“Hahh… Now I understand wanting the kid to get more experience in the outside world, but did he really need to go out hunting with ONLY Junia?”

 

Viran smiles meekly as he sees Jules entering the tent.

 

“You do really just how lucky you are, kid? The shadowpath Panther was too young and luckily didn’t have many of its spells at its disposal. But besides the amount of spells it had, the blood that you ingested when it threw its blood onto you was also shallow in the amount of mana it had so there are no problems with a remnant mana inhabiting your body.”

 

Viran only sat there with a shy look while getting drilled into by Jules.

 

“But still Junia, I understand that at the time you were focusing on letting Viran at least get the final blow onto the bear but you need to be more aware of your surroundings! You realized too late that Viran was in trouble and you also took too long to kill the bear. Were Viran not careful, and lucky, he would have died!”

 

Furthermore it wasn’t only Jules there with Viran, behind Jules stood Marcus and Junia standing side by side with their arms tight together at their sides. Despite the incessant amount of complaining Jules was putting onto them, neither dared to argue back, after all what Jules was correct.

 

“So, Marcus, I really would like to know what went through your mind when you decided to slack off and let Junia guard Viran alone as he went out?”

 

Marcus’ gaze shifted as he answered with a calm tone.

 

“Before I had seen just how capable Viran was with a single spell, and due to his age I expected him to have more spells to be able to use. We… We should’ve inquired more into Viran’s capabilities.”

 

“Hoh… I see. I bet you must think of yourself as stupid now right? Because I certainly do!” Jules rubbed his eyes tightly before shooing Marcus and Junia off after complaining for so long.

 

As they leave, Viran sits up in his bed as Jules sits down at the end of it. Contrary to Viran’s expectations, Jules had a bright smile on his face.

 

“You know, a Shadowpath Panther is a really good kill for a child your age. Of course the Panther itself was quite young and didn’t have all of its capabilities… You really showed some mettle surviving in that kind of situation you know?”

 

Viran’s meek smile only got brighter as he was propped up onto a pedestal by Jules. He could tell that Jules was actually proud of Viran, that was something Viran hadn’t felt much before in his life.

 

“Ah, well, I at least had some people help me before. When everyone else looked away, they at least helped me. If they hadn’t helped me… I likely would’ve been dead already.” Just thinking about Sir Renault and Sir Leonard brought a smile to Viran’s face. Perhaps he would be able to see Sir Renault again once he is long gone from the estate?

 

Once those words registered in Jules’ mind his happy face faded a tad bit only to be replaced with an expression Viran couldn’t quite understand, though it was obvious Jules was affected in some way.

 

“Kid… You’ve been here with us for a lot longer than you should’ve.” Jules' words were quick and straight to the point. The old man had said those words mostly on impulse, but it was the utter truth that he could no longer avoid. The quandary they had found themselves in was precarious.

 

“Wh-what?” Viran asked with a hurried look.

 

Just from those words Viran’s chest clenched up and his heart rate sped up. Viran all this time had forgotten that an entire convoy of Knights had gone missing with the Lord’s son. For a few days that may go unnoticed, but eventually they would find the carnage at the edge of the forest.

 

“I’m not saying we will abandon you in the forest. We’ll properly get you out of the forest and you will have to go back to wherever you came from.” Jules gave no heed to the distress that Viran showed, he didn’t do this to be mean or rude to the child but to make him stiffen his own heart. Just from Viran’s previous words and what happened in the convoy Jules could make plenty of assumptions as to how Viran lived back in his home.

 

“We… Don’t want to do this either. But we can’t afford to do anything more to help you.”

 

Viran didn’t quite understand, but he had his own assumptions as well. After all these were all magic users hiding in the forest capable of defeating Knights that were more powerful than them many times over. There must have been a reason.

 

“... I don’t know what you’ve all done. But that doesn’t matter!” Viran yelled righteously as he stood up in front of Jules. “My Father can do something about this! He can help you all, I can figure something out!”

 

Viran’s shout only causes a thin smile to appear on Jules face, but nothing more. Silence ensued in the tent and Viran could only sit there and ponder, after all what he had just said was blatantly foolish. Viran could not remember the last time he had asked his Father for anything, making his Father pardon and help the group would be too much to accept.

 

Jules sat up from the bed and went to leave the tent, only to stop a short distance away and without turning back he offered his final words.

 

“You don’t have to do anything for us… You’ll leave within three days.”

 

Jules only offered those impassive words to the young child, and received none in return.

“Hahh…” Viran couldn’t help but let slip a sorrowful sigh from his lips.

 

He didn’t want to intrude or impose himself in their lives, but Viran wouldn’t refuse were they to let him in their lives. He wasn’t sure what to do, if Viran went back to the estate alive it wouldn’t be strange for him to be targeted again by Gregory and Spion.

