Vera
...How dare he...
HOW DARE HE HOW DARE HE HOW DARE HE?
He—he nearly got me! Me, the great Vera Marjoram! One of the Magocracy's ruling mages!
What was that spell?! If I hadn’t summoned Wendigo, I would’ve died to that spell! Even Lana didn’t have a spell like that! That speed and destructive power—it can only be a Master-level Wind spell!
He actually manages to take down Alyssum too! To think he actually has his own Great Fairy! Gah, once again, I’ve underestimated him!
But no matter. This is an excellent chance. He’s stupid enough to expose himself out of the barrier. I’ll just dispose of him first before finishing off his parents. That spell might be powerful, but he no doubt needs a long chanting time for it. And I won’t give him that chance again!
It’s a shame that such a gem of a talent has to die, but it’s too dangerous to keep him alive in this situation, after what he just did.
The ice witch immediately switched her target towards Hugo, using her ice magic to cross the snow field at incredible speed. She held her right hand upfront, gathering her mana into it before firing a Cold Nova straight at him. Using his Wind Step however, he managed to dodge out of the way. It wasn’t over though, as she moved the angle of her spell, continuously chasing after him as Cold Nova isn’t just a one-shot spell like his Boom Cannon. As long as she maintained her focus, she didn’t have to renew the mana gathering phase to remain firing the cold wave.
Ha, gotcha!
A splash of the Nova managed to land onto Hugo, freezing his legs solid.
Only for his Great Fairy to melt it right away.
Grr, fine! Double spell then!
She raised her other hand, before it too fired a Cold Nova towards Hugo.
Only to immediately stop it as she had to dodge a slash from Alan.
Tch, that snake can't even do its job properly!
Fine! You want me to get serious? Then I'll get serious!
To think that I would have to use that spell just for a bunch of nobodies like them!
Hey, snake! Come over here!
The snake, who was still busy keeping Hugo’s parents from reaching their son, immediately obeyed. It buried its giant body through the snow, popping back up right where Vera was.
And swallowing her whole in the process, before burying itself back under the snow.
-----------
Hugo
Somehow, I actually managed to dodge all of Vera's attacks and get inside Mother's barrier safely.
I nearly didn’t make it too. Only thanks to my Great Fairy that I could make it here.
“Hugo... Oh Hugo... Thank the Saint that you’re alright...”
Mother was smiling brightly, even though she was clearly severely tired, as she was panting heavily, with her unable to stand up normally, having to lean on her staff.
Father too was panting, and the moment there was a lull in the attacks, he kneeled down, stabbing his greatsword to the snow.
...Wait, a lull in attack? What happened to the snake and Vera?
I looked around. There was no sign of their presence. They had disappeared completely.
“D-did Vera… did she retreat?”
“N-no, she’s planning another sneak attack,” Father answered. “She pulled her snake back and told it to swallow her before burying itself under this hill. She’s hiding inside its stomach, using its ability to silently traverse through snow to hide herself.”
“W-we have to use this chance to retreat, Alan. I-I can’t keep up my barrier for much longer. My mana is nearly entirely gone,” Mother spoke.
“Understood. We’ll make a beeline to—wait, that rumble—EVERYONE, RUN!!"
Father immediately tackled Mother as he leaped away, while I reflectively used my Wind Step to blast myself backwards. Just in time before the snowy ground under us burst forth, revealing the snake's wide open jaw.
And Vera, who was standing inside with her two hands glowing brightly—all with a triumphant grin on her face.
She jumped out and aimed one hand towards me while the other went towards Father and Mother instead.
“Absolute! Zero!”
An immensely powerful blast of cold fired off from her two hands. They were nothing like the Cold Novas she had been throwing before.
Two Grandmaster-level Ice spells, casted simultaneously. She must have used her snake as a cover to give her the time to chant them both.
What happened afterwards were a series of events happening near simultaneously.
Great Fairy erected a wall of hot water to block the spell heading towards me. Only for said water to immediately turn into ice, before she herself was frozen completely.
Father, seeing that Vera wasn’t just attacking them but also me, sent a powerful slash to intercept the spell. It crashed with it, weakening it considerably, but not enough to dispel it completely.
And then, the spell nearly reached me. I could feel the intense freeze enveloping my skin in the millisecond it almost touched me.
