Chapter 11: Departure
"Sooooooo… You're not a member of the Boreas Household anymore."
"I mean… technically? I don't think James is stupid enough to officially disown me, especially considering I'm friends with a certain princess. But things happened… and I might have renounced both my claim to nobility and even the Greyrat name."
Ingo's head dropped to the table between us as I finished recounting the story of how I'd gone and decided to barge through his workshop door in the dead of night out of nowhere. The old mage sat up while rubbing his temples, and I could only absently down the drink I had on me.
Note there, considering this world's tech level, easy access to drinking water was a tad hard to come by. Mages like me could use water spells to easily stock it with only a few Water Balls, but commonly? Not so much. And being now former nobility, even as a kid I'd gotten rather used to watered down wines and other spirits as of late, especially with all the tavern stays.
"You continue to amaze me, lad," Ingo leaned back, folding his arms. "Not only that, you've also totally ruined both your wand and sword. Do you know how expensive things like those are?!"
"I can make a few guesses," and yet again I sheepishly hid behind my drink, Ingo now holding up the slagged remains of my old sword, and now the thing almost felt like it was mocking me as the mage waved it in my face.
"So, what's the plan now?" Ingo dropped the hilt, and I was quick to swipe it back.
"Well, first I gotta square things up with the Knights in the Water God Dojo and Renault. Then… I'm going to head to Roa," I sat up straight, Ingo giving a hum. "I just lost my party, and we already knew working outside the city was for the best. Fittoa is right on the edges of Asura, work there is way better for an Adventurer like me. Also means there's better odds of my finding a new party to join up with."
"And it's where your birth family is from," I nodded, Ingo humming. "I see. Well, it isn't like your main purpose for studying magic has changed. Still finding yourself stalled on the Advanced rank spells?"
"Ahaha… yeah."
"Hm, well, that's impressive enough on its own. Even moreso that you're Advanced Rank in two sword schools as well. Most people hardly attain so in just one of either," Ingo stood, going to a shelf and pulling a lacquered box from it. "I wasn't sure when to give this too you, but the time seems appropriate."
"Give me what?" I stared at the box as Ingo set it on the table and undid the latches.
When he lifted the lid, what was inside was a rather unusual kind of glove. The kind that would extend further up the arm, and clearly made to be fit under a vambrace yet lacking one. Surprisingly, it clearly had adjusting straps to cinch or open it up. And yet the back of the fingerless article was fitted with something.
A plate of a fine dark metal accented with silver. And laid into it a bright red gem cut into rounded off triangle.
"What's this supposed to be?" I looked from the glove to Ingo, the old mage sitting down with a chuckle.
"That, Aegir, is the first model of something made specifically for a Mage Knight like yourself," the mage snickered as my eyes widened. "Since you're fighting style is clearly far too rough for a wand or staff, I'd been wracking my brain for a while on something that would still aid your spellcasting like one while remaining easy enough to use with a sword. And so, the idea hit me: Just make the thing part of your normal gear! And so, we have this: A Catalyst Glove, as I've decided to call it."
"Did you make this so I could grow into it?" I was careful as I lifted the love from the box, Ingo nodding as I looked it over.
"Yep. The leather is drake hide, so it can resist your preferred fire spells. I thought of putting more armor on it but figured if you were going to be growing into it, best to leave room for you to fit it under things rather than leave you stuck with something."
"It's great as is! Might not even need to put a vambrace on," pulling the sleeve of my shirt back, with a bit of one-handed fumbling, I was able to fit the glove on and get it cinched onto my arm properly. I couldn't quite do anything about the extra space in the glove itself, but a quick pull of a third strap on it got it close enough. "Still need to grow a bit, huh?"
"Well I told them to make it a bit large since I figured you'd be hitting those growth spurts soon enough. And, I have one more thing for you," Ingo reached to a stack of otherwise innocuous books on the table, grabbing a much thinner, simpler looking volume from the stack and sliding it over to me. It was bound by a simple leather cover, and the mage guild emblem had been set onto it. "Want to guess what this is?"
