Clarice. Seated on the bare ground, she was caressing the cheek of Gale¡¯s corpse, her face full of grief. He had been one of the first to be killed, along with Troy, when I executed the slavers¡¯ leader. ¡°He looks happy,¡± Leven noted, trying to lift the young woman¡¯s spirits. Clarice looked up at us, displaying a forced smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough, we¡¯ll take care of the rest. We¡¯ll bury them in this valley, where they fought for their freedom.¡± The other slaves nodded in agreement. As I watched the sad expression on their face, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little bit guilty. Ah¡­ For fuck¡¯s sake. What am I doing? Not your problem, Aileen, not your problem. But those people pretty much died because of me¡­ So I guess I¡¯ll make an exception. ¡°Step aside, everyone,¡± I requested, a resigned sigh escaping my mouth. The slaves all gave me an inquiring look, not understanding my demand. ¡°Step aside,¡± I repeated. This time, the slaves complied. Despite the confusion, they all moved out the way, without asking questions. My eyes casted down on the pile of corpses, I let out a second sigh. I probably shouldn¡¯t be doing this but well¡­ I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting my mana expand all around me. It quickly dispersed, enveloping the bodies of the fallen slaves. Alright. I¡¯ve done this before. There are just five hundred times more bodies than before, but it shouldn''t be so complicated. It¡¯s going to be fine. Their souls haven¡¯t departed yet. ¡°¡ºRise¡».¡± Light suddenly erupted from the fallen slaves corpses, as I ordered the [Word System] to bring them back. Blinded by the sudden light, the other slaves looked away, covering their eyes. When the light finally subsided, there was no longer any trace of injuries on the corpses. They had been completely healed, and, additionally, they were no longer corpses. Blood started to rush again through the fallen slaves¡¯ veins, slowly warming up their cold bodies. Soon, the first returnees started to rise. ¡°Wh-?!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± A wave of surprise quickly spread among the survivors. But the initial shock didn¡¯t last, as relief quickly took over. It didn¡¯t take long before the first survivors rushed to the returnees. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Oh, gods, honey you¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°Thank gods!¡± In the middle of all the happy reunions between the surviving slaves and the returnees, one man was left confused. Completely disoriented, Troy brought his hands to his neck. ¡°I¡­ I remember, I was¡­.¡± he muttered, as he couldn¡¯t feel a cut on his neck. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your son, I would¡¯ve left you for dead,¡± I told him. Troy looked up at me with bewildered eyes. ¡°My son¡­?¡± he repeated. ¡°My son¡­ Oh, Axis¡­ That¡¯s right¡­ I still have Axis¡­¡± ¡°Since you know that, don¡¯t die so easily next time. You¡¯re all he has now.¡± Suddenly realizing the consequences of his actions, Troy lowered his head in shame. Blinded by rage, he threw away his own life, leaving a son behind. ¡°Right¡­ I have¡­ Axis. I have Axis¡­!¡± Tears formed into his eyes as he kept repeating his son¡¯s name. Thinking about the poor boy, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He¡¯s already lost his mother, but at least, I could save his father. As I was about to leave though, Troy called me out. ¡°WAIT!¡± he shouted, before burying his face onto the ground. ¡°I¡­! I will never be able to thank you enough for what You¡¯ve done!¡± he said. ¡°I will forever be grateful for this second chance You have bestowed upon me!¡± His sudden behavior naturally attracted attention as all the slaves around turned their eyes on us. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Remembering everything I¡¯ve done, the slaves exchanged confused looks, unsure what to say. I sighed. ¡°Just to be clear,¡± I loudly announced, ¡°I did not save you guys. You just happened to be there when I enacted my revenge, alright?¡± The slaves were even more confused. ¡°But you didn¡¯t have to bring us back,¡± Troy pointed out, raising his head. ¡°You brought those slavers justice by killing them; you freed the slaves and you brought back the fallen ones. Your benevolence is limitless! You truly have the heart of a Goddess!¡± Uh, well¡­ No¡­ ¡°A Goddess?¡± ¡°So what he said was true?¡± ¡°Well, she killed those slavers so easily¡­ And she brought our brothers back from the dead¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ a Goddess of Life and Death¡­¡± ¡°I, Troy, will dedicate my life to honor your name!