Ray
“Ma, when were you going to tell me about the Scholar of Afrieal thing?” he asked as Ma looked up at him.
“In a few days, when the Order of Mage-Warrior’s was dealt with.” Ma said, her voice calm.
“So you are behind it.” Ray stated, taking a seat.
“Yes, I think that much is obvious.” Ma replied.
“Why keep it a secret?” Ray asked.
“At first, I did not want you to get involved. The business is dangerous, Ray, you could get killed anytime. After that, I was just waiting for the right time.” Ma answered.
“And it’s safe for you?” Ray demanded, putting his hands on the table.
“Not really, but I am a Tier 13 with nearly a hundred of the rebellion’s soldiers guarding me. I am much safer than you would be, Ray.” Ma said, shocking him.
“Tier 13?” Ray exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.
“What can I say, the secret business is lucrative.” Ma said, a smile dancing on her lips.
“What class do you have, Ma?” Ray asked.
“[Scholar of Afreial- The Commoner baker- Fae Mother]. The System offered me a hybrid class, [Scholar-Baker-Mother], I get mana for all three. Though I need to meet requirements for all three.”
“Requirements? Wait, no, we’re talking about how you’ve been hiding things from me! Aunty Ariana told me about you being a Baroness and all that happened fifteen years ago.” Ray said.
Ma looked irritated, but replied either way, “What do you want to talk about Ray? I found you in the woods, singing like you weren’t in a xenophobic Empire. I knew what I had to do, if I didn’t adopt you then you would have died.
The rebellion wasn’t around back then, or at least, not active in Afrieal. And after that, you were my son, and I didn’t want to part with you. Perhaps I was selfish in that, you would have been better raised by Elves, but I love you, Ray. I won’t apologize for that.”
“I meant about you having to stay here. The barony would have meant that you wouldn’t have to work so hard…” Ray said, his voice soft this time.
Ma just laughed. “Do you think I would have been happy, Ray?” Ma asked.
Ray was caught off guard by the question. “I don’t know…probably?”
“No, Ray. Just having a lot of money doesn't guarantee happiness. The exact opposite at times. I never got along with my parents Ray, at first was the object of my Father's jealousy, and later an embarrassment.
As for my Master, you already know how he was. I would have been lonely, Ray. And looked down upon to boot. The nobility are not very accepting of people with weak elements, Ray. The fact that we exist reminds them that they too can be weak.
A reminder of the fact that they are, in fact, not better than the commoners. Just more powerful. I would have been that reminder. An object of hatred. I had to work hard here, yes, but I had a purpose here. A family. I wasn’t alone. Not like I would have been.’’ Ma said, her voice emotional.
The two of them just stared at each other until Norman sneaked on the table and tried to sneak one of Ma’s cookies. A hand-picked him up, dumping him back on the floor, much to his chagrin.
“The requirements are things you need to change your class. Just like the ones when you had when you chose your first class, The System just tells you what they are this time.
The changes happen at Tier 6, Tier 11,Tier 21 and so on. The class for the first five levels is something of a tutorial. The skills are largely generic, they get better later on. I got [Knowledge deployment] for this one. The skill lets me transmit information into other people’s heads, though they can’t reply.” Ma said.
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“Now, do you have anything to say? I hear you had an interesting day.”
Ray chuckled, of course she knew, she was the Scholar of Afrieal after all.
“Yes, a little scuffle with a noble brat, but I have to take part in the Academy hunt now.” Ray answered.
“The Academy hunt? Yes, that will be a good opportunity. Not lacking in danger, but I expect you won’t have a lot of problems with a bunch of Tier 5s as long as you are one.” Ma said.
“I am Tier 4 though.’ Ray noted.
Ma laughed, “Did you think I didn’t have a little something extra to help you along? Now tell me, how would you like to try out some rare Alchemic recipes that increase your ability to manipulate mana? The secret stash of our dear Mage-Warriors.”
The grin on Ma’s face made Ray wonder whether he had really known her before. The woman who’d raised him had turned into a schemer. Or had she always been one, and he just didn’t notice?
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[Alchemy] has leveled up twice to level 5: 360
[Mana Manipulation] has leveled up to level 4: 120
Glitter element strengthened!: 300 mana
Tier 5 (1904/3200)
Ray took a deep breath as he reached tier 5. The element strengthening potion had apparently been in the order’s treasury, something Ma had apparently taken a share off. So now he had reached Tier 5. A notable achievement, even for a noble at his age.
The vast majority of commoners stopped between Tier 3 and 5. The ones that pursued power possessively got to Tier 9. But after that, the Empire would not give licenses to raise one's power. The higher Tiers were reserved for nobles, and nobles only. The Empire demanded significant military service before they gave any titles at all.
The things were changing of course, the commoners were gaining power. The rebellion in particular was gaining power. The bodyguards they’d provided had grown in power over the last few days, no doubt Ma had raised the amount she was paying.
Ray still had mixed feelings about the new side of hers. On one hand, he couldn’t protest. What she did seemed reasonable, and she had helped him a lot. On the other hand, she didn’t seem true to herself. The new Ma was acting a bit too much like a noble.
The ruthlessness, the gifts, the casual declaration of war, all were things a noble would do. Ma wasn’t exactly acting out of character…it just felt off. But a small part of him said that this was exactly what she was. Ray was the one holding on to her.
In the end, there was little he could do, she was what she was. And Ray had a hunt to go too. Aunty Ariana would arrive in a few minutes to pick him up, and he had to be ready.
Ma was, as usual, gone to her Scholar thing, though she did say that she would be back in time to see him off.
“Are you ready, Ray?” Marcus asked, peaking into the room. Ray nodded, stepping out of the room.
“Yeah, just nervous. Are you guys ready?” he asked.
“Yeah, well, as ready as we’re going to be. Rena, Gravon and the others will be joining you.” Marcus said.
“So you won’t be?” Ray asked, sad, but understanding. Marcus had gotten [Water healer] as a class, something very connected to his element. Marcus’s element had a very harsh limitation, he couldn’t attack using it. At all. The attacks would only heal, something that made him useless in combat.
The professors that had interviewed him had never caught it, they’d thought he would gain normal control also, but Marcus did not. The power remained as benign as before.
“No, you know why. I will be working instead, you guys go enjoy your break while we profit. After all, the great Ray Rosenmund’s potions will be missing from the inventory for a few days.” Marcus said, smiling sarcastically as the two of them descended the stairs.
Ray smiled, “No they won’t, I have this magical thing you see, it’s called a backlog.”
Marcus just looked at him with a blank expression, “I will personally make sure you sell out on the first day itself, so we get a chance.”
Now Ray was confused. “Not gonna try to outsell me instead?”
Marcus just stared at him. “No, I don’t think that's even possible, oh famous leader of the revolution. I like my idea better.”
Ray just shrugged, Marcus was going to be the one handling things anyway, he could do as he wanted. Aunty Ariana was here anyway.
“So, are you ready?” she asked.
“As ready as we’re ever going to be.” Ray replied as they boarded the waiting disk. The same one he had boarded the other day, but it had a lot more chairs this time.
“Well, you better be, cause the Order of mage-Warriors have joined the hunt, and I am pretty sure that they will be hunting something other than beasts.” Aunty Ariana said, making everyone but her pause.
Well, that was a good start.