Chapter 2 - Departure

2 year later. As I sit on my bed, I will the external mana into my chest, slightly increasing the size of my mana pool, an internal collection of mana that swishes around freely. I’ve been constantly cultivating these two years, the growth has been miniscule but noticeable. I’m suddenly awoken from my meditation, “Miss Agnes, lunch is ready, you missed breakfast, so I strongly suggest you eat.”

I sigh as I glance up at the maid, indeed I’ve missed a lot of meals due to cultivation, but my time here is limited and I need be exceptional to enter the mage academy, breaking from my thoughts I reply, “Thank you Lilian, I’ll be right there.”

In the dining room I sit at the long table along with my half-siblings as servants bring along trays of sandwiches for lunch. Fortunately, my father isn’t here, he seems to be occupied with certain matters as of late and Edmond just returned from the academy on break, so things are good. Fabien speaks with his mouth full, mumbling, “Edmond, let’s fight, you should see how strong I’ve become while you were gone, I doubt you could beat me.”

Justine glares at Fabien across the table in reprimand, “Fabien! Don’t speak with your mouth full, it’s rude!”

Fabien swallows then sticks his tongue out at Justine as Edmond chuckles, “Haha, confidence is a good quality for a warrior Fabien, but it’s important to know when you’re outmatched.”

Fabien’s eyebrows furrow as stares up at Edmond challengingly, “Prove yourself through actions, not words. Father always says that.”

Edmond sighs, “Fine Fabien, we’ll spar after lunch.”

Justine disapprovingly shakes her head, muttering, “You boys.”

On the training yard Edmond and Fabien stand against each other while in their combat stances. I have my legs sprawled out on the grass while Justine is next to me primly sitting atop her legs. Justine’s eyes shift to my spread-out legs, chastising, “Agnes, such a position is immodest for a lady.”

I look up at her, a smirk of amusement draws on my face as I lift my skirt slightly higher revealing my ankles. Justine’s eyes widen as she looks at my bare ankles, she yells, “What the hell are you doing?”

I study her face of angry bemusement and she looks up to meet my eyes, I ask, “Why do you always have a problem with me?”

Her expression freezes as she considers my question, her head bobbing down and her brown hair covering her eyes, explaining, “Because you’re a stain on the Le Sueur family name, and on my father.”

I squint my eyes at her, saying, “That hardly seems fair, I’m not a stain on anything, our father harmed his own reputation, how is it my fault that our father is the promiscuous sort?”

She mockingly laughs, saying, “Indeed, yet you are still a reminder to us all of his failure. Why he keeps you around is beyond me.”

I shrug before lying my torso on the grass fully appreciating the sunny weather, I say, “Well I will leave soon enough, once I’m 13.”

Her face flicks up to see my face, as she says in surprise, “You are? I wasn’t aware of that.”

I chuckle in self-deprecation as I shut my eyes, “And why would I tell you? It’s not like it’s something to brag about…”

After a few minute of quiet, I ask “What about your mother, why is she nowhere to be seen?”

“She died two years before you were born,” Justine sombrely says.

My eyes flick open as I raise my head slightly glancing at her before I say, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware, odd how Edmond didn’t tell me.”

Shutting my eyes again and comfortably lying my head back down Justine responds, “It’s fine, I don’t remember her at all, I was only four at the time, Edmond on the other hand remembers her vividly, he always used to tell me extraordinary stories about her, which he heard from her.”

I feel my eyebrows perk in slight surprise, I say, “Really? What’d she do that made her so extraordinary?”

I hear Justine excitedly speaks out, “Oh, she was a mighty warrior who came from the ducal house of Dubois, near the imperial lands. She fought in the great monster surge of 3810 in the northern mountains and became a renowned monster slayer of the empire, ‘the Butcher’. Back then every young lady strived to be like her. There was this one time after slaughtering an army of goblins that she was called back to the imperial capital, she took her orders very literally, so when she walked into the throne room in front of the emperor, she was covered in blood and stained the purple floors crimson. How daring, how courageous, I wish to be like her, to be able to do whatever I want without even the emperor questioning me.”

“Well, you better start training now, there’s no reason why you can’t.” I raise from my lying position as I curiously ask, “And she does sound like quite a woman, but she fought in 3810, that’s about 70 years ago.”

