Elliot hadn’t been lying when he told Brian about the enchanted horseshoes and bridles, as they had made exceptionally good time on their journey, covering about two days’ worth of travel in only one. Brian was also amazed at how smooth the ride in the carriage had been, making a point to inspect the vehicle once they’d arrived at their roadside inn for the night. As he had suspected, it was also heavily enchanted, not just for comfort, but also protection.
“Seriously,” he sighed, “This really is too much.”
“We should reach the next town, Greenvale, by tomorrow evening,” Elliot said to him as they sat in the inn’s common room, eating and drinking together, the other guards having quickly relaxed after Brian assured them he wasn’t that important of a person, “So we’re making excellent time. After that, it’ll be another night in a roadhouse, then we should get to Aftburg by midday the following day.”
“Wow, that really is fast,” Brian nodded, Elliot smiling proudly at the compliment.
“Yeah, but we’ll have a change of your guard once we reach Aftburg, so the lot of us can return to Loftford,” the captain explained, “Don’t count on the next lot being as friendly as us, though. Aftburg is known for being a tough place.”
“Noted,” Brian smiled, taking a drink from his tankard, the ale and food tasting good after having been sat in the carriage all day, “I think I’m going to turn in for the night soon. Don’t party too hard.”
“Of course, Sir Scribe,” Elliot grinned as the rest of the guards laughed, bidding him goodnight as he finished his food and drink and headed upstairs to his room.
The room itself was small but cozy, a simple bed with an overstuffed straw mattress pushed into one corner, and a small table with a tarnished mirror in the other. Sighing, Brian sat at the table, staring into the mirror for a moment before he blinked. Lifting a hand, he touched his face, running his hand over his head, his usually short-cropped hair already starting to grow out above a relatively handsome face, a decent amount of beard already growing from his jaw.
“Damn,” he muttered as he inspected himself in the light of the candle he’d brought with him, his hair fuller and the wrinkles that had started to form on his forehead and around his eyes gone, “It’s not just my body that was made better, I look like I’m five years younger.”
Shaking his head, he rubbed his chin, feeling the long hairs of his beard, wondering if he should go full old mage and let it get longer. Shuddering at the thought, Brian quickly checked his bracer, finding the shaving kit he’d been given by the Merchants back on the road to Loftford. Taking out a Torch Scroll, he activated it as the paper crumpled into a ball that turned into an orb of light, brightly illuminating the room. Now, with enough light and the shaving kit, he grabbed the pitcher of water and small basin from beside the bed and set them down on the table, using the mirror to carefully shave with the razor.
A few minutes later, he rubbed his now smooth chin, feeling a lot more comfortable, before using the last of the water to wash and get ready for bed. Lying on the slightly prickly mattress, he sighed in exhaustion, surprised by just how tired he was despite having done almost nothing all day.
“The ride was pretty boring, actually,” he yawned, “I should see about getting some books to read in the next city before I head out.”
------
“Harder!” the shout echoed over the training field as the instructor yelled at the group of teens, “Faster! You expect to be able to fight in a war at this pace? My grandmother can swing a weapon better than you lot, and she’s been dead twenty years!”
“Yes sir!” the group of frontliners shouted, swinging their various wooden weapons even harder and faster as the man stomped around them, occasionally whacking someone with his own wooden sword to get them back into proper form.
A short distance away, the magic users were also being drilled, each throwing out powerful Spells as they decimated a group of stone golems that always seemed to get back up and repair themselves between barrages.
Next were the archers, only three of them, but they fired arrows as quickly as they could at the targets dozens of metres away, their eyes glowing with their various Abilities as the arrows hit true.
The last group was nowhere to be seen, though that was kind of the point, as they were the stealth units. The Rogues and Assassins were playing a dangerous game of Hide-and-Seek, because every time they were found by their instructor, they lost more of their dinner. Most of them hadn’t had a full meal in days.
Off to the side sat Dylan, watching all this uncomfortably as the older girl smiled at him, her fancy yet elegant dress and neatly styled hair making him sweat despite the fact that he hadn’t done any exercise for over an hour.
“Sir Dylan, do you not like sweets?” the princess asked, picking up one of the biscuits on the tray between them and offering it to him, “Our cooks are quite skilled, I can attest to them being quite delicious.”
“I’m fine, thank you, Princess Renaria,” Dylan said awkwardly, “Honestly, I would just like to get back to practicing. I still have a lot to learn, and sitting here isn’t teaching me much.”
