The Estton holdings comprised miles of sweeping grasslands and plains. Farms, towns, and villages broke up the near-endless stretch of greens, with a few twisting streams cutting through here and there. Wildlife was common, both magical and mundane, though they tended to be passive and herbivorous rather than dangerous predators.

It was an idyllic stretch of land guarded by volunteer forces from the various settlements under the Duke's control. These men and women patrolled his lands, protecting against the rare bandit or criminal but mostly existing to provide a sense of security.

We rode past several of these small towns along the way. Commoners bowed to us, more than one shouting respectful greetings, which Leon returned with nearly as much warmth as usual. Though a hint of his earlier guilt and gloom remained, he seemed to have shaken off the worst of it.

When we finally reached the main estate, the sun burned directly overhead. Three buildings sat in a roughly square shape, with one in front and the other two behind. The foremost of the three was massive and rectangular, three stories tall, and made of wood. I knew from experience that intricate carvings of trees and roots covered every inch of the outer surface, though they were impossible to see at a distance.

We dismounted before leading our horses to the central building, where a handful of servants waited. They spoke with Leon briefly, then began unloading our packs. I noticed they prioritized the other four and left my bags untouched, which made sense but did bring the difference in our social standings into stark relief.

I ignored the faint insult and untied my bags from the horse before laying them on the ground beside me. Cat had made a habit of sleeping in my backpack, and I flipped it open to find him dozing away on top of a pile of spare clothes without a care in the world.

"My lord?" a quiet voice asked from my side. I looked up to find a girl around my age standing a couple feet away. Her face was familiar, and I realized after a moment that she was the child of one of the family servants.

"I am not a lord," I said as I stood, then winced, "Ah, that sounded rude. But Vayne will do."

"Yes, my lord," she replied without hesitation, "Would you like me to take your bags to your room?"

I glanced down at my bags and tried not to laugh. Just seconds earlier, I had felt irritation at a perceived slight, and now...

"Yes, please," I said, nodding once, "Thank you..."

I did not know her name. We had grown up here, likely sleeping within a hundred feet of one another, and I did not know her name. Was I really that self-involved and oblivious?

The girl bowed again, seeming not to notice my thoughts, and bent to pick up my bags and wrapped weapon. Cat opened his eyes, staring at the stranger for a moment before yawning and closing them again as she carried him away.

Two guards led us through large double doors decorated with the familial oak tree and into the Estton manor proper. A towering grand staircase dominated the main foyer, and two men stood at the top, looking down upon us.

Rufus Estton was a tall, athletic man in his forties, with a build near-identical to his son's. He stood tall with a straight back, squared shoulders, and head raised with effortless confidence. His pale blonde hair was short, backswept to reveal a narrow face, carefully groomed beard, and dark green eyes flecked with brown.

I had not been a mage the last time I had met with the Duke, but I could now sense his aura. He kept it tightly controlled, held by an iron-firm will, but what little I could detect suggested he was at least as powerful as Julian, if not stronger. His mana was dense, firm, and vast as the ground beneath our feet.

Girem stood beside his lord, arms folded behind his back and a flat, emotionless expression on his face. His eyes darted towards me, and he nodded once before returning his attention to the Duke.

Duke Estton strode down the stairs, nodding to the guards who saluted him before exiting the room. The moment we were alone, the noble's stern demeanor melted, and he crossed the short distance to his children with both arms outstretched.

"Ah, look at you two," Duke Estton said as he enveloped the twins, wrapping one arm around each, "I was worried you wouldn't make it back home in time, and-oh, what's this?"

Duke Estton pulled back, turning towards Sophia, "You are already verging on Mist?"

Sophia shook her head, "Not yet, father."

"Nonsense. You could ascend within a month if you'd like," he replied, "And Leon, you feel ready to break through to Haze. Fantastic! We'll need to celebrate later."

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Leon cleared his throat, "Of course, father, but we need to speak about something first. While on our trip-"

"In a moment, Leon," Duke Estton held up a hand, "We have guests."

Duke Estton turned towards the rest of us, the mask of a lord slipping on with practiced ease.

"Welcome," Duke Estton said, dipping his head towards us.

We bowed low, holding that position for a few seconds before straightening.

Duke Estton glanced over us, walking over to stand before Simon.

"Simon Helton, yes?" Duke Estton asked, "My son tells me you're quite the craftsman."

Simon coughed, "I wouldn't call myself anything special, my lord."

"Oh? Are you implying my son is a liar?"

Simon's face paled, and Duke Estton held a firm stare for a few seconds. Then, Girem cleared his throat, and the Duke's stern demeanor cracked.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself," Rufus continued with a laugh, "It's so rare I get to have fun with playing the 'stern duke.' Ah, but a word of advice. Humility is all well and good, but by a certain point, it sounds more like you're begging for a compliment."

The Duke did not wait for Simon's response, instead turning to Amelia. Something flickered in his eyes, a look that vanished before I could name it, and the Duke nodded to her.

"Amelia Ruteh," Rufus said, "Leon spoke less about you. How is your mother?"

"Well, my lord. Thank you," Amelia dipped her head, "She sends her regards, as well as an invitation to dine with her the next time you are in Volaris."

"Accepted," Rufus smiled, "Though only if she has those same fruit pastries as the last time I visited."

