As I signal the start of Alto's and Alyse's match, I slow time as much as I can. I don't want to miss a single thing that's about to happen here. Honestly, I'm dying to know what kind of approach Alto is going to take.
Naturally, turning invisible ASAP and then slamming Alyse with ranged attacks from all directions would be reasonable. However, I already checked, and Alyse is a physical enhancer with even more magic power than Alara. So, I'm betting she'll be lightning fast out of the gate. Alto might not have enough time to turn invisible – it still takes her a few seconds of concentration.
Most of her elemental spells would also require time-consuming incantations. That is, they would have until recently. As she's learned more physics and chemistry, and gotten more experience thinking about magic like I do, Alto has been able to figure out how most of her old spells work. So, now she has quick, incantation-less versions of them.
The exceptions to that are her fireball and water spells. Like me, she can't seem to figure out how to conjure actual fire or make large amounts of water. Truthfully, I've had a sneaking suspicion about the reason for that for a while. Now that I know Alto is also running into the same limitations, I'm even more confident that my guess is right. Alas, that's not today's concern.
I return my attention to the fight, and see Alyse starting to fly towards Alto in slow motion. I guessed she would be fast, based on her magic abilities, but...I don't think I've seen another person with such swift physical attacks. She might even be faster than Nina.
As Alyse closes half the distance to Alto, I notice that Alto has yet to turn invisible. Instead, I see her starting to launch a large chunk of rock towards Alyse – some kind of earth spell. However, it's moving much slower than Alyse, so I doubt it'll land. Sure enough, I see Alyse's eyes begin to calmly focus on the rock.
As I continue to watch Alyse, she...trips!? I'm shocked as she suddenly rotates face-forward toward the ground, still screeching through the air in Alto's direction, and a look of confusion infiltrates Alyse's expression. No sooner than I register her misstep, I notice a pillar of earth beginning to rise up from the ground in slow motion. It's ahead of Alyse's trajectory, and on a crash course with her face.
It's at that moment that I realize – Alto must have orchestrated this. To line up that earth pillar to Alyse's face, she'd have to facilitate Alyse's stumble as well. After all, there's no way Alto could react that precisely at these speeds in response to a chance stumble from Alyse. In that case...how did she do it? I don't see any perturbed earth where Alyse tripped.
Son of a bitch...did she use a forcefield!? I taught her how to make those recently, while we were on vacation! That must be it...that sneaky elf made a completely invisible trip wire and planted it on Alyse's path. For good measure, that first earth spell must have been a feint to draw Alyse's focus. That's so dirty...I could not be more proud!
I watch in awe as Alto's earth pillar slams into Alyse's unprotected face. The blow sends Alyse flying upwards while spinning around her center of gravity, until she's slammed into the ceiling. The impact looks so painful to me that I grimace and drop my time spell.
As Alyse begins to fall, I feel a strong gust of wind blowing from her direction. Alyse appears to accelerate unnaturally fast towards the ground, then is crushed into it. If I had to guess, Alto cast a follow-up wind spell on Alyse from above, after that ceiling impact. She's one brutal elf.
"GAHHH!" (Alyse)
Alyse yells out in pain as the impact presses her flat against the ground momentarily. To her credit, it looks like she immediately tries to regain her footing, but she struggles to move. Alto is already holding her hand out towards Alyse as she runs to close the distance between them.
"What!? What is this!? Why can't I move!?" (Alyse)
Alyse is squirming in place, desperately trying to rise from her position, pressed flat against the ground. It takes me a moment to realize why...Alto must have cast another forcefield. When I think about it, that's kind of genius.
Alto can't use gravity magic to immobilize an opponent. She could have tried placing a forcefield 'box' around Alyse from the start, but given their respective magic power levels and Alyse's physical enhancement, there's a good chance that Alyse could break through such a forcefield with a powerful sword strike.
However, when Alto's opening attacks left Alyse momentarily star-fished on the ground, Alto only had to place a forcefield tightly over Alyse's body to pin her there. Alyse is probably crazy strong, but without any room or leverage to strike Alto's barrier properly, she can't generate the force to break free. She's effectively immobilized now, as long as Alto has magic reserves.
While I finish piecing together what must have happened, Alto arrives in front of Alyse and slides her dagger to Alyse's throat in one smooth motion. Alyse, who has been struggling viciously, freezes. Alto's voice resounds across the battlefield.
"Do you yield the match?" (Alto)
A thick silence hangs over the room for several seconds as Alyse glares defiantly up at Alto. Eventually, Alyse rests her head against the dirt, and practically spits her response.
"Tch...yeah, I'm obviously done..." (Alyse)
And just like that, the match is over as quickly as it began. Alto - 1, Alyse - 0.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
After her crushing defeat at Alto's hands, Alyse...isn't exactly a gracious loser. She is obviously bewildered by the forcefields, or 'strange magic', and lack of incantations from Alto, and she immediately requests a rematch. Surprisingly, Alto agrees.
However, their second match is almost as lopsided as the first. Alyse charges in again, albeit more cautiously, but she is stupefied when Alto suddenly turns invisible. While Alyse is scanning her surroundings suspiciously, trying to adapt, Alto uses a small earth spell to briefly draw Alyse's attention one direction. Then, Alto quickly moves behind Alyse from the other direction while invisible, and places another dagger to her throat for victory.
To my further shock, Alyse asks for a third match. This time, Alto's use of her newly acquired spells is extra creative. Instead of turning invisible, she casts a small light- and sound-proof magic bubble around Alyse, who finally didn't charge her at the start. Then, she sends a merciless barrage of earth spells whizzing toward the blind and deaf Alyse from all directions. Alyse takes so much damage that I have to call the match before Alyse can forfeit.
