Archmage Holuna Ruluna stands at the docks, along with Governor Orlan and Headmaster Vulpun. They watch as not one, not two, but four Runalymo ships made out of mana soar through the sky!

“If just one of those is enough to siege a city, then we are fortunate they are allies,” Orlan remarks, wearing a grim expression.

One of the airships moves to land at the docks while the others fly over the city and toward the other cities.

“Something concerns me,” Vulpun says. “They set a schedule for trade fit for one ship, not four. While it is good for trade that they have more, and they’ll be ahead of schedule, why not set trade routes as if they had four?”

“Maybe because they were under construction?” Ruluna proposes. 

“Even if that’s the case, and we ignore that it took Alysara months to make the first one, they could have still moved ahead if the ships were on track to be completed in time,” Vulpun replies.

“Perhaps, or maybe it was completing the Mana Arc that allowed her to do that,” Orlan swishes his tail.

“We’ll see…” Vulpun says as the ship splashes down before parking next to the pier.

A gangplank is lowered, and the first to walk down are the Runalymo Elders, followed by Alysara and another unknown woman who looks more like Lunaley than Runalymo.

Five tails now?

Ruluna’s attention is drawn to the five very long and fluffy tails behind the blind prodigy. Her Bond presence feels a little more powerful, but there’s also something else that she can’t quite put her finger on. Rather than just the presence of beauty, it’s almost like there’s a trace of her in it now.

Instead of spending the next few minutes contemplating Alysara’s Bond presence, she turns her attention to the new face. She has the same shade of blue hair color as Alysara, but she feels far more powerful, even though she is suppressing her presence.

Saintess of the Runalymo. Mana Queen Runalymo (Legendary), Level 2234 Magic Caster (Legendary), Level 1887 Grand Mana Seer (Legendary), Level 1725 Mana Conduit (Exalted), Level 1555 Oblivion Mage (Legendary), Level 2112 Water Bond

A chill runs down Ruluna’s spine, causing her tail to puff up in alarm. Looking at Orlan and Vulpun, they must have also seen the newcomer’s status. It takes her a minute, but when she recovers from the initial shock, she realizes that she got a new breakthrough in [Analyze] for seeing titles. She knew of titles through the World Notifications, but this is her first time seeing someone who has one.

She must be Kayafe from the world message.

She’s not only legendary in three Classes and her Race, but her last Class is not ordinary and feels like her strongest. Then there’s her title and the fact that her combined levels are more than five times her own! 

Orlan is the first to greet the Runalymo, and as he does that, Vulpun leans toward Ruluna and whispers in her ear.

“Magic Caster, you know what that means, right?”

Ruluna blinks, taking a moment to realize that he is talking about Kayafe’s first Class. Magic Caster, that means she has some level of control over magic itself, right? That shouldn’t be possible, but this class name seems to indicate otherwise.

Of course, it could be something else, but the system tries its best to describe Classes in the ways one would understand. By naming a Class ‘Magic Caster’, that can only mean that Kayafe can cast true magic, even if it’s limited in some ways. If that wasn’t true, the system would have called it something else.

Two different people can [Analyze] the same person and receive different Class names, but, in most cases, if they speak the same language, then they will see the same thing.

Ruluna nods. “What do you think we should do?”

“This is an opportunity that we need to capitalize on. We must do everything we can to gain her respect.”

“How?”

Ruluna is not a noble; she hasn’t learned how to act around VIPs. Well, Alysara counts, but that was a special case where Ruluna was the only one who could communicate at first. It is Vulpun who is good at this sort of thing; what does he expect her to do?

“I’ll handle it, but since you are closer to Alysara, I’ll need you to get any information from her she is willing to give.”

Ruluna suppresses a groan. More politics. Ever since Alysara arrived, she’s been stuck doing these stupid political jobs. She wants to go back to the simpler times when it was just going out and killing monsters.

“... This is the Headmaster of the Order of Flame, Vulpun, and the Archmage of the Order of Flame, Ruluna,” Governor Orlan introduces them.

Hearing their names being mentioned, they switch their attention to their guests.

“I am Kayafe.” The Legendary being says in a thick accent.

Alysara must have taught her the language, but she likely only had a few days to practice.

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance” Vulpun bows deeply.

Ruluna follows Vulpun’s lead and bows.

“We would like to invite you to a feast to deepen our relationship,” Governor Orlan says, primarily addressing the Elders, but the offer includes Alysara and Kayafe.

Likewise, Orlan wants to ally with Kayafe, but he can’t ignore the Elders.

“We would be delighted to attend.” One of the Elders answers, no longer needing Alysara to translate.

“Will you be attending as well, miss Kayafe, miss Alysara?” Orlan asks.

Both nod.

“Well then, it will start in the evening; until then, we’ll gladly give you a tour of our city for anyone who wasn’t here the last time.”

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

 

Kayafe didn’t know what to expect from the Lunaley, but they seem like a rather ordinary society from her short tour. She is pleased to see that this country doesn’t use slavery, that she can see anyway, and that they seem to be doing well economically.

This is what she expected to see when she was finally freed from the Mana Arc. That’s not to say the current Nexus as it is, separated into Islands and with a more or less tribal community, is bad. It is just that it was certainly not what she had expected.

She is first shown the city center, where there is a large and beautiful fountain. It’s almost like a park with several ash-colored trees and bushes; pathways carve through the greenery with benches at intervals. Three statues dedicated to Vanaro are in the city center park, but there are no statues of any other spirit gods.

It takes fifteen minutes to cross the park at a leisurely pace, but many wealthy-looking pedestrians are walking around and enjoying nature. There’s an artist sitting on a bench painting a woman posing on the fountain, dressed in modest clothes.

