บท 18: A Visit
Sebastian couldn't lead Linet around the school while classes were ongoing so they met up in the afternoon when he was free.
"Sebastian!" Linet called out from the other side of the gate. She wore a tucked dress with a pale blue skirt and a headband which served to accent her already beautiful hair.
Sebastian told the guards to let her through. They walked side by side while talking.
"We're going over to that building," said Sebastian while pointing at the building for lessons.
Amy was always in the student council room until late and today was no exception. He decided to let Linet finish her meeting with Amy before showing her around the school. It was rare for a normal person to be able to enter this place after all.
With the exception of some staff like the cleaners and cooks, every other person was a 『Inheritor』. This could even be the only chance Linet would have in her lifetime to tour the academy so freely.
"This is the student council room," said Sebastian with a black case hung behind him. If there was a chance that someone were to look for trouble, he'd use the bow. He still had to hide his stigma after all.
Sebastian knocked on the door twice, "Amy—president," he quickly corrected himself.
"Sebastian? Come in!" Amy's voice came from the other side. He complied but once he pushed open the door, he saw a blur brush past his vision and felt something hit his chest.
"Oof..." he wasn't knocked down but he did feel some of the air in his lungs get expelled. Amy charged through the door and hugged him.
"You didn't look for me earlier..." Amy had an aggrieved expression on her face as she looked up at Sebastian with upturned eyes.
Off to the side, Linet's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock. Sebastian coughed awkwardly. Although this little bit of skinship was normal for them, they weren't alone.
Amy realized the situation after hearing Sebastian's intentional cough. She released him then straightened out her clothes.
"May I help you?" Amy made a composed smile and looked at Linet. All traces of her previous atmosphere had disappeared.
"Y-yes, I'm here as the representative of the Warde House..." Linet responded.
"The Warde House... then this is about the herbs, correct? Is there a problem with the payment or inconveniences?" Amy asked while leading the two of them inside the room.
She walked over to the side where a teapot was placed. There was a button on the teapot and once she pressed it, the pot began heating up and in just a matter of seconds, boiled.
She pressed the button one more time and took out teacups from the drawer of the same table that the teapot was on.
"Wow..." Linet muttered while looking at Amy pouring tea in the cups.
"Is it your first time seeing one?" Amy asked.
"Yes, well... I heard that they costed a fortune and the fuel had to be replaced after some uses..." it used the power of 『Inheritors』 and the exact method wasn't publicized.
"It doesn't cost that much, it's just a little more than 10,000 Aur and the fuel costs a hundred Aur. It only needs to be replaced after every month or so," Amy placed the teacups in front of them.
"It's surprisingly cheap... I should tell father to buy one, he drinks coffee a lot after all," Linet took a sip of the tea and smiled in satisfaction.
Sebastian stayed silent and drank from his cup. The only downside to the device was the taste, brewing it the traditional way still tasted better.
"Back to the matter at hand," Amy said while placing down a small plate of biscuits, "what seems to be the problem?"
Linet took a bite of the biscuit, "we've found more of the herbs that the House of Luna is searching for but the area is guarded by goblins."
—Goblins, filthy creatures that look at human women as seedbeds. What are they doing so near a settlement?
Balanos sneered. It seemed she hated goblins quite a bit.
"Goblins..." Amy placed a hand to her chin. One goblin wasn't a threat, a single knight was enough to subjugate it but goblins typically travel in packs. An unsuspecting person would end up being ambushed without the right preparations.
"How many are there?" Amy asked. If it was just a small squad, then knights were enough.
"The scouts have reported that there were over ten of them with the possibility of hobgoblins..." after Linet reported that, even Sebastian had to furrow his brows.
"A hobgoblin? Then is there a possibility of a goblin lord among them? They typically come together after all," Amy had her attention focused on Linet's words.
A hobgoblin is an evolved goblin produced by birth. If the normal goblins were the citizens, then the hobgoblins were the soldiers. Soldiers protect the citizens, but they also serve the king.
If there were hobgoblins, then they had to send 『Inheritors』 there as soon as possible. Goblins grew in numbers fairly easy after all. They also kidnap women and make them birth their children.
"Wait," Sebastian cut in, "the Warde House is under the jurisdiction of the House of Sol, why not ask help from them?"
Linet smiled wryly, "the House of Sol has temporarily given up command of several areas to the House of Luna and our Warde House is one of them."
"They've given us the jurisdiction because my father wanted me to know more about governing territories of normal people," Amy added.
Sebastian nodded, "I see. The House of Sol does hold more people without abilities as vassals than the others after all."
"Well then," Amy turned to Linet, "I'll send a squad over to take care of the problem."
"Thank you for the help," Linet bowed slightly.
—Sebastian, participate in the subjugation. Goblins are enough for Novices to deal with and if there are hobgoblins, you can leave it to the others.
Sebastian mulled over Balanos' words before making his decision.
"Amy, can you let me join too?"