“Just call me Rena,” the princess hummed, smiling again as she leaned on the table, resting her chin on her hands, “And I’m sure I could teach you plenty. Why not tell me a bit about yourself? About your world? I am quite interested in it.”
“There’s not too much to tell,” Dylan sweated, swallowing as he noticed the woman’s exposed cleavage, forcing his gaze away, “This world is far more interesting than ours was.”
“Is that so?” the princess sighed, a slight look of disappointment on her face, “And you? I am sure there are a few interesting things about yourself?”
“Nope,” Dylan shook his head, “I was just an ordinary highschooler before I came here. Good a sports, with decent grades.”
“Highschooler,” the princess hummed, seeming to roll the word around her mouth, getting a feel for it, “How interesting. I believe I read that there is standardized education in your world, correct? In fact, we have modelled some of our own education practices after those of your world.”
“You have?” Dylan blinked, “What do you mean?”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Well, while the lower class do not have access to higher forms of education,” the princess explained, “We do have schools that teach the basics for everyone. Of course, there are Academies and schools for the nobles that teach more, but that is to be understood. Can’t have the rabble become too smart for their own good.”
“I…I don’t know what to say about that,” Dylan muttered, starting to feel more annoyance than embarrassment as he continued to listen to the princess, “I think everyone is entitled to the best education they can receive.”
“I see, how novel,” Renaria hummed, “But we were talking about you, weren’t we? What kinds of things do you like? Foods? Books? Women?”
“I think I’m going to return to training now, I’ve rested long enough,” Dylan said hurriedly as he stood up, grabbing the wooden sword from beside him, “Good day, Princess Renaria.”
“Good day, Sir Dylan,” the woman smiled as she watched him walk away, picking up another biscuit and taking a bite, “Quite delicious, indeed.”
------
Brian watched the horizon as they pulled up onto the hill, spotting the city in the distance. Its walls were higher than Loftford’s had been, and the entire city looked smaller, more compressed. Watching as it drew closer and closer, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement brewing in his chest. This was only the second city he’d visited in the world of Marl, but he had a feeling it would be just as interesting as his first.
It only took them a few more hours to arrive at the gates, bypassing the line of carts outside as Elliot showed off some papers, the guards waving them through. Brian looked out the windows at the buildings as they passed by them, nodding to himself as he spotted a few shops he would like to visit before he left, particularly a large bookstore on the main road. Soon, they arrived at the Aftburg Mage’s Guild, Brian stretching as he hopped out of the carriage.
“Sir Scribe,” the old man waiting out front for him said, “I an Tynerius Gregory, Arch Mage of the Aftburg Mage’s Guild. I understand you probably wish to rest or explore the city before your departure tomorrow morning, but there is a matter of grave importance I must speak to you about before that.”
“Grave importance?” Brian blinked, “Of course, Arch Mage.”
“Then please follow me,” the old man said, leading Brian into the elegant building behind him, the atrium just as large and well-furnished as that of the Loftford Mage’s Guild.
They headed straight for the teleportation circles at the back of the room, several Mages stopping to stare at them as they passed. Stepping onto the circle, Brian blinked as light filled his vision, finding himself inside a lavish office once again. Looking around, he saw that, while it was similarly built to Lavernia’s, the shelves were lined with various interesting magical devices instead of books.
“So, what happened?” Brian asked as he watched the Arch Mage sit in his chair.
“The Loftford Mage’s Guild was attacked the night of the day you left,” the man replied simply, Brian just nodding, “Somehow, their vault was breached, and only a single item was taken.”
“The Umbral Draconic Spellbook,” Brian sighed, “Dammit, I should have known that would happen.”
“Oh?” the old man asked, “Whatever do you mean, Sir Scribe?”
“Someone, or something, was obviously after it,” Brian explained, “Something powerful enough to break out of my Paralyze Ability at a third its strength.”
“I see,” the Arch Mage nodded, “And now? Do you think it will stop now that it has this Spellbook?”
“I don’t know,” Brian muttered, “There’s a small chance it could come after me, considering I managed to break the Curse sealing the book and read it.”
“I see,” the old man nodded again, “Would you like us to provide you with more protection? It can be easily organized.”
“No,” Brian shook his head, “I think it would be best for me to just keep moving. Whoever it is has immensely strong mana and can teleport through shadows, I think. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe that Ability is what they did?”
