I don’t know why, but I seem to have a penchant for befriending mildly obnoxious and egotistical female archers. Oddly specific? Sure. Though I should be fair and consider that Zeph, as well as Aethel, are actually quite likeable once I got past the somewhat foreboding exterior. 

And as of right now, Zeph and I are busy riding our horses through the countryside of Damask to experiment with my magic. And today was a special day, since we had received a firepot from Vorn to test out. But before that, our first priority was to test the practicality of my magic from horseback. 

Because although every normal form of magic can be enacted from horseback, the results vary a bit too much. Wind magic works perfectly fine and just needs the user to multitask between riding a horse and controlling wind filled mana. Whereas blasting flames or raising earthen walls while riding tends to not go very well for people. 

“You know Azel, it’s sort of ridiculous that you can actually use your blasts without any difficulty riding,” Zeph remarked while I rode about on my horse setting off explosions. 

Just to prove her point, I tilted my body almost perpendicular to my horse and set off another explosion for good measure. 

“Show off,” Zeph said jokingly when she caught up with me. “But you’re obviously having a harder time moving mana around.”

“Can’t have everything,” I pointed out. “Oh, and it’s pretty annoying that I can’t stomp my foot. I can only get so far with snapping my fingers.”

“Well magic is almost always worse on horseback,” Zeph sighed. “Even I’m not good enough to go full strength while riding.”

“When was the last time you were this humble?” I teased her, prompting her to slap my back amiably. 

“In that case, when was the last time you were a nice person?” Zeph retorted jokingly.

Putting on a faux innocent look, I scratched my cheek a bit before answering. 

“Well yesterday I helped you groom the horses,” I answered. “And I think three days ago I made your favorite sweet porridge for breakfast.”

“You remember that stuff?” Zeph questioned me. 

“No, I just said some things that sounded like what I would do,” I replied jokingly. “But that look on your face says that I was right. And that means that you do remember.”

Zeph looked straight at me with dead eyes and a frown before sighing. 

“Fine. I appreciate you. There, you happy?”

“Extremely,” I shot back with a grin. 

“I have no idea how Sekh finds this cute,” Zeph continued with slight exasperation. 

“But you wouldn’t say that it’s annoying?” I questioned her, smiling when her frown softened. 

“A bit,” she responded to my mild disappointment. “Though I’m not entirely opposed to it.”

“I’d consider that a victory,” I laughed, prompting Zeph to shrug her shoulders. 

But compared to when we first met, this really was a victory. No more yelling complaints at me or unnecessary outrage. Though she does get flustered a lot less now, which somewhat disappoints me. Just somewhat.

“Oh, we should try out the firepot soon,” Zeph suggested before going to look for a suitably dry area to test it out. 

Tucked away safely in a pack on my saddle was a round sphere made of cast iron with a small lid that was used to fill the insides with ferrosaur fuel. Additionally, the amount of fuel that could fill the pot was a considerable amount, particularly since the pot was a fair bit larger than my clenched fist. 

While the device wasn't so heavy that I couldn’t throw them, I believe that someone like Sekh would have quite a bit of trouble trying to hurl a pot with just one arm. 

“So Zeph, you think you can throw this with wind magic?” I asked the archer while we were riding to an area devoid of easily flammable materials. 

“I can, but I’d prefer not to,” Zeph answered. “It’s pretty heavy and the shape isn’t conducive to throwing, unlike a javelin or arrow. But the main issue is that moving it with mana might make igniting the pot difficult for you.”

“So what you’re saying is that it’s difficult,” I pointed out, earning a pout from Zeph.

“Yes,” she responded flatly. “Actually, I think it’s best that I throw it without using magic. Especially since you’ll probably have someone throw it for you during a battlefield situation.”

After leaping off my horse, I prepared the atmospheric mana to condense in an area where I was planning to throw it. Since Zeph could sense the movement of mana, she also readied herself to protect us from the blast while getting ready to hurl the shell. 

Once the mana was set up, Zeph stood with both feet firmly on the ground and gripped the bot with both hands. To effectively throw it, she spun her body in a circle and hurled the pot once she finished forming a full circle. 