After that, a despondent Alyse finally gives up. So, the final victory count is: Alyse - 0, Alto - 3.
Now, we're all walking back up the stairs, towards the main arena in the coliseum. Alyse hasn't said a word, though she did heal her own injuries earlier. Alto is remaining quiet as well, though that may be in part from how much those fights exhausted her. Still, I can tell that she's pleased with herself. Personally, I think she has every reason to be.
[Alto, I expected you to win, but...you really exceeded my expectations with your applications of the spells I taught you. Some of your techniques were downright inspirational. I thoroughly enjoyed watching you fight...you've gotten so strong!] (Mizuki)
Alto gives a subtle but appreciative nod in my direction, and I see a faint smile worm its way onto her face. Good, my work here is done!
We finally make our way back to the door that opens into the main arena, and I lead us through it. I wait for the others to emerge behind me, then we all stop and scan the area for Nina. We've emerged near the targets of the archery area, and I can see that the place looks even busier than before. I wouldn't be surprised if that's partly Nina's doing.
"Mizuki, there!" (Alto)
I turn toward Alto's voice to see her pointing to the far side of the archery area. As I follow her gaze, I see Nina aiming her bow downrange. Nina releases her bowstring, and I see three arrows go speeding off. What a showoff.
However, it gets worse. The three arrows split away from one another in the air, then converge back towards the target from different angles, before all hitting home in the center ring of the target. What an excessive use of gravity magic...she's just being obnoxious at this point.
Unfortunately, the crowd near her erupts into cheers so loud that we can hear them from our position downrange. So, I guess I can consider her showboating tendencies to be officially rewarded. I sigh internally.
"Nice eye, Alto. Let's go meet up with our Lady, shall we?" (Mizuki)
Alto nods and begins walking towards Nina's location, with Alyse and I following behind her. Soon after, I'm startled by something flashing across the periphery of my vision. Out of habit, I immediately slow time to inspect our surroundings for threats. My gaze settles on the object in question – a stray arrow.
Someone appears to have missed their target entirely, enough so that the arrow is now careening towards us. I quickly trace the trajectory its on, and...shit. It looks like it might hit Alto. I assess my options. Alto is in front of me, but doesn't seem to have noticed the threat. Similarly, a thought message for her to activate her magic armor spell ring wouldn't be fast enough in real time. So, she's effectively defenseless.
I could cast magic armor on her myself, or create a forcefield around her, but Alyse or maybe even others might ask a lot of questions if they notice the arrow just glance off Alto. Hmm...what to do. I think my best option is to use gravity magic to subtly change the arrow's trajectory. Just enough that it misses Alto. If I do it gradually, and it barely misses her, nobody should notice.
At this point, the arrow is about three meters away from Alto and still surprisingly high. It will probably hit near Alto's collarbone without my intervention. I apply my gravity spell to the arrow and start gradually lifting its trajectory as it nears Alto. By the time it gets to Alto, I've moved it probably eight centimeters off-course, and it passes barely above her right shoulder.
I drop my time spell, and the arrow whizzes past us harmlessly and clatters on the ground. Alto whips around, eyes wide and face pale, seeming to have realized her close call. I guess I should get to work reacting, too. I start glancing between Alto and the arrow with a shocked expression.
"Geez...was that an arrow!? You'd think there'd be some backstops behind those targets so stuff like that doesn't happen. You almost got hit Alto!" (Mizuki)
[Don't worry, Alto, I saw it before it got to you. I altered its course just enough to miss you. I'm sorry if the near-miss scared you, but I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention with something flashier. I promise, I was never going to let you be harmed.] (Mizuki)
Alto visibly relaxes at my thought message. I guess she was worried that something had nearly killed her even with me around. Honestly, maybe I should have let her keep thinking that, because it could have easily been the case if I hadn't noticed the arrow by chance. I'm not much different than the rest of them when I'm caught unaware.
I turn to Alyse, and I see her staring back at me in shock. Yeah, I don't blame her. That arrow passed fairly close to her as well after missing Alto, in addition to being generally startling. I direct a concerned expression at her.
"Alyse, are you okay? It seems like you didn't have as close of a call as Alto, but that arrow passed pretty close to you. You seem shaken." (Mizuki)
Alyse's eyebrows raise in surprise at my sudden inquiry, then her face immediately softens into a polite smile.
"U-Uhm, no, I'm fine. Thanks for your concern, Mizuki. I just...seeing that arrow coming towards us rattled me a bit. I had almost no time left to react, and..." (Alyse)
Alyse trails off and looks away from me. So, it sounds like she actually saw the arrow before it passed by Alto, huh? Good thing I was so careful about dealing with it discreetly. I nod sympathetically towards Alyse.
"Yeah, that makes sense, but don't worry! It all worked out, and it looks like we were lucky." (Mizuki)
Alyse nods, but stares at me silently for several seconds. She looks like she's about to say something, but we're interrupted by the sound of several sets of footsteps echoing from the direction of the main arena's center. I turn to see two men and a woman running towards us with frantic expressions on their face. The younger man is the first to speak.
"I'm so sorry, are you all okay!? I just...I saw the Blade Goddess appear behind the range while I was lining up my shot and got startled, then the string slipped out of my fingers! The shot went flying way higher than I'd ever intentionally aim!" (younger man)
"He's telling the truth! He's normally a much better shot, I swear!" (older man)
"You two cut it with the justifications. Mistakes and skill aside, your actions could have killed someone, Yurt. You can't lose focus like that when you're holding a deadly weapon...for any reason. Seeing a pretty girl is no excuse." (woman)
The younger man, presumably named Yurt, blushes deeply at the woman's comment about him getting distracted because he was gawking at Alyse. For her part, Alyse looks absolutely unfazed by the comment.
