章節 763: Enrollment
Though the matter of Apollo's body being destroyed by his hands had started to circulate through the godly community, there was no great backlash, especially when the matters Apollo had been involved in came to light. It was also noted that, before Apollo had been killed, the latter had already used his Divinity to try and kill Vahn. This news was the source of an even bigger stir but, once again, it was dealt with very quickly when Hephaestus explained that Vahn had an absolute fire immunity as a result of his own pseudo-Divinity. Though there were some people that wanted to hold Vahn accountable, they were just a small subset of the godly community within Orario and they didn't have the power to enforce such a decision, especially considering Vahn's status.
While that was going on, Vahn himself was sitting in a massive circular room with Riveria, Takemikazuchi, Terpsichore, Tenjin, Anubis, and Tsubaki. They were just about to start admissions to fill out the remaining spots for students. Thus far, the bulk of their first batch of students was comprised of orphans that had come from various orphanages around the City. Vahn had already gone to pick up the majority of the children from Maria's Orphanage and Syr had helped them get situated in their dorms. Now, the majority of the Department Heads were gathered together to vet new students by evaluating their background, character, and, though it wasn't as important, their potential.
Anyone that wanted to bring their children into the School had to provide documentation proving their identities, including trade and occupation. Once that was cleared, the children would be brought into the room for a preliminary interview. Sadly, especially for older children, they were very likely to be barred entry into the School, at least for the time being. They simply didn't have the capacity to 'babysit' children and raise them in lieu of their parents, even if the latter weren't necessarily the best parents. There were numerous children that needed assistance and they were exactly the target for the first batch of students, even if the justification could be considered a little shady.
Vahn wouldn't deny that the 'ideal' students for learning what the School was going to teach were those that didn't have other influences. For example, they wouldn't accept the children of Nobles, as the latter group was easily able to provide education and other resources to their progeny. There was no real justification for the Alliance empowering children who already had power and, even if it was borrowed, authority. Instead, Vahn believed it was more conducive to the change he wanted to see in the world to target younger children, specifically those that didn't have any outside ties. They would be the most receptive to teaching because they would 'understand' exactly what they were working towards, especially after receiving the benefits provided by the School itself...
As for the last qualifier, it didn't actually matter that much and just served as a test to determine what the child may be suitable for in the future. This included having Vahn evaluate their elemental affinities, if there were any anomalies in their bodies, and if they were under external influences. Lastly, using a sphere that could measure a person's control over their magic power, the prospective students would place their hands against it and try to cause it to glow.
Those that passed this test had a higher chance of being accepted into the beginner Magic classes, though failing the test didn't disqualify anyone. After all, the whole purpose of the School was to allow the students to grow at their own pace, in the direction they chose. If a student genuinely wanted to become a Mage, they would be given the basic resources to train their control and magic power until they were able to join the actual Magic classes.
Even then, not having enough magic power didn't disqualify you as those that pursued the path of Scholars, who looked into Magic theory, could also take the classes after passing tests proving they are ready. Vahn's 'ideal' School system gave the children almost limitless paths to take towards the success they themselves sought, even if it was partially guided by the Instructors who would be observing them on a daily basis. In fact, the easiest way to get into the next class was to receive a recommendation from the Instructor so you could take the test earlier.
To that end, Vahn had a vibrant smile on his face as the first child came in, a young girl around 6-7 years old with adorable little blue cat ears and an s-shaped tail who seemed very nervous as she gripped the hem of her dress with a death grip. She stopped right in the center of the room, looking as though she was about to burst into tears at any moment. Raising his hand, Vahn sent calming energy through his aura and tried easing her tensions as he softly asked, "Please, can you tell us your name, young lady...?"
Suddenly being spoken to, the young Cat Person actually began to cry this time and plopped down onto the ground with loud 'Nyaaaaaaaaaa-like' sobs. At this moment, Vahn realized that it probably wasn't easy for young children to actually enroll in the School. Most of the ones that made it to the interview stage would have at least one parent and, though they might not be well off, it certainly wouldn't be easy for them to be away from home so suddenly. He felt his heart twist in his chest until Riveria lightly elbowed him in the side and inclined her head towards the young girl.