Since Zeph wasn’t necessarily the strongest person, the spherical pot fell slightly short of the targeted area though there was still plenty of mana to detonate it. 

Instead of carefully exploding the pot through the latch, I just forced the power through the top half of the pot with a stomp, causing it to violently explode in the air, shards of iron flying out in every direction while a massive fireball engulfed the area where the pot exploded. 

Fortunately, Zeph and I had chosen an area that was mostly moist mud with little foliage, so we didn’t start a wildfire by accident. And thanks to Zeph’s wind barrier, any iron shards that flew in our direction were safely deflected. However, the rest of the landscape had iron bits rip into it with remarkable force and the area of the blast was charred by the flame. 

Instead of speaking, Zeph and I just locked eyes with one another, nodded, nodded again, then looked away to think more about what happened. 

“Azel, I think you should only use these things when I’m around,” Zeph commented after a period of silence. 

“Yeah, it would be shit if I killed myself with my own magic,” I replied while patting her on the shoulder. “Though I think it might be possible to use this for siege situations without your barrier.”

“Just don’t take any unnecessary risks, ok?” Zeph sighed, patting my back in return. 

When I looked down at her face, I was surprised to see her softly gazing back at me with a warm smile. At that point, I couldn’t muster the will to tease her. 

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” I answered. “Anyways, let’s go home before it gets dark.”

“Umm, if you don’t mind, can we get some wine on the way back?” Zeph wondered. “It’s a bit chilly today.”

“You want it mulled?” I asked, prompting Zeph to nod in agreement.  

The two of us arrived back home with just enough time to cook dinner and bathe. Well, it also helped that Sekh had heated the baths and streamlined our meals by preparing most of the side dishes. 

In fact, I had found Sekh happily scrubbing herself in the bath when I just got home. But since I was busy at the time, I used Zeph as a distraction so I could make dinner. A completely unnecessary diversion tactic, though it was certainly funny. 

During dinner, both Zeph and I detailed the results of our tests today, particularly the firepots. After some discussion, Sekh volunteered to throw the firepots for me in the future. And Justin decided that he would bring a bigger shield if he was to accompany me onto a battlefield. 

Later that night while I was finishing up washing dishes, Minerva slipped in from behind and wrapped her arms around my waist, her generous breasts pressing softly against my back. Upon turning my head around, I was greeted by a gentle peck on the cheek. 

“Uhh, I actually have to talk with you about something,” Minerva piped up while I was submerging myself in the romantic atmosphere. “Gallus gave me a report from the regional patrols to inform you about the state of security in the countryside. It’s on my desk right now.”

“Does he take you for my secretary?” I asked curiously. 

“Probably something similar,” she replied with a cheerful smile. 

“What about my ever so reliable partner?” I suggested, prompting Minerva to happily bob her head in agreement. “And ever so cute as well.”

While the two of us were busy nestling against one another and flirting, another figure came into the kitchen. 

“Hey, I can take care of the rest of the dishes,” Sekh announced. “You two should just enjoy yourselves now.”

“You sure?” both Minerva and I asked Sekh to which the leopard girl gave a confident thumbs up. 

Knowing Sekh, she’ll probably ask for compensation in one way or another. But that’s to my benefit as well. 

Upon arriving in Minerva’s room, the two of us actually got to work right away. While I read the documents, Minerva gave her thoughts and provided insight since she had already analyzed the information provided by the military patrols.

While most of the countryside only had minor issues with ratmen or occasional wolf sightings, the most notable issue was the presence of outlaw bands in the area of Damask’s border with Beroea. 

Although these sightings were in areas where it was unknown whether I or another Doux had jurisdiction, there shouldn’t be a problem since none of us are contesting each other’s territories. Still, even if it isn't currently my problem, the issue could easily just walk into my area of control. And regardless, it is in my interest to promote safer travel throughout the countryside. 

“Well the outlaws aren’t reported to be either numerous or particularly well armed,” I told Minerva. “So it is possible to immediately move, though I’d like to stay back and gather a bit more information before acting.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Minerva remarked. “Though I assume that you’ll have to wait for the firepots before you can really make a move.”

“Well I don’t necessarily have to,” I answered. “But it’s good to have them on hand in case enemy resistance is greater than expected. Since I’m certain that one of those pots could save lives on our side.”

