[Activated Dragon Scales]

I wanted to go to the Capital as fast as possible, so I tried to go on maximum speed. I figured, that the pressure would be far too much, so I activated Dragon Scales too. I definitely knew, that I was able to break the sound barrier with this ability, but even if, eight days by carriage would probably take half a day with the speed of sound, if not more.

One hour with more than Mach 12. I can’t possibly be that fast, else I’d be able to sprint with sonic speed! I could probably guess how fast I am after getting to know, how late it is after my arrival in the Capital.

[stops]

Wait.

Don’t I have space affinity?

‘Eolas, Space Magic’

So, I don’t need to fly that long. I can only continue that for less than half a day, so I should be able to get to the Capital.

[After about 1 hour]

3>

A quarter day, probably, if I use it. It should be much faster now, as I got the distance halved.

[after some more time]

Oh, looks like I found the Capital. It is enormous.

[Lands some distance away from the Capital, then goes towards the entrance]

I always thought, that there would be some kind of curfew, but it is dark, and they still have the gates opened. They probably have some kind of magical security system.

As I tried to enter, I bumped into said security system – a three-question barrier.

This barrier is able to detect lies, and is only available for official use in greater scales – like cities. It asks you three questions, if you lie, you can’t enter, and an alarm is set off. If some specific answers are get, the alarm is also set off. The problem with this security measure is, that you don’t have to say the exact truth to get inside.

For example, if you want to commit a crime inside the city, it is probably enough, that you have business to do in the city, if it asks you, what you want to do.

The three questions I received were

‘What business do you have inside the Capital?’

‘Are you acquainted with a criminal?’

‘Do you know the rules in the Capital?’

As I answered ‘No’ to the last one, the alarm got set off. It didn’t sound like a dangerous one, so I just waited.

(Guard) “This is probably the third time this week, that this bell got set off. So, just in short, it is probably the same as in all other cities of this country, except the rule, that you have to follow special announcements from nobles. If you don’t follow them, you will get imprisoned, and your money and items are going to be confiscated for the time you are in prison. Understood?”

(Lupin) “Yes, understood.”

(Guard) “Ok, then do it again, enter the city, buy whatever you want to buy, and get out again. Flying is only allowed for special individuals, by the way.”

(Lupin) “Thanks for that!”

After I entered the Capital, I was surprised how many markets there were. I don’t know where to buy a Magidentify Device, so I asked a merchant who was dealing with many machines.

(Merchant) “Yes, what do you want?”

(Lupin) “Uhm. I’d like to know, where I could buy a Magidentify Device.”

(Merchant) “Ah, you have to go to the Noble District for that one. Right behind the wall is a small market place, there you should find it. The shop has a hammer and a magic crystal as a trademark.”

(Lupin) “Thanks for the information!” [gives him a big silver coin]

(Merchant) “It’s a pleasure having business with you!”

On my way to the Noble District, I saw more and more people, who looked at me with looks of contempt.

They probably just hated me because I look like a demi. I don’t know what would happen if I’d put out my dragon stuff, or had taken the cubs with me.

The whole inhabitants would probably want to steal the dragon cubs to sell them!

Or, even worse, kill them to sell the materials!

After some minutes, as I was near the gate to Noble District, I got into a queue. Thankfully, it was pretty short at this time.

Just before I wanted to enter, there was a commotion.

(Guard #1) “Sir, please come with us.”

(Guy #1) “But what have we done?”

(Guy #2) “Yeesh, shount lishen to tshat fool, pal.”

(Guard #1) “It isn’t you, who makes problems, but this drunk person there. But if you shield him, we have no choice but to put you temporarily under arrest as well.”

(Guy #2) “Teshe friggin bashdards! I am a Marquish! The Marquish of Yo-Tsu, tho be preshise! I demand to be let tshrough!”

(Guard #2) “Even if you were the king himself, you’d be put under arrest for a while because of this behaviour. That’s the law. So come with us now!”

(Guy #1) “Marquis, you shouldn’t make it worse…”

(Marquis) “I don’d cer ‘bout tshat! *gulp* If yer dond oben de wae, I’ll oben it myshelf! Fire Shwoad!”

*unsheathes a steel sword, which is surrounded by flames now*

(Guard #1) “Okay, now you’ve done it! Guards, capture and arrest him!”

(Marquis) “Behold! My shpecial shwoad thecnice! Hell Shwoad!”

(Lupin) “Do you really call that ‘Hell Sword’? Looks like a little candle to me.”

(Marquis) “Who shaid dhat?! I’ll kill him!”

(Guard #2) “No, you won’t be able to do that, sir. *grabs the sword hand of the Marquis* Now drop the sword, please, or I’ll have to force you.”

(Marquis) “Lhet go off me! I’ll thell sha king! *gulp*”

(Guard #2) “And that bottle too, please.”

