Chapter 16
“Now, tell me where you got this card made, and don’t lie to me as it wasn’t done here.” Lady Von’Graysing demanded.
In a way, I guess I should have expected something like this to happen. Though to be fair, while I did sort of expect this to happen, I didn’t expect it to happen on the first day.
I had been caught fabricating my own plate.
“What makes you think that it wasn’t done here?” I ask.
At that Lady Von’Graysing just stared at me, her eyes glowing a slightly tempest white as she stared seemingly directly into my soul. Finally, she answered.
“It’s too good. Too perfect. Even the freshly minted plates look old compared to yours. At first I thought that I was just seeing things but then even after comparing your plate to the others, it was clear that it wasn’t made here. So I’ll ask again, where did you get this one?”
At that, I could only nod in understanding.
“So your concern is that I am plant here, and was given false documents? That is why you were taking me to the interrogation room?” I ask.
Glare.
Lady Von’Graysing just glared at me for a moment, before answering. “You know, I thought this whole foresight thing was entertaining at first, but you being a plant could also explain how you know so much.”
Yep, I walked myself right into that one.
Snatch.
Lady Von’Graysing’s hand reached out and violently clasped against my right shoulder.
“Wait, I can explain.”
“You better, and you better do it quickly.”
I nodded, then reluctantly I slowly brought up my left hand. Then making sure the back of my hand was available to see the entire time, I peeled off my glove and showed her my marking.
Why do this? Why go to such extremes of all but outing out my personal accomplishments. Well first of all, she already saw them. Well all of my accomplishments except for the ones that I achieved last night while getting this marker. Secondly, there is a very easy way for me to prove my magical competency.
“What is this? Your proof that you are part of a cabal?” The Spymaster asked, but then paused as she realized that she might have seen the symbol before.
“This is the mark of the Ancients, for anyone who has successfully cast an S-Tier quality spell. Though I think you realize that based on your recognition just now.” I state.
Silence.
With that Lady Von’Graysing just stares at me, unable to speak or comment.
“If you want proof, give me your SIS plate.” I state, using my now glove free hand to ask for the plate.
There is a moment of tension, as Lady Von’Graysing clearly ponders whether to let me go. If she reaches in with her left hand, she will have to let go of my shoulder. If she reaches in with her free right hand, she will theoretically be vulnerable to a quick attack from me.
Then she shows that she doesn’t trust me not to flee, while also trusting in her ability to protect herself from any counter attacks. As she chooses to reach in with her free right hand to pull out her plate.
Looking at the plate, I pause for a second.
There is already information on this mithril plate, though the information that is present is well worn. It is near the time when she would need to get a new one. I’m fairly certain that I can just overwrite the information present with my own spells, but just choose to move quickly. As Lady Von’Graysing does not seem to be in any mood to wait, particularly where the integrity of the school is involved.
Taking the plate with my left hand, I move it to my right hand. Then while holding up my marked left hand I begin casting.
Yes, I make sure not to point out that she can see the mark of the Ancient’s right now. A mark that should only be visible to people either while I am casting, or to people with a Perception Attribute that specializes in sight.
“First step I cast Verify,” as I state, I do. Letting my hand glow brightly with the perfectly cast spell.
From there, I start listing one by one the different spells that I am using.
Since Lady Von’Graysing is so generously holding onto my shoulder, casting “Identify” on her is rather easy.
Then rather than focusing on the minor form of the Appraise spell, I focus on the master level version of the spell. “High Appraise.”
This time Lady Von’Graysing clearly feels the magic coursing through her body, she looks at me with a wide-eyed stare.
Now that I have the base information ready, it is just a matter of transferring the data to the card via, “Bind Information.”
At that, I have everything of hers.
There is a bit of force that needs to be applied, as Mithril is clearly a harder and less pliable metal than copper. Yet, with but a bit more pressure and intent, I am able to cleanly press the information into the card.