¡± Troy suddenly declared, burying his head onto the ground one more time. However, before I could ask him to get up, another slave kneeled down in front of me. ¡°Uh, me too¡­¡± And another one. ¡°Me too!¡± And another one. ¡°I will worship the Goddess of Life and Death!¡± And soon, a swarm of people started kneeling in front of me. Until no one was left standing. ¡°The Goddess Aileen saved us all!¡± ¡°She is the Goddess of Life and Death!¡± ¡°She is good, she is great, all hail Aileen!¡± ¡°Praise the Goddess!¡± Ah¡­ Yeah¡­ I knew this would happen. As I turned around, I noticed Leven on the ground. ¡°You too¡­?¡± He gave me a teasing smile. ¡°Praise the Goddess of Life and Death!¡± he beamed. Ah¡­ Whatever. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll ever meet any of these guys again anyway. I¡¯m out of here.
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¡­ Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake. Part II Epilogue – Birth of a Goddess Epilogue ¨C Birth of a Goddess As the sun rose, lighting up the earth, the dark shades of dawn faded. However, despite being greeted by golden glow sunbeams, the Everlasting Woodlands were still dark. In the middle of the east continent, the Tree of Life stood like a giant against the deep blue sky. Its trunk was massive, over one thousand kilometers large. Its shadow always kept the forest in an everlasting darkness, hence its name. Situated at the exact center of the east continent, Yggdrasil was said to be the heart of the world. Its roots, spreading throughout the world, kept the land in place, while its branches, disappearing in the infinitude of sky, supported the Holy Realm. Yggdrasil was known as the Tree of Life. However, the Tree of Life was not doing well. Representing the gate to Heaven, many are those who tried to climb its trunk to reach the Holy Realm. And although no one managed to succeed so far, as the Tree of Life was heavily protected by mythical creatures, it quickly became subject to everyone¡¯s greed. Being the main source of mana in the world, a single bark of Yggdrasil had infinite properties. Mortals kept coming to try and steal a single bit of the giant tree¡¯s wood. However, Yggdrasil did not have the ability to regenerate. Ripping apart the Tree of Life was equivalent to kill it one piece at a time. And being the heart and soul of the world itself, were Yggdrasil to die, the world would collapse together with it. It was for this very specific reason that the Tree of Life was being heavily guarded. Protecting it was, in fact, the very first duty of the Original Gods. Still, despite the Gods¡¯ effort to keep them away, in over fifty thousand years, the mortals still managed to weaken the Tree of Life. As the sun came to kiss her skin, Veda gently placed a hand on Yggdrasil¡¯s trunk. She could feel its life slowly, but surely, wilting away. The Goddess of Wind and Wisdom had been watching over those sacred lands since the beginning of times. She could tell better than anyone that it was weakening. ¡°Your Eminence.¡± ¡°You have returned,¡± the goddess said without feeling the need to turn around. She could tell by his presence only that it was one of her angels. ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°I have delivered your word,¡± the angel responded, his head lowered, kneeling before his master. ¡°Shall they fail to answer your demands, retribution will come.¡± ¡°Good. We have waited for long enough. What about the Guardians?¡± ¡°They¡¯re doing a good job. They¡¯ve recently eliminated a few trespassers.¡± The Goddess of Wind and Wisdom lifted her head up towards the sunlight. ¡°I see,¡± she muttered. ¡°Maybe I should give them a reward. They¡¯ve been quite diligent lately.¡± ¡°Guardians are honored to serve you, Your Eminence,¡± the angel stated. ¡°They have no need for rewards.¡± A very subtle smile formed on Veda¡¯s lips. The high elves had been serving her as guardians of this holy land for quite a long time now. And although it is true that they had been extremely loyal this past millennium, she had not forgotten how elves had been the first ones to forget their place. Once humble creatures favored by the gods for their beauty, longevity and philosophy, it didn¡¯t take long before their privileged treatment went to their heads and elves started proclaiming themselves as the superior race. They had paid the high price for it, though. The retribution for this unacceptable behavior had been colossal. Elves lost their homeland and high elves were even brought to the edge of extinction. Only a small number of them had been spared by the benevolence of the Gods. Returning to the humble and compassionate beings they once were, the survivors dedicated their life to the Original Gods. Their descendants have since been serving them as Yggdrasil¡¯s Guardians. However, history tends to repeat itself. Veda knew it better than anyone. Mortals being short-lived creatures, they were bound to repeat the same mistakes over generations. This time, however, elves weren¡¯t the one to test the Gods¡¯ patience. This time, it was humans. Humans had been thriving for too long, now. They were starting to threaten the world¡¯s balance. ¡°What about the Kreason Kingdom?