Naturally, the surrounding houses are expensive mansions that only the rich can afford, but that doesn’t stop less wealthy people from visiting the park. Couples that look to be of working-class wander the park on a date while others are tending to the plants.

After visiting the park; she, Aly, and the other Runalymo who came with them toured around the Grand Bazaar. It is a large marketplace with hundreds of shops, for a one-stop location for all of one’s needs. Apparently, it is the place a merchant wants to be to sell their wares, so the cost of setting up a shop is high.

All kinds of trinkets, gadgets, furniture, and more can be found here. Many shops hang a banner associated with their order, from the Order of Merchants to the Order of Cobblers.

However, there is one thing Kayafe noticed that is clearly missing from the bazaar, food goods.

“That’s because the Orders that produce food didn’t want to pay the high costs, so they decided to make their own market exclusively for their own goods,” Governor Orlan explains when the question is brought up.

They visited many other places until it came time for the feast. They enter a grand hall where many wealthy and noblemen have already gathered and are co-mingling.

Memories of her adventures flash through her mind. At the time she was traveling around the world, she often met the nobility of distant kingdoms. At first, she needed allies to help fight the old human kings. Then, once she became legendary, they came to her. Every kingdom has problems that cannot be solved without the power of legendary beings. For those who don’t have any of such power, visiting legendary tier adventurers are a great boon for them.

She wonders if this feast will be a similar pretense to gain her favor or have her solve some problem beyond their abilities—

“Orlan! You didn’t tell me we would have a new special guest!” An overly loud voice booms through the hall, interrupting Kayafe’s thoughts, as a large muscled man approaches her, followed by a voluptuous woman.

He stops in front of her and bows deeply and gracefully, before posing and flexing his defined muscles. His Beauty Bond presence simmers down from the burst he had let out with his entrance. 

It is clear he has developed his Bond differently from Alysara, which is to be expected considering cultural and individual differences. The nature of Bonds is highly specific to the individual. Their views and ideologies of the nature of their Bond strongly develops their Bond in unique ways.

To these siblings, Beauty must be something that demands attention or similar to that. With that said, however, they need to learn Bond discipline. It is not a problem for most, but certain Bonds, or Bonds developed in certain ways, might want someone to act one way even if it might be disadvantageous. One must remember that they are not their Bond.

“Greetings! I am Ora Ara Van, and this is my sister, Ryn.”

“I am pleased to meet you.” Ryn bows elegantly, letting her presence fill the air as her brother’s had, but with a more refined feel to it.

“Likewise,” Kayafe bows. “I am Kayafe.”

“I would love to hear your stories Kayafe; I am sure you have many,” Ryn says. Meanwhile, Van is walking toward Alysara.

Here it begins.

Kayafe suppresses the urge to roll her eyes. These two are clearly social climbers, and she would rather not be tied up in their mess. She is past adventuring and helping people with their problems; they’ve already lived this long with them, so they can continue living with them.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not confident enough in my understanding of your language to tell a good story.” Kayafe gives an excuse.

She glances over at Alysara, who doesn’t seem to be too enthused talking with Van.

Guess I’ll save her from him. It will also give me an excuse to stay away from all the politicking.

“Excuse me” Kayafe politely says to Ryn, walking over to Alysara. However, just as she was about to reach Orlan loudly announces that the food will be served momentarily and that all the guests should take their seats now.

This reminds her of the fact that her current body can’t actually eat food, and it will be quite awkward if no one sees her participating; how will she get out of this little issue?

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

 

Not a Clone POV

 

It’s the eve before I depart for the Lunaleyan lands again, and I am catching up with my family while I have a clone making more Entylamo-type airships. I show off my new abilities and my familiar, the former going almost entirely unnoticed in favor of the familiar, which the twins absolutely adore.

“It’s so soft and fluffy!” Yafel grins, hugging my familiar and patting its head.

“I want to hold it too!” Yafe complains, rubbing its belly as it struggles to get out of their embrace.

I guess it’s universal how kids treat pets. No matter what world, they will torture, tease, and be overly affectionate to them.

I suppose it’s a good thing it’s not really alive, but that ‘save me’ look it’s giving me is making me think otherwise.

I almost forgot Kadona and Uloru can see Anima, so I didn’t have to go to Lanya for this issue. She might have a breakthrough that they don’t, so it might be good to double-check.

Still, I wonder if there’s more to life than anima, soul, and vitality. It has a proto-soul, and if what Kadona says is true, that soul is life in identity, then does that mean its identity has yet to grow into its own?

It might have pseudo Anima too… Anima is life in concept; this is why the next step is fusing my Bond with the very concept of my life. However, if I am casting my spells through my Anima, then doesn’t that mean my familiar is also made part of my Anima?

I think this is why Bond Mana can make ‘real’ illusions; I am literally giving the spells life. This has scary implications that I am draining my Anima even more, which is why I still need to consult with Lanya. Kadona and Uloru don't have the breakthrough to confirm my theory of Bond mana having Anima, but they say my anima isn’t draining; at least not in any significant amount.

I summon another ‘familiar’ with [Personal Reality] for Yafe.

“Yay! Thank you Aly!” Yafe rubs her cheek against the fluffy illusory familiar.

“Can you show us how to make our own familiars?” Yafel asks.

“Of course,” I pat their heads. “But it won’t be the same, since you have water Bonds”

Well, plants and animals are mostly made of water so maybe they can make something more real than mine…

“But I want a fluffy one like yours!” Yafe complains

Perhaps if they get their Bond to the same stage mine is currently at they might be able to get what they want, but there’s also the Skill version. I wonder which one is harder to get and which one is better. I’ll be starting their mana weaving lessons soon, might as well add familiar training to it too.