Erik Fors
(07-23-1241)
"Good mornin', Lord Erik, Lady Valka. Out fer yer mornin' rounds, are ye?"
The man called out to us from behind the counter, his voice carrying a rustic lilt, yet dipped in careful respect.
"Good morning," I replied, forcing a bright smile to my face. "Just coming back from a walk."
"I see, I see." He nodded eagerly, his eyes crinkling. "Oh, Lady Valka, would ye care for a taste o' these?"
He began fanning the grill, sending a cloud of rich, spiced aroma toward us. The scent of meat hit my nostrils hard. My stomach gave a treacherous growl, and I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as I caught a stray bit of hunger-driven saliva before it could betray my dignity.
… Damn, that smells good.
"Sorry, but Ma is waiting for us," I said, clearing my throat and pulling myself together. "We will come back later."
"Right, right. Today be the day of the Great Bout, after all." The man's expression softened into something genuinely earnest. "Please, give the young lord me best. Wish 'im luck from me."
Somehow the whole town knows…
I gave a small nod, and turned to the companion at my side.
"Let's go, Sis."
She didn't speak and simply inclined her head, her steps falling in beside mine as naturally as they always had.
We moved through the heart of the town together, a sea of familiar faces parting for us, their well-wishes and quiet bows.
I answered where I could, returning smiles, offering nods.
As we reached the manor gates, the guards saluted. One of them stepped forward, handing me the folded newspaper.
Nowadays, I have no choice but to check the news.
My eyes moved across the lines as we walked.
The north again.
It had been more than a month since the king of Krohnhelm had died. His eldest son now wore the crown, but a crown did not stop enemies from approaching. Now, the Empyrean Sovereignty has started moving. They were prowling along the borders like wolves scenting a kill. I knew their history, their bottomless hunger for land. If Krohnhelm buckled, their gaze would turn south toward our dukedom.
My grip tightened around the paper.
If that happens, I might receive an order to deploy… They won't pull generals from the front when someone of equal strength is still here… My departure would leave the barony in an even more vulnerable state.
Opening the front page, my eyes darting across the headlines until I confirmed there were no reports of any skirmishes.
A heavy weight lifted from my shoulders, and I finally let out the breath I'd been holding. We stepped into the mansion, the familiar scent of home failing to fully soothe me. We climbed the stairs to the second floor in silence, stopping at the door to Sis's room. I pushed it open to find Ma standing by the window, her gaze turned outward, as if she had been waiting long before we arrived.
"So how was it?" she asked, turning slightly toward us.
"Good," I said, a small, tired smile tugging at my lips as I glanced at the one beside me. "No one suspected a thing."
At my words, her hands reached for her neck. She fumbled for a moment with the clasp before pulling away a pendant set with a pale yellow gem.
Her hair shortened, the deep black fading into a softer chestnut. Her frame seemed to loosen, her figure slimming as the borrowed clothes no longer sat quite right on her.
"I was nervous the whole way," Miss Aifa sighed, her shoulders slumping as the tension finally drained from her body.
"Looks like the pendant my teacher made is doing its job well," Ma said as she stepped closer, her gaze on Miss Aifa.
If the truth ever leaked… it wouldn't end quietly. Sis had spent years making enemies of powerful people, and they wouldn't hesitate to tear this barony apart to get their revenge. To keep the peace, we needed a replacement.
"I think this bracelet is more impressive," Miss Aifa remarked, lifting her arm to reveal the plain black band on her wrist.
Using my senses, I tried to feel her mana, but even standing mere inches from her, I couldn't sense anything from her. Her mana was simply gone, swallowed by the bracelet. It was another miracle from Lady Serena, ensuring that even a seasoned mage wouldn't be able to tell this wasn't the "Sis" they knew.
"Of course. My teacher made it," Ma said, folding her arms, a faint hint of pride slipping through before she straightened herself. "Now, leave just like we planned. Change your clothes and slip out through the window while hiding your presence. You are at Delta stage, so the average soldier won't have a hope of detecting you, but do not grow overconfident. Be discreet."
Miss Aifa nodded, her earlier tension replaced with quiet resolve. "I will be careful."
"Good."
Ma's eyes shifted to me.
"Let's leave."
I gave a small nod, turning with her as we stepped out of the room.
The door closed behind us with a soft sound.
