Joram watched Gabrielle as she processed what he’d asked. Her expressions were easy to read as they went from shocked, to nervous, to embarrassed. Finally, she seemed to firm up as a look of fierce determination took prominence.
Hey, just what are you thinking there?!
“OK,” she said simply, causing another round of shock to pass through her friends as she took his outstretched hand and closed her eyes, a bit of colour still in her cheeks.
He smiled softly as he felt her Knowledge Sea open up to him, then closed his eyes and slipped in.
Gabrielle’s chosen space was a well cared for smithy, the various tools of the trade hanging on the walls, with her forge taking up a good quarter of the space from where it rested in its corner.
Gabrielle’s avatar stood in front of the hot forge, silhouetted in its warm light turning her auburn hair into a fiery mane. She was dressed in traditional blacksmith’s clothing, though her sleeves were rolled up almost to her elbows.
“Welcome,” she greeted him shyly, looking down at the anvil that stood in front of her.
“Thank you,” he said with another smile. “It’s a good space.”
She looked at him then, obviously wondering if he was making fun of her.
“I have great memories of learning to work metal in a space similar to this,” he said, remembering the fist iteration his workshop took when Altaea had first started teaching him.
“Ah, then, I’m glad you like it,” she said quietly, still obviously nervous having him there.
“Well, let’s get down to business,” he said, then sat in a chair he willed into existence.
* * * * *
Daleira looked on as Gabrielle took Joram’s hand, still a bit flustered.
She was by no means an expert when it came to Mentalists, but she’d always heard that inviting someone into your Knowledge Sea was both a risky action as well as an intimate one. When a person was invited into your Knowledge Sea, they would then have free reign to look through your innermost thoughts and feelings, seeing anything you kept secret.
Which was why his offer had shocked them all so much. He was practically a stranger, their only assurances that he was a decent person coming from someone they’d only known for a couple of days. That Gabriell had accepted so quickly was beyond her expectations.
She’d thought that they’d just chat, exchanging their thoughts, ideas, and insights on Mental Strength.
Or, had he asked so that he could keep their conversation private? Mentalists were well known for how jealously they guarded their secrets, so that thought held some weight.
But at the same time, she wondered what he was really like. Both she and her friends had encountered not a few people who seemed to be gentlemen on the surface, but had soon proved to be lechers in sheep’s clothing.
It was much easier to read the younger students that arrived, for most of them hadn’t started studying etiquette and diplomacy yet, teaching them how to hide their inner thoughts from others.
But as far as she knew, he hadn’t taken one social class. Having seen who he’d been rubbing elbows with yesterday, she wondered if he’d already received his etiquette training before arriving. He was remarkably hard to read, even for a third year student used to dealing with people practicing what they’d learned in class.
The other thing that was on her mind was their introduction. How he’d focussed on her more than the others, staring into her eyes just a bit longer than he had for the others.
Given her looks and figure, Daleira was used to people starting when they noticed her. Most had that creepy glint of lust in their eyes that was hard to hide. But even though she’d noticed Joram take her in with a glance, she hadn’t felt the usual unease with the look.
Could he prefer other men? She thought as she quickly glanced at Alicia, someone who she wasn’t shy to admit was prettier than she was.
She didn’t seem to have that kind of relationship with Joram, given how she talked about him and all. She’d also seen his two servants who worked at Starfall. Quinn was certainly pretty, even if she hadn’t made it onto the Goddess Ranking. But Moyra was listed right under Alicia. Could it be that she and Joram were a thing?
Daleira made some non-comital sounds whenever someone addressed her, too deep in thought to pay attention to them as she tried to figure Joram out.
Joram hadn’t shown any of the usual cues you’d see when they saw a partner, so she dismissed the thought of Joram and his butler having something going.
There was just something… different about him. Almost as though…
“Ah,” she said out loud, hammering her closed hand onto her open palm, startling her friends. “He’s a late bloomer.”
Alicia snorted tea out of her nose in shock, while Alyraele and Sophie gave her a confused look.
Daleira turned to Alicia and asked, “Am I wrong?”
Alicia took a moment more to dab at her nose before answering.
“No. No, not at all,” she said, raising a hand to fend off such a thought. “I hadn’t really noticed,” she finished with a half-hearted shrug.
“What makes you think that Daleira?” Alyraele asked, her curiosity written all over her face.
