(Ken POV)
When I finally opened my eyes to grasp my consciousness and the world around me, the very first thing that I saw was... Nothing.
Yes, nothing. Wherever my eyes drifted, all I perceived was an endless white void that felt like emptiness at its entire core.
Well, I can only conclude one thing about this strange dilemma that I found myself in.
"I'm fucking dead, am I?"
Welp, there goes my dream of becoming a Mage and a Noble. Who would have thought that my first Magicka was actually going to be my last?
The chronicle of Ken Bruce, an anti-climatic tale of a badass Mage in the making.
Well, at least I got killed by a Dragon in a glorious, epic match, so there's an excuse for my death that I can proudly tell my ancestors when I meet them here in the afterlife.
Hmm...
Come to think of it, if this is the afterlife, then those damn priests back at the village were spewing bullshit all along. They always said that Heaven, or Divinia, the Seven Gods' realm, was a paradise, one that promised eternal bliss to good-hearted souls.
And this place right here is anything but paradise.
That, or... Oh, Gods... This is Hellia isn't it? The realm of the Dark Gods.
If that's true, then I didn't know that the Dark Gods favored the white color instead of the dark edgy ones that we all came to know all along.
Must be some hogwash religious propaganda then.
Anyways, I'd like to think of myself as a good person, or at least I'm trying to be one as best I could.
I guess that was not enough?
"Crap, I'm being punished for my excessive usage of foul language, am I? I guess this is eternal damnation for me then instead."
"Wonderful, I can't believe that my new protege turned out to be an idiot of all things."
I was suddenly interrupted when I heard a female voice coming from behind.
Turning at my back, my eyes widened when I saw a familiar figure in front of me.
"You!!!"
White long flowing silky hair, silver radiant eyes, and a remarkable mature busty beauty on top of that.
Many definitely would fall over heels upon a single look on her.
She was bare-footed, dressed in a white sleeveless one-piece dress that revealed a good portion of her ample cleavage, and a yellow sash that hugged her enticing figure.
It's no mistake... It's her...
The freaking Lady of the lake herself...
"Oh my, missed little old me? It's been just a few days since our first meeting at the lake. No matter, I supposed your stunned reaction is understandable, given that I possessed quite a charm that swayed the hearts of both men and women alike, tehee."
I could not help but felt annoyed at her last unnecessary remark.
Regardless, I needed to clarify this confusing predicament of her being here, and whether I'm truly dead or not.
"What are you doing here? Am I dead? And what exactly this place is anyway?"
She smiled while touching her chin with her finger in response.
"To answer your questions in a not so orderly manner, I'm in your mind, or consciousness to be more precise. And no, you are not dead. We can't have that since you still got a mission you need to fulfill, remember?"
Thank the Gods that I'm not dead. If this is what death really looked like, then I may as well die a second time out of sheer boredom at how empty this place was.
Oh, and she mentioned something about a mission. Hmm, ah yes...
"Mission? Oh right... Something to do with defeating a shitty demon, yes?"
At least, that's what she told me. I was uncertain about that issue since it involved defeating the Demon Emperor.
But if that's what it took so I can even have a slim chance of becoming a Mage, I agreed with the deal.
Hey, beggars can't be choosers.
And besides, she sounds quite confident that I can perform such an outstanding task and with me having the magic of Infinity, it's not unbelievable if I can defeat the big boss of the demon race since it was already done before.
The Lady of the lake nodded in agreement at my statement, this time, her face turning grave, a complete opposite of the carefree demeanor that she assumed earlier.
"Correct. The reincarnation of the Demon Emperor, Asmodeus himself. That's the reason why I granted you the magic of Infinity... My Magic in fact."
My shock ascended when I heard her mentioning that it was actually her magic. Sure, I knew about the magic of Infinity more or less, but she failed to mention that the owner was none other than her.
I had my suspicions of her identity before but I simply shrugged it off since all that mattered was that I acquired such amazing power.
That, and the Lady of the Lake was actually a fabled figure that we worshiped back at the village.
