I know I said I wouldn't update at least until 20th but today I managed to make some free time and decided to write a new chapter. I have good and bad news.

- One good piece of news is that this time off allowed me to come up with some ideas and I have a better sense where I am going with the story (present time: Nora + Alddan).

- Another good new is that I came up with another story for another FF that I want to write sooner or later. I'm really excited about it and I feel that it can be even better than this one.

- The bad new is that this chapter will be short compared with the others.

- The other bad new is that I don't know when I am going to write the other FF. Since I have college to worry about, I don't think I can write 2 FF's at the same time and update them regularly. My plan is to focus on this one and update at a regular basis and write the other at a slower pace. Once I have enough chapters of the other FF written, I start uploading it.

Ok ok, sorry about the rant. We all know why you are here.

Please, enjoy the chapter.

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

"... For the 1000th time, I can't remember..."

"*frustrated sigh*"

2 days passed since that morning. We are both in the library checking the books again. At first we checked the legends that matched the dates of the 4 white mages found in the records. This is a tricky work because most legends are vague about the dates, so we don't have concrete dates. In the first page of each book, there are basic information about the legend, like the date speculation. Only 6 legends matched the dates of the early 2 mages (200 and 1000 After Calamity). However, only 1 of them talked about a Coeburg white mage... But the name didn't match.

Out of desperation, we decided (more like she decided) to check all the 50 damn books. Nora read the books aloud while I listened. And this was practically how we spend the morning and afternoon. At least we skipped few legends when she noticed clear discrepancies with me (like what kind of weapons they used. Unfortunately, sword and bow are both very popular weapons...).

It was that red mage teacher who made us do this. Director orders he said... The same director who said he couldn't punish us...

"..."

I am rubbing my temples and Nora has her head on the table.

At this rate, Nora will loose her voice and I my sanity. I decide to stop her before she gets the idea to open the 34th book.

"Look, just give up for now. I won't get my memories back by reading the same thing twice."

"*sigh* I know and you're right... But it was the director who gave us this assignment... We can't just ignore it.  Hopefully, the queen will request the records from other countries. We need to narrow down the possibilities..."

"Yeah, kind of like divide and conquer, never failed me befor-"

Shit!!!

"What did you say?"

"Divide and conquer. Never failed me before."

"Never failed...? What do you mean by that?"

"It's just an expression...? Oh, I see, you are thinking that I remember something? Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just an expression."

"..."

She is looking at me. I don't know if she bought it or not.

"Sheesh woman, you are overthinking it... Anyway, how about checking the history books? Maybe we can find some clues if we check for more details about the events that took place during those mages lifetimes. It's a long shot, but it's better than reading those legends again."

"... Yeah, that might be a good idea."

She definitely sensed something wrong. Damn my carelessness... Let's hope this won't become a problem later.

"I'll take care of gathering the books. You are tired, why don't you go to the cafeteria to drink something? You can also take the chance to take a break."

"No, it isn't fair that I take a break while you don't."

"Just listen to your own voice, you can barely speak normally and I can notice your fatigue from miles away."

"Then we both take a break."

"No, I want to be done with this as soon as possible. I didn't do anything that demanding so I am not tired. I'm serious, take this chance to rest a little."

"... You really don't mind?"

"If I did, would I be this insistent?"

A moment passes.

"Ok, alright, I'll take you up on that offer. Thanks, Al."

I nod with a smile and give her a thumbs up.

"I'll be back in 10 minutes."

She gets up and walks away.

...

"Well then..."

A golden opportunity. Finally, I can find clues about MY story.

I ask the librarian for Coeburg history books. He hands me a list of 5 books.

After finding and gather them on the table where we were, I quickly pick the general history book start searching about my family, Dovin. This is a race against time, Nora will be back any minute.

Dovin was an old family that participated in many key moments of Coeburg history. They even were present during the country foundation. So they have to be recorded. There's no way the nobles back then were able to erase them from history.

After skimming through some pages, I felt a little relieved. The name Dovin appeared. Good. That means that at least my family really existed. Now I have to find about what happened 935-940 years ago. This year is 4671 so I am looking for what happened in 3730-ish.

Finally, I found the part I was looking for:

In 3728 After Calamity, a great drought hit Coeburg, dooming thousands of people to hunger and diseases. Deaestein  and Deobourhiel took the opportunity to invade Coeburg.

Coeburg lost a considerable size of the territory. Because of the heavy casualties among the black haired population and military, many noble families had to fight off the invaders themselves. In the process, many families perished in battle or due to assassination. Among them are:

A list of names appears, Dovin included.

So that's how it is... Officially, there was no rebellion, but a drought and invasions. I check the map on the last page and indeed, Coeburg is a little smaller. It's still bigger than the other 3 countries though.

My theory is that because my rebellion weakened Coeburg, the other countries took the opportunity to invade when I was defeated. So they use a drought as an excuse for their weakened military, and every battlefield I left behind is easily explained: It was the invaders.

My question is: what do the other countries history books say? Did they record the rebellion? Or did Coeburg nobles somehow managed to manipulate them too?

I close my eyes.

