《World of Tala》Chapter 11 - Heroes Education

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One day after our audience with the king, Graziel and I, Jack Anderson, are escorted to a certain room. The room has a black bloard and desk in front of it. Our escort didn't tell us on what we are going to do, he just lead us to this place from our room.

Speaking of our room, it's 25m² wide with carpet laid on the floor. Inside you'll see a bed big enough for 3 people to sleep and there's also a small round table with chairs surrounding it. In the middle of the table, there's abeautiful vase with fresh flowers. To the right of the bed, there's a wooden cabinet engraved with adeer crest on it's handle and a little bit to it's right there's a door of the bathroom. The bathroom have shower, toilet, and a bath tub. Honestly, the GoT feeling I felt when I came was replaced by a hotel feeling. If it has a TV there then it will completly look like a hotel.

I sit on the chair while Graziel slowly sit on my left. She seems to be thinking about something I don't know--- wait... I think I know what she's thinking right now, she might be thinking about Kaezar. Honestly, I forgot about Kaezar yesterday due to being too excited about this world and I feel bad about it. To think that I'll forget about her due to my excitement, I'm the worst.

While lamenting on what I did yesterday, the door opens and an old-man enters. He look like he's on his mid-seventies but his back is strangely straight. He's carrying two thick books with green cover. He walks towards the black board and give us the thick books respectively. Looking at the cover, there's a strange character embroided using gold thread that seems to the title. Maybe it's this world native language? But somehow it seems familiar to me.

"I am Rondalf Petch, a sage employed by the royal family and I will be the one in charge to teach you the common sense, laws, geography and brief history of this country. I will also teach you how to use magic so please take care of me."

Rondalf said while slightly bows to us. I am thankful for the royalty of this country since they are going to teach us the common sense and laws but why they didn't inform us yesterday?

It's already lunch when the lecture finished and Rondalf told us that there will be someone who will fetch us later to escort us to the practice ground.

Rondalf's lectures are really helpful and I am thankful for that. There are some common senses and laws that was different to what I know like the average skill of a person, about the equipment needed when you travel, about the legality of owning slaves and how to handle them and such. When I heard about slaves I thought that they are poorly treated but except for criminal slaves, they are treated humanly. Of course slaves are humans but you know, slaves are treated like things on Earth back then. So hearing that killing slaves and abusing them physically are prohibitted I somehow feel relieved. There's also level and job system in this world meaning there is a parameter that reflectedthe person's strength and weaknesses. Because of this,hitting someone's vitals, example the heart or neck, won't kill them instantly but hitting those vitals will deal big amount of damage and depending on where you hitit would inflict bad status like stun, bleeding, weakening, etc.

About the history of this kingdom rooted back 1,000 years ago. Apparently, this kingdom was founded by the Hero Ayskrimm after he subjugated the demon lord back then. It was formetly part of the Vrae kingdom in the north and the Hero asked for a small land to be his reward. The capital back then was the Wingstone City, now under the control of Count Wingstone, but it was moved 500 years ago when this kingdom repelled the invasion of Vrae kingdom andin retaliation, they invaded the said kingdom successfully getting about half of their lands.

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Back then, I thought why the hell did the Vrae Kingdom invaded since they are the one who gave the Hero Ayskrimm the land but I guess in 500 years was long enough for them to forgot about it. Actually I asked Rondalf about it and he said that it's just the king of Vrae back then, according to the history books, was a tyrant and dream about conquering the whole continent while failing at their first expedition since we are the only country adjacent to them since they are the only country in the north and invading Sevir will let them have a foothold towards the continent. Speaking of wars, the kings of past didn't initiate wars on their own, they just retaliates to countries who declared wars and invaded the land resulting to Sevir invading back while slowly expanding it's land. It seems that the first king, Hero Ayskrimm told the second king not to invade other lands but retaliate if they got invaded. It smells fishy since humans are a greedy race and wanting more of what we have is a second nature to us but I guess there are always exemptions to the rules.

And about geography, there are 4 continents in this world, the northern continent known as Northar, the western continent known as Duskhar, the eastern continent known as Rishar and lastly the southern continent known as Sithar. The Kingdom of Sevir is located on the continent of Rishar located at the North of it.There's also some unique places in this world like a perpetual snow land of Northar where the whole place was covered with snow all year, the poisonous forest of Duskhar whichall plants and living things emitts poisonous gas, the great desert of Sithar that produces sandstorm every hour and the hell gate of Rishar, a giant bottemless hole which was believed to be connected to hell.