“Then it should be worth the wait then,” she commented. “Well, I’ll take good care of things while you’re out.”

Smiling happily at her, I patted her on the head, taking the opportunity to play with her beautiful silver hair. 

“You always take great care of things when I’m busy. So I’m not worried at all.”

Seeing Minerva begin to blush a bit, I slung my arm over her shoulder and pulled her towards me for a kiss. And since she was slowly becoming more accustomed to our relationship, Minerva also reciprocated, her tongue eagerly tussling with mine. 

During the following days as I waited for the firepots to arrive, Gallus and I were busy gathering information about the bandits. Based on the additional reports from our scouts, we ascertained that the outlaws were operating in small groups that were based in small fortified camps. 

Around 5 days later, I received the rest of the firepots from Vorn. It was also quite convenient that it was delivered by caravan so I could immediately make a payment, which amounted to 25 denarii and 2 numi, so about 14 numi per pot. A fairly hefty price for items that are a one time use, but their effectiveness certainly made it worthwhile. 

With the firepots now in my possession, I gave orders to gather a force of soldiers to secure the northern fringes of the region. So within a few hours of giving the order, I had gathered a force of 2 dozen soldiers for the journey. Naturally, Sekh and Zeph were accompanying me this time while the rest of the Bureau's inhabitants were charged with taking care of things while we were gone. 

Our first priority before departing northwards was to hold a demonstration with one of the firepots to ensure that everyone knew what they would be working with. 

Since the main danger of the demonstration were stray shards, it wasn’t necessary to bring out mithril equipment to protect against the blast. However, we made sure that everyone was well armored and standing behind physical barriers like shields. And this was not mentioning that Zeph set up a large wind barrier for extra safety. 

Once again, Zeph and I chose an isolated area that lacked flammable material. There, we spent hours meticulously setting up barriers. 

Upon finishing our set up, Zeph and I got everyone in position and set up the atmospheric mana. From there, I handed a firepot to a volunteer and pointed where the pot was to be thrown. 

“And throw,” I declared once everything was ready. 

The crowd watched with anticipation as the iron ball soared through the air. And once it neared the clump of mana that I had readied, I slammed my foot against the ground, causing the metal to warp as the ball erupted into inferno. 

But with the sturdy defense that we had set up, all the iron shards that flew in our direction were rendered harmless. 

When I looked over at the spectators, everyone was wearing a look of pure shock and astonishment. I even had to wave my hand in front of Sekh a bit to return her to reality. 

After things calmed down, which took a fair while, we headed back to the city to prepare supplies for the expedition. Since we finished loading up supplies quite early, we decided to immediately leave the city, possibly the result of the heightened morale from seeing my display of magic. 

As I was getting my horse ready for the journey, I heard a less familiar pair of footsteps come from behind. Upon looking back, I met eyes with Gaius, the southern elf youth that I recruited in Tyros.

“I think this might be the first time that the two of us go on an expedition with each other,” I commented. 

“Yeah it’s not like the nice and cozy patrols we’ve been on before,” he replied. “And much better for getting experience.”

“Definitely, but make sure not to do anything rash,” I cautioned him.

“Did you take me for someone who would do such a thing?” Gaius retorted.

“Yes,” I answered flatly, prompting Gaius to rub his shoulder awkwardly. 

During the afternoon of that day, our party departed from the city through the northern gate. Although we would follow the river for a bit, we would travel the northeast first to deal with the outlaws near Beroea before returning to the river around the area of Synon. 

Due to good preparations, our company was well provided with horses to carry both luggage and personnel. As such, we could not only travel faster, but also rest more along the road. 

And it was on the second night that I discovered an unusually large bump in my bedroll when I decided to go to sleep. 

Upon lifting up the blanket, I was greeted by the sight of a Sekh mischievously smiling at me, even playfully pawing the air to beckon me closer. 

“How did you even breathe in there?” I asked while pulling off the outer layers of my clothing. 

“I kept a small opening on the other side of the blanket,” she informed me, tugging at my leg teasingly. “You know, it’s really nice that we have other people to take care of the night watch, since I get to spend so much more time with you.”