"Some new spell notes?" Picking the book up as Ingo shook his head, I opened it to a random page. And realized what I was holding immediately as my eyes scanned the text and diagrams. "This is from our research on silent casting! You finally got it compiled into a book?!"
"Yeap. Brought all our notes to the main body of the guild while you were out romping around Asura for two years. Once they cleared it, we started work on copying down all our rough notes into this little guide. The plan is to start by printing more of them before adding it into the magic manual as a new chapter. It's your name that's going to be front and center on this new chapter that'll be teaching future mages."
"Seriously?!" Flicking over to the front page of the volume, the title came front and center.
The Methods of Silent Spellcasting. By Aegir Greyfeather, compiled by Ingo Matoya.
"Didn't think I'd ever see my name on any kind of book," I let out a laugh as I shut the book. "You're sure it's fine if I take this with me? Isn't it better here with you?"
"I already have my own copy on hand," Ingo produced an identical volume with a flick of his hand. "Keep it on you as a memento of your time as my student and research partner. Seriously Aegir, you've done more than you could think by spending all this time developing a method just about anyone can use to learn to silent cast like you. Though perhaps it'll be rougher for us old folks who aren't say, starting from when we're wee babes."
"Ahahahaaaaa… yeah that's the odd part of it all huh?" I set the book down, then bowing my head to Ingo. "And… thank you, Ingo. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher than you over these years. I just wish I didn't stall out on magic like I have so I could go further with it."
"Ahahaha, this is more than enough, boy. Don't be ashamed you haven't reached the heights of a Saint. Besides, for you, Saint tier and higher magic is barely practical. Focus on those new tricks of yours. I assume that sword got melted because you overdid it with one of those coating spells you've been working on."
"Aha… yeah…"
"Then make that your new research path," Ingo folded his hands, and I felt the idea hit. "Embrace this idea of a Mage Knight and start creating spells for one. With how well you've grasped the basics of magic as is, I doubt you'll have much trouble refining spells for this mixed style of yours. Just don't go melting more swords while you do so."
"Haha, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Guess I'll be packing a bunch of notes into my rucksack when I'm traveling, huh?"
"Hahaha!" Ingo let out a louder laugh. "Don't go and end up in some situation where you somehow forget how to read and write while you're at it. Aahhhh that's a fun image, some adventurer stopping after a fight to take notes on spells, hahaha!"
"C'mon, give me some credit, I'd find a table first!"
The atmosphere here with Ingo was exactly what I'd gotten used to ever since we'd met. Friendly and amiable. After the absolute mess that was my departure from the Boreas house, this felt welcome and familiar. Something I knew I could always come back to as my life went on.
Since it wasn't like I was leaving immediately, Ingo let me stay in one of the many extra rooms in the Mage's Guild, mostly to help me save some money I'd have to spend on the carriage fees once I was ready to head to Roa.
For now, it was just letting things settle for a bit, so for the last couple of days since I'd just run my usual routines of morning exercises, sword practice, and testing spell variants. All the usual habits I'd started getting ingrained into the last few years. Ingo's advice to started experimenting more thoroughly with spell variants to use with my sword had sunk in quick, and I was already getting to some notes about them.
The quirk being the fact I was developing them based on the mechanics of silent casting first. It made these early notes… interesting.
"I mean… making a chant has to be something you could do, yeah?" I spun the quill I'd been using as the thought occurred, placing the item on my lip as I leaned back. "Actually… has anyone really invented new spells? I know some people can mix them together, but is this the kinda world where pretty much all the magic's been figured out?"
"At work I see," I glanced to the side as the door opened, Ingo striding in with a fresh stack of his own notes. "What's got you stumped?"
"Quick question;" I plucked the quill from my lip, using it like a pointer. "Am I technically only making variations of spells, or am I to a degree making new spells with this whole Mage Knight project?"
