Our flight was pretty peaceful. The girls were enjoying their ride of the Gryphon while I was left in the dust to fight off a horde of Razor Hawks with blade-like material as their wings, and I got to practice fighting them with my Warlock powers.
I sighed.
Can't I just experience peace for a full minute?
After I got their levels, I eventually caught up with the girls.
[Levels in Store: 18,925]
[Passive Skills in Store: Razor Creation]
Razor Creation… I wonder what that does.
Well, I won't find out unless I try it out.
Anyway, I have a lot of levels in store. I already maxed out the girls' levels so I guess I should feed myself some.
[Leveled up!(5,000)]
[Notice: Auto Class Selection is available]
Auto Class Selection?
[Auto Class Selection will allow me to choose which class upgrade will best suit you]
Now that I think of it, you forgot to let me upgrade my classes. Well, I am very busy so I tend to forget. Guess this is a great option for me to have.
Ding!
[Assassin --> Breakneck Slasher]
[Skill Obtained: Breakneck Movement(Lvl.1)]
Huh, how nice. Though I'm a little disappointed, only 1 class was upgraded, but whatever.
"Master," Akane said, "We've arrived."
I glanced down and saw a large establishment laid on the vast grassland. The manor was huge, and I'm saying that while I'm up in the air. There was a big fountain placed in the middle of a large round stone path. The stone path most likely leads to the nearest city, but that's just my assumption.
I spotted a figure sitting on the edge of the fountain.
Suddenly the air felt tense and my body quivered. I also felt mana brush my body as I flew forward. I realized that I had entered a barrier and we were let in.
Then I quickly recognized who it was.
Celestia looked up at us and signaled us to come down.
The Gryphon began to descend and I did the same.
"Welcome," greeted Celestia.
"Hello. Now, I'm guessing you are the real Celestia, right?" I asked.
"Of course I am. I'm not that lazy as to send a clone to get you."
"I see, so we are that important to you, huh?"
Celestia palmed her face and shook her head.
"Whatever you say. Come on, I've yet to introduce you to the duke."
After the girls got off the Gryphon, we followed Celestia into the manor.
Two guards stood at the entrance of the front door. They would let us in without hesitating, most likely because Celestia was guiding us.
When we entered, we were met with two maids. They escorted us through a long, polished corridor decorated with luxurious ornaments and seemingly priceless artifacts.
We walked up a marble staircase and into another long hallway until we reached two large doors.
Creak~!
The doors seemed to open by themselves, as if they had a mind of their own. Actually, since Celestia does live here, I bet she enchanted these doors to open themselves.
Anyway, as they opened, there was a middle-aged man who was well dressed sitting on a luxurious couch. Sitting on the couch next to him, there was a woman who seemed to be in her prime wearing a fancy blue dress, and sitting directly across her was an old man.
This old man was not just any old man; he was pretty fit. He was wearing a long white coat like a cape. Under that, he was wearing a black and jade-colored imperial uniform. When I noticed the uniform, I was quickly reminded of the guards that I spotted in the kingdom halls.
The old man noticed my gaze and I felt an overwhelming presence pressing weight onto my shoulders, however, I was too self-absorbed by my suppressed vexation to feel it.
Celestia turned to me and I quickly looked the other way. The old man raised an eyebrow before shrugging.
He's instinctively cautious, but he's too dense to know why, otherwise he would've called me out.
I stared at the ceremonial blade attached to his belt. It seemed to give off a strange, mystical aura, as if it possessed powerful energy. That energy also seemed to be linked with the old man as they both had the exact same energy.
I attempted to read his status but Analysis didn't work for some reason.
I will have to be wary of him. I do not know much about his abilities and one wrong move, he could end me.
Anyway, Celestia started to introduce them to us and us to them.
"Nero, Kiyomi, Ravyn, Akane, this is Lloyd Oria, otherwise known as Duke Oria. The woman next to him is Layla Oria, his wife, and the old man is Francis Oria, a high-ranking military officer of Paragon. These four are the ones I've been talking about, my subordinates from Romanus."
