Ellaine opened a small window in front of the carriage, asking the coachman for a sudden change in plans.
“A tour? Madam, the palace has ordered us to fly the carriage directly to the instructed address. Changing it would be inconvenient, especially for the griffon.”
Griffon carriages were a stable part of high Artorian society, acting as the main transportation method from and away from the royal palace. Even now, I could see others sharing the same skies with us, although there weren’t too many. Instead, it was more common to see men and women in fine clothing traveling on gargoyles throughout the city or knights riding the lion-eagle hybrids on their patrols.
Stocky and bulky beings; honestly, these griffons were just the bird versions of dragons, no? It wasn’t a wonder that our carriage ride felt so stable despite all the weight it must be dragging along while flying. I did hear griffons were quite intelligent, but I guess they were still hard to control since these carriages required two coachmen to operate—one to relay orders from the carriage seat and the other to ride the griffon.
With [Mana Eyes], I confirmed griffons were using mana to enhance their flying, reminding me how much I wanted to fly again.
Soon! Thank you, King Drangleic. I couldn’t await for my mana surgeon to arrive.
After Ellaine gave the excuse that I was a VIP foreign noble, the coachman relented and moved according to Ellaine’s plan. Considering how pushy she was, I wondered if she was all right. Before we talked, she activated what seemed to be a silence rune.
“Jeez, I thought runes were just a dwarven thing. It’s everywhere,” I said, dryly.
“Only simple ones, sadly. The everyday runes you see us use inside our homes are the ones the dwarves ‘deigned’ to share with us; a rarity, considering how stubborn our northern neighbors are with their works. Master Grimnir even confirmed how hard it is for even dwarven apprentices to study under their kinsmen. How lucky we are, no? Having him with us and the notes of his cousin.” Ellaine smiled before giving a prayer, mumbling both Aurena and Ilsaphone. “Most of the runes you see we use were made by the runesmiths up in the Groushia Duchy. Since they border Ankor-Nazta, they’ve had opportune times to learn their craftsmanship.”
Culture and artisan osmosis, I guess?
Progress couldn’t be made overnight. While Artorias was at its core still a medieval kingdom, signs of technological advancement could be seen with their manatech usage, the sewage system in Cedaraille and, presumably, Griffonpeak, and the overall well-designed, clean mansions in the noble district.
Unfortunately, the rest of the city was neglected in favor of the nobles. Even now, looking out of the carriage’s window, I could see a night and day difference between the noble and commoner sides. There was order with the former, but the architectural state of the latter was chaotic with mismatched colored roofs and houses looking weathered.
I did wonder why Ellaine suddenly asked to give me a tour, buuut why not enjoy it first? Some sightseeing before business.
The first destination was the entrance to the commoner district. First of all, the walls of Griffonpeak were huge, something I’d noticed when I first flew over them. Both Firwood’s and Cedaraille’s stone walls were nice to see but they were mostly what you would expect from a medieval civilization. Griffonpeak’s were larger and thicker, with round plaza areas where hippogryphs and griffons were resting. Monuments of griffons and arvisian warriors were spread around the wall, boasting to the world of their architectural feats.
Some farms and smaller villages could be seen placed outside Griffonpeak, where I saw people commuting from their homes into the city. The walls did tower over the houses by a good amount, giving me that uncomfortable, “prison” feeling just looking from above, but the residential houses weren’t small themselves. In fact, it looked cramped down there.
The streets were filled with people but wide enough to accommodate carriages. According to Ellaine, most of Griffonpeak was considered the “middle district,” as the slums were placed outside the city where the villages and farms were, to prevent refugees from the Atadoro Kingdom from entering the city.
“Refugees?” I asked. There weren’t any wars going on, so I wondered where these refugees came from, but I forgot wars weren’t the only reason for immigrants.
“The Kingdoms of Atadoro and Artorias are like two sides of a coin when it comes to two certain policies—treatment of beastmen and slavery. Freed slaves and those unhappy in Atadoro usually make their way into the Duchy of Lecartiglio first. If they are unhappy there, they move to Griffonpeak, where tolerance for beastmen is quite high. At least, that is what I learned from the academy.” Ellaine then pointed at the snow-covered tip Griffonpeak’s mountain and the white citadel of the royal family. I was already enamored by it under the moonlight, but the city’s beauty shined even under the sun.
“Shouldn’t there be a slum inside the city? Look, that area over there looks more decrepit than the rest of the city.”
Where there was wealth, there are also those less fortunate. The nobles segregated themselves from the commoners by walling off their district from the rest of the city, and the same case applied for well-off commoners and criminally-inclined ones, except they just moved away from those areas.
“That’s …” Expressing disgust, Ellaine paused before forcing herself to speak. “I believe that is the red-light district. I haven’t visited that area yet; if I had to visit the lower city, I usually stayed around the merchant district. I heard criminals and those who want to leech off our capital live there. I admit law-breakers exist in every facet of society, but these people are … urgh.”
Setting aside Ellaine’s own sense of justice, we should avoid such places in general. Hopefully we wouldn’t have to go there, but I also didn’t know of any reason that could make us go there. Still, for a red-light district, it was smaller than I would have expected, making me wonder if there was an underground area or not. Considering Ellaine confirmed Griffonpeak had a sewage system for the lower city, it would make sense for there to be people living in the sewers.
The griffon carriage continued the tour, moving us closer to the merchant district. That was when I noticed the biggest difference between the last cities I visited and Griffonpeak. While Firwood and Cedaraille split the noble and commoner districts in two, meaning they had an outside entrance for both, Griffonpeak’s layout made it so that the noble district was centered around the palace.
Since Griffonpeak’s citadel was built on the mountain, numerous other noble-related facilities were built on it as well, although on a lower level. For this reason, the noble district was elevated from the lower city, making it literally the upper city walled off from the rest of the city, with only a single pathway connecting the two parts.
Still, the lower city’s merchant district was nothing to scoff at. Even Ellaine, a noble, admitted to visiting it with her former friends and acquaintances, as it was the point of commerce and culture for many of Griffonpeak’s citizens. The upper district was a place for relaxation, education, and home for the nobles while they used the merchant district for shopping, visiting the opera, and temple visits. Since the children of merchants and wealthy commoners hanged around here, nobles began to call visiting the lower city “flying down to mingle.”
“‘Flying down to mingle?’ That’s so pretentious!” I called out.
“Y-yeah, undoubtedly. The royal academy is built on the mountain, above the noble district. Since the grand bridge was broken during the war, we students could only use the flying carriages or our gargoyles to move around the city. ‘Why not fly down for the day?’ is slang for visiting the lower city,” Ellaine explained. “Although, I would highly recommend we ‘fly down.’ The dresses there might be to your liking, not to mention the opera!”
“Opera!” I cheered.
Due to the area becoming the ‘downtown’ for nobles, an order building for the Knights of the Lionheart was built there to act as security. Guards and knights patrolled around the area, making it probably the fourth most secure area in Griffonpeak.
This was also where the temple was situated. Right next to the path leading to the upper city, the temple had two entrances meant for nobles and commoners respectively. Designed like a gothic temple and a large enough interior to fit in a lot of worshippers, the temple stood out quite a lot compared to the aesthetic choice of the rest of the merchant district.
“Wait, is that a colosseum?” I pointed at a large stone arena placed a bit away from the merchant district. Although it was maintained well, a few parts of the colosseum were a different color, as if somebody switched the rocks with new ones. “Why are people putting banners and other festive decorations on it? Ellaine, I didn’t know Artorias was into blood sport!”
I had seen it before during my first inspection of the city, but I gave it little attention since I was searching for the temple at that time. Ellaine’s safety was all I could think about back then. Now that I saw the colosseum again, I was surprised to see Artorias liking gladiators and blood sports.
Noticing my incredulous tone, Ellaine began waving her hands rapidly, as if she was trying to protect Artorias’ reputation. “No, no, no, no, Hestia! You misunderstand. The colosseum is simply a remnant of our past. It was built during the time of the Leosfalt kingdom.”
