Summer break fast approached, and it was a long enough break that I had time to travel. Naturally, Felris wanted me to journey to Obdorn with her and Felton, but with my hand restored I decided I was overdue for a journey back home to Redding. We had exchanged a few letters now, and I had, surprising myself, grown a bit homesick.

  When I brought it up to Somnial, he arranged a carriage for me, and to my further surprise, Byron readied himself to come with.

  “Doesn’t Somnial need you here?” I asked.

  “Master Somnial will be fine with the other staff for a few weeks,” Byron said. “I’ll be attending you, and some other local business.”

  I wasn’t sure what sort of local business Byron had in the boonies, but knew better than to ask. If he was going to tell me, he would have already.

  We set out, and the journey between Ivarnel and Redding was even more uneventful than the last time I had made it. At least this time I had some grimoires with me, studying spells to get further ahead than my peers. I had already advanced quite a bit, now that we were engaged in regular practical training.

  I hadn’t increased my Body stat since winter, but I felt like I was on the cusp, especially with my hand restored and pushing harder with my [Swordsmanship] training, which I was hoping to level up soon as well. I did gain a point in both Mind and Will, thanks to studying the control spells. I was working on [Control Wind] next.

  Unlike the previous creation spells, I struggled a bit with [Create Wind]. Casting it was simple enough, but “catching” it like I did with my light, water, and fire spells in order to control it after the fact, which is how I advanced those spells to their second level, was proving difficult. The wind was far less tangible than my other spells, even light, which I figured had to do with the fact that I couldn’t see it. Even when I tried to make it in such a way that I could grab the mana circuit in the wind, it just immediately dispersed.

  After learning [Control Fire], I began learning [Control Wind] with the hope that getting a feel for that would allow me to advance [Create Wind], but it would take me a while yet. I was actually quite excited to get back to classes after the break to see what Somnius had to say as we started training [Create Wind], and see if I could have any more early breakthroughs then.

  When we finally reached town, I saw cantor Umbor step out of the local chapel, and had Byron stop the carriage so that I could greet him.

  “Tovar! Welcome home,” Umbor said with a warm smile.

  “Thank you, cantor Umbor. It’s good to be back.” He caught me up on the meager happenings of the border village, and I told him a bit about how school had been going.

  “The whole village was abuzz when we learned that your academy sponsor was actually the Great Sage,” he said, then his face fell slightly. “I was sorry to hear about his passing. Will you still be able to attend the academy?”

  “Wha—” I started to say, but Byron’s hand fell on my shoulder and squeezed slightly. He caught my eye and I shut my mouth.

  “It was a great loss for Argadia,” Byron said solemnly. “But do not worry about young Tovar. His tuition and board has all been covered through to the end of his education.”

  Byron politely excused us from conversation with Umbor, and as we stepped away, I glanced up at him. “What was that about?”

  “In the carriage,” Byron muttered, so I climbed in and waited for him to shut the door.

  “Why does Umbor think Somnial is dead?” I asked as soon the door was closed.

  Byron closed his eyes for a moment, then spoke. “How much do you know about the conflict with Dulth?”

  I frowned in confusion. “Just that it’s been slowly escalating. What does that have to do with Somnial?”

  Byron opened his eyes, looking down at me and quirking an eyebrow. “You tell me.”

  This was something Byron had started doing more often in our training. Instead of telling me what to do outright, he was having me think through strategy and tactics on my own, then grading my answers. I sat back in my seat to try and put the puzzle pieces together.

  Somnial was the [Sage], but he was old, as were the [Saint] and the [Hero]. Argadia was the home to all three of the human champions who defeated the demon king, which was part of the country’s strength. Once they were gone, there would be a period without any human champions, until the next demon king rose, at which point new champions would also come into being. In the meantime, human conflicts wouldn’t be weighed down by these powerful forces.

  In a conflict between countries, the [Saint] wouldn’t matter much. She had powerful healing powers, but they were still limited. Elsa could heal up a person, but probably not an army. Likewise, the [Hero] was a combat powerhouse, but Dargan was old. While he was a powerful fighter and had gone one-on-one with a force like the demon king, he probably couldn’t turn the tide of a battle now.

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  Despite being old, the [Sage]’s power came from magic, his vast Mind and his force of Will, and Somnial still held that even with a failing body. With one spell, he easily turned over an entire field of dirt for my family. What could he do on a battlefield?

  “Dulth’s aggression against Argadia is kept in check by the presence of Somnial,” I said, looking up at Byron to confirm my conclusion. “He could single-handedly turn the tide of a battle with the right spell.”

  “Quite so,” Byron said, inclining his head. “Dulth won’t attack while master Somnial lives.”

  “Ah,” I said in realization. “But they will, once he’s gone.”

  If Dulth was going to attack once Somnial was gone, the conflict would be a lot more even. Until that happened, though, there was peace. Unless Argadia wanted to be the aggressors, Elsa couldn’t have Somnial preemptively engage with Dulth. But if Somnial was “dead”…

  “So you spread a rumor that Somnial had passed away to incite Dulth to instigating the conflict, while he’s still actually alive to turn back their armies?”

  “It was the queen’s request of master Somnial. He was already known to be sick. Instead of her visiting Ivarnel to heal him, the narrative was that he passed away, and she attended a small, private funeral to say goodbye. If Dulth now attacks, Argadia can defend. With Somnial, the defense should be a clean rout.”

  My brow furrowed. I was pretty sure Somnial had loved Elsa, and still harbored love for her, but I also believed time had mellowed that. Somnial had rejected titles and nobility because he didn’t want to be forced to listen to the crown, like being used as a weapon. Somnial loved magic, and willingly used it against the demon king and his armies, but I couldn’t see Somnial using it against a human army. “Why would he agree to that?”

