Ophelia stuttered in place, her hands flailing as she tried to regain control of her spell, but unfortunately for her, the mana she had used was gone for good.
It wasn’t exactly anti-magic, not when she could have just cast another spell if she had the mana, but considering how deep she had to reach to activate [Passage of Time], she was almost as good as locked out of the Mana Field.
A moment later, Orion let [Noether’s Lock] fade away, and along with it, the hail of gold particles—and the special effects Ophelia had added to it.
It’s truly dangerous to have the power to dimensionally lock anything out of phase. The world is fortunate that I am a calm and collected person who would never misuse this power for evil.
Despite his clear dominance, however, Ophelia didn’t seem determined to let him win so easily. Instead of surrendering, she began marching toward him while the grains of gold that had fallen on the ground slowly moved toward her, crawling up her leg until they gathered around her right fist into a thin glove.
Given her obvious intention to punch him, Orion felt justified in using [Wind Push].
He extended his open hand, releasing enough mana to create a powerful gale that should have sent her flying.
Instead, Ophelia stumbled and somehow managed to roll into a position that let her pass underneath the worst of the gale.
It was so absurd that Orion had to stop and stare. Who would have thought someone could dodge a wide-area spell by falling at the right moment? And yet, that was exactly what had just happened.
Annoyed and now slightly worried she might actually reach him if he didn’t move, Orion summoned the dark mist of [Haunted Night].
She didn’t seem to be using any magic besides whatever was happening with her golden glove, but he couldn’t believe she had just been lucky enough to avoid his attack. There has to be something else going on.
The unseen attackers that made up the second part of his spell soon started their assault, but nothing happened, aside from Ophelia swaying as she began to feel the mana cost of her spells.
“No way,” Orion muttered. “There is just no way.”
The offensive portion [Haunted Night] wasn’t infallible. Jordan proved this when he learned its rhythm, which allowed him to move through it by rolling with the punches, but that only worked because of his considerable martial talent.
Ophelia didn’t have that. Yet, as she swayed from the sheer effort of powering her construct after casting two draining spells in a row, she managed to dodge every blow until she reached him.
Orion watched with wide eyes as she cocked her fist back, a snarl of frustration twisting her face into something quite undignified, and he knew she wasn’t going to hold back.
Hitting him even once had become a matter of principle, of proving herself if not his equal, then at least capable of staying just behind him.
And it wasn’t like he couldn’t understand her frustration. She had been uprooted from her family, forced to flee across the country, and now her only friend had made the mistake of dismissing her help. She wasn’t truly angry, nor even offended, but her desire to prove herself to him outweighed her concern for the integrity of his cheekbones.
Of course, she was sent flying as gravity reversed itself, pulling her back long before she could touch his skin.
As the field effect dissipated, Orion watched her lie there, breathing heavily, with a very conflicted expression.
“It’s luck, isn’t it?” he asked, finally snapping her out of her funk.
Ophelia propped herself up on her elbows and shot him the gimlet eye. “What?”
“Your actual power. Gold magic is undoubtedly useful, and you are very good at it, but it’s not the Trait your class gave you. It’s actually some form of enhanced luck.”
It would make a lot of sense, even if Orion couldn’t possibly begin to comprehend how such a thing would work, aside from it being a localized probability manipulation, which probably meant a root-level access to the System…
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“There’s no way a teenage girl, who only recently received her class, managed to escape from the clutches of one of the most powerful dragonlords, even if he didn’t personally take the field. And it’s even less likely that you just happened to be on the carriage I would take with my mother. Your Trait has to do with luck.”
That would also explain her class. Golden Spoon, huh?
Ophelia stared at him for a long moment before sighing in defeat. “It’s something like that, yeah. Are you satisfied now that you’ve solved the mystery and exposed me to everyone?”
Barely refraining from rolling his eyes, Orion gestured for her to look around and saw the realization dawn on her face. Everything outside a ten-foot radius was dull and lifeless, almost as if time had paused, even though movement was still visible. It was just that they were separated from it, hidden behind the veil of [Schr?dinger’s Defense].
It’s a bitch of a spell to set up permanently, but it works well as a temporary privacy ward, especially with the little additions I picked up from watching Antares at work.
“I wouldn’t discuss something like that without taking the proper precautions. Not that it’s hard to understand, considering the show you put on, but at least they didn’t hear it from me.”
It was three days later, as he was taking what was supposed to be his last lesson in the subtle art of diplomacy with Magistra Kissea, that he heard something that caused a loud scratch in his mind.
“Pardon?”
Kissea raised an eyebrow, surprised by his confusion. “What’s the problem? I doubt you knew Set was a member of the Collegium, considering how much time your mother said you spent with him. A call was sent across all of Cyril to every Archmage, so why would he be any different?”