Back when the Atadoro and Artorias Kingdom were still part of the Leosfalt Kingdom, it would be an understatement to say they just hated beastmen. The reason why slavery was forbidden in Artorias today was in no small part thanks to their predecessor’s willingness to enslave any beastmen in the name of the Goddess, thinking they might cure their “unholy” bloodline.
According to Ellaine, during their reign, the Leosfalt Kingdom was a vassal kingdom of the Folschreck Empire and constructed the colosseum as a way to entertain their imperial guests with beastmen gladiators. It also became a prime source of entertainment for the common folk.
After the War of the Fae, the colosseum was devastated by the elven invaders. When Artorias was formed, plans were made to remove the colosseum, but due to objections from commoners rioting to prevent the destruction of more “historic buildings,” the royal family vetoed the idea. As Artorias had to remain a vassal of the empire to prevent retaliation, the colosseum was renewed to entertain their guests.
“Ah, I just remembered this, but in three weeks, on the fifth of SpringBloom, the kingdom’s founding will be celebrated! They must be preparing for the festivities,” Ellaine informed me, reminding me of what the king said.
“Wasn’t there supposed to be a ball on the 1st? To celebrate Saintess Eshe and the other imperials? Will there be another ball or feast on the fifth?”
“Yes, most likely. However, if I could hazard a guess, I believe the king wishes to use the celebration of our kingdom’s founding to welcome our guests from the empire. The celebration usually lasts a whole week with various festivities like a colosseum tournament, an opera, and whatever the commoners decide to do,”—Ellaine then paused for a moment to think before continuing. “The academy is having a ball specifically for the students during this time. The whole week will be just a huge week of socializing. Social season, urgh.”
Ignoring the social part, I asked Ellaine about the tournament.
“Nowadays, our colosseum is used to celebrate certain events. Like the kingdom’s founding, the announcement of the grand dukes, or to provide an outlet for the rivalry between the knight’s school and mage’s university. Tournaments are hosted to witness powerful warriors and mages fight, jousting events, and competitions between the mages and knights. Hopefully, without casualties, of course.”
“There is a rivalry between the knight’s and mage’s divisions?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes, but it isn’t too important, really. There are even rivalries inside the two factions since they are split up between the duchies responsible for them. Groushia and Lecartiglio for the knight’s school, and Morgiana and Myrrdin for the mage’s university. These two factions belong to the royal academy and it’s a part of our education. Well, that was the short summary, but I don’t think I need to explain more since we won’t be involving ourselves with them.”
She will be leaving the academy soon.
After we passed the opera and royal academy, I began to wonder why Ellaine was doing this. “Is something on your mind? Shouldn’t your parents be worried about you at this very moment?”
With how much concern her father showed when Ellaine was unconscious, I thought it would be better to quell his worries. Her parents even visited the palace to bring her some clean clothes.
Ellaine’s expression distorted, looking conflicted at what to say. “I think … I wanted to collect my thoughts for a moment before I met my father and mother again. You still know I wish to become a knight, correct?”
I nodded.
“You told me Father carried me to the palace, correct? After you were arrested? Well, after seeing me in that feeble state, I don’t think my father would agree to become my sponsor. Without a sponsor, becoming a squire at any knight’s order before I graduate from the royal academy would be a faint dream,” Ellaine contemplated her situation. “I … need to find a way to convince him first before I confront him.”
“Have you?” We had spent quite some time on this tour.
“I mean … I gave it some thoughts but …. Well, I think I have something but I’m not so sure. You know, to persuade him, I need to show him something, to make him believe that I’m compet—”
[“Why not demonstrate to him your new-found powers, dear?”]
A chill rushed down our spines as we trembled for a split second. Ellaine’s hand snapped upwards, showing us the two eyes occupying the gemstones of her spell rings. It was our newest “party member,” the Archdemon of Lust, Klea’Hatma.
“What do you want?” I scoffed at the demon’s sudden remark, showing how irritated I was at her speaking out.
[“Come now, Hestia, nobody can hear what I’m saying. This is all kept private, after all. No need to be shy.”] The constant innuendos made me want to puke. [“All I am suggesting is to have Ellaine show her dear father what she can do now. Simple.”]
“I will not use you before our preparations are finished, demon,” Ellaine spat out. “The Goddess has given us clear instructions. You will not tempt me.”
Cautiously hostile is the move. Good.
[“Come now, you two, I do like it rough but constant rejections do hurt eventually. We are a team, no? Shouldn’t we be more friendly towards each other?”]
“No, why should we?” I replied harshly.
“I have no reason other than to use your powers, demon.” Ellaine made her intentions clear.
[“… Certainly, the youth these days. Hmph.”] Klea’Hatma pouted. [“Anyways, do what you wish. I simply wanted to give little Ellaine a confidence booster. You have a new strength, dear, so be more decisive and show it to your daddy.”]
“And I already told you I am not interested in using your powers before Hestia is finished with the preparations. With Her Holiness’s trust, do not believe I will allow you the freedom to tempt me!” Ellaine was steadfast, but what the demon said next caused her to be speechless.
[“I am not speaking about my powers, obviously. Letting something inside your body without protection is just being a fool, child. Instead of complaining about me all the time or delaying the inevitable, how about you just go to your father and show him your progress? How long have you been traveling with dear Hestia? I don’t know. Regardless, you should have learned something if you were even remotely interested in proving your worth to people. Anything is better than nothing. Goodbyeeee.”]
Getting lectured by a demon? That sure wasn’t on my bucket list, and it just made me feel worse when I couldn’t argue against what she just said. It was good advice.
Speechless, we remained as such until we finally made it Ellaine’s home in Griffonpeak. Marianne, Ellaine’s mother, immediately charged out of the mansion’s entrance and gave Ellaine a hug as soon as we’d left the carriage, giving me little attention except for a courtesy greeting. I hope she wasn’t super angry at me.
“Svena?” As we were escorted into the mansion, I suddenly noticed a familiar face. Svena, the temporary maid House Helvas assigned to me when I was staying in Firwood.
“I welcome you to Griffonpeak, Lady Hestia. It is good to see you in great health,” she curtsied. “House Helvas has assigned me once again as your maid, if you would accept me, of course.”
I could not reject her. Having somebody familiar was wonderful, especially somebody who knew what I liked. Speaking of maids, somebody else was diligently waiting for Ellaine.
“Josine!” Ellaine called out after she was released from her mother’s embrace.
Holding back tears to appear professional, Josine, Ellaine’s personal attendant, bowed to her mistress. It was very likely that Josine had heard news about Ellaine’s arrival and injuries from Count Helvas. I could only imagine how worried she was.
Reunited with our maids, Marianne led us into the mansion. While we walked, I asked Svena if Barathan or Manuella were around but she informed me they had to remain in Helvas County and the Helvas mansion in Firwood, respectively.
We entered an office room where Count Helvas was waiting for us. After all the butlers and maids, including Svena, left the room, I immediately went ahead and apologized to both the count and countess.
“I am sorry! As the leader of Aurora, I had a responsibility to keep my party members safe, including Ellaine. I’m very sorry for worrying you so much due to my incompetence!” I bowed deeply, surprising the two older nobles of my sincerity.
“Lady Hestia, please, there is no need to bow!” Marianne snapped her hands up, waving in distress.
When I stopped bowing, the two explained that they weren’t angry at me, as becoming an adventurer was Ellaine’s choice. No, their focus was directed at Ellaine alone.
“Ellaine, dear, maybe joining Lady Hestia now is too early?” her mother stated with a pitying smile, causing Ellaine to frown, looking shy like a little sheep. “There is still time, right? You haven’t graduated yet, and if you would allow me, I could help you with your magic. Educate you on how to be a proper adventurer.”
“Fighting monsters is different from fighting other humanoids,” Count Helvas added. “Learning how to duel another human or beastman is something you’ll learn well as an alumnus, whether as a knight or mage. However, one issue with the academy is that they do not teach you how to fight against monsters and adapt to your surronding. Monsters come in far more different forms and sizes than beastmen. The amount you need to prepare as a normal human being to adapt to every single threat is maddening. That is why adventurers above C are worthy of praise, as they have years of experience under their belt.”
