CHAPTER 73 -A DEAL-
CHARLOTTE BAMFORD
“Alright students, please now activate your mana ring and use your most powerful element along with your strongest abilities. Next, find a partner and spar with them and learn how to finish and drag the fight.” Professor Freyja announced, flicking her hand around like we were part of an orchestra.
Students, left and right, began moving and partnering up with their friends—even making groups of four or more—and eventually becoming more involved since that day.
Half of these—no. All these kids don’t know the truth of what actually happened in the Ifesia academy. In the results of many deaths and injuries, most of the people’s lives have reduced or even broken spirits because of it.
“So princess, when are you going to the ‘field trip’?” The eye patched teacher asked, keeping her one gleaming honey-colored eye on the rest of the students in case of a misplaced attack. I didn’t instantly know what to say, so I just kept quiet for a little bit before tracing her sight to the students who were new to this unfamiliar academy.
A deep breath came out my mouth as I said, “My little ‘field trip’ won’t happen, many things have gotten complicated to the point where leaving Afreon is no longer possible.”
Professor Freyja only hummed in a questioning way before staying quiet, prompting to thinking why the sudden retreat towards the mission. As she did, I felt this uncanny feeling of awkwardness in which it felt like something was supposed to be said—I was supposed to say something—but I didn’t have any words to say or anything to mention.
The sudden bringing of Luna’s appearance with two higher beings—dragons—and suddenly dropping the ship of a war happening at any moment made everyone feel complexity over reality right now.
Though Luna is missing right now, the two dragons are attending any sort of meeting that the council has made for the past few days.
The Espions and the Vassals have been training their mana rings to the extent of having a level up in their abilities, to the point where even they have had mock battles on numerous occasions—resulting in the Espions’ win.
Layla too has gone missing. However, it wasn’t out of the blue like Luna’s but it was given when she asked—no she told the monarchs of Afreon an hour before she left, leaving no return date or a memo.
Everyone was doing what they were expected to do for this upcoming war, training, gathering information and resources. All while I the sole princess of Lerasea is stuck here in school, learning about useless history of the past five-hundred years.
I have asked my father and mother for their permission so that I can be on the battlefield when the war starts, but I was rejected instantly without any discussion. When the war starts—if it does—I will be stuck here in this academy or even worse, in the royal castle back in the deep forest of Jura. All while my team that I built is going to participate without me.
With my mana ring now being colored blue, I now had the requirements to become an Espeon or at least a general ranked being. Nevertheless does it mean that I will be a general ranked just because of the color of my ring–though it might have saved some trouble–I would rather not cut corners, not after seeing how strong Luna and the two dragons were.
My capacity to understand my ring is not complete, not to an extant at least. The many battles I had in the dungeons have brought me some understanding but it was always something that felt like it was missing. Almost like I was using only some percentage of my power, but I think that I know I’m not alone in this.
I should ask the Espions about this limit cap that is in my ring. Most importantly, I should’ve asked Layla but she isn’t here and her timing is always awful.
On the other hand, I would be lying if I hadn't thought about training ‘till I’d achieved it. It doesn’t seem right about it though.
***
After spending all this time in school–thinking of a way to unlock to reveal the reason for my limit–everything that happened in school today was completely forgotten by my brain. It easily slipped out of my mind–my concentration–before I could even grasp the intention of the lectures that my teachers would give.
Despite having said that–not out loud but in my mind–my caring about the school subjects or the lectures are nothing with this war that is coming any second now. Getting stronger was now the most important thing, as well as learning why my mana manipulation is limited to certain capacities.
Finding the Espions was another.
I had hopeless thoughts–of how I wouldn’t be able to fight this unpredictable war–during my route to the council’s building in the far east of Orielion, where the dwarfs lived. With the academy’s new location in the west side of Afreon–in the Eliond kingdom–completely opposite from each other.
“Around ten days by carriage… and twenty-seven days–if I don’t sleep–on foot.”
‘Princess… Why are you struggling to reach the council’s building?’
Nana probed, moving around her–what seemed frail and weak–a transparent body like a leaf that could control the wind after falling over the tree. ‘You could use our abilities to get there faster than a day, so why take the time to get there, even though you are in a hurry?’
I took the time to rearrange my thoughts and words before responding to Nana. After a couple of minutes of me walking around the town in Eliond Kingdom, my mind was already set to at least answer some complex questions that either nana or her husband would ask.
However, before I did, I took out an amulet colored rose-gold. In the center was a red and smoothed crystal that indicated one thing: it was a storage device.
Inside the device, it contained the book that Layla had let me borrow and questioned me about. My little to no knowledge about this book has brought me to multiple conclusions and unanswered questions the more I think about it.
As I quietly stared at the amulet, in the corner of my eye, Nana floated closer to the circular object and showed a face of curiosity. Not wasting any more time, I took my eyes off of Nana and back into the amulet, injecting my mana into the rose gold object and waited for the red gem to turn bright crimson.
