The Pleasant Owl

I was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on my door. The sound of heavy rain hitting the window caught my attention, and still half asleep, I walked to the door to see who was looking for me. When I opened the door, I saw that it was one of the castle maids.

"Sorry to wake you up so early, but the queen's advisor is requesting your presence in his office."

"I understand. I'll go in a moment."

The maid left, and I went back to my room to get ready to go see what Harold needs.

By this time, Ryul and the others must still be asleep. I guess I'll meet them in the dining room later. Today we will switch our mentor. I wonder if it's related to that, why Harold wants to see me.

I went to his office and knock on the door. Harold then opens the door to his office and invites me inside.

Inside Harold’s office, I see a person standing in front of a window. He is looking outside, where it is still raining. In his right hand, he holds a staff with at the top a crystal that glows a light green color, though joined with the gloom of the rainclouds outside. The staff implies he is a mage, but the armor he wears is plate mail, which is far too heavy for any average mage. The robes that adorn his armor are worn and tattered, making it look old.

When Harold closes the door behind us, the man turns around, and I feel like I am seeing something from out of a nightmare. The skin on his face is all dry, leathery, and sunken in. His lips are gone, leaving all his teeth bare. His nose is simply not there anymore, just a hole into his skull. He also has no eyes. Only two empty sockets, each of which having a purple light resting inside. This guy is not alive, he has been dead for a very long time. Yet, he still moves.

“Darx, allow me to introduce you to Aelbrecht, guild master of the Dark Dragon guild,” Harold tells me.

No way. This is my mom’s old guild master? I've heard quite a few rumors about Aelbrecht, the legendary S-Rank guild master from Dark Dragons, but...

I mean, I knew he was an undead mage, but I had never imagined he would look like this. I must honestly admit that I am somewhat scared now.

Aelbrecht’s mouth opens, and he says, “Come closer, Darx.”

His voice sounds like it was created by magic. No wonder, as he has no vocal cords. He already looks quite imposing, but I still walk forward until I stand face to face with this legendary mage.

I see Aelbrecht stare at my eyes. He remains silent as he studies me.

“Well, Darx. Show him your adventurer card." Harold suggests.

"Uh, yeah," I say as I search in my pockets.

Once I've got my card, I hold it out to Aelbrecht. He reaches out with his bony hand and takes it from me. Aelbrecht then stares at it without saying anything.

“Have you ever seen anything like it?” Harold asks after a while.

“I have." The lich says slowly. "But it was a very long time ago. From a time before I came to Riledo.

"But what does it mean?" Harold asks.

"The cards that you know are static. They stay the way they are and do not change, aside from a rare rank upgrade." The lich continues his explanation. "This card is dynamic. You have the ability to choose your own skills."

Choose? Wait... is that how I got [Water Magic] and [Dual Strike]? Did I choose to have them?

Aelbrecht then hands my card back to me. He hasn’t explained how or why, but now I know what to expect.

"One more thing, Darx. I wanted to tell you what I found regarding your parents." Harold said.

"About my patents?"

"The kingdom keeps a record of all adventurers. It took me some time to find this information, but regarding your mother and her predecessors, I didn't find anything strange." After a little pause, Harold continued. "Unlike Ilene, finding information about your father has been more difficult. There isn't much information about Azriel in our records. There may be many reasons why but in the meantime, Aelbrecht maybe can tell us something about him.

I looked back at Aelbrecht. He was my parents' guild master, after all. I wonder what he can tell me about them.

“Azriel was a member of my guild, true,” Aelbrecht says. "A good friend of mine too. His **** saddened me greatly."

“Well, I was wondering. What kind of person was he?" I asked.

"Smart," Aelbrecht says. "Creative too. He often used his mastery of earth magic to create beautiful sculptures. Several of them are still present in the guild."

I never knew my dad was a sculptor.

"But Azriel's most magnificent feature would be his [Rune Master] skill." Aelbrecht then says.

"Rune master?" I ask, confused.

"A rare skill," Harold interjects. "I can tell you more about that skill on another occasion."