(Marquis) “Yer wand me tho drob sha boddle? I’ll drob id in yer fashe! That’sh whad I’ll do!”

[Guard #1 and Guard #3 take the bottle away]

(Marquis) “Ey! Gimmemyboddlebag!”

(Guard #2) “I have to take your sword away. Don’t blame us tomorrow, it’s your fault.”

(Marquis) “I dond alow yu!”

[Guard #2 takes his sword away, then him too]

(Marquis) “Heyy! Ife dold yer do leaf me alone!”

(Guard #4) “I am sorry for those who had to see this, and we will proceed with the checking now.”

There were no problems with it, just a three question barrier again with some other questions, like ‘Do you theoretically have enough money to rest in a Noble Inn for some days?”, which was a bit weird.

I mean, if I want to enter the Noble District, do they really think that my monetary means are not enough to rest for some days?

I even heard to be rich enough to make a proposal to a princess, so this question was unnecessary!

I probably shouldn’t run around saying things like that.

This was the first possibility to get into the Capital, and I wanted to make the most I could of it in the short time.

What could I buy?

At first, I should get the Magidentify Device. What was the trademark again? Hammer and magic stone? Sounds like a magical engineer to me.

It is possible, that I don’t have enough money… I should probably sell some of the gold and stuff. How much did I have again? Enough for 20 dragon coins, more or less? And that’s just the raw gold.

If I want to sell it, I should go to a big company, the bigger the better. Or probably some really rich nobleman. But I should do that one only after I checked the value of the gold.

I wonder, if I could sell some of the accessories at an auction house?

Haaaargh, so many possibilities!

Okay, at first the appraiser, just to get to know of the value.

*crying sounds*

There is somebody crying? Maybe a kid who lost his or her parents in the crowds.

I thought, that some of the nobleman would try to help the little one, and went on my way, but as I still heard the crying after I walked for a minute, I couldn’t bear it anymore and went straight to the little one.

Well, whenever I hear some little kids crying, I can’t hold out for long. I just hate that sound, so I try to get rid of it in the smoothest way possible.

(Lupin) “uhm. hey. you okay?”

They seem to be friends or siblings, one boy and one girl, holding hands, both probably three or four years old. Both had blonde hair and blue eyes.

(Girl) “You are not mommy or daddy.”

(Boy) “Sir, do you know where our parents are?”

While the girl had a childish manner to behave or talk, the boy had manners even better than some of the adults, which is really impressive at his age.

(Lupin) “I’m sorry, I don’t know how they look like. Could you tell me how they look like?”

(Girl) “Mommy is pretty! She has silvery eyes, just like your hair, and blonde hair, just like we have!”

(Boy) “Lari, let me talk to him please.”

(Lari) “Okay!”

(Boy) “Our mother looks like Lari has told you, she wore a dress looking like a full moon today, because of a celebration, which takes place today. Our father has blue eyes and red hair, red like fire, sometimes like blood. He is taller than you if I stood on your head. He is not muscular, rather wiry, with a scar on his forehead, which goes down to his left cheek. Although his attire looks a bit rustic, this is the style he likes to wear. He is slightly tanned, too.”

(Lupin) “How did you get lost?”

(Boy) “That was, because an acquaintance of our father, the Marquis of Yo-Tsu, has been arrested by the guards. This Marquis always tries to let things go his way, although he knows, that not even the King would have been allowed to behave like this.”

(Lupin) “So, was the man who tried to stop the Marquis somebody you know?”

(Boy) “This was one of his higher ranked servants.”

(Lupin) “Ah, because of this their behaviour was a little bit weird.”

[Uses Sonar]

(Lupin) “You said taller than you and me together with red hair and blue eyes?”

(Boy) “I did.”

(Lupin) “Your mother has silvery eyes, blonde hair which is open, slightly wavy, and reaching to her waist? While she wears a dress looking similar to the moon?”

(Boy) “Yes, so you have seen them?”

(Lupin) “They have split up while searching for somebody, who is probably you.”

(Boy) “What about a red-haired girl, taller than me, who easily breaks into tears? She wears an orange dress, by the way.”

(Lupin) “Wait, let me scan again.”

[Uses Sonar]

(Lupin) “I’m not sure about her, but I think she is following your mother. She also seems to have problems to cope with the side streets and the unprecedented situation.”

(Lari) “That’s auntie! She always gets lost and follows mommy!”

(Lupin) “So, should I bring you to them, or tell them that you’re here, or something else?”

(Lari) “Wanna have fun!”

(Boy) “You really don’t want to get to our parents without some fun, right?”

(Lari) “Play games! Sweets!”

I wonder, if I should entertain them?

(Lupin) “Lari, do you like puppets?”

(Lari) “Puppets?”

(Boy) “What are puppets?”