Also, these 4 continents are the only known continent and there are some rumors about a fifth continent located at the center of the four. The rumors says that it was a continent covered with darkness where the strongest monsters resides but up until now, it was not confirmed and there's also a rumor of a flying continent above the clouds but I bet it's just a big cloud mistaken as a continent by a drunkard.

That's the summary of what we learned today and it seems tommorow he'll continue teaching us about the history and culture of Sevir, how to read and write, and how to cast basic magic.

I am in the dining room with the royal family and Graziel and we are having lunch right now.

The table is about 5 meters long with white cloth covering it. In the center of it, there's a fruit arranged in a tray and candle stand are placed two meters away from each other. There are 6 seats on each side and one at each end. The king sits at the center chair while on his left sits the queen and on his right was the princess. I am seating one seat apart from the queen and infront of me sits Graziel. I am quite nervous right now since I don't know the proper eating etiquette but the king smiled at me and said, "just eat comfortably".

After a while, maids entered the room carrying tray on their hands. One by one they placed it infront of us and take off the cover.

The lunch consist of cooked rice, grilledhind legs of pig, prawn soup,vegetable salad and white loafs of bread. I think the rice are specially cooked for us since the royal family are eating without rice. I thought that the king was a dayo from Philippines but I guess he got accustomed to eating bread instead of rice. After giving our thanks, like a prayer before meal, we started eating. The rice is fragnant and it's soft, I actually like my rice a little harder but I guess it can't be help, while theporkis juicy in the inside and crunchy on the outside and the prawn soup is simply delicious. The white bread taste good without fillings and extremely soft.

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While eating, the king asked us about lecture and we honestly told him what we learned and our impression about the laws and common sense of this world. It somehow feels like we are a family with the king as father, queen as the mother and the princess as the little sister. We continued to chat pleasantly while eating our lunch.

After lunch and a little rest to let our stomach digest what we ate, we are guided towards the training hall.It's a 50m² wide room with weapon rack on the side. The weapon here are all made of wood and there's also shield arranged neatly near the weapon racks. There are short sword, long sword, great sword, bastard sword, short spear and long spear resting on the rack and our instructor, Percival Pendragon, said to pick one and come near him. He's wearing a brown t-shirt with brown pants. On his right hand he holds a wooden long sword and a buckler on his left.

After picking our weapon, mine is a long sword while Graziel picked a short spear, we walk towards him. With 5 meters away from him, he told us to stop.

"Today, I'll be teaching you physical combat. Just by glancing on how you hold a weapon, this would beyour first time right? So for today, you guys are going to attack me with everything you have. With this, I'll be able to know your quirks and let you decide if the weapon you pick are appropriate to your own style. So come!"

Percival proclaimed while smirking towards us. His smile-- no, his gaze scares me and my body froze solid refusing to move! Panicking inside, I tried to move my gaze away but there's something in my head shouting that if I take my sight away from him I'll be killed.

Mustering my strength while sweating like waterfall, I step my feet forward but it feels like I am walking underwater, Everytime I move it feels like there's water resisting my body.

"Hou? At least you can move in this level of killing intent. It seems that you aren't ordinary. Tell me, are you a member of a combat sports?"

"Y-yeah.... I am.. a member of... Arnis club in Earth..."

I answered Percival while trying to compose myself.

It seems that he's releasing killing intent towards us testing if we'll have enough composure to fight while being bathed by killing intent.It's the first time I feel it but certainly it's not a good experience, I only read these things on manga and comicsand it's quite different if you feel it with yourself. The description they said about the feeling like being pointed by blade all over? It's quite different. It feels like you are facing a landslide without anything to help you survive. It feels like no matter what you do, you'll be killed in no time.

I don't get the connection between being in a member of combat sports to the reason why I can move while being bathed on his killing intent butI'll just think of it as a good sign.

"Also, a piece of advise. Envisioning your moves, even though it's unrealistic, is really helpful. In this world you can move like you are inside a game. There's this called "motion assist theory" which said that due to the existence of stats parameter, you can do almost everything as long as your stats can handle it."

Percival explained to us while I struggle to take one step ahead.

If what he said is true then maybe, just maybe I can break through this killing intent by envisioning myself moving normally.

With that thought in my mind, I envisioned myself being able to move and suprisingly enough, I managed to move normally, though I still feel like I'm under water. Maybe because of my high stats that's why I can move like this? I run towards Percival and unleashes a forward thrust towards aiming at his hand but Percival nimbly dodges my move and slashes downward to my unprotected back.

