“Are you fine, my lord?” Roy’s voice called out, making Adrien jump in alarm as he turned to look at his guard. The man in question was sitting on the sofa, sipping what appeared to be a glass of water.

“Oh—oh yes.” he replied, still a bit put off. “What are you doing here?”

“Guarding you.” the old man chimed in from the other side of the room. “Just because you reached the city does not mean that our duties have come to an end. The Duchess has instructed us to protect you, and we shall be doing just that.”

Now that had him raise an eyebrow. “For how long?”

There was a silence at his question, and Adrien wondered if he had asked something he shouldn’t have.

“For the rest of your life.” the Void said coming into the room from somewhere inside. Adrien got a good look at what this ‘room’ was. In truth, it looked like a bunch of rooms put together. There was a living area where they were currently and more doors that seemed to lead to bedrooms.

At least that was where the doors he could see now led.

“I see.” he replied, more than a little unsure of what he should say. What was the proper response to someone saying that they would protect him for the rest of his life.

“That—I -” Adrien looked at them, unsure if he should protest or say thank you. There wasn’t really a problem with them being his guards, it just felt a little…awkward? A few days ago people barely bothered talking to him. Now there were three people whose job was literally following him around for the rest of his life?

Then again, this was normal for members of the ducal main families. Even Ron had his own guard, though Adrien wasn’t sure if it was as powerful as his. No, he would be very surprised if it was anywhere close.

Aunt Veena had gone more than a little overboard with his guard, that much was clear.

“What was that with Lord Oak?” Roy asked, interrupting Adrien’s thought process.

“What do you mean?”

“Roy was eavesdropping on your conversation with Lord Oak.” the old man snitched. Adrien realized that he still didn’t know his name.

“But what he said gave us reason for concern.” the Void said, stopping the brewing squabble. “What has you feeling ill?”

Adrien opened his mouth but found no words forming, the book’s seal forcing his silence on his powers. So he couldn’t tell them the truth then.

“I was just feeling a bit down.” he tried to make an excuse. Three pairs of eyes just stared back at him, unamused.

“If you do not wish to tell us then it is fine.” Roy said, lifting himself off the sofa with a great yawn. “Whatever you want, my lord.”

The old man turned to give him a glare.

“What? I am tired, whatever discussion you want to have, do it tomorrow. And you’re taking the first shift.” Roy said.

“Why would I be-”

“The one who killed the least goblins takes the first shift. That’s the rule old man. Not my fault your power can’t kill.” Roy said, yawning again as he made his way into one of the side bedrooms.

“There really is -” Adrien started speaking.

“There is. And you do not get to take a shift.” the Void interrupted. “Please go to sleep, Lord Oak is not known for his patience. I am sure he shall ask for you tomorrow, and it will be early when he does so.”

“Isn’t he like two hundred years old?”

“Yes, and one of the most respected lords in the kingdom.” the Void said, turning around and going into what Adrien presumed was his room. Turning towards the center, he looked at the large engraved doors that seemed to lead to another part of the ducal rooms.

“I suppose that is mine?” he asked.

“That appears to be the case, my lord.” the old man said, looking at him expectantly.

Adrien walked towards the door with an awkward smile on his face and opened the door. There, before his eyes, was the largest bed he had seen in his life. The bed alone looked like a room itself, occupying most of the bedroom. A single sofa stood to its left, and to its right there was a door that presumably led to the bathroom.

“Why is the bed so big? And where are the windows?” he asked.

“I admit I do not know my lord. This is not within my expertise.” the old man replied, plopping down on the sofa. “The servants have moved your luggage into the cupboard. There wasn’t time to empty it.”

“The cupboard being -” Adrien asked as the old man pointed to the door he had thought was the bathroom. Well apparently it was the cupboard. Now he was wondering where the bathroom was. The room’s structure really didn’t make sense.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Deciding that the room’s structure also wasn’t important, Adrien walked into the cupboard, calling on his notifications.

The Flame of Duty binds you

The words were…not clear. But he did expect the Questing Book to explain it to him soon enough.

The Flame of Duty is a Flame under the Wannabe Path conceptualized by his royal majesty, Prince Verlinaus of the House Manevorus, Monarch of Justice, Power, and Fame

Adrien looked at the words. A whole lot of words that meant just about nothing to him. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. Was the Questing Book trying to explain it to him or show off the titles that Monarch of its had?

The Monarch of Justice has more titles than there are hours in a year.

