Chapter Nineteen

Unlike some people, Len had sent regular correspondence since leaving Hazeldown. Professor Dunphy had not lied about him not having many friends. While the letters were a bit rambly, he had mentioned a new academic focus of skill acquisition.

Much of the terminology and references in the letters were unfamiliar, but Harmony felt flattered enough that he wanted her opinion that she'd responded in kind. Therefore she had his address.

Theoretically [Recall] wasn't only useful for remembering that with clarity or not getting lost on the route Ambrosia took to drag her here, it could be used to triangulate where Len was in relation to where they were. The kind of challenge the necromancer knew could help advance the skill.

[Mana Rotation] surged, boosting the skill as she activated it. With the address in her head, she reviewed every street and intersection the pair passed on the way to the gym. The roads were all botanical-themed to go with the dungeon. The letters went to the Mint Lodge at Bristleweed and Lemon Suckle. It would be too easy to have passed one of those streets on the way here. Naewauld had naming conventions where all the Lemon Streets would be together and all the Weed Streets would be bunched up. This lets them make districts based on clusters of streets.

“Hey, do you know the way to the Mint Lodge in the Lemon Weed district?”

Ambrosia’s voice snapped Harmony’s eyes open. The blond twirled a curl of hair around her finger, while sticking out her lower lip at the local boy she’d inquired with.

“It’s about five blocks that way and then take a right at the fountain and continue for three blocks.”

“Thanks.” Ambrosia finished with a giggle and grabbed Harmony’s elbow. “Don’t look at me that way, you were taking too long. Not everything has to be done the hard way.”

Letting the [Recall] completely drop, Harmony grunted in affirmation and annoyance.

The trek took them further away from the central spires. Buildings got seedier and more rundown from the constant wear and tear of plants growing quicker for the region and not being fixed. Root-buckled roads, weed-cracked foundations, moss-damaged roofs.

“This is where your friend is living?” The beast tamer asked.

“He’s a student. A grad student. The poorest of the poor kind, not the ones floating along on their parents' silver.”

“Maybe a lady shouldn't come to this part of town unaccompanied?”

Having lived in worse places, it was a strain for Harmony not to roll her eyes. The only problem with Hazeldown was the newshounds and fans, problems Ambrosia helped bring to her. Here she was just one new aristocrat out of many. A curiosity at Ma Bell's table. Except for the part she raised a prince as a pet, but even then there were a dozen princes and princesses.

“I'll be fine. The mint lodge is right there. Plenty of time to stop by for a chat and make it back for dinner.”

The lodge's structure had new boards nailed over overgrown ones with a sign indicating vacancy. You could smell the mint on approach. Bushes of it nearly Harmony’s height sprouted out around the foundation. Their roots had to have shifted the foundation as there was a slight tilt to the building. Weed or herb, the plant had the place strangled enough that you had to walk through an entrance cut into the mint.

That journey was an unpleasantly tight squeeze with flashes of bad memories from earlier in the day. These plants wouldn’t come alive and grab you. The mint came right up to the door that sat cracked half-way open. The pair of maids slipped inside.

“Here for the vacancy?” A man at the desk asked glumly.

“Not at the moment. I’m looking for Len Alderson, he’s a wizard.” Harmony answered.

“A crackpot you mean. Pretty girls like you shouldn’t be visiting him.”

“Crackpot?” Ambrosia hisses.

“I’m a friend from back home. I’m here to surprise him since we just got to the city.”

The man at the desk shakes his head. “Room thirteen. Up the stairs and to the left.”

The uneven steps take some maneuvering. Harmony knocks on the door. “Early? Just come in. I’m working on something new. “ Len called out.

A turn of the handle does show it to be unlocked. The foundation of the Mint Lodge was so tilted that the door swung open upon the handle being turned lightly.

It revealed Len rushing about, his robe even more decorated by spell diagrams for him to channel through. His animated movements were closer to what Harmony remembered of his old professor than him. The room was spacious enough, but half the boxes he had packed back in Hazeldown were still unpacked to the side. The editor’s attention was not on the open door. His familiar, Farthington, noticed and the now half-dragon, half-raven cawed to get his attention and failed.

“Len?” Harmony prompted loudly to get his attention.

He looked and froze like he got struck by someone’s [Silence] skill. Farthington flapped over and pecked at his head lightly, shaking him out of it. “Harmony? I’d heard that you were… I didn’t expect.”

Ambrosia loudly cleared her throat.

“Yes, yes come in.”

