Chapter 65
Salem Pov
BEEP!!!
BEEP!!!
I groaned in sheer irritation at my annoying ass phone alarm ringing right in my ear. Operating purely on muscle memory, I whipped my black cat tail out from beneath the blankets, smacked the screen to silence it, and instantly tried to bury myself right back into the covers.
Exactly 10 seconds later, the backup began to ring. Then the one after that.
"Oh man." I muttered, my voice muffled by the pillow. Realizing sleep was a lost cause, I dragged myself out of bed and aggressively cleared the remaining six alarms I'd set up just in case.
Aurelia had made it perfectly clear last night that the carriage was leaving at seven sharp, which meant my morning routine had to start at an ungodly 5:20 AM. Honestly, I didn't mind the early hours. Back during my secondary school days in Zambia, you had to be up by three or four in the morning if you wanted to secure a spot in the shower queue before the water turned into ice cold.
It was an irritating, exhausting grind, but it was a routine you got used to. It was that exact same survival discipline that kept me alive through early morning college classes later on, helping me drag myself out of bed through all those terrible morning lectures.
Honestly why were the programming and math classes always in the bloody morning?
After a quick rinse, I walked into the main dining area of the grand suite. Aurelia was already seated at the marble table. She was wearing an elegant white silk gown, her sleek white hair falling freely, drinking her coffee.
Breakfast was aslo already spread across the entire length of the low marble table, looking like a full-blown Royal District catering event. There were silver platters heaped with fresh-baked almond croissants, delicate fruit tarts, imported smoked meats, and a towering bowl of fresh melons and berries, all sitting alongside a steaming pot set.
She turned toward the sound of my footsteps, her sharp eyes blinking in mild surprise.
"Oh. You are awake already, little changeling."
"Uh, yeah…" I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly, pulling out a plush velvet chair opposite her and immediately reaching for a fruit tart to stop my stomach from growling. "Why do you sound so shocked? You're the one who gave the marching orders to leave before dawn."
"Well, yes." She remarked a bit sarcastically. "But I feared you shared your chaotic tutor's rather... eccentric approach to punctuality, dearest boy. I fully expected to spend my morning dragging both of you out of bed by your ankles, quite frankly."
"Wow, hey, I'm a little insulted by that." I scoffed, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "I actually know that time management is important."
Aurelia hummed, her brown eyes tracking my movement before settling intensely on my face. "Perhaps so. But speaking of your habits, I find myself quite curious as to where you are truly from, Salem."
The question took me off guard a bit. My posture went slightly stiff. "Ah… why are you suddenly interested in that?"
"I just noticed you sometimes speak in a specific accent, some goes for your speech patterns, and not to mention you sometimes mumble words in a language I'm familiar with."
It wasn't the first time someone asked me that question and I usually answered Pergrande or I just travelled around and left it at that so I didn't have a home, but the way Aurelia was talking maybe that answer would bail me out this time.
"Well you can say I'm from a land far far away."
Aurelia let out a soft sigh, realizing she wasn't getting a straight answer. "I see your set on your little mysteries, very well. If you wish to keep your heritage a secret, then I shall not pry further. The secrets of a mage are their own. However… can you at least enlighten me as to how you met Morrigan?"
"Meh, it really wasn't anything crazy," I shrugged, using my fork to poke at some fruit. "I got my hands on a high-value treasure from a monster in the woods, buried it underground for safety, and the very next day Morrigan found the spot somehow and straight-up stole it from me." I finished telling the abridged version of the events.
"It has been three long years, and you are still whining about that minor separation of goods, Junior?"
On cue Morrigan walked into, wearing an oversized silk robe that was practically slipping off one shoulder, exposing a teasing amount of skin. Her-ponytail was a bit wild, and she was casually balancing a half-empty bottle of expensive sparkling wine in one hand while using the other to aggressively rub the sleep out of her eyes.
"Hey, I'm just retelling the story of how we met," I shot back, giving her a deadpan look. "And isn't it a bit too early for your day drinking?"
