"Everyone get away! Run! I have no idea if that worked!" Louise? No way. That actually freaking hurt. This is the strongest I've ever been and she hurt me? Forced my curse seal down? This whole situation was ridiculous. I was on the money about these magic users being physically weak, but if even a control less failure like her can do this to me, I'm going to have actual problems facing the consequences of what I just did under the curse. Positive? I didn't kill anyone. Negatives? I'm probably still a criminal now. I need to leave.
The pain from the explosion seems completely gone. And my clothes are unaffected. I hate it here. Some specific effect? Yeah, I really need to go.
The fallout clears, Louise sees me standing.
"Are you back to normal now?" Louise asks, her wand pointed at me, trembling slightly, but her voice stern, almost like she mattered. I look at my glowing hand.
"Pretty much, this getting strong when I'm in contact with a weapon thing...is new. Think I'll keep it in hand, at-least long enough for me to gain some distance." Louise looked confused. I didn't bother explaining. I ran.
"Sasuke, come back here right now!" Louise shouted. Yeah, sorry. But you didn't summon a loyal familiar.
A week. A full torturous 7 days since my familiar ran away. The mocking, the false sympathy, the almost getting expelled...
I'll make it through all of this, I know I will. I just wish it didn't have to be so hard.
Dear Louise
A very important event will be taking place in your life soon. I know you've always struggled with your magic, doubted yourself. I believe we have both lost track of how many times I've tried to reassure you if your value as a noble. Louise, the familiar summoning ritual will be when you finally see what I see. You will summon a great familiar, I have no doubts. You will no longer fear for your impact on your family's name, for no one will be able to deny your power. The academy has a vacation planned for you all, some weeks after the ritual. I say we celebrate the vacation together. I can use it as an opportunity to meet you again. We shall discuss further details later.
Yours,
Jean Jacques Francis.
I remember dreading not only the summoning and getting expelled, but having to tell one of the three people who believed in me, that I was a complete failure. Damn it, Sasuke. You selfish familiar. You at least could of snatched me again, it'd be better than sitting here, waiting for my world to crumble.
Wardes will surely cancel the engagement after this. It'll be for the best if I just get it over with, explain to him what happened.
I say that, but I've been trying to right this letter for 2 hours. I haven't wrote a single thing down.
"I just can't!" A yell forces it's way out of my throat. I won't go down like this. I have to find my familiar!
Huh? What is that feeling?
Boars taste different. Definitely prefer the ones back home. Maybe it's the lack of chakra? Effects the muscles and all that.
When on missions, covering your scent is important. When on the run, even more so. And yet, here I am, using stored seasonings on a cooked boar.
It's not rare to have missions where you don't mind enjoying an actual meal, as opposed to the scent-less, bare minimum, ration bars. I didn't pay for the over priced, nice tasting rations. I view it as a waste of funds, unlike Naruto, who couldn't afford them. If I have the time to care about taste, I can just cook.
A part of me hopes someone of note approaches my camp. I've found no proof that I'm being pursued. Hopefully, that means I'm not being chased.
I have no clue where I am. I know how to get back to the academy, but that's it. At some point, I'm going to have to test my luck again, and just ask people questions, I know where a road is, near here.
This wasn't my plan. I was going to gather as much information as a could, in what was likely the safest place possible. The academy had security, knowledge, and the guaranteed prioritization of the students. This curse mark, her rune, whatever it is they do when they interact...had robbed me of my agency, my free will.
What would I do if I activated the seal out here? Act how I used to? Go running back to Louise? I need to know. I need to try to gain some control. I can't afford to put this off any longer.
"I'm telling you, Tabitha. Gerald was adorable. I resisted for your sake! You both seemed to get along just fine. Give the gentleman a chance." Kirche pestered Tabitha. The silent girl wanted to roll her eyes, but simply looked out the window instead. Just so happening to see Louise heading towards the stables, and then proceed to blast the guards away, and barely succeed in taking a horse. Kirche joined her in watching the scene.
"How much you want to bet she is going after her familiar?" Kirche said. Tabitha shook her head, and got ready to follow. Kirche didn't need any explanation, as she too got ready.
"I hope I don't regret letting those students go." Osmond said to himself. He could always send Colbert to tail behind them. No, this was Louise's problem, and she was barely a student now. And if the two foreigners, one of them being highly accomplished, more than most adult nobles, wished to risk their lives dealing with the Valliere's familiar, that was their choice to make.