“What?” Tynerius asked, “You may know what one of their Abilities is?”
“Possibly,” Brian nodded, pursing his lips slightly, “I…I have an Ability that lets me learn Ancient Magic. After I read the Spellbook, I gained a new Ability connected to it, called Umbral Magic. One of the Spell Abilities of that could be what the attacker is using to get around.”
“I see,” the Arch Mage hummed, still nodding, “How interesting. I would love to spend more time discussing this Ability and new magic of yours, young man, but I feel that a single night would not be enough. Instead, I shall allow you to explore the city, though I do ask you return before evening, the streets can be dangerous in the dark.”
“Of course,” Brian nodded, “I know exactly where I want to go first.”
------
“Hello and welcome to the Under the Sun Bookstore, where we have every book under the sun!” the cheery clerk said as Brian walked into the shop, looking around the tightly packed shelves, “How can I help you today, Sir Mage?”
“I’d like to buy some books,” Brian chuckled, “Actually, a lot of books. One of everything you have, if you don’t mind?”
“Of course, one of every…thing…” the clerk trailed of as she turned away, before looking back over her shoulder at Brian in shock, “Are…are you absolutely sure, Sir Mage? That could easily cost over a thousand gold for the copies alone!”
“I can afford it,” Brian shrugged, lifting his arm to reveal the storage bracer, “If you wouldn’t mind bringing them to the counter so I can store them in here. I can pay beforehand if you’d like?”
“O-oh!” the woman gasped, immediately spinning back around and hurrying towards Brian, “Of course, Sir Mage, I’ll get you a copy of every book we have! Oh, and would you like to see our collection of Unique Titles?”
“Unique Titles?” Brian asked, the clerk nodding enthusiastically.
“Yes! We have a small collection of unique books that we don’t have copies for, either because they are regulated, or cannot be translated,” she explained, “Of course, the latter are more collector’s items, as many are written in ancient or lost scripts. The cheapest is fifty gold, though.”
“I think…” Brian grinned as the woman stared at him in awe, “I think I’ll take all of them.”
------
Brian left the bookstore happy, his bracer now containing over a hundred books on various subjects and topics, from fairytales to history and magical theory. He wasn’t entirely sure if he would be able to read all of them over the rest of his journey, even with his apparent Ability enhanced reading speed, but that just meant he would almost always have a book to read for the foreseeable future. Looking back at the shop, he could see the shopkeeper, who he had thought was just a clerk earlier, sitting behind the counter, a dazed smile on her face as she cried happy tears.
“Glad I’m not the only one pleased with my purchase,” he chuckled to himself, before heading down the street to his next destination.
The weapons shop was large and well lit, a number of swords and shields displayed on the walls, as well as mannequins wearing various types of armour. The man behind the counter looked up as he entered, letting out a quiet snort as Brian approached him.
“How can I help you, sir?” he asked in a deep baritone voice, his chiselled jaw set as he looked down at Brian.
“I would like to buy a sword suitable for a Mage,” Brian said, “I can pay any price.”
“Ha, sword suitable for a Mage?” the man chuckled, “No such thing. Now, if you want an enchanted blade for a Fighter or Warrior Class, that I could do.”
“Then do you know anyone who could possibly sell or make me one quickly? I leave in the morning,” Brian asked, pulling a gold coin from his bracer, placing it on the counter between them, the shopkeeper’s eyes bugging out slightly at the sight.
“Burgen Street,” the man said as he swept the coin off the counter, “Look for the old smithy, tell the geezer inside that Little Clark sent you, and they should at least give you a minute to talk.”
“Thank you,” Brian nodded, turning to leave, glancing at a fine set of what looked like cloth armour, obviously magical, but he couldn’t see any runes on it, “What’s that?”
“That?” the man said, a grin on his face, “Good eye, Sir Mage. That is Eletrian Chainmail, forged by the Elves. Known for being as light as silk and as tough as Mithril. This set is of particularly high quality.”
“How much?” Brian asked, looking back at the man as the shopkeeper blinked.
“Uh…how about one and half thousand gold?” the man said slowly, as though he wasn’t too sure himself.
“I’ll take it,” Brian smiled, “May I pay you in gold plates?”
“I…sure,” the shopkeeper stammered as Brian began pulling the metal slabs from his bracer and placing them on the counter.