Wolf left the Johns and Josh merchant group’s headquarters feeling very satisfied with his purchase. Today was the first time he’d opened his father’s stash of platinum and out of the roughly ten thousand gold pieces’ worth of money he was now down to a bit less than three thousand.

Then again, Wolf was now richer by two Ninth Order Monster Cores, as well as a mix of other lower Order Monster Cores for setting up Spell Formations. At the moment Wolf considered himself well and truly broke. From now on, if he wanted to buy something more expensive he would have to earn the money first.

Funnily enough, when he was a beggar, Wolf always had loads of money. And now that he’d become a respected Lord Mage, Wolf didn’t have a penny to go with his name. Most locals would probably try to throttle the youth if they knew he considered three thousand gold coins as good as broke.

Thinking about money, Wolf regretted buying that potion of Clarity ages ago. For more or less the same amount of money he could’ve bought a higher tier potion in the Nobles’ District. And what irked him the most was that he didn’t even have any real benefits, other than realizing that the potion wasn’t worth it.

Wolf headed back to the Mage Academy, contemplating his dwindling finances. The only source of income he now had was the dividend paid out by Cornucopia. And that bit of cash was just about enough to cover Wolf’s lunches with his big brother, as well as feed the people of Oakwood Freeland with some spending money left over.

The issue was that, while that trickle of money was enough for an extravagant lifestyle of Wolf the beggar, it was nowhere near enough for Wolf the Mage Academy student.

The resources high Order Mages and True-Namers needed had frightening price tags. As for resources a high Order Sword-Sage needed to advance their Order, their prices were even more ridiculous than those of resources a Mage would need.

While Wolf was busy, returning to his lodging, brooding on the subject of finances, which he’d found somewhat important for the first time in his life, various people were gathering intelligence on his actions.

Wolf had felt people watching him, what he did and what he’d bought, but since there was no murderous intent involved he didn’t care either way.

Unlike his carefree manner, various nobles were shaken by the news. Their first instinct was to doubt the words they had heard. Their spies notified them that Wolf had spent more money than a bottom ranking Marquess earned in a month. And the boy didn’t even bat an eye when making the purchase in the Alchemists’ Guild. As for what exactly transpired at Johns and Josh, nobody dared pry too much, but Wolf loudly asked for Ninth Order Monster Cores and had apparently made a purchase.

Doubting their ears a dozen or so noble lords checked the news internally, amongst each other. After confirming that their henchmen hadn’t fed them crap, a couple of them went to the Johns and Josh merchant group’s intelligence broker.

The woman contemplated the moral implications for less time than it took for a spark to die before taking the money and giving the answers. The young Mage had traded publicly, didn’t ask to go to a private room and stated his requirements in front of multiple witnesses. This implied he didn’t care about privacy and that there was no need for confidentiality between the buyer and seller.

She gave the lords a copy of Wolf’s receipt and confirmed their suspicions. This beggar was loaded. The amount he’d spent in a shopping spree today was the kind of money even Marquesses wouldn’t scoff at. And for his fortune he’d bought defective goods!

As for Jod, the genius merchant who managed to cash in items which were collecting dust for years, he was immediately summoned by the board’s representative and promoted. A person with the ability to sell warehouse paperweights for that kind of money was bound to excel even more in the future.

Now all those Counts and Marquesses suddenly wanted to know the source of the boy’s wealth. Based on his shopping spree, the boy was at least as rich as a well standing Marquess. If he really had no backing that made him no different from a walking bag of money.

***

Completely oblivious of the storm of greed and murderous intent he’d set in motion, Wolf closed the door of his bedroom. Finally the moment had come when he was free to do the thing he’d longed for.

Forcing his trembling hands to stop shaking, Wolf took out two letters and a package from his Ring of Holding. These were the letters his father and mother had penned down for him. The letters Archibald had warned him not to open until he had reached the realm of a True-Namer.

While Wolf didn’t know how to cast Tenth Order spells yet, he knew a True Name, which made him a bonafide True-Namer now. Wolf wasn’t yet aware that he still had a bit of room to grow into this title, but even if he were aware of it the youth was too impatient. These letters were testaments of his parents, the monolith of his inability to meet their expectations and a weight pressing down on his heart and soul ever since the day Archibald had died.

Wolf was uneasy about reading the words left behind by his mother, a woman who was merely a blur of love and warmth in his mind, so he first unsealed the message left behind by his father.

Dear son,

There are many things I would like to tell you. I could probably fill many books with them. But, I have to keep things short, because I don’t know how quickly you’re going to exit the cave you’ve just entered.

The first and foremost thing I want you to know is that I believe in you. No matter what you do, or what choices you make, I believe in Wolf Hillman.

To me you are my pride and joy, the entirety of my world. I guess that rising to the top and then losing it all makes a person change their view on life and what’s really important. I know you probably think my faith comes from the potential you’re showing right now, but that’s not the case. Really, it isn’t.

I can still recall how ugly you were the moment you were born. All covered in blood and grime. Yet, that ugly, bloody and grimy little creature was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. When I cleaned you up, you started bleeding right away.

I remember how we used a healing potion to keep you alive back then. I think I was more scared back then than when His shade appeared from that scroll and crippled me. Also, I have to say that that was the best used potion of my entire life. Whoever made it, may gods bless him and his lineage for as long as they live.

I was really scared for you. Scared when thinking about the fate of that fragile little thing. Blessedly you were fine from just one potion. In fact, you were better than fine.

