After a week of constant rain, the storm moved north past the mountainous range and into the Farlands. Deep puddles mirrored the slate gray clouds, and a wicked wind rocked the tree's naked branches. The backyard was a muddy mess, and the omnipresent smell of soaked earth slid even inside the manor. The outside world resembled the aftermath of a great battle between Elemental Spirits. However, one could almost forebode the clear blue sky where the clouds were thinner.
Crossing the street before the orphanage, a single guardsman looked over the manor. Since the day of the attack, at least one guard was stationed outside, and no shady individual had dared come near the orphanage. If the attack was targeted or not, I could only guess.
Sir Janus hadn’t pushed the matter about the tournament, but he had sent a messenger to check on us every other day. Maybe it was fate, or there were very few messengers available in Farcrest because Corin had come knocking on our door both times. She had taken the idea of becoming a Courier class very seriously. No matter how much rain fell over the city, she was always on time to relay Janus' messages. Every time we met, I tipped generously.
Begrudgingly, I stepped out of Elincia’s bed and peeked into the corridor. It was empty.
“The coast is clear. Let's go,” I said as I opened the door. Elincia looked at me from the bed and gave me a thumbs up as if she was saying, ‘Good, go by yourself’.
It was cold outside, and the layers of woolen blankets were exceptionally alluring during the dark morning. Instead of returning to bed, I grabbed my walking stick and waved it like a grumpy old man.
“If you don’t bring your ass to the kitchen right now, little lady, I’m not making an omelet for you!”
Despite my joke not having the slightest comedic value, Elincia giggled.
“You are going to miss that walking stick when your leg completely heals, aren’t you?”
“I might use it nonetheless. It’s very stylish.” I replied, glancing at the black, lacquered wood. Mr. Lowell had a great sense of fashion for a backwater city like Farcrest. “I might have Ginz hide a rapier blade inside. Wouldn’t that be so cool?”
“That would be the complete opposite of cool.” Elincia sighed, leaving the warmth of the blankets and putting her shawl over her shoulders.
We held hands and walked to the kitchen. Sometimes, we held hands in front of the kids just to split apart when they turned their heads to check if what they saw was correct. As time passed, it became progressively more difficult not to laugh.
Our steps weren’t the only sound that broke the stillness of the morning.
“Do you hear that?” Elincia asked.
I shook my head. Sometimes, I could hear rats walking through the roof, but my hearing skills were generally nothing compared to a half-elf. Lately, I have been getting more proficient in hearing kids circulating past bedtime, but storming out of Elincia’s room in the middle of the night didn’t seem adequate. I even get to memorize the particular sound of their footsteps. Firana was the worst offender.
In the middle of the backyard were two figures dressed in padded jackets, thick breeches, and leather boots. Ilya and Wolf. Despite the early hour, the pair seemed to have been practicing for a while now, considering how much mud stuck to their clothing.
“Loki replaced Wolf, or I must be dreaming,” Elincia said as we spied through the corridor window.
Wolf wasn’t the kind of kid who actively pursued social interaction, although, lately, he seemed more open with the rest of the kids. Wolf performed a series of strikes and observed how Ilya tried to imitate him.
“I totally deserve a prize for turning Wolf into a socialite.”
“I’ll think about a proper reward when your leg is healed,” Elincia replied with a naughty expression.
My heart skipped a beat even if my mind knew she was toying with me.
Wolf left his sword on the big stump and grabbed Ilya’s wrists to help her perform a krumphau correctly. The gnome girl replicated the movement in slow motion until she gained Wolf’s approval and a not-so-good-received pat on her head.
“Do you think he is messing with Ilya on purpose?” Elincia asked.
“Absolutely.”
Despite Wolf’s usual silent behavior, he was a well-adjusted teenager.
The pair of early birds continued performing strikes side by side, Wolf guiding the drill and Ilya copying his movements the best she could. Whenever she lost the pace, Wolf stopped and choreographed the moves in slow motion for her to follow. Out of nowhere, a sudden surge of pride filled my chest.