I don’t even look, instead I focus on casting this spell as perfectly as possible. Not wanting to show the standard wear and tear that the repurposed press would show. As this is to prove my innocence. At least when it came to not being a plant from an outside country.
Finally, after what feels like forever, I look down and see the information provided on the card. Everything was almost as I expected, including all of Lady Von’Graysing’s focuses until I got to the end.
Name: Lady Tatiana Von’Graysing Age: 37 Gender: Female
Magical Affinities: Current Rating Maximum Rating Primary: Shadows (Concealment) A+ SS Secondary: Combat Support (Healing) A S Tertiary: N/A
Attributes: Current Rating Maximum Rating Strength: (Compact Muscles) A A Dexterity: (Improved Flexibility) SSS SSS Stamina: (Undaunting) A+ A+ Perception: (Magic Sight) A A Intelligence: (Magical Acumen) A+ A+ Magic: (Artifacts) A+ A+
Abilities: Death Sight – Can see and talk to spirits (might cause minor problems when interacting with people).
Bloodline: Yes, not awakened Shadow King’s Bloodline: Your body has an unawakened bloodline.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Skills: Sneak Attack: Rank SSS Camouflage: Rank SSS Lockpicking: Rank SSS Chameleon Skin: Rank SSS Trap Design: Rank SSS Trap Recognition: Rank SSS Forgery: Rank SS Dual Casting: Rank: A Mana Exertion Casting: Rank A Mana Circulation: Rank A+ Focused Casting: Rank B
Seeing her card, in particular the fact that she has an unawakened bloodline I pause. As my hand stands there trembling holding the card.
Looking at my face and my reaction, Lady Von’Graysing reacts violently. “What is this?”
Then swiping down to grab her newly minted Mithril card.
Lady Von’Graysing stares at the card for a long moment. During this time I barely regain my ability to close my mouth as I was not aware that she had a powerful bloodline like that, let alone that it was unawakened.
My mind immediately went to trying to figure out how I could awaken her bloodline. Then I remembered some obscure texts about the reign of the first Shadow King, but nothing more than how he and all his descendants were burned at the stake.
Then right about the time that I came to that very thought, Lady Von’Graysing apparently came to the same.
Thump.
As the next thing I knew I was off the ground, being held in place by one muscular hand that was clasped around my neck holding me in place.
Immediately I went to use both hands to grab and pull her hands. A quick Intermediate Strength cast caused my normal C rank strength to be improved to A Rank, which gave me enough of a clasp to be able to breathe.
But after that, after I was allowed to actually breathe, I stopped my fighting and just stared at Lady Von’Graysing.
“What are you planning to do?” She finally asked.
“If you want, you can tell me what information you would like me to omit from your card and I can remove it. I assume you want the information about your bloodline removed.”
There was a pause, as the Spymaster just stared at me for a moment. Then she seemed to realize something.
“Give me your card again.”
At that, I nodded. Well tried to nod, with my head still held in place, but fortunately I was no longer being strangled. Then slowly, I reached into my pouch and pulled out my copper SIS plate.
Looking at my SIS plate, the Spymaster scanned the details for a minute, only to then come to a conclusion. This of course was the conclusion that I had hinted at, and was therefor supporting.
“You also altered your information?” She asked, while letting me down.
I nodded.
At that the spymaster paused for a second as she then reached into her pocket and pulled out a clean copper plate.
“Print your information here. All of it.”
I open my mouth to say something, or mainly just to stretch out my jaw, but I am quickly cut off by the Spymaster.
“Do this, unless you wish for me to strike you down where you stand.”
At that, realizing this isn’t a conversation, I do as am instructed with the new card.
This time I print off all of my information and leave nothing out. I even make sure to add in my own Bloodline, along with Perfect Caster and Master Casting Dominance.
