The White Darkness

By Helbaworshipper

False Treaty Arc: A Tutor's Preparation

To be a Lotis Tutor, one had to be part of a select group. Each group of powerful Lotis users formed a sort of rank and file. As a result, the most powerful tutors were often on the battlefield and teaching in the midst of such events. However, some were kept to the side for a reason.

Eric was not someone who thought himself kept to the side for a particular reason. He'd seen both large and smaller scale battles. He had taught people who died during his teaching and people who had simply not done enough to survive. None of his students ever truly made an appearance as royal heroes. There was reason, he supposed, for this.

Calmly sitting in the tutoring room with his current student, he didn't think she'd end up like that. For the first time in a long time, he was comfortable and looking forward to her progress. To be fair, he hadn't expected it to go this way. He had originally thought that according to the rumors, he'd end up screwing up another ace Lotis user by his ways.

"Are you sure writing down the world with feeling will help?" An unconfident, yet calm voice. Her hand looked like it ached, but he could see how much progress she had made. After all, writing down exercises and focusing just on the Lotis were in a way a good show of progress. Anyone could learn to read or write potentially, but her writing was glowing. She certainly didn't notice it, but he did.

"Your writing is glowing. If the power you put into your writing could become the power of a word, you'd be just as powerful as your sister now." He lifted the paper lightly. She nodded and began to write again. "Are you sure you're not tired from this?"

"No, I slept in late so if I'm tired it'd be bad. I need to try harder." She commented as she continued her writing. The ink was glowing so much he couldn't be bothered to stop her. He supposed if she tired herself out, he'd let her nap.

The days he was not bothered by Mayura Seno were rare. Initially it had been easy to allow her to bribe him into at least attempting to tutor her. However, it was just as fast he saw she was simply good for her age. The power of Lotis could potentially awaken in anyone. The power, however, varied in quality. A person could simply be good at making words work for a short period of time. At the moment, he was currently trying to look over a map of the journey he'd be taking with the royal family to the Wakamiya Kingdom. After all, Alice needed as much tutoring as he could give.

"Your presence was deemed necessary earlier." A voice spoke from the shadows. Samuel was his personal servant. If anything, The young man's blonde hair made him almost an angel for some. "The Crown Princess tried to force you to leave Alice's tutoring."

"And what sort of ideal did she have in her mind?" He chuckled as he turned, taking his glasses off. "I'm quite sure that despite all the love they have for her, Alice is the last one to have a say."

"His majesty said that if it was that necessary, they could have her fiance teach the Wakamiya heir."

"What a fun way to put it." He put his glasses down and stood up slowly. "He's fully aware that the Weilhausen's do not desire their current engagement to Alice, but thinks that they can get away with it after the treaty is signed? It's been a long time since I've heard such a joke." He sat on the bed, his eyes a bit more mischievous as he spoke again. "What of her condition?"

"She is still not weakening."

"I was correct to bet on her." He spoke with a smile. "She'll truly be powerful, Samuel."

The most productive or perhaps most annoyingly long part of his day was probably dealing with the meetings with the royal family. Every two weeks the tutors would come into a meeting with just the King and Queen to discuss the progress of their students. Normally a person with a Lotis Mirror wouldn't need a tutor. However, Mayura's progress had stunted shortly after. Her parents would never say it, but they were worried she wouldn't master more words.

Initially this had been his task, however, Kazuki bribed the royal family with promises. Though this had changed only once, it was rather annoying. Being the real biological child and not a stepchild probably was the main point. Well, adopted into was a far less nice way to put it.

Either way, as he stood and listened to his brother's prattling about how great she had been in a small spat, he felt no reason to stop and say that his method was pretty much superficial.

"If only we could have her in more battles after this. She could easily take down Darva's most deadly monsters!"

"The treaty is to make sure we do not have to keep sending her to the front lines. If anything, Mayura needs to balance and stabilize what forces we have left." Queen Seno's voice sounded tired. "If she was doing well enough, she could teach her fiance how to do many things."

"And what of Alice?"

"Her studies show great improvement." He answered as he felt a glare come towards him. "She understands the words well, she simply needs to put it into her actual words."

"And how long will that take?" King Seno was quite annoyed. Well, he always was with how Alice was reported on. "She needs to start being able to support her sister."

"As one who does not have Lotis power, do you have the right to demand it of her?" Eric's tone changed, causing him to flinch. "We may not have the power of the Weilhausen Kingdom to protect us due to your decision, but her powers are not a joke."

"You have no right to speak of this matter." Queen Seno was rather feisty in her own way.

"I have the right to speak of it when you have demands for Alice that are not a simple one. Unlike Mayura, her powers have to be put into use properly in a way that a prodigy would not understand."

"At least she can use more than three or four words." Kazuki spoke, realizing his mistake as Eric eyed him for a moment.

"Either way, do not demand something when a tutor is certain. Unless you'd rather I teach her in the middle of a battlefield."

"...Of… Of course not." King Seno's tone lowered. He could tell there was something behind these actions. Still, the Peace Treaty was the most important for them. Otherwise all their messing with political choices would be a horrible mistake.