Elincia leaned on my good shoulder.
“It’s good to see Wolf getting along with the rest. I must admit I’m a bit jealous that you are the one who made it happen.” Elincia smiled. “If I didn’t fancy you, I’d probably hate you.”
“That’s the closest thing to a compliment that has ever come out of your mouth.” I pointed out.
“I don’t want your ego rocketing through the roof.” Elincia bumped me with her hip.
After briefly exchanging words, Wolf and Ilya put on their masks and stood before each other. Ilya stepped forward, her boots buried deep into the mud while she struck from the right. Wolf blocked with a measured movement but didn’t counter. The exchange continued until Ilya overstepped, and Wolf bound both blades together. Then, he pushed back, and Ilya fell butt-first into the mud.
It was hard to tell what kind of expression Ilya had under her mask, but she didn’t seem too pleased. She quickly stood and wiped the mud from her pants the best she could before raising her guard again.
They resumed the sparring session, and shortly after, Ilya made the same mistake for the second time. Due to the difference in strength and physical span, Wolf had a clear advantage during the bind, and Ilya couldn’t measure her movements to keep her blade free. Wolf suddenly advanced and, performing the same technique I had used against Firana during our first match, pushed up Ilya’s guard and ripped the sword from her hands.
The gnome girl ended up in the mud once again.
The fact Wolf could’ve ended the exchange before pushing her didn’t pass unnoticed.
This time, Ilya was fuming.
“Wolf might be the better teacher. Unlike you, he doesn’t pamper his students.” Elincia said.
Less than a week ago, I had chased down Firana with an illusory Wendigo, but I decided to keep it to myself.
“I'm gonna quit my job and travel to the Imperial Capital then.”
“No, you won't. You are still grounded.” Elincia frowned.
Ilya exchanged lazy blows with Wolf, but the boy had an ironclad defense. After torturing him with illusory Slimes, he had learned to be patient. Suddenly, Ilya feinted to the right but attacked from the left. Wolf saw the trick from a mile away, but at the last moment, Ilya retreated. Then, she raised a hand to the sky, and a powerful light shone over the backyard.
Wolf raised his hands to cover his eyes. Ilya seized the opportunity and charged, blade first with both hands on the grip, against the boy’s chest. The tip of the longsword hit Wolf in the middle of the chest. However, the boy didn’t budge. Instead, Ilya bounced back as if she had hit an invisible wall.
For the third time, the girl ended up on the floor.
Elincia slapped her face.
When Ilya stood, she was more mud than gnome. Wolf took off his mask and bent over his stomach, laughing. It wasn’t one of his stern smiles but a full-fledged laughter. Hearty, warm. His white teeth stood out against his green skin, as his smile widened even more.
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Ilya threw a scoop of mud directly against Wolf’s face.
The sudden mud attack made the whole situation even funnier for Wolf, but not so much for Ilya.
“I still think we must participate in the tournament,” I said.
“And I still think it’s an egregious idea,” Elincia replied.
I didn’t push the matter. The discussion about the Stephannis Cup had become a point of contention between Elincia and me, and she had great arguments to support her claim.
The sparring session had degenerated into Ilya chasing Wolf through the backyard. Luckily for the orc boy, the mud significantly diminished her movement speed to the point she had to struggle at every step. I made a mental note to prepare the big wooden basin to wash their clothing. I wondered if I could get Ginz to replicate the pedal-powered washing machine I had presented for the seventh-grade science fair.
My mind wandered over the hundreds of clever uses I could give a bicycle chain when a distant horn broke the morning peace. Not a moment later, a second and a third one answered, each on a different note.
“Monster Surge?” I asked as the adrenaline surged through my veins.
The picture of the Lich’s empty hood was still fresh in my mind.
“No. This is a different call.” Elincia replied, opening the window and closing her eyes.
Ilya and Wolf stopped their play and looked around in confusion. Then, they decided the best course of action would be to return to the manor. Wolf grabbed Ilya from under her arms and helped her to move over the mud while she carried the swords. This time, the girl didn’t protest.
