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An Otherworldly Scholar - 89
🕑 Added 2024-01-03 00:42:50 +0000 UTCIlya’s sword left a blue trail as she tried to deliver a clean hit to Istvan’s mana shield. An unsuspecting observer would assume she was channeling great amounts of mana, but it was an illusion. The trick was working, though. The Marquis's stony countenance shattered, and his eyes shot wide open, trying to make sense of what was occurring at the dueling area.
Istvan Kiln backed up, defending his mana shield at all costs. His lack of offensive attempts enabled Ilya to open her guard and risk offensive maneuvers otherwise impossible for someone her height. The girl moved to the left but attacked from the right, crouched to poke Istvan's feet, and raised her sword to summon the flash of light. Drops of sweat ran down her face, but her expression remained neutral.
The Fortifier, visibly uncomfortable with Ilya’s display, adjusted his stance, ready to intervene. I feared he would stop the fight prematurely. Ilya was pushing herself to the limit to keep the illusion up while trying to break Istvan’s defense. If the Fortifier stopped the fight, she wouldn’t have been able to regain the momentum.
Ilya’s movements were different now that Istvan was defending. The fluidity of her stances spoke volumes of her progress. If only the Marquis had known how clunky her movements were less than half a year ago, he would be twice as surprised.
The room held their breath as Ilya parried a half-hearted counter and scored a clean hit on Istvan’s chest. Then she retreated before the afterblow could get her. Istvan’s barrier cracked but held together by a miracle.
The tension in the room was palpable. Nobility kids and Guard recruits leaned forward, absorbed by Ilya’s style. It was a clash not only of blades but also of ideologies. Nobles believed they were better than commoners based on the classes they obtained. In the orphanage, we believed everyone had the potential to succeed.
Istvan unleashed a flurry of strikes in a desperate attempt to regain control of the fight. Ilya maneuvered with near-perfect footwork, blocking and dodging every one of the blows. The girl heaved. Despite her advantage, Istvan’s strikes were too heavy for her to endure for long.
“Go for it, Ilya!” I yelled from the sideline.
With a last effort, Ilya parried a heavy blow, exposing Istan’s head, and lunged forward, disregarding any attempt to defend her exposed flank. I held my breath. It was a clean hit. Before Ilya could connect the blow, Istvan disappeared. [Quick Step]. The girl’s face turned into a grimace of shock as Istvan surpassed her blade and prepared to deliver the final blow.
I could tell by Istvan’s pained expression that he had strained his mana pool beyond the safe limits.
Ilya, however, had one last trick. Suddenly, great amounts of mana surged through her body. It wasn’t an illusion. A thick vine violently emerged from the floor and caught Istvan’s leg. Ilya and Istvan connected their blows simultaneously. Both barriers broke into a thousand tiny blue shards that evaporated into the air before touching the ground.
“The duel is over!” The Fortifier announced.
The whole room seemed to remember to breathe.
Ilya sat on the ground while Istvan stood bound by the vine as they both tried to catch their breath. Their chests heaved as their eyes reflected the accumulated exhaustion from the lengthy duel. The room suddenly erupted into a whirlwind discussion as the noble kids and Guard recruits tried to make sense of the duel’s outcome.
The Marquis regained his composed demeanor and looked at me quizzically. I was as surprised as him, but for a different reason. I didn’t expect Ilya to summon a solid vine.
“It’s a draw!” The Fortifier finally said.
Ilya dismissed the vine, and Istvan offered her a hand.
“It wasn’t a draw. His sword reached me first. I lost,” Ilya grabbed Istvan’s hand and let him pull her on her feet.
“No, it didn’t. It was a draw,” Istvan replied.
“Do you think I need your pity, you damn barbarian?” Ilya grunted.
“If you weren’t a microscopic savage, you’d accept my courtesy!” Istvan yelled back.
It seemed that the fight hadn’t finished.
“Savage? I’m not the one wielding the sword like a damn cudgel! Aren’t you supposed to be a Fencer?” Ilya said.
“At least I’m not cheating! What are you even? A mage? A magic fencer?” Istvan continued without giving Ilya the satisfaction of the last word.
“I’m a Hunter!”
“A Hunter doesn’t have the [Flash] skill or whatever spell you used to blind me!”