He then bent his body forward, telling Ellaine to look him in the eyes before continuing, “I admit, I trust Princess Hestia to keep you safe, regardless of what happened before, but you will keep worrying everybody around you if you cannot see your own limits. You insult our house’s name and your own, Ellaine. You would do best to—”
“I wish to become a griffon knight!” Ellaine finally let her thoughts out, shocking her parents like a thunderstorm.
“…Why?” Count Helvas looked at his daughter incredulously, speaking in an irritated tone.
“I-I am not useless, father. I have found a master who will train me into becoming a proper artificer. I have reached D rank as a hunter. I-I met an experienced fighter and asked them to teach me the sword. I even reached level 58,” Ellaine tried to persuade her father with every feat she could think of, but her father remained unimpressed.
“And? What does this have anything to do with you becoming a griffon knight? Ellaine, the Order of the Lionheart is a prestigious Knight’s Order for those strong of will and body to tame a griffon. You know the initiation process. Do you think you can survive alone on Avitor Peaks? Without Lady Hestia or her companions? I think not,” Count Helvas harsh words stung Ellaine, causing her to waver. “Besides, you are naming all of these as if they are your own feats. If I had to guess, they are not. While I am surprised to hear you are level 58, what does a level have anything to do with this? Your level is irrelevant if your skill is below average.”
Skills and training over stats. It’s always been the case.
“You cannot persuade me with these lukewarm arguments, Ellaine. You are a daughter of House Helvas, an aristocrat. As a retainer, you will not shame yourself in front of your mistress!”
I wanted to say something, but I had enough common sense to read the atmosphere. There wasn’t any way for me to speak my opinions without making it awkward. This was Ellaine’s battle. If I had spoken up, I would have proven Count Helvas’s point.
Ellaine needed to stand and fight.
“Then let me show you my progress, father.” Although she looked nervous, Ellaine’s trembling eyes looked directly into her father’s as she spoke.
“How? Are you suggesting a spar?”
Ellaine nodded. “I want to show you my conviction. I want to show you my wish to become a griffon knight just like you. I want to experience the same tales you told me when I was still small, I want to fly as high as you and mother. I want to become somebody you can be proud of, just like my brother. I want to finally become a person who can proudly call herself an Artorian, somebody who doesn’t continuously shame her house with every single breath! I want to stop feeling only bad for myself, Father!”
Count Helvas took in a deep breath before speaking his next words, “… Very well. Come with me to the sparring grounds, we will use a sword there.”
“Andre!” Marianne looked at her husband in horror, but he simply waved his hand in dismissal.
“I will not hear your complaints, Marianne. Our daughter has picked up the sword, and, as her father, how can I refuse her challenge? I will see for myself why Lady Hestia praised her fighting ability.” When he walked past Ellaine, he learned his head to the side. “Shiver any more and you will lose your chance, Ellaine. If you wish to prove yourself, then show me the courage you have gained through your small-time traveling. Come in a gambeson. Your armor is a gift from Lady Hestia, it will not truly prove your new strength.”
Hope and determination were filling Ellaine’s every step as we walked to the sparring grounds. Ellaine’s father wasn’t wearing his armor, only a gambeson like his daughter. The moment they locked eyes, Ellaine gulped and began to shiver again. The thought of fighting her father probably opened some nasty memories.
“Don’t worry. You fought against giant spiders and lizards. You can do it, Ellaine,” I cheered. With one final push, Ellaine clutched her sword and the fight began.
At first, due to Ellaine’s levels and using SP to buy stat growth skills, Ellaine was able to keep up with her father. Marianne gasped as she saw her daughter dodge and counter seamlessly while Count Helvas even praised Ellaine for training well. These small words helped her regain some confidence, unleashing the unorthodox sword-fighting techniques Yorshka taught her in conjunction with magic and [Dragoon Dive]. Well, unorthodox compared to her father’s prim-and-proper sword fighting.
Count Helvas wasn’t a strong mage. When he defeated his brother for the mantle of Count Helvas, he defeated him with his swordsmanship alone. Although Yorshka’s training taught Ellaine proper footwork, it still felt amateurish in comparison to her father. Still, what kept this fight on the edge was Ellaine’s use of her superior magic.
“She has already reached the advanced skills for wind and earth magic?” Marianne showed a faint smile, clearly proud but baffled at what was happening. She then turned to me. “Is this part of your gift to my daughter, Lady Hestia? And truly chantless casting is beyond what a normal mage should be able to do. [Chant Revocation Lv. 10] is reserved for the most committed archmages or those with powerful catalysts.”
I nodded leading Marianne to sigh deeply. Considering how long she must have spent training her arcane powers, I could guess she was a bit envious.
As Ellaine’s wind and earth spells devastated the sparring grounds, the tides finally turned the moment Count Helvas used his first ability. [Gale Steps], the same footwork ability Saori learned from Gael, accelerated the user’s speed for a short burst; with this ability, Count Helvas slipped through Ellaine’s spells like the wind.
As her father advanced forward, Ellaine found it hard to weave her spells without a skill like my [Parallel Thoughts] nor an especially high level in [Concentration]. As she tried to escape with [Dragoon Jump], the count used [Calling Winds].
Just like the time that Farron used it on me, Count Helvas swung his sword downwards in an arc, causing the winds before him to get sucked towards him. Ellaine, surprised at this move, was pulled right back into close combat. The Count, now completely serious, did not allow Ellaine a single opening. Without showing leniency, Count Helvas aggressively continued his barrage of attacks, ending this battle after unarming Ellaine.
Count Helvas’s ability to chain his sword abilities over and over again was too much for Ellaine’s still blooming sword skill. She was able to give a good enough fight at the beginning, but Ellaine was still a mage at the end of the day.
“Do you understand now? You need more training, Ellaine. No dream can be achieved without the strength to push yourself beyond your current state! You may have a higher level than the average aristocrat of your age, but you do not have the strength to do so. Do not be arrogant, daughter.” Harsh words spewed out of his mouth like fire after brutally putting Ellaine in her place.
Biting her lips in frustration, Ellaine nodded. “Yes, father.”
“You will go back to the academy to dismiss those crass rumors created in your two weeks’ absence, yes?”
“Yes, father …”
“Good, then we are in agreement. Tomorrow we shall continue your training. Prepare yourself, for even if you are my daughter, I will train you as if you were a normal squire.”
At the unexpected statement, Ellaine snapped her head up, looking at her father with a quizzical face. Her father, however, simply stayed stoic. “Ellaine … let me tell you one piece of advice. Forget being a griffon knight. In your current state, you cannot achieve something like that.”
“F-Father?” Ellaine’s hope-filled eyes instantly turned into pain, yet the Count hadn’t finished.
“Become a stronger and better knight to serve your mistress; that is what your goal is supposed to be!” he demanded. “Your mother told me of your vow to Lady Hestia—to become her knight. Do you remember what God Kargryxmor represents? He is the God of Dragons and Oaths. I cannot stop you from going, but I will make sure you will leave the nest with the strength to achieve your ambitions.”
Reaching his hand out to help Ellaine up, the Count ended his speech, “It took me too long to understand my role as your father, Ellaine. I will not sponsor you to become a Griffon Knight, but I will assure you are ready one day to earn that honor. Your path to strength is only beginning, and once you return, I will expect you to defeat me then. As your father, nothing would make me prouder. As such, allow me to rectify my neglect for your training, simply because I underestimated your determination.”
Speechless at what her father said, Ellaine clutched her hands into fists, grabbed her father’s arm and stood back up. With a resolute, “Yes, father! I won’t fail you!” she saluted him. It seemed our time in Griffonpeak would take longer than expected.
After everybody took a shower, we all went to the dinning room for dinner and supper, where the Count and Countess informed Ellaine and me about the Sarlenzia Trading Company suddenly receiving a large supply of fulinoe leaves, Belzac herbs, and other Belzac plants or herbs.