Amelia matched his smile, "I'll be sure to mention it."

I had not known the Duke knew Amelia's mother, though I also realized I knew less about Amelia's family than seemed wise. Strangely, it had never struck me as important to investigate, but-

A throat cleared, and I blinked, looking up from the floor to realize Duke Estton had addressed me. He had one eyebrow raised, a faint smile on his face, and I spared a glance over his shoulder to see Girem's stern glare.

"My deepest apologies, my lord," I bowed again, "I did not-"

"I was asking how your first year in the Academy went," Duke Estton interrupted, "Well, it seems. Very well. Your mana is strong. Stronger than I expected, in fact. And your studies?"

"I passed all of my classes, my lord," I replied, careful to avoid admitting anything.

Thankfully, Duke Estton seemed unconcerned with prying deeper at the moment. He nodded a few times, then walked away to stand at the foot of the stairs again.

"Unfortunately, while I would love to speak further, I'm afraid duty calls. Leon, Sophia, with me. Vayne, take our guests to their quarters. The servants should have prepared their rooms already. I'll expect you for dinner tonight, but you are free until then."

"Of course, my lord. Thank you."

Amelia and Simon mirrored my words, and we left the foyer through one of the side doors. I let them through a long, winding hallway to the eastern wing, where the guest quarters lay. We passed portraits and artwork hanging on walls, cases filled with decorative armor and weapons, vases and sculptures, and servants who stepped to the side and averted their eyes.

The guest quarters were massive, multi-room suites about as large as an Academy dormitory and even more indulgent. Each had massive cloud-soft beds made of the finest materials possible with more pillows than seemed reasonable. A wide window at the rear of the room overlooked the manicured flower gardens outside, and the adjoining bathroom held a tub large enough to fit three grown adults, with enchantments to heat the water.

I left Simon and Amelia to settle in, then headed for my room.

While I was destined to become Leon's advisor and a mage, I did not live within the main Estton manor. That would be improper for a servant, regardless of their future status. Even Girem only had a room there because he regularly worked through the night. The rumors claimed Duke Estton had gifted him quarters, hoping it might encourage him to get more rest.

I doubted it worked, but it was an admirable effort.

My room was in the servant's quarters, one of the two smaller buildings behind the manor. I had lived there almost my whole life, along with dozens of men, women, and children, in service to the Esttons. It was by all accounts the closest thing to a "home" I had ever known.

I made it halfway before a harsh voice shouted, "Stop right there!"

The voice had an edge to it, and I spun, gathering mana into my Traveler's Shield as I looked for the threat. It snapped into place, and I had already begun pulling more Aether into a bolt when I saw who had spoken.

Neil, the second-in-command of the family guards, stood a few steps from me. He wore polished armor of the same type as the other guards, though the oak tree symbol on his chest was filled with silver rather than bronze, and he did not wear a helmet.

The man backed up a few steps, raising both hands in mock surrender, and said, "Whoa, easy kid. No need to start slinging spells."

I lowered my hand and dismissed my armor, smiling as I replied, "Sorry, a bit jumpy lately."

"I'd say," Neil remarked as he walked closer. He tilted his head to one side, then shifted his spear to the crook of his elbow before reaching out with his now-free hand. His palm hovered over my head, and he moved it back towards himself, apparently measuring my height against his.

"You've gotten taller," he finally said, nodding, "Must be those fancy magic meals everyone eats in the capital."

I snorted, "Or I am a sixteen-year-old, and that is how time and aging works."

Neil chuckled, "Nah, it's magic. No other way you'd grow this much."

"Did you stop me just to imply that I could not possibly get taller without magical means?"

"Well...not just," Neil smiled, "Wanted to see how you've been. First year's down, and all that. How'd it go?"

I glanced at the servant's quarters, then shrugged, "How much time do you have?"

"I can spare a few minutes."

***

Neil whistled, "Duke Sion's kid? You're just trying to collect enemies, aren't you?"

I shrugged, "No, not particularly."

"Could've fooled me," Neil shook his head, "You gotta be more careful. Dueling nobles. Hunting monsters. Not sure that's what Girem and his lordship had in mind when they sent you to Volaris."

No, it was not. I sighed and leaned my head against the wall behind us, focusing on the guards practicing their spear forms a short distance away.

We sat on the grass behind the third building, the guard's quarters. It had the dual benefits of providing shade and cover from the strong winds that tended to blow across the plains and privacy from the prying eyes of lords.

Neil cleared his throat, "So...what are you going to say? To Girem, I mean. You'd have to have thought about it, right?"

He was right. I had thought about it already and had come to a grim conclusion.

There was no excuse. There was nothing I could say that would make Girem accept what I had done or what I planned on doing. The best I could hope for was quiet banishment from the Esttons and the worst summary execution for betraying my lord's confidence.

And until then, the only thing to do was remain busy the best way I knew how.

I pushed away from the wall and stood, looking down at the man and replying, "I have several hours until I need to get ready for dinner. In the meantime, would you mind helping me with something?"

Neil grunted as he rose, rolling one shoulder, "Depends. What do you need help with?"

I held up my arm, angling the enchanted vambrace in the sun, and smiled, "How do you feel about trying to cut me open?"