I was sitting on an armchair, quite comfy, very soft of course, and does relaxes my butt and back. But… the place I was in, the place I was sitting at… is not a place I can easily relax.

The room was slightly dreary, dark, ominous even with how tall the bookshelves are and kind of scary the chandelier looks on top, as if it was ready to fall in any moments by a simple command.

But it wasn’t the room’s environment that shudders spine, it was the room itself, the one who inhabits it as he is in front of me, working on his papers and documents, very diligently, very quickly even as I was here.

That man, that person that invited me here to…. ‘talk’ was the headmaster of the Académie, Roice Wallner, a very powerful mage in his youth, employed by many kings and even two emperors of Mann, and also a legend among knights and warriors.

I’ve heard of his many exploits, from helping King Clovis X in slaying the Bandit King, mixing powerful spells with his longswords to hack and slash his way in a siege, and his… unforgiving and brutal ambush against Karlian Knights in the Gancion Independece War.

He built up a huge portfolio for himself in the field, many kings and dukes wanted him to be their ace in the battlefield, merc captains wanted to boost their company’s value with him, but most of all, he could make a living out of killing.

But he’s here now, becoming a professor in Martial and Magic classes, then the Headmaster of the Académie. I wouldn’t say he wasted his life, but I would say he choose a quiet life with no action. But I guess that could be the reason, a life of war and blood will exhaust a person eventually.

“Now with my papers done, we can finally talk Lord Svard!” He said to me.

“Ehh… if it’s about yesterday… I’ll take full responsibility! It was me who convinced them…” I quickly take responsibility of yesterday… activity…

“Haha, no Lord Svard! I didn’t summon you here to talk about yesterday, besides, none of you are at fault, it was my plot to lure your friend Téodor and it was me who indirectly entice Charrier to the existences of a magnanimous hall of artifacts.” He… eases my tension. “So, relax please! And I do am sorry if I scared you, Lord Svard!”

“No! no it’s okay! You’re just fulfilling your old friend’s last wish after all!”

“True…” He said, though somberly. “Gydon saw something in your friend, generically of course, himself, as I do too, we both were men of no renown and status. But the most standing out of what is in your friend is-”

“He’s a peasant.” I finished his sentence.

“Yes. This world is cruel and unjust Lord Svard, The Cult you are fighting against is a testament of that, and your friend, thankfully, has realize that a person like him needs all the support he can.”

“Hmm…” I wasn’t agreeing with him, cause I know Theo could still make a name without a boost, but… he’s not wrong that Theo still needs a boost to get where he is now.

“Well aside from that, I want to talk to you about Aronlight!”

“Ehh….” I was uncomfortable with where this is going, cause… I’m embarrassed that I haven’t unlock it. “I… haven’t unlock it.”

“Ohh! Well… no pressure Lord Svard! Take your time and just formulate your opinion of my world slowly and rationally!” He was understanding. “But that’s not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about the possibility of what your version of Aronlight will be!”

“Hmm… I haven’t quite decided it yet, after all I haven’t even unlock it! But I have thought about what I would want it to be.” I took a deep breath. “A normal longsword might do, but I realized it’s not my style of fighting, falchion could be, but I feel defenceless with only a single-handed sword, which leaves me with greatswords or might even a zweihander! I’ve trained with it, I’m more accustomed to its style of fighting, and… well… I’ll be wielding a big ass sword!”

“Haha, youth…” He chuckled. “Can’t blame you, I too have wield monstrously big swords in my time as a merc and it does give you a huge sense of power and invincibility.”

“Yeah… but of course it’s an illusion! a mirage that drops your guard.”

“True, I’ve seen a lot of my comrades lost their life because of that illusion.” He said somberly. “Alright then! I see that at the very least, you have resolved yourself to what version Aronlight is! So…”

The headmaster suddenly stood up and conjured… a damn zweihander in a manner of minutes, as he then handed it to me.

“I have a test for you!” He said excitingly.

“What kind?” I curiously asked.

“The kind that will prove your status as ‘The Wielder’!”

“Huh… wait you gave me a codename like Theo?!” I was surprise, a little bit exposed, but… weirdly proud.

“Like I said before Lord Svard, exceptional, dangerous, unique, and anomalies in Erisgi needs to be designated and be kept with a close eye, and you My Lord, held the greatest and most powerful weapon of Erisgi!”

‘Hmm… fine.”