In the next instant, Vahn had appeared next to the young child and, using his secret technique, began patting the top of her head in a gentle and soothing manner. At first, when she suddenly felt someone touching her head, the girl seemed very scared but, in less than three seconds, she had started to squint her eyes and sniffle. Her tears were quickly receding and she seemed to be calming down very quickly, even going as far as to close her eyes and begin purring after around twenty seconds. Vahn fought against the giddy feeling in his stomach and pulled his hand away, lightly asking, "Can you tell us your name now...?"
As he pulled his hand away, the girl followed it with her eyes before turning her head up and saying, "My...nyame is Nyelly...nyaa..." Vahn blinked, asking in a soft tone, "Nelly, or Elly...?" since it was hard to know when young Cat People were trying to speak. He wondered if his own children would have that same verbal tick as he smiled and heard the girl stutter, "N-n-nyelly..." without actually clearing up anything. To make things easier, Vahn wrote it down on a piece of paper and had her point to it with her small fingers, clarifying that her name was indeed 'Elly'.
After putting out a chair for the girl to sit in, Vahn returned to his own seat and the interview officially began. If he were being honest, he had already decided to accept the adorable girl into the School based solely on how cute she was. The fact she also had a dual-affinity of Water and Earth just increased the desire, even though it was her story that won all of them over. She was in a similar situation to Tina, being that she lost her Adventurer father in the Dungeon. Her mother had only been a normal civilian, however, so, after her Husband had passed away, she made ends meet by working at a laundry house. She had nobody to look after her daughter while she was at work and hoped that her child's future would be secure if she was able to attend the School.
Since she had passed the interview segment, Vahn then had the young Elly test her basic magic proficiency by having her place her palms against the large crystal sphere. Unfortunately, other than a very small light, the crystal remained dormant. Once again, Elly looked like she was going to tear up but, as Vahn had been next to her to observe the process, he just gave her some head pats to pacify her. When she started rubbing her head affectionately against his palm, Sis suddenly reminded him, (*Vahn...did you forget Milan and Tina telling you that on close family and spouses were supposed to touch the ears of a Cat Person...?*)
Hearing this, Vahn's hand twitched for a brief moment but, seeing how happy Elly was, he continued petting her as he said, ("There are a lot of things that will change in the future. Besides, I'll have to get used to small girls having a crush on me, regardless of what action I take. Don't worry, I won't let things get out of hand...") With that thought in mind, Vahn pulled his hand away and had the 'distraught' Elly sit in her seat as he conferred with the other Department Heads. Then, by unanimous consensus, Elly had been accepted as a student within the School. They let her return to her mother with the good news and then she would be escorted to her room before they separated.
Realizing it would probably be very difficult for the younger children, Vahn considered if he should pay a visit to the dorms during the evening and allow his aura to help them go to sleep. Eventually, they would adapt to the separation and it may even become a 'reason' for them to work harder, as those who performed well would have greater freedoms, especially if they were older students. For the time being, however, the only times they would return home would be during the two-week period between each semester. There were no major holidays in this world so the only event worth celebrating was the bi-annual Monster Feria's, which would likely be called the Alliance Faire in the future...
As the morning progressed, Vahn began to notice a very distinct trend in the students that were applying, or at least those that had been cleared to attend an interview. He already knew there were more females within Orario than males, as a result of the latter generally taking on more dangerous jobs and thus prone to death, but he hadn't expected that nearly 80% of the students applying were young girls. However, when he thought about it in greater detail, it made a lot of sense, especially when considering the 'standards' in this world.
Most young boys would either begin training at an early age to become Adventurers, Tradesmen, or Laborers. Since this training usually began around the same time as the requirement for the School, it meant the boys would usually already be doing other tasks and were far less likely to attend the School. As for the girls, most of them didn't aspire to be Adventurers, at least not at first, and instead focused on getting jobs with family businesses, stores, and shops. Females in this world were more likely to get into the service industry, making sure things were running smoothly, while the men would typically focus on the more physically intensive tasks. Though this wasn't always the case, it was the 'trend' that had defined the population disparity between men and women.
As this was the case, Vahn realized that the 'change' he was going to bring into the world would be a little more drastic than he had expected. Though Orario was the exception, many cultures around the world were Patriarchal in structure, with only countries like Telskyura being the exception. By empowering so many young women with the tools to 'change' the world, Vahn wondered if this power system would simply collapse in the future. Though he was certain it wouldn't be the case of women trying to 'seize' power for themselves, essentially reversing the status quo, it would still be interesting to see greater equality in the world...