"Hey, Lena, no need to shame the kid! He's right to be nervous! We're just trying to make sure the Blade Goddess and the Elder Dragon's party know that we don't want any trouble!" (older man)
Lena sighs disapprovingly, and the trio looks to us questioningly. Ah, so that's what all this bumbling is about. They don't want Nina or Alyse to smite them over this little accident.
"As long as Alto, who was the one nearly hit by the arrow, is okay resolving this matter, I see no reason to trouble Lady Nedonera. Of course, I can't speak for Alyse." (Mizuki)
I gesture at Alto as I address the trio, and they give me relieved expressions before turning to Alto. They direct nervous and pleading expressions at her, and in turn she cuts me an annoyed glance before responding.
"Ehem...nobody was ultimately harmed, so I see no reason to hold a grudge over the matter. However, please be more careful in the future." (Alto)
The younger man, Yurt, nods fervently at Alto.
"Y-Yes, mam, I promise I'll be more careful in the future! Thank you so much for being so understanding, and again, I'm so sorry!" (Yurt)
Yurt gives a quick appreciative bow towards Alto, then turns to Alyse with a sheepish expression.
"A-And y-you, Lady Alyse? A-Are we...good?" (Yurt)
Alyse is looking at me, without a shred of apparent interest in the trio, but she turns towards Yurt with a neutral expression when he addresses her. She gives a slight nod.
"Sure. Don't worry about it." (Alyse)
Yurt and the other man let out audible sighs of relief, and Yurt gives another appreciative bow to Alyse. The woman in the trio rolls her eyes.
"Tch...you're getting off rather easy, Yurt, so don't screw up like that again. Hell, the way Lady Nedonera has been talking about that human boy there...well. I suspect that if your arrow had hit him, she'd have killed us all in a fit of rage. Thankfully, you had more luck than bow skill this time." (Lena)
Damn, Lena...harsh. She's probably not wrong about Nina, though. Still, what's she talking about...Nina discussing me while we were away? Also, what's up with all this 'boy' nonsense lately? Is there something in the elves' water supply?
I sigh internally. Regardless, I hope Nina didn't say anything problematic about me while we were gone. I give a polite smile to the trio.
"Well, it seems everything is sorted out, then! If you don't mind, we should probably rejoin my Lady now. Have a nice day!" (Mizuki)
I nod my farewell towards the trio, and they give me puzzled looks. Probably because of my curt goodbye. However, I don't really want to be stuck pandering to a crowd during our limited time here. Without another word, I start walking towards Nina, passing the trio that came out to meet us. I hear Alto and Alyse start to follow me.
As we approach Nina, she takes notice of us, and her face lights up in a smile. Several of the crowd members also turn and give us confused expressions.
"You're back! You missed my domination of these archery competitions. I have lost several people a great deal of money, it seems. Fufufu...but that is what they get for assuming that dragons cannot wield bows!" (Nina)
I raise my eyebrows at Nina...is she really that proud of this? She can literally move the arrows to hit wherever she wants with magic. It's practically cheating. A number of grumbles slip out from the surrounding crowd. I'm guessing those are the poor losers who bet against her. Still, I give a polite smile to Nina in return.
"I am pleased to hear that you have enjoyed your time here, my Lady. Are there any other activities you'd like to participate in before we depart?" (Mizuki)
Nina purses her lips thoughtfully, then shrugs.
"No, I'm satisfied. Oh, but Mizuki, I do wish to prepare a place like this back in Eden. Do you think we can arrange that with Alara? Some of these games were quite fun!" (Nina)
A designated space for archery, huh? Hmm...if Nina has learned what archery challenges are popular here, I think that could be profitable. If Alyse adds in regular, ranked competitions, and maybe a gambling component to that and the rec center, it could be very profitable.
As I'm thinking it over the crowd around Nina starts whispering. I manage to overhear a few of the comments, enough to get the gist.
"Wait, so that's the Mizuki she was talking about?"
"Yeah, I guess so...he's human, huh?"
"Weird, he doesn't look like much, does he?"
So, it looks like Lena is far from the only one that has heard Nina talking about me while I was gone. I direct a polite smile at Nina.
"We might be able to do that, if Lady Alara thinks it could be profitable or otherwise beneficial. I'll set up a meeting with her as soon as possible, my Lady. On to other matters...I can't help but notice that an unexpected number of people here were told about me in my absence. Might I inquire about what was discussed?" (Mizuki)
[You haven't been saying anything problematic about me, have you Nina?] (Mizuki)
Nina's face lights up excitedly, and she claps her hands.
"Yes, please do! Fufufu...I can't wait! Oh, and I just mentioned that you bought me this nice bow in the human country. A lot of them were quite interested in it, since it has enchantments, and they were wondering where I got it." (Nina)
I give Nina a puzzled expression.
"Oh, the enchantments? I'm confused, are bows difficult to enchant?" (Mizuki)
To my surprise, Alyse interjects before Nina or anyone else can. Her voice sounds almost wistful.
"Mizuki, enchanted items are generally scarce in the Elven Kingdom. Enchanting affinities are so rare among elves that there are only two alive who can make enchanted items. One is in the strict employ of the royal family, and the other is still a girl, training to be his replacement. Having any enchanted items is a status symbol, so a bow like Lady Nedonera's with multiple enchantments is practically a national treasure." (Alyse)
There's a round of assent from the crowd at Alyse's explanation. Wow, that's news to me. I turn to look at Alto expectantly, like 'why do you never tell me this shit?'. Alto shrugs.