They complained that they weren’t able to purchase anything since they were sold out immediately. Marianne’s family in the Morgiana Duchy managed to buy a few, even gifting some leaves and herbs to her, but the Helvas couple were still distraught at missing this golden moment. They even became silent after we told them we were the suppliers for the Sarlenzia company.
After dinner was done, Count Helvas suggested to Ellaine to reenter the academy next week, in four days’ time. This was the time needed for her to catch up on the materials and homework she had to do.
As all students of the academy lived in the institution’s dorms, Ellaine’s brother Jonathan hadn’t made it back home yet. The count suggested to surprise him the moment Ellaine could make it back, telling her to make it as explosive as possible, although I didn’t understand how. The countess could only sigh as Ellaine’s training began.
We also took this time to share the demon secret with her parents, considering this was something they had to know. They were mortified at first but slightly calmed down after I told them Aurena agreed to it. It went without saying that once they had a discussion with Lust, all they could muster was a disgusted face with all her innuendos.
It took three days for Saori, Tasianna, and Grimnir to make it to Griffonpeak and Helvas mansion at the highest speed the garms could drag the RV.
During this time, I was finally able to finish my newest song-spell. After explaining everything that happened to Saori, Tasianna, and Grimnir, the tests could officially begin. Inside the basement, Ellaine’s parents and Aurora were waiting for the debut of my newest song and the unveiling of Lust.
SpoilerName: Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor Level: 15 Race: Young Sunfang Dragon
Age: 1 Year Job: Infernal Hellblade Level 0/30
Status: Health: 15482 (+5196) Mana: 42153 (+7130)
Strength: 7683 (+2363) Intelligence: 12003 (+3325)
Vitality: 4236 (+1215) Wisdom: 5890 (+1570)
Agility: 11365 (+2684) Stamina: 8065 (+1979)
Effects: [Damaged Mana Path [Left Wing] (Minor)]
Skill Points: 10950
Unique Skill: [Dreadflame Dragon Lv. 4] (+2) [Hellblade Dragon Lv. 3] (+1)
[Solar Core Lv. 3] (+1) [Venerated Saintess Lv. 3] (+1) [Idol Lv. 2] (+1)
Skill: Magic skills and related:
[Lava Magic Lv. 3] [Lightning Magic Lv. 3] (+1)
[White Flames Lv. 3] (+1)
[Corrosive Fire Lv. 3] (+1) [Sacred Magic Lv. 7] (+1) [Earth Magic Lv. 10]
[Earth Amp] [Earth Magic Efficiency] [Terra Magic Lv. 3]
[Wind Magic Lv. 10] [Wind Amp] [Wind Magic Efficiency]
[Storm Magic Lv. 3] (+1) [Space-Time Magic Lv. 5]
[Space-Time Magic Efficiency] [True Draconic Lineage]
[Draconic Barrier Lv. 6]
[Silent Casting Lv. 10] (+1) [Magic Power Enhancement Lv. 7]
[Long-Range Spell Enhancement Lv. 4] (+2)
[Mental Stability Lv. 8] [Mental Warfare Lv. 5] (+1) [Fluid Cast Lv. 3]
[Delayed Cast Lv. 1] [Continuous Cast Lv. 2] [Mana Eyes Lv. 4]
Physical skills and related:
[Unarmed Technique Lv. 8] [Unarmed Mastery Lv. 3]
[Sword Technique Lv. 1] [Spear Technique Lv. 7] (+3)
[Spear Mastery Lv. 3] (+2)
[Draconic Roar Lv. 4] [Sundering Enhancement Lv. 6]
[Piercing Enhancement Lv. 6] [Crushing Enhancement Lv. 3]
Senses and movement skills:
[Silence Lv. 1] [Accuracy Correction Lv. 7]
[Concentration Lv. 7] [Foresight Lv. 3]
[Danger Perception Lv. 6] [Probability Correction Lv. 5]
[Detection Sensor Lv. 3] [Enhanced Olfactory Sense Lv. 6]
[Enhanced Vision Lv. 8] [Tracking Lv. 3] [Night Vision Lv. 8]
[Odorless Lv. 1] [Evasion Lv. 10] [Acrobatic Lv. 10]
[Air Walk Lv. 4] [Terrain Maneuvering Lv. 6] (+1)
[Mid-Air Maneuvering Lv. 4] (+2)
Resistances:
[Physical Super-Resistance Lv. 5] [Absolute Pain Tolerance]
[Mental Corruption Resistance Lv. 3] [Mind Protection Lv. 5]
[Mana Leak Resistance Lv. 10] [Abnormal Status Nullification]
[Fear Resistance Lv. 5] [Lava Resistance Lv. 5] (+3)
[Lightning Resistance Lv. 2]
[Holy Resistance Lv. 8] [Inferno Resistance Lv. 6] (+3)
[Terra Resistance Lv. 1] [Wind Resistance Lv. 7]
[Water Resistance Lv. 2] [Dark Resistance Lv. 1]
Stat growths and related:
[Enhanced Strength Growth Lv. 7] (+1)
[Enhanced Strength Enforcement Lv. 5] (+1)
[Enhanced Vitality Growth Lv. 7] (+1)
[Enhanced Vitality Enforcement Lv. 5] (+1)
[Speed of Sound Lv. 1]
Others:
[Stage Fever Lv. 5] (+2) [Handicraft Lv. 6] (+2) [Woodworking Lv. 7] (+2)
[Stonecrafting Lv. 1]
[Trap Creation Lv. 8] [Instruction Lv. 2] [Identity Blocker Lv. 10]
[Tranquil Mind Lv. 1] (New) [Cooking Lv. 7] [Benevolent Aura Lv. 3] (+1)
[Draconic Aura Lv. 3] (+2) [Royal Presence Lv. 3] (+2)
[Dismantle Lv. 8] (+1) [Gluttonous] [Thought Acceleration Lv. 4]
[High-Speed Calculation Lv. 1] [Multi-Thought Processing Lv. 2]
[Parallel Thoughts Lv. 10] [Core Regulation]
[Humanize Lv. 10] [Pyrokinesis] [Aerokinesis] [Telepathy]
Job:
[Instant Heat Ignition] [Inferno Coating]
Ability List: Dragon:
[Dreadflare Aura] [Hellblade Edge] [Scale-Dust Veil] [Hellflame Breath]
[Solar Beam]
Unarmed:
[Dragoon Jump]
Spell List: Custom Magic:
[Symphonie des Feuergottes] [Prayer] [Sanctified Blaze]
[Sanctified Blaze: Halo of Consecration][Ignite] [Panzer] [Unheilge Engel]
Custom Spell Song:
[The Will to Fight and Survive] [Dragon Fire] [My Darkest Thoughts]
Lightning Magic:
[Lightning Bolt] [Purple Flash] [Levin Core]
Lava Magic:
[Lava Ball] [Lava Stream] [Molten Guard]
Holy Magic:
[Sacred Smite] [Sacred Veil] [Sacred Field] [Banishment Beam]
[Major Heal] [Omnictus] [Gloria Ascendence]
Earth Magic
[Earth Wall] [Rock Blast] [Earth Strike] [Rock Bullet] [Sturdy Earth]
[Earth Spears] [Earth Crash] [Earthen Shackles] [Terra Wall]
[Bedrock Blades] [Rumbling Might]
Wind Magic:
[Wind Bullet] [Wind Cutter] [Air Shield] [Wind Slash]
[Swift Winds] [Wind Blast] [Featherfall] [Aerial Blitz]
[Tornado Bullet] [Slyphid’s Cloak] [Tailwind]
Space-Time Magic:
[Haste] [Storage Magic] [Warp Point: Entry] [Warp Point: Exit]
The Light Magic:
[Shine] [Sanctuary]
Titles: [The Light] [Bearer of Kargryxmor’s Blood] [Divine Inferno]
[Otherworldly Reincarnator] [Princess]
[collapse]AbyssRaven Ellaine, work hard!