“Hmm, you know that creepy look boys, and most men, have when they’re looking at you but think we’re not looking?”
All three of them nodded at that, varying degrees of frowns on their faces.
“Well, even though we’ve just met, and we’ve barely interacted,” she said, drawing it out for effect. “I haven’t noticed that Look from Joram.”
Alyraele nodded slowly, understanding the point but obviously hadn’t noticed anything yet. Sophia just shrugged, not particularly caring. However, Alicia looked the most thoughtful of them, her brows coming together slightly to form a slight vertical ridge between them.
“It might not be that he’s a late bloomer,” she said slowly, crossing her arms. “I heard him mention once that he came from a Matriarchal clan a while back. That’s probably why he respects women more than probably anyone else you’ve met,” she said, nodding to herself. “He’s also quite mature for his age.”
Daleira, Alyraele, and Sophia all had an “Oh” moment then turned to look at Joram and Gabrielle, their hands still clasped together. Suddenly, their perceptions took on a whole other frame. Gone were the thoughts of Joram taking advantage of Gabrielle in some way, now replaced with a sense of admiration for his willingness to help someone who was practically a stranger.
“Maybe we should do this more often,” Daleira softly murmured to herself, a small smile tugging at her lips.
But as quiet as she had been, the room was more so. Alyraele and Sophia both nodded at that, while Alicia appeared more reserved at the thought. When Daleira raised a questioning eyebrow, she voiced her thoughts.
“Probably not too often,” she said apologetically. “As charming as he can be, he’s very much an introvert. I’m sure that our little visit will have quite thoroughly drained him.”
“Seriously?” Sophia asked skeptically.
“Why do you think he’s not involved in any of the clubs? Why he’s not always at Starfall playing more songs? Have you ever seen him out and about when not headed to or from class, or on an errand?”
“This is our first time seeing him,” Alyraele helpfully piped in.
“Ah, good point,” Alicia said as a blush faintly touched her cheeks.
“But, is he really that shy?” Sophia asked, leaning forward slightly.
“Well, he’s shy too. Did you at least hear about the disappearing guitar player a few weeks back?” She asked, then continued when they’d all nodded. “That was Joram. So, yes, he’s shy. But he’s also much more comfortable just working on one project or another. He told me once that trying to figure out how to work adamantium was easier for him than attending larger social gatherings.”
“Isn’t that incredibly difficult?” Alyraele asked, turning to where Gabrielle sat.
“From what I recall,” Sophia said thoughtfully, “you need to be at least a 3rd Tier Artificer to learn how to work it.”
“Most take their time, waiting until the 4th Tier, as Tier 2 mana makes it easier to shape physical objects,” Alyraele added, surprising them all. “Once an artificer or array specialist is able to use Tier 3 mana, their work also becomes much easier, as Tier 3 mana has an affinity for the intangible.”
Daleira stared, a bit startled that Alyraele, a political sciences major, knew so much about crafting.
“Yes, that’s true,” Alicia said as she nodded. “But Joram’s… a bit of a monster when it comes to crafting,” she said with a rueful grin.
“He’s already proficient in working adamantium,” Daleira more stated than asked.
“For a long time now,” Alicia said, nodding. “Well, from what he’s told me, anyway. That said, he’ll likely break through as a 4th Tier Mentalist soon,” she added, looking more than a bit frustrated.
Daleira was having a bit of an emotional workout hearing what Alicia was just handing out like candy. She could understand Alicia’s frustration. Learning that a person, in the same year as you, was so much further along than you were was hard.
She’d long heard how hard it was to cultivate Mental Strength. Hearing that a first-year student would break through to the 4th Tier of Mental Strength was… depressing. She’d been highly praised for having reached the 3rd Tier as a Mage while still in her second year, as had Alyraele; and Alyraele was a few years younger than her!
“Welcome back, Joram,” Alicia said, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“Ah, thanks,” he said as he released Gabrielle’s hand. “Good work today,” he said to Gabrielle as she opened her eyes and smiled back at him.
“I can’t wait to started,” Gabrielle gushed, sounding like a child who was excited to play with a new toy.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Joram smiled and nodded at Gabrielle, then turned to look at them.
“So, what’s next,” he asked, briefly making eye contact with each of them before retrieving his tea.
* * * * *
Jae-Eun found it hard to glare at her protecter while eating her strawberry “cheesecake”.
