Originally uploaded Feb 7, 2023

Cynthia Pov

Arthur slammed down a large satchel with a loud and resounding thud on my desk right in front of me.

"What is this?" I asked cautiously. His aura and demeanor now exuding a calm but powerful rage hidden under his facade.

"Why don't you open it and find out." He said coldly as he grabbed a seat opposed to me, crossing his legs as he did so. To an outside observe it would seem it was a casual gesture. But you had to be in front of him to feel it.

An overwhelming pressure that felt as if I was a thousand meters deep under water. I have faced many strong beings during my time in Alacrya, but he was something else entirely. It only strengthened my theory that he was some kind of asura from Epheotus.

Slowly reaching for the satchel on my desk I carefully undo the rope binding it. It was much heavier than I expected, even for its size. Taking a look inside I couldn't help but gasp and take a step back.

"Is that?!" My voice shook with fear and surprise.

"Yes it is." Arthur flatly replied before seemingly standing up without any personable movement, almost as if he had teleported into a standing position.

His pale hands reached into the bag and fully revealed its contents.

A large head with ash grey skin and blood red eyes. With two short black stumps where the horns should have been.

"The retainer of Vechor, Uto." Arthur stated as he placed the retainer's severed head back onto my desk. The stump of his neck was cut seamlessly and cleanly, like how a skilled chef would cut up his fruits.

"Now then Cynthia. Mind telling me how a Retainer made their way all the way over to the very heart of our nation?" Arthur asked as he sat back down like a monarch, with his arms crossed.

So him being stronger than even the Lances wasn't a bluff, but to kill a Retainer so easily. He must truly be an asura.

I couldn't help but kneel down, deeper than I ever have to any king.

"I'm sorry lord, I don't-" Before I could finish he stopped me.

"I'm not a lord. I don't know what is going on inside that old brain of yours but I am no asura. Though, it would be a lie to say I don't at least share some history with both Kezess and Agrona." Arthur just name dropped the two strongest beings in the world. The two beings even other asuras fear and respect, as if they were just long time friends.

I hesitated for a moment. The curse the Vritra placed on me was a severe one. If I'm not careful I'd be ripped apart by my own mana.

Gulping down dry saliva that felt like sand going down my throat, I opened my mouth to speak before Arthur stopped me once again.

"No need, I have the information I already need. And I know of the curse those basilisks placed on you."

Seems like he has already extracted info from the Retainer before he disposed of him.

"But Cynthia." He words made the hairs on my back stand on end.

"If you want to live you will do as I command. Got it?" It was less of a question and more of an order. His very words seemed to be bending me to their will.

'Well I don't have very many options do I? It is a eventuality that my true identity will be revealed. I'd be lucky if I get a quick execution, they'd probably torture me for any kind of information I can spit out before I kick the bucket.'

But the chances of me surviving if I heed Arthur's words seemed higher the more I learn about this boy. I doubt any of the Lances could take down a Retainer. And the way he speaks seems to indicate he knows much more than he is letting on.

I bowed my head in curtsy.

Arthur looked at me with a light smile. But the smile never reached his cold eyes, which seemed to be watching and judging my every move.

"Good, here." A folder appeared out of thin air, and he slide it towards me on the hardwood table.

"When your cover is blown this will help you deal with the council while I'm occupied with other things."

Opening the folder was a neatly written report of Alacryan's technology, army structure, and the basics of our runes. Yet some of the pages seemed sparse and intentionally left nearly empty, as if somebody had ripped out several pages.

I looked at him with bewilderment but he only took a small sip of the tea in front of him.

"What are you?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Hmm, what am I indeed." He mused as he blew on his tea to cool it down.

"I'm serious Arthur, if you want me to work for you I have to know somethings." I snapped back.

"Careful now Director. I think we all know who holds the keys here." He retorted without a hint of hesitation or worry.

'Truly who was Arthur Leywin. It was only happenstance I met him through Vincent. And he wasn't from a family of any noble standing. He has the appearance of a well developed teen, but his combat capabilities as well as well as the way he conducted himself didn't match with your average teenager. Or even a normal human for that matter.'

"If you wanted I would be dead already." I simply stated the facts. This head of the Retainer only confirmed his strength in battle. And brawn wasn't the only thing he had.

