A very strange trio was now walking down the street.
An Elven Mage who appeared to be around his late twenties with silver white hair, a boy who appeared to be around thirteen years old at most with blonde hair, and a boy who appeared to be around ten years old with black hair. If anyone saw them, they would believe these would be their ages. They would also be woefully incorrect.
Amyris was actually over two hundred, although one might be able to expect that from an elf. Had he actually been in his late twenties as an elf, his height would be somewhere inbetween Kuroki's and Riza's, probably just a smidge closer to Kuroki's.
Riza was in fact 64 years old. Not only has he had children of his own, but those children have produced grandchildren. At least by what he said, but Kuroki did not think he was lying.
And Kuroki, who has always been abnormally short for his age and had a youthful appearance, was actually fifteen instead of ten. He lacked any body or facial hair growth, so if one saw him naked, they wouldn't really think it either, aside from having a healthy growth down there. There was the least discrepency between his appearance and his age of the three, but the other two were likely supernatural in origin. His meanwhile, was simply due to genetics and bad luck. The fact that his home life was terrible thanks to his shitty father also was certainly a contributing factor. But by this point, although he held onto hope that things might change, he had likely passed his explosive growth period and would be forever condemned to be mistaken as an elementary schooler.
At least, that was his fear.
Incidentally, he had avoided the subject when he was with Kaede all that time simply because while they had grown close and comfortable with each other, he really didn't want to have a talk about his boyhood with a girl, especially under those conditions. And he felt like naturally it end up would, especially if he started to vent. Despite their strong bond, it had still only been a day after all. Although, there was always the possibility he mentioned it when they were in the bath before passing out and he just couldn't remember.
At the moment though, they were heading to the Mage's Guild. It was already getting late, the sun was setting, but there was still plenty of time left it seemed.
"So the Mage's Guild doesn't close at night?"
"No, like the Adventurer's Guild and the Merchant Guild, it remains open all night" Riza said.
Amyris just looked at the third person who decided to tag along.
"And, why are you here? Don't you have work?"
"Mhm. I do. Investigating all those Fallen Stars, among other things. Anyways, I just needed to ask Ellie to come by my place later so she can get measurements from my own little star".
"...I feel like that was some rudeness sent in my direction" Kuroki said, glaring at Riza. Riza just had a sheepish grin. Kuroki got the feeling that Riza could be quite cheeky. He also got the feeling Riza liked to exaggerate, lie, and play various pranks on people.
"Sorry sorry, its just I am so used to dealing with people who tower over me, I just want to experience the other side myself you know? Anyways, my name is Riza Luminar. I am forever thirteen years old, and Captain of the Silver Wind. I am both technically a Royal Knight and an S-Ranked Adventurer. Also, I am a student of this old man right here".
He pointed at Amyris when he said that, which caught Kuroki's eyes.
"Wait, you are a magician?"
"Yep. All Knights in the Silver Wind Brigade are. Its a special unit though, so aside from certain circumstances, we all work apart from each other or in small groups. Right now I have some people investigating the rise of a criminal organization in Ruthil that has been targeting young boys far more aggressively than the norm, I have reports of some mad berserker up near Kothis, and then there is the recent disappearance of various magical materials from storehouses and markets. And then of course...I have the Starfallen situation I am dealing with personally".
Amyris nodded, unsurprised, while Kuroki was a bit surprised still. "So you know then".
Riza then replied in a voice that sounded just a bit exaggerated in being offended, but also just a bit whimsical. As if he was messing with them a bit.
"Of course I know, why do you think I need a tailor to come to my estate? I simply can't move that many naked people through the streets. Listen Kuroki, I am sure you have noticed a difference in culture and all that, but let me tell you. Leaving aside maybe a roving pack of young kids playing around by the waterways or such, there is no real reason that would ever be a thing. They are at least being compliant, even if they complain and get embarrassed a lot. But a lot of them seem...really weak. Or maybe Anna just skewed my perception".
Kuroki heard a familiar name once more.
"Wait, you knew Anna was well?"
"Of course! She was my junior disciple you know? We both trained together under Sensei".
This was certainly different. Kuroki had not expected that to meet someone who was a fellow disciple.
"Wait hold on, then does that mean..."
"Yes, all the stories are true. Including the one where she ran across the city butt naked to recapture all the run away clothes. As well as the fact that despite being a Starfallen, she showed none of their reservation and even was rather pushy. She would always want to talk with me before bed too, so we always ended up sleeping together. And yes, she slept like that too".
"What about you?"