"Well, for one you have melding, but that technically isn't making a new spell, and some spells are specifically the product of melding," I nodded along as Ingo sat down. The same thought I'd had. "Now if you want to get technical, all spells were built from the foundation of first generating elements, or channeling divine energy to heal wounds. All spells fundamentally build from these bases and spread further in use and effect."
"So theoretically, I'd be able to create new spells centered on the concept of using them with swordplay if I start from the basics," Ingo nodded as I spun my quill around. I let out a grumble. "And it isn't like there's spells I can't work from… Flame Slice was easy enough to adapt, and wind shouldn't be too hard, but what about the other elements? Ghhhh… also doesn't help when it comes to water and earth I'm pretty much stuck on Intermediate ranked spells."
"Haha, well, talent can't overcome things like affinity, unfortunately," Ingo laughed as I leaned further back in my chair and groaned out my frustration. "Ah, I also just remembered, you have some visitors?"
"Wait, what?" My chair dropping back to the ground proper accented my surprise, looking back to the door as it opened once more.
Two people entered. Luke, ever recognizable, and one other. Another young man in the same Royal Knight's uniform as Luke, though a bit older and with straight red hair and glasses with a notable chain on the right side.
"Well, this is a surprise," I looked to Luke as the swordsman strode in. "Didn't expect to see you finding me at the Mage's Guild."
"Derek here suggested this would be the second place you'd end after we failed to find you at the Water God Dojo," Luke gestured to his companion, the young man bowing his head.
"A pleasure to meet you, Sir Aegir. I am Derek Redbat, Princess Ariel's guardian mage."
"Nice to meet you," I nodded to the mage, then a thought occurred. "Okay so if both of you are here, that either means Ariel has something in mind that required both of you, or she found a way to sneak out of the palace and get here herself."
"Ahaha, my, I didn't think you'd catch on so quickly," A hooded, short figure stepped in next, and yet Ariel's voice was unmistakable. The hood fell, revealing a seemingly entirely different, common-looking girl with messy brown hair. Yet Ariel's blue eyes stood out all the same. And with a quick pull of a ring on her middle finger, the ever-recognizable face of the youngest Princess shimmered into proper view. "Though I suppose I made it quite easy having Luke and Derek come here before me."
"Well for one they're in uniform so that much is obvious… buuut I'm guessing you all didn't come here at the same time," I glanced over at Ingo, the old mage guffawing at Ariel and then back to me. "Yeah remember how I said I'm pals with a princess? This is her."
"I wish I could be surprised," Ingo leaned on a hand and sighed. "When Sir Luke came here saying someone wished to meet you, I didn't think the girl would be her… do forgive my impertinence, Your Highness."
"Please, don't feel too bad. This disguise worked as intended," Ariel toyed with the ring she'd taken off, and no sooner had Ingo stood from the table did she took a seat at it, Luke and Derek quick to flank her. "So, I hear you really have departed from the Boreas household."
"News traveled a lot faster than I thought it would…" I glanced from Ariel to Luke, the young knight sighing.
"If you must know, it was your older brother who told me," I raised a brow, Luke nodding. "He was bidding his farewells while I was at the dojo the other day, and I couldn't help but ask about you. He told me how only the night before, you'd chosen to leave the Boreas house for good… up to and including renouncing the use of the Greyrat name."
"Yeeeeup," I leaned on the table, Luke and Derek going wide eyed. Ariel didn't seem at all surprised I'd gone that far. "So, from on it's only Aegir Greyfeather the Adventurer. Though James probably won't officially disown me."
"He'd probably draw some ire if he did," There was an implicit, quiet threat in Ariel's voice. As she placed her hands on the table, not at all minding the mess of notes and other mage's implements, she gave me a calm, analytic gaze. "I think you can assume I didn't simply come here to bid you good fortune on the road ahead."
"Clearly not. So, what is it?"
