Inside of the Mystic Palace lies many different rooms and chambers, most of which Ryuu is told about as he passes by.
A meeting hall, dining room, kitchen, ballroom, and countless other areas branch throughout the halls, but oddly enough, it’s all on one floor.
The Mystic Palace has no upper or lower floors, placing all of its inhabitants on equal grounds, literally and symbolically.
They soon stop outside of large white doors toward the back of the palace.
Lady Evelyn folds her fan and hands it to Lucian.
“That concludes our preliminary tour. I would go into more detail, but I can’t afford to miss out on any of my beauty sleep. If only Lucian could lead you around…”
“I cannot, my lady. It will take me all night to get things prepared for your schedule tomorrow. Dragon Blade will have to live with simply heading to his room for the night.”
“Ah, so be it then. I’ll be getting some rest, so show him to his room.”
She shuts the doors behind her and leaves the two men in the hall.
The taller Blade soon leads the way to the far side of the same hall, about five hundred feet in the opposite direction.
He stops at a normal-looking wooden door, if not a bit on the thicker side.
“You’ll be staying here during your time with us. I hope it’s to your liking.”
Lucian turns to leave, but is stopped by Ryuu pulling on his elbow.
“Wait a second, Sir Lucian. I need to make sure of something.”
“…Be quick with it.”
Ryuu releases him and takes a deep breath.
“I know you’ve thought things through. So why did you bring me here, to your home?”
“”Why”, you ask… I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“Don’t play dumb. You know that Morrell’s group is targeting me. And if they were able to invade the capital, then what’s stopping them from doing the same here?”
Lucian doesn’t move for a few seconds, then steps past Ryuu and opens the door to the his temporary room.
“Let’s move this conversation.”
Ryuu follows him inside, quickly running his gaze over the room.
It’s no smaller than his area at Mahora Castle, with stockpiled bookshelves and a surplus of crystal gem decor.
Lucian leans against a far shelf and gestures for him to close the door.
“I was wondering when you would ask me that, Dragon Blade. I can answer if you’d like, but I’m not sure you’ll agree with what I have to say.”
“Now I’m even more curious. What is it?”
“To be blunt, we’re well aware of the danger you invite, and have decided to take you in regardless. The reasoning is simple: the destruction of that mysterious organization.”
“Their destruction… So I’m just bait?”
“Not entirely. I will admit to using your presence as a means to lure them here, but my willingness to train you is just as real. It’s not often that someone your age shows such strength. And potential.”
“What strength? It took everything I had to survive against Morrell, and he made it very clear he wasn’t trying to kill me in the first place.”
“That’s true, but I’m not sure you realize how wide the gap is between someone like you and a Master. Take Leon Acer, for example. He’s an A’yang prodigy that’s been talked about around the region for the past several years. He’s someone we expect to see in the realm of the strong in due time, yet he was taken out of the fight before he could really get started. Imagine what would happen to an ordinary person at the Intermediate-Tier.”
Ryuu considers it for a moment, then Lucian begins again.
“Even I haven’t reached the heights of the Masters yet. It’s a long road, mastery, but it’s one all of us must face.”
“You’re not a Master? Then how did you-”
“How did I defeat Morrell? Well, there were a few factors that went into it. He had already taken some damage before I arrived, and his mental state was on the verge of snapping. I could tell from how erratic his magic was.”
Lucian pushes off of the shelf and strolls just past Ryuu.
“The biggest factor, though, was my Talent. I was blessed with powerful magic that allows me to bare my fangs at even the strongest, despite only being an Advanced M’yin myself.”
“I remember. That light you shot out, and the different gear you created. What kind of Talent is it?”
The elder Blade glances at Ryuu from the side.
“You’ll know, eventually. If you can keep up.”
He steps out of the door with one last remark, “Be ready by seven at the latest,” then firmly shuts it behind him.
Ryuu sighs and turns toward the bed.
It’s a wide, plush mattress covered in numerous pillows and blankets, reminiscent of his earlier carriage ride.