The Marquis gave me a tired glance, and I knew these kinds of discussions weren’t a rarity on his fencing team.
Luckily, Captain Kiln stopped the fight before they got physical again. I wasn’t close enough to hear, but it took her a single sentence to have Ilya and Istvan apologize to each other. I considered inviting her to live at the orphanage whenever she decided to retire from the Guard.
I smiled, satisfied with the outcome. Ilya had given the show of her life against none other than Captain Kiln’s nephew. It wasn’t just an assertion of her potential but a vindication of my teaching skills. A wave of relief washed over me.
“So, we passed the test. My Lord?” I asked.
The Marquis nodded.
Firana instantly jumped forward and gave Ilya the tightest hug. Soon after, Zaon and Wolf joined, showering Ilya with compliments. The fact that a few months ago, they were a bunch of demoralized orphans seemed to be a lie.
“Your team will represent Farcrest in the Stephaniss Cup. I’ll uphold my word. If you do well in the tournament, I’ll ensure your kids will be safe from conscription. I swear it on my city, Izabeka, as a witness,” the Marquis said.
“It will be our honor,” I replied with a polite bow.
“Why won't you present your crew now that we are officially on the same team?” Captain Kiln asked.
My class formed before me.
“These are the students of Rosebud Fencing Academy. Firana Aias, heir of the Aias Family. Wolf, son of Dassyra, war chief of the Orc clans. Zaon, and, of course, Ilya,” I presented my team as the noble kids looked at them with equal interest and suspicion. They stepped forward and greeted as I said their names.
“I’m a Hunter, actually,” Ilya interrupted me. “I got the Class in the middle of the duel.”
“Can you be more lucky? That vine gave you the draw,” Istvan said.
“I already said you won! Can you be less salty about it?” Ilya replied but quickly shut up as the Marquis's glance fell upon them.
“You really got your class?” I asked in disbelief.
The process of getting a class consisted of being transported to another place, talking to the System, and being offered several Classes to choose from. Elincia told me she was transported to a forest. Ilya’s focus, however, hadn't faltered in the whole duel. I expected the experience to be at least off-putting.
“I’m Hunter!” Ilya’s broad smile went from side to side on her face. Then, she summoned her character sheet and turned it around for me to see.
Name: Ilya, Gnome
Class: Hunter Lv.1
Titles: Governess’s Little Helper
Passive: Longsword Mastery Lv.1, Archery Lv.1, Tracking Lv.1
Skills: Mana Manipulation, Spirit Animal, Entangling Vines.
Spirit Animal: Summon a forest creature to aid the caster in its fights. Different amounts of mana will summon different creatures.
Entangling Vines: Summon solid vines from the ground to restrict the opponent’s movement.
Tracking was within my expectations, but the lack of archery-related skills surprised me. Instead, Ilya had gotten two spells. It was fitting for her.
“Good job, Ilya. You have surpassed my expectations once again,” I laughed, making her all flustered. Still, no matter how tired she was, she smiled.
Despite Ilya getting her dream Class, something still bothered me. Lordship was a disproportionate reward for such a mundane quest, no matter the way I looked at it. Despite my [Awareness] still being disabled by Corruption, it wasn’t hard to realize something was happening backstage. The tournament was more important for the Marquis than I had initially expected.
“Today’s session is over. Robert, Izabeka, follow me. We need to talk,” The Marquis said, walking towards the entrance.
“Stay here. I’ll be back in a moment,” I told my kids.
As I followed the Marquis out of the room, I noticed the noble kids and the Guard recruits joined my kids in conversation. It was a good sign. The Marquis guided us through a lateral door into a windowless room illuminated by light stones.
In the center was a large table with a detailed map of what I assumed was the Ebros Kingdom. Farcrest was a tiny black dot in the northeast corner of the Vedras Dukedom, away from any major trade routes. It was my first time seeing a detailed map of the kingdom. Elincia had sketched the frontiers on a wax tablet to show me the location of Farcrest, but her drawing was barebones at best.
The Vedras Dukedom was in the northeast end of the kingdom, just above a mountainous region that split the area in half. On the north and the east, the dukedom collided with the Farlands. The southern frontier bordered the Lamantas Dukedom and the western frontier with the Royal territory. Farcrest, like the Vedras Dukedom, couldn’t be further away from civilization even if it tried.
