Chereads / Strength over all / Chapter 40 - Trust

Chapter 40 - Trust

"What happened master?"

I immediately cut my magic, when my hand was forced off the crystal.

Because of that the old man and the princess couldn't really clearly have seen what had happened, the old man was probably too focused on my hand and the crystal and the princess was probably too inexperienced to really know a lot about magic and from her angle she also couldn't really have seen my eyes, so I didn't worry too much about them.

But the one I worried about was Seiichi. He sat directly across from me, so he was the person, who could've seen everything.

He was also a seal master, so he had to be well informed about magic and from his gaze I could tell that he did indeed see something that he took an interest to.

If he were to expose that fact to the wrong people I really don't know what could happen to me.

"Boy, your magic was way too strong for your first time using it. A normal magic stone that you would normally use, when awakening your magic would have easily shattered under that magic power."

The princess was really surprised, so I guess she really didn't see anything.

"Did I do something wrong or why did that happen?"

I tried to play it like I myself didn't understand what had happened, but I already knew the reason, so I had to hope that my acting was good enough to fool everyone.

"No, you did nothing wrong at all. I knew that your potential was the best I had ever seen, even the princess's wasn't as good as yours, but to think that your magic would already be so strong was something I wouldn't ever have predicted."

"Master, are there any consequences for Yori?"

The princess seemed genuinely worried about me, which somehow made me happy, but I was too worried to really think about that.

"I really can't say, because I didn't even hear about something like this ever happening, but I can't see anything wrong, how do you feel?"

"I don't feel particularly bad, maybe a bit tired, but that is probably just from using magic."

I didn't even have to lie, I really didn't feel bad.

I was expecting to hear Seiichi say something, but he stayed silent and I could feel his curious gaze, basically scanning my whole body, like he was desperately searching for something.

Fuck! He definitely knew, I could tell from how he behaved, not saying anything at all, because normally he should also behave like the old man and be extremely surprised, but it seemed like the was too deep in thought about other things.

"Well that's good, but you should let Seiichi check you out, he is probably one of the best people to ask right now and we have to act fast, because there is still a possibility that there are some consequences."

"I will do my best... but I would like you to leave the room while I do that, because... I have to concentrate on him and it could really be have bad consequences if I get interrupted. I will also create the seal right after I check up on him, so you can go do something else, after all I can't say how long it'll take."

I could basically hear his excitement, it felt like he was extremely expecting and luckily for me he didn't sound like he planned on telling anyone else for now. Which was of course perfectly fine with me, but it is probably really probable that he wants something in exchange for keeping it a secret.

"Well, I suppose it's the best to do it that way, tell me if you find out anything interesting, ok Seiichi?"

"Of course, if I find anything that could have bad consequences I will tell you as fast as possible."

"Master, can we wait outside? We can't really do anything else either way without him coming with us, can we?"

She still seemed worried, it was honestly extremely cute.

"Well... let's wait here, but then we have to immediately go to the academy, I just hope that the leader is there."

"Can't you send someone to inform the leader about your arrival, otherwise you may miss him."

This leader seems to be pretty strong or at least have a high social standing, after all the old man and Seiichi seem to respect him. He's probably the principal of the academy.

"Yeah that would be the best for now, well we don't really have anymore time to waste, come one princess, let's wait outside."

"Ok, master."

She looked back at me one last time, with a gaze full of worry and I smiled back like "don't worry, everything is going to be good" to try and calm her down a bit.

*click*

The door closed and my mood immediately shifted as I turned back to Seiichi, who was already waiting full of anticipation.

"You don't have to worry about being heard by anyone. Every room in this building is protected by sound magic, making it unable to be heard from outside."

His expression had also completely changed from a curious and worrisome face to a face that only displayed curiosity. All the set up worry that he had expressed was completely gone. It was like he already knew for sure that I was completely fine.

"I don't want to play any games, so let's get to the point, how much do you know?"

"Hmm... What could you be talking about, the way that you hid the fact that you could already use magic before today, or the fact that your mana center is not at the normal place."

He looked like he had a lot of fun, a smug smile on his face, which made me worry a lot.

"I have one question for you, mister seal master."

"Oh and what."

"Depending on your answer I will tell you either nothing and I will not tell you anything and play or I am going to tell you a few things that you would surely like to know."

"Well ask me your question, boy."

I had to at least try to be play hard and now that he already showed me how much he knows, I have to make some kind of deal with him, which would make him keep quiet about everything he knows.

"Are you willing to keep everything you will hear a secret? And if you lie to me... well in the future, if I were you I would really worry about my life."