The frame looks like it could hold ten people, and that’s if they’re all at least his size.
He strips down and opens the pack slung over his bedpost.
The supplies Ilene had prepared for him were lost, he thought, but had been in Lucian’s hands when they suddenly reappeared past the storm zone.
I’m still confused about what happened then.
Lady Evelyn chalked it up to magic, but I was dead.
I could feel it.
A small window on the nearest wall shows the sparkling lights of Titania outside.
Ryuu peeks out and watches the traffic below, taking in his new environment.
Oh well.
Right now, all that matters is getting stronger.
If the Eternal Order does show up, I’ll be ready.
******
Bright light shines through the window and hits Ryuu’s face.
His nose scrunches as he rubs his eyes and rolls out of a mountain of blankets, landing hard on the smooth stone floor below.
After stretching and getting dressed, he glances out of the window and watches people mill about.
I wish this suit’s washing enchantment worked on me too.
With that in mind, he steps out of the room and waits by a nearby corner for Lucian to show up.
After thirty minutes pass, he huffs and kicks an imaginary pebble down the hall.
How long is he gonna keep me waiting?!
I was ready to get to the good stuff!
Before he can turn back to his room, a nervous voice calls out from his side.
“Pardon me. A-are you Sir Ryuu?”
He turns to face the source of the voice: a young maid with soft green eyes, and a singular braid of light-brown hair down her back.
“U-um, my name is Sherry. I’ve been put in charge of watching over you during your stay.”
She bows her head, to which Ryuu uneasily raises his hands.
“Oh, I don’t need a maid. I appreciate you coming here, but I’m just waiting for Lucian to show up.”
“That’s… Sir Lucian is the one who assigned me to you.”
“…Really? What happened to my training?”
“The esteemed Blade has found himself to be quite caught up in work ever since he returned, so he instructed me to take you to the training yard myself. You’ll simply watch the others today and pick up what you can.”
“Hmph, boring.”
Sherry points her gaze at the ground and whimpers.
“I’m sorry…”
“Hm? It’s not your fault. You’re just doing your job.”
Ryuu waves her forward with a less than enthusiastic expression.
“Let’s get going then, Miss maid.”
Sherry stands up straight and twists a loose strand of hair by her ear.
“O-oh, of course! Follow me, Sir Ryuu!”
They take off down the main hall and make their way closer to the front entrance.
Just past the halfway point, a large side hall appears in the wall, leading to a single, crystallized pathway at the end.
Sherry leads the way through with careful steps, while Ryuu watches his reflection distort along the surface around him.
The artificial light of crystals above lands on their heads as they emerge from the tunnel, and what greets them is the smell of brimstone and burnt grass.
Six people are scattered around the training yard, practicing their own Talents and magic arts.
Most of them glance over as Ryuu and Sherry arrive, then hurriedly shuffle over to introduce themselves.
“Hey, is that him?”
“You mean the new record-holder for the fastest time to Intermediate-Tier?”
“Yeah yeah! I heard he did it in two weeks, as an A’yang and a M’yin!”
Ryuu stiffens up as the curious crowd forms a semi-circle around him and continues to toss out remarks left and right.
I guess word got out pretty fast.
I only gained these titles two days ago, so how did this happen?
A man at the edge of the group speaks up.
“Yo, Mister Dragon Blade. After we heard you arrived with the duchess last night, we did some investigating. I saw your record in the paper this morning. Very impressive!”
A woman beside him calls out next.
“How does it feel to be a Blade at such a young age, and to Lady Ilene of all people?!”
The surrounding men all hum in agreement and lean closer, waiting for his answer.
“U-um, Sir Ryuu would like to begin training please! Everyone!”
They all look at Sherry like she’s ruining the fun, then slowly begin dispersing and returning to their own training.
She sighs and hangs her head again while Ryuu watches them go.
“I’m sorry, sir… They’re usually well-behaved, but after word got out of the incident in Mahora…”
“What have you heard?”