"Now that's one thing done," Ma said, a soft sigh slipping from her lips. "Now all that is remaining is the fight."
The fight… A week ago, Ma had somehow leveraged an old promise to convince Lady Serena to become Siegfried's teacher. But Lady Serena wasn't the type to give her time away for free. She wanted to see fire. She told us that if Siegfried could actually make an impression on her in a duel, she would take him on. Siegfried, of course, remained blissfully unaware of the promise that had started it all.
"I am worried," Ma said, her footsteps slowing.
"I know," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Let's just hope Lady Serena takes it easy on him."
It felt absurd even saying it. We were talking about a clash between someone of my sister's caliber and a boy just eight years old, even if he was stronger than most kids his age. It was like watching a lamb walk into a thunderstorm.
"Oh, yes, there's that too," she murmured, her eyes distant.
I raised an eyebrow, her tone catching my attention. "You were thinking about something else?"
She hesitated for a second, then she slowly started speaking.
"I heard from some of the maids that Sieg was asking for kitchen utensils without explaining why and this morning, when I knocked on his door, I heard the sound of metal crashing and a strange, zapping noise… like lightning. I walked in to find utensils scattered across the floor, some still rattling. When I questioned him, he just turned and escaped through the window. Now do you understand what I mean?"
Truthfully, I don't. Lightning? He doesn't have Thunder magic and… utensils? Is he planning to pelt her with spoons or fend her off a dinner fork? The mental image was absurd, yet the look on Ma's face kept me from laughing.
"He is definitely planning something," she said, her expression hardening with certainty. "For the last week, ever since we told him about the duel, he has been moving constantly, preparing in secret. I am just worried he doesn't do anything reckless."
I couldn't blame her for the fear in her eyes. I had seen that look on Siegfried lately too. There was a new kind of energy radiating from him, a restless intensity that felt like a drawn bowstring.
He's going to do something crazy, isn't he? And I'm going to have to be the one to pick up the pieces… Just like Sis.
"Can you go and look for him?" Ma asked, turning to me with a pleading look.
And there it is. The task falls to the reliable son yet again.
"Do you know where he could have gone off to?" I asked, already resigning myself to the hunt.
"Not sure, but the two in the library may know something."
"Alright."
We went our separate ways, and I made my way through the halls toward the library.
Before my hand could reach the handle, the door opened from the other side.
A low growl emanated from within.
James stepped out first with Baloo, careful in his movements as he supported Nidrik, the boy Siegfried had found in the Source, the one with the Authority of Entropy.
Both children looked up at me, and I felt a jolt of unease as I met Nidrik's gaze. His eyes were a piercing, molten gold, the pupils slit like a serpent's.
At Lady Serena's insistence, we had decided to keep him here in the manor. He had finally woken a week ago, but his mind was a hollow shell. He had no memories, no past, and no ability to walk or speak beyond the basics of a newborn.
"Good morning, uncle," James greeted, his voice bright, grounding the moment.
"Good morning." I shifted my attention back to him. "James, have you seen Siegfried?" I asked, but the answer came from a voice I hadn't expected to hear.
"Sieg... fried?" Nidrik murmured, the syllables coming out slow and unpracticed.
For some unknown reason that even Lady Serena cannot understand, those are the only words he has been able to say since he woke up.
"Yes, I am looking for him," I said, leaning in closer to the boy, my heart softening despite the strangeness of his presence.
He let go of one of James's hands, his small arm trembling slightly as he turned around. He raised a finger, pointing toward the window at the far end of the long hall.
"He is outside?" I asked, my gaze following the direction of Nidrik's small, trembling finger.
"Sieg said he is going to the arena," James added, his tone matter-of-fact even as he held up most of Nidrik's weight.
The arena? My heart did a nervous little skip. The duel wasn't scheduled for another two hours. Why would he be heading there so early when he should be resting or eating?
I straightened up, trying to keep my expression composed. "Thank you, both of you. Be careful as you… uh, walk."
My steps carried me quickly through the halls, until I pushed open the back door and stepped into the training field.
The grounds felt eerily different today. The usual bustle was replaced by silence. A few soldiers stood in small clusters, but the sight of them made the hair on my arms stand up. They weren't carrying the blunt wooden weapons we used for practice. They were armed with weapons, swords, spears, bows, they looked ready to fight.
"Good morning, Lord Erik," Silvyr approached with hurried steps, his posture straight despite the pace.