She’d been more that a little bit skeptical when Quinn had recommended the unusually named dessert. Images of various cheeses baked into the shape of a cake topped with strawberries had floated around her mind until they’d started to nauseate her.
When the strawberry topped slice had arrived, she’d stared at it for several minutes before Aya had started poking her; the woman probably thinking that she was being rude or something. Which hadn’t improved Jae-Eun’s mood, which had already been sour.
Jae-Eun had wanted to speak with Alicia about her recruitment efforts, so she’d gone to Starfall yesterday. When she’d arrived, all anyone would talk about was how the musician had shown up with a beautiful woman as well as the Dean and the President of the Heavenly Trove Bank. Not only that, but they’d been given a private tour of Alicia’s new project, getting served personally by her.
At that point, the number of questions she had about Joram practically exploded. Who was he to have the Dean and the President of the Bank accompany him? If he was some old master, then why had he been following along like the junior he appeared to be? The question was: what was the identity of the woman he’d been with?
Now, she sat at Starfall waiting for Alicia to show up for the day. Aya had scared away Quinn and Moyra almost as soon as they’d approached, only having been tolerated long enough to take their order then deliver it. So, Jae-Eun had been patiently waiting. And waiting.
Both Aya and Alicia were lucky that the dessert was so damn good….
* * * * *
“Hmm, I’ll have to go buy the more advanced textbooks for arrays,” Joram said, not quite getting the advanced theories his guests were dropping on him.
“I think that I have my standard and advanced class textbooks in my storage ring,” Gabrielle said as she raised her hand as though she was about to start dumping books on the coffee table.
“No,” Joram said, holding up a hand to forestall her. “Books are sacred, precious companions that have contributed to your life. They should be held onto and treasured,” he said seriously.
All four young women looked at him with varying degrees of… weird. The only one of the four that seemed to partially agree with his statement was Alyraele, and even she looked as though she was trying to figure out if he’d been joking or serious.
‘What the hell was that?’ Alicia sent, sounding flummoxed.
‘I’m pretty damn sure that Altaea created a clan and legacy surrounding knowledge and its preservation because of my love of books. Hell, she might have even used some sort of crazy ritual that somehow calculated when the best possible time for my rebirth would be. The Clear Knowledge Clan represents how I feel,’ he sent passionately.
‘Yeah, I know,’ she sent dryly. ‘I just didn’t think you’d get so intense with young ladies you’d just met.’
“Ah… OK,” Gabrielle said, lowering her hand looking a bit disappointed.
“I, ah… I’m sorry. Umm,” Joram stammered, now very conscious that they were people he’d just met, and that he’d more than likely left a weird impression. “I’m going to go buy some books. It was nice meeting you all!” He said as he got up and quickly made his way to the door, opened it, and ran.
* * * * *
Daleira couldn’t believe her eyes.
“Did that just happen?” She asked no one in particular as she stared at the open front door.
“Yes…?” Gabrielle said over Alicia’s laughter.
Daleira turned to look at Alicia, who’d almost fallen out of her chair because she was laughing so hard. Soon, Alyraele started chuckling, followed by Sophia, and even Gabrielle; though she looked almost as concerned about Joram as she was amused by what had just happened.
Even she let out a few quiet chuckles, the sheer absurdity of what had just happened finally breaking through her normally reserved nature.
“Ah,” Alicia sighed as she regained her composure several minutes later. “I can’t decide which was more entertaining: his vanishing act after his performance, or this.”
That got a couple more laughs before Alicia stood up and gestured towards the door.
“I guess we’re done for the day,” she said, stepping towards the open door.
“Do you think he’d mind if I looked at that?” Alyraele suddenly asked, pointing at the piano.
“His piano?” Alicia asked, pointing at the very large instrument that Joram had been sitting at when they’d arrived.
Daleira was reasonably certain that that “piano” might have been the source of what they’d heard when they had first arrived. Alyraele hadn’t been the only one to notice the faint sounds, but she had certainly been the most interested in finding out their source. But upon entering, they’d been distracted by Joram’s unusually warm greeting and disarming smile.
“Yes. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it, but I am minoring in musical theory. That not just one, but two instruments that I’ve never heard of before have shown up…. Well, I’m terribly interested in learning all I can about them,” Alyraele said, unusually enthusiastic. Daleira hadn’t ever seen her friend so taken by something. Even the new confections at Starfall hadn’t gotten her so… eager.
