Octavia POV:

Things fall to the earth at a constant rate. I am not sure of the exact rate at which this occurs, nor do I have any intention to discover this.

I discovered this for battle purposes, not academic ones. I made this observation while I was learning Livius’ spell “levitate” which lifts objects around the ground and allows you to move them around easily with wind magic.

If I take this force, invert it, and apply it to an object at the same rate as it normally occurs, I can make anything levitate, even myself.

I can also use this spell to attack. Of course, all spells which are intended to harm another creature require the mindset normal attack magic does, but it is still helpful in certain situations.

My support magic has consistently improved, both Livius and the old man tell me I have reached near the top levels of support magic wielded by modern humans. I can stand next to any support mage alive and hold my head high.

I have been training my body as well… not that it’s going so well. What I lacked in talent for attack magic, I lacked even more in body training. The big bursts in energy it takes to lift a heavy weight or swing a sword are hard for me to bring up. I am a calm person at heart.

I have also shifted my lessons towards practical survival and adventuring skills. I have learned what to look out for in toxic party members, and how to identify slavery rings and those that operate within them.

I have learned to identify poisons and drugs spiked into my drink and how to detoxify them even when inebriated. I learned how to ride a horse. I learned how to escape from dungeons and break through bindings, even magical ones.

To become a successful adventurer, you must have a plan for every dangerous situation that you could encounter, especially as a female adventurer.

These skills are taking a great amount of time to learn. Even if I master each within a week or two, the weeks add up very quickly.

Yet, progress is progress. I have little by little, obtained confidence in myself. I believe that I will succeed as an adventurer. Perhaps within a year or two, I will finally embark on my needed quest.

If I were acting without council, I would have left long ago. Livius, the old man, and Theophania are all holding me back until I’m completely ready. While I want to leave immediately, I know that I will face treacherous circumstances while away. I can not rush things. If I get killed on the way to help him, what good can I do then?

So, I move with caution. I hate to think that any of my friends could be suffering while I wait, but it is something that I must accept.

I am 15 years old now, I have grown quite a bit, now standing at 172 centimeters tall. Every 6 months, I have to buy new clothes. I am exclusively wearing boy’s clothes now since I have physical training.

“Alright, that is enough for today.” the old man says.

I am exhausted, I used up pretty much all of my mana and had to run for an hour straight this morning.

“What are you going to do for the rest of the day?” he asked.

“I’ll wander around town I guess.” since there is still an hour or two of daylight left I might as well go out and enjoy the city.

“I will come with then,” he responds. He comes with me pretty often.

I skipped over the adventurers guild and went straight to the merchant's district. I love to see the different things brought from all around the world. The war made goods a bit more expensive all around, but shipping from other countries continue.

A perfumer grabbed my attention immediately. He was selling a type of perfume made only in the magic kingdom to the northwest.

“Come come I tell you. I have a certificate of authenticity and a letter from the perfumer himself that proves this is as real as God himself,” he tells me.

“Let me read it then,” the old man said. He happily hands it over, the merchant must have done his research on this town. “He’s not lying, this seal has a thin layer of magic in it. This must have come from Enkantia.”

Magic items are not only extremely rare but ones not used for war or even more scarce. You could only find a magic seal in a few places.

“You have a keen eye sir, as expected from one who walks alongside Lord Carbo.”

“How much is it?”

“We may call it 7 thousand Cleia. I had to transport it overseas and through dangerous lands to get it here.”

“5 thousand.”

“7 thousand I told you. I will go no lower.”

“...fine.”

The old man reached into his coin purse and handed the equivalent to the trader in jewels. The trader happily accepted these stones as payment.

“Thank you! You really didn’t have to, but I appreciate it a lot.” I thanked him for it. He buys me stuff all the time, but this one was an even nicer gift than I’m used to.

We walk back together to the estate, I hold on tightly to the perfume to make sure I don’t drop it. Every step towards the estate I am brimming with excitement. I can’t wait to finally smell it!

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When I open the door, Livius is waiting on the couch with a letter in front of him. He usually looked serious, but this time was different.

“You bought her another perfume? You spoil her excessively.” He criticized the old man.

“Spoil her? I believe she deserves every Cleia I spend on her.”

Huh? Am I spoiled? Now that I think about it… I really am, aren’t I?

“No matter, Octavia, sit down,” he orders me.

I oblige and take the seat across from him in the living room. I can’t make out the text on the letter, but I will soon be enlightened I imagine.

“A month or so ago… Cassius killed King Cleon as well as General Ozias. Since then he has fled the battlefield. He is being hunted by many people, but from the reports I have heard, not clues have been uncovered. His last reported sighting was in the Royal Capital of Amidonia.”

Huh?

What is going on?

This is…

“It seems this outburst happened right after he killed the man he desired. Some are saying he was unsatisfied with his revenge and went mad. Others are saying he turned traitor.”

There is no way he just killed people for no reason… and turning traitor… impossible as well, he doesn’t care about money.

Unexpectedly, it is the old man who speaks next.