He looked like he was sure that I was bluffing, but naturally he saw that I was at least a bit more ruthless than he had initially thought and got a bit more concerned.

"Well... let's just say that I would keep quiet in exchange for information.

"But I would like to know, how would you kill me?"

He seemed to still think that he had a better strategy, but now I would try to bluff with something that would at least worry him for a few seconds.

"Well, don't you suspect that my power comes from some kind of artifact?"

"Hmm? What are you talking about."

He knew I was bluffing, but I still had something, which should work or at least should do the job.

"You really think I was able to trick the old man, who is way more powerful than I am without some kind of artifact? Don't you think it's very risky for you... after all you don't exactly know where I come from, do you?"

I pulled the knife out of my pocket and laid it down onto the desk like it was something that completely changed everything.

"You probably think that, because you can't feel any magic on this knife, it's just a normal knife, right? But think about the colour."

At the beginning he was still sure, that I was bluffing, but now I could see that he began to have doubts.

"Wait-is this a knife, made out of darkness crystal."

He began to sweat slightly and I was getting more confident, I just had to be really cautious.

"However you want to call it is up to you, but that you can recognize it should tell you something, shouldn't it?"

He looked at the knife once again and began to really doubt that I was only bluffing.

"Are you not from Raiken?"

Now I was in quite a good position and one more thing should make him fear me and really think that I was not bluffing.

"You know about the dark lands, do you?"

The dark lands were something I had read about in one of the books I read when I was in Raiken for the first time. It was a place that was extremely dangerous and as the name suggests there is almost no sunlight, so it was extremely dangerous for humans to enter them.

I kept that information in mind, because I found it extremely interesting, when I first heard about it and there was one person in particular, which I kept in mind.

"Yes of course... wait, don't tell me-"

"It's as you might think"

I took the crystal and activated my magic and this time I was already prepared, so I could at least control the power to a certain extend.

"You can guess how I got this power, right? I got this power of darkness from my father. You might know him."

Now he really began to get nervous and I could tell that his plan backfired strongly.

"The lord of darkness? He is said to have been killed multiple years ago. That's impossible!"

But there was one more reason, why my plan was quite good and hard for him to look through.

"Well then, how do you explain that I am the second user, able to use the power of the darkness ever. You really believe that he can't be my father? The power of Darkness is something extremely dangerous as you would be able to know if you heard stories about him."

He began to get more and more anxious and it seems like my act was good enough, he really believes my story.

"Actually, I was just kidding a few minutes ago, I would've never just told anyone about your powers. I'll of course keep it a secret."

"Well, that might be so, but I wanted to make sure... that you wouldn't leak anything."

"Of course."

Urgh, I could tell that he was lying, there are other ways to fake magic and he wouldn't just believe me so easily at least not with his experience. I guess I have to change my plan up a bit.

"That's good, well I was also just kidding... I'll just tell you straight up that I don't plan on doing anything evil in Raiken, I didn't have any intention of getting close to the princess or something, it honestly just happened and somehow I am here."

I put the knife bag into the bag and looked at him.

"Now that we both had our fun, I just want to make sure that you don't think I am someone easy to trick. Now, are you going to trust me that I have no evil intention and help me out with the seal, or are you going to tell everyone, who might want to capture me, causing me to flee Raiken, leaving behind the princess, who will probably be really confused and eager to search for me?"

"Hmm... I say you passed, the princess is going to be in good hands with you, if you get a bit stronger you might even be able to protect her."

So she is still stronger than me, well not that I predicted being stronger than her after just a few months training. But well I already suspected that it was a test thought of by the seal master and old man.

"Good, than I assume we can start with the seal, can we?"

"Sure, you can lie down there."

He pointed at the couch, well let's take this risk, maybe he is going to kill me, but that's why life is so fun, right? It's unpredictable like so many things in life.

"You don't have to fear anything I won't kill you, after all the princess is waiting right outside of the door and although I don't know why, but you seem to mean a lot to her, so it would be bad for you to die."

"Sure, I am ready."

While Seiichi was walking towards me, bringing along a quill and an ink pot filled with the weird black substance he was still sweating and although he was a lot older he had been extremely surprised by the kid, who was not even one third of his age.

This kid is way too good, I actually almost believed him when he told me about that story with the dark lands, to think he just thought about it out of the blue is too scary.

But that's not too bad, with him the princess should be safe and who knows what he will be able to do in the future.

"Are you ready?"

"Sure, you can begin."

"Ok let's start creating the seal."