"I'm sorry, Mizuki, I honestly thought you'd realized that already. After all, how many elven enchanted items have you seen in your time here? Also, why do you think the construction team in Eden was so happy to have Percivil, and kept asking him for every little enchanted item they wanted? It was a rare opportunity for them." (Alto)
Huh...I can only think of the voice amplifying item and the bracelets from the royal announcement. Since that was a high-profile event with royalty, I guess Alto's point makes sense in retrospect. Also, it is weird that there are almost no enchanted light sources here...just regular chandeliers and such. Still, Alto didn't have to imply that I'm an idiot for not realizing as much. I sigh deeply.
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense now that you mention it. Well anyway..." (Mizuki)
I turn to face the crowd with a smile, and many of them stare back in confusion.
"Ehem...thank you all for keeping our Lady company in our absence, and for being so welcoming. We greatly appreciate it." (Mizuki)
I give a light bow towards the crowd to cement my point. It never hurts to try and earn some goodwill here. Sure, I haven't received any hostility in this country lately, thanks to the news of our party and the royal announcement spreading. But, that doesn't mean I'm particularly trusted or liked by the elves either. I'm still a stranger from a historically hostile race, after all.
As I raise my head and look back to the crowd, my behavior is quite obviously not what they expected. I overhear a few informative whispers.
"This is the human that everyone's been so on edge about?"
"Yeah, I don't get what all the fuss was for. The guy seems pretty harmless to me."
"See, the kid's nice. I told you all Queen Elira wouldn't have approved of him otherwise."
I fight the urge to smile in satisfaction. Good...it seems like my behavior is finally having the effect I was hoping for. I'm 'harmless' and 'nice' now, so I guess all this docile, overly accommodating acting hasn't been for nothing. That's...validating.
I'm jarred from my self-satisfaction by a sense of annoyance from Nina. I snap my eyes to her, and I see that she's staring at the crowd with her lips pursed in disapproval as they stare at me. Is she...jealous that their attention is on me? I can't decide if that's so petty as to be concerning, or reassuring since it's indicative of her valuing weaker creatures in some way.
[Nina, is there a problem?] (Mizuki)
Nina turns her gaze back to me with a surprised expression.
[Hmm...I'm just annoyed with the way the elves treat you is all.] (Nina)
That is....not what I expected.
[Uhm...what's wrong with the way they're treating me?] (Mizuki)
They're being pretty nice right now from what I see.
[Look at them, Mizuki. It's like you need to masquerade as some docile pet of mine to be accepted by them. Like their respect is something you need to earn...it's infuriating.] (Nina)
I sense Nina's annoyance transition to anger as her thoughts finish. Where is all this hostility coming from? Is it really so offensive that they don't respect some stranger from the jump? I think that's reasonable...respect is something that's earned, from my experience. I certainly don't hand it out freely, even if I feign it.
[It's okay, Nina, I promise. I'm not offended or anything. Besides, I honestly think it's pretty normal for people to not respect you until you earn it. It's their respect to give, after all.] (Mizuki)
[I'm sorry, Mizuki, but I disagree. If that were true, then why do they treat me with so much respect? Even before I defeated Veyron, when we first arrived in this country, I was shown respect comparable to their own Queen. As far as they knew, I'd never done anything for them. I also look as human as you in this form. We even share these green eyes and different shades of brown hair. So, why do you think I was treated so well?] (Nina)
Hmm...I don't disagree with her observations, just her interpretation. As for her question...I have my own theories about the answer, but those aren't what matter. Truthfully, the reasoning behind Nina's anger is what I want to address. Given that...
[Perhaps it'd be better if you tell me why you think we were treated so differently?] (Mizuki)
[Strength. All other races are like dragons in that regard. They value strength in their own ways. Even the elves would not let Ilina lead them when they thought of her as weak. I think it's obvious that, if they knew of your abilities, they would show you respect. At first only out of fear, perhaps, but they'd eventually treat us the same as time passed without hostility.] (Nina)
[I'm not sure that I agree with that prediction. But even if you're right, you said yourself that they don't know about my abilities, and a dragon wouldn't respect someone they thought was weak. So, since I'm hiding my abilities from them, why are they the ones you're angry with?] (Mizuki)
Nina is silent for several moments, and I sense confusion from her. Eventually, it transitions to disappointment.
[I suppose that I am more upset with the situation. I do enjoy our little schemes with you as my servant, but...I'd also like my mate to be shown respect. It bothers me deeply how the elves and human adventurers have dismissed you, but I'm trying to support your wishes. So, without threatening the elves, there's not much else I can do...it's frustrating.] (Nina)
I see...that's what the issue is. She's watching someone she loves be treated with contempt and disrespect by those she considers inferior. Hell, I'd probably feel the same way watching other Elder Dragons treat her like some elves have treated me. Worse, I've practically tied her hands by making her hide our relationship and my abilities, and asking her to remain polite with the elves.
[I'm sorry, Nina. I hadn't fully appreciated how frustrating this must be for you. Your wishes are important, too, and I want to respect them. So...how about we discuss this more tonight? Just you, me, and Ilina. We'll compromise in a way that we can all live with.] (Mizuki)
I sense a rush of gratitude from Nina.
[I'd...appreciate that, Mizuki.] (Nina)
[Of course. You are my mate, after all, right? For now, let's try and enjoy the rest of the day...it seems like our silence is becoming noticeable.] (Mizuki)
The crowd around us is starting to murmur uncertainly, glancing around. To them, I just appeared to stand there silently after thanking them, and I guess they don't know how to respond. Fortunately, I don't have to step in again.