Elincia’s silence was starting to get on my nerves.
“I might be wrong, but that’s the call for a royal family member’s visit.”
At that moment, Ilya and Wolf entered the corridor barefoot, with their pants rolled up. The mud was starting to cake over Ilya’s body, making her an overgrown clay doll. I was careful not to mention it.
“Can we go see the King’s army? I want to see the skeeths and the cargo togs, oh, and I bet Zaon wants to see the knights.” Ilya asked, without being able to contain her excitement.
I had no idea what in the Everloving System a skeeth or a tog was, but I also wanted to see them. I wonder if I could pet them.
“First, you two should clean yourselves, then breakfast, and only then will we talk about it,” Elincia said sternly, leaving no room for discussion.
Ilya and Wolf nodded and returned to the kitchen to light the stove and heat water. Most modern commodities, like showers, were nonexistent, but that didn’t stop Elincia from enforcing a disciplined cleaning routine. At that point, I was already used to the simplicity of the quasi-medieval life of Farcrest.
“What’s a skeeth?” I asked when we were alone again.
“Skeeths are mount lizards, very fast, and very violent. Don’t get your hopes too high. It’s probably a prince with his retinue, not a full battalion of knights.” Elincia replied, toning down my expectations as soon as she saw my eyes shine. “No. We can’t steal and raise one in the backyard.”
I was thinking about committing theft and illegal exotic animal ownership.
The sleeping quarters door opened, and a small army of orphans led by Loki entered the corridor. Their multicolor sweaters, scarfs, and woolen caps contrasted against the otherwise gray and worn-out walls. Nasiah’s store credit had proved to be helpful. Even Shu, who intensely disliked tight-fitted clothing due to her feathery wings, wore her modified poncho. The kids dragged their feet towards us between yawns and eye rubs. Viridian even walked with his eyes closed, firmly grasping Nokti’s sleeve.
Before any kid could say a word, Loki transformed into a mouse and climbed my leg until it found a resting place inside my shirt pocket. Even if the Changeling had taken the task of looking after the kids with unusual seriousness, the creature also needed time for itself, usually inside my pockets.
Loki slept a lot.
“What was that sound?” Ash asked.
“A member of the royal family is visiting Farcrest,” Elincia replied with a warm smile as she fixed Ash’s scarf. The boy tried to get away, but Elincia was faster. Between the cap and the scarf, only his eyes were visible.
“A prince?” Shu asked with a dreamy tone.
“Not a handsome one, that’s for sure.“ Ash replied, his voice muffled due to the layers of thick woolen scarf. I couldn’t help but smile. The boy was extremely envious of any other men and spared no effort in smearing everyone who gathered the slightest interest in the rest of the kids. Ash seemed okay with Zaon and Wolf, not so much with me.
“Princes are usually drunk and temperamental. You must look for someone who treats everyone respectfully and kindly, regardless of their social position.” I added. The earlier I convinced Shu to stop chasing fantasy men, the fewer problems we would get when she reached adulthood.
Shu gave me a skeptical eye. My credibility inside the orphanage was at an all-time high after Firana bragged about how many [Fencing] and [Longsword Mastery] levels she had achieved since she started training with me. It wasn’t enough, however, for the harpy girl to drop her preconceptions about charming princes yet.
“Yeah, what Mr. Clarke said. You must look for a strong man who can protect you, like a Warrior or a Knight.” Ash supported my words, if only partially.
Shu sighed. “Boys are so lame.”
Every orphan had their own opinion on what constituted a good man to marry, except for Virdian, who kept sleeping even with the ceaseless yelling.
“Enough!” Elincia clapped her hands and raised her voice over the debate about marriage material. “I don’t want anyone getting a cold this winter, so no corridor talks. Everyone to the kitchen now!”
The kids muttered a few ‘Yes, Miss Elincia’ and instantly scurried away. Elincia was still the most influential voice in the orphanage, and I didn’t believe that would change any time soon. I wondered if her [Governess] title had a secret passive attached.