¡± the Goddess asked. ¡°Any news?¡± ¡°The Valkyries have been sent. They will return shortly.¡± While the thought of eradicating an entire kingdom did not please the Goddess, it was inevitable. The greed of the Kreason Kingdom¡¯s king knew no end. Despite the numerous warnings she sent, he kept sending armies to conquer these holy lands, and this, naturally, was not something that could be tolerated.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°This should be Naia¡¯s job, really¡­¡± Veda sighed. ¡°Her Luminance left to settle things in the north,¡± the angel responded. ¡°I know, I know. Someone needed to investigate this incident, and Draxaos can¡¯t be trusted.¡± The young goddess frowned in annoyance. ¡°What¡¯s that guy here for, anyway?¡± she complained. ¡°It happened in his territory, yet, he won¡¯t move a finger. What¡¯s the point of having a God of Chaos, really, when he does nothing but twiddle his thumbs?¡± The angel couldn¡¯t find anything to retort. But there was no need for him to, as the goddess did not expect an answer. As she was about to resume her one-sided ranting, however, she was suddenly interrupted as there was an abrupt disruption of mana in the air. The change was very subtle, too subtle for anyone to notice it. But she was not anyone. She was a divine being, a goddess. She could detect the slightest mana fluctuations in the atmosphere, and this one was surely not one that could be ignored. ¡°Your Eminence,¡± the angel called in concern, as he also felt the mana disruption. ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± The goddess shifted her attention back to the Tree of Life. As she placed a hand on its trunk, she felt Yggdrasil¡¯s core reacting. ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± she finally finished his sentence, wincing. She had felt something like that before. This was not the first time. But this is exactly because this was not the first time that she could tell this was not a good thing. Something similar happened over five thousand years ago. Back then, the gods ignored the matter, considering it trivial. However, they soon came to regret that decision. There was only one thing that could make Yggdrasil''s core react. At this thought, the Goddess of Wind and Wisdom furrowed her brows. ¡°Someone just ascended¡­¡± The birth of a new god. Displeased, Veda clicked her tongue. Mortals having the possibility to infinitely elevate themselves from the point from which they departed, they could, theoretically speaking, elevate themselves to become gods. Theoretically. In practice, however, it was impossible. To become a god, a mortal would need to go through several stages of elevation. One elevation, however, was already hard enough, as it would take years for them to fulfill all required conditions to elevate. Mortals¡¯ life was too short to allow them to go through several elevations. There has been a case of a mortal reaching godhood once, though. But that mortal was not completely mortal. That mortal was a demi-god. A child born from a mortal and a divine. This was the only one case where mortals could reach godhood. Because while demi-gods did not inherit their divine parent¡¯s powers, they did inherit their immortality. Once they reached adulthood, they stopped aging completely, offering them eternity to elevate. There was once a demi-god who dedicated his life to train himself. Despite the time it took, he eventually did manage to reach godhood. Being still significantly weaker than them however, the Original Gods did not deem it necessary to stop him. But unlike them, the demi-god had the possibility to progress. To grow stronger. And so he did. Slowly, but surely, the demi-god grew strong enough to match the Original Gods¡¯ power. He had, however, no intention to conform to their Rules. Spreading terror and death among mortals, he soon became known as the Evil God. The threat of the Evil God was now long gone, but his ascension forced the Original Gods to realize how dangerous demi-gods could potentially be. If they were given