In a white room with a singular bed and some chairs, a small child’s form could be seen covered in gauze and wrapping, almost like a mummified corpse. Her expression was far away as she stared at the ceiling.
Tearis had lost any anger or disdain he may have had for his younger half-sibling. She hadn’t murdered their father; in the end, she was just as expendable as he was. Just another tool that didn’t work.
“Irella? Just came to check on you. Managed to complete my trail and such. However I didn’t get the bard class I wanted.”
“...” The figure didn’t respond.
“I also joined a guild and they agreed to transfer halls to my… our tavern.”
“...”
“Irella?” Tearis sighed and got to his feet to leave.
“Don’t…go. hurts.” Irella muttered weakly.
Tearis looked up at the ceiling like it owed him money.
“Alright. Do you want me to tell you the story of my Trial? Blink one for yes twice for no.”
Irella blinked once slowly before trying to force her eyes to stay open.
“Alright. Blink freely. This is going to be a wild ride.”
Tearis told a story of triumph, sadness, pain, romance, and even comedy as he embellished the trial he had just been on. Leaving out the part where he died and met with the strange creature. Replacing that with a duel he had with a giant armed only with a flute. Using his musical magic to speed himself up as he ran around trying to put the giant to bed. His flute had been shattered into a million pieces, but as the music faded, the lullaby worked, putting the giant to rest as he walked through a purple door and saved the green princess.
“Wow.” Irella coughed.
“Ah there’s also this.” Tearis pulled out a black card.
“What’s that?” Irella whispered.
“Some sort of contract thing. It says here I need to rip it in two and choose a familiar from the choices available.”
“...” Irella watched curiously as her half-brother ripped the card in half, and three animals appeared in the room.
The first creature was a blue kitten with two tails and shifting fur. It looked confused for a long moment before it started grooming itself.
The second creature seemed like a tiny green koala with dark red-slitted eyes. The koala climbed up to the desk with a vase full of flowers and started eating them. Tearis knew koalas were picky eaters but instinctively knew what was in that fur wasn’t actually a koala.
The last creature was a red puppy with black stripes on its shoulders. The dog walked up to Tearis and stared up at him expectantly.
Tearis reached out and petted the dog. Its fur was warm and soothing. So he, of course, picked it up and brought it to Irella so that she could see them better.
“I’m thinking of naming them Backster. Loyal, honorable, and as gullible as they come.”
“That’s a stupid name.” Irella muttered quite loudly and much to her surprise as much as Tearis’.
“No need to shout. I’ll be sure to tell Backser that you think his name is dumb.”
“Words. Wordsss. I can talk and it doesn’t hurt as much.” Irella said aloud.
“...Funny how insulting my friend seems to be therapeutic.” Tearis looked to the side.
“Huh?”
“Nothing. What would you name the puppy then?”
“Mr. Cuddles.”
“No…”
Mr. Cuddles has been registered as your familiar.
Skill Gained: Familiar bond.
“What?” Tearis sighed.
The kitten and koala vanished. However, it didn’t escape Tearis that the koala took the vase of flowers with them.
“I didn’t… Oh well. Mr. Cuddles, can you look after Irella while she’s here?”
Mr.Cuddles nodded.
Tearis then got a notification that Mr.Cuddles was a she. But that hardly matters for monsters to begin with. Not like he was going to go about breeding them.
“Well… I’ll just get going then.”
“Wait. Where are you going?”
“To go poke fun at Backster. School starts next week. He also lost a limb or two. So there’s that.”
“What happened?” Irella seemed worried.
“He was hurt really badly during his trial. As I don’t know where his head is at the moment, you should probably stay far, far away from him if possible.”
“Ah. I see.”
“Yeah. If he doesn’t see my beautiful face today, who knows what bad decisions he’ll make.”
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“Tear? Am I useless?” Irella asked.
“Kids shouldn’t worry about that. But if you want an answer from me then no.” Tearis left the room.
The young man returned to the receptionist, walking past bland walls and boards.
“How may I help you?” The receptionist asked.
“Is Backster free for visitors?”
“Yes. He’s up and accepting visitors, but….”
Tearing brushed a hand through his golden hair and leaned on the desk. “He’s a dear friend of mine. Could you tell me which room he’s staying in? I’ll take responsibility for anything that happens.”