"Ehem...I'm sure what all of these silent stiffs meant to say is that we're happy to have you all here, right you idiots? The Elder Dragon and her party are welcome here any time!" (Lena)
Lena, the snarky woman from the trio of apologizers earlier, is giving the crowd a pointed expression following her admonishment. There's a murmur of embarrassed agreement from the crowd, and a silence falls over the room for several seconds. However, it's short-lived. Another woman's voice rings out from across the room, commanding everyone's attention.
"Lady Nedonera! Mizuki! Are you at the center of this commotion?"
The crowd begins to part in the direction of The Ring's entrance, until a woman is visible through the crowd – Cara. I guess she finally got away from that meeting with the Prima. As they lay eyes on her, the crowd's whispering intensifies, and several of the men stare at her in a daze. Vito, Cara's faithful guard, is standing behind her, scanning the surroundings diligently.
"Hey, Cara, nice to see you again!" (Mizuki)
Cara glances between me, Alyse, and the crowd nervously. Meanwhile, several members of the crowd begin glancing between Cara and me in bewilderment. They're probably confused by my familiar tone with her.
"Yes, you too. Uhm...I wasn't expecting Alyse to bring you to The Ring. Has everything been...okay?" (Cara)
It's clear from Cara's tone that she's worried if anything upset us, and that she intends to chastise Alyse later for bringing us here. That wouldn't be totally fair to Alyse, though, so I should probably speak up. I give her a reassuring smile.
"Oh yes, everything's been wonderful! In fact, I was just remarking on how hospitable the people of Wellick have been to my Lady and the rest of us. Alyse has also been a very enjoyable guide, so I think she deserves some credit. Us coming here was actually at my insistence. I was curious. " (Mizuki)
Surprise briefly flashes across Cara's face before she turns her gaze to Alyse. Alyse is just staring back at Cara with an expression that's a mix of confusion and annoyance.
"Is that so? Well, Alyse, thank you for seeing to our guests in my absence...it seems I owe you an apology. I worried that you'd dragged them here wanting a sparring match, but you were just being a good host." (Cara)
Uh oh...maybe we should keep her match with Alto our little secret then. I kind of like Alyse, and I don't want her to get in trouble because of something we advocated for.
"Don't worry about it, Cara. Should we get going now?" (Alyse)
Alyse starts to walk forward without waiting for a response, and the crowd moves to give her room towards the exit. Cara's face twists in confusion.
"Uhm...sure, Alyse..." (Cara)
Cara quickly replenishes her standard smile, and turns to face the crowd.
"I'm pleased to hear that you were all so hospitable to our guests, and reflected well on the people of Wellick and the Egris house! I appreciate each and every one of you. I have other important matters that I must discuss with Lady Nedonera and her party, so we must sadly depart for now, but please take care!" (Cara)
Cara turns back to face us with a questioning gaze, as the crowd begins to murmur excitedly behind her. Clearly her praise means a lot to them.
"Lady Nedonera, shall we leave and continue with your tour? I have a small boat prepared riverside at the city outskirts. I thought a float down the river, through the city center, might be a nice addition to your visit." (Cara)
A boat ride, huh? That sounds pretty nice, actually. It also gives me another idea for Alara's territory...
"Fufufu...that sounds very entertaining! Mizuki, what do you think?" (Nina)
Nina's wearing a smile, and seems to be in a much better mood versus earlier. That's progress. She looks at me expectantly, waiting for my answer. I smile back and nod.
"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea, my Lady." (Mizuki)
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Alyse is standing at the outskirts of the city with Cara, Vito, and Lady Nedonera's party, watching the river lap against the boat at the shore of the Egris River. Five...that's how many seats she counts in the small boat. She groans internally.....she already knows what this means. As if to validate her thoughts as they occur, Cara turns to her with a polite smile.
"Alyse, thank you so much for escorting Lady Nedonera's party all this time until I could take over for you. It seems this boat only seats five, though, and there are six of us. So, it's okay to take the rest of the day for yourself – no need to help me out here anymore." (Cara)
Her sister is obviously not too surprised by this turn of events. It's almost like Cara wants her away from Nedonera and the others. Still, why didn't Cara just dismiss her after they left The Ring, instead of dragging her all the way out here? Whatever, she guesses it doesn't matter now. She nods her begrudging acknowledgement to Cara, but someone interjects before she can speak.
"Actually, Alyse, do you mind joining us? If you'd rather get back to your life, I understand, but we've quite enjoyed your company. It'd be a shame to pass it up on this lovely boat ride. Cara, is that okay with you?" (Mizuki)
Mizuki turns to her expectantly, with his eyebrows raised.
"Sure, I don't mind. You guys are interesting, after all." (Alyse)
Mizuki nods appreciatively at her, then turns his gaze to Cara with a questioning expression and earnest smile. Alyse watches her sister's face go stiff, but Cara just smiles politely and nods.
"Of course. Vito, I'm sorry, but do you mind waiting for me back at the house? I'm sure I'm in no danger here." (Cara)
Vito nods obediently before giving his farewells, then walks off toward the city. Alyse returns her attention to Cara. Her sister seems unbothered, but she can tell...Cara is both disappointed and unsurprised by Mizuki's request for her to accompany them.
Is that why her sister didn't dismiss her earlier, and resorted to making her exclusion seem accidental? Because Cara knew that Mizuki would oppose it? Cara's resistance to her presence isn't too surprising, but Mizuki's insistence on it is. So, it's weird that Cara could predict it would happen, but still be unwilling to circumvent his wishes directly. Why?
As the five of them climb into the boat, Alyse takes up a position at the back, the strange events of the day replaying in her mind. She moves to grab the boat's oar, intending to take over Vito's presumable job navigating the river. But Alto, sitting closest to her, stops her with a dismissive gesture and a soft smile.