"Well, I was a kid at the time, and my aging had not stopped yet, so I didn't have any sleepware other then for winter either. But also, it would be strange as hell if only one of us was naked, and Anna was...well, she was very good at rendering others into that state. Not even for malice, but she liked the feel of it and thought it was healthier".
"Well, she is right about it being healthy...but how about a different topic? Anna is certainly like that a lot and strange for sure, but...thats not even what she is famous for with the public".
Apparently, all the stories Kuroki had heard so far were not Anna's main reputation. To be honest, he was a bit thankful that Master's reputation wasn't harmed by such a wild child. At least by having that be her main reputation.
"Well yeah, thats because what she lacked in common sense or ability to do chores, she made up for with combat ability" Riza admitted. "Even I barely won against her after a point despite being the senior disciple".
"Wait wait, hold on, but I thought Starfallen didn't get any powers that we might call Cheats or such?"
"Yeah. She didn't have any either" Riza nodded.
"Indeed. She didn't gain any of that from being a Starfallen" Amyris confirmed.
"Wait, do you mean..."
"Leaving her brazen and shameless personality aside, she gained all of her combat ability after she arrived here. In that respect, she was a monster. Despite having no unfair advantages, she was a true genius. She mastered being a spellblade in particular. As far as I am aware, the gifts she got from being a Starfallen were improved physical abilities, magical abilities, and inherent resistances and endurance. And I believe that while she always had a high learning capacity, that got boosted too. It might have been close to being a cheat level thing, as she might say, but it was just added to what she already had".
Riza explained it, while Amyris was looking glum. It was a worsening look the further the topic of Anna went on. Seeing that, Riza decided to shift gears.
"In any case, it doesn't look like most of them will be able to do much. A few claimed to be office workers, one was apparently a construction worker, and a few said they were going to college, although they looked a bit old to still be in school to me. The only one with any real promise was some kid who said they were a second grader. He seemed to have some combat abilities, and he was the one who had the most life in his eyes. So once I train him and get him some clothes and gear, he should be good".
Kuroki twinged a bit, however he looked back at Riza.
"Are any of them an ill behaved tall muscular asshole who is bossy?"
"Ah no, nothing like that. I want to say the physical appearance makes them sound promising, but those other adjectives make him sound like trouble".
"...good" Kuroki said, sighing with relief. Then he went to his next questions. "Do any of them go by them go by the name Akano, Reiji, or Juno, or have they mentioned those names?"
After that, he made sure to also add in the names of his friend's parents and siblings, as well as their family names.
"Sorry, cant say that I have".
"...well, at least it wasn't a negative".
"There were over ten thousand Starfallen at least, and while its hard to confirm the identity of the corpses, so far we haven't run across the corpse of a child yet at least. It appears all Children Starfallen were given the best starting points. It also seems like they developed the best abilities to survive in this world, although perhaps thats just my skewed perception regarding combat related abilities. The adults so far tend to have more steward based abilities".
Kuroki was a bit surprised to hear this, but it gave him a bit of hope his friends were alive.
Meanwhile Amyris decided to ask about something with a sharp gaze.
"Does the royal family know about all the Starfallen?"
"I don't think they know for sure yet, but they at least suspect. I admittedly delayed my report a bit to gather more information, since we want to avoid a factional dispute. Especially since multiple Heroes ended up being summoned".
"...what?"
Amyris looked like he heard something impossible. His voice was full of a dumbfounded nonsensical tone that seemed to not understand what Riza had just said so casually. Riza meanwhile, rather than his usual playful smile, looked serious for a change.
"Yes. Three heroes, two boys and one girl, appeared after our own summoning. Furthermore, we confirmed that the Empire also summoned at least one hero, a girl, but possibly more as well. And apparently, not just the Delathid Empire, but also the Nemulos Kingdom summoned at least two heroes, but it sounded like there might be more".
"Considering how much cloth and second hand clothes they bought up, I bet the Heroes got quite the pick to choose from after their audience with the King".
That was also why Riza had to get help from a tailor as well. As a noble, and someone with clear influence and power, normally he would be able to scrounge some up. But it had all been bought up on royal order, which left nothing left for even him to grab. A few carriages that should have been carrying extras also seemed to vanish or get run off the road, or mysteriously lost cargo all at once. Riza thought that these events might also be Starfallen related, since it was said Starfallen arrive near supplies that can help them get started, or people who can help them get started.
For Kuroki, Akano, and Kaede, they were the latter. For Reiji and Juno, they were the former. The psychopath that had tried to stab him but then tripped and broke his own neck instantly was apparently a valid delivery mechanism for the former.
