I feel so much better after resting at this place Serci called a café. I had tea, which calmed my nerves while the fragrance of the flowers set up at each table complemented the taste of the tea. It was also nice getting to watch the waiters and waitresses work in outfits reminiscent of servants of higher rank.
We would've stayed longer but Serci doesn't want us taking too long, only till I recover from this feeling that churned my insides will we continue to the castle at the city's center. But even when I finished recovering, I waited till after the quick lesson on Verei's side was over before we continued on.
But seems life doesn't want to make anything easy.
Only a minute after leaving the shop, people began calling out to Serci. Some only greet her, calling her by either her name or title. Others ask questions like how she's been or if she's alright, appearing to of heard she didn't return with the other Keepers. Then there are those who bring up an issue they hope she can solve or try to strike up a conversation, not knowing the current situation she's in. All were given either a light answer or an apology, that we were in a hurry.
I felt drained by the number of people always calling out to her.
As I watched the 9th person get rejected for a request to chat, I couldn't help saying. "You're pretty popular."
She went bashful, if only for a second. "It isn't me, it's my position. As the Keeper of the Word, my mission is to not only uphold the law but ensure the law is properly being enforced. Anyone in my position would have positive feedback when they do it right."
'Denying your own hard work is an insult to yourself and the people who believe in you! Even more so when everyone actively calls out to...!' But I shake my head, getting rid of the sudden rush of thoughts as I shift to a simpler response. "That... sounds like a powerful duty."
Serci shrugged off my words once again. "Not compared to the other Keepers' duties. All Keepers have a fraction of the power the Queen holds. In a way, all Keepers hold the highest position of the state restricted to their fields. Someone who takes an active role like the Keeper of the Home, the one allowed to start a search through private residents throughout the kingdom for illegal goods, or the Keeper of Arms who watches her back while keeping track of every weapon that can be used for self-defense, my position begins to look far less active."
"Even the Keeper of Enforcers who keeps watch over the Knights to ensure safe working conditions and the one he works alongside, Keeper of the Watch, who have their active duties of stationing the guards to defend the Kingdom while I'm just walking around as the face of the Keepers, listening to the problems of the citizens who witness the other Keepers' actions and how much they affect the Kingdom. To ensure they are enforcing their jobs the right way. Though I do tend to work with the Keeper of Right often to ensure there is no flaw in his judgment too, it never has since I started."
"Though it makes sense considering he's the apostle chosen by the God of Judgement himself, Jeromie (Je-ro-my). There has almost never been anything requiring me to act, and why wouldn't it? The Queen herself chose every Keeper."
I give a strained smile as I think back on our first meeting, 'Well I do have a complaint of my own.' But I try not to let my thoughts leave my mouth. Serci already apologized in the kingdom's stead, knowing what those two did were wrong, not just according to their own rules but morally too.
Speaking of their rules, "So, the Queen still holds the most power despite the Keepers being given their authority?"
"Yes! Her word is second to the God of Law himself for she is the Apostle of Law, a position she gained by her fifth year of ruling due to her strong will to do right by her people. Without it, there likely would've been many still vying for the throne. But no one would dare go against the Apostle of Law considering they represent the will of their God."
According to Uldrei, Law and Order is the center of this Kingdom and it's because of those rules created by the God of Law that this Kingdom has continued to flourish, even when surrounded by hostile nations for such a long time. With the desperate people to the east and a warlike empire that had risen out of the ashes of the west, one couldn't bring this kingdom to its collapse.
Serci stops to give a deep sigh, "Every reminder of your lack of knowledge continues to feel wild. You really don't know the basics of the kingdom whose capital you live only a day's travel from... Was Uldrei only good at teaching how to survive in lands populated by monsters?"
I can only give a dry laugh as I keep the real reason to myself. "I... never left the forest since I can remember."
Serci tries to backtrack, seeming to be worried about offending my dead 'grandfather'. "No no no, it's alright! You will learn plenty from your time at the University! Cough, and you gain access to the library both during enrollment and after you've graduated, so you have plenty of time to learn whatever you wish. Even I still keep in touch with my old teachers whenever I have something I want confirmed! One of them is also how I'm going to get you recommended into the academy."
When she brought up my recommendation, it reminded me I hadn't asked her about getting a recommendation for my other. "Could that recommendation method also allow you to recommend my brother? I may not be sure when he'll arrive but if he does, we could study about the world together over us being made to wait to reunite despite being so close."
Serci wasn't expecting that question. "Umm... It... would be hard to use a recommendation of one person for two people... only one per person has ever been allowed before..."
Serci tries to think long and hard about my request. Seems my reluctance to ask for anything before on top of the sympathy she has for my situation is making her reluctant to pass this off.
"...I... can try. It may take time, but I will work something out with my teacher. But we should focus on getting you in first."
With a nod, we've almost arrived at the castle gate.
