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NOTIFICATION
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* Quest Completed: Save the Queen
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+ XP Gained: 25
+ Gold Earned: 2
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| Current XP: 95 / 100
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| Progress: ████████████░
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Dismissing the translucent box with a wave of my hand, I staggered to my feet, moving closer to a window. The smoke was clearing, and the elves outside were stirring, slowly getting back on their feet. One of them pointed directly at the building we had taken refuge in, and the others began advancing, bows drawn. My breath hitched as I ducked back out of sight, narrowly avoiding the gaze of one who had gotten too close.
The air felt heavy with tension as I leaned against the wall, exhaling shakily. The teachers were herding the students back up the stairs to safety, their voices hushed but urgent.
I hurried over to the Queen, offering my hand to help her up. But, with a grimace, she pushed herself to her feet on her own.
“They’re coming, aren’t they?” she asked, her voice steady but low.
I nodded. “Yeah. What’s the plan?”
“We’ll…” she trailed off, gripping the wall for support, her expression tightening.
Before she could finish, a loud thud echoed through the room as someone outside attempted to kick the door down. The lock held firm, but the kicks kept coming, each one louder than the last. Frustrated, the attackers abandoned the door and moved to the window. I flinched as an elf swung a sword at the glass—but, to my surprise, it didn’t shatter. The window seemed as sturdy as the door.
The Queen straightened up, still bracing herself against the wall with one hand while clutching her stomach with the other. Her breaths came shallow and quick, her face pale.
“Can you cast a healing spell?” she asked without looking at me.
“I can’t,” I admitted. “I don’t know how to cast anything but that fireball spell.”
She let out a dry chuckle, shaking her head. “Fantastic. Just the fireball, huh?”
“And something called Void Port—”
A sudden, thunderous crash outside cut me off. The pounding noises stopped, replaced by the unmistakable sounds of chaos: steel clashing, screams, and the wet, sickening noise of blades cutting into flesh.
I ducked low and crawled back to the window, peeking cautiously. My heart nearly stopped when a body slammed into the glass, leaving a smear of blood as it slid down. Gasping, I fell backward, landing hard on my backside. Shaking my head, I forced myself back up to look again.
Through the thinning smoke, I saw him—a massive, armoured figure, the same burly man who was there when I had interrupted the Queen’s dinner before. He was a force of nature, cutting through the elves with terrifying efficiency. Their arrows clanged uselessly against his golden shield, and their spells didn’t so much as scratch him.
In seconds, the group outside lay motionless. The archers on the rooftop leaped down, attempting to overwhelm him. Two loosed their arrows, while the others charged with blades drawn. It didn’t matter. They were no match. In less than twenty seconds, the battlefield was silent, littered with elf bodies.
“Where’s the Queen?” he roared, planting his sword in the ground with a reverberating clang. “Queen!”
My throat felt dry, but I managed to croak, “H-here! We’re here!”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
He spun toward the second building and sprinted toward us. The door hadn’t even fully opened when he shoved past me, sending me stumbling to the floor. Ignoring me entirely, he rushed to the Queen’s side and immediately began casting a healing spell. A faint golden glow surrounded her, and her pained expression began to soften.
As he worked, his eyes flicked upward, noticing the teachers and students standing frozen on the stairs, watching the scene unfold. His face twisted in fury.
“Why aren’t you helping the Queen, you fools?” he barked, his voice booming. “She needs healing!”
The room seemed to come alive as guards poured in, weapons drawn and ready for another fight. I let out a sigh of relief, finally feeling the weight of the situation lift slightly. Dragging myself to my feet, I leaned against the wall, every inch of my body throbbing with pain.
The headmaster entered moments later, his gaze immediately falling on me. He scanned me briefly before glancing at the Queen, then back to me.
“Gods… are you alright?” he asked, his tone unusually gentle.
I offered a weak nod, wiping the blood from my face. “Not exactly the first day I was expecting.”