Aelbrecht continued. "Azriel was always humble despite being one of the strongest adventurers I have encountered in my long life. Besides that, his cheerful personality was what captured Ilene's heart."

Damn. The more I hear about my dad, the more I wish I could have met him.

“Darx. Since I have told you about Azriel, can you tell me about Ilene?” The Dark Dragon guild master says. “I'd like to know how she's been doing."

“She is fine. She is the highest-ranked adventurer in our village, so a lot of people respect her. She also keeps us safe from monsters every day. She hasn’t bothered to find a new lover after my father’s ****, though.”

"I'm glad to know that she's okay. Darx, keep working hard. You should try your best to improve your life. Just try not to diminish the lives of others while you improve yours.”

“Yes, sir. I will.” I reply.

Harold turned to see me and said. "Darx, before you go, could you do me a favor? There will be an important meeting with the queen, which will take us all morning. Could you tell your teammates to go to the patio where we met last time at noon? Once the meeting is over, the mentors and I will meet you there."

"Sure."

I left Harold's office after thanking Aelbrecht one more time. I suppose the reason for Aelbrecht's presence in the castle is the meeting they will have with the queen.

I went to the dining room, which is where Ryul and the others should be by now. On the way to the dining room, I saw several people I had not seen before. Just what type of meeting is going to take place?

Upon entering the dining room, I immediately turned to the left. At this point, we have our favorite place to sit in the large dining room. In fact, each group usually sits in the same places. Shalia seeing me arrive, waved her hand greeting me, and I approached, sitting next to Ryul.

After explaining what Harold told me, we started planning what we would do with the free time.

I guess that's enough time to go see Oliver. "I'm planning to go to the city to see a friend. If you like, you can come with me. He works in an inn, and he is the best cook I know."

"I would like to go, but there are some things that I need to discuss with my teacher." Ryul replied.

It seems that Ryul has established a friendship with the monk of the royal guard, and even after the week of training with Syvis is over, he is willing to continue helping Ryul.

"If there is no inconvenient, I would like to go," Shalia replied. "Do you want to come too, Leona?"

"There is something I have to take care of before we start training." Leona answer.

After eating a light breakfast, we separated, each going to do the things we had to do. Shalia and I went to the exit of the castle and luckily, the rain had already stopped.

Shalia looked happy to leave the castle, and she cheerfully told me, "I arrived in the city the same day the ritual took place, and since then, I have been in the castle, so I have not had a chance to walk around the city."

"I'm in the same situation. I already went out once, but I still don't know around." I reply.

Walking through the city, the atmosphere felt slightly different from the last time. It seems that the rumor about a possible war with the demons has already spread throughout the city.

This time it took longer to get to the Inn since Shalia was continually stopping at the stalls since many things interested her. I can say that I am having a good time enjoying Shalia's company.

"Don't you think the healers that helped Ryul and Leona yesterday are amazing, Darx?" Shalia commented. "I wonder if I can do the same."

"They are! And I think you can do it if you try. In this time I've been with you, I've realized how talented you are."

"Thank you, Darx! Yesterday helped me realize how I can be useful in battle. I think I'm better when I'm supporting you guys—helping Ryul and you to be stronger or protect Leona when she needs it. Those moments made me feel something special."

Shalia and I continued talking as we walked through the city. Shalia plans to ask the Healers of the castle for help to teach her healing magic. Like her, I must also think of ways to improve.

When we got to the ‘The Pleasant Owl' Inn Shalia was surprised by how busy it was. "Wow, there are a lot of people. Your friend must work in a very famous place."

It's true! There are more people than last time. It seems that things have been good around here. I'm happy for Oliver.

As we entered, I saw a familiar face at the entrance.

"DARXI!!!??"

The loud voice made everyone inside the inn turn to look. I haven't seen Mia in a long time.

Mia ran to where I was, jumping hugging me. "Darxi, why didn't you come to see me? I heard you're training at the castle. It's amazing. There is so much I want to tell you."