An almost continuous line of small cities along the border defended the choke points where the northern mountain range thinned enough for the Farlands to pour into the kingdom. I nodded in silence. The cities were bulwarks against Monster Surges. The decision to make these settlements cities instead of fortresses seemed strange as if the Royal Family relied on meat shields to protect the kingdom.
East of Farcrest, past the frontier and into the Farlands, the map was marked with several small banners and tokens. An army. That must be the frontline of the royal incursion against the Farlands. Strangely enough, the path they were carving led nowhere.
“Master Luzian tortured me with lessons long enough to know you’ll not be at ease until your questions are answered, Scholar,” the Marquis said.
He rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a glass vase of wine. Then he poured himself a glass without offering us. After a small sip, a blissful expression took over his face. Despite his relaxed demeanor, I could still see the iron mask on his face.
“You get two questions just because I’m in a good mood,” the Marquis said.
I wondered if Ilya’s performance had something to do with his good mood. He must be thinking about what Firana and Wolf were capable of if a small gnome managed to fight toe to toe with a member of the Kiln family. One way or another, I was taking advantage of the Marquis's good mood to satisfy my curiosity.
“The kingdom shares a long frontier with the Farlands. Why did the King decide to attack exactly there and not elsewhere?” I asked.
The Marquis made a gesture with his glass for Captain Kiln to answer.
“Are you sure, Tauron?” Captain Kiln asked.
“He probably knows already,” the man shrugged.
“A few days of travel in that direction, there is the Lost Elven Kingdom of Tagabiria. The King of Ebros is trying to reopen an old commercial route swallowed by the Farlands years ago,” Captain Kiln explained, opening a scroll over the table.
I glanced at a smaller map. The Lost Elven Kingdom of Tagabiria was an island in the middle of the Farlands, surrounded on four sides by forest and mountains controlled by monsters. It wasn’t hard to see; a trade route would open a vast new market, and Farcrest was just in the way between Tagabiria and the rest of the Ebros Kingdom.
Suddenly, it all made sense. The Marquis wasn’t trying to make Farcrest a local trading hub. He was laying the groundwork to make the city the gateway to this brand-new market. I glanced at the map once again. Trade between Ebros and Tagabiria would change the power dynamics of the whole kingdom. House Osgiria controlled the southern territory and all the trade routes outside the kingdom. This new corridor would favor the northern dukedoms to the detriment of the southern ones.
It all made sense.
I raised my head to meet the Marquis's eyes. “The military campaign isn’t in a good spot if the royal army had to retreat to Farcrest during the winter. Their defeat is making the King’s faction lose strength.”
“What else?” He asked.
I looked at the map again. The Marquis was clearly on the King’s wagon, as the new trade route would bring immense riches to the city. What was he doing to help the army other than hosting them? Suddenly, it connected.
“The crown prince hijacked the Stepahniss Cup to stall the opposition and gain enough prestige to reinforce his stance on the conquest war,” I said.
Considering the Marquis’ expression, I had nailed it.
“Nobles offer titles only as great rewards, which means the royal faction needs an urgent victory in the tournament,” I continued. “The royalist faction must perform well in the Stephanis tournament to show strength. To prevent the army from disbanding.”
In hindsight, it was obvious. Just as a brand could sell a crappy product with its prestige alone, a king could unite a kingdom if he was famous enough. All that mattered was the nobles believing in the king.
“He’s good,” the Marquis said as he sipped his wine.
“You only missed one little detail. The faction led by the House Osgiria is more powerful than the royalist faction. If possible, we have put to shame the House Osgiria, House Gairon, and House Herran teams during the tournament.” Captain Kiln said. “Those are our targets.”
I nodded. The more there was at stake, the more I could gain.
“That’s why you called me here, My Lord?” I asked.
“No, we don’t know yet the precise team other Houses will bring, so until then, we will refrain from talking strategy,” the Marquis said. “We are here to discuss the irregularities you noticed among the City Guard. Izabeka told me about the squad of young recruits trying to expel the guard at your orphanage. It doesn’t seem so strange as an isolated event, but Raudhan and Izabeka had noted a similar pattern of miscarried orders.”
