Chapter 76 — The First Appetizer

Keira watched as Taleo, her estate’s aging gardener and carriage driver, skillfully guided the carriage out of the estate and out of view, taking Lestina back to the academy. With Rallensi accompanying, the third-year Soulkeeper should be safe from simple plots.

The group of priests and contracted adventurers regularly shadowing her and Ria whenever they left the estate worried her that they’d been caught up in the machinations of a Greater House. Knowing Ria’s propensity to invite trouble and the connections and enmities the foreign girl was already forming, the likelihood was higher than she wanted to admit.

And, machinations might be the least of their worries.

Letting her gaze rise to the reddening sky and the divine constellations that were beginning to become visible, she addressed the matter of her royal-blooded friend’s guest, “Do I need to be worried that a Soulkeeper visited and inspected my estate?”

“I don’t think so?” Ria tilted her head as if working through all the ridiculous things the girl had done that might warrant such. “She was mostly here to see where I’m doing my soul-strengthening and to tutor me since Soulkeeper Renard was concerned that I was learning the techniques too quickly.”

“Concerned you were learning the techniques too quickly?” Keira echoed, an eyebrow raised. Was the girl bragging?

“I don’t think he expected me to succeed any time soon,” Ria admitted. “And since I’m surprisingly strong with spirit magic… it’s a bit dangerous now, I guess?”

“Of course that’s how it is. Silly me for thinking it was anything different,” Keira snorted and rolled her eyes. She chided herself for having entertained any thought other than a looming Ria-disaster-event being the reason.

Keira only half-listened as Ria huffed and explained the changes to the garden recommended by Lestina, voicing approval where necessary. Though she worried for Ria’s finances, she didn’t have any complaints about upgrading the spirituality and elemental quality of the garden.

The more she thought about the visit, Keira decided that she should be relieved that the Soulkeepers had the competency and foresight to preempt the coming trouble before something like the incident in the library happened again.

In Vorshan’s Hills, Leon was the friend who most kept Ria grounded to the realms of common sense, a duty that had fallen to Keira with the move to the capital city. Thankfully, House Novidus, and Aunt Asara in particular, had taken enough of an interest in Ria that there was less worry about the girl’s actions causing trouble for her House.

As it was, Keira was still wrapping her mind around the coming reality that her debut would be beside a friend escorted by a potential future Vesali head… and as a Divinesday Newcomer Champion no less! Even her lucking into her own escort was thanks to Ria joining a troublesome Order.

Her parents and grandfather were quite pleased at her receiving the interest of a son of House Touften. Bloodlines with spatial affinities were highly sought after, after all.

Keira also was thrilled at the opportunity. She had worried for her chances of finding a good marriage partner near her age to the extent that she gave Leon consideration even though the hard-working baker’s boy was a commoner and clearly smitten with Ria.

The trouble with raising her expectations to more desirable candidates was that she couldn’t marry into another House without giving up her role as the current heir of House Vorshan, so finding a marriage partner willing to join her House at an affordable price was vitally important. With Aldri being a second son and not considered particularly talented or important, a good chance existed for success in the negotiations between their Houses.

Now Keira had a new worry: her newfound opportunity might be short lived. Aldri’s involvement with Ria and Cousin Hulle gave concern that House Touften might reassess his value should Ria propel him into the spotlight at the Grand Games. For that reason, Keira had urged her parents to act quickly to secure the engagement.

That Aldri was fun, had a face and manner pleasant to her eyes and ears, and cared for her enough to visit and spend time with her, always trying to brighten her day when she was feeling down—even to the extent of secretly teleporting her around the Academy grounds to help ease the burden of the punishment imposed by her Order—such a marriage partner was beyond her expectations and hopes.

He had even been bold enough to sneak a kiss when they had a quiet moment alone today. Her face heated just remembering.

Really, the flame-haired boy made her giddy like a girl in a romance tale, made her blush and her heart flutter. Had she really found love as well as expedience?

Keira sighed, and refocused her thoughts on the present—in particular, the troublesome friend beside her who had trailed off to become lost in thought. Marriage matters and consequences of Ria’s continued involvement in restricted magics aside, there was something important to ask the girl about. “How’d your visit with Aunt Asara go?”

Ria’s mood being fine was a good sign, but with Ria it was best to confirm these things. And Keira was aware enough to admit being intensely curious.

