บท 93: Preparation for the Summit

"You already finished it?"

Sebastian whistled in admiration at what he held. It had just been a little less than a week yet Pine was already finished with his order?

"Yes, because of young master's detailed plans and ideas, I was overcome with inspiration and completed it as soon as I could!"

Though Pine was speaking energetically, he had heavy bags under his eyes. Sherry who was sitting on a nearby seat also had bags under her eyes though not as noticeable.

Sebastian did what Pine instructed him to do and the contraption in his hands—a collapsible bow—transformed.

"Wow."

Amy muttered as she looked at the bow in Sebastian's hand. While it didn't seem as sturdy as a normal bow, there were still big advantages in being able to carry it with one hand.

For one, Sebastian would be able to deploy it at a moment's notice in the case of an attack which was what he needed right now.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce you. Pine, this is Amira Luna, my fiancée. Amy, this is Pine, the owner of this shop. That alchemist over there is Sherry."

"Ooh~ So this is the place that you get all of your equipment made?"

"Pretty much. His work is on par with top blacksmiths, he has a natural gift. Not to mention, things like these."

Sebastian held the bow up.

"You wouldn't find many people so willing to create stuff like these just from a few plans, and masterfully at that too."

Pine scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Sorry for bothering you so late at night, I just wanted to show her the shop."

"It's no problem! You can come here anytime!"

Pine asserted. Sebastian laughed it off and left with Amy not knowing that Pine had meant it literally. Even if Sebastian were to visit at three in the morning, he would wake up and accommodate him.

"Young master's fiancée is really a beauty. I could feel myself looking like some random girl on the street when put next to someone like her."

Sherry commented while munching on the pastry that Sebastian had gifted them.

"Right? I've only seen her in official events a couple of times but she's still one of the most beautiful women I've met."

Pine sighed while shaking his head. His young master was really lucky.

…

"Eh? A summit?"

"Yes, a summit. Why do you have a habit of repeating everything I say?"

Sebastian lightly coughed in embarrassment.

"The heads of the four major households and a handful of our vassal households will participate. The kings and queens, along with a crown prince, will attend as well. All countries will have to attend with the same conditions. For every country on the continent, this is the most important event."

Sebastian gulped.

"Though I say that, I'm not exactly keen on participating in this. It's very tiresome. That said, I can't just withhold my participation and send my daughter in my place, she won't be able to withstand that meeting."

What kind of meeting was the summit? The royalty and major households of each country would participate.

If he sent his 17—18 year old daughter in the coming days, he'd be treated as a joke. And, although she could accompany Markus and it would be good experience for her, it wasn't wise to leave their house alone without any management.

The summit is held at the center of the continent, it would take three months to travel back and forth using the airship.

If they left their house alone for that long, who knows what would happen?

"That's why I'm planning on bringing you."

"Me? Why?"

"You're my bodyguard, aren't you?"

Sebastian blinked twice.

'I am?'

Unlike Amy, he wasn't dealing with any of his house's administration. Jonathan had a trustworthy helper whom he would leave the house to manage while he's away.

"This is an opportunity for you, so it's best if you attend. Not like you have much of a choice."

If Sebastian were to stay behind, then nobody would be able to protect him.

Markus, Jonathan, and everyone who could protect him would be going to the summit for months. Without them, what would Sebastian do to defend himself?

Even if the entire city were to mobilize for him, what could they do against a Sage? With Markus and Jonathan, maybe they could buy time for Sebastian to escape but Sages are given their titles for a reason.

There are no small number of Magus and Casters working under them.

"For today, this is your job. We'll depart for the summit in roughly four months."

Markus handed him a file he had to sort and began working. The never-ending stack of papers that surrounded him hadn't fazed him one bit.

…

One week passed since Balanos' tree had fallen and roughly two weeks since Sebastian's return from Tidas. There was a week left until Amy's birthday which was on the 21st.

—The storm wasn't normal.

"..."

Balanos had woken up and recounted the events to Sebastian.

—Roughly a fortnight before the storm, I had felt surveillance on me. I used my power to find out the other side's identity but they were able to avoid me.