Anyways, in regards to the hero, Riza explained some more. Technically speaking, heroes were not forced or compelled to serve the kingdom. They were free to reject. However, that meant the kingdom couldn't spare any time or resources to aid them, and it always felt like that included clothes. Like the Starfallen, those who were summoned appeared naked as well, and with no connections in the world, it wasn't entirely viable. That was one of the main negotation points mentioned when trying to convince the hero to join them.
Of course, the summoning ritual itself was set to only target those who would be inclined to help of their own free will, so usually such a term never even needed to be spoken out loud or brought up.
Kuroki thought that was a bit brutal. He understood the terms himself and why they could make sense, but the fact that they were summoned in such a state in front of so many people, including the king, upon arrival? And thrust into that sort of meeting at the start?
In any case, it seemed like there were still a lot of unknowns. Apparently, Hero Summonings typically couldn't be performed repeatedly one after another, and certainly not at the same time. Especially given how resource intensive they could be, as well as the nature of the magic itself. It also typically meant no new Starfallen would arrive for awhile. However, in this case the Summonings seemed to have summoned multiple people, multiple had been successfully completed at once, and a huge amount of Starfallen appeared at the same time.
Simply put, there was something clearly wrong with all this.
"Well, enough about that. We have arrived at the Mage's Guild".
The building in front of them was a rather large one, clearly incredibly expensive and well built. It appeared to have a rather large first and second floor with various windows, and then there was a bit of a large balcony surrounding the third and fourth floor which appeared more narrow, but was still quite large to be several rooms wide. Then the fifth and sixth floors were even more narrow, but still had plenty of space for a number of rooms at least. At top was a large glass dome. The entire building was round, but at what could be called the four corners of the property, which given the spacing of the pillars seemed to indicate there was a large lot in the back ot the building had an unnatural extention that way. Kuroki suspected the former, even if he couldn't see to confirm himself. However, he could sense quite a bit of mana and noticed various spell arrays throughout the surface of the building And those were probably just the decoys.
The building itself was purple, but its detailing and borders around the windows and doors were red. As for the big front doors in front of them, they were about five Kurokis tall, and ten Kurokis wide. Kuroki didn't know the exact measurements. Or rather, he seemed to find it difficult to measure it with numbers, and had for some reason measured it using himself as a unit of measurement. Either way, the doors were quite large and grand, detailed with ornate carvings and magic formations. Very likely the building was warded beyond comprehension, which was probably what caused Kuroki's strange measuring standards a moment ago. Amyris pushed the doors open, while Riza stepped in first.
As they entered, their ears were immediately greeted with a pleasant array of music. It was quite nice and soothing, and seemed to stimulate the brain a bit. The main lobby was quite large, befitting its large doors. The ceiling was somewhere between six to seven Kurokis high, and it was an unfathomable amount of Kurokis wide. Too many to measure with the Kuroki unit of measurement. Partially since he was rather thin.
While the lobby was mainly open with empty floor space, with clear room to bring large objects in and out, there was some furniture around for those waiting in the lobby. Furthermore, there was also plenty of bookshelves and books, with quite a few people waiting. With plenty of space behind them and wrapped around the far wall of the room was various receptionist counters. Kuroki had expected the stereotypical female receptionist here, but instead the receptionist was a thirty year old man with messy blonde hair.
The receptionist seemed to have a slim but somewhat muscular build. However, it wasn’t to the level of a bodybuilder, and it seemed more like he had been blessed with a large frame and a tall height. He also had a monacle, but there was no tie or bow tie Like business suits, such things did not exist in this world it seemed. He did have a white long sleeve shirt and black vest on, with a mages robe on over it.
The moment he saw the trio walk up, he frowned. He specifically looked at Riza first.
"What are you doing here, dad?"
Kuroki would have done a spittake had he been drinking anything.
"Dad?!"
"Mhm. This is my son, Vartra. Ahhh, he used to be such a cute little boy who after a bath would run up to me saying 'Papa papa I am clean now, take a nap with me!' Even at ten years old he still..."
"Shut up dad! Stop bringing up my embarrassing childhood!"
"Oh? But its one of the perks of being a parent though! That and having people take care of me in my old age".
"You only say you are old when it’s convenient for you" he grumbled. It seemed Riza was like this even with his family Kuroki noted he should try to avoid growing up into an adult with such a troublesome personality.
"Well, in that case, how about you and your wife produce a few more grandkids for me so you can enjoy it more too? Maybe it might motivate Shinlu. To think he still hasn't proposed yet. Does he plan to deny me more grandkids?"