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Ellaine opened a small window in front of the carriage, asking the coachman for a sudden change in plans.
“A tour? Madam, the palace has ordered us to fly the carriage directly to the instructed address. Changing it would be inconvenient, especially for the griffon.”
Griffon carriages were a stable part of high Artorian society, acting as the main transportation method from and away from the royal palace. Even now, I could see others sharing the same skies with us, although there weren’t too many. Instead, it was more common to see men and women in fine clothing traveling on gargoyles throughout the city or knights riding the lion-eagle hybrids on their patrols.
Stocky and bulky beings; honestly, these griffons were just the bird versions of dragons, no? It wasn’t a wonder that our carriage ride felt so stable despite all the weight it must be dragging along while flying. I did hear griffons were quite intelligent, but I guess they were still hard to control since these carriages required two coachmen to operate—one to relay orders from the carriage seat and the other to ride the griffon.
With [Mana Eyes], I confirmed griffons were using mana to enhance their flying, reminding me how much I wanted to fly again.
Soon! Thank you, King Drangleic. I couldn’t await for my mana surgeon to arrive.
After Ellaine gave the excuse that I was a VIP foreign noble, the coachman relented and moved according to Ellaine’s plan. Considering how pushy she was, I wondered if she was all right. Before we talked, she activated what seemed to be a silence rune.
“Jeez, I thought runes were just a dwarven thing. It’s everywhere,” I said, dryly.
“Only simple ones, sadly. The everyday runes you see us use inside our homes are the ones the dwarves ‘deigned’ to share with us; a rarity, considering how stubborn our northern neighbors are with their works. Master Grimnir even confirmed how hard it is for even dwarven apprentices to study under their kinsmen. How lucky we are, no? Having him with us and the notes of his cousin.” Ellaine smiled before giving a prayer, mumbling both Aurena and Ilsaphone. “Most of the runes you see we use were made by the runesmiths up in the Groushia Duchy. Since they border Ankor-Nazta, they’ve had opportune times to learn their craftsmanship.”
Culture and artisan osmosis, I guess?
Progress couldn’t be made overnight. While Artorias was at its core still a medieval kingdom, signs of technological advancement could be seen with their manatech usage, the sewage system in Cedaraille and, presumably, Griffonpeak, and the overall well-designed, clean mansions in the noble district.
Unfortunately, the rest of the city was neglected in favor of the nobles. Even now, looking out of the carriage’s window, I could see a night and day difference between the noble and commoner sides. There was order with the former, but the architectural state of the latter was chaotic with mismatched colored roofs and houses looking weathered.
I did wonder why Ellaine suddenly asked to give me a tour, buuut why not enjoy it first? Some sightseeing before business.
The first destination was the entrance to the commoner district. First of all, the walls of Griffonpeak were huge, something I’d noticed when I first flew over them. Both Firwood’s and Cedaraille’s stone walls were nice to see but they were mostly what you would expect from a medieval civilization. Griffonpeak’s were larger and thicker, with round plaza areas where hippogryphs and griffons were resting. Monuments of griffons and arvisian warriors were spread around the wall, boasting to the world of their architectural feats.
Some farms and smaller villages could be seen placed outside Griffonpeak, where I saw people commuting from their homes into the city. The walls did tower over the houses by a good amount, giving me that uncomfortable, “prison” feeling just looking from above, but the residential houses weren’t small themselves. In fact, it looked cramped down there.
The streets were filled with people but wide enough to accommodate carriages. According to Ellaine, most of Griffonpeak was considered the “middle district,” as the slums were placed outside the city where the villages and farms were, to prevent refugees from the Atadoro Kingdom from entering the city.
“Refugees?” I asked. There weren’t any wars going on, so I wondered where these refugees came from, but I forgot wars weren’t the only reason for immigrants.
“The Kingdoms of Atadoro and Artorias are like two sides of a coin when it comes to two certain policies—treatment of beastmen and slavery. Freed slaves and those unhappy in Atadoro usually make their way into the Duchy of Lecartiglio first. If they are unhappy there, they move to Griffonpeak, where tolerance for beastmen is quite high. At least, that is what I learned from the academy.” Ellaine then pointed at the snow-covered tip Griffonpeak’s mountain and the white citadel of the royal family. I was already enamored by it under the moonlight, but the city’s beauty shined even under the sun.
“Shouldn’t there be a slum inside the city? Look, that area over there looks more decrepit than the rest of the city.”
Where there was wealth, there are also those less fortunate. The nobles segregated themselves from the commoners by walling off their district from the rest of the city, and the same case applied for well-off commoners and criminally-inclined ones, except they just moved away from those areas.
“That’s …” Expressing disgust, Ellaine paused before forcing herself to speak. “I believe that is the red-light district. I haven’t visited that area yet; if I had to visit the lower city, I usually stayed around the merchant district. I heard criminals and those who want to leech off our capital live there. I admit law-breakers exist in every facet of society, but these people are … urgh.”
Setting aside Ellaine’s own sense of justice, we should avoid such places in general. Hopefully we wouldn’t have to go there, but I also didn’t know of any reason that could make us go there. Still, for a red-light district, it was smaller than I would have expected, making me wonder if there was an underground area or not. Considering Ellaine confirmed Griffonpeak had a sewage system for the lower city, it would make sense for there to be people living in the sewers.
The griffon carriage continued the tour, moving us closer to the merchant district. That was when I noticed the biggest difference between the last cities I visited and Griffonpeak. While Firwood and Cedaraille split the noble and commoner districts in two, meaning they had an outside entrance for both, Griffonpeak’s layout made it so that the noble district was centered around the palace.
Since Griffonpeak’s citadel was built on the mountain, numerous other noble-related facilities were built on it as well, although on a lower level. For this reason, the noble district was elevated from the lower city, making it literally the upper city walled off from the rest of the city, with only a single pathway connecting the two parts.
Still, the lower city’s merchant district was nothing to scoff at. Even Ellaine, a noble, admitted to visiting it with her former friends and acquaintances, as it was the point of commerce and culture for many of Griffonpeak’s citizens. The upper district was a place for relaxation, education, and home for the nobles while they used the merchant district for shopping, visiting the opera, and temple visits. Since the children of merchants and wealthy commoners hanged around here, nobles began to call visiting the lower city “flying down to mingle.”
“‘Flying down to mingle?’ That’s so pretentious!” I called out.
“Y-yeah, undoubtedly. The royal academy is built on the mountain, above the noble district. Since the grand bridge was broken during the war, we students could only use the flying carriages or our gargoyles to move around the city. ‘Why not fly down for the day?’ is slang for visiting the lower city,” Ellaine explained. “Although, I would highly recommend we ‘fly down.’ The dresses there might be to your liking, not to mention the opera!”
“Opera!” I cheered.
Due to the area becoming the ‘downtown’ for nobles, an order building for the Knights of the Lionheart was built there to act as security. Guards and knights patrolled around the area, making it probably the fourth most secure area in Griffonpeak.
This was also where the temple was situated. Right next to the path leading to the upper city, the temple had two entrances meant for nobles and commoners respectively. Designed like a gothic temple and a large enough interior to fit in a lot of worshippers, the temple stood out quite a lot compared to the aesthetic choice of the rest of the merchant district.
“Wait, is that a colosseum?” I pointed at a large stone arena placed a bit away from the merchant district. Although it was maintained well, a few parts of the colosseum were a different color, as if somebody switched the rocks with new ones. “Why are people putting banners and other festive decorations on it? Ellaine, I didn’t know Artorias was into blood sport!”
I had seen it before during my first inspection of the city, but I gave it little attention since I was searching for the temple at that time. Ellaine’s safety was all I could think about back then. Now that I saw the colosseum again, I was surprised to see Artorias liking gladiators and blood sports.
Noticing my incredulous tone, Ellaine began waving her hands rapidly, as if she was trying to protect Artorias’ reputation. “No, no, no, no, Hestia! You misunderstand. The colosseum is simply a remnant of our past. It was built during the time of the Leosfalt kingdom.”