For her part, Alicia looked to consider it before shrugging. She stepped over to the comparatively massive musical instrument and lifted the top of the short bench, revealing a compartment inside. Aside from that being a novel idea, Daleira was also interested in the many large but thin books inside.
Alicia retrieved one of the books, as well as a curious wooden device that she placed on a wide lip that ran the length of the piano.
“I believe that this would be a beginner’s music book,” Alicia said as she brought it over for them to look at. “I’m not very familiar with how music is written, but I recall that Joram said that it might be a bit different to what’s recorded here,” she said, motioning to the rows upon rows of lines and odd symbols on the page.
“Music is primarily taught from master to pupil,” Alyraele said, frowning down at the page. “Even here, the only part that’s recorded are the lyrics of a song, not the music itself…” she trailed off as she tried to decipher what was on the page.
Daleira didn’t know anything about Alyraele’s music classes, herself having done not much more than dabbling with a simple wood flute while growing up. But she thought that if a person could learn to play an instrument by reading a book, then that would be something fantastic and amazing. She certainly enjoyed listening to a well played piece, so if more people had a chance to learn how to play an instrument, she thought that maybe more hidden talents might be uncovered in the future.
“Ah, well, Joram had mentioned that this might look strange to people,” Alicia said, sounding a bit embarrassed. “We just may need more of his time then.”
Daleira nodded to that, understanding that Alyraele would certainly be insistent on having Joran explain the curious musical… writings. What interested her more, though, was how Alicia seemed… embarrassed. Or maybe she was feeling guilty about having to request more of Joram?
Are they just “friends”...?, she thought as Alyraele sat on the bench and started to examine the piano. Well, at least things will be more lively.
* * * * *
Books!!! Booksbooksbooksbooksbooksbooksbooksbooksbooksbooks!!!! Almost there! Safety! He thought as he approached the Academy Bookstore. A somewhat uninspired name, but he appreciated the simple name. Nothing worse than a store with a name that had absolutely no relation to what it was. Like calling a butcher “Delightful Mary’s” or some nonsense like that.
“Joram!”
He froze, just a few metres from safety, and turned to see the princess waving at him… like a princess. Aya, as always, was just behind her and to her right. Also, as usual, she didn’t look like anything less than a murder machine. Sure, her gaze seemed impassive, bored even. But the way she moved, how her eyes were constantly looking around, and how her right hand always seemed to be positioned just so, as though ready to grip something… like the hilt of a sword.
Yeah, definitely a murder machine; and in the 6th Tier too. Too tricky, he thought as he fought to keep the smile on his face.
“Hello,” he said, putting on his third-best smile due to his stress. “How can I help the princess today?” He asked, shifting slightly out of the way of pedestrian traffic and slightly closer to the bookstore.
“Just heading back after visiting Starfall,” she said with a polite smile. “I was wondering: have you seen Alicia? I can’t get a hold of her,” she said, holding up her student card.
“Oh, yeah. If you hurry, you might catch her coming from my place,” he said, pointing down the street and off to the left. “We just had a tutoring session and I found that I need more textbooks to keep up,” he explained, now pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the bookstore.
“Oh? What subject?” Jae-Eun asked, her interest kindled.
“Oh, just arrays. I’ve only just finished the basic class, so I still need to get my textbooks for the coming term, along with any extras so that I don’t fall behind,” he said, again motioning to the bookstore, hoping that she’d get the hint.
From the way Aya was looking at him, she surely did and… approved? Was he reading that right?
“I finished the standard class this past Winter Term,” she said, then shook her head. “That’ll probably be my last one unless I have an epiphany or something. It’s a bit tough.”
Why the hell am I a such sucker for helping people who seem so down in the dumps? He thought at his head slowly turned back to the princess.
“Would you like to join the study group?” He asked lightly, trying very hard to hide the strain in his voice.
“I wouldn’t want to impose,” she said the words, but her sparkling eyes clearly said that those words were just said to be polite.
“I wouldn’t have offered if it was a bother,” he said, lying his face off. “The others are in their third and fourth years, but I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to review things for you as they help me out.”
Jae-Eun blinked at him for a moment before speaking.
“You’re not tutoring them?” She asked, clearly confused.
“I may be a peak 3rd Tier Alchemist and Artificer, but I’m not great with Arrays yet,” he said, scratching at the back of his head in embarrassment.
Jae-Eun’s eye popped open and even Aya’s attention focussed further on him when they heard that.