"Cousin is joining too? That would be wonderful!" Linet commented with a smile on her face. Sebastian was from the House of Sol after all, she had faith in his unseen strength.
Contrary to Linet's joyful mood, Amy furrowed her brows. "Why?" she asked cautiously, did Sebastian have some ulterior motive? He had never wanted to do any physical activity in his life!
"I just need to test my abilities in real combat," Sebastian answered.
"Real combat? Why would you need—" Amy stopped her words midway, "no!"
Linet was surprised to see Amy losing her composure.
"Amy—" Sebastian tried to speak but was cut off one more time, "no means no! You're just going to hurt yourself again! You already have the duel with Gilbert, now you want to throw yourself in a pack of goblins as well?!"
Amy stood up in agitation and looked like she was about to cry. Sebastian thought he had fooled her about the matter with Gilbert but apparently, she had just been playing dumb.
Sebastian forgot about Linet momentarily and embraced Amy. He was taller than her but only by a bit, her head was leaning on Sebastian's shoulder. "Don't think you can coax me like this again!" she said while trying to break free.
Sebastian held her head and body firmly in place, "Amy, please don't worry, I won't throw away my life. I'll run away when there's danger, I just need the experience to fight against Gilbert."
"..." Amy stayed silent but stopped struggling.
"Amy?" Sebastian called out.
"...Do you promise? To run away when your life is in danger?" she looked into his eyes with a firm gaze.
"Yes, I promise," Sebastian responded without hesitation.
To that, Amy had nothing more to say. She raised herself and pecked Sebastian on the cheek. Looking at Sebastian whose eyes turned as wide as saucers, she giggled and stuck out her tongue.
"What? You're the only one allowed to kiss me? This is just a proof of contract. If you fulfill your promise and come back here unharmed, I'll kiss you again."
It looked like she learned something new. Sebastian stared at her dumbfounded. How did that innocent girl think up of such a scheme? Now he really was motivated to come back unharmed!
As the two of them stared into each other's eyes, Linet who couldn't bear it anymore, intentionally coughed.
"W-well," Amy tried to act composed but her face was as red as could be.
"You're probably still busy, we're going to leave now," Sebastian gave her some support.
"Y-yes, farewell..." Linet managed to give her some words before leaving.
...
On the walk back, the atmosphere turned incredibly awkward. Sebastian still had to show Linet around the school but she had just witnessed him flirting.
"So, are you and the president... dating?" Linet asked with a little sadness in her voice.
"Hmmm... Not exactly," Sebastian and Amy weren't dating, or at the very least, neither of them had confirmed it with the other.
"But you've kissed her before?" she asked.
"On the forehead. Amy and I are well... childhood friends. We've been together for more than a decade after all. Still, we aren't dating," as Sebastian said that, his voice had a little melancholy.
His relationship with Amy would crumble if he were to lose the duel in two months. He didn't want to date her only to be separated soon. He had to win the duel no matter what.
Linet didn't seem to be in the mood to ask about their relationship anymore as she changed the topic, "what was that about a duel?"
"Ah, I actually have a duel planned in two months against the heir apparent of the Walt House," although he said it nonchalantly, his heart was anything but calm whenever he thought about it.
"The heir apparent of the Walt House... Gilbert Walt! Cousin actually has enough power to fight against him?!"
Linet had naturally heard of Gilbert before, he was a genius among geniuses after all. She only knew that Sebastian was a 『Inheritor』, she knew not his power nor the rumors circulating about him.
Sebastian chuckled, "no. That's why I'm trying to get as strong as I can. In two months, I'll be strong enough to deal with someone like him."
After receiving Linet's words of awe, he showed her around the school and boarded the carriage to go to the House of Sol's main estate to train.
...
"Young master is truly a monster... At the rate you're going, you might not even need another week to reach my level," Kathrina said in half praise and half self-derision.
"You told me you were able to shoot from 400 yards in the right conditions, are you sure I'll be able to reach that far? I can only do a hundred right now," Sebastian said as he released the arrow from the bowstring. Once again, it split the previous target in half like it was nothing.
"Hahaha..." Kathrina looked like she was about to cry, "young master, a lot of people never reach what you've reached even after years have passed. I was praised as a genius for being able to go this far at such a young age but in front of you, I'm nothing.
"Once young master reaches 200 yards, we'll switch to a better bow set. The bow and arrows young master hold are the most accurate within a hundred yards but with young master's skill, it shouldn't be a problem."
—Use the black bow in the fight with the goblins. Regular arrows will have difficulty piercing them unless it's in the right spot.
Sebastian lowered his voice, "are you sure I should show it to others?"
—It's not a problem, you have the instructor to rely on after all. If you had found the bow at some unknown place, then you'd have to explain the whereabouts of the place. Though, you must avoid using the black arrows as much as possible. In the event that you lose one of them, there won't just be one problem to deal with.
Sebastian nodded his head. "Ah, Kathrina, I'm going out to hunt some goblins sometime soon, can you teach me anything about them?"
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