“Well cultivators increase their lifespan as they get stronger, also there are many elixirs that a person can take to increase lifespan.” She explains, before looking at me with a pout, “And I want to start training, but father restricts me, saying it’s unwomanly.”

“Our father is an old-fashioned fool,” I say derisively, before smiling slightly, “Also if you wish to fight so badly you probably shouldn’t be concerned over something as small as exposing an ankle.”

She just looks at me for a moment before giving a shy and curt nod clearly trying to ignore my criticism of father. Well, this conversation was productive, talked more in 20 minutes than in 6 months with Justine. We hear a loud thump inciting us to turn our heads to the fight, Fabien is covered in dirt and lightly bruised, fallen on the floor while breathing heavily as Edmond stands over him looking pristine. Fabien may not have the skill yet, but he certainly has grit. Edmond walks over to us, noting the pleasant atmosphere he says, “You two seem to be getting along.”

I nod, saying, “Indeed, your fight seemed to be interesting, judging from the conclusion, although I can’t say we were paying any attention.”

He laughs in agreement as he plops down beside me, “Haha, yes, Fabien has the tenacity of a dragon, but he also has the pride of one.”

Justine and I both laugh along before Edmond continues, “What were you two talking about?”

Justine faces him, quietly saying, “I was telling her about mother.”

“Ah,” Edmond grunts before his face grows thoughtful in reminiscence.

1 year later, at seven years old I’m sitting on my bed as I draw in mana, the mana shifts from my surroundings, slowly moving towards my chest, lightly sticking onto my magic pool, then suddenly I feel a hidden limit, mana starts sliding off my mana pool, no longer collecting. I feel a wide smile form on my face, the cultivation manual says this is the first bottleneck that needs to be overcome. Now I’m supposed to draw something called a runic structure with the mana in my mana pool. This will transform the pool into a rune of sorts, I feel concern though, from my readings in the library, the runic structures you form at each bottleneck determine your future cultivation. Basically, some runic structures provide different benefits, this runic structure I found may not mix well with my talents. However, I’m unaware of the purpose of this technique and of my talents, so I don’t really have a choice.

Mentally tossing away my concerns I begin forming the runic structure, this leads me to an immediate issue, the process of manipulating all my mana into a very particular shape is incredibly difficult. That’s not even mentioning that I must channel my mana in the unique shape for a prolonged period of time until the runic structure remains permanent. I’ve read that some runic structures are more complex than others, usually the complicated ones are more beneficial, I can’t tell if my current one is complex as I have nothing to compare it to, but it certainly looks unbelievably elaborate.

I will my mana to try take the required shape, my mana pool swirls as I try to will it into a flat disk, but I suddenly stop, my headache throbbing excruciatingly as I feel a drip of blooding flowing out of my nose. After an uncountable number of hours of attempting to even form a flat disk I stop, my will seems to be exhausted which I didn’t know was possible. My progress was awful in comparison to what the whole runic structure requires, killing my enthusiasm, inciting me to fall onto my bed and instantly knock out.

1 year later, I’m currently eating dinner with the family, no Edmond unfortunately as he’s residing at the academy this moment. Justine is excitedly chatting to father, “I’ve already managed to reach the peak of rank 0 in the cultivation method, surely this means I’m quite talented and will be allowed to attend the academy in Farel with brother.”

I notice our father’s eyebrows slightly rise in shock, yet they resettle very quickly, “While I admit than your talent is not bad, the deal was that I allow you practice martial techniques, but not attend an academy.”

Justine shouts in exasperation, “But father! I’ve started so late yet have almost caught up with most other cultivators at my age!”

Our father raises from his seat angrily bellows causing Justine to withdraw in terror, “Enough! You will not question me Justine, be pleased that you’re even allowed to practice techniques.”

Justin lowers her head as she tries to stifle a whimper, feeling dissatisfied with father’s decision I rise from my seat, saying, “Father, I think you understate Justine’s talent, she’s done in 2 years what most take about 4 years to achieve, this speaks of remarkable talent, surely it would be beneficial to have another powerful offspring.”