“W-well, not much honestly. The cities that had representatives there, like us, are learning more over time, but the majority of what I know was from the paper the following day. All I know for sure is that some kind of terrorist group attacked the capital and was repelled by the efforts of Sir Lucian, Lady Ilene, and you, Sir Ryuu. It’s quite a thrilling story…”
Sherry folds her hands in front of her as she smiles, trying her best to make Ryuu feel comfortable.
He turns his head back to the others’ training and briefly studies them one by one.
“What do you think I should do, Sherry?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, how should I begin to train? I don’t know any of the advanced magic arts, and my Talent is a little too potent to use against others in practice. I’m at a bit of a loss on my own out here.”
“Hmm. If it’s hurting someone that you’re worried about, then I’d ask Mister Isaac about working together.”
She points to a young man in the back, the only person that hadn’t approached Ryuu when he arrived.
He sits cross-legged on a short stump while mana visibly swirls around him, coiling up and down like a spring surrounding his body.
“Isaac is the most promising of the bunch, and is on the verge of reaching the Advanced-Tier himself.”
“Is that right? I guess I should ask what the purpose of this little group is.”
“All sorts of things. There’s no set path for those that train here, only that whatever they do with what they learn must benefit Titania in the future. Those of us that gather under Lady Evelyn’s rule only want one thing: to preserve the floating city of Titania for as long as we can. The people that want to contribute their lives to that purpose come here to train when they have time, and the regulars occasionally receive lessons from Sir Lucian.”
“That’s certainly some impressive resolve, but has it always been that way? Lucian doesn’t look that old to me.”
“Sir Lucian began his training role a little over a decade ago, and in that time has produced fifty Advanced-tier M’yin. Whether they serve as guards, Enforcers, or simply use their Talents for good is not our concern. That is why you have been welcomed here, Sir Ryuu.” Read the latest chapters at novelping(.)com.
“Because you don’t care what I’ll do?”
“Because your power is sure to aid Titania in the future. I overheard a portion of Sir Lucian’s conversation last night. It seems clear that he wants your help with fighting the organization that attacked Mahora. He must think you’re even more special than the papers would have us believe.”
Ryuu absorbs her words for a few seconds before giving Sherry a sly grin.
“You can be surprisingly serious when you want to.”
“U-um… P-please don’t pay attention to me! Come, let’s get you acquainted with Mister Isaac!”
The pair travels through the training yard, wary of flying spells and random explosions.
They soon reach Isaac, who remains still on his natural seat.
He’s shorter than average, with a mop of black hair, and brown robes that appear to be a few sizes too large.
Ryuu judges him as no older than eighteen, but knows looks are deceiving after meeting Duke Alastair, who doesn’t appear a day over thirty himself.
“Hello, Mister Isaac. I was wondering if you’d be so kind as to help Sir Ryuu here with his first day of training?”
Isaac slowly opens his eyes, which are just as dark as his hair, and lightly yawns.
“Huh? When did I fall asleep?”
You mean you weren’t meditating?
He rubs his eyes and climbs off of the stump, standing tall right at Ryuu’s chest.
“Sherry, you said this is him?”
“Yes, this is him! Dragon Blade!”
“Hmmm.”
He measures Ryuu up, dragging his gaze from head to toe, then steps back with a nod.
“Sure, whatever… I’ll look after him.”
“Thank you!”
Sherry turns to Ryuu with a victorious smile.
“I’ll be waiting for you across the yard whenever you’re finished. Good luck!”
She scurries off and leaves him alone with Isaac on the far edge of the yard.
The two of them stare at each other without saying anything, until Ryuu tilts his head.
“So you’re on top around here?”
“Is that what Sherry said? I suppose you could say that…but I don’t really keep track.”
“Anyway, I’m Ryuu. I plan on becoming Advanced-Tier as soon as possible, so I look forward to working with you.”
“Right… I’m Isaac, but you know that. If you’re worried about my age, I’m sixteen. Perfectly capable of having a career in magic…”
“That was a bit random.”