The girl’s delay in answering drew Keira’s gaze, and the evasive way Ria’s eyes avoided her gaze made her stomach sink. Oh gods, what now…

“It went well, I think,” Ria finally answered. “Lady Asara is intending for me to maintain an aura during our debut, as a way to discourage trouble and hide my bloodline affinity. She had me practice it on the servants.”

Keira felt the blood leaving her face. An aura? Like the one Ria demonstrated for her aunt and uncle at the prior event? Like the one she used to immobilize the Tunnel Gopher during the tournament? Surely that was a terrible idea! What was her aunt thinking?!

“Want to see?” Ria offered, a hint of pride in her voice and a slightly mischievous smile touching the girl’s lips. “I am curious what it feels like to others, so…”

This was absolutely something to be tested before it was too late to convince her aunt of an alternate course. Keira nodded, focusing her magesight on Ria and bracing against the expected pressure. “I’m ready, go ahead.”

To Keira’s incredulous surprise, Ria gathered the chain of her amulet and removed it, sending it to her vault. Was Ria really planning to go without her amulet at the debut?!

Keira shook off her surprise and focused on the change in her friend’s aura. Since the Sages’ last Grand Games practice, the subtle weight of fate around Ria had already increased in a way that was a bit unnerving, but now with her amulet removed… the midnight-haired girl could’ve said she was sent to deliver a divine proclamation, and there would be little reason to doubt her words.

As Keira watched, eyes growing wide, Ria seemed to suddenly grow in authority before her, like a shadowy veil had been parted to reveal a glimpse at a being of great consequence—a dangerous being, hungering darkly from beyond the ken of mortal existence.

Shocked at the transformation, Keira raised her gaze to Ria’s royal gold-touched eyes, and the yawning darkness of her friend’s pupils threatened to claim all the happiness Aldri had brought her, maybe even her future itself.

She must not offend this person! was the thought that came unbidden to her mind.

Keira instinctively took a step back and lowered her gaze before mustering the light within her to resist the effect of her friend’s magic. Even so, the warning feeling that she stood in the presence of a Power akin to an ancient elemental spirit or legendary divine beast persisted.

“How…?” was all she could voice. How had Ria gained a technique to this extent in a single afternoon? Was it really a deception like Ria had said?

As suddenly as it had come, the alarming dread tugging at her mind disappeared as if imagined.

“Keira?” Worry sounded in her friend’s voice. “Are you okay? I was trying out one of Lady Asara’s ideas to more strongly affect those who meet my gaze, and might’ve overdone it…”

Keira let out a dark laugh. Overdone it? Even knowing and having prepared herself, she had been overwhelmed. “Admittedly, fixing your etiquette is a hopeless task, but this…”

This was too much! Was her aunt’s plan to have Ria forcefully crush the will of any who would challenge the girl? And, paired beside Phaelys Vesali… was her aunt thinking to present Ria as a contender to restore Crysellia’s monarchy under unified Vesali and Novidus rule?

Ria’s fears of assassins might become a legitimate worry!

“Is it no good?” Ria nervously worried.

“To say it is no good… rather, unless they had no sense of danger, no one would dare cause trouble… at least, while in view of your presence.” But behind the scenes…

Ria’s lips pressed into a grimace. “Is it still not subtle enough?”

Keira blinked at her friend. That was supposed to be subtle?

“When our eyes met, I felt like all my happiness would be sucked away should I utter a wrong word or offend you in some way.”

“Happiness… is it related to fate…?” Ria muttered, her eyes becoming distant. “Fulfillment, maybe…”

Fate?

Was Ria dabbling in fate magic?

Just how far into things-best-left-alone was Ria intending to go before being satisfied?!

“Practicing at the academy is the only way,” Ria grimly concluded, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

At the academy?!

“Ah… Ria, maybe-” was all Keira could get out before Ria interrupted her with a suddenly remembered question.

“What should I do about the talent contest, Keira? I didn’t know what would be good enough, so I told Lady Asara that I’d ask you…”

Keira almost groaned as another troublesome oversight presented itself and promptly became her responsibility. How had she forgotten that Ria was a commoner and probably knew nothing about entertaining at formal parties? Did her friend even have an appropriate talent that would ‘demonstrate her refinement’?

And if Ria’s displayed ‘talent’ didn’t match the expectations created by her aura and Vesali escort… rather, Ria wasn’t the only one who would have to exceed expectations! Keira realized with dismay. Her usual trick of changing the color of part of a complexly-shaped object would certainly not be enough either!