“Then let us commence!”

* * *

I was running, breath becoming short, muscle all tensed, and… avoiding all sorts of projectile magic that the goddamn headmaster is flinging to me. It’s much more worse even as I’m back at the dungeon with no help at all, only a zweihander that I can’t realistically use here and a torch that is hot as hell.

“Can’t run forever Lord Svard! You have to retaliate if you want to go deeper in the dungeons!”

And… the headmaster spoke true, as my objective is to pass the Académie’s Hall of MacGuffins, go deeper into the dungeon and take some kind of tricket in the last room of the dungeon. Obviously I can’t do this if I’m being chase by him, but also I can’t do shit with the zweihander, considering how tight this dungeon is!

The only hope of escaping or at the very least, stalling him is to fight in the Académie’s Hall of MacGuffins! As previously before, there are sections of that room I can use to ambush and halt his chase.

Which I did when we arrive at the Hall, there were pillars big enough to hide me and some sharp corners that I could use for an ambush.

I first hide among the pillars, still keeping an eye on him, but was lucky enough for him to lose sight of me. Seeing the opportunity, I sneak my way out of that pillar and has two options.

I could go straight to the stairs that leads me deeper to the dungeon, where I’ll take my chances of the headmaster still searching for me in the Hall of MacGuffins. But… he’s not that stupid, can’t be actually, I bet for sure he’ll go straight down after a couple of minutes of not finding me.

Which…. Left me with another, that is ambushing and knocking him out. I took that one as it’s the one that increase my odds of not being chased.

So, after sneaking out of the pillar I hid previously, I went to one of the sharp corners of the room and made a sprint to lure him there. He heard it of course just in time for me to huddle against the wall and prepare my zweihander.

I could hear his footsteps, it was still far but as seconds goes by it became more louder and louder to the point that it’s a now or never situation.

So… with the zweihander already in hand, I use its flat side and smack the headmaster in the face.

I went to him, already knocked cold and… ehh… shit… I think got a bit too far as the bruise in his face is sticking out.

“Ehh… sorry! And I’m going to skidaddle now!”

After that it was smooth sailing, I didn’t have to look for my back constantly and of course, no magical projectile is chasing me.

As I got more deeper and deeper into the dungeon, I began to question of what kind of trinket it might be. The headmaster only says that it’s an important item for his mother, he didn’t say if it was a weapon, a book, or even anything magical!

Well either way, I’m getting closer to the room where it is stored and it’s only a matter of time to see what exactly this trinket that the headmaster wanted me to find and… see personally.

After a couple of steps and probably 30 minutes of time pass, I saw the room, lit by a dim light from the ceilings. I went in there and saw it wasn’t some kind of ball of light, it was actually the sun itself!

It was confusing at first but when I approached the trinket, encased in a glass case like the artifacts above, I saw… a flower, a blue bellflower. It would make sense with a direct sun light for the bellflower, if… the flower was planted into a pot.

But this bellflower… wasn’t planted in any soil, just… the flower and its stem.

Though I know for certain that this is beyond confusing, I kept focus on why I’m here in the first place. So, as I was close with it, I tried to open the case to no avail of course, as weirdly there seems to be no actual way to open it!

I see no keyholes, no locking mechanism, just… a plain glass case with no sort of opening mechanism.

Seeing as there’s no real option, I took my elbow and smashed the glass. Right after that I slowly fiddle around there with my hand, trying to take the flower without cutting my finger from the sharp pieces of glass.

And of course I got it.

Now the question is… what to do now? Should I go back up or wait for the headmaster? I don’t quite know but… my answers came when suddenly… I heard footsteps from my behind.

As I quickly turned my head towards it, I noticed right away that it wasn’t the headmaster, it wasn’t a man, a woman in fact, dressed from top to bottom in black like witch, except for a typical large witch hat. It was replaced by a quite thick veil and a hood that covers her face’s upper portion.

I only saw her nose and lips, that wore a stoic expression.

“You’re Arthur right?” She spoke with a jolly tone, that turned every single vibe I felt from her to one of warmth and… familiarity?

“Yeah…?” I slowly answered, still wary of her of course.

“Ohh… my, GOD!!!!” And… she rushed to me, like… I was someone that she hasn’t seen in a long time. “How are you! how’s life in Lumenter so far? How’s Gordon? How’s Luther! AND OHH MY GOD, How’s Igi, your mother!!! How’s my tight bitch going?!! Ahh, who am I kidding, she let loose and now is a fat slob right? Haha!”