"You see, after our time together last night, I was giving things some thought. And while I would be loathe to chain you down when you've just been freed of the restraints you did have… I wish to offer up an idea. Though I'll admit I'm expecting you to reject it outright," I remained quiet, Ariel taking that as the prompt I was willing to hear her out. "I want you to come under my wing. While tradition upholds an Asuran royal has a Guardian Knight and Mage, nothing says we can expand the retinue under us. Besides Luke and Derek, more than a few other young nobles are part of my faction… as little as something like that matters at the time."
As Ariel said that, I caught Derek briefly showing a trouble expression. That alone was enough. Clearly the young man had a good impression of the princess despite her age. I wasn't keyed into the internal politics of the royal family—and obviously I didn't want to be—but I understood enough to know that Ariel and her siblings no doubt only saw each other as rivals rather than family. Obstacles to the throne more than anything.
It was cutthroat and cold, but that was royalty for you.
So, I could only guess that Derek likely had high hopes for Ariel. For now, she could while away in her youth and play around, but what about when she was older, when the king grew frail, and his children needed to finally step up?
Far from a position I would envy, that was for sure.
"And considering the change in your position… I wished to make that offer with some additions. As you are technically now a commoner, there would need to be some more steps. In short… think of it as a change in profession. A Knight-for-Hire so to speak, one under official sponsorship and pay from the royal family."
"Can you even do that?" I leaned back in my chair, and Luke looked more than a little cross about how casual I was being.
"I certainly can. All I'd be doing, after all, would be hiring an adventurer for a long-term job, let's say, hmhm," Ariel's giggle was light and playful. Yet at this point I knew better. She absolutely had some plans in the back of her head with this. "I don't wish to restrict your activities, of course. You would remain completely free to continue your work as usual, both as an adventurer and member of the mage's guild. But say… with a more stable method of income than otherwise."
I closed my eyes, leaning back to think it over.
On the one hand, someone else would probably have jumped at the offer. There were benefits to being under the effective employment of a member of the royal family. I'd be stupid to deny that side of it. And I could respect that she was going into this pretty much knowing my answer. And Ariel's terms weren't the sort that would openly restrict my activities.
But that's the thing, openly.
Ariel was young, but she was mature. She knew her way around the noble court. And I was sure that, for now, this offer was just that. That I'd be free to do what I wanted under tenure from the princess. But that was the thing, for now. What about in a few years? That same question I posed? What about when Ariel suddenly needed to care about the race for succession? She couldn't blow it off forever, no matter how much she played the blasé little girl. A part of her had to know that.
Opening my eyes, I looked around.
On the side, Ingo was watching carefully. If he decided to speak, I'm sure he'd say something about how good an offer this is. Looking at Luke and Derek, they were much more placid yet still different enough. Luke knew me better, so I'm sure he wouldn't be surprised by what I am positive he and Ariel knew was coming next. Derek didn't, and looked to be in much more anticipation than the other two, the slight little quirk in his eyes betraying his interest.
Ariel herself was as serene as ever. She was damn near impossible to read, and I'm sure that was wholly because she didn't want me to know. She'd laid everything out. She came into this knowing the odds of me rejecting her offer was all but assured. Hell, I was sure she'd be more surprised if I said yes.
That party was enough proof for her to know exactly what I thought about the noble court and where my true desires lay.
"Haaaagh… you know, I wish I could say I could actually surprise you with this," I folded my arms, Ariel giggling again. Standing up, I bowed my head to the girl. "You'll have to forgive me, Your Highness, but I can't accept your gracious offer. Your generosity for a mere commoner is astounding, and if anything, that's even more reason for me to kindly turn you down."
"None in the court would even know!" Derek spoke in clear objection, and I shut an eye as I looked at him. "As far as anyone else in Ars knows, you're still the son of the Boreas household. As you said, Lord James would be a fool to openly disown you. So, it wouldn't even reflect poorly on the Princess…"
"Derek, don't you see?" Ariel waved her guardian down, the man stepping back. "Aegir answered exactly as I expected him to. Hahaha, truth be told I only gave him the offer because I wanted to test him. Had he taken it, then it means everything he'd told me before would've meant little than hot air. He'd just be another ladder climber looking to get ahead, like so many others in Ars are."