"It's never too late or early for a drink, and besides you left out the most vital detail of the tale. My taking of that little treasure was otherwise the greatest thing which ever happened to you, my dear little changeling~. Without me, you poor, sweet boy you would have been utterly devoured by those comics. Admit it I'm a saintly blessing to your life~" She leaned against the back of my chair and rubbed her cheek in mine.
"Get off me." I hissed, giving myself my Sea Serpent face.
"Oh my~ Fiesty~." She pinched my cheeks.
"Aren't related they say" Aurelia mumbled quietly. "Though I am utterly astounded that you actually bothered to wake up before the sun has fully run its course, Mori." She said dryly.
"What can I say? I need my beauty to rest. Maybe you should try it dear. It might help you with that unfortunate case of crows feet on your pretty face." Mori remarked sitting next to me.
"Our beauty standards aside, young changling…?" Aurelia turned to me. "Are you certain of the information you told me yesterday? It would be useful if you gave me the full thing as we cannot afford to go in unprepared."
"Show her, Junior," Morrigan chipped in.
"Are you…"
"I know what I said, but if this temple is as dangerous as that thing we fought yesterday, then we need to be as prepared as possible," Morrigan replied, her tone shifting into that rare, serious edge. "Aurelia knows how to keep her mouth shut. And don't worry, if she tries anything shady to steal your little toy, I'll gladly deal with her permanently."
Her voice distorted a bit and her eyes turned red.
"You should know well enough by now, Mori, that I do not stoop to such pedestrian means. Unlike some people."Aurelia remained cool but her posture shifted and finger twitched a bit like she was ready for a fight.
Letting out a sigh I just took out my phone.
Aurelia's eyes widened slightly as she stared at the sleek device. "Well, that's a particularly unique device you have there, little changeling."
"Trust me, Aurelia, you haven't seen anything yet~"sang Morrigan.
"Wow cool it Mori this ain't show and tell." I muttered, keeping the screen tilted away from them.
I opened the tracker app, viewing the Temple of icon which was currently flashing a dangerous, unstable purple. I noticed a newly unlocked option labeled Project, so I clicked on it. Instantly, a brilliant golden magic circle erupted from the screen, projecting a flawless 3D wire-frame hologram of the ancient ruins right above the dining table.
"Well now, that's a spectacular upgrade," commented Morrigan, leaning closer to inspect it.
"Oh, my~…" Aurelia's face had a little blush of pure academic excitement as she reached out toward the hologram, her fingers trembling just inches away from the hovering light display. "The architectural symmetry... it's beautiful."
"Down, girl~." Morrigan chuckled, waving her hand through the projection to disrupt it. "Save your drooling for the actual site."
Aurelia quickly cleared her throat, pulling her aristocratic composure back together, though her eyes were still glued to where the hologram had been. "R-Right. My apologies. So, Salem... what more should we expect from the structural interior?"
"Not much more than what I said yesterday," I answered, sliding the phone back into my pocket dimension. "The fusion event has turned the temple itself into a giant puzzle. Traps, ancient lightning-based defense mechanisms, automated magical beasts, and some seriously freaky forest spirits or vegetation mutations that look like they'll curse you if you step on a leaf wrong. We need to be careful."
"Hm, I see," Aurelia smiled confidently, standing up from the table. "Then it is a magnificent fortune that I have arranged for my private airship to transport us, dearest boy. We shall bypass the rough terrain entirely."
I raised my eyebrows, completely stunned. "Wow. So you're like, rich rich."
She formed a small, proud smile, smoothing down her mini-skirt. "Well, of course, dear boy. Weren't you paying attention to the part where I own an international archaeological enterprise? I do not travel by common carriage."
We continued to eat our breakfast whilst talking about the expedition here and there but it was mostly Morrigan and Aurelia bantering or flirting?
I don't really know man. I just focused on eating whilst they did their thing.
At the Sabertooth guild
Inside the gilded, suffocating atmosphere of the master suite at the Saber Lodging, the air felt actively compressed.
Jiemma, the Master of Sabertooth, sat on a high-backed leather chair. His massive frame cast a long, dark shadow over the four young mages standing rigidly before him. He didn't offer a grand quest briefing; he took a slow, deliberate drag from his pipe, his dark eyes radiating absolute disgust for anything less than absolute perfection.