Did she… just call mom… her bitch?

“Ehhh… have we met?” I was hella confuse at her familiarity.

“Agh!” And… she suddenly stopped. “Sorry… forget what I said, let’s just focus on you! How’s Lumenter, Arthur?”

“Ehh… it’s fun so far, I went on an adventure, went to a ball even! Met a great woman, made new friends, found old friends here… and… living the fantasy life!” I don’t why… I answered like I answer to my aunts, about my everyday stuff…

“That’s wonderful! Then how’s Martyn and Eleanna? I heard he became a co-ruler, haha… as expected of Henry’s kid!”

“Wait… you know Martyn’s dad? The first heroes?”

“Yeah! I was a part of the crew!”

“Ohh… well… Martyn is busy, being a co-ruler and all, while Eleanna is studying hard like me in the Académie, She’s learning to be a spy and an investigator!”

“Seriously? Eleanna is learning to be spy and investigator… wow…”

“Yeah, a good one even! She solved a serial murder back in Geamradh!”

“That girl… haha…” She chuckled and from how tender and delighted her face was, I felt a sense of proudness from her towards Eleanna. “Then… what about your teacher, Marie?” Suddenly, her tone shifted to a serious one.

“She’s getting by, made a contract with a Lobo named Nieve.”

“Ohh she did?” She was surprised.

“Yeah… and she also is taking care of a young Fada girl, named Roison!”

“As expected of her…”

“You know Miss Marie?”

“Through her elder sister, I know a lot of her, like her lazy behaviour, temper issues, slutty acts… and of course, her caring, motivating, and… loving nature. She’s a wonderful person.” Again, the smile, the same proudness she is exuding like with Eleanna. “Well, I guess that’s all huh?”

“Yep…” I nod my head.

“Now mind giving me that flower?”

“I’m sorry, but this is for the headmaster of the Académie!”

“Ohh you mean for Roice?”

“Yes!”

“Well, I’m that rascal’s mother!”

“…” I stood for a moment and… what? “I’m sorry what?”

“I’m his mother!”

“Adoptive mother!” And… the Headmaster finally came.

“Roice! Nice to… what happen to your face?”

“Someone went a little bit overboard, mother…” He stared piercingly at me. “Still, it was a solid hit.”

“My… here let me!” The lady in black then went to the headmaster.

“Mo-mother! It’s-”

“It’s a bruise I can heal Roi! Stop fussing let me heal it!” She then healed the bruise in an instant.

“Okay…” And the headmaster, looked like a boy being taken care of by his mother.

“Now that’s done… you mind giving me that flower Arthur?” She came to me, with hands ready to receive the bellflower I held.

“Here you go.”

“Finally…”

As the flower laid before her hand, she grabbed it by the stem and held it high. She went it near it, smelling from the stem, then the flowers, and right after, kissed the flower.

“Aurik... my child... hope you have a good next life.” And after speaking quite softly and even mournfully, she let go of the flower and it flew to the hole above and most likely landed free outside of this dungeon. “Well… I’ll be going home now! But before I go...”

She then suddenly grabbed me and kissed my cheeks.

“Pass it to Eleanna, okay! And tell her that on her 20th birthday, she will receive a gift she longed for, from a brother she never knew.” With a tender smile she said to me.

“O-okay!” Still embarrassed cause… it’s been a long time someone kissed my cheeks.

“And also tell Marie not to get fuckin pregnant! I’m not forbidding her to have sex, I’m just saying she should be careful!”

“Okay…! Anything else?”

“No, nothing more, just that.” She didn’t anything more. “Take care Arthur! Say hello to the others for me! and chin up! You will unlock Aronlight!”

“Thank you!”

And after I gave my gratitude, she left us with a tender, excited waving hand, and a lot of questions… as she quickly disappeared.

“I think… I might have an idea who she is…” After compiling how she talked about me and the others… especially with Eleanna and miss Marie… I have a good picture who she might be.

“You know of the Sorcièrante?” The headmaster said.

“Who?”

“My mother!”

“Ohh! Kind of… just, probably not the way you are thinking.”

“Hmm… well one thing for sure, she’s a wonderful woman, right?” He asked with a soft smile.

“Yeah…” I answered with a soft smile too.