Chapter 17: Aelina and Isabella

As Rose said, I had terrible muscle aches. The battle itself seemed simple however, it was taxing in some way towards my spirit. When I tried to talk to Rose again, there was nothing. However, the leather bracer with her symbol was still on my arm. Based on the adventurer badge the guild gave to me the missions were considered all done… time to head back. I wonder if Aelina and Isabella are still there at Grant's place.

*************

I came back to Grant’s place, the chopping blocks had a couple of rookie-like adventurers there chopping wood. Abbs was there supervising the place alongside Aelina and Isabella, sensing my presence the three of them looked at me. Abbs reacted faster than Aelina and Isabella, as he walked with a faster paste towards me.

Abbs: Ben! I’m glad you’re safe.

Ben: What’s with the crowd?

Abbs: Hmmm, well after we changed the repeat quest, alongside the new adventurers or explorers coming in. We managed to somehow get a system going. Prior before everything happened with the wave in all. Most of the adventures were…. unmotivated to go to the lumber mill due to a … strange atmosphere. Let’s leave it at that.

Isabella: Or… there could be another reason… with those eyes.

Isabella looked back at the adventurers with her gaze. Some of them were quick to look innocent while others were too slow to react and caught Isabella’s gaze as they sheepishly went back to chopping wood. Abbs chuckled at the youthful sight that he considered past his age.

Abbs: Let the adventurers be… it is rare to see a female knight as well as Aelina. One of the rumored companions.

Ben: Wait companions?

Abbs looked at Aelina.

Aelina: Yes, I’m the companion of Liner the blue savior.

Ben: … Do you know where Liner is as of now?

Aelina: We don’t know. Nor would I tell you., a suspicious person clinging onto Grant like this. Aelina looked to the side toward's Grant's now abandoned lumber hut.

Abbs: Anyways, Ben wants to report about the investigation?

Ben: Alright, I need to hand over some materials. Yet, the investigation near the evil statue was strange.

Abbs: How strange?

Ben: …. err… well the surrounding trees were dead and… I threw a pebble at the statue for some reason….. and it summoned two dark spirits after me.

Abbs: Dark Spirits? Yet you managed to getaway?

Ben: If I didn't, I wouldn't be here would I? But, the dark creatures had dog-like shadow heads and a humanoid body, two scimitars and one carrying a bow. After the fight against them, the statue cracked a little.

Abbs: Still, the recent increase in monsters and the dark spirits being summoned… that would mean the miasma is growing. Ben was there any Miasma near the shrine? Like, a lake full?

Ben: Miasma? I didn't see anything that resembled a miasma when I double-checked the statue.

Seeing Ben look somewhat dumbfounded by the term Miasma, Abbs decided to explain it to Ben.

Abbs: Miasmas are dark auras that summons the creatures, empower, convert, and gives a higher chance for the dead to spawn within the area.

Aelina: Miasma is a common thing around the frontiers, yet you don’t know anything about it?

Aelina stepped in and looked at Ben with astonishment, which Ben could only glance to the side as if he was guilty of a small crime.

Ben: I came from the capital… (Abbs placed his arms around Ben and chuckled lightly, as seeing this small interaction was a nice change of pace)

Abbs: Don’t be harsh on Ben, he’s recently been changing his life from the slums… It's already fortunate enough that Ben has some manners built in him, which could be considered strange...

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Aelina was shocked and looked at Ben with a suspicious stare.

Aelina: A slums resident, yet you seem awfully mature… more mature than, the usual people that I encountered on my journey.

Abbs: Everyone matures differently and I can assure you that Ben seems to be a person with a positive judgment from what I can see.

Ben: Certainly, I don’t have much of a reason to help around this town after living here for only a couple of weeks. The idea that I’m hanging around Grant’s home wasn’t because he was a companion but mainly since he taught me how to use the red aura.

Abbs: What are you going to do now? The situation in the village has finally calmed down and some of the damages have already been repaired caused by the attack.

Ben: I’m not sure…

(I just got away from some sort of sacrificial cult, now I’m learning some magic auras. This world seems to be going down… I suppose my only choice is to find a way home perhaps? No books, no entertainment, just work, and unsatisfying food as a commoner.)

Aelina: Well, I don’t want to bother you anymore. However, thank you for saving us from the goblins. I suggest that you stay away from the battlefront of Vincol and Lanners.

Ben: What’s happening?

Aelina: Just a couple days ago, the Kingdom of Lanners declared war on Vincol and attacked the outer villages suddenly.

Ben frowned on the word “war”, the idea of war during this time and age would mean all the piled up nasty issues that laid in the background would rise to the surface. From the higher classes to the lower classes of society.

Ben: What was the reason?

Aelina: Not sure, it’s none of my business as a companion of the saviors. These problems belong to the higher nobility of the kingdom. There’s even a chance of forced conscriptions, so be careful Ben.

Ben simply nodded at Aelina’s word and thought about something.

(This world seems to have martial skills and auras if I can learn one of them. I won't be in such a bind maybe.)

Ben: Are there any places that provide fighting techniques?

Abbs and Aelina simply looked at Ben, his words not registering within their heads.

Abbs: What do you mean fighting techniques? As commoners, we don’t have access to these at all.

Ben: What do you mean we don’t have access to it? Shouldn’t there be some sort of martial arts or energy-like abilities in this world? We have these red auras?