Father focuses his gaze on my, my body freezes as I feel of a dominating will crushing me, I can feel my will trying to push at his own except it’s futile, suddenly it stops as he scoffs at me. “You understand nothing Agnes, Justine is already betrothed to the Farels so I will not be wasting resources… now I must be off.”

He raises and walks out the room, Justine sobbing with her hands cupped over her face, and Fabien just staring at Justine dumbly, ugh looks like I must be the one to comfort her. I lift from my seat and awkwardly try to wrap my arms around her small figure, when I have her wrapped up, she suddenly reciprocates, hugging me from her seat as she cries into my shoulder, not sure what to say I simply say, “There, there.”

After a brief moment later she leaves my grasp, sniffling has she brings out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. She looks up at me with her puffy eyes, morosely saying, “It’s just so unfair, I don’t want to marry that stranger, it’s awful, I hate it, I hate everything!”

While I may not be her friend, I still feel bad for her, but the situation is out of my hands, even if I was in her position I wouldn’t know how to escape, not to mention being a mere bastard, maybe it’s fortunate that I’m not a trueborn daughter. I direct her to room, Fabien following along curiously, Justine says, “Just have the maid escort me, I don’t wish to be a nuisance.”

“Nonsense,” I instantly reply as we walk through the long hallways. We arrive at her room, and I ask, “Do you want me to come in, or would you prefer some alone time?”

Justine sadly smiles at me as she replies, “Some alone time please.”

I nod as she enters all by her lonesome, no doubt to cry herself to sleep, but I don’t intend on overreaching my bounds with her. When the door shuts, I look to Fabien who still looks befuddled as he stares at the door, turning toward me, he asks, “What was that all about? Don’t girls like to get married, father told me that.”

I bring Fabien along as we traverse the hallways to get outdoors, I feel like fresh air, I reply, “Men and women only wish to be married to someone they love, you’d be wise to remember that.”

Fabien nods seriously in vague understanding, good dog. I hook Fabien’s arm as we walk in silence, when we exit the residence I ask, “How goes your training Fabien?”

He frowns while saying, “It’s been so slow, I don’t know why.”

I laugh in amusement as I flick his forehead, “Haha, that’s normal you dunce!”

He rubs his forehead as he looks at me remarking, “You know, I’ve always thought about it, but what do you do all day? You’re always in your room.”

Smirking cheekily, I say, “Secret.”

“Heyyy, come on, you can tell me!” Fabien pleas has he shuffles in my hook arm. I sigh, “Haa, fine but you can’t tell father, or anyone for that matter, I’ve been cultivating mana.”

“What?” He says as he gapes at me. Snapping out of his amazed confusion, he asks, “But we’re not a mage family.”

Shrugging, I explain, “Why would we need to be a mage family to cultivate magic, anyone can have the talent for magic.”

He nods while exuberantly saying, “That’s so cool, you’re going to be mage, I hear they are super strong!”

I nod weakly, deciding that it’s getting late I start returning to the residence, when we arrive, I say, “I’ve got cultivation to do, you should as well, good night Fabien.”

“Ok, good night Agnes!”

Back in my room I resume my routine of trying to pass my bottleneck, I begin by willing my magic into a thin disk, I then start mentally manipulating small sections of the disk into a collection of small, intertwined lines and symbols, once the whole disk is changed into an arrangement of the lines and symbols, I can say I successfully formed an internal runic structure. I start willing my mana to move slowly in the shape of the runic structure, as it pushes around, I start feeling an immense strain on my mind, but I keep the process going. After an unknown number of hours, something clicks, I fall into some strange trance as the mana from my internal disk known as a core begins to flow rapidly through my body. A fundamental change of my body occurs as I feel cleansed in a strange way, suddenly I begin to cough violently, clearing my throat I spit out a ball of black gunk, I then notice a revolting smell assault my nose. My clothes are also drenched in that black gunk, sighing I call for a maid to being me a fresh bucket of water.