Hearing those words from a youthful voice, from someone who appeared thirteen years old at most, was rather surreal.
"...so, why are you here dad? And you brought Amyris with you, as well as a new face, so I doubt this is a social call" Vartra said, trying to move the conversation along.
"Ah, we are here to register Amyris' new apprentice with the Mage's Guild. I ended up joining along since I met them at Ellie's. She just finished lil Kuroki's order".
"I am not little" Kuroki responded with some hostility in his voice.
"Right. Anyways" Vartra said, moving things along again. "I assume that means he will want to register as Amyris' apprentice then, correct?"
Amyris nodded. "Yes, and we also wish to have him use The Chamber to summon his True Arcanium. Frankly speaking, we need to get it done soon, so I dont mind kicking someone else down the line".
"The chamber isn't available right now, but we should have something next month. You could always try the ancient methods, of course. But its inherently more dangerous and leaves one more vulnerable, and you would need to wait a week and a half for a full moon. But isn't he still an apprentice? Isn't it too early for him to have an True Arcanium? Even a lot of professional mages dont have one or don't even use them".
"...not as vulnerable as a mage without a True Arcanium. But I guess it would be Kuroki's decision. As for it being too soon, there are some special circumstances involved..."
"Well, first of all, none of you have told me what an Arcanium is yet".
"Are you seriously? Even five year olds know what they are you know?" Vartra said, shocked.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Riza just gave Vartra an unusually serious look.
"Taira".
Once he heard that word, Vartra was surprised, but then nodded.
"...understood. I will keep that a secret, don't worry. There have been quite a few requests already though, so be careful. It will come out eventually".
"Which is why we need to get him a True Arcanium first" Riza replied. "Why is the chamber unavailable?"
"A huge shockwave of spacetime magic, that happened a few days ago. During the night of the shooting stars. All summoning chambers overloaded and are in the middle of being repaired and recharged. They say it will take at least a month before the chamber can be used again".
Kuroki had no doubt this was related to him being pulled into this world.
"I see. I suppose it can't be helped. Anyways, to answer your original question Kuroki, a True Arcanium is like a focus for a mage. Its created from our mana, our very souls and being. While there are many spellcasting focuses and normal Arcaniums, True Arcaniums can be rather special. Of course, not everyone can summon a True Arcanium, but if Amyris thinks you can, then I am sure you can. Think of it as being like the object version of a Mage's Familiar. There are also normal Arcaniums, which people use the most due to their customability and flexibility, things like wands and Grimoires and staffs, but they aren't specialized for you like a True Arcanium is".
Hearing that, Kuroki roughly was able to understand.
"Its also either extremely expensive or extremely dangerous, so many mages dont get one until they advance. If sensei is already getting you one, he must think you are ready for it. Depending on how modest you are, it might be rough though".
"Why?"
"To summon a True Arcanium, first one has to learn how to manipulate and sense mana at a fine detail. You pretty much have to be able to create a spell on your own already. It doesn't have to be amazing, just usable. Then you have to develop the skill to manually sift mana through your own body. You also need to make your magic strong enough to endure the ritual itself. After that, you strip bare ass naked, and sit in a place with lots of natural mana around you while under a full moon, typically some clearing in a forest or a field. Typically a place in the wilderness, since cities and towns have too many people around. And it has to be buckets worth of natural mana. After a lot of trial and error, The Mage's Guild has created a room that can sort of do that purpose to make it easier, but it takes a lot of magical energy and resources to use so it’s very expensive. It was very difficult but somehow they managed to make it so the space itself mirrors the effects. But it all has to be natural, nothing artificial can even be near you, or in the case of the room, be in the room. The room also takes longer and will likely cause it to take twelve to eighteen hours, so eat big and eat ahead of time”.
”Furthermore, no mage can even get close to you for fear of their own mana interfering. That means you have to walk at least a few several hundred meters completely naked to an isolated location full of natural mana, which very likely means monsters, cast as little to no magic as possible the whole time, sit there, and then meditate to a degree where you close off your perception of the outside world. After that, you focus upon your own mana, and sort of...dive into it. You search within yourself, through your knowledge and memories, and manifest an object that becomes based on that form that becomes your Arcanium. Typically Mage's only get a True Arcanium when they are rank four or five if they do at all, so this is quite early. Anyways, once it finishes manifesting, you just leave your own mana, and then boom. That's it. At that point you can do whatever you want to defend yourself or cast whatever magic you want to, but you are totally defenseless during this process and you cannot place wards or barriers ahead of time. That is part of why the Mage's Guild created these rooms. Though admittedly unlike the original ritual, the room has a five percent chance of failure, and no you don’t get a refund or credit for the next time".