Aelina: You… are you acting about the common sense of the world or are you actually ignorant about it?

Seeing Aelina being dumbstruck from the sheer idiocy of Ben, Abbs interjected a couple sentences in Ben’s defense.

Abbs: Well, do remember... Ben just came out of the slums not too long ago. You should understand the nature of poverty and the lack of food makes an individual not educated in the normal masses.

(Abbs, I appreciate the gesture but you're calling me dumb in an indirect way! )

Aelina: *Sigh* Ben, the red aura that you have… it’s different from everyone else’s. Based on your expressions, you have never trained or heard of battle aura. Certainly, everyone already has a battle aura. However, your battle aura has some affinity with an element of magic you have. Every commoners’ battle aura wouldn’t have enough strength to even appear, let alone allow them to adjust and create a habit out of it subconsciously.

Ben: subconsciously, a rather large word. Are you educated in the means of human psychology?

Aelina: What? Human… psychology? What’s psychology… Are you making up words so you can act smart in front of us? We know you’re from the slums, it’s alright to loosen up and act like yourself.

Ben: … I suppose… but if my Battle aura’s different from everyone else. Why hasn’t anyone else explained it to me?

Abbs: Well… one of the reasons is that we were just attacked, the second reason is that no one really cares about a person with no titles or ambitions for anything. You’re the only person who’s been chopping wood at a fixed rate and time. Who else would find the time to chop wood when the village was just attacked by monsters that came from the same direction as the wood mills?

Ben: I suppose… Can someone describe the reason why commoners can’t have battle techniques?

Abbs: Ben, what you’re talking about is the privilege of the nobles, martial artists, and the specialized commoners. Only people within the military can use these battle techniques, for each battle technique taught to a person is another set of a small platoon of soldiers that one person can beat. These battle techniques are a double-handed sword. If the people they taught grow in number, the more chances that they will have more of a thought to reject the ideas of the nobility.

Ben: I… I’m not following any of this.

Aelina: Basically, the nobles want to control the number of people who are taught the martial technique. Teaching people a martial technique is equivalent to a person who can fight an entire platoon of soldiers. If you follow the battle that Grant did here, he had multiple battle techniques that were both powerful and are considered to be the General grade versions.

Abbs: Grant, alone can change the fate of Rerne VIllage, without him this place would’ve been overrun with creatures and the death of many.

Ben: When I came to the battlefield I saw you holding a spear and clothes of a mage. What about mages?

Abbs: Mages are generally more accepted and more opened, due to the lack of mages. Commoners who somehow train their own abilities can only reach beginner’s tactics. So… how to explain… warriors = battle technique, mages = beginner’s tactic, intermediate, expert,

The warrior’s battle techniques are separated in terms of stars, one star to five stars battle technique, what Grant used was three-star battle technique (General grade) commoners such as you may have a chance to learn a one-star battle technique that is not an offensive ability but self-improvement. Like how you use your aura to strengthen yourself.

* 1 Star

* Commoners

* self-improvement

* 2 Star

* Military Grade (Noble Controlled)

* 3 Star

* General Grade

* 4 Star

* Royal Grade

* 5 Star

* SS Rank Adventurers / Heroes

The mage’s tactics. Beginner involves defensive spells and personal use, blocking arrows, and igniting a fire. Intermediate is where offensive spells come into play, such as fireball and enchantments on someone’s weapon or the body, experts have the power to destroy kingdoms… but we don’t have to talk about it for now. The gap between intermediate and expert is vastly large and there hasn’t been anyone who's able to use it, let alone five-star battle techniques of the warriors.

Mage Tactics (No restrictions from nobles)

* Beginner (Commoner can learn)

* Defensive spells, life spells

* blocking arrows, igniting a fire

* Intermediate

* Offensive spells, standard combat

* fireball, enchantments

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* GGGGGAAAAAAAAPPPPPP

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Expert

* Ability to destroy Kingdoms!?!?!

Aelina: You’re awfully knowledgeable about the ideas of battle technique and mage tactics. Usually, a commoner such as you should be ignorant of these things and accept whatever has been given to you.

Abbs: Oh? You make it sound like you’re a noble yourself.

Aelina: Not exactly a noble, but as I said the companions of the saviors.

Abbs: The very saviors that disappeared from the world…at its most dire state.

Aelina suddenly frowned at Abb’s words.

Aelina: They didn’t disappear! If they have… (Aelina’s head looked down towards her hand, and closed it tightly as if she held a gem.)

Ben noticed the atmosphere has gone quiet. Briefly decided something in his mind.

Ben: I can just travel around…

(Maybe look for Asada, the girl who I escaped with… although there’s also the Savior’s requests.)

Aelina: If you’re interested in Grant’s history you can perhaps go to the temple of the Red Savior. That is if you’re comfortable with traveling and camping out. Your fighting skills are decent enough to let you travel with little to no problems as long as you don’t encounter any C rank monsters and up. Just stay near the road and you’ll be fine… bandits shouldn't really pay much attention to a lone traveler.

Ben simply looked out towards the forest path, beyond the trees were the mountains flushed with green grass. Creatures and monsters of various sorts could be seen from a distance. Ben understood that traveling in this world isn’t as safe as earth, as even the weakest of monsters or beasts had ways to murder the frail humanity that he has in him.