The barrier closed over our heads, casting a multicolor rain of sparks over the ballroom. I examined the crowd. [Awareness] informed me there were two kinds of nobles at the party: those who were used to the spectacle of lights and those who weren’t. A barrier of this level was probably used only to protect royal family members and important nobles. The lack of servants, the Sniffers at the door, and the impenetrable barrier had to be state-of-the-art security, so only those used to moving with the upper echelons were accustomed to it.
I ignored those entranced by the barrier and focused on those who seemed rather bored. By my side, Prince Adrien was more interested in his glass of wine. On the other side of the room, by Sir Enric’s side, there was a pale middle-aged man dressed in a strange, blue, almost translucent cape with the crest of the White Tower embroidered in the chest.
“That one would be Lord Victor Osgiria. The redhead he is talking to is Lord Leonard Herran. I wonder where Lord Gairon is,” Prince Adrien muttered near my ear as the sparks danced over our heads, adopting the forms of monsters and animals.
The Fortifiers were using a trick similar to my [Minor Illusion], but despite my curiosity, I focused on the high-profile nobles across the room. I visualized the map in the Marquis study. The Herran Dukedom was south Farcrest, beyond Vedras territory, between the mountainous region and the eastern Farlands. The area was rich in mineral deposits, so House Herran controlled most of the kingdom’s metal industry.
The new trade route could shatter their monopoly over metalworks, so they opposed the Farland’s Campaign. They weren’t strong enough to refuse the royal call to arms, but they had enough influence to withhold troops and aid despite their relative closeness to the front lines. I focused on Lord Herran to memorize his appearance.
Lord Leonard Herran was a muscular man with fiery red hair riveted with white stripes and a wolf pelt across the shoulders. More than a noble, he looked like a savage warrior from the steppe. His clothing was stylish, though. He was more interested in arguing with Lord Osgiria than the light show.
“They didn’t seem really fond of each other,” I pointed out.
“Their alliance is solid, still,” Prince Adrien smiled eerily. The way he framed it made me think he was actively trying to sabotage their relationship.
My eyes drifted back to Lord Osgiria and Lord Herran. It seemed to me they were seconds away from throwing punches. Lord Herran was imposing, but Lord Osgiria didn’t fall behind. [Awareness] told me that they both were high-level combatants.
“Do you know why we retreated to Farcrest?” Prince Adrien asked.
“The campaign isn’t going well?”
Prince Adrien nodded. “Sparing soldiers comes with a cost. We were making a breakthrough across a difficult area full of nasty acid-spitting lizards when, suddenly, the flanks started disintegrating. Sir Enric Osgiria and the Osgirian army were on reserve, but they didn’t have enough personnel to reinforce both flanks, so the Osgirians left Lord Herran and his troops to fend for themselves.”
I focused on the discussion between the two nobles. They were too far for me to hear anything, so I fed [Awareness] more mana. I felt weightless as the corners of my vision blurred. The subtle gestures got new meanings. Lord Herran wasn’t angry on a personal level; he was frustrated something wasn’t working as intended.
The Prince clicked his glass against mine, pulling me back from my state of hyperfixation.
“Don’t worry about them. Just try to make some friends, tell them stories about your homeland, and enjoy the night,” he said. “And no matter what, don’t try to pull anything against Victor Osgiria. I know he’s partly responsible for the aggression towards your kid, but be patient. That snare will shut close in due time.”
“I wouldn’t dream of…” I started saying, but the Prince interrupted me.
“I investigated your record before recruiting you, Robert. I know about your propensity to get into trouble. That’s why we decided to invite Miss Rosebud,” the Prince gave me an innocent smile that [Awareness] registered as genuine.
Elincia bowed with a grave expression behind her veil. “I apologize for Rob’s past behavior. I’ll do my best to keep him on the right path tonight.”
The Prince covered his smile with a hand. Out of all alliances, this was the least expected. I gave Elincia a quick, betrayed look.
“That puts my mind at ease. I might be able to enjoy the night after all. It’s been a while since I properly partied,” he said, raising his glass and leaving us to join Lord Osgiria’s group.
I couldn’t help but feel like a kid who had been lectured in front of their parents.
“The Prince is used to party. Real parties, I mean,” I pointed out as a red phoenix flew over our heads just to explode in a cascade of yellow and white sparks. The light show was dazzling, but the fact the Prince acted like a partying college student was even more intriguing.
Elincia grabbed my waist and pulled me toward her.
“Prince Adrien was fifth in the succession to the throne until not so long ago. The king used to send him to distant kingdoms to keep him out of trouble at the capital. Or so say the rumors. People come up with different things, but I believe that one is true,” Elincia whispered.
Prince Adrien gave the impression of someone who had traveled and partied far and wide. Not that it mattered. My job was to keep the nobles entertained, and I planned to stick to it while staying away from the truly important people.
The light show finished with the royal golden stag and Farcrest’s black wolf running side to side and jumping out the window toward the night sky. Outside, the city was celebrating its own small festival. The main street was covered in multicolor paper lamps, and tiny figures danced in the square.
