V

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Arc V Chapter 5

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23rd Ignis Solar 753 AAC

The sword is your life. The sword is your soul. The sword was the source of true livelihood for every proud swordsmen. The blade was your pride and joy, and yet also, much to the annoyance of the common swordsmen, him included, a source of constant hassles and maintenance. Even the sharpest blade dulled in the absence of proper care and maintenance, falling prey to the unforgiving tooth of time. Such was the life of the swordsman and of a certain adventurer.

Armed with a whetstone and a flask of trusted oil, Michael was tending to his precious sword in the warmth of the guild, sharpening and polishing its steel, freeing his blade from the vile clutches of rust. His blade was the tool of his aspirations, of his single minded pursuit. His goal in life was to hone his skills and perfect his craft. All to become sword master worthy of his name ...

So far, though, the path of the sword had led him nowhere, from roaming master to roaming master, from wandering knight to wandering knight, with little result. In the end, he was forced to forego his aspirations for the time being, joining Lambert's party instead. Shortage of coin and a tight purse persuaded him that a more practical approach was needed. After all, no man could live from air and will alone. Lambert was searching for a skilled fighter. He offered his services. Lambert accepted. Thus, he the swordsman turned adventurer. Not what he had imagined, but not that he complained. The path of sword was a long and arduous one, a path of many years and decades. He just had to be patient.

Michael put his whetstone aside to marvel at his work. Freed from rust and stains, his blade once again reclaimed its former splendour, the steel shimmering in the sun in all its glory. The sight warmed his heart ...

“Uncle Michael~. Uncle Michael~. Uncle Michael~.” A certain familiar voice disturbed his pristine peace, tugging at his sleeves, begging for his attention.

Michael redirected his attention.“Oh, it's you, Edelgart. What a surprise. What are you doing here?” Once again, his senses failed to notice her intrusion. Once again, Edelgart and her doll somehow managed to penetrate his defences with the slyness of a stalking kitten. It was as if the girl appeared out of thin air!

“Uncle Michael, have you seen Sister Iris?” Edelgart asked him.

“Oh, her. Well, ...” Michael pointed down the floor. “Iris is just down the floor, in the library reading. She told us not to disturb her. She got one of her new manuals ...”

And there she was gone. The girl had vanished, ignoring him completely ... Not listening at all.

“♫ ♪ ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ ♩♫ ♪♬ ♩♫~.” Edelgart bounced away, hopping down the wooden floor with her precious dolls in her arms and the élan of a young kitten.

Michael merely shook his head, returning to his blade, to something he understood. Girls and their dolls. As if anyone would ever understand them.

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“De Artibus Magicis ac Operis Magorum. Codex Universalis Pyromantiae ... 15th Edition. Unified Manual of Pyromancy ... Royal Arcadian Society of Magic ...” Iris squealed with joy, her vocal cords giggling with the heartfelt enthusiasm of a little girl. Her behaviour might not befit the sacred halls of the library, but Iris didn't care. De Artibus Magicis ac Operis Magorum ... Codex Universalis Pyromantiae ... The title alone already promised so much fun and delight.

Her arms were hugging, cuddling her most recent addition to her private library in a tight embrace. It was a grimoire of extraordinary knowledge, a heavy tome containing the most recent advances and breakthroughs in the field of magic. The book was hard to come by through conventional means. Especially, for a person of her standing, a mere adventurer and humble mage. And yet she managed to get her hands on a copy of such an illustrious tome. All thanks to some of her old contacts in the church. It cost her more than just a few favours and she had to pull more than a few strings, but in the end, she succeeded and now she was in possession of a codex.

Iris beamed, a radiant smile gracing her lips. Today was a wonderful day. She couldn't wait any longer to embark on an intellectual journey into the previously unknown. After all, the art of magic was a craft that demanded continuous improvement and refinement. Spells ... Formulas ... Chants ... Glyphs ... There was always room for improvement in the world of magecraft.

Her hands opened the codex with great care, exploring the first pages of printed paper with almost religious reverence. Her senses relished in the sweet fragrance of paper, seasoned parchment, and fresh ink. “Ah~.” It was the perfume of studiosity and youthful nostalgia. The smell of paper reminded her of old times, of simpler times. But bygone times were bygone times, and it was thus now time ... to read ... Or so she thought ...

A poking finger claimed her attention. The sight of a certain familiar doll greeted Iris. And where there was a certain familiar doll, there was also a certain familiar girl never far. The little princess and her doll formed together an inseparable duo.

“Ah!” Edelgart beamed, her lips belying her mischievous nature. “There you are, Sister Iris~. Found you~. Dolly and I were already searching for you~.”

“... Oh, really?” Iris meanwhile was less amused.

“Yes~. It was a long and arduous quest! It took me nearly a quarter of an hour to find you!” Edelgart nodded vigorously, proud of her incredible achievement.

“...” Iris chose not to object despite Edelgart's slightly peculiar perception of time ...

Edelgart recommenced her efforts, her small hands returning to their incessant poking. “Sister Iris~. Sister Iris~. Sister Iris~. Do you have some time for me?” Her lyrical voice was sweet, much too sweet for Iris' liking.

Iris deployed her usual smile in the that hope her smile would be somehow able to ward off Edelgart off the same way a talisman did a malevolent spirit. Of course, her hopes quickly proved in vain.“Well, not exactly ... Listen, Edelgart, today is not a good day ... As you might see, I am currently occupied with my private studies ... So, I have no time to spare ... ... ...”

