"At their core, nobility is structured. You are born into the house you are received in, and your rank is determined right then and there. And if somehow, a wedge is driven into that, it could lead to a whole, structural collapse.", Victor continued with a serious look in his eyes. "If this plan does come to fruition, it will cause widespread panic. Are you willing to go through with that, Naoto?"
"Angie and I have yet to decide a time frame to which we will enact our plan. But once it forms, it will strike at the center of their heart, and swiftly. Besides, Angie has a debt to pay with that father of hers. It would do well for them to have a head-on clash with how strong Angie's...ideals are.", I answered, nodding my head with a firm nod.
"I see. I am aware of your circumstances considering you are His Excellency's kin. House Phoenix no longer stands. It fell with the War of the Lions. Their sacrifice placed Emperor Dreichels on the throne, while the Eisenritter cleaved the path directly to it. At the end of the day, it was a war for succession, wrought with both blood and iron. It destroyed the lives of many, but that is the art of war. The general public doesn't really know how many lives were lost that day.", Victor explained, giving me a little history lesson on what took place over two-hundred years ago.
"It's ironic, isn't it? Even though I'm of the Auslese Royal Family, the War of the Lions haunts me. The blood running through me is quite cursed.", I said, and sighed.
"Do you really think of it that way, Naoto?", Victor responded, taking another sip of his tea. "I would consider it a gift. Your existence alone managed to meld something that shouldn't be possible. However faint it is, you have the blood of the Arnor, and the blood of the Auslese. While off the record, it was noted House Phoenix were distant relatives of the Imperial Family. That was why they could be trusted.", Victor said, curving his lips into a smile. "And you've activated their special skill, haven't you?"
"You mean these.", I said, and began to close my eyes. I didn't exactly need to do that, but it adds a certain dramatic flare. I don't tend to rely on these special eyes of mine unless I really need to. While it may no longer drain my EP, it still tires me out. Especially once that flood of information rolls on into my head, considering all of that becomes automatically converted into a minimap.
[Ding! Gamer Naoto has activated Skill - Vermillion Eyes.]
[Ding! Gamer Naoto can now consume 10,000 EP to view into the past, present, or future. Current limit: +/- 4 Years.]
Before long, the vermillion hue once again appeared in my eyes. At the same time, an invisible ripple began to spread outward, with me at its epicenter. It was beginning to tell what was true and what was false, like I could see who the person truly was. With Victor being the closest, he was the first to feel it. Beyond the drawing room we were currently in, the maids doing their cleaning nearby felt a chill go down their spines. Klaus was also near the kitchen, checking over tonight's course. He turned toward a certain direction once he felt this spine-tingling sensation. A smile appeared on his lips before he returned to his duties.
Further up toward one of the private rooms, Laura could now be seen resting in what appeared to be a very large bath. It was akin to a pool. A bath this size could hold lots of people. It was the sign of the rich. While someone like Alisa fancied a more ornate bath placed in the center of the room, Laura didn't mind having a bath like this one. It was spoon-fed to her too, being the daughter of a Viscount. She was soon about to step out of the bath after becoming clean when she felt a strange yet familiar pressure reach her.
"Hmm?", Laura uttered, pausing for a moment before deciding whether or not to get out of the bath. "Is that someone's Battle Qi? I don't recognize it either. Don't tell me...Has that boy already unlocked Battle Qi at such a young age? Even I have yet to master such a technique..."
In essence, Battle Qi here in Zemuria is just like what one would expect coming from other stories like Dragon Ball, Hunter x Hunter, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, and so on. It is considered one's life force. Pure fighting intent that allows warriors to channel energy into their body, which enhances every single aspect they can perform in the midst of battle. It comes in various forms in these stories. Ki. Nen. Chakra. Reiatsu. Haki, and so on. No matter the type of energy, it all belongs to one's body. All they need to do is realize its existence, and tap into it.
Sadly, Laura is being misconstrued here. What she is feeling is not Battle Qi. Naoto had yet to achieve such a feat. Laura is likely much closer to tapping into that compared to him. Naoto's martial arts, while having several years of practical experience, has not reached any expert levels yet. Not to the likes of let's say, Sherryl Sky, who, by the young age of twelve, has already successfully managed to use Battle Qi. It was what made her win against Rixia Mao in the tournament finals.
Still, this feeling presented Laura familiarity. While what she thought was wrong, Laura could only assume it as such.
Thinking that, Laura didn't decide to get out right away. Looking toward her left, she spotted a cute, silvery-white fox with six tails currently floating above the steamy water. The fox remained mostly still, letting the water gently carry her around in random directions.
"Your Master really is a peculiar one. Whether or not he truly is someone who outranks Father, his talks should be done soon.", Laura said, calling out to the fox, who was of course, Tamamo. After blinking out of the drawing room, it didn't take long to find out where Laura was, so she decided to hop into the bath too for a soak. It looks like Laura wasn't bothered by Tamamo's sudden appearance. Enough time had passed, allowing them to relax like this before heading toward the dining room for dinner. "But aside from that point, where does that place you? What should I even call you?"