“R-right. Yes, He’s in room 324.”
“Right. Well that’s a trip up some stairs. Thank you Cheryl.” Tear said the name he saw on the nametag before moving away.
Cheryl watched as Tearis left before blinking slowly.
Tearis made his way up to the third floor through the stairway. Elevators were becoming common in hospitals worldwide, but that doesn’t mean everyone trusts them.
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Moving through this hall, Tearis saw that this floor’s rooms were much more luxurious than the others below.
“Rich families and Nobles I guess.”
In front of room, 324 stood a woman with light blue hair next to a tall man with chiseled features and black hair.
Tearis approached the two curiously.
“Who are you?” The man asked as the woman eyed him with an analytical gaze.
“Tearis, of house Malvaris, son of a commoner and another commoner. Relatively wealthy tavern keeper and best friend of Backster.”
The woman bobbed a curtsy. “Ah, you’re the troublemaker he wrote about in his letters home. Thank you for looking after Backster.”
“Yeah. He told me nothing about any of you, which kinda hurts, but oh well. Was he living with retainers while he was here?” Tearis spoke cheerily.
“Something like that.” The man nodded.
“Why are you waiting out in the hall?”
“He… doesn’t want to see us right now.”
“Why?”
“Family business.”
“Mind if I knock?”
“By all means go ahead.” Backster’s father moved out of the way.
Tearis slipped his hand to the doorknob and entered the room.
“You can’t just!” The man tried to enter the room.
A vase came flying at a position about a foot above Tearis’ head.
“I said to leave!” Backter yelled.
“Oi! How’s it going? “Tearis moved away from the closed door and examined the currently enchanted vase. It hadn’t shattered on impact.
“Not well. To be honest, it’s been hell. My only goal at the moment is getting better. “
“We need to talk soon. But guess what.”
“What?”
“Apparently I’m rich now.”
“Your inheritance?”
“Pretty much. I now own the inn. My stepmother is missing however. It’s going to be heavily warded the first chance I get.”
“I see. About you know what.”
“We can discuss that when it’s safe and you’re walking. Did you get a new job?”
“Biomechanical Engineer. Supposedly I’m able to build and augment prosthetic limbs. But that doesn’t mean I have the know-how to do it effectively.”
“Sounds cool to me. Albeit a bit on the nose.”
“Yeah. You?”
“Pretty much just a Lawyer….”
“I see.” Backster shot a look at the door.
“Right. When you’re free you should come by and join the Acorn guild. I bet you could get all sorts of training and practice. They also won’t turn you down if I have any say on the matter.”
“Why are you so sure?”
“They accepted me and are using my home as a base.”
“Are you closing down the Tavern?”
“Kinda. It’s going to still be a tavern and inn as the guild grows but the end goal will be a guild hall where our allies can come rest and be free from dungeon diving or monster hunting.” Tearis signed.
“How many people are in the guild.”
“Five including me. There is the armored guildmaster, the mysterious red mage, a sewer druid, and someone I hadn’t met as of yet.”
“Are you sure you can trust them?”
“I don’t trust them. Not yet anyhow, but they seem to be good people.”
“I see. How’s the hellspawn doing?”
“Discarded and heavily injured. I read a file while I was waiting but didn’t believe it. When the guards came after my stepmother she tossed her daughter ahead and detonated a bomb inside of her. Only the fact that a few paladins were there saved her. Had it been normal guards then I doubt I’d have a sibling.” Tearis took an envelope from his bag and handed it to Backster, who scowled.
“Ah I didn’t know. We’re dealing with a monster with morals lower than even yours.” Backster looked up wistfully before staring at the envelope and then pointing to the stump that started under his right elbow.
“What?”
“I’m right handed. But no the issue here is that I can’t open this envelope by myself.”
“Get your fiance to read it to you. Bet she would love some quality time with you.”
Backster closed his visible eye and sighed. “Your stepsister. Where is she?”
“She’s on the first floor. Not that you’re going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Really now. Did she tell you anything new?”
“I sense some trauma there and it isn’t new. Seems stepmother was a snake with many faces.”
“I see. I’ll consider joining the guild but I won’t be attending class for the first semester. I need to go through rehab after building up my new limbs. Maybe I’ll do some guild jobs when able.”