"That's okay, Alyse, there's no need. I can steer the boat much more easily for us with water spells. Please just enjoy the ride. I'm sure that's what Mizuki intended, after all." (Alto)
Alyse leans back into her seat, abandoning her reach for the oar, and nods appreciatively at Alto. If she was less distracted, perhaps she would have protested, but the day's developments cloud her thoughts. Alto explains her intentions to the rest of the group, then calmly raises her hand towards the water behind the boat.
Alyse watches Alto absentmindedly as she casts her spell, taking in the focused look on her face as the setting sun illuminates her delicate features. There's no incantation or delay in her spell, the boat just simply starts moving, cutting through the water effortlessly.
Witnessing her skill with the spell, Alyse can't help but be reminded how incredible Alto is, and she feels a rush of shame remembering their earlier sparring matches. The experience had left her so absolutely...humiliated. She's never felt as bitter over a fight as she did in that first match with Alto. It wasn't because she lost. In fact, she'd welcomed that possibility beforehand.
Rather, it was because of how overwhelming Alto's victory had been against her. She'd been the definition of helpless, unable to land a single attack, or even struggle against her foe. It was as though, from the minute she decided to charge Alto, she lost every semblance of control over her own body's actions. Alto had clearly predicted exactly what she was going to do, and ensured that she was completely at Alto's mercy every second after that, until defeat.
That first loss had been hard for her to even process in the moment...it was so decisive. However, even after she acknowledged it, she couldn't accept that she'd overestimated her own relative strength so egregiously. She was convinced that she only lost because of Alto's element of surprise. The complete lack of incantations or spell delays, the inexplicable forces that seemed to act on her body without warning...she was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar abilities.
However, she felt sure at the time that, since she was now aware of those facts, she wouldn't be bested again. Alto had lost her element of surprise. So, she challenged Alto to a second match. However, when Alto disappeared before her eyes in the beginning of the second match, she knew immediately that it was an invisibility spell.
The realization had shocked her to her core. She didn't know anything about the strange invisible force that Alto had used in the first match, but the invisibility left no doubt. Alto was the only known dual-class elf in existence, and her prowess otherwise as a mage was terrifying as well.
That loss had dampened Alyse's confidence, but she's ashamed to remember that she still insisted to herself that Alto only won because of another surprise attack. Fueled by that egotistical belief, she'd shamefully challenged Alto to a third match.
When she failed to charge at the start of that final match, Alto had pulled out yet another unknown spell to blind and deafen her. Then, she'd been brutally bombarded by rocks until she couldn't move. That's when she'd realized the truth – she wasn't ever going to win. She was laughably outmatched.
Even if Alto's victories stemmed from the element of surprise, what did it matter? So long as Alto could produce one unprecedented spell or strategy after another and best her, Alto was her better. Her complaining about it was only as excuse for her defeat at that point. And so, Alyse had begrudgingly accepted her third defeat at Alto's hands as her last one.
As if trying to dispel the embarrassing memories of her own arrogance, Alyse shakes her head and looks back up at Alto. As they continue drifting down the river, with Cara, Nedonera, and Mizuki talking in the front of the boat, she feels a sudden gust of wind. She watches as Alto's golden hair is blown forward, partially obscuring her piercing blue eyes.
As Alto pushes her hair back behind her ears, revealing her delicate features once more, Alyse can't help but feel a pang of disappointment. Even upon meeting, she'd thought Alto was beautiful, in a delicate way that one felt compelled to protect. But after getting to know Alto better, seeing what a kind and determined person she is, and especially after experiencing her ferocity in battle...
Alyse shakes her head disapprovingly, trying to clear her thoughts. She mutters quietly, almost admonishing herself.
"I'm entirely too old for this..." (Alyse)
Yet, she can't deny it either. She's slowly approaching the same fascination with Alto that she'd had for Queen Elira in her youth. In other words, Alyse knows she's developing a crush. Realizing that, she's flooded with jealousy towards Mizuki. Regardless of her own feelings, it's clear to her that Alto only has eyes for him. She sighs regretfully.
Alyse tears her gaze away from Alto to observe Mizuki. He's smiling earnestly, nodding along as he listens to something Cara is saying. After they initially met, all she felt was puzzled when she watched him like this. She couldn't fathom why a practical human child was so clearly cherished by Nedonera and Alto. However, she doesn't feel that confusion anymore.
She only feels fear when she looks at Mizuki now.
It's not the fear of clear and present danger, like fighting a hostile person or spotting a dangerous monster while alone and unarmed. If that were enough to scare her, she'd feel such fear towards Nedonera. Instead, it's a fear of the unknown, entwined with a sense of futility. Like trying to peer into the calm, dark waters of an ocean and understand the secrets in its depths.
After spending the entire day with Mizuki, her primary conclusion is that nothing about him can be taken at face value. At the least, she knows that he's hiding one major secret – he can use magic. When she'd realized it, her blood had run cold. She did her best to act naturally after the fact, but she knew the truth as soon as she saw that stray arrow miss Alto.
Being the diligent swordsman that she is, and thanks to techniques that her brother shared during one of his visits, she's learned how to parry arrows fired at her. The skill requires incredible sword handling, of course, but also extremely accurate predictions of arrow trajectories. That's why she knows – that arrow was going to hit Alto in the chest.
As she'd noticed the arrow's destined target a mere second or two before it impacted, she'd been harrowed by the realization that there was nothing she could do to stop it in time. Alto was too far away, unaware, and the arrow was moving too fast. However, in the last second before it passed Alto, she'd noticed something strange about the blur of its trajectory. It was subtle, but the arrow was moving unnaturally.