Perfect Caster: You managed to cast your first spell in all affinities perfectly. Your Luck attribute (Hidden) has increased by one rank. Current Rank:
Pausing for a moment, Lady Von’Graysing looks at my card, then waves the newly created one before me. “This is mine. Whenever I want, you will update this card with all of your information. If you don’t update this card when I ask, I will kill you. If I find out that you hid information from me, I will kill you. If you tell anyone else about my unawakened bloodline, I will kill you.” She stated coldly, no malice in her words just a promise of things that await me should I prove to be bold. At least bold when it came to this particular subject.
Finally after a long pause she asks the question that lets me know that my hidden Luck attribute might finally be kicking in.
“Any questions?”
I shake my head.
“Good,” she states, then quickly pocketing my newly created copper SIS plate, she then hands me back my modified version that I had created. “Take this.”
I grabbed the card and quickly stowed it away.
“Now, show me how you can modify this.” Lady Von’Graysing states. “Oh and do it with your left hand showing the entire time.”
At that, I wondered if the glow was somehow different if I didn’t cast the spell exactly the same. That was something I would have to test on my own, but now was not the time to test the Spymaster who had been on a knife’s edge away from killing me and was only now at the point where she was just seemingly contemplating my demise.
From there, I take her card, and then looking at it, I ask “what exactly would you like to have hidden?”
Lady Von’Graysing just stared at me for a moment, her mind seeming to go through multiple permutations, before finally asking.
“What can you change about it?”
“I can’t change anything. But I can choose not to show things. I can avoid showing your Skills, your specializations, your bloodline, and even your Abilities.” I note.
“Try that.”
At that, I just nod at the semi-vague request. Though ultimately, I assume she means for me to avoid placing all three qualifiers on her slab. With that I go for “Appraise,” as it seems to have all of the bare bones information available.
A quick inspection of what I would be placing over the card shows that this is in fact the case. Then with everything set how I believe she wanted, I press all the information into the Mithril card once more.
This time there is a fight, as I seem to have to first burn away all of the previous text that I placed originally. Then gritting my teeth I press through, reworking the new content into semi-worn paths. Still it is manageable, albeit annoying and taxing.
Finally, after a long time of fighting through my previous imprint and removing all the excess words and information, the card is finally complete.
Name: Lady Tatiana Von’Graysing Age: 37 Gender: Female
Magical Affinities: Current Rating Primary: Shadows A+ Secondary: Combat Support A
Attributes: Current Rating Strength: A Dexterity: SSS Stamina: A+ Perception: A Intelligence: A+ Magic: A+
Pausing she looks at the card and then seems to genuinely smile. I guess my card is either cleaner overall in design, or is a better overall quality that highlights her accomplishments. With this the glaring lack of a Tertiary Magic is gone, and everything seems to be better. There is also the fact that her maximum ratings are missing in this showing.
Honestly, I was surprised that I was able to do the spell twice in a row. Even at only a B rank, the spell cost a lot of mana and was very taxing.
“Very good. I think I already know what your first task will be.” Lady Von’Graysing states.
“You do?” I ask. This is huge, getting on the Spymaster’s good side early on means that I will be able to come and go from the campus at will. As I can always claim I was performing one of her tasks.
“Yes, though I still think I need one more test from you.”
Hearing her speak, I pause wondering what exactly I still needed to do. Apparently my luck wasn’t high enough to earn her favor already.
“Yes, could you keep the part listing my age off of this card entirely?” She asked while handing me back the card.
Hearing her, I could only sigh in annoyance, but I understood the question.
Finally, after breathing heavily once or twice and regaining some of my missing mana, I weakly nodded. Though this time I didn’t speak due to not being able to offer much more than the token gesture, while holding up my wobbly hand.
Lady Von’Graysing stared at me for a moment, then after a second or two of evaluation, she looked me over, then nodded to herself.
At that, I went about casting “Bind Information,” for a fourth time in as many minutes.
***
Staggering.