Back when the Atadoro and Artorias Kingdom were still part of the Leosfalt Kingdom, it would be an understatement to say they just hated beastmen. The reason why slavery was forbidden in Artorias today was in no small part thanks to their predecessor’s willingness to enslave any beastmen in the name of the Goddess, thinking they might cure their “unholy” bloodline.
According to Ellaine, during their reign, the Leosfalt Kingdom was a vassal kingdom of the Folschreck Empire and constructed the colosseum as a way to entertain their imperial guests with beastmen gladiators. It also became a prime source of entertainment for the common folk.
After the War of the Fae, the colosseum was devastated by the elven invaders. When Artorias was formed, plans were made to remove the colosseum, but due to objections from commoners rioting to prevent the destruction of more “historic buildings,” the royal family vetoed the idea. As Artorias had to remain a vassal of the empire to prevent retaliation, the colosseum was renewed to entertain their guests.
“Ah, I just remembered this, but in three weeks, on the fifth of SpringBloom, the kingdom’s founding will be celebrated! They must be preparing for the festivities,” Ellaine informed me, reminding me of what the king said.
“Wasn’t there supposed to be a ball on the 1st? To celebrate Saintess Eshe and the other imperials? Will there be another ball or feast on the fifth?”
“Yes, most likely. However, if I could hazard a guess, I believe the king wishes to use the celebration of our kingdom’s founding to welcome our guests from the empire. The celebration usually lasts a whole week with various festivities like a colosseum tournament, an opera, and whatever the commoners decide to do,”—Ellaine then paused for a moment to think before continuing. “The academy is having a ball specifically for the students during this time. The whole week will be just a huge week of socializing. Social season, urgh.”
Ignoring the social part, I asked Ellaine about the tournament.
“Nowadays, our colosseum is used to celebrate certain events. Like the kingdom’s founding, the announcement of the grand dukes, or to provide an outlet for the rivalry between the knight’s school and mage’s university. Tournaments are hosted to witness powerful warriors and mages fight, jousting events, and competitions between the mages and knights. Hopefully, without casualties, of course.”
“There is a rivalry between the knight’s and mage’s divisions?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes, but it isn’t too important, really. There are even rivalries inside the two factions since they are split up between the duchies responsible for them. Groushia and Lecartiglio for the knight’s school, and Morgiana and Myrrdin for the mage’s university. These two factions belong to the royal academy and it’s a part of our education. Well, that was the short summary, but I don’t think I need to explain more since we won’t be involving ourselves with them.”
She will be leaving the academy soon.
After we passed the opera and royal academy, I began to wonder why Ellaine was doing this. “Is something on your mind? Shouldn’t your parents be worried about you at this very moment?”
With how much concern her father showed when Ellaine was unconscious, I thought it would be better to quell his worries. Her parents even visited the palace to bring her some clean clothes.
Ellaine’s expression distorted, looking conflicted at what to say. “I think … I wanted to collect my thoughts for a moment before I met my father and mother again. You still know I wish to become a knight, correct?”
I nodded.
“You told me Father carried me to the palace, correct? After you were arrested? Well, after seeing me in that feeble state, I don’t think my father would agree to become my sponsor. Without a sponsor, becoming a squire at any knight’s order before I graduate from the royal academy would be a faint dream,” Ellaine contemplated her situation. “I … need to find a way to convince him first before I confront him.”
“Have you?” We had spent quite some time on this tour.
“I mean … I gave it some thoughts but …. Well, I think I have something but I’m not so sure. You know, to persuade him, I need to show him something, to make him believe that I’m compet—”
[“Why not demonstrate to him your new-found powers, dear?”]
A chill rushed down our spines as we trembled for a split second. Ellaine’s hand snapped upwards, showing us the two eyes occupying the gemstones of her spell rings. It was our newest “party member,” the Archdemon of Lust, Klea’Hatma.
“What do you want?” I scoffed at the demon’s sudden remark, showing how irritated I was at her speaking out.
[“Come now, Hestia, nobody can hear what I’m saying. This is all kept private, after all. No need to be shy.”] The constant innuendos made me want to puke. [“All I am suggesting is to have Ellaine show her dear father what she can do now. Simple.”]
“I will not use you before our preparations are finished, demon,” Ellaine spat out. “The Goddess has given us clear instructions. You will not tempt me.”
Cautiously hostile is the move. Good.
[“Come now, you two, I do like it rough but constant rejections do hurt eventually. We are a team, no? Shouldn’t we be more friendly towards each other?”]
“No, why should we?” I replied harshly.
“I have no reason other than to use your powers, demon.” Ellaine made her intentions clear.
[“… Certainly, the youth these days. Hmph.”] Klea’Hatma pouted. [“Anyways, do what you wish. I simply wanted to give little Ellaine a confidence booster. You have a new strength, dear, so be more decisive and show it to your daddy.”]
“And I already told you I am not interested in using your powers before Hestia is finished with the preparations. With Her Holiness’s trust, do not believe I will allow you the freedom to tempt me!” Ellaine was steadfast, but what the demon said next caused her to be speechless.
[“I am not speaking about my powers, obviously. Letting something inside your body without protection is just being a fool, child. Instead of complaining about me all the time or delaying the inevitable, how about you just go to your father and show him your progress? How long have you been traveling with dear Hestia? I don’t know. Regardless, you should have learned something if you were even remotely interested in proving your worth to people. Anything is better than nothing. Goodbyeeee.”]
Getting lectured by a demon? That sure wasn’t on my bucket list, and it just made me feel worse when I couldn’t argue against what she just said. It was good advice.
Speechless, we remained as such until we finally made it Ellaine’s home in Griffonpeak. Marianne, Ellaine’s mother, immediately charged out of the mansion’s entrance and gave Ellaine a hug as soon as we’d left the carriage, giving me little attention except for a courtesy greeting. I hope she wasn’t super angry at me.
“Svena?” As we were escorted into the mansion, I suddenly noticed a familiar face. Svena, the temporary maid House Helvas assigned to me when I was staying in Firwood.
“I welcome you to Griffonpeak, Lady Hestia. It is good to see you in great health,” she curtsied. “House Helvas has assigned me once again as your maid, if you would accept me, of course.”
I could not reject her. Having somebody familiar was wonderful, especially somebody who knew what I liked. Speaking of maids, somebody else was diligently waiting for Ellaine.
“Josine!” Ellaine called out after she was released from her mother’s embrace.
Holding back tears to appear professional, Josine, Ellaine’s personal attendant, bowed to her mistress. It was very likely that Josine had heard news about Ellaine’s arrival and injuries from Count Helvas. I could only imagine how worried she was.
Reunited with our maids, Marianne led us into the mansion. While we walked, I asked Svena if Barathan or Manuella were around but she informed me they had to remain in Helvas County and the Helvas mansion in Firwood, respectively.
We entered an office room where Count Helvas was waiting for us. After all the butlers and maids, including Svena, left the room, I immediately went ahead and apologized to both the count and countess.
“I am sorry! As the leader of Aurora, I had a responsibility to keep my party members safe, including Ellaine. I’m very sorry for worrying you so much due to my incompetence!” I bowed deeply, surprising the two older nobles of my sincerity.
“Lady Hestia, please, there is no need to bow!” Marianne snapped her hands up, waving in distress.
When I stopped bowing, the two explained that they weren’t angry at me, as becoming an adventurer was Ellaine’s choice. No, their focus was directed at Ellaine alone.
“Ellaine, dear, maybe joining Lady Hestia now is too early?” her mother stated with a pitying smile, causing Ellaine to frown, looking shy like a little sheep. “There is still time, right? You haven’t graduated yet, and if you would allow me, I could help you with your magic. Educate you on how to be a proper adventurer.”
“Fighting monsters is different from fighting other humanoids,” Count Helvas added. “Learning how to duel another human or beastman is something you’ll learn well as an alumnus, whether as a knight or mage. However, one issue with the academy is that they do not teach you how to fight against monsters and adapt to your surronding. Monsters come in far more different forms and sizes than beastmen. The amount you need to prepare as a normal human being to adapt to every single threat is maddening. That is why adventurers above C are worthy of praise, as they have years of experience under their belt.”