"Gah!"

Painrun through my back and it almost make me fall but I gritted my teeth and try my best to stay standing up.

"Also if you play RPG games in your previous world, try envisioning them since it will be handy in this world. Even the moves in action movies are good too."

Games and movies are good? Then Jasper would be good at fighting in this world since that guy is a gamer after all. The games I played are mostly mobile like candy crush or clash of clans and most of the action movies I watched are done with modern weaponries, I watched martial arts movies before but it's been too long and I don't remember how the actors moves, the only thing Iremember is the plot.

Incidentally, I saw Graziel move stealthily towards Percival so I decided to take Percival's attention to myself while letting Graziel do what she was planning.

I unleashes flurries of attack randomly but Percival fended them off with using his shield and then Graziel thrust her spear aiming at Percival's back but he blocks it using his shield without batting an eye to Graziel. Graziel's and my eyes went wide to his move as if he have a pair of eyes at the back of his head seeing through Graziel's surprise attack.

"Not a bad plan but the way you hide your presence isn't good. There are monsters out there who can blend their pressence to their surroundingsand compared to them, the way you hide is clearly inferior. Didn't I said it before? In this world, your imagination can affect the performance of your body, not only that it can also affect the spell you cast so use your imagination to it's limit!"

Percival said while unleashing a powerful slash towards me. I desperately block it but the forcebehind his attack made me step back then using that time, he turns around and push his shield towards Graziel.

"Kyah!"

Graziel squels while she got pushed back by Percival's shield then he suddenly fades out and vanished from our sight.

"Graziel, this is how youhide. Erase your presence and the sounds of your steps."

Even thoughI know he's near us and we can clearly hear his voice, I can't pinpoint where he is or feel his presence at all.

"And when your enemy can't find you, find an opening and just like this..."

"Gah!!"

A sharp pain spreads on left shoulder and I reflexively turns my back and swing my sword but it hit nothing.

"...you can effectively attack them and exploit their weakness."

This timeI am kicked at my back.

Aren't he focusing on attacking me?

After 4 hours of intense training were I, only I, got beaten since when it comes to Graziel, Percival just gently push her using his shield. We are dismissed. I became familiar with the long sword and decided to use it as my main weapon while Graziel tried different weapon and she seemed can't find something that she can use. Well, her stats are centered on magic anyways so she'll be on the rearguard casting magic she didn't really need a weapon.

I am currently inmy room having a bath. Yesterday I just took a shower and went straight to bed but now I am enjoying myself with a bath. Honestly, my whole body ache but submerging myself on hot water is really relaxing. I don't know what would happen to us in the future and having Percival teach us how to fight is really reassuring.

"Haaa..."

I let out a sigh as I think on what will happen to us. The God said that there's still a year before it revive and 1 year is too short for us to be combat ready. I feel like running away and abandon this world behind but there's this little voice inside of me saying that I should help here.

"I must be a fool to save a world with no relation to me..."

I'm always like this... As long as I see someone sufferingmy body will move on it's own and try to help them without thinking about the consequences. Logically, I should stop this impulse of mine but leaving them alone leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I know that I am sticking my nose to something where it doesn't belong but no matter how hard I try to avoid it, my bodymoves on their own.

Really... This maybe why I am chosen as a Hero. Without asking for return, I help others.

"Haaa.."

I let out a sigh as I stands up and dry myself using a clean towel.

I wonder if Kaezar's already in this world? I want to find her sooner since I am quite worried on what would happen to her if she was alone. The God said that she will transport Kaezar after she finished adjusting her body but she didn't said anything on where would she transport her.

"I guess I should just wait and ask God about itnext time I meet her."

Though I am not sure when would that next time come.

Deciding on that, I wear the pajama given by the royal family and lie down on the sofa bed.

The next day, we were thought by Rondalf about magic.

"Today we are going to talk about magic."

Rondalf said as a preface and write "magic" on the black board.

"Since His Majesty told me that you came from a world where magic didn't exist, I'll teach you about it from the start."

Hearing what Rondalf said, my heart beats fast and got really excited about it. I wonder if we are going to use a wand and chant the magic words with a swish and flick?

"Magic is a phenomenom which occurs when you use your mana to manipulate your surroundings. Ah right... You guys don't know what is Mana right?"

