Lunch passed uneventfully as ever; at the very least, Edric got to know a bit more about his guests. Turns out they had come from Serrita, a city up north. Territory of the Farblos family, his family's rivals.
Edric had little information about them, if anything at all really. Only a legend that said they were once part of the Farbens, but it ended up separating for some kind of disagreement, the kind that actually generated a civil war at the time.
They weren't exactly the best of the rulers though; that much he was sure.
After lunch the girls offered themselves to clean the table, a small gift of appreciation for letting them stay while it rained. Galleon wasn't one to refuse help, so he gladly accepted.
Since they had a little free time, Edric gathered Tina and Galleon in the study room.
A room filled with tall bookshelves that went all the way to the ceiling in every wall. A small window hovered over a wood desk with two red arm chairs. The soft sound of rain hitting the window made the atmosphere become comfortable, to a point that Edric was starting to feel even more sleepy.
Edric lay on one of these chairs, stretching his leg.
"My father had been convoked to war," he said. The phrase was simple, yet it carried a deeper meaning that Galleon and Tina understood immediately.
"That sure is problematic," Galleon said, scratching his chin.
"Indeed it is," he sighed. "This is gonna get out of control soon enough. Just this last night we have already been attacked."
"They weren't weak either. Professionals, I assume," Tina added.
"That makes it even more complicated…" Galleon said. "Who is the one that we got to be careful about?"
Edric didn't even need to think.
"Cyan," he said instantly. "Rufus isn't smart enough to lay such a trap, much less with Lloyd still in Whystan at the time. And that wasn't within Alani's attack pattern; she wouldn't have sent assassins."
"That makes sense… So what are you gonna do now?"
Edric thought for a second. What will he do? More appropriate: What can he do?
He needed protection, that's for sure. The secrecy of his mansion wouldn't be safe with the Duke, and without a double the information will leak sooner or later, and this place would be replete with assassins. If it's Cyan, he would send two assassins every night and tire them down to a point where he could simply go there and finish himself.
Aleni wouldn't need such methods. She would probably trick them into thinking she is a bug and kill them in their sleep. Though that could be a far fetch.
So he had three options: either leave the mansion and let it all float, which wouldn't be so bad. He had always wanted to explore the mountains in the North; miraculously cure his disease, awaken his Realm, gain a concept, and suddenly turn the tables; or…
"I think I will have to go to the Academy…"
Going to the academy seemed to be an exciting thing, even romantic. A lot of people of his age, he could make friends, study, fall in love, even live an adventure like in those novels.
It would be an adventure, that's for sure, but not one like in the novels. No, his life wouldn't be so great.
Rufus studied there and, more than it hurts Edric to admit, he was popular and had friends everywhere, within and outside the Academy. Inside he may face some kind of bullying or even straight up sabotage from some professors, and outside he would have to deal with a bounty over his head.
Different from Whystan, the control of criminality in the Querence was far inferior. Mafias, gangs, organized crime, kidnappers, scammers, the Capital had it all. And all of them would probably go after his head.
There was no hiding from them once there; he would have to use his Real ID to get in and news of the seventh son would quickly spread. The maximum they could do is postpone by using some fake documents through the border.
And, if that wasn't bad enough, Tina and Galleon wouldn't be there to protect him. He would have to live in the dormitories and they wouldn't be able to live with him. What they would do once he left was another problem. They surely wouldn't be able to come back here, so would they go back to their normal life? How did they live before coming to work for him?
One may think that he may have gone crazy then; going to the Capital really seemed suicide.
It surely wouldn't be comfortable, but at least he would be alive. He wouldn't die there, that much he was sure.
"Should I call him then?" Edric said, turning his head to look at the window. "He wouldn't be busy at this hour, would he?"
"I don't know," Galleon shrugged. "How should I know the King's schedule? Do you still have his number?"
"I do… probably,"
Edric pulled his phone from his pocket. It was the oldest one possible. It weighed like a brick, black as coal, the keys were slightly faded, and he could only call with it. It wasn't one of the fancy smartphones the youngest were using, but it did the job.
He went straight to contacts. Surprisingly it was fuller than one may imagine; beside the obvious ones like Tina's and Galleon's, he also had the number of many doctors across the region, if not all of them. And unsurprisingly, he didn't have his own father's phone number.
As he kept scrolling down he eventually found it. "King" it was written.