“Stay still,” he said, preparing to cast a healing spell. A faint warmth spread through my body as the spell took effect, numbing the pain in my wounds.
“Thank you, sir,” I murmured, finally able to catch my breath.
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Mr. Poley opened the infirmary door, holding it wide for me. Without a word, I limped inside, avoiding the gazes of the nurses. Exhaustion weighed me down as I practically collapsed onto the nearest bed, smearing the pristine white sheets with my blood. The day had been relentless, and all I wanted now was to sleep for ten uninterrupted hours—or, better yet, escape to a world where nothing was trying to kill, maim, or otherwise destroy me.
The infirmary smelled faintly of herbs and antiseptics. Bright sunlight filtered through the tall windows, reflecting off rows of neatly arranged beds with crisp, white linens. Cabinets along the walls housed various potions and tools, while a soft hum of magical wards buzzed faintly in the background.
One of the nurses approached and gently guided me to lie on my back. I winced, my eyes fixed on the ceiling as her fingers carefully examined my wounds. After a moment, she leaned closer to her colleague and murmured something, but I couldn’t catch what she said because my ears were ringing. Her hands glowed faintly as she began casting a healing spell, warmth spreading through my body as the pain gradually ebbed away.
“You’ve been through hells,” Mr. Poley remarked from his spot near the door, his arms crossed as he watched the nurse work. “And I owe you my thanks, Mr. Millo. Defending me like that… I won’t forget it.”
“It was my fault that the forest was destroyed,” I said, my voice softer now, drained of its earlier edge. “I shouldn’t have put so much mana into it.”
He arched an eyebrow, his curiosity evident. “Fault? I’m actually impressed. You should be in one of the higher classes, not F. The amount of mana you used for a level-one spell—it shouldn’t have been possible. Not by a long shot.”
A thought struck me, and I hesitated before speaking. “What if… hypothetically, someone had negative mana? What would happen then?”
“Negative mana?” His expression shifted into one of mild amusement. “They wouldn’t be able to cast even the simplest spell. It’s not possible, theoretically or otherwise.”
I hummed thoughtfully but said nothing further.
The nurse straightened up, dusting her hands off as the glow faded. “He’s healed,” she announced. “The arrow wounds weren’t too deep. His palm injury, though, will need time to fully recover.”
“Good work,” Mr. Poley said with a nod.
Another nurse added, without looking up from her task, “He’ll need to rest. Ideally tomorrow and maybe the day after too.”
“Understood,” Mr. Poley replied, his tone decisive. “He’ll take the time he needs.”
A knock at the door interrupted us. A student stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room before settling on Mr. Poley. “The headmaster needs you, sir.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s with the Queen—it’s urgent.”
“Queen, huh…”
“Yes, sir.”
“Okay… I’ll go now,” Mr. Poley said, adjusting his waistcoat. He glanced back at me briefly. “Take care of yourself, Mr. Millo.”
“Thanks, sir,” I muttered, watching him stride out the door.
Once he was gone, I attempted to sit up, my muscles protesting. The first try failed, but on the second attempt, I managed to prop myself up. Across the room, the nurses were focused on another patient—a guard who had apparently been struck in the knee by an arrow during the attack. He lay unconscious, pale but stable.
I flexed my hand, then unwrapped the bandage. The wound, once a gaping hole, had closed completely, leaving no trace that it had ever existed. I stared at it for a moment, relief washing over me.
“Can I leave now?” I asked, my voice hesitant.
One of the nurses glanced in my direction but didn’t pause her work. “You’re free to go. Just don’t overdo it, especially with that hand. No heavy lifting.”
“Understood. Thank you for taking care of me.”
Her colleague chimed in without looking up, “We just did what we’re here for. Take it easy, boy.”
I nodded, though they weren’t paying attention anymore, and rose carefully to my feet. The pain was mostly gone, but the day’s events had left me drained. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that more trouble was waiting just around the corner.
“What a first day…”