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It only occurred to me after I had started looking for him, but it was clear that Aleph had been intentionally aloof since we had taken up residence in the High Temple. It didn’t help that it hadn’t been designed with someone of his stature in mind. Save for the sanctuary, many of the interior ceilings were relatively low, and the hallways often narrowed without warning or reason.
His quarters were somewhere on a lower floor closer to the main entrance, and the closer I came to them, the more attention the guards paid to me. Their eyes followed my every move, wariness written all over their faces. I locked eyes with them to assuage their plausible fears before offering a benign smile.
“Just looking for Aleph…” I said for perhaps the seventh or eighth time.
“I’ll escort you,” one of the older guards finally rumbled, stepping forward as if the thought of letting me roam alone was too risky.
No incident reports on his watch…
“All right,” I said, giving up on my solo search.
Aleph’s quarters were hidden away in a dirty corner of the grand building, unadorned and unmemorable. The dim lighting in the hallway cast long, flickering shadows along the walls while the air hung heavy with the scent of old wood and dust, amplifying the claustrophobic feeling of the narrow hallways. Tetora’s quarters were across the hall, and while he hadn’t even bothered to close the door on his way out, I didn’t dare look inside, fearing that some damage might have been done, given his recent frustrations. Instead, I drew myself up and knocked on Aleph’s battered door.
Aleph greeted me with a weary sigh. “Hello, Gold Dragon.”
“I’m no longer ‘Little Dragon?’” I asked curiously.
“No, I believe you’ve grown quite a bit recently,” he mused, stroking his beard as he eyed the now nervous guard beside me. “Thank you for helping her find her way here,” he said with a note of dismissal.
The guard cleared his throat in protest, but no actual declarations escaped him, so he left after an awkward moment of indecision.
“You didn’t even threaten him,” I murmured. “Now that’s true strength.”
“Strength takes many forms, each with its own truth. To elevate one above the others is to misunderstand the essence of power,” he advised as I walked inside.
“Don’t tell Tetora that,” I warned. “He’s more of a ‘show’ about it, and I think he’d argue that point all day long with you if he could.”
“Weeks,” Aleph corrected with all the insight of someone who had lived through the experience. “Weeks…”
I took a seat on a rickety wooden chair with a loud exhale. “So… Relias says you’d like me to join you on your trip to the pilgrim encampment…”
Aleph’s ears flattened slightly. “I know we had originally advised against it, but given some stories that Father Titus has shared… I humbly ask for your help, knowing it will cause you another burden.”
I tried to hide my smile. “Well… I suppose one good turn deserves another.”
“I don’t quite follow,” he admitted, sitting across from me.
I looked straight at him, watching for any subtle changes in his facial expression. “You… talked to him, didn’t you?”
“Father Titus?” He pretended to look confused. “Yes, of course I did.”
I plucked a clean teacup from the center of the table and poured myself some tea from a nearby teapot. “No. Relias.”
“It is customary to talk to one’s companions,” he murmured evasively, his ears twitching.
“He apologized to me, just so you’re aware,” I continued, swirling the tea in my cup absentmindedly, noticing it was cold.
“A wise decision on his part,” he coughed.
I stirred in a spoonful of honey vigorously before tapping it to the side with a few intentionally loud clinks. “And I can’t help but figure such wisdom was inspired by another close to him.”
“We all draw inspiration from our surroundings,” he replied with a shrug.
The more he sidestepped the issue, the more plausible it seemed that their discussion had been heated.
“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “I probably should have tried a little better to communicate with him before things got so out of hand…”
“As long as you were able to talk out what was bothering you, then that is all that matters.”
But… did I really talk it out?
Well, I’m sure it’ll be fine anyway.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
He said he was sorry and that he shouldn’t have said it.
It’s not like it will happen again.
I settled on simply smiling in approval before taking a sip of tea. “So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“I would like to leave after our morning meeting. Captain Corwin, Father Irijah, and Father Titus will accompany us.”
“Oh, Father Irijah, too?”
I wonder how he’s holding up.
Aleph nodded. “I wish to speak with those encamped there so I can present the General Assembly with a summary of their needs. I believe the more trustworthy witnesses, the better.”
It was a good start. “Hmm… Let’s bring Prince Mito, too.”
“I’m not sure he would be so interested in…”
I sniffed. “He needs to be in the limelight a little more—as himself and not just an actor. If he resists, I’ll tell him it’s an order.”
“It shall be as you say then, Chosen One.”
At that, I flinched, almost dropping my teacup. “Aleph!” I admonished.
He chuckled. “Can you forgive me?”
“Only if you promise not to call me that again,” I muttered.
“That is not something I can promise. When you act like a leader, you should be respected as one.”
“But we’re in private!”
Aleph cast a furtive glance around the room that spoke volumes.
“You really think we’re… oh…” I cleared my throat awkwardly now that I had yet something else to worry about. “Well, anyway. Is Tetora…?”
Aleph sighed. “He will come too, but I am worried that he will struggle the most. I do not expect the stories we will hear will be pleasant ones.”
“I’ll keep my eye on him too,” I promised.
Of course, if an extreme reaction is justified… Well, technically, I did say I’d just watch.