How he, a nobody without any power or influence, had the number of the highest authority in the Kingdom was a mystery even for him. It just sort of appeared there one day; he didn't really remember when.
"Can I just call him? Surely it wouldn't be inappropriate, right? His number is here after all…"
"He surely has something better to do," Galleon responded. "But you don't, so just do it."
"What kind of advice is that? Shouldn't it be the opposite?"
"Should it? I don't know. Just call him already; I will make my suitcase." He turned and started to walk towards the door.
"You know that he can refuse, right?"
He shrugged, opened the door, and left. Tina, who was quiet until now, sighed.
"…I will prepare your suitcase, sir." And then followed after him, closing the door behind her.
'From where is their confidence coming from? Even I am not that confident…' Shaking his head, he called the number.
The ring tone sounded louder than normal. In the meantime millions of thoughts ran through Edric's mind.
'Surely it wouldn't be The King who will answer. First I will talk with some kind of check up to my identity and then–' Someone picked up the phone.
"Hello?" A deep voice came from the other side; it sounded tired. "Who is this?"
Edric froze. He had heard the King's voice a few times already, once upon an official speech on the television, so he was sure he was talking with the King.
"H–Hello, Si–I mean, Your Majesty. I am Edric Hold–Farben." He had never been so nervous.
The King went silent for a minute. For a moment Edric thought he would hang up, but instead the King laughed.
"Why are you so nervous, Lloyd's son? Of course I know who you are; I gave you my number after all."
"R–really?" He was even nervous for some reason. "If I may ask, when did you do that? And why?"
"…I can't remember. It was a promise, I think, though I can't remember with whom, but I think I owe you a favor."
"A favor?" he repeated, incredulous, mouth gaped. A royal favor wasn't something light; people would kill to have such an honor. Some wouldn't even use it, just for the status alone. "A bunch of fools!" He let it escape.
"I'm sorry?"
"Ah, sorry I wasn't talking with you, your majesty. It's…hm…a movie I just thought about. A Bunch of Fools."
"It's good to make jokes, Lloyd's son. I myself love jokes, but about the reason you called…"
"Oh, right. I wanted to ask you a favor, a coincidence I assure you." Edric adjusted himself on the chair. "The tests to get into the Academy are already over, right?"
"Indeed they are,"
"Then, if possible, is there a way for me to get in yet? You see I am in need of friends and think the Academy is the best option to make them, but unfortunately I couldn't take part in the entrance exam… So, hm… I was wondering if you can do something about it…" It ended up a little confusing, but hopefully the King understood.
"Just that? You want to enter the Academy?"
'Wait… what am I doing?' He had the Royal Favor; he could ask for anything. He could even ask for refuge if he wanted. Why was he wasting it with such a minor thing like going to a stupid school?
But before he could say anything else, the King continued:
"Sure, I can get you inside; it will be pretty easy actually." He laughed loudly. "To think you used your favor for something like that, you must really be lonely."
"T–Thank you, your Majesty." Edric had to bite his tongue not to scream his lungs out. 'This damn sleepiness!'
"Ok, I will get you inside. Do I send your card to your little mansion?"
"No, I will be coming to Querence soon. I will come pick it up in person, if that's fine with you."
"In person? I think it will be the first time I will see you ever since you were a baby… I wish I had more time to talk, Edric Farben, but I have to go now. You will get your wish."
"Thank you, your Majesty. It had been an honor to talk with you,"
"You are a good liar, you know that?" He paused for a second, thinking about something. "Say, if you want friends, why not be friends with my daughter and son? They will be getting into the Academy this year as well. I am sure you will like them."
Edric's face soured; it took him a moment too long to respond.
"Sure, we will be best friends!"
The King laughed once again,
"Perhaps not as good as I believed… Good bye, Lloyd's Son. I will wait for your visit." And then he hung up.
Edric looked at his phone with a mix of relief and regret.
"Why am I so dumb…? Should I call and try to change my wish?" Edric seriously thought about it, yet when he scrolled down, he didn't find the King's number. Just like it had appeared, it also disappeared.
Left wondering what Realm could do something like that, Edric sighed and got up. Now that this was done, he suddenly felt even more tired than before, barely able to hold himself awake.
He walked towards the door, traveled across the hallways, and soon got in his room. Throwing himself on the bed, he instantly blacked out.