"She's right," Luke nodded. "Aegir's always been an odd one despite his birth. He didn't spend two years going all over Asura because he likes being in the court. If he accepted, all Aegir would be doing is trading one gilded cage for another, as far as he sees it."
"Glad you two understand me so well," I chuckled, sitting back down. "I'd much rather live as I have for a while. True, I'm going to return to Roa and reconnect with my birth family, but it's not because I want some silver spoon crammed back in my mouth. It's purely because work out there is better for me with my chosen field. I'll probably only stay there until I come of age, then it's off to traveling the wider world."
"I now see what you two meant by him hardly seeming like a noble…" Derek sighed, Ariel and Luke giving him amused looks.
"That said, I did come here with something to give you. Luke?" Ariel looked to the knight, the young man drawing a bundled package from his side and setting it on the table. "Knowing you were likely to leave Ars, I wanted to prepare a favor for you. A token of our friendship that I hope will be helpful to you in your travels."
"Let's see then…" Taking the bundle, undoing it revealed a well ornamented lacquer box. Opening that revealed a silver, shield shaped pendant. And marked on the pendant's red background was the Asuran coat of arms: Two unicorns flanking a sword beneath a crown, further decorated by wheat, ivy vines, and flowers above. The symbols of all of the kingdom's core regions. "A royal crest?! Isn't this the kind of thing handed out to royal knights?!"
"And those who've earned favor with the royal family through one method or another," Ariel tented her hands as I drew the pendant from the box, carefully lifting its chain with it. "I felt if you were going to be traveling so far, something to make you recognizable would be helpful. So long as you hold that crest, those here on the Central and Millis continent will recognize you not only have the favor of Asura, but that it means you and your companions deserve fair treatment regardless of who they are. Though I can't guarantee anything if you end up in the Beast tribe territories or Demon Continent."
"I… almost feel like I shouldn't take this…"
"And I will insist you do," Ariel stood from her seat, stepping over and pressing the pendant into my hands. "I expect to hear many stories about you in the years to come. And when next we meet, even if it's years off from now, perhaps our positions will have changed enough for our paths to intersect. We'll have to see, won't we?"
As Ariel winked at me, Luke chuckled.
"Careful~," the young knight had a teasing lilt in his voice. "Once Ariel sets her sight on something, she tends to make sure she gets it. Be it a thing or person."
"I'll keep it in mind," I sighed, Ariel stepping back as I pulled the pendant back. "Thank you. I'll be sure it gets put to good use while I travel."
"It's all I ask," Ariel stood, striding back to the door as she slid her ring back to her finger, the disguised appearance shimmering back into form. "Well then, good luck, my fair adventurer! I look forward to hearing stories about the Scarlet Wolf in the future."
"Don't be surprised if the bards start exaggerating!" I chuckled as the royal retinue departed, looking to Ingo as the mage gave a deep sigh. "What's up?"
"I can only feel your life is going to become… very interesting in the near future."
"Ahahaha… maybe."
The only thing left for me now was the Water God Dojo and Renault.
Once I'd gotten there, Renault was already waiting. Normally would've been the time for our regular catch-up training, but the man immediately caught on that something was different. So, rather than the training hall, we'd moved out to the rather rarely visited garden the dojo had to meet in some privacy, where I could easily explain the situation to the Sword Saint.
By now I was wondering just how many more times I'd explain it before I got tired of doing so.
"You have something of a habit of your life taking sudden turns, you know that?" Renault gave me an annoyed look as I wrapped the story up. All I could do was scratch my chin with a bit of embarrassment setting in.
"I guess it's just in my nature. That or the world might have it out for me…"
"Perhaps. Hagh…" Renault folded his arms, tapping a finger on his upper arm. When his finger stopped, he nodded. "Alright, I got an idea."
"Hm?" I flinched when the man put a finger to my face.
"You're not running off to Roa just yet," My face cracked into a confused expression, Renault drawing his hand back and folding his arms again. "I'm still not done training you. There's something I need to get you started on before I'm satisfied."