“What?” I said, confused. “If I may speak frankly, I suspect that Raudhan was behind the attacks on the orphanage.”
“Raudhan participated in the first attack on the orphanage by his own will. You are right. He wanted to surprise Tauron with four extra fresh conscripts for the army, and he was… persuaded that was the right move,” Captain Kiln explained. “Since you beat him in a fight, he has been spying for us.”
A shiver ran down my spine. During my first fight with Raudhan, I almost shot him dead on the spot. I was thankful for not doing it.
“Does Raudhan know who ordered the young guards to raid the orphanage?” I asked.
Captain Kiln shook her head. “Whoever is behind the attacks knows how to cover their tracks. We are taking measures regarding possible impersonators, but rest assured, the old guard is still loyal to me.”
I wasn’t sure what was more impressive; impersonators sneaking into the Guard’s ranks without being detected or Raudhan’s act as an absolute asshole toward me. I wondered if he hated me for breaking his nose during our first encounter. It might explain why his hateful persona was so authentic.
“I summoned you to this safe room to ask if you have any other leads we could use. If rats managed to infiltrate the Guard, we should exterminate the pests before they multiply,” the Marquis said with a somber expression.
I strained my brain. The Marquis and Raudhan, two of my main suspects, had been crossed off my list of possible perpetrators, and Holst had been out of Farcrest most of the time. The only remaining suspect was Kellaren Odrac-Aias, who seemed very friendly with House Osgiria.
“Kellaren Odrac-Aias tried to take Firana Aias from the orphanage when the royal army brought the Aias Sword back to her,” I said. “He also has some sort of connection with House Osgiria and allegedly had been using the Aias name to steal from royal soldiers.”
The Marquis left his glass on the table and leaned forward in his seat. A macabre smile had appeared on his face, like a shark smelling blood in the water. It was reassuring to know he was on my side, at least as long as I was useful to him.
I made a mental note to buy Ilya anything she wanted as a reward for today’s performance.
“Those are serious allegations, Rob,” Captain Kiln said.
“Look for a soldier, a half-orc formerly from Lowell’s Orphanage named Risha. He is looking into the matter,” I said.
“I’ll look for him,” Captain Kiln nodded and left the room in a swirl.
I was left alone with the Marquis. It felt strange, considering no bodyguards were around us unless there was a fake wall somewhere. Then I remembered the Marquis was the most powerful person in Farcrest, not only on a political level but also in raw strength. He was a high-level Fire Fencer.
“Can I use my second question now?” I asked.
“That was your fifth question,” the Marquis humorously replied.
I smirked. The man had the makings of a teacher. At least he was pleased with the information I provided. A gesture of his glass was enough to make me know I could ask the question.
“Aren’t you involving me too much for someone who just moved into the city?”
I regretted asking almost instantly.
“Izabeka, Luzian, and Sir Janus told me everything I have to know about you. A smart and honorable portal traveler without previous allegiances who fell in love with the local governess and made the orphanage his home. You are bound to Farcrest as much as I am, which is a good start. Your allegiance is here, like mine,” the Marquis said. “But remember, Robert Clarke. Serve me well, and I’ll give you everything you need. Betray my city, and I‘ll take everything you love.”
I nodded, knowing it wasn’t a personal threat. It was just how diplomacy was in this corner of the world. The Marquis was a full-fledged politician, which made him easier to read. Our relationship was transactional by nature, and everything would be fine if I upheld my part of the deal.
The Marquis finished his glass and stood from his chair.
“Enough for today. Go take your kids and enjoy the victory. I expect great things from the Rosebud Fencing Academy.”
“I’ll assure you, My Lord, my kids will take the tournament by storm.”
Comments
Basriel
I love that Ilya got Entangling Vines, as it seems fitting from the Rosebud Fencing Academy. I wonder if a higher level version would have flowers and other effects.
I Dare Korval
Loving the story so far! I have to wonder if Holst is involved too, considering Kellaren would have been able to get his hands on Firana easily if the orphanage wasn't around any more. Keep up the good work!
CF Sapper
Damn hell of a chapter to kick off the new year!
Kovak
first, great chapter