I was lucky. I fired off my Boom Cannon, charged mid-air as I flew backwards, just in time to dissipate the remaining spell.
It flew straight to Vera, flying right towards her head.
Her attention, devoted entirely towards Father and Mother, didn’t see the spell coming until the very last second.
And by then, it was already too late.
Her triumphant expression turned into horror, before my spell decapitated her in a single strike.
She had no other summon that could take the blow.
Her body fell down to the snow, and soon after, her snake vanished.
We did it…
We finally did it...
My back landed on the snow, chills enveloping my body. I didn’t escape the powerful spell completely, even after all that, and I could feel my body temperature being dangerously low right now. Great Fairy had sacrificed herself to block the spell, so I couldn’t ask her to warm me up again. I saw her body shattering into pieces in the process.
Father! Mother! We’ve—
Father? Mother?
My eyes darted around.
I can’t find them. I can’t find them anywhere. Weren’t they just right there a second ago?
...Wait, the spell that was aimed for them—what happened to it? Did they dodge it?
I then noticed a large formation of ice crystals in a straight line that certainly wasn’t there before.
RIght at the trajectory of the spell going after them.
My heart dropped.
I walked there, unable to even run at my current state.
And then, I fell on my knees.
N-no, t-this can't—
I could see them—bits and pieces of frozen flesh and body parts with their clothing. There were a pair of ears, a finger, a half-exposed bone with a sinew, and even a whole foot. Even the remnants of Father’s sword and Mother’s staff were there, all scattered and separated.
H-hey, t-this is not funny… Mom, Dad, w-where are you two really?
Come on Mom, Dad, we've won. Stop hiding. You two can come out safely now.
…
P-please….
Please!
And then, I saw them at a distance.
Two round objects, sitting side by side on the snow.
Father and Mother's decapitated heads.
I was looking right at their remains.
They had suffered the same fate as Great Fairy, who shattered into a million pieces when the spell hit her.
But unlike her, there was no respawn mechanic that they could use. They were humans. Normal, ordinary humans. Mortals with a limited lifespan. Not summoned Feys who can never die.
And I had lost them. I had lost them forever.
"U-uwaaaaaaaaahhhh!"
I cried.
I cried until I couldn’t anymore.
I cried until everything turned black.
--------------------
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a well-lit ceiling—a beautiful sapphire blue chandelier brightening the room with its candles. And then, I felt the softness under me, telling me that I was most likely laying down on a bed right now.
I’m… not dead?
I should have lost my consciousness back then. Then why am I not dead? My body couldn’t have withstood the cold on its own.
“Oh, thank Mira, you’re alive!”
I slowly looked to my right and saw a girl sitting on a chair, wiping off her tears with her long sleeves. She looked like a witch, with a tall and large black hat decorated with stars underneath. And she had long red hair that went down to her waist on the front, tied in a pair of loose braids.
“I-I really thought you’re already too far gone for my spell to heal! When I found you, you were nearly buried completely under the snow. It was pure luck that the snowstorm had died down when I reached the top of the mountain, and that I found your hand jutting out like that. And when I pulled you out, you were as cold as ice, you know! I had to use my secret family spell to—” She abruptly covered her hands with her mouth. “—Oops. I can’t tell that to an outsider. Grandpa will be mad!”
I looked at her as if I was looking at a ghost—my brain still not quite processing her words.
“Oh, we haven’t met yet, have we? I’m Alincia! Marina’s friend! And you must be Hugo, right, her little brother?” She smiled.
“Y-you.. A-Alincia…” My voice croaked.
“R-right, have something warm to drink first.”
She helped me sit up before bringing a glass of water to my lips. Using her magic, she heated up the glass, turning the cold water into a warm one. I slowly chugged it down.
“There! Should be easier to talk now!” She put the glass back down on the nearby bedside table.
"W-where is this? W-where's Marina?" I yelled.
"H-hey, calm down! This is Vera's mansion. I had to carry you all the way here after you collapsed outside.”
"A-are you with the Ice Witch?" I pushed myself away as far as possible from her. Damn it, my wand! Where is it?
"No, I'm not!" She huffed, folding her hands. "I'm Marina's friend, remember? In fact, I came all the way here to rescue her myself. And your wand is right there, on the table.”