There were other benefits to this, at least from Vahn's perspective, as he got to see a variety of adorable young girls from numerous different races. His Fatherly instincts were severely triggered by the end of the day, especially when a young Raccoon girl game in, standing only 83cm tall. She had reddish-brown hair, freckles, and the most adorable tuft of a tail he had ever seen. Though she wasn't the first Raccoon he had ever seen, they were still very rare in Orario and it was the first time he had seen a child.
During the interview, it was revealed that she was a street orphan that had just arrived at the city a few months ago and, having nowhere else to go, heard about the School from other orphans and decided to see if the rumors were true. As a result, she was immediately accepted into the School and, much to Vahn's surprise, she had one of the better scores on the magic evaluation. Though her Wind affinity wasn't the most impressive, the fact that she had been clear-headed enough to travel through the city and reach the School, while only being eight years old, showed that she was an intelligent young girl with a lot of potential.
When asked her name, she had very clearly enunciated it as 'Carmen Belfast', seemingly hailing from a small tribe located on the north-western regions of the Western Forests. Her family had fled to the City after Rakia Kingdom's force had started probing into the region, though it ultimately ended up with both of her parents dying along the way. The only relative she had left was her Uncle but, after trying his luck as an Adventurer, he too ended up losing his life. Thus, as a result of the machinations of fate, Carmen had ended up a street orphan that had been getting by on the charity of others...
Though he resisted the urge to outright adopt the unfortunate girl, Vahn arranged it so that she would have a little extra allowance given to her and, as she obviously had potential with magic, he gifted her a relatively plain bangle he had formed for such situations. It looked like normal polished iron but, at the very center of the bangle, there was a core of Orichalcum surrounding a thread of his crystallized blood. It would allow her magical power to develop a little quicker since its only effect was to increase the natural replenishment of mana. Vahn had developed nearly a hundred of these bangles and intended to give them to promising young children he met on the street, or by happenstance. Yes, it was a means of playing favorites, but most of the people he gave the bangles to really did deserve a break...
Once their student quota had been filled, Vahn spent a bit of time perusing over the still waiting families and looked for any students he could add on the waiting list for the next batch of recruitment. It was a little unfortunate that they would have to wait, but this system was still very new and they needed to get all the kinks sorted out before they could increase both the number of staff, and the students that would be attending. It would also help that, once there were already students that had familiarized themselves with the School, they would then be able to help future students adjust. Thus, for the time being, the total number of students was an even one-thousand, all ages between seven and twelve years of age.
The announcement that their quota had been filled had upset a lot of the waiting parents, especially since there were still several hundred that had been 'patiently' awaiting their turn. However, when the remembered who it was they were dealing with, few people made their complaints known and just retreated. Vahn secretly put letters in the bags of some of them, explaining that their children would potentially be accepted in the batch, before heading off to the dorms where the children were already being rallied together. Most of the rules would have already been explained to them, but he still needed to give his first speech as the 'current' Headmaster. He would be seeing these children grow and develop over the next few years and it was very important that he begin laying the groundwork for the future, now.
It was starting to get late in the day so it wasn't too surprising to see numerous children that were on the verge of dozing off as they assembled in the massive auditorium that was meant to be used for concerts, plays, and performing arts, in general. Though they were a bit noisy at first, Vahn smiled when the room became almost absolutely silent the moment he stepped out onto the stage. He was already letting his domain spread through the room so, after appearing, Vahn let a mix of calming and revitalizing energy flow over the gathered children. This helped those that were sleepy wake up and also gave students a better impression of him, especially since many already looked up to him.
At the very front of the Auditorium, Vahn saw Roux, Fina, and Rye all sitting together, excitement on their faces as they waved towards him. Vahn returned a small wave of his own before, against the expectations of the student, he began to levitate off the ground and 'sat' on the air. Before they began to get too riled up, he lifted his hand, gesturing for silence as he said, "First of all, allow me to welcome you to the Sage Aldrnari School of Orario. I know many of you are very nervous about what it is you'll be doing here but, I assure you, these next few years will become fond memories you'll carry with you for the rest of your lives. Not only will you be cared for during your stay here, but you'll be able to increase your knowledge, develop individuals skills, and even work towards increasing your personal power. At the same time, however, it is my hope that you'll all happily work alongside each other, becoming life-long friends that will help create a better future for everyone..."