Riza gave a rather detailed description.
"...I see. That sounds problematic".
Kuroki could see the clear risks. However...
"Personally, since there are so many unknowns, and we dont know who else might come after you, I think you should do it immediately. You already possess both skills necessary, although I think you should refine them a bit first".
"Who else?"
Kuroki did not miss that slip of the tongue.
"...alright, in truth, we had a hit team of Demons appeared the previous night, when we suddenly made you and Kaede take a bathe together. They were after you and Kaede".
”Why?”
”Unknown. Someone else gave the orders. Paid them quite a bit too. And they kept their identity a secret too. A dead end for now”.
“So getting a True Arcanium will help me protect myself better from anything in the future”.
”That and the extensive defensive enchantments I had Ellie weave into it for you. Plus the cloak should help a lot”.
”Wait this cloak? The one you gave me when we met?”
”Yes. That thing is capable of flying on its own, intercepting arrow based projectiles, is resistant to all physical attacks, has some resistance to magical attacks, can automatically fly to you if you call for it, can adjust the length of its sleeves, can divide itself in two and create portals on itself connected between the two fragments, and then rejoin back together, although it can’t use that ability too freely. It can also prevent mind control and all other forms of mind tinkering, or at least resist it. It should resist petrification as well. It can even be used offensively to attack, disrupt, and throw enemies around”.
”…so, the entire trip, I was wearing your ultimate shield basically?”
”Yes”.
It was a straightforward answer. It appeared that with the cloak, Kuroki was far more safe than he realized. However…
”Ahh! That meant I was totally fine going to the bathroom on my own!”
”Well, consider it a learning experience”.
Riza couldn’t help but laugh a bit at this.
“Well, maybe it’s for the best you get the Arcanium from nature. It is the faster method, even if it is more dangerous. It’s also cheaper”.
”But what about monsters? Or assassins?”
”Assassins you might need it for anyways. As for monsters, honestly that won’t be a big deal will it? All me and Amyris need to do…”
Is use our full power ahead of time.
The words never left Riza’s mouth, and he never said them out loud. However, somehow everyone around them instinctively knew what he was going to say. The other receptionists. The other mages. Everyone near. A chill ran down their spines. Just how many monsters would lose their lives for the Arcanium of a single mage?
Everyone there knew the power those two held. If they cleared the area ahead of time, there was no doubt it would be safe for Kuroki to perform the ritual. However, Varta frowned all the same.
“Such a disruption to the monster’s ecosystems…thst will cause people no end of trouble you know? At the very least, make sure you check with the adventurer’s guild first. Have them help you find a good spot to do it”.
Monsters were a threat to humanity and needed to be exterminated. Everyone knew this. But if they recklessly disrupted habitats and changed the topography, more powerful monsters might move in and get closer to the roads, and it could end up disrupting the leylines when one considers the Arcanium ritual.
But he also knew better then to try and talk his father out of something when he was like this. So instead he suggested a diplomatic compromise.
"In any case, the nearest time would be in ten days, so until then, would he like a normal Arcanium or two?" Vartra asked.
"I think that would be best. Can you lead us to the Archive of the Arcane?"
"Sure, lets just get his registration done first. Shall I assume the Master is Amyris then? Does he have any other backers?"
"I am standing right here" Riza pointed out.
"Ellie is giving her support as well".
Vartra nodded to Riza's and Amyris' words.
"Then I just need him to fill out this form" he said, handing a form to Kuroki as well as a pen. He then waved his hand a bit, and a stool grew out from the ground for Kuroki to sit on, since he was just barely able to see over the counter. Writing on it would have been hard. He nodded in appreciation, climbing upon it and filling it out.
Family Name: Age: 15 Height: 124cm Hair Color: Black Birthday: Father: Given Name: Kuroki Gender: Male Weight: 30kg Eye Color: Purple Master: Amyris Mother: Talents: Wind Based Magic Water Based Magic Mana Manipulation Cooking Mana Perception Enhanced Mental Learning Ability Time Based Magic
As expected, it didn't ask for anything like levels or stats. Kuroki had figured this for awhile now, but no such system existed in this world. He didn't know enough about the calandar of this world, so he wasn't sure what to do about his birthday, and he didn't want a family name on record just to be safe. He doubted his father would ever register with the Mage's Guild, but if an employee heard his last name and decided to look it up, that might cause a leak, so Kuroki left that blank. Amyris told him what to add under talents. Cooking seemed a bit weird for the Mage's Guild, but whatever.
