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Chapter 2
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“First, let’s see if I can find a bathroom.” A quick look at Cyrill’s memories told me there was. I opened the wardrobe and found a nice white dress shirt with black trousers, along with white undergarments.
I grabbed them and took them down the day lit corridor and couldn't help but admire the architecture. Stone brick walls along with a nice red carpet ran through the hallway. Passing by many rooms to the stairs I start to realize how big this manor is. It was almost like a small castle. And I was the only one living here.
Turns out Cyrill was not the best with money. All the dwindling money from the now vacant bloodline had been spent in taxes. And the lack of housekeep showed. At least Samuel was good with money.
Now that we're both the same I can tell that the massive amount of money spent on needless things was very bad.
Cyrill was bitter about the state of the manor before we died. Which is understandable, he had lived here since he was born. And his bloodline held this property for hundreds of years.
We have maybe a month to live here before it is confiscated by the Royal King of Raum, Vince Argo. An ugly feeling was struck within my stomach at the thought of the corrupt king. Swallowing the anger, I also realized how much pressure Cyrill was under. He would soon be homeless, and he had no idea how to live the life of a peasant. Good thing Samuel was of the working class and could survive on a very short income.
Before I knew it, I was down the staircase and in front of the bathing room.
"I must've been on autopilot." I mutter as I enter the room. The room was completely white washed brick with several large, gated drains scattered across the room. A large metal bathtub sat in the middle. Now, time for some magic. A basic purifying spell. A weak yet highly useful spell that everyone was taught as a child. The way magic works in this world is amazing to see, as there was no magic on Earth. Gather mana from the world around us and say the incantation. Only very basic spells were taught and tolerated in Valal.
"Purifica" I say clearly and concisely. I feel something in me leave my body and like magic, the dirty, stagnant water turns crystal clear. I let out a childish chuckle and take a bath in the cool water.
After putting on my clothes I exit the bathroom feeling refreshed and ready for the day. I glance out the ornate window in the hallway and see the courtyard that leads into the city. The yard the manor sat on was unkempt. The grass looked like it reached mid shin and weeds had overtaken the walking path. The flower pots lining the courtyard were either dead or overgrown. I shake my head trying to get rid of the bad thoughts. They haunted Cyrill, and now us.
I then make my way outside and take a large breath, feeling my lungs with fresh air.
"It's definitely cleaner than Earth's air." The weather outside was a cause of concern though. It was overcast with grey clouds and there was a nip in the air. Hopefully it doesn't rain, as it would make the first sights a little less grand.
I then follow the bricked road and make my way through the trees that surround the manor. The trees were much larger than Earth's average around modern cities. They towered in the air like skyscrapers. I then bring up our memories for directions. I live in the outer edges of Raum. Following the path would take me from the outskirts to the city walls and gate. Which turns my mind to the security of this city. Cyrill had often seen knights on horseback patrolling the city limits. Which means worrying about the monsters shouldn't be a priority. Especially since the strongest creatures around here are Dire Wolves. One on one they were no issue for an average knight or adventurer. But they hunt in packs, which makes them much more dangerous. Cyrill heard tales of people disappearing in the wilds. Traveling out of the manor now makes me anxious. After a few moments I swallow my fear and spend the next ten minutes walking through the forest.
The tree line ended and the view opened up to a white wall that seemed large even from this distance. That would make them massive and as I walked towards the main road leading into the city I heard the sound of horses trotting behind me, fast. I turned my head around and quickly jumped out of the way as two people on horseback shot towards the gate. I huff and knock the dust off my clothes.
"Wonder what that's about?" I say, annoyed. They had black cloaks on and the two horses were golden blonde. Shrugging I made my way to the large gate in front of me. As I approached the guards, I gave them a wave and the response I got was not surprising.
"You may enter." Guard one said and as I walked past them one of the guards spit on my shoes. I looked at his face and burned it deeply in my memory. Guard two breaks out in chuckles. The anger came back and at that moment I wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. He sends me a challenging look that screams "I dare you".
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
I scoff and make my way into the city.
I now see why Cyrill hated this place, beyond the obvious. I'm taken out of my anger as soon as I bring my eyes up to the sprawling city. Seeing it in person is more awe-inspiring than just memories. Reality sets in for me that I'm a part of this now. This is real.