So it was boasting about the Monarch. Did that mean there was an explanation coming soon? A decent one he could understand and maybe try to use?

A Flame is what is earned in each of the stages of the Wannabe Path.

A Flame is earned based on your actions in the stage before.

The Flames grant powers and enforce restrictions.

To reduce the restrictions and increase the Flame’s power it is recommended that you cultivate it.

The first step to cultivate a Flame is to gain its acknowledgment.

The Flame of Duty currently grants the following powers and restrictions:

Flame of Duty:

* Grants access to Bloodline Power for normal spells.

* Increases mana affinity.

* Flame strength is lost when the host does not perform his duty.

So this Flame was something that he would earn whenever he completed a stage? And they would give him powers? Like the Flame of Duty that gave him access to Bloodline Power for spells.

That…that was something. Not as good as an actual ability, but still, it was good. Now he could actually use his power. This was good stuff. Adrien almost wanted to ask what the catch was, because it was looking too good. And if he had learned one thing in life-

Quest generated!

Quest 2: learn how to use the Flame of Duty and face the threat.

Reward: second page of the Questing Book.

Well clearly, he hadn’t learned to keep his mouth shut. Just had to ask for it.

Adrien looked at the notification, his gaze landing on the words it said. Use the flame of Duty to face the threat. The threat. The Awakened goblin presumably. The Questing book had given him the Flame because of it.

So, was the Questing Book telling him to face the Awakened goblin? Or saying that he would face the goblin soon? Then again, it hadn’t actually said the goblin was the threat. What if there was something else? Perhaps it was something a bit easier to deal with. Like a wolf. There were plenty of wolves between here and the capital.

Adrien stared at the notification as it vanished, knowing well enough that it was not wolves that had the Questing Book give out a Flame just like that. Stepping out of the wardrobe, he found he looked at the old man. For his own part, the healer did not even turn to look at him, staring at the door and stubbornly ignoring Adrien.

A part of him wanted to try to talk to the old man anyway, but a more reasonable part of him knew that was a bad idea. The Void had warned him to sleep, and he was tired, now that he thought about it. The sight of the bed just made him want to crumple on top of it and go to sleep.

As he slipped underneath the covers, a heat spreading out within himself drew his attention. The Flame. Finding it was easy, the light pink fire that burned in the middle of his mana pool practically calling out to him. Getting to know it? Not so much.

As much as he tried, he couldn’t get close to it. The flame did not respond to his attempts to sense at it, even the space around it difficult to get a hold off. This did not make sense. The mana pool was a part of him, more even than his own heart. Adrien should be able to sense it.

But now the flame had taken over it. A sense of crisis sped up his heartbeat as he realized that the Flame could do whatever it wanted with his mana pool now. No, not just the Flame. The Questing Book.

That shouldn’t be possible.

The mana pool was connected to his very self. A thing that affected it would find it much easier to take over his body or even his mind. There was a direct connection to both of them that had no barriers to it.

That was why a Vow was so powerful, it was magic cast through your own mana pool, and hence did not face any resistance. Even if Adrien wanted to, he was not sure if he would be able to stop the Flame. The Flame had more access to his body and brain than he did himself.

After all, control over one's own mana pool was not governed by the conscious part of the brain. Calling mana forth only started a subconscious process that he had very little control over. The conscious mind could only interact with mana once it was out of his body.

The ‘restrictions’ the Questing Book spoke of now sounded much scarier. What did it have in store for him? What if there was some Flame the Questing Book gave him that forced him to do things he did not want to?

Adrien might not even know that it was influencing him, but it would be. Just the thought of it was terrifying. A part of him wanted to try to push the Flame out of him right then and there. No, not just a part, most of him.

The Flame had too much access. The thing was too great a risk. So was the Questing Book. The book in question appeared before him unbidden, as if called by his thoughts. Adrien stared at it, seriously considering giving it away somehow.

Then he remembered that he couldn’t. The ancestors bloodline ability would not allow him to -

The Questing Book does not maintain control over a Flame.

The Flame is its own entity.

The Flame is also not sapient and likely will not become sapient.

Mana is more intelligent.

And once again the Questing Book displayed that it could read its mind. Perhaps he had been wrong to trust it.

And now he couldn’t do anything about it. With that happy thought, he closed his eyes and went to sleep. Or at least tried to. For some reason his thoughts kept coming back to the Flame that rested within his mana pool and what it could do to him. The Void was going to be disappointed. Adrien did not think he would be able to sleep tonight.