He handed it back to Vartra, whose eyes widened a bit.
"You know this says fifteen right?"
Kuroki stared daggers at the man.
"...I see. Well, you three certainly fit in together".
"Hey I am totally normal" Riza lied in a blatent manner and very non-chalantly.
"Like hell you are!" the other three quipped, causing Riza to make an exaggerated shocked face.
Vartra saw this would go nowhere, and just processed the paperwork. He then took out something new. It appeared to be a needle with a base.
"Now, we need to register your ID with your body and your mana".
"...my body?"
Vartra saw his expression and chuckled.
"No you dont have to strip. We just need a bit of blood. It should contain both aspects we need. Just prick your finger on this".
"Ah, okay" Kuroki said. He wasn't a fan of pain, but this was nothing compared to what he went through with his father. After pricking himself, Vartra took out a blank card and dripped the blood onto it. After that, he put the card into some sort of magic device that reminded Kuroki of a microwave. Only it was way more ornate and stylized. Honestly it looked way cooler and had all sorts of arcane symbols on it. It made a few noises here and there but nothing too loud, just some clicks and whirls. And occasionally a “zoop”.
After about two minutes, it finished and opened up, and he took out an ID. It appeared as a sort of purple card, and it was passed to Kuroki. He took it in his hand, and he felt it suddenly link with his magic power. The magic power in his body connected to the magic power in the card, and syncronized. It then displayed his name, his age, his height, and a photo of his head. The last one he didn't expect. It was only a headshot, so one could only see his head and shoulders, but they were bare. So it recreated his image from his blood most likely.
Once that was done, they moved into the back, with Vartra going in through a door behind the counter first and then opening the door for them. They all walked in, and headed down a hall before quickly turning left and going further into the guild. After going about halfway, they came across another T intersection, with a pair of big doors right in front of them. Unlike the front door however, these were only three and a half Kuroki's tall roughly.
They entered through it, only to come into what appeared to be a gigantic library. It had plenty of bookshelves, and they were all full of books. The entire room was probably one that reached into the third or fourth floor, or perhaps the building simply did not need to be limited by physical restraints.
Each floor was already tall, after all. All the ceilings were high, and it was probably the same for the other floors. Still, this library still looked like it would reach the third floor at least, so that was just how big and tall it was. Not even a dozen Kurokis could reach it even if they stacked each other in a single line tower. Bookshelves as far as the eye could see, Kuroki briefly wondered if he was in heaven.
However, as they looked further in, he discovered something that was both amazing...and disheartening. There were quite a number of tomes in this library that were even bigger then him. Even taller then him. He saw books with spines that were 150cm tall at least. If opened, he could lay down in one without a single bit of him being off the edges.
Riza saw his expression and mused a bit. "If you do sleep on one, make sure you take off all your clothes. At the very least any cloaks, pants, jackets, ect. The books are resistant to water and sweat, but dirt or dust from clothes could still get on it, and the librarians would have a fit with you. At the very least, never wear your shoes on them if you take them out. The librarians will kill you".
"If I take them out?" Kuroki asked, but then he noticed the other three removing their shoes.
"Ah that's right. This isn't a thing in your world for some reason. You are not allowed to wear shoes in the library. You have to check them in with the clerk at the front desk right here before you set foot onto the carpeted areas. When you want to leave, you go back here. If you want to take any books out, you have to do that first before the librarian gives you your shoes back. When doing so, you use your ID to register that you took the books out as well, so if you dont return them, or if you mistreat them....well, it can end badly for you".
"...what do you mean by that?"
"They make you do some truly awful and embarrassing jobs as well as sticking you with a major bill. Like cleaning the slime pits" Riza said, a bit sheepishly.
"Riza, just...dont let anyone rile you up" his son warned.
"Yes, please. I just got out of trouble with the Guild yesterday, don't get us back in trouble".
Now that Kuroki thought of it, Amyris did say he was on bad terms with them. But it seemed like he did something to fix it while they were apart.
They checked their shoes with the clerk, before heading in with their feet clad only in socks, except for Riza who had taken them off and stuffed them into his pockets.
"...why did you do that?"
"Because I have been working all day, my socks are covered in sweat. Thankfully they are highly absorbant so my feet are quite dry, but...well, better safe than sorry".
Kuroki had these socks for all of an hour or two, so his was perfectly fine. Everyone else seemed fine too, but then again, Riza was a Royal Knight it seemed. So he probably did quite a bit of work today.
As they kept walking, Kuroki realized that there were more then just books here. Wands and staffs were in display cases all around, and quite a large number of them. Eventually however, they reached an octagonal room in the back with bookshelves and drawers all around it, as well as various other sort of compartments.