He then bent his body forward, telling Ellaine to look him in the eyes before continuing, “I admit, I trust Princess Hestia to keep you safe, regardless of what happened before, but you will keep worrying everybody around you if you cannot see your own limits. You insult our house’s name and your own, Ellaine. You would do best to—”
“I wish to become a griffon knight!” Ellaine finally let her thoughts out, shocking her parents like a thunderstorm.
“…Why?” Count Helvas looked at his daughter incredulously, speaking in an irritated tone.
“I-I am not useless, father. I have found a master who will train me into becoming a proper artificer. I have reached D rank as a hunter. I-I met an experienced fighter and asked them to teach me the sword. I even reached level 58,” Ellaine tried to persuade her father with every feat she could think of, but her father remained unimpressed.
“And? What does this have anything to do with you becoming a griffon knight? Ellaine, the Order of the Lionheart is a prestigious Knight’s Order for those strong of will and body to tame a griffon. You know the initiation process. Do you think you can survive alone on Avitor Peaks? Without Lady Hestia or her companions? I think not,” Count Helvas harsh words stung Ellaine, causing her to waver. “Besides, you are naming all of these as if they are your own feats. If I had to guess, they are not. While I am surprised to hear you are level 58, what does a level have anything to do with this? Your level is irrelevant if your skill is below average.”
Skills and training over stats. It’s always been the case.
“You cannot persuade me with these lukewarm arguments, Ellaine. You are a daughter of House Helvas, an aristocrat. As a retainer, you will not shame yourself in front of your mistress!”
I wanted to say something, but I had enough common sense to read the atmosphere. There wasn’t any way for me to speak my opinions without making it awkward. This was Ellaine’s battle. If I had spoken up, I would have proven Count Helvas’s point.
Ellaine needed to stand and fight.
“Then let me show you my progress, father.” Although she looked nervous, Ellaine’s trembling eyes looked directly into her father’s as she spoke.
“How? Are you suggesting a spar?”
Ellaine nodded. “I want to show you my conviction. I want to show you my wish to become a griffon knight just like you. I want to experience the same tales you told me when I was still small, I want to fly as high as you and mother. I want to become somebody you can be proud of, just like my brother. I want to finally become a person who can proudly call herself an Artorian, somebody who doesn’t continuously shame her house with every single breath! I want to stop feeling only bad for myself, Father!”
Count Helvas took in a deep breath before speaking his next words, “… Very well. Come with me to the sparring grounds, we will use a sword there.”
“Andre!” Marianne looked at her husband in horror, but he simply waved his hand in dismissal.
“I will not hear your complaints, Marianne. Our daughter has picked up the sword, and, as her father, how can I refuse her challenge? I will see for myself why Lady Hestia praised her fighting ability.” When he walked past Ellaine, he learned his head to the side. “Shiver any more and you will lose your chance, Ellaine. If you wish to prove yourself, then show me the courage you have gained through your small-time traveling. Come in a gambeson. Your armor is a gift from Lady Hestia, it will not truly prove your new strength.”
Hope and determination were filling Ellaine’s every step as we walked to the sparring grounds. Ellaine’s father wasn’t wearing his armor, only a gambeson like his daughter. The moment they locked eyes, Ellaine gulped and began to shiver again. The thought of fighting her father probably opened some nasty memories.
“Don’t worry. You fought against giant spiders and lizards. You can do it, Ellaine,” I cheered. With one final push, Ellaine clutched her sword and the fight began.
At first, due to Ellaine’s levels and using SP to buy stat growth skills, Ellaine was able to keep up with her father. Marianne gasped as she saw her daughter dodge and counter seamlessly while Count Helvas even praised Ellaine for training well. These small words helped her regain some confidence, unleashing the unorthodox sword-fighting techniques Yorshka taught her in conjunction with magic and [Dragoon Dive]. Well, unorthodox compared to her father’s prim-and-proper sword fighting.
Count Helvas wasn’t a strong mage. When he defeated his brother for the mantle of Count Helvas, he defeated him with his swordsmanship alone. Although Yorshka’s training taught Ellaine proper footwork, it still felt amateurish in comparison to her father. Still, what kept this fight on the edge was Ellaine’s use of her superior magic.
“She has already reached the advanced skills for wind and earth magic?” Marianne showed a faint smile, clearly proud but baffled at what was happening. She then turned to me. “Is this part of your gift to my daughter, Lady Hestia? And truly chantless casting is beyond what a normal mage should be able to do. [Chant Revocation Lv. 10] is reserved for the most committed archmages or those with powerful catalysts.”
I nodded leading Marianne to sigh deeply. Considering how long she must have spent training her arcane powers, I could guess she was a bit envious.
As Ellaine’s wind and earth spells devastated the sparring grounds, the tides finally turned the moment Count Helvas used his first ability. [Gale Steps], the same footwork ability Saori learned from Gael, accelerated the user’s speed for a short burst; with this ability, Count Helvas slipped through Ellaine’s spells like the wind.
As her father advanced forward, Ellaine found it hard to weave her spells without a skill like my [Parallel Thoughts] nor an especially high level in [Concentration]. As she tried to escape with [Dragoon Jump], the count used [Calling Winds].
Just like the time that Farron used it on me, Count Helvas swung his sword downwards in an arc, causing the winds before him to get sucked towards him. Ellaine, surprised at this move, was pulled right back into close combat. The Count, now completely serious, did not allow Ellaine a single opening. Without showing leniency, Count Helvas aggressively continued his barrage of attacks, ending this battle after unarming Ellaine.
Count Helvas’s ability to chain his sword abilities over and over again was too much for Ellaine’s still blooming sword skill. She was able to give a good enough fight at the beginning, but Ellaine was still a mage at the end of the day.
“Do you understand now? You need more training, Ellaine. No dream can be achieved without the strength to push yourself beyond your current state! You may have a higher level than the average aristocrat of your age, but you do not have the strength to do so. Do not be arrogant, daughter.” Harsh words spewed out of his mouth like fire after brutally putting Ellaine in her place.
Biting her lips in frustration, Ellaine nodded. “Yes, father.”
“You will go back to the academy to dismiss those crass rumors created in your two weeks’ absence, yes?”
“Yes, father …”
“Good, then we are in agreement. Tomorrow we shall continue your training. Prepare yourself, for even if you are my daughter, I will train you as if you were a normal squire.”
At the unexpected statement, Ellaine snapped her head up, looking at her father with a quizzical face. Her father, however, simply stayed stoic. “Ellaine … let me tell you one piece of advice. Forget being a griffon knight. In your current state, you cannot achieve something like that.”
“F-Father?” Ellaine’s hope-filled eyes instantly turned into pain, yet the Count hadn’t finished.
“Become a stronger and better knight to serve your mistress; that is what your goal is supposed to be!” he demanded. “Your mother told me of your vow to Lady Hestia—to become her knight. Do you remember what God Kargryxmor represents? He is the God of Dragons and Oaths. I cannot stop you from going, but I will make sure you will leave the nest with the strength to achieve your ambitions.”
Reaching his hand out to help Ellaine up, the Count ended his speech, “It took me too long to understand my role as your father, Ellaine. I will not sponsor you to become a Griffon Knight, but I will assure you are ready one day to earn that honor. Your path to strength is only beginning, and once you return, I will expect you to defeat me then. As your father, nothing would make me prouder. As such, allow me to rectify my neglect for your training, simply because I underestimated your determination.”
Speechless at what her father said, Ellaine clutched her hands into fists, grabbed her father’s arm and stood back up. With a resolute, “Yes, father! I won’t fail you!” she saluted him. It seemed our time in Griffonpeak would take longer than expected.
After everybody took a shower, we all went to the dinning room for dinner and supper, where the Count and Countess informed Ellaine and me about the Sarlenzia Trading Company suddenly receiving a large supply of fulinoe leaves, Belzac herbs, and other Belzac plants or herbs.