Edelgart hugged her doll tightly, her eyes all tearful. Sadness, disappointment, dejected painted her once cheerful face. “But ... But ... But ...”

“...” Iris steeled her resolve in the face of Edelgart's pitiful pleas. Otherwise, her studies would never progress. “It's unfortunate, Edelgart, but I must say no ...”

“Please~.” Edelgart deployed the most effective in her arsenal, her feared kitten eyes. Large, radiant orbs of purple innocence looked at her with a glimmer of childish hope and expectation.

Iris remained strong, though, crossing her arms, averting her eyes. “No.”

“Pleashe~.” Edelgart doubled her efforts, her eyes veritably sparkling.

Iris showed Edelgart the cold shoulder. It hurt, but it was necessary ... “As said, my no remains a no ...

“Pweashe~.” Her words failed to discourage Edelgart who continued pressing her assault with her doll in her arms ... Her gaze was irresistible ... This was a fight that she had already lost before it even began.

“... ... ...” Iris sighed in heavy defeat before capitulating. Resistance was futile. What was not meant to be wouldn't be. Apparently, fate had its own plans. “... I guess that I might have some time for you after all. Tell me, Edelgart, what do you need?”

Edelgart beamed overjoyed, obviously pleased with her victory. After all, she got what she wanted. “Not much. Do you remember your promise, Sister Iris?”

Iris merely smiled. “Ah, yes, of course ...” What promise?

Edelgart nodded. “You promised me that you would teach me magic~. Remember? Back then?”

Iris froze in an instant. “Oh ...” That promise ... And thus her careless words came back to haunt her. Gone were her hopes that Edelgart had already forgotten about her promise ... Such was obviously not the case. Promises are promises, and much to her dismay, the girl remembered.

Edelgart nodded. “You promised me that you would examine me, and if I showed the necessary attitude ...”

“Aptitude”, Iris injected, yet her correction went unheard.

Edelgart clenched her fists, full of spirit. “... then you would teach me some of your magic~.”

Iris offered a wry smile in return. “I guess I did so ...”

“Right.” Edelgart nodded. “Now, here I am~. My doll and me are ready to study the secrets of magic~.”

“...” Iris pinched the bridge of her nose. As if it was that easy ... “Listen, Edelgart, as a matter, I have already gauged your mana pool ...”

“Oh? Really?” Edelgart reacted with surprise.

“Yes, and as it turns out your mana reserves are average, at best.”

Edelgart pondered her words, thinking. “I guess that means I am going to learn average magic then.”

Iris sighed. “You don't understand, Edelgart. I already told that magic is a rare gift, a privilege of the few. The average mana level is far below the threshold deemed necessary to perform magic ... As things stand now, you will be never able to use magic in your life ...”

The gravity of her swords slowly dawned oN edelgart. “Not even a little bit?”

Iris shook her head. “Unfortunately, no.”

Edelgart lowered her head in disappointment, clouds of depression floating around her. “So you are telling me that I will never be a mage ...”

“It pains me to say, but very much so ...”

Her hopes were crushed. Edelgart's kitten eyes returned. This time, however, they were close to the point of crying. “I understand ... I guess that I will my leave then ...”

“... ... ... Wait, Edelgart, don't leave yet. Wait a moment.” Iris sighed. “It has little sense and not that you will need them, but I guess that I can teach you at least the theoretical foundations of magic if you want. It isn't much, but it something. And you don't require any mana.”

Edelgart gazed at her with saddened eyes. “You would?”

Iris nodded, all to cheer up a sad, little girl. “Yes. Wait here for me. I will get the tome and then we can start.”

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Iris was processing and recuperating mentally from her sudden defeat. Against a adolescent girl, no less. But to her defence, she lost against an eceedingly cute child. Her fluffy hair ... Her big round hopeful purple eyes ... Her chubby cheeks ... Her endaring sulking pout ... How could anyone not indulge this cute little cookie eating monster? “Ah, take a seat, Edelgart. This will be a long affair.

Edelgart nodded and a nearby claimed a chair, now facing her from the other side of the table, ... together with her doll look alike positioned . They both stared at her in an uncanny manner. An errie aura surrrounded them. Errie silene reigned.

“Ehm ... , do you take your doll everywhere like this?”

Edelgart nodded vigorously. “Of course. “

Edelgart nodded.

“...” A blank stare was Iiris response.

Edelgart didnt follow.

“Well, dont you think it strange to give your doll a name?”

Edelgart was tilting, as if thinking about the matter for the first time. Maybe she was thinkinh about it for the first time. The idea of dolls being strange seemed inoneivable to the fluffy weirdball.

Her conclusion. “No. Not really.”

“It is compliated to eplain ...”

Edelgart But dont we look alike? Doesnt look Edelgart

“... she does.”

Yes, suspiciously so. Shared Uncanny resembled. And Iris wasnt the only one who thought so.

Indeed

Edelgart beamed, completely missing her sarasm. “Right?”

“...” No comment indeed Doll princess indeed and her attitudes.

Iris sighed in resignation. “You won, I will teach you introduction and theotretical foudnation. I will provide you with a introduction and the Satisfied now?”

Aurora and doll nodded.

“Get some water and food. This will be along day.” Iris massaged her temples.

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