Subordinates?
'Play along.'
I heard Celestia's voice echo in my head. Huh, so not only can she read minds through telepathy, but she can also communicate as well.
Celestia continued to introduce us, and in the process, she revealed the identity of the girls, so once they saw Kiyomi revert to her Kitsune form, they didn't react differently at all. The same goes for Akane when she revealed her horns. Maybe it's because Celestia is a dark elf that they don't really care if a demi-human or any entity of another kind is present.
'During the generations of the Oria family, they have never discriminated against others. Unlike other aristocrats.'
Is that so? I'm relieved to hear that.
"I see," The middle-aged man said as he got up from the couch.
He walked over to the girls and bowed before standing in front of me.
He was about a few centimeters high and surprisingly he didn't have much energy inside him. Could it be that he's suppressing his powers?
I tried to examine his stats, but again, Analysis wasn't working.
'You entered my barrier moments ago and once you are inside, you are unable to use Analysis or any skill that allows you to examine one's status.'
Huh, you could've told me earlier.
Well, since I can't examine his status, I won't mess with him.
Suddenly, he seized my hand and gave me a handshake.
"So you are the one Celestia has been telling us all about."
"…huh?"
I titled my head before turning to Celestia with a puzzled look. She shrugged and I got even more confused.
"Dear, you are making the boy uncomfortable." The woman would say as she got up.
"Oh, sorry." He said embarrassingly before sitting back down.
The woman approached us and gave us a polite bow.
"I apologize for my husband's rudeness. We warmly welcome you to the house of Oria."
Layna grasped my hand and I felt an unsettling feeling as she held my hand. It was almost as if I was burning and freezing at the same time. It was so abnormal that I eventually couldn't feel my arm anymore.
Despite the pain I was feeling, I'd let out a bitter smile.
"N-nice to meet you too."
"So Celestia, this is the boy you were talking to us about?" She would turn her attention to Celestia and she nodded.
"Precisely. Now, I think you should let go of his hand. He doesn't look so good." Celestia said noticing my expression.
"Oh, I apologize." She said as she would let go of my hand. The feeling in my arm quickly returned and I took deep and quiet breaths.
I don't think I'm going to go near that woman for a while. Either she has the ability to disable a body part of a person, or she wrapped herself in divine energy. Either way, she is a dangerous person for me to be around.
"So father, what do you think?" Layna asked the old man.
The old man stood up and walked over to me. The look he gave while inspecting me was grim, almost like I was dirt.
This one... he's a high-ranking officer if I'm correct. I'll have to watch out for him.
"Hmph! I'll say my thoughts once I see his skills." He said grumpily, turning around to sit back down.
Skills?
I turned to Celestia and she sighed.
'Since I told them you were my student, they have high expectations for you. Remember that their daughter is also my student.'
So I'm supposed to show off, huh? I don't know how I am supposed to do that but I guess I can do something.
Along the way, I have been meaning to test something out with Banishment.
Knock-knock!
The sound of knocking could be heard from behind. I turned as the doors opened and there was a young woman standing at the door.
She had long, pale-blonde hair tied in a ponytail with a bow, heterochromatic eyes(her right eye was blue and her left eye was silver), and clean white skin. She wore a white and blue dress which is longer in the back, thigh-high black stockings and black heels.
"H-hello," She stammered, "M-my name is Katrina Oria."
She shyly bowed her head before walking past us. Her arm grazed me and the same feeling happened again; the same feeling that occurred when Layla grabbed ahold of my hand.
I held my arm as my nerves slowly returned to me.
Besides Lloyd, I can't be near Layla or Katrina. The old man... well, I guess he can be part of that category, but he is a much higher threat than them.
"Well, now that we have everyone from the Oria house," She would then turn to me, "-it's time to demonstrate your power."
.
.
.