“Yeah… I’m used to people looking down on me. Sorry.”
He turns and pulls a small book from his cloak, flipping through pages while he speaks.
“What magic arts do you know?”
“I’ve got a good grasp on the Barrier and Mana Sense arts,” Ryuu replies.
“I’ve seen the Overload art used in front of me, but I haven’t really tried it out yet.”
“Okay… As for the basics, you should constantly be polishing all of your arts.
Even “simple” ones like [Barrier] and [Mana Sense]…
The more you hone them, the more you can expect from them in future endeavors.
Ignoring [Overload] for now…we’ll focus on an art I’ve been practicing lately.
The art that all capable M’yin resort to when their Talent fails them: [Magic Cannon].
“Magic Cannon?”
“It’s the release of raw, unbridled mana as a form of attack. While the concept is the same for everyone, the properties of the art change depending on your magic type and mastery… I’ll give a demonstration.”
Isaac moves over in front of a range of training dummies.
He then aims his palm toward one and concentrates as dark mana begins visibly swirling around him once more.
“The downside of this art is its charge time, not to mention how painfully obvious it is to your opponent what you’re doing… The trade-off is that a direct hit can do this.”
As he finishes, a manifestation of darkness coalesces in his palm and blasts outward in the form of a large beam.
It smashes into the dummies and reduces them to ash, though they slowly rebuild themselves thanks to an enchantment.
Isaac turns as he rubs his wrist, speaking in his same deadpan tone.
“[Magic Cannon] is a staple in any M’yin’s artillery. As long as you’re proficient enough, you have an attack that can knock down foes even if your Talent isn’t combat-oriented… Would you like to try?”
Ryuu excitedly nods and takes Isaac’s place in front of the dummies.
He opens his senses to the mana around him and envisions himself pulling in the loose strands, just as it had looked when he watched the younger man.
“You may have some trouble at first… Pulling in the necessary quantity of mana can be-”
Isaac’s voice catches in his throat as he watches the mana around Ryuu begin to become visible.
Small, natural currents in the atmosphere are pulled into his gravity, wrapping around his body and flowing into his palm.
“Alright, what’s next? Isaac?”
The boy shakes his head and regains his composure.
“Now you aim. The mana will continue to build until you consciously send it outward. You must take care not to let it build up too much, or the kickback will be too severe to handle.”
“Got it. Let’s do this!”
As soon as Ryuu thrusts his palm outward, he chants, “[Magic Cannon]!” and a torrent of golden light shoots from his hand.
It travels directly between the dummies and bursts, creating a small, smoking crater where they stood before.
He turns and pumps his fists without waiting to watch them reform.
“Yes! Haha, that felt good!”
Isaac watches with a confounded expression, his mouth slightly agape as he processes what he saw.
“…Was that really your first attempt?”
“Sure was! You did a really good job of explaining it to me. There didn’t seem to be any problems with how I cast it.”
“Yes, it was a fine Magic Cannon art… It also appears that you’re a Power-type, like me.”
“Huh? You’re right, but how could you tell?”
“…I mentioned before that the properties of that art can change depending on one’s magic type. For the Power-type, it results in a singular, straightforward release of mana.”
“And the others?”
“Protective and Restorative-types are seemingly random, but in general, Finesse-types can release multiple, less powerful blasts… Control-types are similar to us, but they can freely manipulate the blast until it makes contact, although the power lessens the more they move it around.”
“That makes sense, now that you say it. Are any of the other magic arts influenced like that?”
“I’m sure they are, but this is the only art I know of where it’s so easily distinguishable… More importantly, do you feel like you could recreate that level of force at a moment’s notice?”
“Yeah, that shouldn’t be a problem. I can already tell I have some work to do when it comes to the force and speed of my mana compression, though, so I guess I’ll work on that. Thanks, Isaac!”
Ryuu turns around and resumes his [Magic Cannon] practice, absorbed in the feeling he gets while learning new ways to grow stronger.
Isaac stares at him for a moment, then glances back at his small book.