Vahn didn't expect all the children to understand things so early, but he still smiled and explained, "It is my dream that, one day, the world will be a happier place where everyone can smile together. Though it won't be easy, I believe each and every one of you is the key to making that happiness a reality. Know that, even if things don't always seem to be going your way, I believe that each person here has the ability to become wonderful people in the future. Some of you will one day be great leaders in their fields, becoming prolific blacksmiths, alchemists, craftsman, and merchants. Others, you will walk the path of power, focusing on mastering yourself and overcoming the various trials that will bar your passage towards the peak. Though your path may be that of a Knight, or a Mage, know that there are no limits to your growth, so long as you never give up on seeking even greater heights..."
While Vahn had been speaking, he was making gestures with his hands that showed small phantom images of Knights and Mages doing battle against titanic monsters. Sometimes, a little flair was necessary to keep the children focused and, based on how he currently had their rapt attention, it seemed his little trick had been successful. Continuing his words, Vahn stated, "However, no matter what path you walk, you'll discover that it is most important that you achieve a proper balance in life. Not only should you work hard, but you should properly relax, focus on expanding your mind, and build bonds with other people. To achieve this balance, expect that you will be required to study one of the arts that are taught here, be it painting, sculpting, music, theatre, and dance. It will be explained in greater detail later, but you'll quickly understand the importance of these things as you continue your studies here...please, I ask that you simply have patience and never shy away from doing things that will help you develop as a person..."
Coming to stand on his feet again, Vahn lightly clapped his hand, allowing the lights in the room to dim slightly as the members of the Terpsichore Familia came out on the stage and began a light-hearted and entertaining performance. Vahn sat in the back, adding special effects to the act using unnamed magic spells to create small illusions and beautiful displays of fire, water, and electricity. The children seemed to enjoy it greatly and had mesmerized expressions, especially when he had made a wispy blue dragon fly around, passing through their bodies like a phantom before it began doing battle against a phantom red dragon. By the end of it, Vahn had exhausted a great deal of his energy reserves, causing him to laugh since it had actually been more difficult than his fights the previous day.
After waiting for the children to calm down, Vahn smiled radiantly and explained, "If there weren't people in the world that focused on the arts, you wouldn't be able to see displays like this. In the future, many of those sitting around you may become incredible artists that can inspire millions of people with their performances. To that end, remember to always encourage each other...never berate one of your peers for their differences, regardless of if it's their appearance, character, or interests. I'm certain none of you here would like to be bullied and made fun of, just because you liked something different than other people...thus, one of the most important rules I have for you to follow is to 'never' bully your companions...everyone here is a fellow student, working towards a better future. You should support each other, not drag each other down...never, ever, forget that..."
To wrap up his statement, Vahn allowed himself to show a solemn expression as a small amount of pressure spread through his domain. Though this could also be seen as 'bullying' the children, Vahn knew he had to be stern at times if there was any hope of them actually getting along. In this type of environment, the children would undoubtedly form their own social circles and, try as they might, it would be impossible to prevent a few altercations from occurring. However, by taking a zero-tolerance policy against bullying from the start, Vahn believed that things would get better with time. Since none of the children here had 'backings' that would allow them to put on pretenses, it would hopefully never become a major issue that required them to expel any students...
Though he said a few more words, Vahn noticed that many of the children were starting to get sleepy again and, as it was already slightly past the time for dinner, he allowed them to make their way to the dining hall to enjoy a feast. For many of the children, they rarely got to eat their fill so, having a buffet of food items to choose from helped ease the mental strain and separation anxiety they were feeling. Vahn also stayed with them until it was time for everyone to be within their dorm rooms, allowing his aura to help those that were struggling to fall asleep.
As it was the first night, the number of crying children, especially those that had been brought here by their families, had exceeded more than half the student body. It had started with just a few but, as if the feelings they had been bottled up had been contagious, the sniffles and sobs quickly spread throughout the entire dorm, all while Vahn watched over them and tried to give them the comfort they deserved...
(A/N: This will be the last chapter for today, as I want to write some Fenrir's Journey. These last two chapters were over 4k words, and it was a buttload of information to work through before I was finished xD.)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Godhand Strikes Again','Tiny and Intelligent Raccoon~','Vahn is such a Papa...')