Legend said that a very long time ago, a certain traveler got lost in the wilderness. He spent many days without food and water when bandits robbed him during his travels. One night, he had visions of a particular lake and when he woke up, he immediately knew where it was. By the vision's guidance, he ultimately arrived at his destination and immediately drank the lake's pure water due to his intense thirst. After drinking, he caught a glimpse of a silhouette of a beautiful young-looking lady standing in the middle of the lake and he was instantly captivated by her. Thus, the man swore that he would come back and give his proper respects to the lady who he thought to be a goddess who saved him. He also saw that the land that surrounded the lake was brimming with health, like a majestic paradise of nature where the trees stood tall, the grass was always green, and the flowers bloomed with so much beauty that one can't take their eyes away. He deduced that it must be the Lady's divine powers who was responsible for maintaining the essence of the surrounding land.
He promised that he would return and procure the necessary resources in cultivating land near the lake and also spread the glory of the Lady who saved him from near-death. Fortunately, the man was also a well-connected merchant and it was not long before he fulfilled his promise and came back with many people who believed his tale and are willing to help him.
Thus, the village of Rivershire was founded by the traveler named Hafdi Brynsson, a Nordic merchant who was responsible for spreading the recognition of the Lady of the Lake.
"Your magic? Wait that means you are..."
She returned her jolly expression with a huge grin as she stood up proudly while crossing her arms, emphasizing her ample chest.
"Oh right... I haven't introduced myself properly back then. I'm the Lady of the Lake that you folks from Rivershire refer to, but I'm also none other than Vivian Algrande, the previous wielder of the Infinity Magic, thus making me your predecessor."
By the Seven Gods... It's really her. The great Hero who saved all of humankind 500 years ago.
And to think that Vivian Algrande and the Lady of the Lake was the same person
She's a legendary figure revered by everyone throughout the land.
Even I, a commoner, knew someone as grand as her from the history books that I got and learned to read from my Grandfather.
What's someone that's practically worshipped like a Goddess doing in my mind of all places?!
And why did she not tell me her real identity that moment when we first met? I had my speculations when she mentioned the powers of Infinity, but I didn't know how to even use it in the first place and if what she was telling was true.
Hey, I'm not to be blamed here. It's not every day when a freaking suspicious lady just suddenly emerged from a lake and told me that I was to be gifted with such powerful magic. As a sane individual with a logical mind, I had every right to skeptical.
Nevertheless, I still accepted her offer since being a talentless bastard with no hope of being a Mage, I got nothing to lose whether the deal was bogus or not.
Now that my doubts were cleared, its time that I questioned her initial actions of leaving some details in the dark.
"Why did you not tell me your name when we first met? And also, you withheld a lot of crucial information from me, like how the magic of Infinity works. I had to figure things out by myself, you know? All I basically knew was the Mana Sense that you also gifted me as part of the premium, limited edition, once-in-a-lifetime package that you oh so merrily called."
Vivian retained the cocky smug on her face and answered while bumping her head playfully like a 5-year old kid.
"Because it's fun, tehee."
Fun...
Fun?
Fun!!???
"You kept some things a secret because it's fun!!???"
"Tehee."
"And what's with that childish mannerism?!! Please act like your fucking age, you stupid old hag!!!"
This time, Vivian gaped in horror with her eyes widened, caused by the insulting remark that I just called her.
"How rude!!! That's not a proper way to address a prominent lady."
"Sure, I'll take note of your advice, if I ever meet one that is."
Vivian twitched in pure annoyance at my witty yet bold response.
"Brat, I may be the Magus of Infinity, but the same can't be said about my patience, you know?"
We both stared at each other defiantly, neither of us willing to back down from this fight.
In the end, Vivian closed her eyes for a moment and sighed in response.
As I was about to retort further with more insults for my victory and her seemingly backing down from our fight, I promptly stop myself when I saw the expression that she now carried.
Vivian's frown shifted upside down as she looked at me with a smile.
But that smile... It's kind of different.
As if there was sadness accompanying the gesture that's supposed to be contrary to what was being shown.
Damn it, a smile was supposed to exhibit happiness, not the exact opposite!!
Vivian then chuckled lightly.
"Well, it's been so long since I get to have someone to talk to like this without holding back. I'm not lying when I said I wanted to just have some fun once in a while. 500 boring years in a lake is not exactly the reward that I had in mind after saving all of humankind, haha."
I... I had no words to retort at her statement.
I did not even consider the suffering that she had faced when all she did was just to save humanity from the wrath of the Demon Emperor.