With difficulty from his strong hug, I replied. "Sorry I've been busy."

Mia, noticing Shalia went silent for a second and said in a serious tone. "Huh? Who is she? Don't tell me you just arrived in town and are already conquering women."

"Ah? N-No! She is a friend I team up with at the castle."

Mia let go of me and slowly reached out to Shalia. "What Darxi said, is it true?"

Shalia, a little nervous, answered. "Y-Yes, it doesn't have much that we know each other."

Mia saw Shalia from head to toe slowly and commented angrily, "Tss, I lost. But the face is not everything. My chest is more..."

Mia was interrupted by another familiar voice. "Mia, I already told you that you can't cause problems inside the Inn." Oliver, realizing my presence, spoke with a more cheerful tone than before. "Darx!! I didn't know you were here. Please come in."

Everyone inside the Inn was still watching us because of the scene Mia was causing. It seems that Mia doesn't know embarrassment after all this time. Shalia, on the other hand, looks embarrassed that everyone is watching.

Accepting Oliver's offer, the four of us walked to a table guided by Oliver.

"Mia, sit with us." A voice from the table to the right.

"Not even in your dreams," Mia replied.

"Mia, when are you going to join us on a quest?" A voice from the table on the left.

"I don't take babysitting quest," Mia replied.

We finally got to our table, and while we sat down, I commented, "You are quite popular."

"Of course! A pretty girl like me is popular anywhere." Mia reply.

"I think it's because you make a lot of noise," Oliver commented.

"I'm going to kill you," Mia said threateningly to Oliver.

"Hahaha! Oh! I'm sorry, it was hilarious, and I couldn't help myself. How do you guys know each other?" Shalia asked.

"We are from the same village, and you could say, we are childhood friends," I answered.

"Correct! We have a bond that not just any woman can break," Mia remarked.

"Mia, stop, I already told you it's not like that," I said, a little serious.

"Jeje, Sorry I took the joke too far."

"Don't worry," Shalia replied, smiling.

"And what brought you here, Darx?" Oliver asked.

"I came to see how you were and also to see if I could sell this here."

Before leaving the castle, I asked Shalia to bring the rabbits we collected from the cave. Syvis said they sell well, and being this a place that sells food, I thought we could sell them here. Shalia brought six, and I brought seven. When Oliver saw them, he was happy since, apparently, they are not common to see in this season. Oliver took them to his boss, and he agreed to pay 30 copper coins for each one, and as an extra thanks, Oliver offered to prepare one for us so we could eat before we left.

While Oliver went to the kitchen to prepare it, Shalia and I stayed talking with Mia.

"And what have you done since you came to the city?" I asked Mia.

"I was lucky to receive a C-Rank and a good class, like spellsword, so I didn't struggle to find a guild. I decided to settle on the Gryphon Knights guild. Not one of the big three, but they have a solid reputation. I have done many types of quests since then and have learned quite a bit."

"You didn't have any problems with Fabe anymore?" I asked.

"Not really. Fabe received a low rank, and Cal, even though he received a higher rank, was still his mate. At first, they struggled a lot to find a guild that would accept them. I learned shortly after, that for Fabe's bad behavior, both he and Cal were expelled."

"And what are they doing now?" I asked.

"Fabe seems to have followed in the wrong steps and joined a guild that is actually just a front for a group of criminals. And for Cal, I recently spoke with him. He has changed a lot, and finally, he quit being Fabe's bootlicker. He told me that he stopped being an adventurer and is now working as an artist. It seems that a guy saw one of his drawings that he made of Amelia, and he liked it so much that he offered him a job as an artist, ...AH!? I-I'm sorry I didn't want to name her..."

"Do not worry," I replied, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"So, you know....!?" Mia said shyly.

"Yes, I met her on the day of the ritual."

"Are you okay?" Mia asked.

"Yeah..." I'm not entirely okay yet, but I can't go on like this.

Shalia seemed confused by the change in mood when Amelia's name came up.