Of course, Set would be coming back to Valderun. If, as Orion believed, it had been a clash with Mallon that led to his exile to the Lunar Sanctum, then he’d seize the chance to return to his home.
It was just... Set was a fixture. He’d always been there in the library, ready to assist with obscure texts. He was the one to tell him about his father’s identity. The one who answered his questions about classes and never minded how unorthodox his thinking was.
The thought of him leaving the Sanctum for good felt very strange indeed. He didn’t begrudge the man, not when he knew just how much he longed to return home, but it would mean that the coven would be even colder, even less welcoming than it had been.
Without him there to intercept Morliana, I don’t know what would have happened to me, but I know it wouldn’t have been pleasant. Is it even possible for Yue to guarantee my safety if I go back?
Well, perhaps that was a little too harsh. If the Elder managed to persuade the High Priestess that things had gone too far, then he’d be almost guaranteed protection for life. But it was either that, or gathering a coalition of other Veil Priestesses willing to stand up for him—a kid who would probably leave the coven altogether in the next few years.
“Anyway, as I was saying, he will stay with us for the next few days while the Plenary Session is organized. He technically was never stripped of his title since he left in exile before they could go that far, but he will need to test the waters to see if his return will be as quick as he hopes,” Kissea explained.
The old witch didn’t seem especially excited by Set’s arrival, but she wasn’t mad about it either, which he figured was the best reaction his friend would receive, as a powerful man.
“And when is he coming?” He asked, trying to consider how this would alter the balance of things within Valderun.
Set was clearly on the opposite side of Mallon, if the Speaker’s retirement was enough to warrant his return, but that could mean many things. Orion had never discovered the exact reason behind his exile, which meant it could have been a simple political issue or a much more complicated matter of ideology or magic.
His deliberate concealment of his identity within the Sanctum makes me think it was serious, but then again, he is an old hand at these games. It could have been for countless small reasons. Maybe just to put up a front and let the Sanctum claim they weren’t sheltering a mage by the name of Suketh.
“Oh, he should be here in just a few minutes. I was told he was just stopping by to chat with an ally outside Valderun, and that he’d teleport in soon after.” Kissea chuckled, shaking her head, "He couldn’t exactly tell us when and where he’d be, could he? Not when he still doesn’t know if Mallon would mount an expedition to kill him.”
Orion chuckled with her, but inside, he was struggling to hide his exasperation. These ridiculous old people, just because they live for centuries and have the power to destroy cities, they think they can do whatever they want.
Yet, despite the sudden changes Set’s arrival would bring, Orion couldn’t help but feel excited. He’d missed the old man, and although he doubted they would have much free time together, given the political upheaval that was no doubt going on within the Collegium, just having another sensible person around would do wonders for his nerves.
I was wrong. This is not sensible at all.
The thought felt less irritating than it would have once been, and Orion regretted his failing common sense if standing in a circle with three dozen witches, waiting for a magical circle to finish etching itself in the air before them, was only worthy of a mild eye roll.
Since the embassy was one of the few places where teleportation was permitted within Valderun, Elder Yue had granted him permission to come through, although she didn’t seem especially excited about it.
This world is ruining me. I’ve barely been bothered by the discovery that Ophelia is somehow manipulating causality to her advantage!
The last part of the circle finished illuminating, and a rumble followed before it fully lit up.
A moment later, Set stood there in all his patchwork glory. His robes were as gaudy as ever, outshining even his faintly glowing blue eyes.
Reds, purples, and yellows clashed in a chaotic mix that was almost too painful to look at, yet somehow suited the old man perfectly.
When the light show finally dimmed, Set stepped out of the circle, snapping his fingers to clear away the remaining mana, and took a moment to look around the embassy.
Set breathed in the air, and a satisfied smile quickly formed. There was a feeling of nostalgia along with a good deal of satisfaction and anticipation. Whoever he was supposed to meet before coming here, it seemed they only brought good news.
“Welcome, Suketh of the Merciful Silence, to the Lunar Sanctum’s embassy within Valderun. Know that this is consecrated ground, and the same rules apply here as in the coven. We are all under the Moon Mother’s radiance," Yue intoned, staring at the man intensely.
Not being in a rush, Set turned to face her and eventually inclined his head. “Thank you for your welcome, First Alchemist Yue. I will, as always, abide by the terms of the contract I signed with your mistress.”
An invisible tension seemed to flow out of Yue at that moment, and Orion realized that for all he knew Set to be a kind old man, he was still a very dangerous person, especially far from the protection the High Priestess provided within the Sanctum.
Then, Set’s eyes fell on him, and they crinkled in joy.
enjoy the story and would like to read more, are available on my .