enough time, they could, theoretically speaking, surpass them, completely overthrowing the balance of the world. To prevent this from happening, the remaining demi-gods had all been executed, and a new Rule was established. No child shall ever be born between a mortal and a divine. Yet, someone just ascended. A new god was born. How? Did a demi-god somehow slip through the net? Did an Original break the Rule and conceived a child with a mortal? In all cases, this was not something good. The gods had learned from their mistakes now. They would not let history repeat itself. Veda focused on Yggdrasil. She connected her energy to the Tree of Life and followed its roots, pinpointing the origin of the mana disruption. ¡°This is near Agraal,¡± she managed to locate the new god. ¡°Is anyone near Agraal at the moment?¡± The others had probably also felt the sudden mana disruption. If anyone were near Agraal, they would be able to react quickly. ¡°Agraal?¡± the angel repeated, as he suddenly recalled something. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard that the Goddess of Lust and Mischief and the God of Love and Chivalry were spotted there recently.¡± ¡°Yoko and Harri?¡± Veda suddenly squinted. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ quite unusual.¡± Those two couldn¡¯t stand each other. There was no way they would stay at the same place together. Veda knew that better than anyone. These past fifty thousand years, they had done nothing but fight, and most of the time, she had been the one to separate them. Something was fishy about this. First, the incident in the North Continent, where a colossal amount of mana was suddenly summoned out of nowhere. Then, the appearance of this new god. And now, Yoko and Harri hanging out together. ¡°What¡¯s been going on here lately?¡± the Goddess muttered in confusion, frowning her eyes. ¡°Your Eminence,¡± the angel called, ¡°what are your orders?¡± Veda sighed, having made her decision. ¡°Send everyone available,¡± she ordered. ¡°And what should we do if we ever encounter the new god?¡± ¡°Is that even a question? The Rules are clear.¡± The Goddess marked a pause, giving her angel a meaningful look. ¡°Eliminate on sight.¡± The angel placed a hand on his heart and bowed his head. ¡°Naturally.¡± Side Story – The Adventures of a Lonesome Soul Side Story ¨C The Adventures of a Lonesome Soul He knew nothing but void. No matter where he went, the world was cold. He did not feel anything, he did not want anything. He was just there, floating in this everlasting darkness, in this everlasting silence. He was nothing and everything at the same time. He was part of the universe. But then, his world changed. Out of nowhere, a glimmer of light appeared. For the first time, he felt embraced by something other than the cold. For the first time, something arose in him. Beguiled by a gentle whisper, he followed the light. And he was born. Everything changed around him. The cold darkness he once knew was now completely gone. Thousands of colors came to enlighten his monochrome existence as the world around him started to take shape. He was no longer empty. He could feel warmth filling his body. He was there, he was alive, he was existing. But the burden of existence quickly started to show. He was alone in this unfamiliar place. He was scared. Completely disoriented, he started to inspect his surroundings. And he saw her. In this intimidating world, she was the only thing that seemed familiar to him. He felt drawn to her. He could immediately tell: she was his glimmer of light. She was his mother. ¡°Pika?¡± But his mother did not seem very pleased. He had yet to learn about this world, but he could instinctively feel the disappointment in her. He did not understand. He wanted to comfort her somehow, but he did not know how. When someone suddenly burst out laughing, he noticed that they were not alone. ¡°What is this thing? A yellow rabbit? It looks so stupid! Hahaha!¡± ¡°A-Actually it¡¯s a mouse¡­¡± What strange looking creatures! They looked similar to his mother somehow, but for some reason, they felt intimidating. They did not share her warmth. They did not have this familiar scent which he was so attracted to. ¡°You¡­ Are you making fun of me? Are you seriously planning to use this stupid rabbit to fight my Tisdus? Tisdus! Eat him!