I DID IT! I FUCKING DID IT! MWAHAHA! After all these efforts, after pain and tears and blood and sweat! I have my thesis signed! This also was the reason why I was “silent” for these few past days. So, I will defend my bachelor at the end of the month, have barely 130 pages to learn by heart. Izi pizi. Will do it. So notification for you: I will write chappies for next few days, and then I would take yet another break to prepare myself for defense. The good part in it, is that after I would get that bloody diploma, there would be nothing for next two years (ok, maybe 1.5) that would disturb my writing!

And now, take a chappy! Eat it!!!!

Edited by: KenChi死

“Sir, sir! I beg your pardon for disturbing your rest, but Mr. Blackwood is humbly asking you to join him for dinner.”

Ol’ Archibald woke me from my little nap I took after a few hours of very intense labor. What needs to be said, they really have nice beds here… I would probably ask them to smuggle one into my room in the guild… if not for the little detail, that the king sized bed I was laying on was bigger than my whole room in the guild.

“Sure thing… just give me a seconds…” I said with still tired voice. “Sir, we do know that you tried your best and must be exhausted, but it is my duty to humbly ask you to behave yourself… and I mean language…”

Ah yes, some words were spoken that maybe were just a little too… inopportune, for a house of nobles… well screw them to.

“I’ll remember that…”

I was led once again through whole mansion to … well not small, but definitely cozy room, not like those absurdly big halls. Long table were up to ten men could gather were placed nicely in the middle. Only the head of the house and stuff were present inside.

“Ah, Zariel, I am glad you decided to join me… And I already need to say my words of gratitude. Cecilia already feels better… far from being healthy, but she regain consciousness a few times. I have no idea how to repay you…” “Oh, I am sure that you will find something out…” I said with a joking tone. But I wasn’t joking. Not at all. “You can start with letting me inside the library… And I have to say it, what kind of barbaric country you are? To keep your knowledge away from the people? Libraries should have free entry!” “Now, I have never suspect you to be such a joker! You know, books are extremely valuable, not only thanks to knowledge they contain, but also price is ridiculously expansive! One: many folks simply can’t read, many more have no idea how to use the book without damaging it… Two: if every commoner would have free entry, soon our collection of books would be stolen or damaged… but the very idea is beautiful. But before considering it, we have to teach the society how to properly use them, then we need to find a way to reduce prices… Anyway, because of the situation, I have never the pleasure to introduce myself properly. I am Lennon Blackwood, I have the responsibility and pleasure to be head of the house… And now as we have the boring part already dealt with…” he took of his ring and throw it in my direction I caught it by reflex “Show it to the guard either they would let you in, or arrest you for thievery.” “…Not exactly what I was hoping for, but better this than nothing…” “Do you have a family name?”

Now… that’s tricky.

“I have no family. I was born by nature itself. My mother is Earth and my father is Sky.. thus having one is pointless for me.” “Logically speaking… yes. Technically… not exactly. A family name in the future may open doors for you that normally would stay shut… have I told you that nobility have free access to places like the library? If you would like to consider…” “If you want to ask me, if I want to join some noble family… don’t. Just don’t. I am not interested. Yet if somehow my circumstances would change… I would know where I should look.” “I wasn’t going to ask you about joining a particular family… more like making your own. As the king is busy, the great families have authority to raise individuals into nobility. I would need to pay a few fees, pay annual taxes from your noble title and… oh, swear loyalty to kingdom… that’s what you are trying to avoid…”

Sharp, are we? Indeed, I have nothing against becoming a noble, but as th formal part of the Kingdom you are obligated to answer call to arms in case of war. War is coming soon. I have nothing against fighting those holy bros… but who know when the next war would break loose? And with who? And so on, and so on. No, I may work as a freelancer, but being tied to one certain person or kingdom? Not my thing. This is why the adventure guild is a true blessing for me.

The diner started. Leon was asking politely about my worldview, personal beliefs… marriage plans, that one smelled fishy… I was answering, more or less, also politely, while eating and feeding Sebastian (sitting on my shoulder) a few chunks of meat.

Aaaand then that topic was used. The one that I liked, the one that Leon was fascinated. The art of war.