"I'm real." I think as I take off into the busy street. I go on autopilot as I gaze around the houses and shops and after a few minutes of walking I'm in front of the library. It seemed pretty small on the outside. I walked through the door and was taken back by the musty smell in the air. Bookshelves were stacked everywhere in rows. Finding a specific book will probably be a nightmare. Cyrill's memories told me that there should be some semblance of organization. He's only been here once or twice, though. I glance towards the old woman in fancy robes behind a desk that seemed to function as a counter, and notice that she's glaring at me. Swallowing my anger, I decided to ignore it. Now then, time for what I came here for. I have only the basic knowledge of magic, so any information will be enlightening. I cough to get the librarian's attention. Her glare softens for some reason.
"I'm looking for information on the history of magic." Best to probe for information seeing as it could look suspicious if I straight up ask for spell books in a city known for its intolerance of magic.
"Fourth row on the right." She said stoically.
I grin and walk over to the fourth row. I opened the first book I saw. I wiped the dust off the cover and read the title.
On men and magic.
I ingrained every word to my memory and after an hour I made it through the fascinating if dull, book. It gave me a good idea on the state of magic in Relin.
The twin gods created two magic 'schools' that all spells are derived from. The Lord of Light, Arcale created Nature Magic, and the Lord of Dark, Gale created Chaos Magic.
"Definitely interesting." The feat does its work as the knowledge is filed neatly in my memories. It then goes on to say that Nature Magic is divided into five derivative schools. Fire, Water, Air, Earth, and Lightning. Everyone is born with an affinity and only one. Everyone can cast all schools of magic equally, just not as strong as their affinity. They didn't go into detail about Chaos Magic, aside from a few ignorant remarks. All in all, a very good amount of knowledge. A big question is what my affinity is. The book mentioned nothing on figuring it out. I let out a chuckle at a random thought.
"I learned more here in an hour than Cyrill did his whole life." I guess it just wasn't on everyone's radar in this country.
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Intelligence increased!
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Which brings it up to six. So that answers my earlier question on how a stat is increased. Judging from this, it is increased through actions. Cyrill lived for 18 years and only had 5 Intelligence and was level 2. Was that average? Weak? It couldn't be strong, surely? Questions for the future.
I go through a lot more books, this time skimming through them. Hours pass and I feel someone behind me. I turn around and see the librarian staring at me a few feet away.
"The store is closing, leave." She said concisely. It wasn't anger, I could tell she was being neutral.
"Thank you, take care." I say with a smile. The shocked look on her face confirmed that people can change with a few words here and there. My reputation seemed to be worse than I thought if a few polite words can change someone's disposition towards me. The fire in me lit again. Getting a good reputation can be done passively and would go a long way. I stepped outside and saw the huge moon hanging in the bright starlit sky. The overcasted grey clouds are completely gone, leaving a pristine night sky. The now slumbering city had very few people out and about. The noise had died down as I walked down the stone road. As I walk by an alley I hear a rustling sound and a muted scream coming from the dark twisting alleyway. I paused midstep.
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Quest Added!
A night to remember
Save the girl… or don't.
Time limit: 5 minutes
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A conflicting emotion overcame me as the words formed in my head. It would be easy to keep walking. I have no magic, a weak body, and little reason. Something stopped me though as I peered through the darkness. I made out a face and time stopped. It was guard number one. I could make out scuffs on the armor vaguely in the moonlight.
"I guess this makes it personal" I think as I try to think of a plan. Fighting him head on is suicide. No weapon and no spells. My best bet would be to stealthily approach him and choke him out as a surprise attack. Nodding my head I approach the guard and see that the woman he is assaulting is a teenager. She had long brown hair and an old dress and apron. She looks at me in surprise and I raise a finger to my lips. I stepped closer and the adrenaline kicked in, making me feel much more confident. The guard was now a few feet away and with all the strength I could muster I lunged at him, catching him by surprise. He immediately jerked back and forced himself away from the girl. I wrapped both my hands around his throat and grasped his head as hard as I could. The fighting ended somehow and he slumped into my arms . I looked down at his neck which now had a knife sticking out between his open faced helmet and chest plate. I looked at the hateful glare the woman had on her face in shock. Without saying a word she ran away, leaving me and the dead guard alone in the alleyway.
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Quest Complete!
Choose your reward:
Flame Grasp
Water Whip
Jolt
Gust
Earthen Armor
(Note: Picking one locks in your affinity.)
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A grin went across my face despite the adrenaline leaving me.