At his question both of us nodded. I think I have a little idea about what Mana is, basing on fantasy movies that I watched, Mana is something akin to stamina/energy of humans. I don't know if that is correct or not so I'll listen carefully to Rondalf's lecture.

"Mana is a force or energy dwelling inside of everyone and everything in this world. Even the chairs you are sitting right now contains Mana. Itwas believed that Mana came from the earth through a pathway called Dragon's Vein but it was not confirmed so it's just a speculations. Anyways, by the time that anything came into this world, Mana will automatically enters it's body and settles on it."

So does this mean that magic is a common thing in this world?

I wanted to ask that question but Ronalf opened his mouth and explained once more.

"Even though Mana dwells inside of everyone, only a few can manipulate it simply because the Mana they have are too little for them to use."

So magic is rare despite having Mana huh... I wonder if I will be able to use one~

"Most of the magicians on this world are nobles since they can cultivate their maximum Mana capacity, or should I say MP, due to their wealth."

I guess no matter where you are, money is power huh...

"There's three way of increasing Mana capacity, first is training. In this method, you'll need to train yourself with handling Mana inside you and use it until it becomes empty, it might sound easy but feeling the Mana inside is quite difficult and emptying your mana will make you feel tired and in worst case scenario, you'll faint. The second method is by eating rich in Mana foods which are clearly more expensive than the normal foods. So commoners won't be able to afford to eat those hence most of the magicians are nobles. Lastly, and also the most risky of them all, was bathing directly in the so called Dragon's Vein Spring. It is a spring-like place where Mana are concentrated, to it's surroundings the Mana concentration on plants are too great which was used on the second method but bathing using the spring water, even if you dilute it by many times, will have a 90% chance of claiming your life. So it's not recommended though."

"There's also another way to increase it by assigning it on your status just like what the previous hero, Ayskrimm, did. Well, it was said that it was just a myth since no one can manipulate the stats parameter on ones status but I think that we'll now it if both of you, our heroes, level up."

Somehow, the way Rondalf's eyes sees us changed. It somehow feels like we are a research materials that he's itching to fiddle around. I honestly feel scared at him right now but that way changes as he pretend to cough to control his urges.

"Anyways, magic is a phenomenom created using Mana. Magic have 8 attributes namely fire, water, earth, wind, light, dark, space and non-attribute. Magic can't be envoke without a skill corresponding to it's attribute and getting a skill need you to have an aptitude towards it. Next time we will use a magic item to know what are your attributes but right now, I'll explain the theories and laws of magic."

Rondalf's lectures started to get difficult with theories but the laws are easy to learn. In laws of magic there's something called affinity of elements. Fire is weak against water magic but effective against wind magic, well of course that would be the case. Water put down the fire while wind strengthen it, just like in Earth. Also there's no chants or spell name on magic since what you'll need to do is to command the Mana using the image in your mind, the more complex the image the higher the Mana consumption and skill level are required.

But if that was the case then aren't magic affinities are quite useless? I mean wind magic can put out the fire magic by dispersing the nearby oxygen and other burnable elements in the air but Rondalf said that by doing that, you'll need a high level [Wind attribute skill] and since the fire made by magicuses Mana as a fuel, it won't be effective against it. It would be effective if it's a fire made without using Mana though but using wind magic to take out fire is inefficient, it's much more easier to use water magic than the fomer.

Also, there's the so called special attributes which aren't affected by magic affinities, those are the light, dark, space and non-attribute magics. Light magic mainly focused on healing and restoration, Dark magic focuses on absrobtion and manipulation, Space magic focuses on space manipulation (quite overpowered but having an aptitude on it was really rare, it seems that only 1 person was recorded as someone who can manipulate space and that was a Hero's Vassal named Prinny, one of the magicians of Hero Ayskrimm's party) while non-attribute magic focuses in using Mana without giving it an attribute.

The skills of this attributes are very hard to obtain with the space magic being the hardest and non-attribute being the easiest one. Based on the records, in this kingdom there's 2,000 people with special attribute and all of them have non-attribute magic, 29 of them have light magic while only 2 have dark magic. The light magic practitioners are members of the Medical Department of the Kingdom while the 2 dark magic practitioners are the King and Queen of the kingdom, rumors said that the princess will sooner or laterawaken as a dark magic practitioner but there's no solid proof about that.

Speaking of royal family, isn't it weird that they only have the princess as their child? Even in GoT the king have three (bastard) child to ensure the lineage of their blood but this kingdom only have one child and the sole heir to the throne. I wonder why? Maybe I'll ask the King about it later.

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