“You may not know, but the Blackwood family is not old. My Great-great- great - great -grandfather was a common solider, but for his bravery and skills he was raised not only into nobility, but even higher – they were counted as a grand family, even as they were completely alone… The grand house is a group of the king’s personal advisors… well, we and members of his council. Of course we were mostly responsible about military matters… even now every male of our family is raised mostly to, in case of war, lead forces in main battle, while head of the house is directly responsible for strategy…” “May I disturb you here… then politics… may I know who is responsible for that matter?” “Of course also head of the house, but with no shame I have to admit, that my wife is far superior in that matter. I can’t enumerate all cases which I would failed without her…”

O-ho… now, now…

“So, you are saying, that poisoning your wife could be an attempt of taking out your family?” “No. I was also wondering about that case. We are warriors. And war is approaching. In these times our family is more important than any other family… but relations with others families did… crumbled… a little…”

Damn, I don’t want to get involved… but damn! It’s almost like a side quests invitation! My gamer sense is tingling! No! Stop it! Do not get involved! Do NOT! DON’T!

“I will look for some traces in the library…” I said.

FUCK! You dumb fuck! Which part of not-getting-involved can’t you get!? I am so mad at myself!

“Sir…” Archibald entered the room “The man you asked to see is finally here…” “Just in time, Zariel, I allowed myself to borrow your time up until now for this particular reason… would you come with me?”

You certainly got my curiosity.

We moved into YET ANOTHER BLOODY ROOM AFTER WALKING THOUGHT DAMNNED HALF OF THE MANSION GOD DAMNIT, IF ONLY I COULD FIND THE IDIOT PIECE OF ARCHITECT THAT MADE EVERY SINGLE CORRIDOR OF THIS HOUSE GO ALL THE WAY AROUND I WILL RIP HIS HEART OUT, MELT HIS EYES AND DOVOURER HIS LIVER GOD DAMN HIM… to find that men that Leon wished to see… was actually a dwarf with couple of assistants.

“That’s the brat?” a rude dwarf “Th, oy’ kid, show me yourself… that pathetic body, it’s unworthy of my art…” “Pardon me?” I honestly had no idea how to react. “Pf, weak and dumb. It’s just getting better. I need to measure your body so my art would fit, come’ere you little fart…” “Offend me one more time…” if I would get a penny every time I am speaking this quote “What will ya do, e? Tell yar mommy ya met a rude dwarf?” “… and I will burn your beard.” I finished while snapping my fingers making small flame appearing on top of my palm.

Zari used threat. It is supper effective

“Now now now now! Why do we get all hasty here… let’s start from the very beginning! Name’s Fional, master blacksmith from Red Mountain…”

Now, that’s better way to start a conversation.

“Leon, you really want to pay me off by getting me some trashes from some good for nothing merchant?” “Now you did it brat! My customers are slaughtering each another just to get into queue so one day they may ask me for my art! I even refused Kings! If not the case that Leon’s great -grandfather was a good mate of mine, you would need to wait about 20 years just to pay me a visit! Now, let me measure your bloody muscle-less body!”

We will get along just fine.

The measurements itself took only a few minutes. After that time, the dwarf started swearing left and right.

“First time I saw someone talking back to old Fional… well I guess it’s because you don’t know who he was…” “Is he really as good as he was trying to convince me he is? Somehow I get an idea that he was exaggerating” “Best blacksmith on the continent. Also, second son of the King under Red Mountain. Yes, you have just offended the most skilled craftmaster and royalty in same time… And you know that damaging a dwarf’s beard is the most terrifying thing that can imagine?” “That bad?” “They would forgive raping their daughters… they would forgive stealing their most treasured ways of crafting, they would forgive disgracing and killing their whole family… and then, there you have their beard… there is a book in the library “Races of the world” how they were bring to life and so on… read it in your spare time…” “I will… maybe even now… right now.” “It would be a wise choice.” “… So here I go…” “Sure thing…” “Aaaand should I be afraid of some half-sized human assassins jumping at me from the barrels on my way there?” “You will never know.” Leon was certainly having a great time “… so… see ya? I guess?” “We will always gladly see you in our house… but… if a dwarf is holding daggers… look after your crotch arena…”

With that extremely useful advice I headed right to the library… and each time I was passing a crossroads I was looking suspiciously at every places were a dwarf could hide. Damned barrels, you never know what they are scheming…