The first was a lean 12 year old boy with spiky-hair. He wore a simple, slightly oversized sleeveless dark tunic with a high collar, cinched tightly at the waist by a leather belt. A single golden earring dangles from his left ear, and his Sabertooth guild mark sits prominently on his shoulder. This was Sting Eucliffe.
Next to him was a quiet kid who stood with a slouched, guarded posture. Long, dark navy hair completely blocks his right eye, leaving only a sharp, anxious dark red eye visible. He keeps himself heavily bundled up in a tattered, dark grey traveler's cloak with a frayed hood, while a lightweight metal mask covers his nose and mouth. This was Rogue Cheney.
Finally was a 13 year old boy with straight bright blonde hair, tucked beneath an oversized, wide-brimmed black hat trimmed with fluffy white fur. He wears a structured navy-blue traveling coat over a simple white shirt, paired with spotless white gloves that he constantly snaps. His name was Rufus Lore.
Beside the master was his daughter Minerva, Her sharp, cat-like dark eyes match her pale-lavender hair, which is tied back in a simple, tight traditional high-bun. She wears a practical, deep purple traveling kimono with long, wide sleeves that allow her to keep her hands permanently crossed and hidden.
"The Viremont Archaeological Enterprise is exceptionally influential throughout Ishgar." Jiemma rumbled across the room. "A successful expedition with her through this unknown temple will permanently elevate our reputation. Demonstrate our absolute supremacy, and permanently cement our banner above all others in Fiore."
He leveled a fierce, menacing glare directly at the three boys. Twelve-year-old Sting instinctively stiffened, his knuckles turning stark white while the others steeled themselves.
"I have heard reports that this woman has also commissioned other mages for her vanguard." Jiemma continued, his eyes narrow. "If I discover that you were outperformed by them, you will be stripped of your marks and discarded into the streets. Failure does not exist under my rule. Do you understand?"
Minerva didn't speak, but her fingers twitched minutely against the fabric of her robes. At the mention of discarding the weak, a subtle, involuntary flinch ghosted across her shoulders before she instantly forced her posture back into a rigid, dominant line hiding her terror behind a mask of regal indifference.
"We won't fail, Master. A bunch of ancient traps aren't going to stop us. I'll even clear the entire path myself!" Sting spoke up instantly, his voice cracking slightly with a mix of childish bravado and raw desperation. He forced his smirk onto his face, light magic crackling weakly around his fingers as he tried to swallow the suffocating fear of being thrown away.
This was his chance to truly prove his strength and seal his spot in the top ranks of the guild, and the first step to surpassing the legendary Salamander of Fairy Tail.
Rogue remained entirely silent. It was difficult for him to fully look at Jiemma and, his anxious eyes were tempted to turn floor patterns to make things, but willed himself to keep straight and avoid showing weakness.
"We understand, Master." Rogue murmured through his mask. "We won't fail you."
"I have already fully processed the files, Master." Rufus Lore spoke up dramatically, tapping his temple before adjusting his hat with a theatrical sweep of his hand. "I perfectly logged the entire cataloged history of Lady Aurelia's past expeditions, and the historical records into my mind. I have fully memorized her operational expectations. The campaign will be executed with absolute, poetic efficiency."
Minerva stepped slightly forward, her elegant eyes narrowing as she looked down at the younger boys, her voice dripping with an elegant, high-class authority that beautifully masked her inner dread.
"Do not overstep your boundaries with empty boasting boys." she purred coldly. "The Master expects flawless results from us. Make sure to be on your best behaviour and not embarrass the Sabertooth name during this rendezvous, otherwise your re-education is… unforgettable."
This caused the three boys to shiver in fright a bit.
"Now go." Jiemma dismissed them with a harsh, uncaring wave of his hand. "Show them what true strength looks like. And Minerva you're in charge of this mission."
"Yes master!" They all answered.
--xx--
Author's Note
Hey guys sorry it's been a while. I had to get back in the writing grove after my exams were done and also briefly re-read the story to get back in it's tempo. But I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and sorry it was so short.