Or worst case scenario, I'm just a legend and my memories are fake. It's a good sign that at least my family name is real, but it's not hard evidence that I existed... I could just be a fictional Dovin. But then again, if I was a legend, it would be recorded in one of those books, right? Or at least this library is supposed to have all the legends... And besides, the other servants are awfully submissive to their masters while I considered killing my own. They have free will, but at the same time, I get this feeling that they are just... I don't know, submissive...

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

*sigh*

This is messed up. Instead of answers I only get more questions.

I'll try to find more clues meanwhile, but I think that the answer to my questions is in Qahs Holm. I have to go there somehow... Speaking of which...

I check the map again. Qahs Holm is East of Coeburg. Curiously enough,  it's not part of Coeburg like in my time, it's an independent country: Qahs Holm. It seems they weren't creative enough to give themselves another name.

When I was going to search how they got their independence, Nora comes back. With a cup and a cake.

"Here Al, we are not supposed to drink or eat in here but I was able to sneak this in."

She puts the cup and the cake on the table. It's coffee.

"Ahn, uh, thanks. But how did you pass through the entrance? The receptionist didn't see you?"

"I have my tricks." - She says with a confident smile.

"Oh? Miss Nightingale, maybe you should consider becoming a smuggler."

"Interested in my services sir?"

"Indeed I am."

"Very good, just for you, I'll make a special discount. 100 gold coins per item."

Wow, with 100 gold coins, one can buy enough equipment for a small army.

"Ouch, that's a very expensive service."

"You're only paying for the best, after all."

"Hehe alright alright, thanks for the treat."

While I drink my coffee, she sits down and opens another book.

"I'll be honest Al, earlier I said this may be a good idea, but I was kinda out of it. I don't see how this will help us."

"Let's just assume for now that I am the mage from 200 AC (After Calamity) and search for clues that might link him to that legend. The names are different, but it might be the same guy. I rather do this than reading another legend. I will end up crazy otherwise."

"What? Don't you like that kind of stories? Too cheesy for you?"

"Cheesy? Who the hell would let himself being eaten by a whale so he could kill it from inside? It doesn't make any sense."

"Or what if you were that guy?"

"What guy?"

"You know... That guy from 'Empire Jungle'."

"No."

"What? Loincloth is not your style?"

"Not even close."

"Considering how many men and women he slept with, he must have eaten a lot of bananas..."

"..."

... Did she just use an innuendo? Lame innuendo, but nonetheless...

"You also did some perverted comments in the past few days, I think there is a connection here..."

"You think wrong."

"You sure? I can totally see you walking around with just a loincloth. And then Corin picks you up from the forest in his arms and you both go to his castle in a shining steed~~~."

Oh no, she did not just say that... Ok, that's it. You asked for it.

"Miss Nightingale, do you know what they say?"

I get up and walk to her. I'm going to do something someone taught me when I was younger.

"Huh?"

I get behind her, lower my mouth to her ear, and whisper:

"Who goes to war, gives and takes."

I lick her ear.

"UWHA-HA-WHA- A----!"

She spasms and makes weird movements with both her arms and legs. She quickly gets up and gets away from me. Looking at me with a confused/perplexed face, she sees me while I smile.

"It gives quite the shivers doesn't it?"

"Uwa, wa..."

She can barely talk. You still have much to learn Miss Nightingale before you can tease me.

Homosexual relationships are not encouraged but are not looked down upon. As long the noble marries and has children with his wife/husband, he/she can have many lovers, men or women. The rest would depend on the partner if he cared or not about the unfaithful relationship.

I'm not into men and normally I would have ignored such comment. However, what ticked me off was the fact she used Musclehead for her teasing. With each day, I hate more and more the guy. And she knows it.

"Let's get back to the task at hand shall we?"

"Uh, *clears her throat* Y-Yes, let's do that."

We both sit.

"So, let's focus on searching for clues that might link the legend and the mage we were talking about."

"Yeah, but it's unlikely we will find anything relevant though. The history of the first millennia AC is vague at best. We know who did what but not in great detail..."

"We make omelets with the eggs we have." - I shrug.

We spend our time until dinner searching for clues. Needless to say, we didn't find anything.

We go to the cafeteria to have some dinner. We see Nora friends already there and sit with them.

"What'sup guys? Worked hard?"

"Hard is an understatement Blake... We didn't make any progress..."

"Oh, sorry to hear that. How about we order some candies? You'll see, as soon we finish dinner, you will be good as new. And since tomorrow is Sunday, we can have a little party for us girls later tonight."

"That sounds like a good idea,  thanks Karli."

While the girls are talking, Musclehead is looking at me with a big smile.

"So, are you going to participate?"

"In what?"

"The tournament, of course!"

"Tournament?"

Indeed, now that I think about it, the director did mention a tournament when we went to his office.

"Oh yeah, sorry Al, I didn't get the chance to tell you. In a few days, we will have a tournament. It's basically fights between Servants."

"That's right! There we can test our skills and prove ourselves! You are going to enter right?"

"... Nora, am I forced to fight?"

"No. If you don't want to fight you don't have to."

"I see... Then I rather not participate."

"Wait what? Why!?"

This guy is getting on my nerves...

A male voice interrupts us.

"If it depends on me, you will enter the tournament."

I look behind me and I see a yellow mage with expensive clothes walking towards us. Nora speaks:

"Vanadis?"

*******

Next Chapter