I looked to the direction she pointed to, and sure enough, just behind the glass from before, there was my wand, along with my Bag of Holding. Naturally, I quickly snatched them both.
“Look, I had to go through hell to get here, you know! I had to fight off that bubble girl who told me that she wasn’t going to allow me to go, when I finally realized her scheme. She brought me away from the Academy just so I wouldn’t meet with you guys when you came there to check up on Marina. And then, I had to hire some guy I never even met before to take me here with his horse. And it was a painful, non-stop ride all the way here. My butt is still sore from that.”
“And after all that, you guys already did everything, didn’t you? How in the world did you manage to defeat Vera on your own? I saw her staff near where I found you, also sticking out of the snow. And she would never abandon it if she wasn’t dead.”
Right… I killed Vera… It was me who blew up her head with my spell.
“And Marina's just fine! Although… well, can you walk? I'd rather show it to you, to be honest.” Her smile switched to a sad one.
“M-Marina? What happened to her?” I nearly jumped out the bed.
"W-whoa, calm down! it’s nothing too bad. She should recover in a few days on her own.”
Taking her word, I methodically put one foot to the floor before the other. And then, I lifted myself off the bed. I still staggered a little at first, but I quickly stabilized.
"She's sleeping in the next room. Follow me.” She smiled as she took the lead.
The hallway we exited to was completely empty—not a single soul in sight. Not to mention the fact that there were numerous icicles stuck on the walls and ceilings, while a layer of snow nearly obscured the floor.
“What happened to the people here?” I asked. “Shouldn’t Vera have lots of servants around?”
“Hmm, I don’t know. It’s already like this when I got here.” She shook her head. “My guess though that Vera probably told them to evacuate. You see all the frost and snow around? Those must have come from Vera’s snowstorm spell. Made by a mage her tier—no windows or doors should be able to stand against it for long, so the cold would seep through, endangering whoever stayed behind. Really, it’s such a bother. I had to clean up first with my Fire magic before I could use that room for you to rest.”
We then entered the next room, and sure enough, Marina was there, laying down on her own bed.
“Big Sis!”
I immediately rushed forward, grabbing her hands.
Only to find out that they were cold. Really cold.
Even colder than a corpse.
“Why is she—”
“It’s Vera’s spell, I think. Grandpa told me once about it. There’s an Ice spell that can keep the victim in a state of cold sleep, preserving their life perfectly without any need of sustenance or even air. Before I got here, she was actually inside a giant ice crystal. And I had to melt it first before I could get to her. And man, what a tough ice that was! There was no doubt that Vera made it intentionally as well, to protect her if the ceiling decides to collapse or something while she was fighting outside. Using that cold sleep spell, Marina could be preserved inside safely, since she no longer needs to breathe after all.”
“S-so she’s not dead?”
“Of course not, silly! Or else I would still be wailing loudly when you woke up!” She grinned. "In fact, she should wake up and recover with no problem whatsoever in just a few days. So don't you worry about a thing, alright?" She patted me on the shoulder.
I looked back at Marina, still rubbing her hands with my own. She had a calm expression, almost as if she really was just sleeping normally. Only, I could tell that her chest wasn’t rising up and down in the slightest. She’s really not breathing, huh?
And then, I remembered—the things that Vera had said.
“Hmm? Why are you turning pale all of a sudden?”
“It’s… well…”
I told her what she had said, in the most polite words I could.
“Ah, that…” She paused, looking away with a blush. “Don’t worry.” She looked back and gave a bashful smile. “I… well… I’ve checked on her down there and her… well, thingy is still intact…”
“W-wait, don’t get me wrong! I-I’m not a pervert or anything! It’s just that… well, I know exactly what Vera was planning with that grandson of her, so I took the liberty to check immediately. I-it’s not like you can do the checking after all. Y-you’re a boy! I don’t care if you’re his little brother but you can’t do that! Not to a girl!” She huffed again.
I took a big sigh of relief, placing one hand on my chest. Oh thank God. It was a lie after all! It was just her trying to taunt us.
“Oh, that’s right. Where are your parents? You came with them, right?”
My smile immediately vanished, as a rush of my memories resurfaced.
"They… they didn't… they didn't make it…"
Before I knew it, tears started to fall down from my face again.
I bolted, running away from her before she could say anything.