“It is nice,” I agreed before crawling into the bedroll with her. “But I’m not going to slack too much. I still need to do my part to maintain my position as a leader.”

“Yeah I know,” Sekh purred, nestling herself against my chest. “So let’s make the best use of the time right now.”

Due to our proximity to the other tents, we decided to keep our nighttime activities on the low. Though Zeph did make an offhand comment during breakfast. 

Around afternoon of the next day, we arrived in the area around Beroea where the bandits were sighted. To our southwest was a densely forested region of land, along with a small lake. Having expected that the outlaws would hide in such a place, we had already conducted a search of the area but there were no apparent signs of human habitation, most likely due to the small bear population. And if the outlaws were scared off due to bears, it is likely that they are neither numerous nor well armed. 

Taking advantage of the large number of riders at my disposal, I quickly scoured the area where the bandits had been sighted. Our strategy centered having scouting parties move about the countryside while reporting to a fortified camp. Once signs of outlaws were found, the whole camp could be mobilized towards the direction of the enemy. 

After a day of searching, one of the forward parties picked up on signs of irregular activities. Taking this lead, we increased the number of men in that group and had them continue their search. While unsuccessful, we repeated the process twice before locating a lightly fortified camp situated along a small hill. 

Our strategy for dealing with such a fort was simple. Zeph and I would approach the area while protected by a dozen soldiers carrying large shields and projectile weapons. If force was needed, I would set off a few smaller explosions, though a firepot would be used if resistance was stiffer. In the case of a siege, we would wear them down with magic and projectiles. And in the case that they sallied out, we could slow their advance before engaging the survivors in close quarters. 

Upon cresting the little hill, we came upon the sight of ragged looking people forming a meager defense. But due to the lack of a prior attack, it was reasonable to assume that they wanted to surrender, though not before standing ground to open negotiations. 

“Drop your weapons and put your hands where I can see them!” I ordered the camp’s occupants.

To ensure our safety, both Zeph and I were searching for any signs of mana movement, though we were fortunate that there was none. And although I was preparing mana in case I needed to set off an explosion, a sudden blast would likely startle the enemy and escalate the situation. 

A short stare-down proceeded between the two forces before one of the men in the fort hesitantly discarded his arms. As expected, his actions were quickly copied by his comrades, resulting in a cascade of disarmament. The camp’s occupants quickly surrendered themselves into custody after dropping their weapons, particularly due to the rest of our forces surrounding the hill. 

Negotiating with them was also fairly easy. All it took were promises of reduced sentences and they quickly spewed out information about the other outlaws in the area. And although it was unlikely for us to be led into a trap, it was still prudent for us to send scouts to investigate the information provided. 

The rest of the outlaws were dealt with about as easily as before. Although we exchanged blows with the enemy on two occasions, these fights, if you call it that, were remarkably brief. Both sides sent projectiles at each other, Zeph blocked the ones aimed at us while I blasted the enemy without use of the firepots. 

Had we encountered a more fortified encampment I would have used a firepot. But considering the feeble resistance, it was both wasteful and cruel to use such a weapon. 

As we were on our way back to Damask, I was approached by Gaius while resting.

“So we didn’t end up using those afterall,” Gaius remarked while pointing at the firepots in our baggage. 

“I’d consider that to be a good thing,” I answered. “None of our own died and I didn’t have to use a firepot on people. The best outcome that we could have hoped for.”

“Well it feels a bit disappointing that we didn’t use such an anticipated weapon,” Gaius sighed. “But after seeing one of those things in action, I would say that I’m more relieved than disappointed in this case.”

“Isn’t that the whole point?” I replied. “The pots are meant to be a last resort since getting things done without them is the preferred outcome.”

“But you’re not opposed to using them?” Gaius wondered. 

“I am,” I answered with a shrug. “Though that doesn’t mean I don’t see the merit of using it. It’s dangerous certainly, but definitely effective if used right. And I’m not going to just give up an advantage like that.”

longer

I should be able to write more now since my midterms are over, at least for a few weeks. Plus league season is over and a lot of friends are going home for break. So if I don't lose my liver while on a date with a girl I don't know, then there will be quite a few more chapters.