“It felt good, huh,” he mutters, then moves back to his stump for another nap.
******
An hour later, the training yard begins to thin out for the morning, and Ryuu rejoins Sherry near the path into the palace.
“Hello, Sir Ryuu. Did you manage to make your time worthwhile?”
“Yeah, Isaac was a big help. I know magic is supposed to take years to learn, but I keep running into seniors who are younger than me.”
Sherry tilts her head, while Ryuu thinks back to Belynda and her constant pestering during his classes in the Magic Tower.
After they had come somewhat clean to each other, she had made larger efforts to guide him in training his magic, although he never asked her to.
“Never mind that–what’s next for me? I doubt Lucian gave this job to you just so we could stare at each other all day.”
“Huh?! P-please don’t tease me, Sir Ryuu… Um, let’s see… It looks like we’re free until dinner this evening. You’re free to roam around Titania until then, or simply wait around if you’d prefer.”
“So they’re telling me to entertain myself. Whatever, I was a bit interested in what there is to do around here anyway. You have any suggestions?”
“I spend all of my free time in the library, so I’m afraid I won’t be much help.”
“Oh? What kind of books do you read, Sherry?”
“N-nothing that would interest you! They’re all old stories, things that could never come true…”
“Well duh, that’s what makes them fun. Come on, show me around that library.”
“If you insist.”
She leads him back inside and down to a room right beside the front doors of the palace.
An opening sits in the wall, serving as an entry point to the palace’s library.
The inside is dark, yet strangely comforting.
Sparse crystals are placed strategically around the room, lighting the shelves just enough that they don’t need to squint their eyes to make out the infinite titles.
They move through a few mazes before reaching a shelf near the middle, and Sherry pulls a particularly worn book down from nearby.
“This one is-”
“The dragon story!”
The colorful spine of the book sparks dozens of memories in Ryuu’s mind.
“Huh? Do you know this book, Sir Ryuu?”
“Yeah, I read it quite a bit when I was younger! You like it too, Sherry?”
She nods and brings the book close to her chest.
“I always come by and read this when I have the chance. I even moved it deeper into the library to make sure nobody could take it.”
“Haha! That’s pretty selfish of you.”
Sherry makes a grunt of embarrassment, then holds the book out in front of her.
“”The Trial of the Heroes”.
A fascinating title, don’t you think?”
“Is that what it was called? The version I had was pretty beat up. There were plenty of parts I couldn’t even read thanks to that.”
“Really? Then that means you can enjoy the full story for the first time! Here, I’ll prepare a desk for you!”
“Ah, you don’t need to…”
She’s already on the move, silently pulling a desk and chair into place.
She waves her hand and light from a crystal shines a little brighter, creating the ideal lighting over the desk.
“Here you are, Sir Ryuu.”
Sherry pulls the chair out with an eager smile and repeatedly gestures for Ryuu to sit.
He obliges, insisting on pushing the chair in himself before opening the book. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
The Trial of the Heroes
A historical recounting of the creation of the Sacred Land.
Long ago, during the Demonic Era, a certain continent found itself in danger of destruction.
What is now the Sacred Land was once an ancient city of magic, one so advanced that all of its neighbors sought its secrets at any cost.
Finding themselves completely surrounded, the elders of the city delivered a prayer to the heavens above.
They used the wellspring of magic beneath the city to enhance their wishes, and to their delight, something responded.
“I grant you powers beyond your wildest dreams. Use them to defend this place, and protect my slumber. If you should fail, I’ll see to it that you can never set foot here again.”
The otherworldly voice filled the minds of the elders and showed them glimpses of what was to come.
Three figures, each wielding a distinct magic, would be born.
Twenty years later, three heroes were brought before the leaders of the Blessed City.
These heroes had spent their lives aware of their purpose, and trained in order to achieve it, possessing unmatched power within the mortal plane.
One clad in a magic that seemed to pause the space around them, another carrying a Talent that threatened to destroy the world, and the third with a power so boundless that none could hope to stand in their path.