----------
I went outside, back to the place where I saw them fall.
No, I didn't even get to see that. I didn't get to see their last moments, as Vera's spell shattered Mother's barrier before freezing the two. And I didn't get to see either the moment they shattered into a million pieces. I was too preoccupied with my own trouble.
On the other hand, Father paid attention to me in that split second. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to protect myself from the spell, he used his sword to save me first.
I killed him. I killed Father. And Mother as well in the process.
If it weren't for my weakness, they would have survived against that spell. If I had been stronger, I would’ve been able to repel or dodge that spell on my own. There would be no need for Father to do that.
I fell to my knees yet again. I felt sick to my stomach. My whole body shook, and my tears refused to stop.
...Why?
Why am I here in the first place?
I am a failure. A complete failure.
I disappointed my parents in my first life. And now, I took their lives in the second.
...I should've never been reincarnated in the first place. I should've drowned in that river like the trash that I am. Then maybe, the Hugo that would be born without me would be able to keep them safe.
...I shouldn’t have gone with them in the first place. I was so much weaker than them. I was their burden, the weak link in their party. I was nowhere near Myrilla’s level as a mage.
"You'll keep Father and Mother safe as well?"
"Yep! No question about it! Leave it all to your big brother!"
To think I was so arrogant, so stupid, to make that promise to Erika… What would I say to her when I returned? What could I say to her crying face, as she demands me to return them like I have promised?
And not only her, but Marina as well… how would she feel that when she woke up, her father and mother were no longer in this world—all because of me. If it were her in my position, they would’ve survived to be sure.
Not only have I failed to be a good son to Father and Mother, I’ve failed to be a good brother as well to them both.
Erika would certainly hate me, for breaking my promise and taking away her father and mother from her.
Marina, on the other hand, might keep up her cheerful demeanor towards me. She might even say that it’s not my fault that Alan and Renee are dead.
But I know, that deep down, she won’t truly ever forgive me. Her smiles will always have that underlying coldness, and her eyes will never look at me the same way again.
I can’t. I can’t return to such a place.
It’s all over. I no longer have any home to return to.
And that’s what I deserve. A garbage human being like me never deserves a warm and loving family in the first place.
Heh, maybe I should just… end it all… all over again…
Maybe I can get another chance at life… at a different world entirely… as a different person…
It will be nice if I can be a girl this time...
I pointed my wand right at the bottom of my head.
It’s only going to take a second. It won’t even hurt.
...
"T-that's to remember me, alright? D-don't go kissing any other girls while I'm gone!"
Sherry.
That’s right. I still had Sherry.
Sherry, who I had promised to be faithful to.
Sherry, who had promised to be my wife.
Sherry, who had promised to be stronger for my sake.
I put the wand down.
That’s right. I couldn’t die yet. I still had her.
My future was now clear.
I would go to her. I would travel all the way to her village in the Demon Continent. I would tell her everything that had transpired while she was gone.
And then, I would wait for her judgment.
If she still somehow felt any love towards me after my confession, then I would start a loving family with her, just like she wanted. It would be my third chance in life.
I looked back at the mansion in the distance.
She’ll be fine. She has Alincia taking care of her.
Don’t worry, Sis. You’ll never see me again for the rest of your life.
And I’m sorry, for being such a pathetic failure of a brother.
And then, I ran.
???
Ahahahahaha!
Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Haaah... how long has it been since I possess such joy?
The promised depths of despair... it is here at last...
And with the demon girl away on another continent, no one can mend his broken, weak heart. He dug a hole even deeper on himself!
What a pathetic little man. He's even more pathetic than his predecessor.
Yes, run away. Run away from everything. From everyone.
It's a shame he didn't kill himself. Though perhaps... with a little more push...
Hmhmhmhmhmhm! Let's see what I can do, shall we?
Mixed feelings on the chapter.
So I like the fight and I like the loss. Personally I would just like the father to die instead of both but thats alright.
Now problems I have. First off where in the hell did the logic come that Marina would hate him for his parents death? Shouldn't he be more concerned about her hating herself? She is the reason why they came there. She is the reason why they fought and died to save her. So instead of staying there to help your sister recover and not harm herself like her almost did he runs? For a kid perhaps the twisted logic would work but he has enough years in the past life to realize how Marina would feel. . . Don't forget he figured out she was getting bullied early on but ignored it.