“That monster Ozias… did he really…” for the first time ever, the old man loses his calm.

Thinking about Cassius, everything I’ve seen and heard from him, and the circumstances he is in now all leads to one conclusion. I speak softly to myself, but in this quiet room, everyone can hear.

“To be hunted, on the run, and all alone… he must be so lonely and scared…”

Livius upon hearing this shouts in anger.

“That boy will only cause you strife! I am tired of this pointless struggle you are forcing upon yourself! By now you must accept it! He is a lost cause!”

Livius never yells at me, this made me emotional quickly. Especially with the shock I received from this news.

The old man didn’t react to this, he was too lost in thought. The only thing I know about this Ozias person is that he was Cassius’ superior and a respected general in the army. There seems to be some history between him and the old man that I don’t know about.

“I want the best for Cassius too. He is Marcus’ son after all, but now… you are my daughter Octavia. I can’t let you become his next victim.” he continued, in a softer tone this time.

Victim… that word threw me off.

Perhaps, I am wrong…

No, I made a commitment. If I go back now…

“I’m sorry, Octavia. I must agree.” the old man speaks next. “I believed you could save him, this is because I saw both strength in you and the kindness my own brother had.”

“You don’t think I’m strong…” I respond meekly.

“No, you are strong, and you will grow much stronger than I am… but some people are beyond strength… if he managed to kill Ozias…” he stopped and took a breath “if he were to turn his blade against you, you will certainly be killed.”

I was now facing dissent from all angles. If Theophania heard what they were saying, she would agree too.

I see now, that should I continue down this path it can not be faith in my strength that drives me, but belief in my judgment. I have to believe that I was not wrong when I determined that Cassius could be saved.

“Still, I will go…” I spoke up.

“This is absurd! You intend to throw your life away for some boy you haven’t seen in years! One that treated you like shit!” Livius slammed his hand on the table that separated us.

“I will not die, and I will not fail.” I respond calmly once more, “I promise.”

The old man cuts into the conversation.

“...I understand, now that I have trained you, there is no way I can stop you.” he continues “But, I will come with.”

“You can’t be serious! She is only a child! You said it yourself, that if he tries to kill her-”

“If Octavia says he won’t, then he won’t.”

“You blindly put faith in the judgment of a child.”

“I put faith in Octavia’s judgment.”

Livius doesn’t respond to this. The old man finishes the conversation by saying,

“In case I am wrong, I will walk by her side.”

Livius pauses for a long time, hand on his face. Once he finally lifts his head again, he nods and says,

“Then I must accept this… keep her safe.”

“Of course.”

With the blessing of my family, I begin my preparations to leave. Considering what has just transpired, I must act with haste. Even if it takes years to find him, every second still counts.

I am not sure if I am ready, but I will get by. I said I wouldn’t be reckless, but here I am. At least the old man will be with me. Since he is coming along I am sure everything will be fine.

…

After a night of rest, I get up early in the morning. The old man meets me in the living room before anyone else is awake.

“Hey, could you do me a favor?” I ask

“What is it?”

“Cut off a bit of my hair, up to here.” I point a few centimeters from the bottom. I don’t want him to cut off too much, I like my hair long.

He does as I ask, using wind magic to make the cut completely clean. I wrap the hair he cut off with a leather band.

By the time all of our gear is together, everyone else has awoken. We walk to the city gates making idle chatter and stop once we have reached the beginning of the woods, the edge of the city.

The first people to say farewells are the servants from the estate. Next are my friends from the city. The girl I saved from the Thunder Scorpions says her farewells teary-eyed, she is wearing a baker's uniform. A family who runs a bakery in town agreed to adopt her, she loves the work and always spares me food at the end of the day.

After them, Livius approached me. He had his eyes down, now that I think about it, he has said goodbye to many family members. His daughter got married, his wife passed away, and his parents are gone too. Still, he looks uneasy. I take the initiative and hug him.

After a long hug, I reach into my pocket and pull out a locket of white hair, wrapped in leather. This will be the second one he has received. It is customary for women to give a locket of hair to their fathers when they leave for marriage.

While I am not getting married, the symbolism is there. I will be out of his care for a long time, but I want to leave a part of myself with him. He accepts it with teary eyes. As a prideful man, he holds the tears back.

“Goodbye, father, I will be back soon.”

“Goodbye, Octavia, be good.”

I bid farewell to Livius and look at Theophania. It is now that I finally start to cry. Theophania is the only one whose side I have never left. She and I have always been together, now I am leaving her.

Crying heavily, I jump into her arms. I didn’t prepare anything to give her, I know that it’s unnecessary. Her existence is engrained so heavily in my heart, and mine in hers, that something to remember each other by is pointless.

“Goodbye Octavia, be good and be safe. If anything happens write me, and I will come with haste.”

“B-bye mother… I love you.”

“I love you too, now go, your adventure is awaiting you.”

When the hug that lasted an eternity ended, I turned away for good. Family and friends see me off at the edge of a city I came to call home, and my long-awaited begins.