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Nora had popped into my room so many times now that the guards no longer bothered to even question her presence. With that in mind, it was no surprise for me to find her already there once I returned for the evening.
“Hey!” She jumped up from the table, carelessly knocking a stack of papers over in her dash to greet me. “Looking pretty good, all things considered.”
I took a step back because she was just a little too close. “Who, me?”
“Yeah. I thought for sure you’d either be sad or fuming, all things considered…”
“Oh! Uh, no. He apologized.”
Nora stared at me for a good ten seconds. “We’re talking about Relias, right?”
“Yes.”
“His Holiness.”
“Yeah.”
“Holy Sage Relias.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes! That guy!”
“How did you get him to say sorry?”
I frowned. “I’m pretty sure Aleph said something, but of course, he won’t admit it.”
Nora folded her arms. “The dad energy is strong with him… Hard to believe he’s Relias’s junior.”
“Ah…” was my vague, reticent reply. “Oh, and get this! We’re allowed to leave! Uh, with some supervision from Captain Corwin. Girls' Day Out is back on! I just have a few more things to get through first…”
“Like what?”
I rubbed my cheek. “I’m going to check out the encampment tomorrow with Aleph and Tetora.”
“Want me to come too?”
I had considered it, but I was a little worried about pairing her up with Tetora. “That depends on how your homework’s going?”
I cannot tell you how satisfying it was to see her flinch from my successful diversion.
“I was working on it, I swear!”
I glanced at the books and papers scattered about on my table. “Yes, it seems so.”
Nora’s journal, splitting apart at the seams, started to glow. “Speak of the devil!” she crowed, sifting through its sheets. “What the… what does this mean?!”
I peeked over her shoulder and saw a short, confidential memo.
> To: Elenora Beatrice Perez
> Cc: Rachel Emily Smith
> From: Clare Mercure, Manager, IT
> Re: Ideal Form (Confidential)
> I received your request for more information on the ‘Ideal Form.’
> Here is an expression I hope you find helpful.
> I(t)=I(t−1)+α(t)⋅(Cc(t)−I(t−1))+β(t)⋅(Z(t)−I(t−1))+γ(t)⋅(E(t)−I(t−1))
> Unfortunately, only a certified content creator may access the definitions of the variables and sub-functions supplied in the equation above. However, I know you are very clever, and it would be far beneath you for me to simply share a plain language summary of said expression.
> Of course, current conditions do not allow you to alter this algorithm, but continued contemplation of this expression will no doubt allow you to recognize a multitude of future possibilities. I commend you on taking your philosophical assignment seriously.
I began to chuckle, relieved that there were no easy answers. “It means you should have listened to me!”
Nora’s eyes, however, burned with a ferocity that silenced my laughter. “The ‘t’ has to be time… not just a point in time, the ‘t-1’ in each sub-function… a change over time! And ‘I’ most certainly represents the ideal form… She thinks she’s outwitted me, but I'll figure it out!”
“Nora, I don’t think you’re actually meant to—”
“We’ll talk later!” she interjected, grabbing her notes. “Get some sleep and keep yourself busy for a bit. I have something important to work on!”
Before I could reply, she was already out the door, scrambling to hold everything as she fled.
“I guess that’s one way to keep her distracted…” I mumbled to myself.
Did Clare know more about what was happening than what we told her?
As I prepared to go to bed early for once, there was just one more knock at my door. It was Vernie, with an expression so twisted I couldn’t tell if it was disdain or outright confusion.
“Um… no luck?”
“Well… that depends on your definition,” Vernie replied, scratching her cheek. “I was able to secure the contents of your lockbox at the Celestial Reliquary without too many threats.”
“Lockbox? Ah…”
Those aren’t so big, are they? So maybe it really was easy come, easy go.
“Here.” She shoved a fistful of parchments into my hands.
“Deeds?” I asked as I thumbed through them, bewildered.
“Turns out Councilman Vetus, and later, Councilman Inutilis, spent your money buying up all the land they could get ahold of around their homes in the southeast district of the Periphery.”
“Whatever for?”
“Investments, I’d assume. The land was cheap; no one wanted to be associated with either of them after the fall of the Demon King, apparently.”
I could understand the hate against Vetus, even if it was most likely misplaced. “But what did Inutilis do?”
“Nothing,” Vernie replied automatically before scowling. “Or perhaps that’s just what he wanted people to think. Either way, Captain, you can add the title of ‘Landowner’ to your lengthy list.”
I stared at the deeds in my hands, knowing full well they’d be absolutely useless to me in their current form.
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Post Chapter Omake:
Nora: Okay, instead of definitions of the variables for the equation, just give me the values to calculate the ideal form of the universe itself right now!
Clare: As requested,
I(t−1)=40
Cc(t)=46
Z(t)=39
E(t)=41
α(t)=0.333
β(t)=0.133
γ(t)=0.533
Enjoy your calculation using I(t)=I(t−1)+α(t)⋅(Cc(t)−I(t−1))+β(t)⋅(Z(t)−I(t−1))+γ(t)⋅(E(t)−I(t−1)).
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Nora: … Not funny!
Rae: Uh… what does it equal? It’s just a number, right?
Nora: Figure it out yourself.
Rae: You know what? I think I’m good.