It was the second day of the three-day break before the next exam and Tiagon had left his inn to a nearby restaurant. It was morning and yet the capital was busy, people were everywhere with their businesses.
After a few minutes of slowly walking, Tiagon arrived in front of an ordinary-looking restaurant. He opened the door entering, surprisingly there weren't many people in today and also Aarin was on a table with breakfast before her.
She saw Tiagon come in and she waved at him. He waved back and sat on a free seat on her table.
"Good morning Clyde."
"Good morning Aarin." Tiagon greeted and his eyes drifted to her wand lying on the floor.
Soon after, a woman with blonde hair and a uniform came forward asking for Tiagon's order.
"A plate of bacon would be nice." He said and the lady nodded and went to the kitchen bringing back a plate of roasted slabs of meat.
"Hmmm." He took the knife and fork given to him and dove right in, his mouth watering.
Aarin had finished her meal and was gently cleaning her mouth with a little piece of clothing she had asked for earlier.
"Clyde." She said softly and leaned forward.
"Hmmm!" Tiagon sounded with meat stuck In his mouth, his face looked like that of a child that Aaron couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahahaha!"
"What is it?" Tiagon asked after swallowing down the piece in his mouth appearing a little confused.
"Don't mind me, I forgot my manners. Some questions are looming in my mind and I am hoping for some answers and stimulation."
"Ohhh?"
"Why do you want the first-class mage title?"
Tiagon smirked and returned her question, "Why do you want the first-class mage title?"
"Do you know of the empire's imperial mages?"
"I have heard nothing about them, are they important? Strong?"
"The strongest there is." She instantly rebutted.
She cleared her throat, "Sorry, I am just a little tensed right now. My family has produced impressive mages to serve the Empire as imperial mages, my immediate elder brother became an imperial mage at age seventeen making him the youngest imperial mage ever, all of my brothers are Imperial mages and here I am at twenty struggling to take down a few mages. I'm already disappointing enough as it is."
Tiagon felt sadness in her voice. She then pushed her plate to the side and laid her face on the table hiding away her almost teary face.
After finishing his meal, Tiagon chose to speak.
"Do you want to become an Imperial Mage Aarin?"
She quickly raised her head back up.
"I…I…I do not know. I have been told that I'll serve the Empire from my earliest memories, it's the bane of my existence, and yet I do not know. Maybe I'm doubting myself because I don't have the strength. What I do know is that getting the first-class mage acknowledgement is a step I need to take to become one."
"I don't think so, it may be true that you don't have the strength to be an Imperial Mage but I'm certain you are not lacking in other strengths, it's time you decide your own path, you're not a golem."
Her eyes widened upon hearing those words.
"You're not a golem…" She repeated.
"I'm not a Golem." She affirmed and her face brightened just for a little bit.
Tiagon smiled.
'Humans of this era are weak in ways that weren't accepted in the past and yet they're so strong. I need to know who birthed the union, it wasn't just Zan.'
The waiter came forward and took the plates and asked for the pay, Tiagon stretched forward a silver coin and two copper coins.
"For me and the lady." He said.
"You didn't have to." Aarin teased.
"Do your brothers talk of their jobs?"
"They do when they visit, it's them mostly bragging about defeating monsters and rebels. They can be smug." She looked slightly annoyed.
"Have they mentioned the royal family? Have they met them?"
She turned her head and scoffed, "No, they haven't. With how obscure our royalties are, I even doubt if they still live"
"Keep your voice down." He hastily instructed.
"Oh right."
She then whispered, "Most people are only aware of the elected council members as those that govern the empire but everyone is constantly reminded about how powerful the royal line is, I'm sure it must be exhausting. Many have began to think of them as gods."
"Gods? Now that's interesting."
"Yes, ever heard of the tale of how the kingdom was formed after the defeat of the demon lord?"
"Oh, entertain me."
"It goes: Zan defeats the demon lord and seeks to create a utopia for all kinds, he and the great mages of the time chose to exert their powers throughout the continent, uniting most of it but when it came to who would rule, they resorted to a more brute way of choosing . They were to fight for the title of Lord ruler of the empire. Our King single-handedly fell the Hero and the great mages and took the title for himself ensuring stability and peace across the lands."
"He sounds formidable."
"He must be if he's real. Great mages are said to be capable of destroying kingdoms and the tale says he defeated multiple of them. He must be one hell of a person."
Tiagon's face creased.
'Was there someone that powerful that went beyond my span of knowledge? Who? Who aside from me and my subordinates can take down a couple of great mages?' Tiagon pondered for a little while.
"You still haven't answered me you know. Why do you seek the title of being a first-class mage?"
"To prove to myself."
"To prove to yourself that?"
"That I am strong." He announced.
'Although it looks like I'm going to have to go higher to meet people worth fighting. While it's true that mages that I've encountered so far are much stronger than the ordinary ones I knew in the past, they still aren't much of a fight.'
"You are over your head!"