I wondered how things were going at the orphanage. Despite the danger, Firana probably wanted to go out to enjoy the celebration. Ilya would be mad at her, while Zaon would try to make peace between them. Wolf would observe the scene without intervening. Nasiah probably had all the younger kids in bed already.
“So, what happened to the previous heirs? Monster Surge took them out?” I asked.
I was growing accustomed to the story of the Farlands taking lives.
“Monster Surges are a problem for us, frontier dwellers,” Elincia replied with a somber expression, “Prince Adrien was chosen by Baram’s Cursed Runeblade, or rather, he was the only one capable of wielding the relic’s power.”
Using swords to choose a kingdom’s heir wasn’t a strange concept. However, being able to wield the power of a cursed sword wouldn’t ensure the heir’s capabilities as an administrator. A true leader has to excel in several areas of knowledge. Swinging a piece of metal wasn’t one of them.
The kingdom was doing well enough, nonetheless.
“Do you think I’ll have the chance to see Baram’s Cursed Runeblade?” I asked. If I wanted to learn how to runeweave correctly, I couldn’t just study the work of Enchanters. I needed to see the real thing—the work of another Runeweaver like me.
“I’d recommend you don’t,” a masculine voice said.
It wasn’t Elincia nor Sir Janus who answered. Sir Janus was nowhere to be found.
I turned around to see a young man dressed in an opulent green robe with a short beige mantle on his shoulders. Through his open jacket, I noticed a potion pouch made of worn-out leather that seemed out of place within the expensive fabrics. My mana sense told me that, much like Elincia, he kept high-grade potions in his pouch.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Lord Vedras! It’s an honor,” Elincia said, grabbing the fold of her dress and making a pronounced dip. “I’m—”
“No need to introduce yourselves. I know who you are,” Lord Vedras said as he called a flying tray with a movement of his hand. “Everyone here knows who you are. Robert Clarke from the Rosebud Fencing Academy, and Elincia Rosebud, the woman who managed to leash the beast.”
For some reason, Elincia seemed satisfied with her new ‘title’.
I sighed. After the incident with the royal soldiers, I understood my fame as a ‘violent’ man, but I expected the Prince and the Marquis to try to portray me in a more flattering light. I guessed that ‘violent’ wasn’t a bad trait for a combat instructor in a world where a number determined strength.
I closed my eyes, trying to envision the map of the kingdom. It was easy with [Awareness] pulling old memories like digitized pages of old newspapers. The Vedras were a ducal house, much like the Osgiria and the Herran, although not as wealthy nor politically influential. Despite the Marquis being a direct vassal of the royal family, Farcrest was in Vedras territory.
A minor duke seemed a good starting point for my socialité career.
“Lord Vedras, a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” I replied, raising my glass.
The man before me was young but far from inexperienced. He examined us keenly, but I could tell he was at a loss. Elincia’s appearance was an enigma under the layers of Captain Kiln’s old dresses, and my attire didn’t reveal much more than the fact I was a fencing instructor and a commoner.
My fame as a belligerent swordmaster wouldn’t take me anywhere, so I decided to start by dispelling that idea. I looked around. The nobles had slowly gravitated towards us, curious about the newcomer that had caught the Prince’s attention. [Awareness] informed me that more than a dozen pairs of eyes and ears focused on our conversation.
The setting was perfect. I fed [Identify] a shred of mana and instantly felt the distant tug of the Corruption in my chest.
“Those are high-grade potions, aren’t they? Health, antidote, warmth, mana, stamina. Are you an Alchemist by any chance, My Lord?” I asked, pointing at Lord Vedras’ potion belt.
Lord Vedras’s eyes opened wide. “I am, yes, but how did you recognize them?”
I softly squeezed Elincia’s arm, and she revealed the new potion belt Ginz had crafted for her. Lord Vedras’ eyes were shrouded by mana as he cast a detecting skill. He seemed surprised, and I could tell Elincia enjoyed flaunting her high-grade potions.
“Are you perhaps a fellow Alchemist?” Lord Vedras said, dropping his stern expression.
I wondered if it had to do with the fact that we were non-combatants like him.
“Elincia is a skilled Alchemist,” I replied. “I’m just a Scholar.”
The revelation caught him by surprise.
“A Scholar? I assumed you were some sort of elemental fencer,” Lord Vedras pointed out. “You did beat those soldiers, right? Why would Prince Adrien be so interested in you otherwise?”
I smiled. The sensation of crashing the expectations of the denizens of this world wasn’t getting old in the slightest. All that was left was to bullshit my way through the party until the barrier fell.
“That’s a trade secret, My Lord,” I grinned.
“Yeah, there it is. I believe it. You are a support class,” Lord Vedras sighed as he raised his hand to call the flying tray again. He deposited his empty glass and grabbed a new one.
Now that the man had lowered his defenses, I pushed forward.
