The crow finished everything it could take and I just sit by idly. The crow and I just stare at each others eyes awkwardly.
I then initiated a greeting, "Hello Mr. Crow, are you feeling better today?"
The crow tilts its head when I interacted to it. After a moment, the crow leaps close and closer to me.
I was not sure how to react to this behavior but when it leaped to my folded knee, I reached my hand to the crow's head.
The crow looks at my hand for a second, next thing it does is caress its face with one of my fingers. The crow was aware that I was harmless, giving me a sign of obedience.
After caressing, the crow looks at my eyes for a second, then spreads its wings and fly off. While in the air, I hear its squawk from afar.
As I watch the crow fly far away, I stretched for a bit and said out loud, "Fighting those knights stressed my body so hard. I'll just go home and take a rest." I went straight back to the Crowley Household in discreet.
*****
It was early in the morning and after eating breakfast alone, I went straight back into my room and indulge myself in bed.
A knight fight in the middle of the night, those knights are going to mark my presence and put me in a criminal record without giving me testimony.
Well, the good thing is that my face is hidden to them and only my suit was exposed. On a surprising note, those knights are clearly 'royal' coming from the Kingdom of Janual, if I mess with them more, they'll even put me in the wanted poster. I'll need something to protect myself but where should I even start.
I look at the black trench coat. One word pops out in my mind; Fly.
I rose up in my bed in a cliche excitement fashion.
"Fly like a crow. Yeah, make myself an identity. Like the phantom thief."
The idea was fascinating. It'll take a long planning process for this, but I'm all hyped up and wanted to do some work before the big day arrives.
I wander around the mansion, looking for a fitting room that has not been in use. There was not much vacant rooms I could get but at least I found one slightly larger ordinary room. It was on the front corner side of the mansion at the ground floor, a perfect spot to place operation plans with two open windows facing the front and side part of the mansion.
This room can be used as a workplace for all operations; nobility work and black ops. I set up the room and put a nameplate on the door that says "Louie's Room of Operations".
"Now the first task would be to align the noble jobs into gathering materials for my image work."
I've written a work note on a paper and placed it on the wall that says,
===
Redesigning of the trench coat / glider
Makings of the combat tools
Hirings of the mechanics and artisans
Plannings for the ops and heists
===
I was satisfied with the planned setting.
"Now I'll just have to wait and see the ceremony for myself."
Today is August 26, 2001 of the Glorified Calendar and tomorrow would be my birthday, turning into 16th of age. In the midst of the celebration would be the recognition of my own noble task, in the Noblesse Oblige Ceremony.
Nobility, as a whole, was created for the purpose of recognition for their contributions for the sake of mankind. One example of this was the known fabled 'Warlock' Brian Crowley. His tale of fighting 'Golem' or also known as "The Terror of the Mountains" has given mankind access to collect valuable mystic crystals known as the "Cluster Gem"
Now, I've yet to know their 'value' as there's not much information I could've gathered but it must be something otherworldly related especially if their sources really came, as rumored, from outer space.
Father did look a bit muscular but compared to me, not even close to classify as a 'soldier'. Slim and skinny but fit enough to be slippery and athletic.
Moreover, I may have slack my civic studies growing up but remembering the old man's workaholic days, I can now do proper contributing work and thought of my future job would be to become the natives premier, or simpler terms "Civil Servant".
Celebration is on the corner now so let's list the materials that can be helpful. First off, a material that turns my trench coat into a flyable glider, a difficult problem already.
From how that phantom thief's turns his cape into a glider, he hides his cape in an instant, and at the same time, he quickly toggle open a stick from his back in which the glider was inside that stick and simply reveal itself. I don't have that quick reflex like his so the best option for me is to have my trench coat act as a cape that could also turn into a glider.
I head straight to the library and look through a bunch of books that focuses on inventive powers. There's not much inspiring inventions that aligns with my inventive item. That's until I found a perfect material that could support my invention: "Threads"
"I could obtain the power of creating threads by fighting the foe that makes them. But how should I find it? Hmm..."
I look to the window, there I saw a familiar figure, it's the crow that I saved last night. I approached the window and open it, the crow was looking somehow enlightened seeing me, flying around the room before landing into my shoulder.
I utter out a sentence, "Must be a delight for you to live another day Mr. Crow." The crow flaps its wings in reply.
I sit back in the chair and table, going back to reading while the crow is in my shoulder.
Now reading the book again, there was once a wielder of this power that is called "Web Weave" but the wielder has already passed away and no one was able to claim it as the source of this power was unknown, some even theorize that the foes that holds this power has now extinct.
There are five types of this power: Steel Thread, Sticky Thread, Database Thread, String Thread and Normal Thread.
===
First, The Steel Thread, an unbreakable thread implied by the word 'steel', it can be soft, sharp or become a metal-like stick, it had lots of potential especially when weaved into a material and also fire-resistant.