While cleaning myself I focus on my changes, my immediate change is that my skin appears smoother and cleaner, it’s already quite pale as I don’t get much sun, but now it seems to be a shade lighter with less blemishes. My mind’s eye also seems to be able to more clearly read the mana around me and at a greater distance too, not too much but it’s noticeable. I can also feel that my will has become stronger as my mind is less stressed while I manipulate mana, my body itself also seems to have become marginally stronger, obviously not as much as a physical cultivator but I’m certainly stronger than an eight-year-old should be. Finally, there is a more obscure difference I’ve noticed, my thoughts feel faster and more distinct, it’s odd, but it’s a benefit regardless. This was the only runic structure this technique had, which is fine as I doubt I would reach the limit of this stage of a mage before attending the academy. It’s funny how I’ve reached this level without even using any spells.

5 years later, I meditate on the floor of my room. I monotonously mana into my runic structures where it naturally circulates through the structure then around my body. I pull in mana at a much faster rate when I increased my level, but it seems the amount of mana to progress to the next level is much greater now. My mana is already 3 times greater than 5 years ago, yet my structure still endlessly sucks in mana.

I hear a loud knock on my door, who’s disturbing me this early in the morning, opening the door I see Fabien with teary eyes, ah how could I forget, today is the day of my departure, I’m 13 now so I’ll be able to enrol in an academy. Fabien dons his usual training clothes, standing 5 foot 10 inches at only 15, he will be a giant of a man for sure, I’m actually quite tall in this life at about 5 foot 5 inches at only 13. Fabien gives me a good ole bear hug, stealing the breath from my lungs, I gasp, “Ah, Fabien, too strong.”

Letting me go he smiles apologetically as he rubs the back of his head, “Oh sorry Agnes, it’s just so sad, I tried to convince father to let you stay but he was having none of it.”

I shake my head as I say, “It’s fine, I want to leave, I’m confident I can get into any academy even if the mage academy doesn’t work out.”

I grab some small necessities and changes of clothes before leaving for the exit with Fabien, arriving at the main entrance of the estate I see a simple carriage parked close by with 4 soldiers on horses surrounding it. Fabien turns to me, sombrely saying, “It’s a shame that Justine and Edmond couldn’t be here.”

Shrugging I reply, “It is unfortunate, but I don’t want to dwell, plus you’re my favourite sibling by far.”

Suddenly I jump onto him giving him the heartiest hug my small frame will allow, he spins me around in joy, with a dumb smile on his face. When I split, he frowns sadly as he says emotionally, “You’ll show father, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish if you want to, I’m sure you will get into the mage academy and become the greatest mage in the school, no, the empire, no, in history.”

I chuckle sorrowfully, great, now I’m starting to cry, thanks Fabien, I choke out, “I will be off Fabien, this shouldn’t be a sad send off, think of me as only going on a grand adventure, like those heroes in the stories you love.”

As I start slowly walking backwards his sadness disappears as he starts laughing uproariously, “You’re right! Next time I see you, you will be a master mage, and I will be a great hero, farewell Agnes.”

Smiling I step into the carriage and give him one last wave, which he returns, shutting the door I silently mope.

“Departing miss,” I hear the carriage driver say as the carriage jolts, then gets moving. My father didn’t even deign himself to see me off, I hope I never see him again.

My month’s journey is near its end as my carriage approaches the duchy capital of the dukedom of Tian, Feiroy. My trip on the way here was uneventful, intentionally so, we had to rush here so as to not miss the exam period. We passed towns, cities and castles, staying at inns when possible, otherwise camping just off road, well I slept in the carriage. It was certainly scenic although I felt too melancholy to properly appreciate any of it. We supposedly encountered monsters a few times although I didn’t see any as the soldiers forced me to remain inside when we were attacked.

Feiroy really is quite beautiful, the sun sets in the background casting a reddish hue over the walls of the city, a large ocean stretches endlessly behind with many ships seen departing and coming in at the assumed dock within the walls.

As we enter, the city itself has high wooden buildings, exquisite mercantile structures, a few large stone buildings can be seen further in the distance, churches, academies and the like. The people seem to be well dressed, walking along the paved stone tiling as they go about their business. Other carriages pass through, some with crests that cause people to gawk, and others, simple delivery wagons making a trip to the numerous merchant warehouses, our carriage with soldier escorts also seems to draw a few eyes, and I see armoured knights and travellers ride horses that trot along with the traffic. We pass a market where I can hear excessively loud shouting from the simple traders and people leaving with bags full of groceries. There are the occasional robed individuals, some seem to be academy students, others are proper mages, we pass many construction sites, the city clearly undergoing drastic growth. The liveliness is exhilarating, and I can’t wait to be one of these many people.