  “It was… in exchange for healing.”

  “Healing?” Somnial had plainly said that he was old and okay with dying, and while that may have been lip service, I still couldn’t see him exchanging the lives of countless soldiers of Dulth against a little extra time for himself. I looked down at my hands clenched in my lap. My two hands. “Oh. Healing. Damn it.”

  “You need not take any personal responsibility for this, master Tovar. It was master Somnial’s choice.”

  “You should have told me. I would have said no.” Somnial didn’t need that on his conscience. I was a bit shocked at how crafty and ruthless Elsa was. I supposed that was part of being a monarch, but somehow, it seemed strange coming from someone called the [Saint]. “So you’re here to make sure the rumor sticks?”

  Byron nodded. “That, and to scout the border. Our latest reports already show Dulth gathering forces.”

  “Fuck,” I muttered. I could stop this. If I told people Somnial was alive, I could spare his conscience from what would follow. Would Byron stop me? I wasn’t sure what that would even mean. He wouldn’t harm me, surely. He was Somnial’s man, and Somnial had only agreed to this for me.

  I had no idea what the queen would do if I ruined this for Argadia. Elsa probably would punish me. Maybe she would take my hand again, but maybe it would be worse. She had the power to do so, and despite how she had seemed, I was now willing to believe she would make me pay for it with no compunction, if the country was at stake.

  I could take that. This entire life was just one stop on a long road for me. But what about Somnial’s feelings? Could I discard his resolve? If the queen punished me, what about Felris? I wouldn’t be able to help her at all, and my relationship with that family could actually harm Obdorn’s relationship with the crown. And what about my own family? They were right here on the border, and if Dulth did attack, they could be some of the countless losses of Argadian lives.

  I didn’t know anything about the people of Dulth. I had no idea if they deserved this. At the same time, if they were amassing an army to invade Argadia, was a preemptive defense wrong?

  “Fuck,” I muttered again, more softly, as I leaned my head back against the carriage’s seat rest.

  “Language,” Byron chided, but gently.

  “I want to scout the border with you,” I said, lifting my head back up. “I want to see it myself.”

  Byron suppressed a chuckle. “I suspected you might. For now, let’s put it out of mind, and go see your family.”

  The carriage lurched out of the square and took us to the edge of village. I didn’t see any of my family out and about as we approached my family’s small home, which felt even smaller after spending over a year in Ivarnel. When I didn’t see anyone out in the field, either, and gauging my own stomach, I figured they were inside having lunch.

  Without knocking, I opened the front door and stuck my head inside. “Anybody home?”

  My family looked up in confusion, then recognition, then excitement, at least from one person.

  “Tovar!” Torra cried, leaping from her chair and rushing at me as I stepped fully inside. She crashed into me with an excited hug, and I grinned at my sister.

  “Hey, you’ve grown a lot,” I said, rubbing the top of her head. Behind her, Berrel stepped forward with a smile, Tomellia in her arms, with Tomas lagging behind, looking a little shy. He was still pretty young, and a year away from him at this age had probably been substantial enough that he only vaguely remembered me. “Hi Tomas, remember me? I’m your big brother Tovar.”

  His shyness dissipated a bit, and he smiled. “Oh yah,” he said, walking over to me and giving my leg a small hug.

  I looked up from my brother to my father, Hildan. He was his usual stoic self, but I saw warmth in his eyes as he looked over Torra and Tomas hugging me. “Welcome home,” he said.

  “How are things in Ivarnel?” my mother asked as she stepped forward to let me take Tomellia from her. The little girl fussed slightly at the hand off, then started grabbing at my hair. She had grown a lot in the last year, as babies did, though I supposed she was actually a toddler now. Torra probably had her hands full babysitting.

  “Good,” I said, deciding not to worry about things beyond my control like Dulth, and instead focusing on the positive. I joined my family at the table and started telling them about my friends, my studies, and the highlights of my past year.

  * * *

  The next day, after breakfast, I told my family that I had to make a short side trip, and I’d be back in a couple of days. Torra whined about it, but I promised I’d show her some of my magic when I got back, which satisfied her.

  Byron and I took the carriage beyond Redding until nightfall, parking it out of sight and tying off the horses. I had napped on and off during the ride out to prepare. When I awoke, he was dressed in dark clothing and leathers dyed black, with a hooded cloak over top, and handed me a bundle of similarly stealthy clothing and light armor. He hadn’t been lying about suspecting I’d want to come once I found out, and had prepared things for me.

  I changed quickly, then attached my sword to my belt, and Byron showed me a way to tie the sheath so it wouldn’t make so much noise at my side.

  “We’ll be running through the night,” he said softly. “Can you keep up?”

  I nodded. Byron wouldn’t have even offered if he didn’t think I could manage, and he probably knew my physical capabilities better than anyone else in the world.

  We ran, disappearing into the forest as I followed Byron’s trail. He kept up a harsh pace for hours, only stopping so I could drink some water. If my Body had been a few points lower, I wouldn’t have been able to manage, and I was sure that he was holding back; if my Body was higher, Byron’s pace would be even more punishing.

  Byron’s path took us up a forested hill, an elevation that let us look out beyond the edge of the Argadian border.

  There should have been little more than forest in this region, but a huge swath had been cleared. Beyond that, I could see a path which had been cut through the forest which must lead back to Dulth’s nearest major city.

  Where the forest had been cleared, a large camp had been assembled, with Dulthan soldiers working on the construction of a front line from which the enemy army planned to invade Argadia.

  this chapter or the story as a whole, and to please not start rehashing the same arguments as before, at least until Chapter 33 when we hear back from Rikton about Felris's plan.

  Patreon and, while I'm a bit fraught emotionally right now, I'm still writing.