Oops. Well, no hard feelings, because such stuff can happen.

(Lupin) “Something like little golems to play with?”

(Boy) “Sorry, we have never heard about them.”

(Lupin) “Should I make one?”

(Lari) “Puppet sounds good!”

(Lupin) “Very well then, let me use my soul magic!”

(Lari) “You can use magic? Yaay! You are awesome!”

[Uses Soul Magic 3 – Create Small Golems, material used is stone]

(Lupin) “Do you see this little golem?”

(Lari) “Yes. But why doesn’t he move? Is he broken?”

(Lupin) “Ah, just wait for it. To make him move takes some time for me.”

In fact, I tried to use Soul Magic 10 – Intelligent Golems, but it is really difficult.

(Lupin) “Ah, why do I fail so often?”

(Boy) “Do you really attempt to make him move?”

(Lupin) “Somehow, yes. But I should remodel him first.”

This takes quite some concentration. As I said, I remodelled it first, as intelligence is hard to contain inside a golem, without a feature-rich body which exhausts the capacity of intelligence.

(Lupin) “I hope I can make him move now.”

(Boy) “This is a very detailed body for a golem. Do you plan to make a humanoid?”

(Lupin) “What do you mean with humanoid?”

(Boy) “Humanoids are intelligent golems, often with specific duties. They are sometimes even more intelligent than humans, or are able to use magic.”

So, I can add tasks he has to fulfil and give him some special attributes or what? Let’s try it!

Soul Magic 10 – Intelligent Golems!

(Lari) “He is moving now!”

Suddenly, some kind of window appeared before me. It looked like some kind of pentagram, in the middle is the golem, and each of the pentagrams inner and outer corners has something like an empty space.

The lower two inner and outer corners seem to be for magic and speed, the left and right four are for strength and defence, and the top two for intelligence and emotions.

The greater the level of attribute I want to add, the greater the magic consumption to completely create it. I probably got one fifth left, so I should be able to do a lot.

As for intelligence and emotions, I ticked evolving and humanoid (friendly), on greater level.

In short, I ticked evolving for everything.

Strength and defence I set on mediocre level, and I gave him some shield skill, for AOE defence, as well as some fist and knife techniques.

I put Speed (Agility) on maximum, and the other speed traits on mediocre, while I put magic on max, and gave him some magic attributes too. Ice/Snow 5, Wind 3 and Thunder 8, as well as Fire 2. Because of Thunder, the price skyrocketed.

Finally, I found out, that there was one last problem: I need some core for intelligence. These intelligence cores are often refined and purified metals or gems. The purer and more refined, the greater the capacity and efficiency. It influences the personality too, slightly.

The recommendation of the window was a gold-encrusted orange topaz, which led me to another problem: Do I have one?

As far as I know from my old world, as I was quite interested in mineralogy (to make money), this kind of topaz is very rare, let alone it being encrusted with gold. This so-called ‘Imperial-Topaz’ was sometimes even more expensive than diamonds, depending on their quality.

As I looked through my Pouch, I found something, of which I thought it would be one of those I searched for.

Topaz-Dragon 3x>

They were small enough to be a core, but their value was reaching into the extremes.

Still, what do I have them for, if I don’t use them. They’re not encrusted with gold, but they should be enough.

(Lupin) “I am inserting the core now, so please be careful. I don’t really know what this core could do, but nothing bad should happen.”

(Lari) “Okaaay!”

(Boy) “I think, he meant, that we should step away from the little golem for a short time, Lari.”

[They step away, then Lupin inserts the Topaz-Dragon. After that, it glows shortly, and then the golem stands up.]

(Lari) “He stood up!”

(?)

(Boy) “Did he just talk telepathically?”

(?)

(Lupin) “This goes beyond the scope of what I thought that would happen. But, well, you should be helpful to the girl. She is very young, so don’t be embarrassed, if she wants to play with you.”

(?)

(Boy) “Is he really made out of stone? Or did he somehow mutate?”

(?)

(Lupin) “This took some time… We should really go to your parents now. But did you attend this celebration too, or why are you here now?”

(Boy) “Yes, we did attend there too, we played with the other children there as well. But after we left, we got separated from our parents because of this drunkard!”

(Lupin) “You don’t seem to hold him in high esteem. After I saw the scene, I think the same. But we really should get to your parents now. They are totally upset now, and they moved further away from the gate.”

(Boy) “But the streets are totally crowded down here. What do you want to do? We won’t catch up with our parents by walking.”

(Lupin) “Oh, that’s easy.”

[Get’s two small saddles out of the Pouch and puts them on his back, then activates dragon scales.]

(Lupin) “See?”

(Boy) “But we are still going to run…”

(Lupin) “Oh, oops, forgot something.”

[Activated dragon wings – this time, again, like the wings of Artemis]

(Lari) “They look like mommy’s dress!”

