Nathan

Year 2850 | Month 12 | Day 20

The next couple days pass by in pretty much a blur. A lot happens but also not a lot at the same time. A lot because a lot really is happening, but not a lot because I’ve mostly delegated every single task while I work on perfecting that self-destruct spell of mine.

So other people are dealing with the annoying stuff.

I smile a little at the thought, only for the smile to vanish when I blow myself up again. Then I reform soon after my consciousness returns and begin making some small changes to the spell.

After a few seconds doing that, I walk back to the center of the room.

Overall, from what Claire’s told me at least, we ended up gathering a large majority of the remaining factions within the Inner Ring after our last war ended in victory. Since we’ve shown ourselves to be powerful enough to take on the nobles. Effectively establishing a nation of our own. Or at least our own real faction within the nobility.

I am technically a noble here as well. A prince of the nation.

We’ve also taken in the territories of the Cavendish Barony and the Nightshade Barony. The territories previously belonging to Baron Henry Cavendish and Baroness Elara Nightshade.

Which have turned us quite the profit.

And since we have the blueprints for some of the Republic’s technology here, some of which from my memories and some from the skeleton buying it from me in exchange for spending time with him, we have better tech than the other nobles.

The only thing they’re still beating us in is their total number of people. Both magicians and non-magicians. Although especially magicians.

We did kind of kill a lot of their magicians in the war after all.

Magicians are always the priority in a battle. The biggest threats.

They also just plain have more land though. And more land often – even if not always – means more people.

I proceed to test out my self-destruct spell twice more, using up a large portion of my remaining mana before I write down the last of my notes and get dressed. Then I head out of my lab and enter my room, soon finding Incendia taking a nap on her perch within the room.

Incendia was a massive help during the war itself. Without her by my side, there’s no way we would’ve won this war. At least not with such a clear victory.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

I smile at that thought before walking over to her and stroking her feathers a bit. And after that, I head out of my room to look at the rest of my home. A home that has gotten significantly bigger over time and looks like a regular cheaper mansion from back in the Republic now.

It even has some of the appliances from the Republic now that we have their technology here.

Just too bad technology doesn’t mean victory in battle. Nor does having technology mean we have Arcadian Metal. Since we have no way to get that here.

Apparently the miasma floating all around the nation destroyed the natural deposits.

It doesn’t affect processed Arcadian Metal though, fortunately enough.

I pat my own swords at my waist at that thought. Swords that have needed some work done on them since the last battle. Since they were chipped slightly from the destruction magician’s attacks.

Damned Rachel.

She hasn’t actually shown herself again since. Which is good, but also confusing.

It’s not like her.

Probably means she’s planning something.

I frown at that thought as I continue walking through my place until I arrive at the entrance of my home. And after leaving, I look around at the large cavern I now find myself in. One filled with soldiers at multiple exits with a large garden within it.

The garden has artificial lights across the ceiling created by the light affinity magicians of the Undying Caverns, along with a large fountain with a statue of me and Incendia at the center of the place. Something that was constructed to celebrate our victory against those nobles.

I walk through the garden for a bit, ignoring the salutes sent my way by the soldiers as I approach the fountain.

At this point we’ve fully established ourselves in the kingdom. But I can’t get complacent.

After all, I still need to become a Class A magician and to learn free casting at the very least if I want even the slightest chance at freeing Mom and Dad from the doctor. And I feel like I’m starting to touch on the aspects of free casting.

I look down at my hand before closing my eyes and focusing on my mana. On the sensation of moving it myself.

Of course, the moment I try, it backfires and quite literally rips through my arm, spreading necrosis throughout it and killing the flesh itself in a mere moment. Only for it all to revert back to normal again seconds later.

But I at least know where to start now.

And I only started to sense it after experiencing all of those spells during that war, to my surprise.

Guess the saying that war is the best teacher really does have some merit.

I stop when I make it to the front of the fountain, just looking at my own face on it with a blank expression on my own face. Not really sure how I feel about everything anymore.

Over time, things have just… gotten routine.

What am I even doing anymore?

I stare at my fountain for a while, merely listening to the water fall from it. Then I eventually let out a sigh.

Right. Strength for freedom. Strength for revenge. Strength for my family.

And strength to make sure I never lose anything again.

All about strength.

Why do I feel so… distant about that now? Like my emotions have dampened again over time.

It’s… weird.

I continue staring at my fountain for a bit before thinking of Incendia. Of my family. And of some of the subordinates I’ve gotten in my time here.

Well, it’s not all empty.

Not anymore.

Not like it was when I first arrived here.

The faintest hint of a smile stretches across my face at that thought before I proceed to head out of the garden towards the main tunnel.