"Fair enough." He seemed to finally relent as the got back up from his chair, now done with his tea.

He closed the distance between us, his oppressive aura only intensifying as it drew the air out of my lungs. The space around him seem to bend to his will, he wasn't moving through the world, the world was moving according to his orders.

"I am here to save all of creation from those pompus parasites people call deities."

'So he plans on taking on not only the fast approaching invasion of Alacrya but also Ephetous?'

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Trust me when this old lady says that that is impossible." I coldly stared back. I'd rather not be involved in a crazy suicide mission to kill gods.

Arthur only scoffed at me. "Alacrya is simply, sewing discord amongst the highbloods and the Sovereigns is simple enough. Generally, more intelligent people are easier to predict. All we need is for Agrona and Kezess to take their eyes off of Dicathen for a bit."

"And you can undertake this arduous task? I doubt you could just waltz into Alacrya." I retorted back at the young boy.

Arthur, seemingly ignoring my last comment began to walk to the door. Turning back to face me when he was just about the open the door. And in a cold yet playful tone replied.

"Oh, you have nothing to worry about. I was just the right person for the job."

Elijah Pov

The sharp pains in my head have been only getting worse by the day. It all started when Art made my practice spar with him with a sword to improve my swordsmanship.

Despite my status as a conjurer he insisted I at least have the basics of close combat fighting. Initially I feared for my life, I had seen him fight seriously and it was frightening.

He didn't even seem human anymore, moving at speeds that even my mana enhanced eyes could barely track. He fought like a machine, no wasted movement, each move so deliberate yet so effortless. It seemed more like a elaborate and beautiful dance than any kind of blade work I have seen before.

But to my surprise he was a better teacher than I would have expected from a kid our age. At first we sparred with minimal practice beforehand, to gauge my current abilities. I wouldn't brag but he did comment that my fundamentals were better than most for a pure conjurer.

After that it was more practice duels and footwork, it was then when my headaches began.

A wave of emotions that all felt foreign rushed into my head, as if the floodgates had been opened.

Confusion, rage, determination, desperation. All of them aimed towards my friend in front of me.

Yet, Arthur seemed understanding. In the back of my mind I wondered if he knew what was happening to me. Nevertheless he carried me back to my dorm room, reassuring me and nursed me until I calmed down.

It felt as if somebody else had invaded my mind and planted those emotions and thoughts. But in the end it was just a fleeting feeling in that moment.

While my condition had improved I still experienced bouts of pain and weird emotions in my head. I pressed through, just chalking it all up to puberty. But Arthur seemed to be more engaged and caring since then.

'Man, I really gotta clear my head.' I thought in my head as I was taking a stroll around the campus. It was one of the few things that actually helped me defog my messy brain and reorganize my thoughts.

It was then when I spotted Tessia. Seemingly deep in thought as she stood in front of Art's office.

"Hey Tess." I friendly said as I approached her, making sure to not startle her. Which didn't seem to help as she jumped a little.

"Elijah?!" She quickly recomposed herself and faced me. Her beautiful face was flush as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

'Art sure is lucky huh.' I cursed in my head as I put on a friendly smile.

"Looking for Arthur? Last I've heard he was not at school. He said he had some personal things he had to take care of." I stated, clearly seeing Tess' intention of loitering around Art's office.

"Oh, is that so." She dropped her head as she heard my words, clearly disappointed and disheartened.

'Damn it Art. How can you leave such a girl hanging like this.'

"Was there something you needed from him? If so, I can pass it onto him the next time I see him." I tried to cheer her up. Keyword, tried.

"No, it's okay Elijah. It's just..." Her words trailed off as she tried to find the right words.

"It's just that our last conversation didn't end really well and I guess you could say I wanted to make amends." She said shyly as she scratched her cheek.

"Hmm, if it's personal business I sorry I tried to pry." I quickly apologized.

"Oh no no no, Elijah its fine. There was no way of you knowing. It just a thing between Art and I." She reassured me.

'Quick, I need to change the topic before this convo gets to awkward!'

"So, I've heard you guys went into a dungeon for a field assignment. How did that go?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood. But a dungeon dive to the lower levels really wasn't anything to write home about. But I am an A rank adventurer so I could hardly be called the norm.

"Oh that..."

'Crap, did I just step on a landmine. Did it not go good?'

