章 10: Farewell

Mael was surprised when he heard a new revelation.

"So do you want to change your appearance?" Vanz asked Mael in a very serious tone.

Mael grinned as he heard his amazing offer.

"Yes of course! With that at hand, I will change my current plans! So how?" he asked sir Vanz.

"It's just easy as using a skill! But first, we need the consent of Lady Erza. She might wanna know your face first before saying goodbye," he said to him then sips the tea on his hands.

Mael touched his chin and was thinking.

"It would be great if I change my name for that time being when I become an adventurer," he said then concluded.

"I will use father's last name as my first name," his eyes narrowed while hands still on his chin.

"Well, it's concluded then. I better prepare, for tomorrow's gonna be the day," he said to Vanz.

"Say your farewells to your mother in the meantime. You will not see them for a long time. If you still have a long journey to travel by yourself," he said to Mael.

"And by the way, do you know how to identify a stone?" he asked Vanz.

"What stone?" Vanz asked being perplexed.

"This one," he said as he showed the stone he got to him.

"Oh my goodness! This is a revival stone! It can revive a person that has just passed on death's door! But it will not heal any wounds so better use a health potion by that time," he said to Mael.

"Okay! Thanks! I didn't know you're skilled at many things! I might increase your salary!" Mael said to Vanz, keeping the stone in his pocket.

"Oh, no. No! It's part of my service," he said.

"By the way, why did you left the king's side when you have a high salary and status?" he said as he sipped the tea at the table.

"Well as you can see," he said as he turned serious.

"I'm an assistant to the king in the past decades and I'm investigating the slave trade in the kingdom. I'm on an undercover mission and will infiltrate their hideout. But when I'm almost near to accomplish the mission. I've found the files of the persons involved and their activities. When I'm about to exit the hideout, they were all waiting for me at the outside! I was able to escape. Sadly, I didn't hand it out to the king and fled to Golden Valley. The culprit are the other lords that plan to rebel to the King. We've been chased for days by their forces, then found an inn and settled there. I've been hiding for days, but this is what happened," he said everything and then handed out the files.

Mael received it and then puts it on his lap and reads it.

"Oh my! These are all part of the illegal slave trade?" he gasped while looking at the book.

"Yes, I'm sorry for causing you trouble," he said to him in a sad tone.

"That's fine. Anyone who touches Golden Valley will not be forgiven," he assured him.

"What is your plan? Are you returning these to the king?" Mael asked.

"I suppose you're the right person to return it to the king. The problem is how?" Mael pondered.

"Well, let's discuss it at another time, shall we?" Mael said as he yawns.

"Let's sleep for tonight," He turned to the butler. "Maledic, please guide our guests to their rooms," he said to his guests.

Mael and his guests went to their rooms and then Mael went to his bed. He was pondering what to do in the future.

"This night is tiring and it will be hard to forget. I used all my trump cards including my ultimates. Well, this is how far I can go with the techniques. Having the job-class is better right? Why did my father teach me techniques instead of job-class? And other kids have job-class right now. Am I the only one who is not having a job-class? How will I register in the adventurer guild without a job-class? It will be hard to kill a monster without skills yeah? But I like being a handicap. I can use my strength to face the enemies. With the strength I have, it is not even comparable to my father. It is obvious that he held back even the purpose of it is to surpass him. Now that I realized it. It is harder to believe that I won over him. Is it all an act? I wonder what is happening to father right now. I will sleep soundly so I can rest with no worries. It will be a hard day tomorrow." Mael said and slept in his bed.

Mael opened his eyes and he saw the sun's rays in the room. Passing through the window with dust particles that moved in the rays itself. But his eyes were blurry so he squinted it then looked at the ceiling of his room.

'It is morning already? It felt like only a minute! Well considering my fatigue last night then I will surely be tired.' he said to himself.

Mael washed in the bathtub and then he packed his clothes and equipment for his journey.

'Oh, I can't wait to become an adventurer! I will travel the whole continent of Lumia and close the gates and become the highest rank! I wonder what would it to be like the highest rank then.' wondered Mael while he brings his backpack with him. Being in a joyous mood made him hop while humming as he went to the exit of his room.