Also, I would just like to point out that his parents would have been injured in the fight with Vera's daughter/son-in-law as well as earlier in the fight with Vera if he wasn't there. It was already mentioned that they had little chance to defeat her so saying its all his fault is once again a stretch.
Last chapter he had a realization that family is important to him. Yet now he is abandoning what family he has left. He is abandoning his big sister while she is stuck in ice and yet to recover. He is abandoning his little sister to an unknown fate(who knows if the maid has enough money to care for her or will send her away).
Moving on from that I don't like that Alincia was the one to save him. I find it a stretch that she would figure out the bubble girls plot, fight her off, and reach Hugo before he froze to death all to convenient/plot armor. I feel like with how much the family had to rush to get there that she would have taken a much longer time.
Now on to a big complaint I have about what he did. You just killed a powerful mage, one that sat on the council of this country, but you DIDN'T GO FOR THE LOOT!!!!!! Didn't pick up her staff or search her mansion for anything. Not for gold, jewels, magic tomes, or anything else that would be useful. Just going to run off and think you have enough to survive? What about your little sister? You think the maid has enough money to take care of her? You could have gotten some money, kept some for yourself and then sent the rest back to the family member. Heck take it back yourself but don't show up in front of your sister because of your misplaced guilt. Just in case someone argues that Thomas took the money when he ran I highly doubt that. The grandma having him take the money would be her acknowledging her chance of losing. She thought she was going to smoke the invaders, they just ran so they wouldn't get in the crossfire(ice). With ice you don't have to worry if gold freezes so no reason to run with it.
So yea loved the first half but really disliked the second. Once he passes out it goes downhill for me. I know what your going for. The reason for this to happen is to force the plot to go in a certain direction. For Hugo to have a reason to go off on his own and to meet new harem members and such. I just find the reasoning to be lacking and his abandoning of his responsibilities(family) to be counter-productive to his realization from the last chapter.
I would have pulled a Vera if I was in his situation. I believe Vera took the head of the wind family leader to the council and declared herself the heir. I would have looted the place, make sure my sister recovers, give her most of the loot, have her hide, and then take the head to the city for a nice open march. Walk through the streets of the capital hoovering with the severed head of a mage council.
The situation would be tricky, hence Marina running off with money just incase, but I think the council would want his talent. A 10 year old kid walking up with the head of Vera. His spell being the one to kill her. His custom spell which he could instantly shoot off in the council to show people his skill/power. A person of such potential would be welcomed. Big question would be though how much the council would try to screw him over with land and wealth. Then he could bring his little sister and maid to the country for a new home. A stronger home. If you care about your family sooo much then you should do your best to protect them. Build a castle/army around them. Not run away on your own.
Holy shit, this is so long! Thank you very much for the really detailed comment!
Now problems I have. First off where in the hell did the logic come that Marina would hate him for his parents death? Shouldn't he be more concerned about her hating herself? She is the reason why they came there. She is the reason why they fought and died to save her. So instead of staying there to help your sister recover and not harm herself like her almost did he runs? For a kid perhaps the twisted logic would work but he has enough years in the past life to realize how Marina would feel. . . Don't forget he figured out she was getting bullied early on but ignored it.
It is indeed not rational in the slightest. In fact, I dare say it's selfish. Hugo's afraid of confronting his mistake, choosing to run away from it instead, just like his old self.
In fact, I'm already planning on him getting an earful by a character later on for this stupid decision of his.
Also, I would just like to point out that his parents would have been injured in the fight with Vera's daughter/son-in-law as well as earlier in the fight with Vera if he wasn't there. It was already mentioned that they had little chance to defeat her so saying its all his fault is once again a stretch.
Last chapter he had a realization that family is important to him. Yet now he is abandoning what family he has left. He is abandoning his big sister while she is stuck in ice and yet to recover.
Yep, he's really being irrational. There is not a single valid reason why he should blame himself. And yet he did anyways.
He's lived his new life for ten years yet his insecurity and self-hate from his old self has not disappeared completely. And seeing his parents die like that, it makes them burst out from his chest once more.
He is abandoning his little sister to an unknown fate(who knows if the maid has enough money to care for her or will send her away).
Hmm? There's Marina.