When it did, I closed my eyes and imagined the book’s cover and texture. Getting a grip on the imagination of the book, I called for it in my mind, holding my free hand next to the amulet while it released the squared item into my hand.
My vision laid solid on the peached colored cover of the book which had no title or description on it. Nana saw this and her curiosity was evident and satisfied with the item in my hand, but knowing that little, I instead held it in front of her face and spoke.
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A malicious grin came out from me—flexing my muscles in my face—as I felt it, “This is the reason for being in a hurry and yet still deciding to take my time. I am going to finish this book before I get to Orielion.”
NOAH BURKE
“Noah, my boy.” I heard from the otherside of the hallway, opposite of where I was walking. The soft yet burden toned voice entered my mind and made my body stop, when I faced the source of the voice, I smiled, lightly. “Where are you going?”
“I was going to King Vamir for permission for the group, so that we could explore the other three dungeons.” I said, confused by his certain way of suddenly seeing me and speaking to me. Before I got involved with Alter, I never, in a million years, would’ve I thought that I would be speaking to the world's leader so formally–like friends.
Yet, there isn’t a day where Alter’s true identity doesn’t cross my mind. The pure talent of him that radiates around us like the sun, it is just amazing how he knows them.
“Really? That's nice, you and the group that my granddaughter created are still active. Really nice.” Dale walked forward with his hands behind his back, sometimes had his head looking down and up, until he finally stabilized his eyes on me. For a few seconds, I was able to see what color his iris were before they lowered down again and faced the side of the hallway I was walking towards.
Green emerald colored eyes showed a hint of fatigueness over a long task. Of course he would. I thought. Dale Bamford is in the council members board because of his hundredths of years in leadership and his knowledge is necessary for this war.
The old king of Lerasea has a huge amount of achievements in battles and wars. He alone could rival the three kingdoms and monarchs, a one man army, in terms of a veteran.
His old but strong hand landed on my right shoulder moments before taking it off. Then he spoke again after some silence, like he was seeing something that I couldn’t or thinking of something that I couldn’t. “Noah, my boy. Let us make a deal, yeah?”
“A d-deal, sir Bamford?”
Dale Bamford turned to me, lifting a hand up, letting me know to stop talking. “Don’t call me sir, Noah. You and my granddaughter are friends so that much is to be known, so call me Dale like everyone else.”
Dale let his words in the air for a brief moment before continuing with his previous topic. “Though I am your mentor–which only you and Charlotte know–I know your skills in battle and strategize whether it’s for fun or not, better than anyone. Join me and the council members in our meetings from now on and I will grant you and your team–including Charlotte–to explore the other dungeons you’ve been wanting to explore.”
I stayed quiet.
The only– No. Not even the noise from those around us talking about their important task entered my brain as it was already preoccupied with what my mentor had said.
Me? Noah Burke, joining the council of this world’s leaders?
“W-why me, sir Dale?” My question seemed to confuse the old elf king. His right hand–which he touched my right shoulder with–stroked his well short trimmed wheat-colored beard.
Now that I see him more clearly, his beard and hair color don’t match at all. For starters, his hair is white while his beard is something completely opposite.
Nevermind that. I mindlessly thought, shaking my head with some force to clear a way for my calm thinking now that it was important, for me and my future.
“First of all, as your mentor for a month, you truly have potential. Not as a fighter but as a leader, whether in war or in peace, you will find the solution to anything that stands in your way.” The elf finally said, being mindful of the elves and demi-humans who walked besides us. Though saying that meant that he cared about what he had to say, his eyes said the contrary. Dale Bamford didn’t seem to care what the others thought when he was talking–at least that's how it looked to me–to the high leaders of this continent.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me being– no with me being a leader?”
Dale gave me a warm smile before speaking, “Yes, if it’s you, everything will be okay…” The next words he muttered were so low that I couldn’t hear anything at all. I tried asking him but instead he dismissed it as an error on his part.
Not thinking much of it, I nodded and agreed to his deal.
Then, I followed the previous king of Lerasea into the conference room–where all the leaders and people who are considered powerful enough to be in this meeting–feeding in my nerves even more. Their aura as we both entered blew past me like a wind bullet spell casted by a power court mage.
I felt the eyes of the people in the room burn through me like a piece of paper. My body tensed as I walked, following Elder Dale into his seat.
Standing next to him like his own guard didn’t break the silence there was, until one of the leaders from the demi-human faction spoke, arrogantly.
“Elder Dale, mind telling me why there is a boy the same age as my son in this important meeting?” The bald old man said. Being in his mid-twenties, he had an attitude of an eighty year old who hasn’t had any human interaction. Along with his reptile eyes, his skin was greener than the grass outside of this building. “We have the most important figures in this continent coming here and you bring a… commoner in here? What are you doing Dale Bamford, this isn’t an academy where unknowledgeable kids come as a field trip now is it?”
Others–part of the same faction–agreed with the bald leader.