“You’re a peak 3rd Tier Alchemist too?” Jae-Eun asked excitedly, practically bouncing on her toes.
“Hadn’t I mentioned that?” He asked, genuinely thinking that he had.
“You’d just mentioned alchemy, not your Tier,” Jae-Eun replied faintly.
“Anyway,” he said, clearing his throat. “I still need to learn more,” he said, edging ever-so-slightly towards the safe haven that was the bookstore.
“Oh,” Jae-Eun said, coming back to the moment. “Do you know the Dean? I heard that you went to Starfall with him.”
“Oh, that. My great grandmother arrived and wanted us all to have a talk. I also wanted to talk to him about the… unpleasantness of when I first got here,” he said, a frown forming as he recalled that little prat and how he’d used his status to frame him.
“And the Bank President?”
“Well, Grammy wanted to make sure that my finances are all set, so we went over there after seeing the Dean. Well, he kind of tagged along,” he said with a shrug. “Maybe he felt bad about… that. Anyway, after finishing up at the bank, someone suggested going for lunch, and that’s how that happened.”
Jae-Eun was nodding along.
“That makes sense,” she said. “It’s always good to make sure that a promising talent such as yourself is treated well. At the very least, no one wants to willingly alienate an alchemist,” she said as though that were common sense. And indeed, it was.
“So, if that kid’s father were to find out he was lying through his teeth to get revenge for breaking his hand on my face, he’d probably be in trouble?”
“Hmm, most would be, yes. It really depends on how influential the family is and if they’re in need of a promising alchemist.”
“It’s probably too much to ask that the kid has given up, huh?” He asked rhetorically. Because, if this world reflected pop-culture back on Earth, or vice-versa, then he wouldn’t be so lucky.
“I’m not very familiar with how young heirs conduct themselves here,” she said thoughtfully. “But if they’re anything like they are back home, then no. Their pride won’t let them leave a perceived slight unavenged.”
Well, isn’t that wonderful, he thought as he also made a mental note to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.
“Thanks,” Joram said, now able to give a more genuine smile. “I’ll send you a message when I know when the next study session is planned for,” he finished by giving her a little wave as he stepped over to the door and Jae-Eun gave him her small princess wave then started walking in the direction of his house.
Once inside, Joram heaved a sigh of relief once the smell of books hit him. He’d always been calmed by the presence of books, even before being reborn into the Aneath line. There was just something about being surrounded by books, the smell of them, that relaxed him.
Then something at the back of his mind started bothering him until he focussed on it. It was his sphere of perception telling him that, one: he wasn’t alone, and two: there were dozens of people staring at him.
Not that he wasn’t, to a certain degree, used to people starting at him. No. These people were mostly boys and men… and they were staring daggers at him. As he took them in, he reached out to feel their various cultivation levels; not wanting to risk being ambushed by someone stronger than him.
Fortunately, most were in the 2nd to 3rd Tier at the highest. Though one did stand out at the 4th Tier, but the fellow looked like he worked there, so maybe he wouldn’t have to worry about him….
But, why all the hate? He asked himself as he picked up a basket and slowly made his way through the store, picking out the Academy-approved textbooks he’d need for the term as well as the ones on arrays. He didn’t just get the standard course textbook and the recommended supplementary readings, but also grabbed all the ones up to the grandmaster level. And the supplementary textbooks for each of the levels leading up to grandmaster as well. He wanted a solid base with which to form his understanding of arrays, so no need to half-ass it.
While he was at it, he decided to add in the advanced textbooks for alchemy and artifact refining as well as the optional reading for those, all the way up to grandmaster as well. If he was going to have to buy them in the future anyway, he may as well just get them now.
Joram wound up needing four baskets to carry the dozens of books, but it wasn’t hard to put two baskets side-by-side and hook two fingers around each handle. Once his hands were full, he just used a bit of [Telekinesis] to get his books which, for some reason, increased the negative vibes he was getting from his… viewers.
Once he was at the checkout, he relaxed a fraction knowing that this profoundly wrong and uncomfortable bookstore experience would soon be at an end. Then his hopes were dashed as the fellow who appeared to be the clerk stepped up with a smile that looked like he was hiding great pain and wanted to murder him.
Heck, his killing intent was even spilling out a bit.
Fortunately, he was only in the 3rd Tier.
Unfortunately, he decided to be difficult.