500 years of being trapped. One would definitely turn insane and give up on any expectation to attain freedom. Even death itself sounded a lot tempting than such a horrifying notion.
I clenched my fist in both rage and sympathy.
Rage for the Demon Emperor Asmodeus for putting her in a horrifying experience of being imprisoned against her will for five centuries.
Sympathy for Vivian as she remained strong, and proud with an indomitable will that can never be broken.
As a result, I now realized as found myself admiring her for her strength and virtue.
500 uneventful years, and yet she still has not given up on humanity since she still wanted nothing more than to take down Asmodeus. Any other individual would simply not give a fuck any longer and lose themselves in madness for being trapped in an extremely long period.
Perhaps I don't mind aiding in her noble cause.
Defeating a Demon Emperor may not be on my to-do list, but hey, I've got the magic of Infinity, meaning I may be the only one who stood a chance against him.
Besides, if I'm successful in beating the shit out of him, then I'm definitely going to be set up for life and hailed as a Hero for my triumph.
Heh, me a Hero? Well, it's certainly like ten or maybe twenty steps forward from my initial dream of being a Mage and a Noble, but being the Hero also possessed a set of benefits that was sure to be leagues way beyond being an average Mage Nobility.
Still, it was quite early to tell and I try not to think much about it since I've got other things to worry about.
Let's take things first one step at a time and see where this is going to lead.
And I digress, setting aside that Hero thought for later in favor of having a nice chat with Vivian over here.
Straightening my posture, I bow my head and said to her-
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
"I know my apology means very little to ease the pain of the experience and solitude that you have gone through. Nonetheless, I still wanted to convey the words to clearly express my deep sympathy and appreciation for you."
I could not see her expression due to my eyes being focused on the white ground, but I could see her backing down a bit when she took a small step backward, an indication that she was most likely caught off guard by my gesture.
This went on for about half a minute before she eventually gave her reply.
"Raise your head, Ken Bruce."
I complied with her command and turned my sights on her once more. This time, she assumed another smile. Unlike the last one though, this expression this time held genuine joy that I can't help but be mesmerized.
It was breathtaking, and I found myself utterly captivated by her undeniable beauty.
Naturally, any man would be enthralled by the charm that she possessed and I'm no exception.
Vivian seemed to have noticed how I was looking at her differently and in response, she suddenly snickered with amusement.
"Heeehh, what is this? Falling in love with me? Well, it is only natural, given that I'm quite the catch back in the days. Only a blind fool would do so otherwise or maybe a gay dude."
And there goes her perfect image of the angelic maiden that I pictured her, even when it was only for a brief moment. She just had to ruin it with that condescending remark, huh.
Was it too late to take back my sympathy for her?
"As if I'm going to fall in love with an old hag like you. Seriously, how many greats do I need to say out loud before finally referring to you as grandma?"
"Haha, and we're back to square one. Oh, the words that spew from that vulgar tongue of yours sure is music to my ears. Music from a musician drop-out playing an out of tune lute with a horse's voice that is."
While this conversation certainly has taken a turn back, I can't deny that talking with her, even for the first time, was a lot of fun.
And teasing her about her old age sure garnered some amusing reaction from her.
"But seriously, Ken..."
Vivian once more shifted back to her genuine smile as a sign of her gratitude.
"Thank you. I'm touched by your concern."
I found myself blushing once more but I immediately fought it back hence I get another embarrassing remark from her. I quickly recovered and repaid the sweet gesture with a smile of my own.
"Your welcome, Ms. Algrande."
She instantly shook her head in disagreement, much to my confusion. She then extended out and offered me the back of her hand like a dignified noble lady.
"Please, call me Master, if you shall allow me. From this day forth, I, Vivian Algrande, Magus of Infinity and Arkadia's chosen, bestow upon you, Ken Bruce, to officially be my successor and inheritor of the magic of Infinity. Do you accept the lessons I'm going to impart upon you in the coming days, honorable student of mine?"
I was surprised by her declaration. To think that I'll be a student of none other than the legendary Vivian Algrande.
The choice was clear as a spring and I answered her by bowing like a distinguished gentleman and gently kissing the back of her hand that she reached out, a sign of my newfound resolve in saving this land from Asmodeus as well as my personal objectives of finally becoming a true Mage.
"It would be a great honor... Master."
The bond between the Master and Student of Infinity was formed on this very momentous day.