Duke Pendragon was a hard man to catch. He didn’t attend lectures at the Academy, having opted for the special independent study and advanced tutoring curriculum for summoners. However, I knew from Chaos Blood Summoner that he used the Dragon’s Nest meditation spot in Merlin’s Garden on nights that there was a full moon.
The next full moon was ten days away.
[Run faster!]
“Have mercy on me,” I croaked out as I tried to get one more burst of energy out of my tired legs.
[One more lap. You can walk the next one.]
“Yes ma’am.”
Frankly, it was incredible the way that Ashara was keeping my body temperature constant even while I was running full tilt. I wasn’t sweating at all.
[Good. Keep it up.]
I focused on my breathing, making sure I was taking deep, even breaths and kept my eyes on the track ahead of me. I didn't allow myself to think about how much farther I had to go, or how tired I was getting. I just kept running as fast as I could.
Eventually, I made it around the track one last time, and Ashara allowed me to cool down by walking one more lap. I was breathing hard and my heart was pounding in my chest, so I sat down on the grass for a while before walking back to my room.
“How come exercise doesn’t give me XP?”
[I believe it is because you aren’t actively using mana.]
“Why don’t you teach me how to use mana while running?”
[You’ll need to be much more fit before you can do that.]
“When will that be?”
[Maybe next year.]
Next year? Well, I didn’t really need to run faster. Healing Lynette’s mother was my priority, and Ashara had already assured me that I would be able to do it after I mastered Power Breathing and raised my MP.
The rest of the day was the same old routine I always followed, except for the archery training session. Elaine had wasted no time in requesting outdoor furniture for us. Now there were a few tables and chairs placed at the edge of the field under an oak tree. She also had her maid Lucy serve us water, wine, and tea.
“This is a great idea. I say, I think I’ll bring along a few sandwiches for us to snack on tomorrow,” said Stephen, the captain of the archery club. “I had my doubts when you ladies joined us, but I think it’s going to work out fine.”
“I’m sure it will,” I said.
Stephen, Elaine, Arthur, and I were sipping tea after we finished our training.
“You know, it’s customary for clubs to host events.” Elaine held her hand out to Lucy who handed her a notebook that I was quite familiar with. My friend was the type of person who was extremely organized, and her social notebook contained all the details she needed to whip the club into shape. “I looked through the records and saw that traditionally the archery club holds a ‘fun shoot’ party in the summer.”
“Yes, my older brother was in the club, and he used to bring me to the Academy to have fun on that day,” said Stephen. “We haven’t had it these past years because no one wants to organize it. It’s a lot of work, and we have too few members.”
“Most of us are just too busy,” said Arthur, who was looking particularly dashing today in a light-colored suit.
Elaine kicked me under the table. Was I staring again?
I was tempted to tell her that it wasn’t because he was even more gorgeous than I remembered. I was just contemplating what a stroke of fortune it was that I had met him so early on in the story. All I had to do was to gain his trust and guide him towards becoming a powerful summoner in the future.
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“Well, now you have me,” said Elaine. “Let’s hold the event next summer.”
“I’d be much obliged if you could take over that part of the club duties,” said Stephen.
The captain seemed to be a boisterous, hail-fellow-well-met type who got along with both men and women. Arthur, on the other hand, was quieter. The two of us tended to let Elaine and Stephen do most of the talking.
We discussed club matters for the better part of an hour before finishing our tea and saying our goodbyes.
“For goodness sake, stop making a fool of yourself,” Elaine hissed at me when the two men were out of hearing.
“That’s just your imagination.” I didn’t pay her much attention, since my mind was on other things. As we walked back to the main building, I racked my brains for a way to get close to Arthur.
In order to prevent the coming war, there were several things that I could attempt.
Firstly, the Civil War was the result of centuries of oppression. Prythia wasn’t a real country. Rather it was a conglomeration of eight different lands that had been conquered by King Vortigern the Conqueror. This wasn’t something that I could solve. In fact, I was quite convinced that it was inevitable that the kingdom would break up into its constituent countries sooner or later.
Secondly, people absolutely hated the next king, the current Prince Aodhan. I included myself among the haters. The man was abusive towards his wife and children and tightened the reins of his rule over the other lands instead of listening to their concerns. He was the one who made reform impossible. I had a few ideas regarding this, but my chances of success were low.
Thirdly, the reason why the royalist and rebel forces were at war for such a long time was because they were too evenly matched. I could fix this a little by weakening the royalists and strengthening the rebels.
That was where Arthur came in. I’d try to match him with the spirit he had formed a contract with in the book then recruit him to the rebel cause.
“… In time for the Cattle Celebration Party.”
Elaine’s last words caught my ear. “You mean, the outdoor barbecue party the Academy holds when it slaughters part of the herd? I love barbecues!”
The Academy had its own herd of heritage cattle that graze the southern meadows. They provided the butter, milk, and cheese we ate throughout the year, and some of the meat, too. The Cattle Celebration Party was an informal event where whole animals were roasted in the open air.
“I heard the tennis club has been raising pigs and feeding them on moonglow mushrooms,” said Elaine.
“Oh my gosh, I can hardly wait.”
“Hmm. Why do I feel worried? Eat the pig, don’t become a pig yourself, okay?”
“I know how to behave! You don’t need to tell me that.”
Elaine teased me about being a glutton the whole way back, while at the back of my mind I kept on wondering how I could get on Arthur’s good side.
***
“I won’t be able to study with you in the library every evening,” I said to Elaine after dinner. “I’m at a crucial juncture in my Mana Breathing, and I need more time to meditate.”
“What about next week’s exam? Do you think you’re ready?” Elaine gave me a dubious look.
“Um.” I looked away from her.
“Oh no, you’re not! Tell me you’re not doing what I think you’re doing,” said Elaine.
“I’m not. I’m just taking a short break, I promise.”
“You summoners have it so easy. You can just claim you need more time to train your summoning and you're excused from taking exams and submitting papers.”
“Did I mention that I’ll occasionally skip morning lectures, too?” I dodged Elaine’s hands. “Stop that! I told you never to hit me, not even as a joke. My Lady doesn’t like it.”
[No hitting. She can say whatever she wants to say, but no hitting.]
“Please forgive her. She grew up with a rowdy bunch of brothers and sisters, so it’s instinctive,” I said.
“You're talking to your spirit?” Elaine’s dark eyes darted around my room as though looking for Ashara.
“Yes, and I think I need to start meditating now.”
“Good night then.”
“Good night. See you tomorrow.”
It was essential that I master Mana Breathing by the full moon. I lay down on my bed and started my meditative breathing.
[+1]
I felt my body relax and my mind become still. I focused on my breath and let go of all my thoughts.
[+1]
Mana Breathing was a gentle and easy way of training, but it was slow.
[+1]
I continued to breathe deeply, and with each breath, I felt mana pooling in my lungs and heart.
[+1]
The Mastery XP Bar was three quarters full.
[+1]
I felt my body fill with energy as I inhaled and then exhaled deeply.
[+1]
I counted each inhale and exhale, letting my mind be completely focused on my breathing.
[+1]
The blue +1 popup boxes kept on appearing and I continued breathing deeply and evenly. I visualized the mana entering my nose and filling my lungs then permeating my whole body.
[+1]
After a few hours I began to feel a tingling in my scalp. I began to hear a faint humming in my ears and it seemed as though the room around me was spinning.
[That’s enough. Go to sleep.]
“Good night, my Lady.”
[Good night.]
The Mastery XP Bar had filled up a little bit more.
[https://i.imgur.com/OoTpPxB.png]
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