'This will be a new day with a new life. I wonder what will happen in the future. If I die in this adventure. At least I will say my farewells to my loved ones. I think that not saying goodbye to them will only make them sadder. I have to be careful then. I think that I will survive any obstacles I will face. Not knowing the future will add spice to my travels. It would be a spoiler if I will know what will happen already. Thinking about it, I think I need my special sword. I will customize one when I will meet a blacksmith. I have already knowledge that will be useful. Even though I am still a kid. I will be on par with other adventurers. Have confidence self, I know what you can do. I will be the greatest adventurer and that's my goal. For now.' Mael said in his mind.

Mael closed the door and walks to the living room. There he saw Sir Vanz already waiting for him on the couch.

"Morning! Already packed? Quite excited are you?" greeted Sir Vanz to him.

"Yes, of course! Where's mom?" he asked while walking down the stairs.

"She's still in her room" Vanz replied while sitting on the couch.

Mael successfully went down on the stairs and went towards Vanz. While Mael was walking, Erza appeared like a ghost.

"Whoa, mom! How long have you've been there?" Mael jolted and asked his mom.

"I am here just a second ago! So how's my dress?" she asked her son, waiting to be praised.

"Wearing a gorgeous gown together with Sir Maledic. You've prepared huh? It was like a send-off ceremony!" Vanz said to them.

"Surprise! You've waited for so long? Well, I can't be wearing a normal dress on a special day!" she said then made a flying kiss to Mael.

Mael pouted but then smiled bitterly.

"Well let's begin!" Mael said to Vanz after everyone arrived.

Mael found a vacant space for the spell to cast. They surrounded him and Vanz prepared the spell.

'This is it! The time has come to know my new self. I will rise to the top with my new identity. I will be the strongest when it comes to faces. And the world of faces will tremble with my new upcoming face. The world will tremble in my new face! They will scream with all their might and collapse instantly! Making them pee in their shorts as they cry out loud. They will cower in fear and they will immediately become mad when they will see my face! This is what I have been waiting for! A revolutionary face that will change the world! Huhahaha!' Mael said in his mind while visibly smiling in trance.

"Good luck, son!" Erza cheered on him.

"[Face change]" shouted Vanz.

Great light covered the room and Mael's face was emitting a bright light.

"Whoa!" Erza was shocked. "Your face! That's manly! And badass looking!" she shouted.

She hugged him and then said, "Even if no girls will love you anymore, your mother will always be here."

As Mael heard it, he felt alarmed to what she said.

"Huh? What do you mean?" he said as he grabs the mirror that was handed by Maledic.

"Your face has the perfect disguise! They will never even know that you're Lord Mael at this point!" Vanz said as he waited for his praise.

"Damn!" Mael said as he saw his face in the mirror. He has black hair and a plain-faced guy. His eyes were black and his teeth were saw-like. Different from his white hair and beautiful face from the past.

"I'm ugly?" Mael asked Vanz in surprise.

"It's a perfect disguise! Like no girls will bother you and you will have your freedom! Haha haha hah!", he laughed vigorously.

"Well, it's not that bad! I can be a bad boy like this!" he said to them.

"Right mom?" he said while looking at her.

Erza began to cry while murmuring," My son will be forever single, I will not have a grandson like this! bring back his handsome cute face at once!"

"Mom, don't act like I'm gonna be forever like this. I can get back my face right? right, Vanz?" Mael asked worriedly.

Vanz was silent for a second.

"Hey, Vanz! You hear me?" he reiterated.

"Um, well there's a problem, I can only do it once a day," he said while he scratches his hair.

"What!?" Erza shouted.

"It's okay, mom. I will go to the capital later anyway. I want to at least enjoy the freedom of a free person. So, it's okay," he said then he smiled.

"Aaaaauuuuuwwww! My son is a big boy now! Let me hug you!" she said then she hugged him.

"Well, Vanz I will leave the operations of our projects and constructions because you're great at managing the realm. Being the right hand of the king. Don't worry, I will bring these documents to the king myself and you will be safe here. And by the way, let's write ourselves letters in-between weeks so that we will be communicating with each other," he said to Vanz.