Arguments went left and right, between the demi-humans and the elves faction. However, in all that talking, Elder Dale didn’t say one single word but instead let them ravage everything they needed to say.
Loud and obnoxious, the meeting was to the point where I was getting headaches just trying to listen to every word that they all were trying to say. Elder Dale said this, only loud enough for me to hear, “Noah, this is what you are going to be in front of, so you must get accustomed to it or you will be devoured by it like the rest.”
“Is that the reason why the Master has never spoken a word to them?” I boldly said, throwing my eyes to every person speaking louder over my voice.
Master Dale only nodded to my question, the affirmation was the key to him being like this. A Calm person who wouldn’t be distraught, no matter the situation.
I see. That is the reason why I never found a mistake in Elder Dale’s movements or posture in public meetings or public announcements, especially the time where the vassals were introduced to this continent. Master Dale was not even surprised but more prideful yet at the same time it was like his emotion under his mask was disappointment in the announcement.
I let my curiosity take the best of me. So I leaned towards master’s ear, “Master, what are the vassals–”
My mouth and body cut me off from finishing my sentence. The feeling of being overwhelmed was intoxicating even though I was a green mana ring user.
The doors which I have walked through previously, opened fiercely and let out of it a dangerous caged animal which cannot be tamed. The mana surrounding and advancing like some sort of fearless army, brought chills down my spine.
Two tall figures walked to the front of the room.
Both foreigners held out their chest like their pride was on the line, they held it out like a trophy which cannot be obtained just because of some title. Their fragile and yet sturdy clothes stood out like a sore thumb, defying all meaning to royalty clothes like monarchs do to commoners.
“Settle down, humans. We won’t win this war by just arguing with ourselves, instead focus like Dale Bamford and his apprentice Noah Burke.” Said one of the dragons with a hint of praise towards us. Someissoa, if I am correct. The red haired dragon eyes jumped from one person to another, expecting them to quiet down, and they did.
The fear that was to be in front of a higher being was enormous, their strength and power alone was enough to bring the four kingdoms into ruin, much more bringing them into erasure of the map forever.
That is the reason why the Leaders of the continent–the four kingdom’s monarchs–stood up and bowed in their presence once everyone quieted down.
In unison they said, “Thank you, Lord Freomal and Lord Someissoa, for coming to this meeting, once again.”
It was crazy. Seeing the sight of what many rumors have it, being born royalty, the monarchs are greedy and prideful people who would look down on anyone who doesn’t have power, but they look afraid to me.
That was not all, even the members around us began to murmur and make hurtful comments about their own factions. Biting the hand that feeds you? I seemingly thought to myself, glaring at the ones who were spreading false and unique information towards the monarchs, towards Elder Dale.
“Yes. Now to the important matters. Multiple gates and portals have been discovered in the dungeons by Lady Charlotte’s team. Though they are inactive at the moment, being reactivated is too much of a risk knowing that they will approach Afreon anytime soon. I plan on sending multiple teams into the dungeons and have them destroy the gates and portals before we can regret anything.”
When Lord Freomal finished, the room got louder again. This time it was about the teams that needed to be sent there. I caught a couple of words that were being thrown in the discussion like, Vassals and the Espions.
I mean sure, I understand that they need capable people to do this sort of mission but the vacant spot of no one here mentioning my team’s name still hurts my core.
Everyone in the team is capable of their own role, some are even more than just one role and do both. For me, I use magic and swordsmanship like Charlotte so our roles sometimes are switched mid-battle to get used to the hardship of non-stop battles with monsters and anomalies.
As the room quieted down once more, Lord Freomal spoke in a tone of warning and suspicion. “That is not all. The last group I personally sent to the dungeon in Eliond have not reported back. It’s been a week and no answer back. In all that time it made me think that something in the dungeon was happening and the team didn’t make it back when they saw something… Or they were eliminated before even entering the dungeon.”
His dark red eyes stared in the direction of the Eliond royalty.
“King and Queen Oskar, do you have any idea of what could have happened to the team?” Said Elder Someissoa, saving Freomal of any misdirect attention to the monarchs of Eliond.
Both royals stayed quiet and only stared at the table when they saw the purple haired dragon’s eyes. Not being directed towards me, I could still feel what they were feeling. A pair of dark red eyes staring down at you like some insignificant ant.
“If that is the case, then Someissoa and I will investigate this matter. In the meantime we need another team to do the same objective as the one earlier–if they can find the previous team members, great, if not, it won't be a problem–as long as they find the gates and portals that are inactive or active.”
Wait…
Being in this meeting and what I had come here for before I had met Elder Dale, everything was for the approvince of my team’s exploration in the dungeon residing in Eliond. If I can take my team there and find out what the team earlier had witnessed for the cost of their lives, our participation in the war would be guaranteed.
Unexpectedly, Elder Dale had raised his hand. “Well, it’s guaranteed that the two Elders investigating the matter of the previous team will be unmasked. How about I introduce a team that I myself conducted for Alter Violet’s rescue?”