¡± Before he could finish assessing the situation, an even stranger looking creature attacked him. He did not have the time to react. He did not have the reflex to. But as soon as the creature¡¯s fangs sank into him, something triggered in him. For the first time, he felt pain. And he did not like it. He hated it. It was no wonder his mother did not look pleased with such an annoying creature around. Unconsciously, he released all his energy in a sudden electrical burst. And the creature vanished. Now that the nuisance was gone, he turned back to his mother. But she still did not look pleased. In fact, she looked horrified. Why? What was she unhappy about? ¡°Pikachu!¡± Instinctively, he knew: that was his name. She was calling him. His mother was calling him. ¡°Shh! Shh! Leave! Disappear! Get away from here! I don¡¯t want to see you anymore!¡± Pikachu did not understand what she was trying to say, but he was happy. She was looking his way, calling his name. Her voice was soothing. Her sight was comforting. So he tilted his head, and silently watched her, as she kept waving her arms in his direction. But his mother still looked worried. When he noticed the presence of someone approaching, however, he finally understood. They were the source of her worries. And if that was the case, then he just needed to get rid of them, like the others. However, before he could carry out his plan, his mother dashed towards him. And she kicked him. Pikachu was confused. He did not understand. Why would she do that? In all cases, he was not happy. He immediately retaliated the only way he could: by delivering a new electrical shock. But his mother did not seem willing to reflect. Instead, she kept waving at him aggressively. Upset, he turned around and walked away. She was not so kind after all¡­ ?????? As time passed, Pikachu understood one thing: he was strong. The small creatures fled him, and while the bigger ones attacked him at first, they immediately stopped trying once he started retaliating. Now, everyone was avoiding him. He was the strongest out there, there was nothing for him to be afraid about. So he explored. He did not feel the need to eat or to sleep, so he simply explored his surroundings. However, for some reasons, he could not bring himself to leave the area. Each time he strayed too far away, his instinct ordered him to go back. And eventually, Pikachu realized something: he was bored. He was lonely. In his vast world, he wanted to make a friend, but every other creature ran away from him. So he decided to go to the only one place where he was not avoided. The place where people were. People did not try to flee him. Quite the contrary, actually. They always ran after him. At first, he did not like it. After being attacked by strangers and chased by his own mother, people seemed scary to him. So he decided to hide in the forest. But now that he knew that he was strong and that there was nothing for him to be afraid about, he decided to go back.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. As Pikachu left the forest to adventure himself in the Academy, it did not take long for him to come across someone. ¡°Ah!¡± he heard someone exclaim. It was a young woman. As Pikachu stayed in the forest, he quickly learned to assess the others¡¯ power based on their mana core. So he immediately could tell: among all the people here, this one was an alpha. Instinctively, he raised his head and puffed out his chest so as to show that he was not a pushover. But much to his surprise, the woman did not back off. In fact, she was not even trying to challenge him. He quickly understood that as she crouched down to him to give him her best smile. ¡°Oh my, how cute! What may you be?¡± Confused, Pikachu tilted his head. She did not feel hostile at all, so he did not feel the need to reject her hand as she extended her arm to pat his head. It was a weird feeling, but it was not unpleasant. The touch of someone else. ¡°AAAAAAAH!!¡± As a sudden shout broke the silence, both Pikachu and the woman turned their head. Someone had just arrived, and his face was familiar to Pikachu. He was one of the people who chased after him a few days ago. ¡°Mrs. Olga, catch that creature!¡± he exclaimed, his finger pointing at Pikachu. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the legendary beast that has been terrorizing the students! Don¡¯t let it go away!!¡± ¡°H-HUH?!¡± As the woman returned her attention to him, Pikachu noticed the change in her expression. He was not sure how to interpret this, but she did not feel threatening. Then, all of a sudden, she tried to grab him. Surprised her abrupt movement, he avoided her hands out of reflex. Puzzled, he stared at her. She was blinking at him. Then, she tried to grab him again. So he dodged her once more. And she tried again, and again, and again. Still feeling absolutely no hostility from her, Pikachu quickly understood: she was not trying to harm him. It was a game. So he played along, happy to have made a new friend. Soon, the newcomer came to join them. As he pounced on him, Pikachu jumped to the side, easily avoiding him. He, too, wanted to play. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it running away?¡± the young woman asked. ¡°Shit¡­ Is it making fun of us?¡± the newcomer commented, wiping the dirt on his face. Pikachu tilted his ears happily. It was his first time having this much fun. As his two playmates gave each other a meaningful nod, the game resumed, and Pikachu played to his heart¡¯s content. Who would have thought people were so amusing? If he had known, he would have come here much sooner. ?????? These past few days, Pikachu made a lot of friends. Each time he visited them, they tried to catch him, so he ran away, and they chased after him. That was the game. If they ever lagged behind, he slowed down to wait for them, and once they got in sight again, he resumed his course. From times to times, his friends would even use magic, spicing up the game. Playing was always exciting. However, despite all these new friendships, Pikachu was still not completely satisfied. There was something lacking within him. Every night, his gaze would lose itself in the direction of the people. He was missing one person in particular: his mother. Despite not forgetting how she chased him away the last time, he was craving for her. Besides, thinking about it now, his mother probably wanted to play too. But he could not understand that, so she kicked him to show him. Yet, he walked away sulking. She must have felt very disheartened by this. She must have felt lonely. So he decided to pay her a visit. Following nothing else but her familiar scent, he ventured in the middle of the buildings. This time, he made sure to avoid the others as he did not have the time to play with them. After walking for a while, he finally reached her. He stopped just in front of a wall and looked up. She was near. Sensing her presence up there, he climbed. When he reached the window where her mana was the strongest, he slipped through the bar. And finally, he saw her. She was there, peacefully sleeping. He had missed her warmth. Just as Pikachu thought, her presence was the most comforting thing in the world. The only sight of her was soothing. Not wanting to disturb her sleep, he sat on the window ledge, watching her in silence. It did not take long for his mother to wake up. After only half an hour, the sun rays came to wake her up. And as she slowly emerged from her sleep, Pikachu greeted her. ¡°Pika!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Pikachu appeared right in her face as she opened her eyes, his mother sat up, squinting and blinking at him several times. ¡°Pikachu¡­?¡± ¡°Pika!¡± Pikachu happily tilted his head. It had been a while since his mother called his name. His mother, however, looked more baffled than ever. It took maybe a minute or two for her to realize the situation. Then, her face collapsed. ¡°Crap¡­!¡± She anxiously started to look all around her, seemingly looking for something, before returning her attention to him. Then, she suddenly grabbed him. Pikachu did not try to avoid her. He had been yearning for her touch. ¡°Crap, crap, crap!¡± Carrying him in her arms, his mother suddenly got up, dashing for the closet. ¡°Stay here!¡± She placed him in it and immediately closed the door at his face. Pikachu tilted his head, unsure of why she would put him in such a narrow space. When he heard her footsteps fading and her presence weakening however, he immediately destroyed the closet. As his mother turned around, upon hearing the sudden electrical discharge, her mouth fell wide open. ¡°Wh-¡­¡± She blankly stared at him for a few seconds before recovering from the shock. Then, she pounced, trying to catch him. That is when Pikachu understood: his mother wanted to play too, after all. He knew this game. He was good at it. With a swift leap to the side, he evaded her. His mother blinked at him a couple of times. When she tried to catch him again, he rushed to the window. He turned around, giving her a meaningful look, and then he jumped out. ¡°Wait- No, no, no!¡± If his mother wanted to play, then he had to play along. He had already found her. Now, it was her turn to find him. Playing tag and hide and seek was his favorite thing in the world. And now that his mother was playing with him, he was the happiest soul ever. His heart now light and fulfilled, he happily hopped around, waiting for his mother to chase after him. ¡°Fuck! That goddamn pok¨¦mon!!¡± Pikachu did not understand. But based on the tone of her voice, she seemed very excited to start playing.