"Yes, good morning," I replied, the greeting feeling like a hollow reflex at this point.
That makes how many greetings now… Everyone is so formal today.
"Have you seen my nephew? I heard he was at the arena."
"I also heard the young lord was there, but looks like he left with Sir Tavian about an hour ago," Silvyr answered, wiping a bead of sweat.
"An hour? What was he doing at the arena so early?"
The question slipped out before I could stop it, more of a thought to myself than a real inquiry. But Silvyr didn't answer right away. He hesitated, shifting his weight and looking at me with an expression that bordered on confusion.
"I heard from some of the men on watch," Silvyr started, lowering his voice as if he were sharing a secret he wasn't sure he should. "They said the young lord was digging into arena grounds. They weren't sure why, and honestly, neither am I."
Utensils? Hole? What's going on?
Silvyr continued, "Actually... there's one more thing. He has asked every single soldier to come and watch the duel. And he told them all to bring their actual weapons."
"Huh? Why?"
"I am also as confused as you are," Silvyr admitted, shaking his head.
No wonder the whole town was buzzing with the news about the fight. If Siegfried had invited every soldier, they must have spread the word through every tavern and market stall in the barony. Seriously, what is going through that kid's mind?
Ma was right to worry. He is definitely planning something big.
If he left with Tavian, then there was only one place he could be heading… That Nidrik had also pointed in the same direction.
"I will go and see what he's doing," I said, not waiting for a response.
I kicked off the ground as I leaped into the air. I moved through the sky, making my way there. I soared past the town and above the forest until the river was visible, and then I followed along its path.
Looking down at the lush greenery and the peaceful flow of the water, it was hard to believe how badly this land was destroyed not long ago. It was only thanks to Lady Serena's time magic that the land had been stitched back together, leaving no marks from the destruction.
As I reached the end of the river where the water plummeted over the jagged edge, a sharp flash of energy cut through the roaring cascade, splitting the curtain of water for a fleeting second.
I slowed my descent, hovering in the mist-laden air. Below me, Tavian and Siegfried were suspended in front of the waterfall. A blade of pure mana formed over my nephew's hand, a shimmering aura tightly clinging to its edges.
Sword aura. It is a technique that requires willpower in place of mana. Using both simultaneously requires a level of precision that few people ever reach, yet here he is. Because no physical sword could withstand the sheer density of his mana without breaking, he simply conjures his own mana blade and coats it in that deadly sword aura.
It is a mind-blowing feat, but it isn't the only thing that leaves me stunned.
I watched the currents of wind swirling around his small body, keeping him afloat. In just one week, he has mastered the complexities of flight magic. I have reached the Epsilon stage of the Soul Crucible, a level where natural flight becomes a part of one's being without the need for mana, willpower, or any conscious effort. However, I still remember that mastering flight through pure magic is a notoriously difficult path to walk. Yet, his form is flawless.
I felt a wry smile touch my lips as I watched him.
I suppose even being surprised at this point is a waste of energy.
His head lifted, his gaze meeting mine.
"What are you doing here, Unc?"
Unc. Every time he says it, I can't tell if it's affection or if he's just finding a new way to poke fun at his dear uncle… knowing his personality it's definitely the latter,
I descended slowly, my boots touching the damp rocks near the river's edge. My eyes shifted to Tavian for a moment, and a knot of sympathy tightened in my chest. He looked terrible. His skin had taken on a sickly pale and the dark circles under his eyes looked like bruises carved into his face.
Ashar had filled me in on what is going on with him, but there was nothing I could do to help him. I had told him a dozen times that none of this was his fault, yet the words seemed to slide right off him, leaving his guilt untouched.
"Looking for you," I said, turning my focus back to Siegfried. "What have you been doing since morning? And shouldn't you rest a little? Your fight with Lady Serena is an hour away."
"It's fine, I will be back shortly," he replied with a small smile
As if anything about this is fine. Digging holes in the arena, the armed soldiers, the utensils.
Questions rose, one after another, pressing at the edge of my mind.
Before I could voice them—
"Unc, please bring mother's axe with you."
"What? Why would I do that?"
"You will find out when it's time," he said.
He offered me a smile. It was a normal smile, an everyday smile.
Yet something about it felt… different.
I felt a viciousness beneath it that seemed far too old for his face.
A quiet chill ran through me.
...This is not something I can control anymore.