"Here. I think you are a bit too short for a staff, sorry, so I think either a Grimoire or a Wand would fit you best" Vartra said. Finally, someone who showed some compassion and didn't say something rude about his height for a change.
"I would have to agree" Amyris added.
"What is the difference between the two?"
"Wands are probably the easiest to use and the easiest to carry. They are a bit basic and you cant pack much into it ahead of time, not to mention using a hand to hold it. However, they are also fast, and help you get your spells out faster. They are also easy to carry and conceal. A Grimoire meanwhile is rather unwieldy, but at the same time it appears as a book. It might seem odd at times sure, but its something that people wont usually think twice about. It also contains the greatest amount of storage space for spellcraft, and is quite efficient. But you cant really aim it as well as a wand or a staff, and its harder to wield then a staff as well. Furthermore, Grimoires tend to be the heaviest, although mages tend to easily get around that through magic admittedly. That said, one might think the strengths still outweight the risks, and if that was it they would be right. However, Grimoires tend to hold the secrets of their users externally. So if someone manages to steal it from you, they would have the chance to decypher it and learn about your spell portfolio".
Kuroki nodded and understood. He ended up understanding it all, but he could basically simplify it as this. Wands were easy to use but not as strong, while Grimoires were very strong but both a bit difficult to use and also contain risks towards one's secrets. As such, he was able to form his opinion easily. The wand would be a stable and consistent tool for him that wouldn't increase risk to himself from other mages.
"Then I will go with the that then".
He said that as he pointed to what he chose.
What he had picked was clearly what he would need, and that was the Grimoire. That storm likely affected the whole city. When he and Kaede talked last night, he learned she had been living in a house further in the neighborhood area then in the urban area, over ten thousand people sounded like the right population for where he lived. In other words, his father was likely here. He couldn't take the risk that he wasn't. And if he obtained power from his desires, it could be disasterous for Kuroki.
Thanks to what he learned about Anna, he learned that wishes were not things raised to set limits, but rather things added to what one already had. Juno proved this himself with his archery skill, though Kuroki had no way of knowing that yet.
Furthermore, it seemed that people gained abilities based on what they desired. Kaede admitted how she learned of Kuroki's injuries despite the fact someone as young as Kaede shouldn't be capable of seeing them, at least not unless she endured something similar. So abilities clearly were granted from desire. This likely explained the difference between children and adults as well. As adults matured, their imaginations became more limited as they convinced what was and wasn't possible. They lacked the creative spark and energy children had, their hyperness and desire for strength or magic.
While surely some still had it, he suspected that was a minority. This was why Riza's group of adults he found were more like stewards then fighters, like the boy he found. They probably had desires more focused on their work being easier for them.
But that meant his father was a major risk to him. Honestly, Kuroki needed to power up as fast as he could. Because he could guess...no, he knew of three of his wishes and desires off the top of his head.
One: To be an incredible fighter and champion who can use his skills to solve all his issues. This would likely lead to increased physical abilities, adding to what he had already which would probably put them at a superhuman level.
Two: To always find Kuroki no matter where he ran off to and make sure he couldn't escape his fate. This one terrified Kuroki even more then the first, because if they could form specific abilities, then it was possible he would always have a compass that led him directly to Kuroki. It would mean that at this moment, his father could be charging right towards his location, and could attack at any time.
Three: The ability to make Kuroki agree with him and do what he said. This was also terrifying, since it would almost certianly rob Kuroki of his free will. It would almost certainly cause him to become enslaved to his father, possibly forever. That terrified him.
And Kuroki knew his father well enough to know that these were three things he absolutely desired. To have might makes right. To never let Kuroki escape. And to control him and make him totally obedient.
Other mages? They might become an enemy. But his father absolutely would become one, and that was what he had to prepare for the most.
He would need power. The power to overcome and shield himself from his father's abilities. The power to defeat him. To overcome his cruelty and authoritarian way. To no longer have bones be broken, even if that was rare as his father was quite careful about his level of control.
And so Grimoire was the only option left for him.
"I will go with a Grimoire for sure".
Amyris nodded, having expected that. Riza looked entertained. Vartra looked a bit confused, but upon seeing Amyris' reaction, let it go.
"Alright then. In that case, expand and spread your mana outward into the room. An experienced mage chooses their Grimoire, but you are still a novice. So your Arcanium will choose you".