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章節 764: Resolve
As it was ought to do, time continued to move forward and, the day after the enrollment of the new students, it was time for another separation of parent and child. Vahn had been up the entire night, watching over the children in the dorm, so he had been thinking long and hard about things by the time he had returned to the Manor. When he had gone to her room, Vahn found Riveria sitting listlessly on the edge of her bed, staring at the cradle containing Masonia. She didn't even respond to his presence at first, only turning after he called out to her, dried trails of tears marring her beautiful face. His presence seemed to awaken something inside of her that she had been fighting to keep down as, the moment she realized it was Vahn who entered, Riveria clung to his body and began crying once again...
Though he had thought about it a great deal, Vahn couldn't even imagine what Riveria was going through right now. She and her father didn't have the best relationship when she was a child but it was obvious she still cared about him deeply, as children ought to do. Over the past few days, she and Larfal had been spending a fair amount of time together and, now that the time for their permanant separation had come, he wasn't surprised she was in such pain. Still, while she was crying in his arms, Riveria never once asked him to help Larfal overcome his fate. She, like the tragic King himself, had accepted the reality of the situation. They both accepted the burden of their royal blood and, in order to ensure the future was secure for their people, both father and daughter had found their resolve...
By the time the departure was scheduled, Riveria had worked to restore her appearance back to a more natural state, even though anyone could see she wasn't holding up nearly as strong as she'd like them to believe. Larfal himself was much the same, looking haggard but containing a resolute light in his eyes as, for the first time in a long time, the two shared a long embrace together. Vahn just stood at the side, holding Masonia in his arms, watching the two give their final farewells. In truth, he feared he would never truly understand situations like this as it almost seemed 'senseless' to take such actions when you had ways to circumvent them. He hated that sacrifice was 'necessary' in some situations, just to smoothen over things for other people much later down the line...
After Riveria and Larfal finally parted, the latter turned to Vahn or, more specifically, the bundle in his arms. The light in his eyes seemed to blaze like a bonfire as he walked over and looked into the face of his sleeping grandson, muttering, "I am full of regrets...but, to create a better world for all the generations to follow, this is something I've chosen to do...forgive me, young one..." Then, as if finally realizing his presence, Larfal raised his head to match Vahn's gaze, saying, "Vahn Mason...in all my years, I've never seen anyone like you...so young...so capable...please, I know it isn't truly my place to ask this of you, and I know you would do so without my asking, but take care of my daughter and grandchild...please..."
Once again, causing his guards to twitch, Larfal bowed low and implored Vahn to protect the two most precious things held within the King's heart. In response, Vahn took a deep breath to retain his composure before solemnly stating, "No matter what happens, even if the Heavens themselves collapse upon the Mortal World, I will bear the burden in place of my family. I will never allow harm to befall them, regardless of the circumstances...that is my pride as a Husband and a Father...go, Larfal, King of the Elves, knowing that your legacy will continue forward into perpetuity..."
Hearing this, Larfal showed a gratified smile and reached out his hand, patting Vahn's shoulder as he laughed boisterously. Many of the guards, each knowing what they were going into, also produced small smiles since, much like their King, they believed the future or their people was already secured. They, too, had seen Vahn's performance the previous day, even viewing it on a loop after having one of the [Projection Sphere]s provided to them. His prowess simply went 'beyond' anything they had expected, giving them full confidence that the progeny of their Liege was secure with Vahn around.
Before Larfal was able to board his carriage, Riveria had reached out her jade-like fingers and gripped the edge of his robes, muttering, "Father..." This caused the King to lower his head slightly and, without turning to face his daughter, state, "The future of the Elves now rests on your shoulders, my child...and...I'm so proud...of you...." Though nobody could see them, it was easy to infer that Larfal himself was on the verge of tears at this point, if not already crying. His voice was shaky and the fact that he refused to turn back was a true testament to what he was feeling right now. He wanted his final moments to show his resolution, not his weakness...not again...
Appearing as though it was one of the most difficult things in the world, Riveria continued to grip the hem of Larfal's robe for nearly a full minute before a sound snapped her back to reality. Masonia had awoken and started crying, causing her to look back instinctually, face filled with concern. Then, as if uttering a magic spell, Larfal said, "Go to him...a child needs their parents..." Though Riveria didn't seem to think too much on his words at that time, Vahn felt like his heart was seized by a skeletal grip, tearing away at his chest with a fierce intensity. Still, he stood staring at the back of the King, suddenly finding the latter's shoulders to be much broader than his own...