--------
Though a day after Veda, Verei finally makes it to his first dirt road. Unlike the hours-long walk to get to the kingdom, it was only a short distance from where we began. The village wasn't as big or grandiose as a city like the Capital, only having about twenty buildings, but the town was interesting in its own way.
Everyone in this village is armed, being an adventurer by trade, or is a merchant with hired escorts. Most people walk together in their groups, two to five at least, while the biggest of groups I've seen have reached about ten people, all armed with their own weapons that tell of their roles.
Sapheir gave me my first welcome to my first village. "Welcome to Farnom, an adventurer's island within a sea of trees!"
That statement was rather true. Though the dirt roads were wide enough for a carriage or two to get through, both sides were forests as far as the eye could see.
Heading along to the next destination, I couldn't help but be thankful that the ground is the same as the dirt road we'd walked along since first leaving the forest. Because of this, I haven't needed to get used to walking on a new walkway like I did in the capital.
However, not long after passing through the gates, I felt stares from the people around us. I noticed almost immediately it was all aimed at me as though I was the craziest thing they'd seen today.
At first, I didn't understand why but Jikani brought up what everyone considered to be 'the obvious'. "They're staring because normal people have only two forms of weapons, they would ever carry at one time, their main weapon and the replacement. On top of having no armor and one of those weapons being two feet taller than you: I'd be asking how you could possibly fight in that state too if I hadn't already seen it."
'So too many weapons with no armor on top of being short is why they're acting like that? That's... hard to argue against.'
"I get it but I can't really help it. I have a fighting style that requires varying shapes and sizes to ensure I can kill whatever I'm against."
Jikani's eye twitched at the word 'fighting style' while the other two gave a hollow laugh.
I shrug, "Look, I know that it's a little... no, it is bizarre, but if I hadn't adapted quickly, I would've been dead by my first encounter with hobgoblins."
Instinct is the way Verei's body fights, a welcome positive considering I am made to split between these two perspectives at all times. But when it comes to weapons, every single one has its weakness, and the way to counteract it would be to have as many types as I can carry.
But I can't really explain all that to them.
I barely get by with the minimum knowledge of how my fighting style was improvised, an on-the-spot creation using the scavenged weapons taken from hobgoblins. These guys are kind, but Uldrei was a rare exception, being someone who could accept a farfetched fact like this without being cruel enough to take advantage of it.
We stop outside the biggest building in this village, finally arriving at our destination. Sitting on the big double doors kept in place by the hinges and nails was a sign. And thanks to Uldrei's lessons in reading Veda's book, I was able to read 'Adventurer's Guild'.
There were a vast number of people in varying sets of armor and weapons on the other side. Many had similar-looking weapons to ones I picked off hobgoblins, though mine were rusted and unkept due to the lack of maintenance. The only weapon I don't see a duplicate of among the people here was the Scimitar, a weapon I believe Uldrei had mentioned was from another land.
Beyond the many occupied tables, I see people working behind counters on the other side of the building, past the many tables and chairs set up throughout the place. It must be a reception desk considering the many stacks of papers and coin being handled.
Unfortunately, just like the people outside, the moment I was noticed, people would give me weird looks due to my choice of weaponry. A steady increase in staring eyes as time goes on before they either wave it off or change their topic to me.
I follow the Sapphires to the front desk and Sapheir greets the receptionist. "Hey Miri, we've come back from Varen Valley."
The receptionist, Miri, looks young, probably the same age as the members of Frozen Sapphire if not just a bit older. She gives Sapheir a professional smile before noticing an extra head among us. "You guys made it back a few days earlier than predicted. Did you bring someone with information on the origins of the red light?"
Sapheir nods before gesturing to me. "Yes. This is Verei and he was nearby when the light first split Varen Valley, causing the earthquake and mountain shift."
The receptionist straightened up upon hearing this, originally unsure if I was important to this or not. I proceeded to introduce myself, "Nice to meet you, I'm Verei Deidura. And I used to live in..."
When I said my name, one of the nearby adventurers who was enjoying his mug spat out his drink. "D-deidura?!"
All eyes focused on the front desk. The group facepalmed while the receptionist was speechless for half a minute before trying to return to a formal disposition, though unable to completely hide her nervousness. "I-I see. This is something the headmaster would want to hear so p-p-please wait here for a moment."
She rushes to the back where a stairway is, her steps resounding throughout the deafening silence that used to be full of noise. Not one adventurer dared to speak more than a whisper after hearing my last name while the party tried to ignore the stares.
'Now I realize why Saphier only used my first name to introduce me.'
We hear a knock with words spoken but the distance is far with the crowds on Veda's end making it that much harder in my attempt to listen.
When she returns, an old man, probably 20 to 30 years younger than old man Uldrei, judging by the hair he still has on his head, comes with her to the counter before opening the side latch.
"Mr. Deidura, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like this discussion to take place in my office."