"Heehee! Calling me Tama is just fine. It's what most are used to. Given the time, I'll introduce you to Big Sister! You two are technically neighbors, after all.", Tamamo said, giggling. What she said wasn't wrong. Legram isn't that far off from Isthmia Great Forest. Southwest of Legram is Parm, and directly west is Saint-Arkh. It's very much within distance of the secluded village of Eryn. "And well, as for where I belong, I'm bound to Master's soul. Till death do us part!"
"Till death do us part...", Laura uttered. "That almost sounds like the knights of the old ages. Even in death, a master's retainer will follow them. It is a powerful sentiment, no doubt about that. You're just as curious as your Master is."
"I know, right?", Tamamo responded. "But at the end of the day, I am but a Familiar. Master is not the one who created me. I say that, but the creation process still used Master's soul. It was excruciatingly painful for him, and I am eternally grateful it allowed me to come into existence like that. I don't ever see myself leaving his side."
"I can imagine.", Laura responded. She had seen her fair share of battles, but hadn't fought anything in a life-or-death battle yet. The road of her swordsmanship is still long, and she has much to improve on. She wasn't exactly sure what a soul was, but she didn't think Naoto would have such experiences under his belt.
"Aside from that, though, I am very much enjoying my time here. I'm sure we'll be staying in Legram for some time, depending on Master's developments.", Tamamo said, shifting her body to look at Laura. "And you see, back at home, Master has what's called a Royal Harem. Pretty cool, right?"
"What in Aidios's name is that?"
"Well, if you know, you know! I don't know what your schedule looks like once Master leaves Legram, but should your interests shift toward Liberl, you can tell those stingy guards that your good friend Tamamo can let you inside!", Tamamo happily said, smiling at Laura.
"...I am not sure if that is where my path will lead to. Only the Goddess has the answer to that.", Laura hesitated before providing her response. "I appreciate the kind welcome."
"No problem!", Tamamo said, before doing a large flip inside the bath. She then landed on the floor beside it, and began to shake down her fur, letting lots of droplets of water fall down onto the tiling. "Anyways, I'm starving. Considering dinner is just about ready, let's go eat!"
"Mmm. I suppose it is time to do so. I still find it hard to believe I am having this conversation with you. Such a curious creature.", Laura mused, before
"Eh, you'll get used to it. Let's go!"
Hearing that, Laura nodded, and proceeded to get out of the bath with Tamamo. She made her way to the changing area, and vanished from sight.
As for me, I was still in the drawing room with Victor Arseid. The flow around us changed. Normally, my eyes were golden. Even then, they are such a unique color that you don't normally come across. As time passes by and the more I use Vermillion Eyes, the deeper the hue it becomes. Compared to before, they're more of a deep crimson now. If one stared at them for too long, they'd likely get intimidated.
Before long, I saw Victor's details appear before me, which left me utterly shocked.
[Victor Arseid - Level 250.]
Affiliation: House Arseid
Occupation: Viscount
Affinity: Water
Martial Arts: Arseid Swordsmanship
Stats: ???
'He's already at the freaking level cap...', I uttered. Like, am I really surprised to see this? It makes sense. Victor Arseid is one of the strongest swordsmen out there who fought McBurn, Ouroboros's strongest Enforcer, and holds the Thunder God as his rival. That's also something new with Vermillion Eyes. It looks like I can see everyone's Level now. But I glanced toward Victor's Stats, and they were all ???. The level difference was too high for me to see it. I know Attack Damage and Arts Attack Damage go beyond 9999, while the Stats remain at the stat cap. Will his be the same, or has Victor found a way to go beyond that limit? I'm not sure.
I sucked in a cold breath of air after reviewing Victor's information. As for Victor, he felt a sensation as if his entire being was being scrutinized.
"So you can use it. I take it that these eyes can show you what I can do. Or some of it, anyways. Likely depends on how much you've developed them.", Victor asked. "I'm sure seeing this technique passed down, your ancestors would be proud. It is a shame your late mother couldn't make it."
"True. You were there when Father and I left the villa, before the attack went down. I'm sure you've met Mother before.", I said, smiling.
"Only a couple times. I did not think she was of Auslese blood then. While you have assumed the role of the latter, do not forget you are considered a noble here in Erebonia, even if it is only in name right now. That declaration of the Great Houses' reformation by His Imperial Majesty has gone under the water. They don't really know the other half.", Victor explained.
"That might be for the better. It is a shame I couldn't meet Mother directly since she died from childbirth.", I responded with a hint of sadness.
"Truly a shame. It was an unfortunate event for your father. Most of our recorded history states that House Phoenix fell during the War of the Lions. His Imperial Majesty holds secret records that detail the truth of what happened. Some of that may or may not have already fallen into your lap." Victor said. "If, or when the truth does shed light once again, I am quite curious to see what will happen. That plan of yours will create a wave. It will be up to the nobles if they want to ride it or not, so I really do appreciate you telling me about it."