Using the moment when his daughter had let go, Larfal boarded the carriage and the guards quickly fixed their formation as Lendal proudly raised his banner and shouted, "Forward!" in a commanding tone. Riveria, no holding Masonia, followed their departure with her eyes and, even if she wasn't aware of it herself, she took slow steps towards the gate to continue doing so for a long while thereafter. Vahn stood there silently, supporting her as best he could while also following the procession with his gaze. Seeing more than a hundred people willingly march to their deaths, without any discernable hesitation, weighed heavily on both his heart and mind. He knew they were deserving of his respect but, deep inside, Vahn felt like this entire thing was just...so senseless...
After around twenty minutes had passed, Riveria turned her eyes away from the direction her Father had left. She looked into Vahn's face, a wavering light in her jade-green irises as she said, "I'm fine, Vahn...let's go inside...I need to feed Masonia..." Vahn lightly nodded, supporting Riveria's trembling body as they made their way inside. The Hearth Manor, which was always filled with warmth, now felt like a chill had settled into it. To counteract this feeling, Vahn surrounded Riveria and Masonia with as much warmth as he could manage, letting calming energy envelope the entire room as he embraced his wife and child...a glimmer of light flashing across his pupils when he saw Riveria break down into tears once again...
---
When the procession had originally left the Elven Kingdom, they had used a powerful formation that had generally been reserved for evacuating the royal family to safety. This was how they were able to make a journey of more than six-thousand kilometers within a single day's time. As to the reasons such an extreme method were used, it was because Larfal had desperately wanted to see his grandson while simultaneously creating a 'gap' for his enemies to exploit. At this point, almost all of the Noble houses each had their plots against him, with the number of attempts at his life already numbering greater than a hundred. Even Alfred Els Lainu, the man he had treated as a friend and brother for more than a hundred years, had been plotting to seize the throne for himself, blaming Larfal for the failures and crippling of his son, Alosrin.
For the last ten months, Larfal had been using what remained of his power and authority, using his connections with both the Sage Council and High Priestess Faction to bide time. Fortunately, he still had the adulation and respect of his people as, even though some of the Noble houses had tried to slander him, the rumors simply lacked credibility. After all, it was 'very' difficult to believe when the people you 'knew' were responsible for so many atrocities were the ones telling you someone else was bad. This was especially true when families started being forcefully taken into those very same Nobles' houses, never to be seen again. When rumors began spreading of a large number of Elven slaves being handed over to the Dwarves of the Iron Hills, everyone knew the 'truth' of the matter, making it much more difficult for them to actually depose him.
Remembering the foolishness of his own kin, who touted their superior intelligence over the other races, Larfal couldn't resist snorting. Though he also believed that the High Elves were a superior species, as the 'facts' were readily available, he wasn't one of the people that advocated their doctrine of racial superiority. The only thing that truly mattered was the survival of their people, something that had been jeopardized by nearly a thousand years of policies he had been too weak to change. In the past, he had given up his freedom, his love, his family, all for the sake of things he hadn't truly believed in...now, to set things right, he was paying the price with his own life. It was one of the only 'real' decisions he had ever been able to make and, even though he was filled with regrets, they weren't able to shake his conviction...
It was with that same conviction that, several days after their departure from Orario, Larfal burst forth from his carriage to fight against his attackers. As expected, they had been ambushed on their return trip to the Elven Kingdom, fire and ice striking against his carriage in an attempt to take him out instantly. Fortunately, the barriers held true and Larfal was able to leap outwards as he began his own chant, causing a massive emerald green magic circle to appear beneath his feet. He might not be as strong as his daughter, but that didn't mean he would be taken out so easily.
Loosing forth a tempest of wind, infused with the power of destruction, Larfal loudly exclaimed, "Traitorous dogs, you dare attack your own King!? Do you truly believe your Masters, the very men who have wronged you and your families, are deserving of your loyalty!?" Though he knew it wouldn't make much of a difference, Larfal cried out to rile himself up. Magic might be more difficult to cast when a person was in a heightened emotional state, but it also made the resultant magic much stronger. His family had always been able to use magic containing the power of Destruction and, much like the name implied, it was capable of wreaking havoc on everything, even other magics.