The leaders warned the three of an imminent destruction, one that had been delivered to them in a prophecy just before praying for the birth of the heroes.
A greedy and powerful creature would steal the land, and monopolize the magic beneath.
The heroes swore to defend the city, combining their efforts in preparation for the threat.
“I don’t remember any of this… Was there really so much missing from my book?”
“Keep reading, Sir Ryuu! It’s just getting to the good part!”
By the end of the month, the prophecy began.
Enemies around the city fell one by one, a sign of the growing power of the heroes.
In the meantime, a rare ally to the south was wiped out overnight, before they even knew they were being attacked.
The leaders stationed their mighty defenses toward the south to meet the threat, and the trial of the heroes began.
A mighty dragon descended from the heavens, flying in the air hundreds feet above the three, before landing heavily onto the barren earth.
It acknowledged the heroes, telling them to stand aside with a flare of its nostrils.
Instead, the heroes responded the way they’d been taught: by unleashing the full brunt of their power against the beast.
A long, long battle ensued.
Mountains were crushed, rivers were blasted dry, and aftershocks of the conflict reached as far as the Blessed City’s streets.
A month passed by without either side letting up, until eventually, the only hero left standing was the one possessing a boundless potential.
A selfish pact was made between the hero and the dragon: survival, in exchange for a rematch in the future.
As a result, the dragon flew back to the south, supposedly never to be seen again, while the final hero returned to the city and lived a life appropriate for a savior.
“…”
“How was it, Sir Ryuu?!”
“It was…not the way I remember it.”
“That’s weird. What was different about it?”
Ryuu shuts the book and absentmindedly taps the cover.
“The version that I read felt a lot more like a fantasy story, but this one was like reading a history book.”
“Well, it is a historical record, supposedly. It even says so inside of the cover.”
“I saw. There were enough similarities for me to conclude that it is the same overall story, but the details are all over the place. I remember reading more about the fight itself, and what led up to the pact between hero and dragon.”
“Do you like the hero, Sir Ryuu?”
Sherry leans in close as she asks.
A stray strand of hair falls off of her shoulder, giving off a fresh, clean scent.
Ryuu gives it a sidelong glance and leans away, stretching his arms over his head.
“Not particularly. If anything, I always found myself siding with the dragon in my youth.”
“Heehee. I suppose we really are different, after all. I can’t help but admire the hero who proposed the deal, casting aside his honor for the good of his people. It’s said that before he could live a privileged life, the hero had to go through several years of repairing his public image. He had to undergo so much hardship, and yet, he never turned his back on his friends!”
Uh… He let two of his friends die before doing so, but whatever.
It’s just a story anyway.
“Do you have any other stories, Sherry?”
“No, I’m sorry.
I only come here for “The Trial of the Heroes”.”
“Hmph, then it can’t be helped. I’ll look around for something else to do.”
Ryuu rises from the desk and begins making his way back through the maze of a library.
Still, wasn’t that ending way too abrupt?
It felt like somebody’s poor attempt at ending things nicely… I should’ve checked for an author.
As he reaches the end of the maze, something catches his eye above him on a nearby shelf.
A small notebook is locked away beneath some glass, but he can make out the words “Lost Times” on the cover.
He decides in an instant to look around for a way to open the case, but is interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
Him and Sherry slowly turn to find Lucian watching them with detached interest, arms crossed against his chest.
“What do you think you’re up to, Dragon Blade? And you, Sherry. You didn’t think to stop him?”
“S-S-Sir Lucian! I, um-”
“It’s not her fault.
I’m the one messing with something that clearly means “keep out”.
Ryuu steps away from the glass while Sherry repeatedly bows, her braid whipping around in the air.
Lucian sighs and steps back through the library entrance, motioning for them to follow along.
They appear behind him in a second and walk close behind through the main hall.
“Where are we going?”
“I’ve managed to find some free time, and Lady Evelyn is distracted with lunch,” Lucian replies.
“I decided now would be perfect for a quick lesson, if you’re not too busy.”