When the arrow eventually whizzed by Alto without even scratching her, Alyse had been dumbfounded, questioning her own abilities. That is, until she noticed Mizuki's face and processed his reaction. In those last fractions of a second before the arrow clattered to the ground behind them, as it passed over Alto's shoulder, his eyes were fixed on the arrow.
All the while, as his eyes tracked the arrow passing by Alto, he hadn't shown any concern. In other words, he was sure that it wouldn't hit her. This revealed to Alyse two things about Mizuki that terrify her.
First, he has an astounding magic ability that he's somehow been able to keep completely hidden. The lack of an incantation, the unknown nature of the spell, and the speed at which he'd calmly reacted...they all point to that fact.
Second, he's heartlessly calculating with his actions. Given his obvious magical prowess, he could have easily dealt with the arrow in a much more decisive fashion. Instead, he calmly adjusted its trajectory the bare minimum to avoid harm to Alto while minimizing his risk of exposure, then flawlessly acted like a helpless bystander. He even did so knowing that Alto would likely be terrified by the unnecessarily close call.
Now, she's quite suspicious that Cara is aware of those facts as well. Her sister may be even more privy to Mizuki's secrets. Thinking back on this morning in the Egris house, and earlier at the riverside, it's the only thing that explains how timid and deferential Cara has been towards him.
Still, one thing has been bothering her the most, ever since she discarded her preconceptions about Mizuki. It's the way Nedonera, Alto, and him all treat one another. She'd thought earlier that, based only on their implicit behaviors, it seemed like Mizuki is really the one in charge. Not Nedonera.
But for that to be true, either Mizuki rivals the power of an Elder Dragon, or Nedonera is the only Elder Dragon that cares about weak creatures. Of course, both are absurd, so she'd dismissed the possibility. However, if Mizuki is actually in charge...it would certainly explain how Nedonera behaves towards him.
So, absurd or not, she shouldn't dismiss the possibility out of hand. Perhaps she should reconsider her reasons for discounting it in the first place. First, everyone, including Mizuki himself, claims that Nedonera is in charge. That's easy for her to discount – the group is obviously incredibly secretive, and not above subterfuge.
Of course, Mizuki's hidden magic is the principal example of this, but Alto is similarly mysterious. She's a dual-classer that's mastered incantation-less magic and obscure spells. By all accounts, an elf of incomparable skill and strength in the kingdom. Yet, she lived in anonymity before joining Nedonera's party, and still hides her abilities. So, they can't be taken at their word.
Next, there's the requirement that either Nedonera can care about weaker creatures, or Mizuki rivals an Elder Dragon's power. Alyse finds the former unlikely. Sure, Nedonera seemed to enjoy the company of other elves today, but like one would enjoy a form of entertainment. Nedonera was never interested in them personally.
Even an elf as powerful as Alto, who Nedonera actively works alongside, who seems friendly with Nedonera and vice versa, and who has the favor of Nedonera's precious Mizuki. Alyse hasn't seen Nedonera ask Alto for a single opinion all day, nor inquire about her wants or well being. She didn't even request anything of Alto. Compared to Mizuki, Nedonera doesn't treat Alto like someone consequential to her.
So, if she removes Mizuki from consideration due to his unknown abilities, it's clear to Alyse that Nedonera has little capacity to form meaningful attachments with weaker creatures. That just leaves...Mizuki's power rivaling an Elder Dragon. Does she have any compelling reason to discount that possibility?
As she looks out over the Egris River in the fading sunlight, Alyse feels a shiver run down her spine. It's a terrifying question to consider, but the answer is more troubling...no, she has no proof that Mizuki is significantly weaker than Nedonera. Truthfully, her observations so far only support Mizuki having incredible strength.
If Nedonera has the same sentiments about strength and the value of other races that Elder Dragons are known for, and her behavior around Alto and the others suggests to Alyse that she does, then her clear respect for Mizuki is very telling. At minimum, even if earning Nedonera's respect doesn't require power rivaling her own, Mizuki still requires enough strength for Nedonera to consider him far superior to Alto. Is that level of power really so much less absurd than an Elder Dragon's? It's far above any elf or human she knows about.
Alyse once again returns her attention to Mizuki, watching him as though she could answer her questions just by focusing intently enough on him. As her thoughts begin to swirl, a pair of green eyes suddenly lock with her own, and she's jarred from her contemplation.
Mizuki is staring at her expectantly, as though waiting for her to say something. She gives a polite but apologetic smile.
"Err, I'm sorry, Mizuki. Did you say something to me? I must have been distracted." (Alyse)
Mizuki returns a polite smile to her, his eyes serene, and makes a dismissive gesture.
"No, nothing like that. I just noticed that you've been silent for most of this boat ride. I looked over to see if you were enjoying yourself, and you were giving me a peculiar look. It kind of seemed like you wanted to ask me something. Did you?" (Mizuki)
Shit...he'd noticed her staring at him like that. If she's sure of one thing by now, it's that he's not an idiot. It's probably unwise to lie to him outright. Still, she can't just voice her suspicions. She doesn't know that he'd react poorly, but he's obviously secretive about it. At the end of the day, she doesn't really know him. It's probably best to play it safe with a half-truth.
She smiles sheepishly back at Mizuki.
"Oh you noticed, huh? Sorry, yeah...I kind of had a question on my mind. I was wondering, what's this 'train' thing that I've been hearing about? I wanted to ask you about it earlier, but I got sidetracked with so many other questions." (Alyse)
She was actually curious about the train, and did mean to ask him about it at the restaurant. That's just obviously not the exact question she was thinking of now.