"Haha, it is no problem, Victor. I'll be in your care for a while, so it is only the right thing to do."
"Speaking of which, I happened to come across you giving Her Imperial Highness a whirl during her stay in Liberl.", Victor responded, and grinned.
"You are referring to Alfin, yes? I haven't seen her since then. Sounds like she's doing well in her studies at St. Astraia. I even hear she's found some new friends. I'd love to meet them.", I happily said.
"Well well. This is a new development I wasn't expecting. You're already calling Her Imperial Highness by first name? It really does beg the question what happened back in Liberl.", Victor responded. His grin turned wider.
"We just went out to celebrate Grandmother's birthday that year. It wasn't anything big.", I said. "We had a group of friends with us too."
"Not anything big you say? It sounds like Her Imperial Highness enjoyed it very much. I'm not saying nothing will happen, but don't be surprised if something does.", Victor said. "Do not forget, you are heir to Liberl's throne. And your father recently rose and became the newest Chancellor back here in Erebonia."
"What are you hinting at here?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just treat it like a father sticking their nose into something where it doesn't belong.", Victor simply answered.
Father...surely isn't going to attempt something regarding this, right?
I could only shrug that thought aside for now. At the time, I had no idea this would come into a much bigger play later on...
"Fine. I haven't visited the capital here in a while, since we're talking about it.", I said, changing the topic.
"You did state your primary objective in coming here to Legram. A start of a journey to eventually let you tackle whatever it is that rests within Heimdallr, yes?", Victor asked, getting straight to the point.
"Now we're getting to the good part. That about sums up why I'm here. I can't dive too deeply into it but consider what appeared in Heimdallr as a proving ground. Something that only...very particular individuals can take on. In my case specifically, this proving ground is only open to those of the Arnor blood. Other proving grounds like this one have a different set of conditions.", I responded.
"A proving grounds within the capital. How foreboding.", Victor uttered. "Thank you for telling me this, Naoto. I did catch wind of something happening within the nobles recently. And if it really is leading to these proving grounds...I fear we might not be the only ones looking to challenge it."
'Victor must be talking about Duke Cayenne...', I thought to myself. Normally, the Vermillion Trials wouldn't be attempted until the height of Cold Steel II when the Infernal Castle is resurrected. That happens four to five years into the future. But if I take it out of context now, he might not even get a chance to realize his ambitions. Prince Cedric might even get a chance to live out a normal life, considering I'm the one taking Testa-Rossa. I couldn't help but smile knowing that.
"Regardless, I will be the one to prove my worth. I will need your assistance to do that, Victor.", I happily said.
"Hahaha!", Victor replied, laughing, only to suddenly stand up from the table he was seated at. "Now that was well said. Very well, I accept. Show me you can attain what others can't. I will personally bear witness to those trials you will eventually call your own."
"You really mean it?"
"I do not back down from my words. Starting henceforth, you shall be the newest disciple of the Arseid School.", Victor said. I saw him reach his hand out for a handshake, so I shook it. "And somehow, I get the feeling you do not want to stop there."
"So you caught onto that. I do not just want to stop at the Arseid School. I want to learn as much as I can. I hope one day I can create my own way to battle. I'm sure you've caught a little bit onto that thanks to your previous student. And I'm not referring to Laura.", I happily replied.
"You are referring to Lady Aurelia then, I take it. She is a once in a decade talent. No, perhaps once in a century talent. She absorbed everything I taught her, and has already started to tread her own path. Are you looking to follow in her footsteps?", Victor asked me.
"No. I want to find my own. I do not want to be seen in another's shadow.", I replied without hesitation.
"Excellent. Now that is the response I want to hear. I only have one condition. I want you to see your conviction through. Do not stop halfway down the line. Am I clear?", Victor asked.
"Loud and clear, Master.", I said with a firm nod. "You are not the first person I have acknowledged as my teacher. There's father, and the Sword Fox. I am even interested in learning under the Thunder God, should it reach that far."
"The Vander School, eh? That will be a trial in itself. The Thunder God is much more stern and unforgiving than I am. For the time being, let us have dinner with Laura and your friends. She will be happy to learn that she is getting a fellow disciple.", Victor said. "And knowing that you are now my direct disciple, you are to stay here. No questions."
"Now we're talking~", I happily replied. "I am quite hungry now, so let's go eat."
With Victor Arseid, the head of the Arseid School, finally acknowledging me as his newest student, and a direct disciple no less, I knew from here on, it is going to get busy. At the same time, it will be a nice time getting to know Laura. We both learn the way of the sword, so no doubt will we have many spars down the line.
And this is just the first stop during my journey here in Erebonia. I do not know when it will end, but trust me, I will be ready for the Vermillion Trials. It's so close, I can almost taste it!