The first rays of the morning sun filtered through the castle window, lighting the lavish bedroom in which Nil slept.
Waking suddenly from his dreams, Nil wanted to go back to sleep, dwelling on the horror he had endured yesterday.
Nil remembered how he and Corbenic had started studying sorcery nearly at noon. Then, things went blurry, and time had simply slipped away. It had already been night when he barely finished half of the beginner-level sorcery.
Although studying sorcery felt more fun than math or other subjects—given that Etam had programmed a pleasant study plan and Corbenic was skilled at demonstrating concepts and sorcery ruins—it was still exhausting by the end of the day.
His head was still throbbing.
He felt as though he had pulled multiple consecutive all-nighters for an exam. Corbenic suggested that his headache might be the result of Etam's subconscious being nudged.
Perhaps one day Etam's consciousness will awaken and possess me. Who knows? This is already a high fantasy story, so the chances are high, Nil thought scathingly, getting up from his bed.
The soft cushion bounced as he shifted. He felt a sharp prick as he supported himself with his left hand. Looking down, Nil found the leather-bound book with embedded gems. It was the full instructions of things Nil needed to know, compiled by Etam.
He had only made it halfway through the book before falling asleep the previous night.
Etam was a talented writer, Nil admitted; he knew exactly how to immerse a reader in any prose or tone. The book, which detailed Etam's personal life, behaviors, and interactions with his allies, served as a perfect handbook for Nil to maintain his facade.
"If I can acquire all the latent talents of Etam, I would like to explore his writing style first," Nil thought. In his previous life, he had wanted to be a writer himself.
"Good morning, Nil."
That voice again, Nil thought, feeling somewhat annoyed by Corbenic.
"Hehehe, wash up. Your breakfast will be prepared in the dining hall."
Damn that visionary, he grumbled inwardly to Etam for giving Corbenic access to all his future thoughts.
Washing away the remnants of sleep, Nil managed to navigate to the dining hall. A nice breakfast was already waiting for him to savor.
"How can someone make such delicious food?" Nil wondered. Suddenly, this turned into a pressing question. He asked inwardly, "How did Corbenic learn to cook?"
"Corbenic, how do you acquire information? I mean, how does your mind work?" Nil asked with the spoon in his mouth.
"Much like a normal human learns, but in a slightly different manner," Corbenic replied. "Although I am unable to feel physical stimuli unless certain requirements are met, I can certainly feel emotional stimuli. This ultimately increases and limits my potential. Master Etam once said that when creating me, he focused on four things: self-awareness, self-preservation, utilitarianism, and compassion."
"I see," Nil muttered, chewing on the bread, trying to swallow and ruminate over those four words simultaneously.
Finishing his meal, Nil was guided to the dressing room. At first, he thought he would be handed a medieval tunic, but to his surprise, he was given a tailcoat with neat embroidery on the borders. It looked oddly beautiful on him.
"It will be rather cold in the northwest; that's why I prepared these for you."
"Well, anything would look good on me with these stolen looks, hehehe," Nil thought, looking at Etam's reflection in the mirror.
"So, how will we get there, by a carriage?" Nil asked.
"It would take half a year to reach even with the best pace."
"So?"
"We will use teleportation?"
"Okay," Nil said, not at all surprised, as he was in a high fantasy world.
Things might have ended there, but Corbenic continued.
"There are three types of portal teleportation that can be achieved through sorcery. The first is the simplest, yet the most technical. You create two specific conduits in two different places and use a high concentration of Rah—at least of master level—to strengthen the binding. Normally, sorcerers use a 'blank' sigil that symbolizes 'hollow' or sometimes a 'whirlpool' sigil for various effects. Thus, the high-tension Rah can tear through space.
"The second is to travel through the spirit world. Only honored sorcerers and some Masters can achieve that feat. The third is to create a total 3D image of the place and bind yourself to that mental image. It is a work of pure 'will conduit,' achieved only by Archmage Oracus."
Nil, holding a suitcase of unknown contents he was handed by Corbenic, asked, "Then which options will we choose?"
Gripping the doorknob, Nil focused on the changes in his bodily energy using the 'Hunter's Process' he had learned the previous day. The elf's Rah perception helped him pour his essence into the door. Suddenly, he felt the thin film of space the door occupied start to ripple and become transluscent like the surface of still water.
"Good! Now, open the door."
Nil forced the large door open, and a scene of a town square appeared before him, astonishing him. He remembered that the Etam Castle was situated on a hillside; finding a crowded town square just steps beyond the entrance seemed absurd.
"Nil, this is the world of magic," he muttered to himself.
Walking out, Nil looked behind him. In place of the castle gates, there were just two tall columns standing like a gateway. He expected a voice to explain the grandeur of the wonders before him, but there was nothing but the distant chatter of the crowd.
So Corbenic's influence is limited to the castle and perhaps the town, Nil inferred.
Woosh...
Finally, Nil felt free. Having Corbenic around was like having a mother constantly watching and commenting on your every step—simply stressful.
But the question remained: where should he go now? He was not only in an alien place but an alien world. Furthermore, the crowd was so thick that from the podium, the city crossroads looked like a waving sea of heads—blonde, black, brown, and other colors—in which Nil could easily get lost. He felt a sudden need for Corbenic now that he had lost the connection.
"Your Excellency."
The voice caught Nil off guard. Behind him stood a firm, tall man, probably in his fifties. His skin was tanned, making him look like someone of Middle Eastern origin in Earth's terms. However, he wore a buttoned suit rather than silk robes.
"My mistress, Archmage Beatrice, has requested you to be escorted by her on the way to the palace."
Archmage? Nil thought. Since they were colleagues, he decided it would be better to go with them. "Okay, no problem."
Handing over the suitcase, Nil followed him down the stairs of the portal podium. A beautiful wagon was waiting for them, made of the darkest ebony and scrupulously embroidered with gold plates. It glowed under the early morning sun. The butler opened the carriage door for Nil.
Inside, a beautiful woman in black witch robes sat. She looked a little unusual. Her skin was pale and her cheeks rosy, like someone of northern origin, but her hair flowed down like a waterfall and her deep eyes were as dark as the night.
"Long time no see, Etam."
"Greetings, Triss."
Climbing into the carriage, Nil took off his tailcoat and flung it beside him. He sat diagonally across from her to make the interaction feel more formal. He also had to consider Etam's frivolous image; hence, he sat in a casual position with one leg crossed over the other.
"Makes me wonder: how did you know I would use the normal portal?"
"Well, you use it every time, so I thought about receiving you."
"Well, I am grateful to you for that," Nil said genuinely.
The lady in front of him nodded, remaining cool and composed.
Suddenly, he felt a chill. To seem "cool," he had removed his coat, but now he was literally feeling the cold. Heaving a sigh, he looked out.
Snow accumulated on the corners of the footpath and the sides of the stores. Looking up, he could see the four towers of the heart of this city: the Labyrinth Academy of Sorcery.
Nil tried to realize the gravity of his situation. He, one of the most influential people in the world, was going to a board meeting with people like him to discuss the fate of the world.
"How cool!" he concluded with a slight smile.