(Boy) “I mean, I saw some people creating scales on them before, but wings?”

(Lupin) “Just sit up, and tie the leather leashes down enough, so that you won’t fall down. Also, hold the saddles tight!”

(Lari) “We will fly!”

(Boy) “You are sure, that there is no problem? We won’t fall down?”

(Lupin) “As long as you do what I said, you won’t fall down.”

(Boy) “Why do I have this suspicious feeling then?”

(Lupin) “Probably because you don’t know me well enough to really trust me. But this little golem’s core alone is probably worth more than a dragon coin, and the golem is pretty powerful.”

(Boy) “…” [sits up, as well as Lari, and did what he said they should do]

(Lupin) “You hold the saddles tight? Then, off we go!”

---While Lupin showed his scales and then unfolded his wings---

(Guard #1) “Isn’t this the demi from before?”

(Guard #2) “It is. I thought, that he’d be a tiger demi, but now he shows dragon features.”

(Guard #1) “Do you think, that he could be a half-demi?”

(Guard #3) “It seems quite possible, otherwise he could be a special case of dragonewt.”

(Noble #1) “Is he a dragon?”

(Noble #2) “Why is a dragon in this city?”

(Adventurer #1) “A dragon’s humanoid form would hardly be able to have dragon scales. Only the oldest and most experienced dragons could do this, and they wouldn’t do that in the middle of the city.”

(Adventurer #2) “He is probably some kind of dragonewt.”

(Noble #3) “He’d be quite an interesting servant.”

(Adventurer #1) “Don’t even think about it. Don’t you know, what powers they have? I am a Rank-S Adventurer, I could at most contend against dragonewt children. Even Rank-SSS have problems with dragonewts.”

(Adventurer #2) “His wings do quite differ from his other scales.”

--- Back to Lupin’s view of sight ---

(Lupin) “So, how does flying feel like?”

(Lari) “It’s fun!”

(Boy) “I’m not sure…”

(Lupin) “Well, I should get you to your parents fast, before your condition gets worse. You surely don’t want to vomit, right?”

(Lari) “Ewww!”

(Boy) “Ah, no, don’t worry, it is not that bad. You shouldn’t fly faster, that’s all.”

(Lupin) “Ah, if it’s only that. My problem is just, I am almost short of magic energy, that’s why I even fly that slow.”

[One minute later]

(Lupin) “Ah, your parents are there. They’re worrying about you, and don’t know where you could be. Let’s get to them.”

[After landing]

MP: 11 347/1 537 526

I’m pretty close to fainting. Probably. I experienced such a close case only once, in my infancy, and even then I had more than 1 percent.

What I shouldn’t forget – it is night, probably something like 9 pm? How do I get back?

(Mother) “Larissa! Nicholas! I’m so happy that you’re okay!”

She really is a caring mother. Their father seems to be vengeful and cautious instead. He probably has a divided opinion about humanoids, too.

That is, because his wife is an elf, but the popular opinion sees non-humans as lower than humans, and he is a noble, thus has to be a representative of the popular opinion in the eyes of the public. These two opinions probably have made his mind probably a bit distorted and very vigilant.

(Father) “So. You brought us our children? How did you know, that we are their parents?”

As he talked to me, I deactivated the scales and wings.

(Lupin) “They told me. A red-haired man with blue eyes, and a scar from his forehead to his left cheek, wearing a slightly rustic attire, because he likes to wear this. He also is tanned lightly. This is how their father looks like.

Their mother has silvery eyes, similar to my hair, blonde hair like their hair and a dress looking like the moon.

They told me, that they got lost because of the commotion caused by the behaviour of the Marquis of Yo-Tsu, which they said to be an acquaintance of yours.

After I got to know your appearance, I scanned the Noble District, and found you, as well as a person they haven’t told me of, following your wife. As I depicted her, they told me that it is their aunt, who gets easily lost, thus follows their mother.”

(Father) “So, that’s it? I don’t think it should be that easy to find us with the Radar skill, as it just scans everything inside of your range of vision. Can you prove me, that you didn’t lie? Else, I have to suspect you of having done something.”

(Lupin) “So, for example, I should find out, where their aunt is, as I can’t see her at the moment?”

[Activates Sonar]

(Father) “That should do.”

(Lupin) “She is in the main hall of your mansion and is crying, as she probably hasn’t heard of the return of your son and daughter. She is standing besides a butler, who is trying to console her.

Oh, by the way, if you want to know, the Marquis has tried to break out for the third time now, thus his penalty has been extended by a day.”

Just as he said that, a messenger, coming from the guards, told Larissa’s and Nicholas’ father, what Lupin has told him about the Marquis before.

(Father) “So you did say the truth. I really doubted you before, as it is very rare to have a perception skill with a greater range than Radar. If I may introduce myself, my name is …”