Balanos is comparable to a Magus, to evade her surveillance would mean that her opponent's ability must specialize in stealth, or that they were stronger than her.

—I hadn't thought much of it because it had only happened once but that was a mistake. On the day the storm arrived, the clouds suddenly darkened and rain began pouring. It all happened without any forewarning.

—The storm lasted for three days. On the second day, I wad attacked. It was a power far, far greater than my own. It cut my tree in half before I was given a chance to defend.

Sebastian sucked in a cold breath.

If that power was enough to strike her down and avoid her detection so easily, it couldn't be anything but a Sage's power.

—I managed to grasp the presence shortly before I had to go into slumber to preserve my energy until you returned. Even now, I have no way of recuperating my energy because my tree has fallen. Once the presence is near, I will be able to feel it.

—They must think I'm dead.

"Are you sure?"

—Hamadryads, or dryads in general, do not have the ability to preserve their lives once our trees are dead. And, while don't have any basis, I'm certain of it. Ptelea hadn't died and been corrupted. She was killed.

"Then, the ones that had targeted you were planning to make you the same as Ptelea?!"

—Most likely.

Sebastian bit his lower lip and clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. There was a high chance that the Sage was aiming for both of them from the very start.

He was helpless.

When he had first gotten power, he felt elated. But, as he grew stronger, he felt it more deeply. The helplessness of not being able to do anything.

"Balanos, isn't there a way for me to get stronger faster?"

—This again? Power can't be acquired so easily.

"Then, what about the stigma?"

—What do you mean?

Sebastian removed the glove on his left hand and raised his sleeve. Though she was only a soul at the moment, Sebastian heard her suck in a breath.

—I-it changed. It's beginning to imitate the Godslaying Arrow. It's still missing a few parts but this is indeed part of it.

Balanos fell silent for a good while. When she finally regained her composure, she began talking again.

—When did it change?

Sebastian began telling her about everything that happened while he was in Tidas. Balanos patiently waited for him to finish and once he did, she talked.

—Then, there are three possibilities that I can think of at the moment. The first is emotion. You felt extreme anger, much like the first user of the stigma, the Demon.

While it wasn't his real name, it was what he would be known as according to the books.

The enemy of God is the Devil, and the greatest soldier of the Devil is the Demon. That's what the books had called him.

—The second possibility is that you broke through your limits and the stigma evolved to accommodate your strength. And the last, but least likely possibility is because of the situation. You were put in peril and the stigma evolved to defend its user. In the end, the stigma isn't a living entity.

But, he couldn't do any of those so easily.

—I may just be going on a whim here, but Sebastian, try using my Soul Armor.

"Isn't it best to only use it in case of emergencies?"

—When you had melded with part of my soul, it only had enough power to last for that long. With my full soul, you could wear my armor almost indefinitely. Though, the restrictions from before still apply.

"Meaning that if I can withstand it, I can use it for as long as I can?"

—Precisely. Are you interested?

"Ha! Of course."

With that, the two of them left for the forest where they could safely use the transformation without the knowledge of others.

"Balanos!"

BOOM

Preceded by a flash of light, Sebastian was covered in armor from head to toe. It looked the same as when he had first worn it.

"I… don't feel much pain."

—So my assumptions were correct.

Balanos explained as Sebastian continued to try out the armor.

—Before, you were only melded with part of my soul and it was unstable too. Soul Weaving requires utmost stability of the user's soul and mind. With the entirety of my soul and consciousness both inside you, the armor will be less burdensome and more powerful.

Sebastian hunted beasts left and right with the armor. He just needed to hit most of them once before they exploded into a gory mess. All of his physical capabilities were multiplied.

When the time that Sebastian wore the armor neared three minutes, Sebastian started to feel pain. Balanos quickly recalled the armor and spoke.

—Your limit is three minutes. For three minutes, your physical power will be akin to that of a Caster. And, if we lessen the time, you can also use the power of a Magus.

Though it would still be up for debate if he could win against a real Caster, at the very least, he would be able to deal with Adepts easily.

Sebastian joyfully laughed. With this, he would be able to protect Amy and his family. At least, that's what he hoped in his uneasy heart.