Surprisingly, in response to his shout, a voice Larfal recognized sounded a response, "The only traitor here is you, Larfal! What right do you have to sit upon your throne when you can't even keep a single sow in line!? What value do your words possess when you so readily break promises!? You even go to the very man who had stolen your daughter, attacked my son, and enacted a blockade against our people! You have betrayed everyone! Your own wife, your daughter, your allies, and now, your very people!"
Accompanying the shout, several arrows and a powerful fire magic shot towards Larfal, breaking against the barrier he had erected. The man who had shouted out was none other than Alfred, the father of that bastard, Alosrin, the swine who had pined after his daughter's flesh. However, as if to make his asinine words even more ridiculous, Alfred actually had the assistance of foreigners in the ambush. He was obviously trying to stage things to look like it was outsiders that attacked them, likely using it as a justification to rally the people and seize the throne for himself.
Seeing that his 'friend' had turned into a true traitor to their people, Larfal just snorted, raising his staff high as he shouted, "The Els Lainu family has betrayed the Kingdom, conspiring with outside forces to commit regicide! Give these traitors no quarter!" In response to his words, the surviving guards all released a loud warcry and continued to fight against the vastly superior enemy forces. They were easily outnumbered four to one but, as if the opposite were true, the Royal Guards continued to strike down their assailants like farmers harvesting wheat in a field. Even Alfred was somewhat surprised by their fervor but kept a contemptuous scowl on his face as he looked towards the man who had 'betrayed' him.
Larfal knew they wouldn't be able to last that long and, if not for the fact his enemies were trying to make it appear like an ambush from external forces, they would have already died. After all, magic was a very powerful tool to use during an ambush and it wouldn't have been that difficult to set up a variety of powerful traps. This would be much more difficult to explain away, however, thus leading to this situation where only weaker magic, swords, spears, and bows were being used to slaughter them. Still, even though this was the case, Larfal continued to fight with full confidence that he had already won, much to Alfred's chagrin.
Long before he had left for Orario, Larfal had already made use of his own network, along with his daughter's, to spread the information about today's attack. He had also gotten the support of the High Priestess Faction who, knowing that he was willingly facing his death for the better of the Kingdom, had decided to support him. Though it might be talked about openly, it was known by all of the important figures for the future that his death was undoubtedly a result of internal conflict, not external interference.
The moment any of the Noble houses tried to lay the blame on others, they would instead be putting targets on themselves for the people to focus on. Though some would inevitably believe the Noble factions, especially those who supported the racial superiority of the High Elves, Larfal had already come up with a countermeasure for that as well. He had compiled a list of every single Elf that had been sold into slavery, who had sold them, and where they had ended up. For the last ten months, he had accumulated information on more than five-thousand slaves, which would now become public knowledge with his death. This would undoubtedly lead to greater internal conflict, but this was a trial that his people needed to overcome if they wanted to raise their heads high in the future...
Though he had held out for nearly twenty minutes, Larfal's defensive artifact finally sputtered out as an Adamantine arrow pierced into his shoulder. Accompanying the pain, he felt his nerves begin to tense up as a numbness quickly began spreading through his body. Understanding the arrow had been poisoned, Larfal just smiled towards the man he once treated as a friend, muttering decisively, "You bring doom upon your own people, yourself, and your kin...what a petulant little man...haaaaa."
As if having salt applied to an open wound, Alfred's expression became even more fierce as he tore the bow from the man next to him and knocked an arrow of his own. With a cruel smile on his face, Alfred coldly stated, "You were never fit to be King..." before releasing the arrow and watching it fly. Not really having the time to nod, Larfal just looked directly into Alfred's eyes, completely agreeing with the foolish man, though for entirely different reasons. He certainly hadn't been qualified to be King, as it had only been the catalyst for every regrettable mistake in his life, but, in the end, he felt that his life had purpose. Though he hadn't been able to give her the throne she rightly deserved, Larfal had an amazing daughter and, now that she had the support of someone like Vahn, Larfal knew there was hope for the future of their people...
Seeming to travel in slow motion, the pristine white arrowhead reduced the distance between its lethal tip and Larfal's forehead, holding true to its course as it prepared to claim the life of a King. However, though it seemed as though nothing could have obstructed its flight path, the reality of the situation was quite different from expectations. As if it had been there from the start, a figure appeared within Larfal's vision, obstructing his view of the arrow and the traitor who had fired it. In the next instant, a tyrannical and oppressive aura descended upon the forest as a cold and solemn voice resounded in everyone's ears, "I won't give you the satisfaction..."