She sees Nedonera give her a brief over-the-shoulder glance, then look at Mizuki. Mizuki's expression becomes puzzled for a moment, then his eyes narrow curiously at her. He looks like he's about to speak, but Cara interjects with an exasperated sigh.
"I would've told you that soon enough, Alyse. There was no need to bother them. The train is a magic item that quickly transports large numbers of people along a special road. There's currently one connecting Alara's new city, Eden, to Avalon via a two-hour train ride. I asked Lady Nedonera if she'd build a train between Eden and Wellick, and she kindly agreed. The train is not something that us elves can build on our own, you see." (Cara)
Alyse is so shocked by the news that she nearly forgets about her suspicions of Mizuki entirely. She directs a bewildered look at Cara.
"Seriously, that's what the 'train' I've been hearing about can do!? Still, why was it built between Avalon so soon, and why do you want one here? Didn't Alara just become a noble only a couple of weeks ago? Last I heard, her first city is just some hot spring in the mountains." (Alyse)
"Please calm down, Alyse. The answer to both your questions is the same. The reason Eden is connected to Avalon, and I want it connected to Wellick, is because Eden is already a thriving city with a bright future as a trade partner and economic hub. It has housing, citizens, entertainment, and critically, it has trains connecting Avalon to the western coast, where they plan to build a port city with ships." (Cara)
She can't believe what she's hearing...it's been less than half a month! How is this possible!? No, of course....there's only one explanation. She turns to face Mizuki in exasperation, instinctively acting on her recent inference that he's the one truly in charge.
"How are you doing all of this!? It's absurd!" (Alyse)
She tries to remain composed, but there's an involuntary shrillness to her voice. Mizuki seems taken aback by her sudden and intense questioning of him, but not offended. He simply shrugs and gives a measured smile.
"My Lady is an Elder Dragon...an especially powerful one. Naturally, her assisting Lady Alara would result in...unexpected...levels of success." (Mizuki)
"That...doesn't answer my question at all, though. Elder Dragon or not, how, specifically, is your Lady managing this? I'm just failing to see how entire cities can be conjured out of nothing, practically overnight. You'd need all the elven construction laborers in the kingdom and endless money to even attempt that, to say nothing of transportation and these 'trains'!" (Alyse)
Mizuki purses his lips thoughtfully for a moment, staring out over the water, before looking back at her seriously.
"I'll tell you what, I'll answer another question of yours, if you answer a question of mine honestly. Just like before, we'll trade. How does that sound?" (Mizuki)
A question for her? If it's more stuff about her sister or family, she doesn't really mind when it's just the five of them. She didn't feel the need to avoid or lie in response to any of his other questions. If it will get her answers, that's a small price to pay. She shrugs at Mizuki.
"Sure, you've got a deal. What's your question?" (Alyse)
Mizuki nods at her appreciatively, then his eyes narrow, and he stares at her intently.
"Tell me what your real question for me was earlier. I know that it wasn't about the trains, though I'm sure that you were curious about them." (Mizuki)
Alyse's entire body tenses, and she feels a cold sensation in her chest. She stares at Mizuki, trying to give nothing away in her expression. He just stares back at her with a curious expression. There's not a trace of uncertainty in his eyes. Does he know she was hiding something? How could he possibly be so sure of that, though?
No, there's no way it's a coincidence...he can obviously tell that she was deceiving him. But what should she say, then? She's not sure it's the best idea to freely admit her suspicions about him. Although, it's not like she'd be revealing what she knows to anyone who doesn't already know the same things. That's what she suspects. Still, maybe it's best to just forfeit her right to further questions to avoid this one?
Seeming to sense her indecision, Mizuki interjects before she can respond.
"If you're worried about how it will be perceived, allow me to give you my assurance that I won't be upset at you over the question. Regardless of what it is. After all, it'd be unreasonable for anyone here to blame you, when you decided not to ask it in the first place." (Mizuki)
Mizuki gives a pointed look at her sister as he mentions nobody having the right to blame her. Is he telling her sister to not chastise her if Cara doesn't like the question? Also, will he seriously not hold the question against her? He can't mean that, right?
She might as well test the waters, because it doesn't seem like she can lie to him, and just abandoning her earlier question will be incredibly suspicious. Plus, if there's even the slightest chance that she can answer her burning questions about him and Nedonera's party, without upsetting them, she'd like to do so.
"Uhm...admittedly, I'm a little concerned that you might resent the question. How can you be certain that you won't? After all, you have no idea how private or intrusive the question might be." (Alyse)
Alyse watches Mizuki carefully as she poses the question. He only seems to become more curious, then smirks and nods.
"If the question is about something personal that I don't want you to know, then I will merely avoid answering, and there is no reason to be upset at you. If the question implies that you already know something private that you think I don't want you to know, then I give you my word I won't hold it against you. After all, in that case, the only difference in you asking versus not asking the question is whether I know what you know. So, it's best to hear your question." (Mizuki)
She watches him closely, waiting for any sign that he might not mean what he says, but he just stares at her patiently...resolved. Well, that's that. Nobody has ever accused her of being overly cautious.
"Okay..." (Alyse)
A huge grin breaks out on Mizuki's face, as though he's genuinely pleased she caved. He nods to her encouragingly, presumably awaiting her question. Alyse steels herself, then takes a shaky breath. Guess she's doing this. She looks up to meet Mizuki's expectant gaze, and she notices all the others staring at her as well.
"Well...I'll just come out and ask, then. Mizuki, are you secretly the one in charge, instead of Lady Nedonera? Are you actually...as strong as an Elder Dragon?" (Alyse)