Moving on from that I don't like that Alincia was the one to save him. I find it a stretch that she would figure out the bubble girls plot, fight her off, and reach Hugo before he froze to death all to convenient/plot armor. I feel like with how much the family had to rush to get there that she would have taken a much longer time.
I originally planned on having an Alincia POV to explain this better. But I didn't really find a good place to slip it in without interrupting the main story.
Yeah, I should just put it on the next chapter as Alincia's flashback, since you want it so much. [Blob Angel] Or I could write a long ass spoiler here instead. [Blob Owoevil]
Now on to a big complaint I have about what he did. You just killed a powerful mage, one that sat on the council of this country, but you DIDN'T GO FOR THE LOOT!!!!!! Didn't pick up her staff or search her mansion for anything. Not for gold, jewels, magic tomes, or anything else that would be useful. Just going to run off and think you have enough to survive?
That would Marina's job, wouldn't it? Hugo is too distressed to care about stuff like that.
Your point about the money is great though. I didn't think about looting the gold.
Walk through the streets of the capital hoovering with the severed head of a mage council.
Can't really do that since Hugo destroyed her head to bits and pieces with his spell.
But don't worry. I'll add the Council's reaction to Vera's death, or at least the reaction of one of them. Marina will need her own epilogue after all.
but I think the council would want his talent. A 10 year old kid walking up with the head of Vera. His spell being the one to kill her. His custom spell which he could instantly shoot off in the council to show people his skill/power. A person of such potential would be welcomed. Big question would be though how much the council would try to screw him over with land and wealth. Then he could bring his little sister and maid to the country for a new home. A stronger home. If you care about your family sooo much then you should do your best to protect them. Build a castle/army around them. Not run away on your own.
Oh, if only it would be that easy...
Like Vera said, "You don't know anything about the Council, girl."
@ForestDweller
Skipping irrational leaving stuff because no reason really to hit the nail oh the head again. but I will say its not Hugo not wanting to confront his mistake but reality. He did not make a mistake at all in the situation. Really the only thing that could be a mistake would be the promise to his little sister. He should have known better when he heard his parents making plans for their "death."
Alright so to clear some stuff up. Little sister being taken care for by marina. Does Hugo know how long it will take to unfreeze marina? Does he know if there will be any lasting effects? What of Marina's mind? He does not know if she is sane enough to care for the youngest sister or not.
Next is loot. You're reply is that it is Marina's job but is she unfrozen yet? How long will it take her to become unfrozen? Can he trust Alincia to let her take all the loot? What would happen if Alincia family learned of what happened? They would rush there to loot the place. The world isn't fair. You only get to keep the rewards for a fight if you are still strong enough to take them. . . You know loot stealers. People who wait until the fight is over, kill the weakened winners, and then take everything. Sure Alincia would probably stop her family from killing Marina, but could she stop them from taking the treasure? It wouldn't surprise me if Alincia's grandfather was nice enough to collect everything for her in a storage pouch for when she woke up only for it to be 10% of the total loot.
Now for the last response. You need to remember one important thing when you are thinking of the council's actions/reactions and that is the Holy Empire. There is a power vacuum currently. If there was no threat at all the council would absorb all of her stuff and just leave her seat empty. However, they have a powerful enemy and one that could be in a war anytime. So they need strength. They need talent and they would try to bind such a talented mage to the kingdom. Now there is a number of ways to do it but the best would be to give him Vera's seat. Next would be land and a home. If they don't want to stir the pot and create internal conflicts they would give him Vera's land(they would make Hugo pay for it with loot that goes to each council member). However, if they could agree with an idea the best thing would be to put Hugo in the territory nearest to the Holy Land. That way if a war starts he has to fight. He has to become strong and make the magic system stronger if he doesn't want his little sister to be put in danger. Best way to force someone to fight is to put their family in the way or to have them in your hands. Thats why in history a lot of times the soldiers families were put within the major settlements. That way they have a reason to not retreat from battle. So yea the council would be a lot more selfish if they didn't have a powerful enemy waiting for weakness. So far the have had the "assassination" of one council member's granddaughter by necromancer and the assassination of a different council member. The first is a public excuse for war(Mage country can't handle necromancers within it). The second, Vera's death, is weakness that the Holy Empire would use to convince its religious/military leaders to invade.