Alfred's eyes widened when a stranger suddenly appeared, snatching his arrow deftly out of the air and glaring towards him with blazing blue eyes. Just as he wanted to shout out, asking who this newcomer was, the man was already right in front of him and, unable to voice any word whatsoever, Alfred found himself lifted from the ground. He didn't even have time to struggle as a sickening feeling welled up from his stomach, followed by a powerful 'jerking' motion. Then, before his brain could even process the pain, darkness had claimed his mind...
Though almost everyone had stopped after the oppressive aura had appeared, they became absolutely silent when they saw this strange man cover the distance between the King and their attacker in an instant. Then, with the ease of a butcher preparing a chicken, the man wrung the neck of Alfred and allowed his lifeless body to drop to the ground. They didn't even have time to process what was happening, however, as pain suddenly spread through the body of every person performing the ambush. Looking down, with what remained of their strength, each and every one of them saw black 'spears' originating from their shadows, piercing through their bodies as if they were kebabs. Unfortunately, they didn't have the same 'painless' death as their Master and were left to bleed out on the ground after the spears removed themselves from their bodies...
Not even sparing a glance towards the attackers, Larfal continued to stare blankly at the man before him, completely ignoring the painful numbness in his body as he asked, "Why...I-" Before he could continue his line of questioning, the man had looked back at him, a firm light burning vibrantly in his eyes as he repeated the words Larfal himself had said in the past, "A child needs their parents...you have failed Riveria too many times to simply throw your life away here...I don't want to see her cry anymore..."
Hearing this, Larfal felt like the numbness in his body had spread to his brain but, in the next instant, a warmth began to spread through his body, completely driving away the feeling. It wasn't just him either, as most of the people around him, including the attackers, felt the same warmth spreading into their bodies, repairing their broken bones and mending their wounds. The only real difference was that the attackers also felt an oppressive force weighing down on their bodies, which had been crippled from the spears completely shattering the 'cores' in their abdomens. They would live to face the justice they were due, even if they only did so at the behest of their now deceased master. Many of them were slaves that were forced to take action so the man, none other than Vahn, wouldn't reap their lives so readily...
Vahn looked out over the site of the battle, clenching his teeth for having waited so long to take action. Now, more than eighty of the King's escort, including Lendal, had been slain, bodies splayed out on the ground with still-resolute expressions on their lifeless faces. In truth, he had just intended to bear witness to Larfal's death, having felt it was his responsibility to ensure that Riveria's father was at least treated with dignity after the fact. However, his main body was, even at this very moment, drinking tea with a very tired looking Riveria. Though he might have been able to repress his emotions in other circumstances, he simply couldn't be sitting comfortably with his wife while simultaneously watching her father sacrifice his life...he just couldn't...
Walking over to Larfal, who was still kneeling on the ground, clutching the arrow in his shoulder, Vahn pulled it out with a painful yank and began healing the wound as he plainly stated, "You made your resolution, Larfal, and I respect that...however, I too have made my own resolutions...I want to make a world where people can be happy...where everyone can smile without having to worry about the situation they were born into...how can I build that kind of world when I can't even save the father of my wife...the grandfather of my child...? No...I can't do it...I won't just sit back and 'wait' for change to come...I can't allow this senselessness to continue...not anymore..."
Without allowing Larfal the chance to respond, Vahn pulled the slack-jawed King to his feet, dusted off his shoulders, and then patted his back, saying, "Come...we have work to do..."
(A/N: This will probably be the only chapter today, at least for the time being. I'm not sure why, but I've had a bad migraine since yesterday and, even though it started getting better yesterday evening, it seems to be acting up now that I'm seated at my computer. I'll try to write some more from my laptop, after laying down, but I feel compelled to simply sleep away the pain as much as possible. Honestly, I don't really know what to say at this point and just ask that you please be patient with me. I really want to wrap up Vol 15 soon, and there are only a few chapters left, but my brain has been wonky for the last couple of days. For the future, I promise to never try another writing challenge, especially if it's going to hurt the amount of content I can output after the fact. Know that I am very sorry for the lack of content this week and I swear I will try and do better in the future.)
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Tears are heavy on the hearts of heroes...','Pride of a King...','Pride of an Emperor...')
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