Second, The Sticky Thread, applied in slick silk and gel. This thread also functions the same way as tape or glue. Funny thing about the sticky thread is it is flammable but could be removed or dispersed by combining this with the database thread.
Third, The Database Thread, the thread that has technological capabilities, either end of the thread can act like a switch that triggers on and/or off and can also act as a cellular signal with both ends stationed from within.
Fourth, The String Thread, the thread that relies solely on its elasticity, it can also create noise when pressured and/or released, same way as the guitar or violin does.
And lastly, The Normal Thread, the most basic threads there is, this type of thread has barely anything to offer, no special qualities whatsoever, it can be used to knit clothes or any garment necessities thin or thick.
===
"So the last wielder of this power is now gone, there's not even much info put into this, not even the name of the foe was listed in this." I muttered out loud
Although there's that idea of rare possession of this power, I have an idea of what this foe might actually be, I mean anyone pretty much guessed the creature that creates threads: Spiders.
They can be found nesting in caves or any dark cramped spaces like canyons or in the cracked mountains. But the lack of information on the foe that holds this power just made my day difficult.
I blurted out in exasperation, "If only someone knew how or where to get this power without too much trouble."
The crow lands on the table and takes a look at the book I was reading. After a while, the crow glances at me for a second and peck at the word 'threads' a few times and glanced back at me.
I could tell what the crow was trying to imply. I asks the crow, "Do you perhaps know where to find it?"
The crow squawks in reply.
"!! Alright! That's one less problem to worry about! The subjugation part will have to wait. Now for the sweet juicy project..."
The project for my invention is now in the stable and let's call this the 'Black Wing Project'. We'll make more future plans in the meantime. First comes my job establishment before the project.
How will the event play out?
***
Somewhere in the town of Arceilles at night.
Ars the knight, walks alone in the streets and come across a lightless gate. Presses the intercom and says, "Knight code [936]. Entree codename [Freeway]."
Releases the button after stating and a beep sound went off. The gates lights flicks open and the gate slowly opens up. Ars walks up the open gate to the mansion, up ahead are two guards standing by, greets the lone knight and open the front door.
Ars was welcomed by maids and servants of the household. The lone knight asks one of the maids, "Is Major still in his room?"
The maid replies, "Yes sir. I shall lead you towards him. Follow me." The maid steps up with the knight following behind.
While walking in the hallway, Ars raised a question, "How's the princess' wellbeing?"
"Her condition is now stabilized. She is slowly regaining her appetite and is now sleeping soundly."
"That's good to hear. Tomorrow evening is the time for the ceremony and she has to greet this town's soon-to-be assigned contributors."
"That would be quite a lot of young people to be assigned in this lively town, though there is that one household name that came to mind and once captured people's attention."
Ars turned his attention to the maid as she continues on.
"The Crowley lineage lives in this neighborhood. I hear their family carries the Noir Bloodline and was the last of its kind."
Ars was then deep in thought.
'The Noirs, huh? Their ancestral roots are still shrouded in deep mystery but now they're almost extinct. What an irony.'
After contemplating as much, he responded,
"..Maybe. Let's not get presumptuous now because it might be also false."
"Yes sir." As she finished her talk with the knight, they both stopped their tracks on a particular double door. "Sir Ars, we've made it so I'll be excusing myself."
The maid walks gracefully in the hallway with the knight left standing in the door. Ars knocked on the door and a voice calls out, "Come in."
"Please excuse me." Ars enters inside and closes the door. "Major. I sincerely apologize for the neglect of duty."
A bearded man, wearing a military uniform and a white beret, in his 50's was facing to the window with the knight behind him kneeled down on his knees, then replies, "You damn better be. A fugitive just managed to escape your grasp! How could you even be called 'knights' with that much blunder?!!"
"My humblest apologies!"
Major sighed and tone down his raspy voice. "Did you memorise his appearance or even record his presence?"
"His presence was unrecorded as his aura showed as 'immature'. As for his appearance, he was wearing a suit with a trench coat and a top hat. Almost clad in black. I didn't see his face but I'd bet he was close in age as the princess."
"Ars, once you encounter him again, make sure he's truly disposed of. Princess Lucy just issues me an order to "greet him in courtesy" when we see her lifesaver. We can't afford to let the princess gain any more followers."
"Yes Major. While we're on that topic, I suspect that there's a chance he might show up in that event the princess is attending to."
"Hoh? What makes you think that?"
"As all of his clothes are all colored black, there's one family name that came to my mind. I indicated that the man was one of them."
"Then you already know what to do. Once you confirmes the perpetrator, get rid of him immediately."
"Aye!"
Ars quickly gets up and leaves the room. The old man was left with a wine glass on his hand, looks at the night sky and says to himself, "What a day.."
The glass slowly breaks apart in his hand.