The carriage parks in front of an inn, so I step out, the carriage driver, Joseph, drops down from the front, while handing me a pouch of coins he says, “This will be more than enough to get you through until exam period, what you do from now on is your choice, good luck miss Agnes, I fare thee well.”

I nod in appreciation, “Many thanks Joseph, you were very accommodating to my needs, farewell.”

Waving each other off, he hops back on the carriage and flicks the leather straps before he continues off with the soldiers.

The examination period is starting in a couple of weeks, I need to see if I can scrounge up enough money to pay for my initial tuition for the first year before those two weeks are over. I have a few ideas, I have my cultivation technique with a unique runic structure, that could sell for a lot. Another method is to get a loan from the merchant’s guild, if I can prove to them that I have potential they may be willing to invest in me though I’m not sure of their policies, I have no collateral after all. Finally, and least preferably is to take out a loan from somewhere local, the merchant’s guild is meant to be the only verified bank in the empire, so any other groups I take loans from are likely to be rather unscrupulous. I could also investigate other methods of gaining cash if all else fails, but that will have to wait, I’m exhausted after a long trip and it’s almost dark. I push open the door of the inn ‘The Wailing Maid’, classy, inside is a wide assortment of people come into view and an ambient noise of conversation or drunken bellowing. Walking over to the innkeeper who turns to me when he notices my arrival, he says in jolly, “What can I get for ya lassie.”

While studying his gruff face, I say, “I would like to book a room for two weeks, and I would like a meal.”

He nods with a grin, saying, “Aye, it’ll be 7 large coppers for the room and 4 coppers for the meal.”

I feel my eyebrows raise in surprise as I eye him suspiciously, opening my money pouch, I simply remark “Pricey.”

The innkeeper keeps quiet as I place a silver on the bar table. 7 large coppers would be 70 small coppers, which means it’s 5 coppers a night at this place, the standard fare seems to be 3 on the road, even cities have only reached 4, why’s it 5 here? A man looking downwards into his wooden jug of ale sitting a few stools over answers my question, “It’s ‘pricey’, because we’re in the bloody capital you bumpkin.”

I chuckle quietly oh if only he knew my origins, I respond politely, “Why thank you kind sir, who might you be?”

He tilts his head sideways to get a look at me, he has a clean-shaven face with strong features, notably his defined chin, he replies, “I am Christophe my dear, a pleasure.”

The innkeeper returns my change of two large coppers and 5 small, saying, “Your meal will be a moment, I will bring it out.”

I nod to him before turning back to Christophe, I notice that he has rather fine clothes on, though a little bedraggled, I say, “I am Agnes, the pleasure is all mine, what brings you to this fine establishment, ‘The Wailing Maid’, you seem a little underdressed for such a venue.”

A bemused look draws on his face as he glances around the room, noting the rather bland attire of everyone in the inn he chuckles sombrely, “Ah yes, my tastes have always been a little behind the times. As for why I’m here, it’s to drown my sorrows, my girlfriend left me only just recently, and I’ve become stuck, wallowing in self-pity.”

I frown, of course I end up talking to someone who just went through a breakup, I say, “Ah, I’m sorry Christophe, I’m probably being such an annoyance.”

He shakes his head vehemently, “Oh no, not at all, if anything talking to a lady as articulate as you puts my mind off my rather aggressive ex-girlfriend, haha.”

I sit next to him as I see my food arrive, I wave the innkeeper over before turning my head to him and asking inquiringly, “You attend one of the academies?”

He nods while smirking, “Why yes, what gave it away?”

I shrug, saying half-heartedly, “I don’t know, your demeanour I suppose, you seem like a warrior to me, yet you’re rather young, only answer is that you’re a student.”

I dig in, not realising how hungry I was, I don’t really engage much more with Christophe, a little too tired to have a proper conversation fortunately he doesn’t seem to mind, finishing my meal and saying my goodbyes to him, I get the innkeeper to take me to my room. I get brought up the stairs in the back, we walk through a hallway of doors before reaching mine, handing me my key I rush into my room, slumping onto my bed before passing out.