“Sounds great! What kind of things are you gonna teach me?”
“Some patience, please.”
They round a corner and enter a study.
Ryuu notices Lucian’s name on a plate attached to the oak doors, and inside is an office of red and gold.
A decorated rug, sparkling crystal chandelier, and a high-back couch with rich, red cushions framed in gold take up most of the space.
“Wow, Lucian. I didn’t take you for the flashy type.”
“What does that even mean? I’m simply used to this kind of environment.”
“Where did you grow up for that to be your reasoning?”
Lucian pauses.
“I don’t owe you any explanations. Take a seat.”
He motions them toward a sofa in the center of the room, while taking a seat at his desk near the back corner.
“U-um, Sir Lucian? Do you need me here?”
“Yes. Sit, Sherry.”
“O-of course…”
She sits on the other end of the sofa next to Ryuu, facing the wall by Lucian’s desk.
He props his feet up and leans back, rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses.
“I haven’t slept since the night before we left Mahora. Lady Evelyn let so much work build up that I’m not going to have time to train you for a while. Because of that, I’ve forced a small window open, so take this opportunity seriously.”
“Yeah, alright. Get on with it then,” Ryuu barks.
“Hmph, cocky.”
Lucian rests his glasses back in place and snaps his fingers, cutting off the lights in the room and activating a magical projector.
It shines on the wall in front of his desk, creating images for Ryuu and Sherry.
A few images of people in cloaks, strange beasts, and odd symbols flash by.
“What you’re being shown is the small amount of physical evidence we’ve gathered on the mystery organization. All of the major cities in the Northern Reaches are sharing information, allowing us to cover some ground over the past several days. We’ve yet to learn any important names, but the latest sighting was reported about two days west of here. I need the two of you to be alert for any movement inside of Titania.”
Ryuu leans forward on the sofa, resting his chin in his hands.
“Do you really think they’ll make a move so soon? Morrell was in pretty bad shape when he left, and I doubt he can replace that rare armor so easily.”
“I’m inclined to agree, but we don’t yet know the scale of their operation. We must entertain the possibility that Morrell is no more than a mid-tier in their force, or a manager of sorts at the most.”
“You’re saying Morrell isn’t the leader?”
“I’m saying that ice-user was stronger than him, and he certainly didn’t seem the leading type. If he comes, his wide-range, instant-kill magic could put Titania in danger. I won’t allow that at any cost, so I’m asking the two of you to be ready for anything.”
“…Of course,” Ryuu mutters.
“I don’t plan on backing down if they do show up. I dare Hyouma to show his face again. I’ll knock his ass out myself!”
“Y-yeah! I don’t really know what’s going on, but I’ll live up to your expectations!”
Lucian gives a small smile and stands from his chair.
“I hope you’ll do just that. We cannot allow anything to endanger Titania or its citizens. Ever.”
Ryuu stands and moves toward him.
“I just hope you knew what you were doing when you planned to lure them here.”
“Don’t ask me; that was Lady Evelyn’s idea. I merely worked to make it happen.”
He opens the door to the office and ushers them out, shutting it behind them with a sense of finality.
Ryuu then glances at Sherry, assessing her with [Mana Sense].
He hadn’t paid much attention before, but a constant stream of mana swirls inside of her, with only a minimal amount leaking out.
“Sherry, how strong are you?”
“Huh? Where’s this coming from?”
“Lucian wouldn’t have included you in this for no reason. I’m still not sure what he sees in me, but if you’re that strong, I want to know what you’re working with.”
“I don’t think I’m anything too special, though? I’m an Intermediate M’yin, with a Protective magic type. Apparently my Talent is rare, which is why I was hired as a maid here…”
“Protective-type? You’re the first one I’ve met!”
“Yes, I hear that a lot.”
“And you say you’re nothing special? What kind of spells can you use?”
“Hehehe, maybe you’ll find out if those Outlaws attack.”
“I guess I’ll just have to trust in your abilities when that time comes.”