“Sorry for the unexpected visit. This is my friend Ambrosia.“

“A pleasure…” Len responded.

The pair of maids stepped inside. Ambrosia shut the door, locking it before she curtsied with her flowery dress.

“Again, I’m sorry for this unannounced visit. I’m having a bit of an issue around skills and wanted to come to you for advice.”

“You? Ask me? I should be asking…”

Ambrosia stepped forward firmly. “I want to know why the man downstairs called you a crackpot?” She asked protectively.

“Ambrosia!” Harmony scoffed at the impoliteness of her friend. Clearly, she was not in personal maid mode.

“No offense, Harm. But we all know you can get a little secretive and impulsive when you get wild ideas in your head. I merely want to make sure this is the proper person to get advice from.“

That’s not how she’d describe herself at all. The goal was to come here to get information to not be impulsive. As for wild ideas, Ambrosia’s crazy one that helped transform her into a Lady White had been worse. “Hmpff”

“Mostly it is that Professor Dunphy is right. Well, somewhat. It can be hard to pick out what he’s doing for show and what is actually useful information. And you were the one that helped me realize this, Harmony.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

When Ambrosia looked at Harmony, the necromancer shook her head with a confused “no idea,” signal.

“There is something wrong with this kingdom. Did you know outside educational books are banned? Most works are either ancient or popularized and approved by academia. The rulers of the kingdom are a sham.”

That was sounding a little crackpot-ish. None of this made it into his letters. This required a greater understanding than she had. Adric could give her his opinion, being a prince and all, but he probably wouldn’t be useful. Time to fill this grave before Len dug himself deeper. “Not my problem. I wanted your opinion regarding skills that might help me in Nae’s Garden and some general skill theory things.”

“That’s the thing, it has everything to do with skill usage. You opened my eyes when you refreshed me that day. You didn’t activate a bunch of skills, you blended, and balanced, and…”

A heavy knocking cut him off. “Len! I’m ready for training.”

The maids looked at each other. They knew that voice. Served under its orders. Scrubbed its floors.

Lord Tyler continued knocking. “Len!”

“It’ll be one moment!” Called back before turning to the maids. “He can’t find you here.” The wizard hissed quietly. “It would ruin… come.” He continued quietly as he waved the pair to the far side of his room and opened a closet.

Both women squeezed in between hung robes and he shut the door. Ambrosia had a notably unhappy look on her face. Harmony didn’t hide her also annoyed look. They didn’t need to go to the closet. But when the choice was facing Lord Tyler again or smelling dusty wizard robes, both chose the latter.

“She embarrassed me!” Tyler yelled, well, more whined, if Harmony was judging, which she was.

“Who? Jessica?” Len asked.

The mention of the bitter sun priestess drew a raised, questioning eyebrow from Ambrosia.

“No! Harmony. Did you know she could disappear? And, of course, after rejecting me she took on Max. Max of all people!”

“But you’re seeing Jessica?”

The maids' faces mirrored disgust. Ew, she’s old enough to be his mother if it is the same Jessica. Bates had been setting up her removal from the manor staff. Did his departure change that? It’s not her business, the lady maid told herself.

“Sure, but I love Harmony!”

Ambrosia pinched Harmony. Harmony's breath had turned foggy from the sudden chill brought by lord Tyler’s admission. The Necromancer apologetically reigned in the leaking skill.

“I don’t think that is how women work. I’d tell you to calm down, but this agitated state is probably exactly what you need for this round of treatments. Try to feel where those connect with your class and profession. Lay down on the table and I'll get the tools. We’ll get you to form a new skill soon.”

The sounds, yelps, grunts, groans, and moans started. And [Recall] unhelpfully flared to remind Harmony of all of the times and ways she’d been involved in Tyler’s attempts to gain a self-made skill. Having none of it, [Final Silence], pressed out sealing the closet door and ending Tyler's exclamations, yet giving space for them to speak.

“I used my silence. They shouldn’t be able to hear us now.” Harmony told her friend.

“He’s dating Jessica? Assuming it’s the same one.”

“I don’t want any part of Tyler’s love life, from any direction.”

“I know. It’s just shocking. I’d heard she’d traveled back to the Capitol with Tyler when he left to progress. I just didn’t think it was with That kind of relationship. I’m not sure Len is the man we need to help you with skills. Did you know he was working with Tyler?”

“Of course not! But if Tyler is throwing money at him it’s a good sign. There are plenty of other experts in the Naewauld he could try. He may be distasteful at times, but he’s not stupid and has both connections and money to get what he wants.”