"Understood" Kuroki said, as he focused on the mana inside of himself. He used his Echo technique, only instead of sending for mana, he spread his mana into the ambient mana of the room, using it to his advantage and then filling the entire chamber with it. It was like standing at the bottom of the ocean, only he can breath and was somehow fine. The other three however staggered backwards a bit, taken aback. They seemed to be talking, but Kuroki could no longer hear them.
Soon after, the shelves shimmered with golden light. Similarly, streams golden light seemed to circle and twist around Kuroki. These golden streams seemed to dance around him, as the shelves began to become active, moving in and out as a golden light shimmered across all the shelves and drawers.
"Oi oi" Vartra said, shocked. "What the hell is this? Why can he use Mana Pool and Mana Conversion?!"
"It isn't that odd is it? I mastered them both too really fast".
"But within a week?"
"Yes" Riza said outright. "That said, only about two hundred or so mages throughout the world are probably capable of this so early. Perhaps one of his Starfallen boosts is helping. They might not be 'cheat skills' like Anna mentioned, but...they certainly are not useless either. No, they are always useful".
"Shit. So this kid might be monstrous in his own way then, even if he isn't quite another Anna".
Certainly, Vartra could easily tell that in a serious fight, he would be able to defeat Kuroki ten out of ten times. His father trained him from a young age after all.
But he didn't possess this level of skill when he was Kuroki's age. He just asked Kuroki to spread his mana out, not fill the whole room with it. Kuroki's level of mana control exceeded when he was twenty years old. The boy might lack experience, but it was clear why Amyris had taken him as an apprentice. It wasn't just guilt over Anna.
This boy...was strong. Not just with mana, but mentally. His determination...
No, thats not just determination. That is...desparation. The fact he left off his family name...and the names of his mother and father. I see, so that is what he is afraid of.
Had Vartra seen Kuroki naked, he too would have noticed the minute signs and realized it sooner as well, but for better or worse, Kuroki was fully clothes now. So it had taken Vartra a bit.
Kuroki, unaware of all that was going on just meters away, continued to spread his mana out until he got a reaction. A ping, for lack of a better word.
Suddenly, a huge section of the wall began to glow, before bursting outward. Metal bars and chains were cast aside or ripped apart. A golden light focused from this part, its light raining down upon Kuroki.
In the next moment, a Grimoire came flying from the light and flew towards him. It was a book that was chained up, clearly meant to stay sealed, and it had a lock with a large keyhole. A similar key appeared in front of him, with a string run through it and tied up. It put itself around Kuroki's neck, as the Grimoire flew anround Kuroki, opening itself and surrounding Kuroki with its pages. It was filled with mystical energy annd Kuroki gazed upon it with wonder.
After that, it came back together and attached itself to his shorts, using a chain to connect it to the waist section. At first, it pulled his shorts all the way down, although he saved his underwear at least. But when he pulled them back up, he found no additional weight, and the Grimoire appeared to have no weight or pull on his shorts anymore. It appeared bigger then his head, but seemed to not bother him or his leg and never seemed to get in his way even as he walked around and turned. When he went to put his hand in his pocket, it was as if the book had rested in a spot where it would be out of the way in the first place. Like it had anticipated the action.
The Grimoire appeared old, ancient even. Older than this whole city, yet still in good condition It radiated with golden light for a moment, before finally coming to a rest.
"Woah. This is great" Kuroki said as he turned around and looked at the three. Riza was amsued again, Vartra was baffled, and Amyris nodded.
Amyris then looked back at Vartra.
"I am starting to suspect the Mage's Guild may have lowered its standards a bit over time. You might want to look into that, if this baffles you".
"...I think you both just have a skewed perception of normal".
"As expected of a Starfallen. They might not be overwhelmingly strong, at least at the start, but they do keep things interesting".
Apparently, Kuroki had done something abnormal.
"This still isn't even the top five of wierdest Arcanium choosings though. Remember Anna's?" Riza brought up.
"...yeah, that was a weird one".
Kuroki tilted his head.
"Wait, she got a True Arcanium at the start right?"
"Well yes, but in her case it combined with her normal one somehow. And when she entered this room and did what you did, she ended up...getting a sword".
"...a sword wasn't an option you gave me".
"A sword isn't an option period!" Vartra brought up, being the only one that had some sense of normalcy.
"Well, enough about that. Lets head off to the Adventurer's Guild now and get you set up there".
Amyris seemed to be in a bit of a hurry suddenly, and proceeded to push everyone towards an exit before anything else happened, paying Vartra on the way for the services provided. For a moment, Kuroki felt a sharp gaze as they were leaving, but they were already out the door and saying goodbye to Vartra.
Next stop, the Adventurer's Guild.