I ended up being late to class, though fortunately I seemed to pass whatever test the Spymaster had for me. My legs wobbled as I moved forward. But still there was a smile hiding under my masked face.
Only now did I realize that all of that, every exchange between Lady Von’Graysing and me was done through my mask. Yet, despite that seeming handicap Lady Von’Graysing read me like a book.
Then again, thanks to my efforts, I got a book.
No, not just any book, but the book.
Nimble Movements and Silent Techniques.
This was it, the de nu mont of assassin and thieve related codexes. This was the only SSS ranked Dexterity manual in the world. While I could only get my own Dexterity to a ‘B’ this codex, like all offered a way to permanently re-write my body type, if I followed the exercises given.
With this, I would be able to change my current maximums of ‘Bs’ in all Physical Attributes to ‘As’ or to a triple ‘S’ if I truly pushed myself.
At least that was the idea. With gaining the Spymaster’s favor I would be given her direct physical training regimen, which would match my overall physical capabilities to hers. Of course, I would first have to reach my physical limit in all of my Attributes first, then work on the exercises as shown in this book. But this was the reason to have Lady Von’Graysing as my mentor.
The fact that I got her as my mentor on my first year, meant that I had longer to learn her techniques.
By contrast, the reason to choose Magister Carthwright as my second advisor was due to him hopefully being able to provide a similar codex for my mental attributes.
That was why, despite my overall exhaustion from casting four ‘B’ rank, two ‘C’ rank, and a few ‘D’ rank spells I found myself oddly happy. Despite the way my clothes once again hung from my body as I could clearly tell that I had burned through a portion of my needed fat reserves to prove myself as a viable candidate.
Now that my first step of winning over the spymaster was over, and confirming my spot as her top protégé, I now set my sights on performing the same for my second confirmed mentor.
The only problem was, that I was so tired, that I soon found myself falling asleep in class.
It didn’t help that I already knew the information being portrayed here, as I had lived through this first day thousands of times, as Claudia. This was the first time to show yourself as both a Valedictorian and as a flirt with Prince Draketon and Prince Galvis both. However, if you spoke too much, you were bound to be called upon by the teacher.
Focusing for a moment, I soon saw the scene playing out exactly as I had expected.
“Oh Prince Draketon, you were so brave yesterday, staying behind to help all those who were injured.” Claudia began.
Glaring over I could even see her going for the shameless squeezing of Prince Draketon’s arms. Being the weakest of the four possible candidates, he was the one that got bolstered the most when mentioning his muscles. For a healer, he was rather fit, but that didn’t mean much when compared to the other candidates.
“Lady Von’Roseblade.” The saint candidate Marie De’Claire scolded.
Of course, that was part of why Marie was considered the worst, as she would always comment on public displays of attention, which was obviously the easiest way of obtaining relation points with the various interests.
“Since my class is so boring that you all feel the need to talk during class, perhaps you could provide the answer to what happens next?” The angry male teacher Mr. Klieger demanded.
Just hearing the cut scene that almost always happened, and given how tired I was, I felt my body give the response in a dull monotone, “what happens next is the time of the Great Return. Not much is known about this time, as it is widely scattered in mystery. All that we know is that those who first came back were the first to truly awaken their magical heritages and begin to exert change upon the land.”
Silence.
There is a dead silence in the room as suddenly everyone went quiet.
Only then did I suddenly wake up, drool pooling on the back of my mask, as I realized that I was suddenly being stared at.
It took a moment, but suddenly I realized that I had given that answer unprovoked, and apparently done so in my sleep. Furthermore I had done it in the annoying voice of someone who has answered the same question a million times.
“Well, then, Lady Valedictorian, since you are so keen on answering questions for others, perhaps you can answer what caused the second cataclysm?”
Sigh.
And like that, my chance to take a nap to regenerate my mana was thwarted by my own precociousness.
“The Second Cataclysm, began shortly after the reign of the Shadow King and…”