“Are you going to participate in the tournament, My Lord?” I asked
Before answering, Lord Vedras moved his hand, and a small table with three chairs and a spotless tablecloth flew over the heads of the dancers and landed next to the windows. With a movement of his glass, Lord Vedras invited us to take a seat. Despite my initial apprehension, the seat didn’t come to life when I sat.
“My meathead brother arrived today with our team. You’ll meet him eventually,” Lord Vedras sighed. “What intrigues me is a Scholar as the instructor of a fencing academy. Combatant Classes are the ones who are usually in charge of those… activities.”
I leaned back and took a sip of my glass, taking my sweet time so other nobles dragged their chairs close to our table. Lord Vedra's presence deterred lower nobles from directly approaching us. I didn’t care too much. The night was going to be long.
“Where I come from, the Great Kingdom of Connecticut, people are encouraged to have one or more hobbies separated from their Class,” I explained. “I picked up fencing parallel to my teaching job and got very good at it despite being a Scholar.”
A slight murmur rose around our table.
“Hobbies. That’s fascinating. I’ve never heard of a country that encourages its citizens to neglect their Class to pursue recreational training,” Lord Vedras said.
[Awareness] informed me more and more people dragged their chairs closer to our table to overhear our conversation. Unlike me, who had a certain familiarity with RPG systems, the citizens of Ebros couldn’t imagine a life without a Class. The nearest thing to a systemless world was the orc tribes, but I doubted most people outside Farcrest knew about them.
“The people from Robert’s land don’t use System Shrines to get their classes. They go through the natural path,” Elincia pointed out, igniting the interest of the nobles.
“I call that bullshit. It's impossible for a society to sustain itself by classless leeches,” Lord Osgiria said as he moved a hand to summon a chair.
[Awareness] didn’t warn me about him.
“I assure you, My Lord, that’s how things work in Connecticut,” I replied with a steady voice—years of dealing with belligerent parents and administrators had conditioned me to keep calm during arguments.
With a movement of my glass, I encouraged the other nobles to come closer if they wanted to hear more about my homeland.
“This might sound strange to you, but I got my Scholar Class when I was twenty-two,” I lied.
The public gasped.
“That’s indeed strange,” Lord Vedras said, wary of Lord Osgiria’s presence at the table.
Despite both being dukes, they were on entirely different levels.
“All I hear is seven years of life thrown away,” Lord Osgiria said.
I grinned. The only years I had thrown away were those I worked for the law firm, but that was irrelevant. The nobles around me seemed to agree with Lord Osgiria, and I had to remind myself I wasn’t there to convince anyone my methods were the only way. I was there to entertain them.
“Oh, I can assure you I wasn’t idle. You could even argue I was as far ahead as the best Scholars of House Osgiria even before getting my class,” I replied with a challenging smile that only drew more attention from the nobles.
Elincia kicked me under the table, but considering the other nobles' curious glances, a little friction only added to the value of my performance. Lord Osgiria wasn't happy with my statement. I waited for him to try to discredit me.
“It seems to me that even our Scribes would be on a better footing than you, Robert Clarke,” Lord Osgiria said.
“As I said, things are different in Connecticut,” I said with a mysterious tone. I had my audience captive. “We start educating our kids at five years old. Almost everyone finishes the mandatory twelve-year program. After that, I underwent four extra years of education to specialize in teaching. I assure you, My Lord, we take the development of our youth very seriously.”
Lord Osgiria was out of words, and even the nobles on the other side of the ballroom started to notice our little group.
“I got into fencing while specializing in teaching. Before that, I was into football. You’d love it,” I said with a flourish. Before Lord Osgiria could refute me, I used [Minor Illusion] to cast a small football stadium with an excellent green pitch with twenty-two tiny players.
The nobles leaned forward to peek into the illusion. Thanks to [Awareness], the memories of the thousands of hours of football were fresh in my mind. I showed them a curated mish-mash of the best plays sprinkled with some acrobatic goals.
“These are non-combatants, by the way. Skills are prohibited,” I clarified, showing a particularly nasty kick from a certain Portuguese player. Several nobles instinctively grabbed their chins and clenched their jaws. “You are not allowed to do that, by the way.”
Sensing his play wasn’t going his way, Lord Osgiria interrupted my illusion.
“I guess it doesn’t matter how many years you studied. In the end, if you attract the most talented students, your academy will do well nonetheless,” Lord Osgiria said with a self-sufficient smile. “The Aias had been famous fencers for generations. Undoubtedly, the Marquis allowed you to participate in the tournament because of her.”
The accusation caught me by surprise. I could understand Lord Osgiria, or any other noble, being skeptical about how things worked back on Earth. After all, our cultures were utterly different regarding education and career choices. But that last bit felt too personal.
Suddenly, I understood. For Lord Osgiria, the tournament had already started. For a moment, I was at a loss for words. I didn’t expect him to throw accusations so openly during a closed-door party.
To my surprise, Elincia spoke up. All eyes fell upon her. “We don’t pick our students, My Lord, not even Firana Aias. We are an orphanage. Our team is composed solely of orphans in Farcrest.”