Ugh! And if they outshined Faris’ performance that would be a whole other problem!

Keira placed her fingers against her mouth and gave a thoughtful hum to buy herself some time to think. Ria had plenty of fun talents from her painting skills and brushwork to elven martial arts, but to turn any of those into a performance fitting a princess or—heavens forbid!—a queen candidate on such short notice, she was drawing a blank.

Miela was good with coming up with ideas when she was stuck. Keira looked back her maid’s way, and catching sight of Ana whispering something to Miela, Keira decided, “Let’s join the others for dinner; it’ll be good to consider ideas together with Arthur and Aeri.”

Just as she was congratulating herself on deflecting the responsibility, Keira froze in place, remembering the last time Ria and Arthur came up with an idea together—the statue…

Lightning-Sky-Eyes was in a great mood. Ria was continuing to grow her power and bloodline at a prodigious rate, and the Exter boy had really come through with his selection of the first ‘appetizer’ from this soft country’s so-called Grand Academy. She was still cackling with delight at the powerful and pure bloodline essence the Astral Harvester Leach had returned with. Delicious beyond words.

Now it was time to give the boy his well-earned reward.

Soon as his manservant retired for the night, she traversed her crow familiar’s shadow and worked the magic to still any sound leaving the boy’s room.

“You said the leach wouldn’t kill anyone,” Tensley accused from where he was sitting on the side of his bed, his eyes dark-ringed and bloodshot from lack of sleep.

She laughed. “What did you expect, trying to steal an elf’s elven bloodline? How much did you think would be left afterward?”

The boy’s fist clenched at the realization that the elf’s death was entirely his fault. It was a good outcome. With the boy having killed for his own selfish goals, he was now further committed to the path she had set for him to walk.

With a teasing wiggle of her fingers, she held up and swished the glowing vial of catalyzed bloodline essence to catch his attention. “As I promised, I have brought you a reward—an essence elixir. I’m sure you will put her sacrifice to good use.”

The boy’s eyes tracked the glowing liquid in the vial, and he swallowed nervously—or maybe in anticipation.

She flicked the vial in his direction and was further amused by his panicked use of magic to cushion it mid-flight and guide it to his hand.

“Is there anything I need to do to prepare?” Tensley asked, carefully watching her.

“You may want to lie down before drinking it,” she advised with a smirk. Even though the gifted elixir only contained less than a third of the elf’s essence, it was likely to be quite the experience for the boy. “Afterward, meditation to further acclimate your body and ensure proper distribution can improve efficiency.”

Tensley scrunched his brow for several moments before breaking the seal and downing the entire vial as he lay back on the bed.

Gasping as the essence spread from his stomach and throat, filling him with euphoric pleasure, the boy’s face and limbs soon twisted with the pain of change and overfilled energy pathways. A trembling and shaking started wracking his body, and his eyes stared off at visions only he could see.

Casually moving to the boy’s bedside, she gently pressed his eyes closed and ran a hand through his curly dark hair, tracing a finger under his youthful chin and along his nightshirt, feeling the contours of his quivering chest muscles. The boy was a treat for the eyes, and his naive pride was adorable. Once she had recovered from birthing her child, she would enjoy having the boy accompany her.

Maybe she would continue her effort to restore the Sky Dragon’s bloodline from the beginning again. Even if she succeeded in her goal with the child fathered by Striking-Eagle, one descendent alone couldn’t maintain the bloodline’s strength. And if she could steal Ria’s bloodline and join that with the Sky Dragon’s… the result would be a Power that could challenge the heavens.

Her lips curled upward. Though with civilization having become far more comfortable over the past century, maybe this time, she would seed her descendants within Crysellia—instead of trying to rebuild her lost tribe.

When the boy’s spasming began to calm, she sent a light pulse to magic through him to confirm the elixir’s effectiveness.

Her assumption had been right. His body would have had difficulty containing the changes had she given him more. Still, it was not a bad result. His already soft skin further gleamed with the vitality of youth, and the dark under his eyes had healed. As she ran the side of her thumb against the exquisite feel of the boy’s cheek, his eyes shot open and he scrambled away, out of her reach.

She chuckled at the reaction and walked over to a fur pelt decorating the floor near the moon-lit window and gracefully lowered herself to sit.

“Come, sit with me,” Lightning-Sky-Eyes invited and beckoned with her delicate hand. “You can address me as ‘Master Leita’. I will teach you how to better make use of your growing power.”