"If you don't want to you don't have to talk about it." I backpedaled but Tess shook her head as she continued.

"It kinda ended in a disappointment. We were all so excited to finally see some action but when we arrived it was entirely empty. No traces of other people or even any mana beasts."

"Huh?!" No that's impossible. I'm sure this school wouldn't mistake a empty hole in the ground for a dungeon. Unless...

"There weren't any sighs of any sort of battle." I hastily asked Tess which seemed to surprise her a bit.

"N-no. None that we could see."

I placed my hands on my chin as I began to think.

'No, it can't be. Art wouldn't do something like that would he? This is Tessia though. She is the only girl that is close to Art so it wouldn't be a stretch. And with his skills...'

Sensing I had spent to much time thinking to myself I laughed it off as I scratched the back of my head.

"Really? That's strange. Did the teachers or any higher ups explain?" I asked feigning ignorance.

"They still claim to be investigating but..." Before Tessia could finish her sentence a familiar voice called out to us.

"Hey you two. What are you guys doing, having a meeting in front of my office."

Turning around I saw the now all too friendly sight of Art. With his deep navy long coat flowing behind him like a cape as he walked toward us.

Beside him was the upperclassman. Who, if I'm remembering correctly is Caera. She was famous throughout the school. Not only for her strength and smarts as a mage but her beauty. It was fair to say that she could possibly be the prettiest girl at this school. The uniform only seemed to elevate the sense of maturity and command that exuded from her.

"Elijah!" Tess hissed at me as she jabbed me with her elbow. Loud enough for only me to hear.

"What?"

"Your drooling over her." She hissed again like a snake.

Quickly wiping my face with my sleeve I turn again to greet the two.

"Hey Art, hello Ms. Denoir!" I wave at then.

"What are you guys doing here?" Art restated his question. His hands in his pants pockets, walking casually as if he owned the entire school. or maybe he just didn't care at all.

"Oh you know just talking between friends." I tried to play it cool.

"Standing in front of my office? When there is a rest area for students right there." He said as he pointed to the couple of benches a few meters in the distance.

'Somebody help me here.' I screamed in my head.

"Actually Art, I wanted to talk to you!" Tessia quickly stammered out, confronting Art.

'Thank you Tess. I won't forget this.'

"Oh? What does our resident princess want to discuss with humble old me?" Art said playfully as he raised one of his eyebrows. Despite his friendly and lax nature he must have know what she wanted to talk about as he opened the large doors leading to his office as he motioned for her to go in.

"Sorry you two. Maybe we can talk another time. Princess is calling." Art said back to us with a small laugh and a smile before excusing himself into his office.

I heaved a large sigh as I relaxed my shoulders.

"Your Elijah Knight, correct?" Caera questioned.

"Yes ma'am!" I shouted louder than I would have wanted to due to the surprise.

But Caera only chuckled at my awkwardness before continuing.

"No need to be so formal with me. A friend of Art is a friend of mine. So just call me Caera." She said in a friendly yet mature tone.

'Who is this angel and why are you just now entering my life.'

"If so. Hello there Caera. Did you need anything from Art?"

She lightly chuckled. "Are you his secretary? I just needed to discuss a few student council matters with him, that's all."

'Huh, if she needed to discuss school stuff wouldn't it be better to talk with Director Goodsky? Why would she ask Art?'

"But." Caera said in a more depressed tone, almost as if she was pouting. "He seems to be avoiding me for some reason."

'That little blonde lady-killer...'

"Don't be so down. Art's always been like that. I'm sure he isn't doing it on purpose. He just must be busy with all the other school work he has to deal with. But I'll tell him to hear you out." I reassured Caera.

At my comment and suggestion she seemed to lighten up almost immediately. A small smile crept up on her flawless skin, only accentuating her beauty.

"Really? That's a relieve. Would want to get on the Assistant Director's bad side. Well I gotta go, the student council is no easier as an upperclassman." She said as she began to leave. Not before turning on her heels and staring directly into my eyes. My heart skipped a beat as she stared into my eyes. Her red eyes shinning like little rubies.

"Blood never lies." She quietly muttered, almost too quiet for me to hear.

"Huh?" I was taken aback by her sudden action that I didn't have enough time to think about it before she pulled away.

"It's just a old saying. See you later Elijah." She smiled and waved as she walked away.