 

...It would be stupid to believe another Marcus would arrive in time to rescue him. So what should he do now? Viran didn’t quite believe himself capable of creating a new spell on the spot…

 

“Kid. Jules told me to apologize, since you almost got mauled.” Marcus coldly said while outside of the tent.

 

…But he could learn a new spell. It was Marcus that originally wanted Viran to go in his place to hunt for some manabeast, so it should only be right for him to return the favor? Right?

 

“Marcus, I need a favor.” Viran slyly said with his hands tucked behind his back. Although Viran was asking for Marcus to teach him a spell, it still made Viran worry considerably due to the secretive nature all magic users had over their own spells. Teaching it to an untrustworthy person could only spell disaster, after all.

 

“Ah?” Marcus entered the tent only to see the gaze that Viran directed towards him; Marcus’ icy face immediately grimaced.

 

“Jules told me I’d be- hahh- leaving soon.” Sighing in the middle of speaking Viran directed a worried gaze towards Marcus. “So once I leave the protection of true experts like you all, I’d be in much danger with my measly spell!”

 

The grandiose play that Viran played was quite easily seen through Marcus, yet he remained motionless and listened to the bullshit Viran spewed out in silence.

 

“-So it would be incredibly dangerous to live out on my own when there are enemies surrounding me-” 

 

“Who’s the enemy.” Marcus interrupted with an apathetic voice.

 

Viran’s mind turned blank at what to say next and his hands clenched unconsciously, something very noticeable in the observant eyes of Marcus. Viran wasn’t planning on telling them who was trying to kill them, though that was just selfish of him. Without a single explanation to them, or even a simple word they all knew nothing about Viran. Not even his name, and they never asked him of it at all. He was afraid their perception of him would change, Viran hoped he was only delusional in thinking like this, yet his worries would not stop.

 

Viran wanted to believe in them all, he really did, but he wasn’t sure. The boy couldn’t even trust his own Father, his own Brother. Could he really trust strangers he’s only known for a week? He wasn’t sure, but his head felt numb from thinking about the possibilities. But Viran didn’t have a choice anymore, he still held onto the desperate will he had found within himself. The desperate will to live on the path he had chosen.

 

“...Gregory Idicium… My brother.”

 

The words flowed out from Viran. An insatiable whirlwind of words were filled within his brain only to exit a moment later, Viran had much to say after all. All of it, he told all of it. Every detail from before Gregory’s arrival and after was transmitted to Marcus. Only Marcus.

 

And all Marcus did was listen.

“What the fuck do you mean they haven’t shown up yet!”

 

A thunderous howl of anger and contempt ran throughout the entire estate of Lord Idicium’s territory. The servants cowered, the guards stood at attention, and the estate almost collapsed under the pressure their furious Lord exhibited from his innate gift, strength.

 

“Do you understand me? Can you read my goddamn lips! Find the boy!” Lord Idicium’s roar landed on none other than Spion, the trusted advisor of Lord Idicium and tutor of Gregory.

 

“I understand my Lord. Do you wish for me to alert any of the Lords in the area for their cooperation?” Spion spoke freely and cooly, showing no submission towards the pressure placed upon his shoulders.

 

“No… This matter is too embarrassing for my name. My rivals would use this to belittle me and the Lords underneath me will only grow more restless and untrustworthy…” 

 

“Apologizes my Lord, but with our recent preparations for the war and the expedition southward we simply cannot gather enough troops to thoroughly search the areas designated for Lord Viran. It will take too much time.”

 

With these words the shadow only further darkened on Lord Idicium’s face, he himself knew this as well. The amount of time it will take to find Viran was simply too harsh on them. Lord Idicium knew just how inexperienced Viran truly was as he was designed that way; the longer they take to find him the more likely the boy will die, leaving a scar on the very name Idicium.

 

“Fine. Contact Count De Met and ask for his support… Send a messenger to Baron Axhrid telling him that the boy was sent home prematurely due to sickness… And send gifts to him as an apology. Got that Spion?” 

 

“Yes, my Lord.” Spion bowed in a distinguished manner.

 

“Then go.” The stiff speech of Lord Idicium prompted Spion to move fast.

 

As the door closes behind Spion, and the entire building becomes open to the eyes of Spion, his mouth curls into a disgusting frown. Not a frown of contempt or anger, but a frown nonetheless.

 

“Goddammit.”

 

The single word of Spion spills out of him unconsciously as his hands turn to his lips. With a single slap to his own face, Spion remembers to keep up appearances. 

 

In only a days time the preparations were made, and Spion rode forth with many Knights towards Tenus Forest.