But yea if I was you you could either make a mention of him grabbing some stuff before leaving in a future chapter or grabbing Vera's staff. I'm sure it could be sold for a very pretty penny. If anything I'm surprised he didn't grab anything from his parents sides. Something to remember them by.
@KidBuu699
He should have known better when he heard his parents making plans for their "death."
Well, he heard it after he made the promise. He can't just take it back. Not to mention that he had sworn to himself how he would make sure everyone returns safely.
Does Hugo know how long it will take to unfreeze marina? Does he know if there will be any lasting effects? What of Marina's mind? He does not know if she is sane enough to care for the youngest sister or not.
Alincia already said in this chapter that she would wake up on her own in a few days and she'll be perfectly fine afterwards. Especially since the worst case scenario didn't end up happening after all.
Next is loot. You're reply is that it is Marina's job but is she unfrozen yet? How long will it take her to become unfrozen? Can he trust Alincia to let her take all the loot? What would happen if Alincia family learned of what happened? They would rush there to loot the place. The world isn't fair. You only get to keep the rewards for a fight if you are still strong enough to take them. . . You know loot stealers. People who wait until the fight is over, kill the weakened winners, and then take everything. Sure Alincia would probably stop her family from killing Marina, but could she stop them from taking the treasure? It wouldn't surprise me if Alincia's grandfather was nice enough to collect everything for her in a storage pouch for when she woke up only for it to be 10% of the total loot.
Once again, Hugo is not in the state of mind to be thinking all of this stuff.
And if you want spoilers,
Selendia will come in and take the "loot" anyway, with Alincia and Marina unable to do anything about it.
However, they have a powerful enemy and one that could be in a war anytime. So they need strength.
Wouldn't you think they would have active spies in the Holy Empire, making sure that there are no plans on invading them anytime soon? So they wouldn't be that worried about it. Not to mention the fact that they don't really like placing outsiders as part of the Council. Their sons and daughters always have to marry with a citizen of the Magocracy, preferably those part of the ruling family or close to it. Only Vera is the exception. I think I explained this like way back when Marina first entered the Academy.
There are other reasons why they wouldn't be that worried on replacing Vera right away, but that would be spoiler territory.
However, if they could agree with an idea the best thing would be to put Hugo in the territory nearest to the Holy Land.
Yeah, that would be the Brine and the Salamander province. And there's no way in hell either of them would agree on switching territories with Vera's old territory.
If anything I'm surprised he didn't grab anything from his parents sides. Something to remember them by.
Both Alan's sword and Renee's staff were shattered as well, unfortunately.
@ForestDweller What do you mean by your spy statement? Are you saying that there are spies there that would report the situation back to the mage council or that there spies have enough sway to stop any war fever?
If it is the second then I seriously doubt it. Spies are not as trust worthy as you might think. The agents you have working for yourself are not as trust worthy as there employers think. Just look at World War 2 and the cold war for example. There were German spies that the United States and Britain captured that fed false information back to Germany. In the cold War there was US agents who were investigated for being double agents, found innocent, and then moved to Russia soon after(I'm serious this did happen).
So far we don't really know how crazy the religious people in the world are. If they are the crusade zealots or not but if crazy religious people want to start a war they will. All they have to smell is blood in the water.
Next on to Vera. It is only an exception the first time. The first time is the hardest because it is changing people's views. After that it becomes a precedent. Also from what I remember about that intro for her being a gnome was just as big as a deal as her being an outsider. At least with Hugo he is human.
@KidBuu699
What do you mean by your spy statement? Are you saying that there are spies there that would report the situation back to the mage council or that there spies have enough sway to stop any war fever?
Haven't really decided yet if I want the latter actually, especially since
it would relate to the story of one of the harem members.
So far we don't really know how crazy the religious people in the world are. If they are the crusade zealots or not but if crazy religious people want to start a war they will. All they have to smell is blood in the water.
This is why it would be spoilers to talk about it.
Next on to Vera. It is only an exception the first time. The first time is the hardest because it is changing people's views. After that it becomes a precedent. Also from what I remember about that intro for her being a gnome was just as big as a deal as her being an outsider. At least with Hugo he is human.
There is more about Vera's ascension to power that, once again, would be spoilers if I talk about it now.