They complained that they weren’t able to purchase anything since they were sold out immediately. Marianne’s family in the Morgiana Duchy managed to buy a few, even gifting some leaves and herbs to her, but the Helvas couple were still distraught at missing this golden moment. They even became silent after we told them we were the suppliers for the Sarlenzia company.
After dinner was done, Count Helvas suggested to Ellaine to reenter the academy next week, in four days’ time. This was the time needed for her to catch up on the materials and homework she had to do.
As all students of the academy lived in the institution’s dorms, Ellaine’s brother Jonathan hadn’t made it back home yet. The count suggested to surprise him the moment Ellaine could make it back, telling her to make it as explosive as possible, although I didn’t understand how. The countess could only sigh as Ellaine’s training began.
We also took this time to share the demon secret with her parents, considering this was something they had to know. They were mortified at first but slightly calmed down after I told them Aurena agreed to it. It went without saying that once they had a discussion with Lust, all they could muster was a disgusted face with all her innuendos.
It took three days for Saori, Tasianna, and Grimnir to make it to Griffonpeak and Helvas mansion at the highest speed the garms could drag the RV.
During this time, I was finally able to finish my newest song-spell. After explaining everything that happened to Saori, Tasianna, and Grimnir, the tests could officially begin. Inside the basement, Ellaine’s parents and Aurora were waiting for the debut of my newest song and the unveiling of Lust.
SpoilerName: Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor Level: 15 Race: Young Sunfang Dragon
Age: 1 Year Job: Infernal Hellblade Level 0/30
Status: Health: 15482 (+5196) Mana: 42153 (+7130)
Strength: 7683 (+2363) Intelligence: 12003 (+3325)
Vitality: 4236 (+1215) Wisdom: 5890 (+1570)
Agility: 11365 (+2684) Stamina: 8065 (+1979)
Effects: [Damaged Mana Path [Left Wing] (Minor)]
Skill Points: 10950
Unique Skill: [Dreadflame Dragon Lv. 4] (+2) [Hellblade Dragon Lv. 3] (+1)
[Solar Core Lv. 3] (+1) [Venerated Saintess Lv. 3] (+1) [Idol Lv. 2] (+1)
Skill: Magic skills and related:
[Lava Magic Lv. 3] [Lightning Magic Lv. 3] (+1)
[White Flames Lv. 3] (+1)
[Corrosive Fire Lv. 3] (+1) [Sacred Magic Lv. 7] (+1) [Earth Magic Lv. 10]
[Earth Amp] [Earth Magic Efficiency] [Terra Magic Lv. 3]
[Wind Magic Lv. 10] [Wind Amp] [Wind Magic Efficiency]
[Storm Magic Lv. 3] (+1) [Space-Time Magic Lv. 5]
[Space-Time Magic Efficiency] [True Draconic Lineage]
[Draconic Barrier Lv. 6]
[Silent Casting Lv. 10] (+1) [Magic Power Enhancement Lv. 7]
[Long-Range Spell Enhancement Lv. 4] (+2)
[Mental Stability Lv. 8] [Mental Warfare Lv. 5] (+1) [Fluid Cast Lv. 3]
[Delayed Cast Lv. 1] [Continuous Cast Lv. 2] [Mana Eyes Lv. 4]
Physical skills and related:
[Unarmed Technique Lv. 8] [Unarmed Mastery Lv. 3]
[Sword Technique Lv. 1] [Spear Technique Lv. 7] (+3)
[Spear Mastery Lv. 3] (+2)
[Draconic Roar Lv. 4] [Sundering Enhancement Lv. 6]
[Piercing Enhancement Lv. 6] [Crushing Enhancement Lv. 3]
Senses and movement skills:
[Silence Lv. 1] [Accuracy Correction Lv. 7]
[Concentration Lv. 7] [Foresight Lv. 3]
[Danger Perception Lv. 6] [Probability Correction Lv. 5]
[Detection Sensor Lv. 3] [Enhanced Olfactory Sense Lv. 6]
[Enhanced Vision Lv. 8] [Tracking Lv. 3] [Night Vision Lv. 8]
[Odorless Lv. 1] [Evasion Lv. 10] [Acrobatic Lv. 10]
[Air Walk Lv. 4] [Terrain Maneuvering Lv. 6] (+1)
[Mid-Air Maneuvering Lv. 4] (+2)
Resistances:
[Physical Super-Resistance Lv. 5] [Absolute Pain Tolerance]
[Mental Corruption Resistance Lv. 3] [Mind Protection Lv. 5]
[Mana Leak Resistance Lv. 10] [Abnormal Status Nullification]
[Fear Resistance Lv. 5] [Lava Resistance Lv. 5] (+3)
[Lightning Resistance Lv. 2]
[Holy Resistance Lv. 8] [Inferno Resistance Lv. 6] (+3)
[Terra Resistance Lv. 1] [Wind Resistance Lv. 7]
[Water Resistance Lv. 2] [Dark Resistance Lv. 1]
Stat growths and related:
[Enhanced Strength Growth Lv. 7] (+1)
[Enhanced Strength Enforcement Lv. 5] (+1)
[Enhanced Vitality Growth Lv. 7] (+1)
[Enhanced Vitality Enforcement Lv. 5] (+1)
[Speed of Sound Lv. 1]
Others:
[Stage Fever Lv. 5] (+2) [Handicraft Lv. 6] (+2) [Woodworking Lv. 7] (+2)
[Stonecrafting Lv. 1]
[Trap Creation Lv. 8] [Instruction Lv. 2] [Identity Blocker Lv. 10]
[Tranquil Mind Lv. 1] (New) [Cooking Lv. 7] [Benevolent Aura Lv. 3] (+1)
[Draconic Aura Lv. 3] (+2) [Royal Presence Lv. 3] (+2)
[Dismantle Lv. 8] (+1) [Gluttonous] [Thought Acceleration Lv. 4]
[High-Speed Calculation Lv. 1] [Multi-Thought Processing Lv. 2]
[Parallel Thoughts Lv. 10] [Core Regulation]
[Humanize Lv. 10] [Pyrokinesis] [Aerokinesis] [Telepathy]
Job:
[Instant Heat Ignition] [Inferno Coating]
Ability List: Dragon:
[Dreadflare Aura] [Hellblade Edge] [Scale-Dust Veil] [Hellflame Breath]
[Solar Beam]
Unarmed:
[Dragoon Jump]
Spell List: Custom Magic:
[Symphonie des Feuergottes] [Prayer] [Sanctified Blaze]
[Sanctified Blaze: Halo of Consecration][Ignite] [Panzer] [Unheilge Engel]
Custom Spell Song:
[The Will to Fight and Survive] [Dragon Fire] [My Darkest Thoughts]
Lightning Magic:
[Lightning Bolt] [Purple Flash] [Levin Core]
Lava Magic:
[Lava Ball] [Lava Stream] [Molten Guard]
Holy Magic:
[Sacred Smite] [Sacred Veil] [Sacred Field] [Banishment Beam]
[Major Heal] [Omnictus] [Gloria Ascendence]
Earth Magic
[Earth Wall] [Rock Blast] [Earth Strike] [Rock Bullet] [Sturdy Earth]
[Earth Spears] [Earth Crash] [Earthen Shackles] [Terra Wall]
[Bedrock Blades] [Rumbling Might]
Wind Magic:
[Wind Bullet] [Wind Cutter] [Air Shield] [Wind Slash]
[Swift Winds] [Wind Blast] [Featherfall] [Aerial Blitz]
[Tornado Bullet] [Slyphid’s Cloak] [Tailwind]
Space-Time Magic:
[Haste] [Storage Magic] [Warp Point: Entry] [Warp Point: Exit]
The Light Magic:
[Shine] [Sanctuary]
Titles: [The Light] [Bearer of Kargryxmor’s Blood] [Divine Inferno]
[Otherworldly Reincarnator] [Princess]
[collapse]AbyssRaven Ellaine, work hard!
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Thank you for reading this chapter.