“What was that?” Elincia grabbed my arm and pulled me to the kitchen.
We strolled, cherishing the fleeting moment of solitude.
“Shu is going to be a beautiful woman one day. I’m just preparing her to filter the scoundrels that most certainly will come for her.” I explained as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Alright, Daddy Robert, no need to be a misandrist.” Elincia could barely hold back her laughter.
“I know my people,” I replied.
The breakfast was uneventful, and other than the snake kids asking for a potato omelet, everything went as expected. I had grown to prefer the stable, monotonous everyday routine over the excitement of uncertainty. Safe and certain was good when you had a dozen kids in your care.
The topic of marriage came up again during breakfast, and, to my surprise, everyone had strong opinions about the optimal traits of a desirable spouse. Money, loyalty, and fame were replaced by Classes, Levels, and Skills. The only common point with Earth seemed to be looks. It was a surreal experience to hear the kids debating about the merit of Combatant and Non-Combatant classes as potential romantic partners.
The whole scene was a delayed cultural shock.
“They will eventually realize there’s more to Classes and Levels… hopefully.” Elincia calmed me down.
I spent the rest of the breakfast creating intricate mana patterns so Ilya could train her mana control. The discussion about marriage slowly died until most of the kids focused on our exercise. As much as Zaon and Firana tried to summon mana from within their bodies, their efforts were in vain. If I had to guess, Ilya had an innate talent for magic due to her gnome blood. The tables had turned, and now Firana struggled to catch Ilya.
Once the breakfast was over, I gathered my class to start with the morning training session. Due to my wounds, my role was limited to overseeing the sparring sessions and producing illusions of monsters for the kids to fight. The mock monster hunting was proving to be a solid pedagogical tool. The kids had grown more cautious, which translated into their sparring sessions against each other.
“The storm is over. Are we training outside today?” Firana asked with a hopeful expression.
“It’s still too muddy. Let’s use the ballroom.” I replied, remembering Ilya being calf-deep in the mud.
We were crossing the reception hall towards the ballroom when someone knocked on the door, and a man's muffled voice came from the other side.
“Governess? There’s someone here who wants to meet you!”
I recognized the guardsmen's voice, so I opened the door without a second thought. It was probably Corin, the messenger girl. But I was wrong.
Standing in the front yard, over a dozen soldiers with haggard faces stood in an orderly formation. Unlike the guardsmen, who wore the colors of the Marquis, the soldiers wore shining yet battered armor adorned with green and gold. The banner of a golden stag on a yellow field faintly weaved on the hands of a bannerman whose head was wrapped in bandages.
I froze in the doorway, looking at the scene. The troops were in bad shape as if they were marching day and night for a whole week with a pursuing army at their chase. On the street, I noticed a second group of warriors. Ten men dressed in unmarked combat gear in optimal condition. Mercenaries. On the front of the mercenary group, I recognized the debt collector who was harassing Ginz earlier this week. Kellaren Odrac-Aias. The man wasn’t dressed as a debt collector anymore but as a warrior with a long and thick machete hanging from his belt and a crossbow on his back.
The captain of the stag troops stepped forward. He was missing an arm. His gilded armor wasn’t in better shape, and his helmet was missing one of the antlers. We were deep into the kingdom’s territory, so I couldn’t think of anyone attacking the royal armies anywhere nearby.
Unless these were the men who were trying to expand the kingdom’s territory deep into the Farlands.
“I’m Captain Zoran Garibal from the Imperial Army. I’m looking for Firana Aias.”
The alarms in my mind began to go off. Twenty imperial soldiers, plus the men of Kellaren Odrac-Aias' squad, stood in the front yard. There were too many, even if I had my shotgun, infinite ammo, and a healthy mana pool. I scanned the surroundings. A handful of guardsmen blocked both sides of the street.
“That would be me.” Firana’s head popped through the doorway.
Captain Garibal had an elongated object wrapped in white silk on his hand. He raised his arm and offered it to Firana. A sword, maybe?
“I’m sorry, kid. This is yours now.” The man said with a stern yet saddened voice.