“So long as you’re moving forward. There is also the matter of Mr.Cuddles, my new dog. I think she’s capable of healing. Or at the very least boosting natural regeneration.”
“My issue isn’t that I’m bleeding, this can’t be regenerated by normal means. And my family isn’t wealthy enough for those types of healers.” Backster used his left hand to point to his missing right hand and bandage over his right eye.
“I see. I guess all nobles aren’t rich.”
“My family is low on that scale, we’re essentially an offshoot of an offshoot. Due to a favor I was staying with the more prestigious offshoot for the time being. Supposedly so that I may be used for a political marriage with one of their allies.” Backster rolled his eyes.
“So that lady wasn’t a noble.” Tearis pounded his hand.
“Not one from our country, things are a bit more draconian where she’s from. That’s all I can tell you. Don’t stir up trouble.”
Tearis looked at his friend. “Do I seem like that kind of person to you?”
“Teris…”
“Fine. I’ll try not to cause trouble for your fiance. But in turn you better hurry up and get back. Don’t really care for those self important types.”
“Good…” Backster slumped as he began to lose consciousness.
“I’ll let you get some rest.” Tearis sighed as he left the room.
“What did you talk about?” Backster’s father asked.
“I invited him to join my guild while in rehab. That way he doesn’t fall too far behind.”
“Is that all?” Backster’s mother asked.
“He also told me not to go out of my way to antagonize his fiance. I don’t really get along well with those types when they get possessive. How much does a room like this cost?”
“A gold per day. Quite expensive.”
“Ah. I see. Well this is goodbye for now and I don’t know your names.”
“I’m Baron Boras Bergandus, and this is my wife Lady Marie Bergandus.” The chiseled man stated.
Tearis looked closely at Boras’ clothing and stance. From the general look around him, Tearis could tell he had been in some sort of military. His clothing wasn’t new but was patched in a few places recently. The arms and chest area were the most obvious.
Tearis put two and two together. This man can flex out of his suit. This is probably where Backster got his inhuman strength from. “I wish you well in all endeavors.”
“May the seven moons bless you.” Marie prayed.
Tearis left the two alone as he went downstairs and back to the receptionist.
“You can’t just send paupers up to the third floor!” An older man with a white mustache, brown suit, and a bald spot on his head yelled at the receptionist.
“There is nothing wrong with sending people up there sir. Guests are allowed to go up to floors with a patient’s consent.”
“Excuse me?” Tearis tried to get the bald man’s attention.
The bald man ignored him as he was busy turning red.
AsTearis didn’t have time for this, he approached the receptionist and placed a gold coin on the table. “Put Irella in a room on the third floor for me when you can. I can afford it.”
“You can’t just cut in line!”
“Sir. You’re berating someone for doing their job, as far as I’m concerned you weren’t in line. Who are you anyway?”
“I am Viscount Moiratis Commoner! And you have made a personal attack on my honor!”
“Ah. I see. Guess anyone can be a noble. So what’s my punishment?”
“Death!” The Viscount raised up a cane.
“Mana bullet.” Tearis shot a bolt of invisible mana into the man’s head and watched as he was stunned. Which was bizarre as the man in front should have way more mana than himself, given his age.
A younger man with green hair and an exhausted expression came running down.
“Old dood threatened me with violence as I interrupted his berating of this receptionist. Then he raised a cane in an attempt to kill so I blasted him with a spell.”
“What does the spell do?”
“Stuns targets with low mental defenses. He would have had to dump all his mental stats to still be stunned however. It’s only rank one.”
The doctor’s eyes glowed as he looked at the stunned figure. “He’s cursed with madness and mana deficiency. This man is purple so these effects can compound. Many refer to that as the Violet curse, but that has more to do with the types that unlock that shade.”
“I-I see.” That was why violet mages were rare. They tend to go insane. Was that his fate? Or did the fact that he was forced onto that path help him?
“Who did he say he was?”
“Viscount Moiratis. Sir.”
“Now that’s very odd…That Viscount has been missing for years and hasn’t been replaced as of yet. I hate damage control. May I ask you to leave?”
“Right. Make sure my sister gets to the third floor then.” Tearis waved as he left the hospital in a hurry. He was headed back home to the tavern to check on his new allies.