You were the son any father could only wish for in their wildest dreams.

I know that, back then, I wasn’t around much when you were awake. But I kept watching you as you slept, I really did!

All those sweet faces and the cooing noises that you made filled my heart with joy. And your little snores, they were so cute! You sounded like a tiny grandpa!

I think it was all those sights and noises that had helped me stay as healthy as I am now. You were the one who soothed my soul and my old wounded heart.

Unfortunately I’m destined to die soon, and I’ll have to leave you all alone in this world. I am sorry. I am so sorry that I will cause you to suffer the loneliness of being without parents.

If there was something I could do to prevent it I’d do anything. I’d do anything just to get to spend a couple more years with you.

To an extent I am lucky that I was wounded and that things had turned out this way. This way, you won’t grow to loathe your weak old man as you advance through life. In fact you’ll have to grow stronger while suffering or die alone…

Dying alone…

Even though I know that you won’t die alone, that thought scares the hell out of me.

I’ve done what little I could do to pass as much of my knowledge as I could in these past months.

I want you to know that I’m neither sad nor angry that you didn’t pay attention. In fact I thought it was cute and tried to blather less important things when you weren’t focused. So don’t worry, even if you did miss anything, it was nothing important. I only felt joy that I could share what little wisdom and knowledge I’ve accumulated with my one and only son.

You will find another document attached to this letter. That is the list of our family’s members, retainers, benefactors and enemies. I don’t know if any of these people are still alive, but, if they are, when you meet them and recognize them, please act accordingly if possible.

I once again implore you to think about your safety first. Do not act like a reckless youth just because of this letter. I know you wouldn’t do anything stupid and that you’re making me proud even to this day, but I still have to worry. If at all possible I’ll do my best to watch over you forever.

Your father,

Archibald, Lord of Thunder, Hillman

P.S. Apparently I have more time, so I can touch upon another, more difficult subject.

Regarding your mother. Son, I want you to understand that she comes from a different culture with a very different set of values. Despite the way she acted I truly believe she loved you. After all, she was willing to give you a piece of her soul even in that state, and I don’t think such an act is possible just out of hatred and desire for revenge.

I debated with myself for a long while whether I should destroy her letter or not. In the end I decided to give it to you and to trust your judgment.

Please don’t hate her for what she’s written and try your best to understand her. As for revenge, if you’re not strong enough remember that revenge is a sucker’s game that will destroy you one day.

P.P.S. I’ve thought a bit about what I wrote yesterday. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think you should be forgiving.

I was forgiving and this is how I ended up.

If you are strong enough, mete out punishment as is just. If you receive someone’s kindness, remember to be kind to them in turn, but never gullible.

Here I am talking nonsense again. You should know all of this yourself. After all, by the time you read this you’ll be a grown man, but you know… To me, you will be a child forever, regardless of how old you are, or how dead I am.

P.P.P.S. Please stay well and make sure you’re safe.

As Wolf read the letter slowly, word by word. Tears ran down his cheeks, and he felt like someone was choking him. He wanted to scream and sob, but as his lip trembled he bit his clenched fist, suppressing the urge.

He read the letter one more time and then committed to memory the list of people Archibald had put together on a different sheet of paper. Finding the name of his former self in the enemies section felt strange, yet natural at the same time. Wolf hated Lonely Eagle more than his father ever did.

The youth folded the letter and the list, replacing them into the improvised envelope his father had made before placing it back into his personal Ring of Holding.

Then he looked at the letter his mother had written and the box which came along with it. Based on what his father had written, Wolf was somewhat afraid to see this letter. He had a feeling Archibald was preparing him for something, but Wolf had no idea why his father had written the things he did.

The scarce memories Wolf had of his mother were very hazy. He remembered a comfortable warmth, supple skin and tender flesh stroking his cheek. Gentle hands so white they didn’t look like they belonged to a flesh and blood woman flashed through his memories, but no face came to mind.

Even when he recalled the wilting, yet still beautiful woman, lying fast asleep on their shared cot, Wolf only knew that she was beautiful. Her face was concealed by the fog of infantile amnesia.

Wolf nervously fiddled with the envelope he held in his hands, trying to suppress fear and anxiety.

The envelope was a proper one, secured by a menacing red wax seal. It depicted a snarling wolf, looking at the person who dared open the letter.

The yellowish envelope had three words, penned by an elegant hand. To my son, it read. Seconds passed as Wolf stared at those words. Three hellish minutes later, he placed the letter down and decided to open the box first.

Inside he’d found a wooden cube, carefully wrapped in fine leather. All faces of the cube showed the same engraving. They depicted an image of a snarling wolf, the one that stared at Wolf from the envelope of his mother’s letter.

The palm-sized die shone with a faint aura of magic, and, in an attempt to buy himself more time Wolf decided to appraise it. One spell later Wolf knew that this was the royal seal of the Empire of Elf and that roughly ten percent of their currency was vested into the royal seal.

Wolf carefully examined the item worth ten percent of an empire’s finance, but all he saw was a gimmick. The seal created its own wax and could make seals of several different colors, but that was all there was to it.

As minutes passed Wolf became aware that he was just procrastinating. Gritting his teeth, he placed the cube down on his desk and once more picked up the envelope.

The youth took a deep breath and pressed the seal with the nail of his thumb.

*Tak*

With a barely audible sound which echoed in the deathly silent room, Wolf broke the seal of his mother’s letter.