"And Maledic! Please protect mom in my place. Mom, I will go now! Please be healthy for my sibling," he said then he walks outside their mansion.

"Write letters every day! Don't get sick! Please be safe!" shouted Erza as they waved goodbye to Mael.

"Bye, mom! I will write letters to you! I will come back stronger than before! See you!" Mael replied to her.

"I didn't expect the worst outcome. That was pretty condescending. I expected too much and didn't expect the worst will be the outcome. But still, it will do for now. I am going to use this face to mark my fate in history. Lumia! I will make history in your world! Huhahahaha!" Mael shouted hysterically.

The people who heard him looked at him when he shouted.

"Look a mad man! Look at his face! He's ugly! A monster! Kill him! Guards!" shouted the people he met.

"This is troublesome! I will escape for now." Mael said and dashed towards the terminal.

He was followed by many angry mobs but he escaped.

'Huff! Huff! I escaped at last! What is wrong with these people?' Mael asked himself.

Mael left to walk to the road without looking back and Erza was crying again.

"Why does he have to play hero for everyone? He had to be enjoying, playing, and reading books at his age and not to act like a Lord," she says while crying.

"As I can see, the young master is a person who cares for this country the most. I didn't see anyone like him before and is inspired by his acts of selflessness. Even at the stake of his life, he still moves to save the weak. Everything is just a flower that passes away and withers, but he has made the garden bloom with just his essence. He is that flower, the one who changes everything and everyone around him," Maledic explained.

Mael travels to the roads and then met travellers that were going to the capital in the local travelling carriage from the capital to the town and back and forth.

'I can arrive in the capital within the day. Making friends while being an adventurer and earning my own money. I am a lord so the money I will earn is not even compared to the money I currently have. But earning my own is pretty enjoyable. It will be harder to live as an adventurer but the thought of being independent in the rest of the way is pretty awesome too. I can live an independent life as well as getting stronger while killing monsters. I have to be stronger quickly and being an adventurer is one of the keys to achieving it. I have to be stronger and stronger as time goes by. It will be hard to rule the Golden Valley with my current strength. Not being able to protect it with my current strength is rather unsatisfying. Even with my guards, they are not enough to protect the Golden Valley. I can be better at being an adventurer. It would be satisfying to be able to protect Golden Valley with my own hands.' Mael said in his mind.

The terminal was dusty for there's a person who diligently sweeps the street. When he arrived, the carriage was almost full and needs only one passenger.

"I'm going to the capital, how much is the fare?" Mael asked the coachman. Wearing a white long sleeve with a green triangular hat that has peacock feather attached on it.

"One silver coin sir," he replied.

"Okay, here's my fare," Mael said as he handed a silver coin to the driver.

"Thank you, sir! Please sit at the back together with the others and we will be good to go!" he said cheerfully.

Mael climbed the carriage and sat beside a well-built guy armed with a sword. He has brown hair that was well combed. Next to him was a cute ponytail haired girl that was colored black. To his front was a teen-ager boy that has leather armor that has white hair. Beside him was a red-haired teenage boy at his age with robes and staff.

"Okay, we will leave immediately and sit tight as we go. Hiya!" the coachman said as he whips the horse.

'I will be leaving Golden Valley and it will be a long time before I can go back to this place. I am pleased to see that my realm is safe. I have to prepare myself for the worst but I will leave this place in my guard's hands. They will be safe for now and I am released from by the burden of ruling this place. I will come back stronger to this place. Stronger than before.' he said in his mind as he was looking from the top of the Golden mountain.

He looked again inside the carriage and rest for a bit. He was looking at each other and was observing the persons inside.

'They all looked like adventurers. Equipped with weapons from different job-class and their expressions are backed with experiences they have acquired from their training and real-life experiences. I will be becoming like them in the future so I will be looking like them. Be dignified like them and talk like them. What will it feel like when I became an adventurer? Will my eyes became dead like them?' Mael asked himself.

Mael was silently observing and they all looked with disdain at him.

'Is it because of my looks?' he wondered.