Mia, with a serene expression, said, "We all change when we get to the city, and even you will do it too. Being an adventurer has taught me many things, that you Darxi, especially, will need to understand. You will realize how important it is to trust your teammates and that you don't have to try to figure everything out or bear the consequences of everything on your own. I know you well, and I know that you blame yourself whenever something bad happens and you want to save everyone, but that's not the way it is."

I was surprised by Mia's words, "You really have matured a lot, Mia."

"I'm so used to the other Mia that when she talks like that, it kinda freaks me out," Oliver said, arriving with the food.

Mia hit Oliver's side, almost causing him to drop the food.

"You two get along better now than I remember," I said.

"Mia visits us often, so we have talked more. She has also been taking care of Emma since it won't be long before she gives birth." Oliver reply. "I will soon be a father!"

"Will you be dad!? Congratulations!" Shalia said happily.

"Thanks," Oliver replied, also smiling.

We started eating, and the food was delicious. I don't know if it's because the meat of those rabbits was delicious or if it was because of Oliver. Most likely, it is a combination of both. The four of us were happily eating when Mia said something that surprised me.

"By the way, Darxi, I have a boyfriend,"

I accidentally smeared a little of the sauce on my cheek for the unexpected comment, and I was about to wipe it off when Shalia cleaned it up for me. "T-Thanks" It was a moment, a little odd.

Mia, seeing Shalia, said, "You know... Darxi is the densest person I know. If you want to make him fall in love with you, you need to be more aggressive." Mia said then she stopped for a moment and covered her face with her hands, and in a strange tone, she said. "Better forget what I told you. I'm not ready to see Darxi with another girl yet."

Shalia turned red, not knowing how to reply.

"F-Forget about it. Do you really have a boyfriend?" I asked.

"Y-Yes... My boyfriend's name is Roland. It all started when things didn't go as planned in a quest, and he saved me from some bandits. Ever since that day, we have been very good friends. Even I didn’t notice how quickly it went, and one thing led to another, and now Roland and I are dating."

"I-I see... congratulations." It was the only thing I can think of to say.

"But now that I see you again, Darxi, my heart is all confused again. Gosh!!F-Forget what I just said, and let's continue eating."

After finishing eating, Mia had to go back to her guild, and Oliver also had to go back to work, so we said goodbye, promising to see each other more often. Once outside the inn Shalia and I decided to walk around the city for a bit more.

"Your friends are very nice," Shalia said.

"They are, although sometimes things can get out of control being with them. Hahaha!"

Passing by the stores, I saw one where they sold scarfs. It is already winter and it is getting colder. One red with the embroidery of a bird caught my attention. I think it would go well with Syvis's red hair. I decided to buy it and give it to her as a thanks for the magic bag she gave me.

"I didn't think you would like that kind of things," Shalia commented.

"Ah!? It's not for me. I plan to give it to Syvis." I said while paying.

"Oh..., I see... I'm sure she would like it, Darxii!" Shalia said making fun of how Mia calls me.

Shalia then looking a little mad started walking leaving me behind.

"Darxi? W-Wait, wait for me."

Shaila went ahead without stopping, and when I finally caught up with her, she was still in the middle of the road.

"Please don't tell me, Darxi." I said.

Shalia didn't react and kept looking ahead, which made me curious, so I turned to see what she was seeing and I saw Leona outside an establishment. Shalia and I approached Leona, who seemed to be waiting for something.

"Leona, what are you doing here?" Shalia asked.

Leona turned to see us a little surprised and said, "My sword was damaged in the cave, so I came to have it repaired."

Leona and I were the only two of the team with swords when we got to the castle. When they took us to choose equipment, Leona only took armor and shield, just like me.

"Is your sword also a gift or something?" I asked. "My sword was given to me by my mother."

"Yes... My parents gave it to me." Leona replied.

I can understand how valuable that sword is to her since that is the same for me.

It'll still take a while, so you don't have to stay with me. Leona told us.

Shalia smiling, reply. "We can wait with you and then walk around the city, the three of us."

"We don't mind waiting. Maybe we could go sell the other materials we collected from the cave later." I said.