"I mean, okay? It's not like I need to urgently leave Ars or something."
"Oh, but that's not it. See, there's something I finally tracked down, and you're going to come with me to get it. It's actually the reason I've been in Asura these last few years."
"And what exactly is this thing?"
"I'll tell you when we're on the way… but before that," Renault strode out to the center of the garden, drawing his sword and raising it to me. "Time to see where you're at now. You've got that new sword, and knowing you, you probably wrecked your old one. Let me see how much you've improved since we last sparred."
"Haha, figured this would happen," I stepped over to be in the clearer spot of the garden. I drew Nyle's sword, raising the bright blade to my usual stance. And dangling from its hilt was my Blue Roses badge, something I'd left on it as a marker of the memories in this sword. "Ready when you are!"
"All out!"
At Renault's call, we both stepped forward and swung. Blades run as our swings collided. As ever, I was used to the sheer force Renault was able to put behind his blows, yet even after the last couple of years, his swing still overpowered mine. The gap was closing, but not quickly enough. I still had a ways to go before I matched him.
And this was our usual by now. Technique after technique, series of practiced movements one after the other. My developed style against Renault's refined mastery of Sword God, each blow of the swords meant to beat out the kinks I had left.
Every slightly off swing was swiftly parried, and I corrected on the next move. Every misstep of my footwork was caught by being tripped up, and I recovered with quick bursts of wind magic to regain footing and get out of range.
With these two years of training, I'd learned a lot about Renault. While a Sword Saint, he'd long grown past the strength of one. A lesson I'd learned with swordsmanship, once you were a Saint, the ranks stopped being about understanding techniques and instead become about mastery of the style itself. And currently, the only person that Renault knew who was holding a Sword King title was, amusingly enough, Ghyslaine herself. With only the current holder of the Sword Emperor title and the Sword God himself above her in the school.
So that is what I'd been learning from for two years. Someone who by all means could likely qualify as a Sword King himself. Someone close to Ghyslaine in terms of skill and talent.
It was no wonder that I'd been improving so quickly when I was learning from someone like that.
And as our sparring went on, I caught Renault retreat for a moment. It looked like an opening. Almost felt like one as he brought his sword to a lower hold, yet still leaving the point aimed towards me. I moved to react, but in a quick moment, it suddenly felt like a wash of colors surrounded me.
Right before everything went white. My instincts told me to block whatever the hell was coming near me in that instant.
CLANG!
I felt my sword ring, the shockwave running up my arms and all through my body. I felt myself go flying back, felt the impact of my back slamming into the wall of the garden. And when color finally returned to the world, I saw Renault before me, his sword in a finished swing while I was barely holding mine up.
"What… was that?!" The words tore from my throat as ragged breaths escaped, and Renault chuckled as he spun his blade to his shoulder.
"That was the Longsword of Light, the difference between you usual Sword God user and a genuine Sword Saint," the man approached me, kneeling to get to eye level as my arms went slack. "I'm impressed you blocked it. You had that face someone gets the first time they see it. Or rather, don't see it."
"Barely…" I spat the word out, Renault laughing. "My arms feel like they're gonna be sore for a week after that! I barely got my sword up."
"For the record, I was going to stop it short if you hadn't. I wanted to make sure you actually experienced it," Putting a hand on my shoulder, Renault smirked. "This is what I'm going to be trying to teach you. You and I are headed south for the Red Dragon's Lower Jaw. It'll be a few months journey to where we'll be looking, and during that time, I'm going to pass on the Longsword of Light to you. We'll see how close you get before Roa."
"Well… can't say that's a bad deal," as Renault stood and offered his arm, I clapped my hand to his and let him pull me up. "Roa can wait a bit longer."
"Good, because I won't be going easy on you."
"Since when have you ever?"
Sorry, Sauros, Philip, Hilda, Ghyslaine… Eris.
I'm going to be just a bit longer. Looks like my romping around the country isn't quite over yet.