The beast tamer’s glare showed she disagreed. But she’d never had productive conversations with the lordling. His flaws always got in the way, and while they were big flaws. Harmony knew what it was like as a necromancer to be only seen for the negatives about you. [Final Silence]’s effects dropped it hadn’t advanced enough to use it longer, so Harmony was forced to bring a finger to her lips to indicate silence.

Without the wall of silence, the two endured an uncomfortable experience of screaming and grunting. They listened to Len walking Tyler through the process of focusing and getting in touch with himself. The dam broke with an exuberant “Whoop!” that caused both the maids to nearly jump out of their skin.

“I did it! [Adaptive Resistance]. You’re a genius!”

“C-clothing on, please.” Len stuttered forcefully.

“Sorry. First, you helped Jessica evolve, and now this. You’re a miracle worker. The gold will be delivered soon.”

While they could hear the exuberant departure the maids waited a little longer.

"You can come out now.” Len prodded.

The pair exited the closet. Ambrosia stepped forward after smoothing her floral skirt and jabbed her finger into Len’s chest, hard enough to make him wince. “I don’t like you. You have the social skills of a mudskype!”

“Ambrosia!” Harmony protested.

“But for some reason, my Harm is choosing to go to you with her problem. Explain what just happened. There will also be No having her strip and lay down while you poke and prod her the way you did Tyler.”

“Ambrosia!”

“No. She’s right. After my experiences with Tyler, he should be the last person I should associate with. The thing is that outside of that mad professor's recommendation, I barely had anything when I arrived here. And even that is only good after I evolve. So when he approached me I was more open than I should be. It was a week in, the second time that he asked if I’d heard anything from you that I realized he knew we’d been exchanging letters. I should have told him to find a curse and step into it. But there was magical research to be had. Jessica had that block, and it was the perfect way to test my theories. Those and the gold.”

Did he feed information back to Tyler? It’s not like she put anything actually important in those letters to Len. It was almost always ninety percent him being esoteric while she gave him opinions on ideas with much plainer language. As much as she’d loved Carter’s schema the book had been a little too vague. Still, letting Tyler get closer to her without telling her…

“Don’t give me that look. You know how hard it can be when you’re a have-not. He’s where you read Carter’s schema. I’d first thought you’d gotten him from reading one of Carter's students, or students-students' work. There are only three copies of the book known, and its reproduction is banned as a work that can damage one's foundations for advancement. I needed access to that too. But it was your focus on how one’s class and profession reflects a part of a person's emotional, spiritual, and physical sense while dancing the line of preventing them from taking you over too much was key. To advance one has to be more attuned with themselves, and Jessica’s little blockage was the perfect test subject.”

“That old bitch finally evolve?” Ambrosia asked.

Len gave a nod. “And chose sunfire berzerker. She wanted to embrace the rage that she connected with. Let’s say she was angrily envious of Harmony’s ascension to peerage, and used that as an anchor. It came with renewed youth and vigor that led to her being with Tyler.”

“She also knows how rich and naive he can be,” Ambrosia added.

“More childish than naive.” Len corrected.

“I get it. They are both using each other. I don’t want to think of them as a couple.” [Recall] made it hard not to, having decided this was the time to act up, mashing memories of Jessica in the changing room, and Tyler from other situations. They weren’t true memories, but the skill made them exceptionally visually accurate.

“Then Tyler wanted me to fix his skill problem. And he was paying. I need gold to get out of this kingdom. There is something off here and I need to get away.”

“You know that sounds crazy?” Ambrosia asked.

"Absolutely, but it doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

“That’s not something I have time to explore. Nor is it important for me. I merely need help with my current problem.” Harmony broke down her need for a skill to handle the second floor and the kind of plant monsters common to Nae’s Garden. How [Rot] did not feel like her. Worries about adding a new skill while [Stride Before the Fall] and [Final Silence] were new. It slipped a little into her personal, private worries as she explained. Ambrosia slipped a comforting arm around the tiny maid’s waist.

“You’re not wrong. Tyler giving you all those skill stones late winter probably was not great for your path even if they managed to feel right eventually. Get all your skills to at least level five before adding a new one. Creating a skill focused on what you need and what fits you will be stronger than a skill stone. As for what will help best, I don’t know, that'll take research. You’re smart. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help.” Len finished.

“We’re going to be late for dinner if we dawdle,” Ambrosia announced with a yank towards the door.

“Bones and Ashes.” This was supposed to be a quick visit. Not an extended stay in a closet before pouring your heart out. This day needs to be over.