Just like that three of the people I know are leaving and won’t be back for several weeks. I kept returning to that thought and trying to plot out what my plans were. I didn’t even know what would happen with only Grimoire here. How often would he be available to train me, if at all? How much time do I have before a Collector finds me?
I took a calming breath and let it out as I tried to ease my mind. Worrying about it won’t help, and my nerves are still running hot from the sudden wake up. I put the book down and leaned back in my chair. Besides, I wasn’t even worried about those things.
I was, surprising myself, worried about Cal and Porter. Even Samuel, to an extent. They were some of my only links to Danielle, and as much as I hated her, it was the only thing keeping me grounded. If I just… stopped caring about that, I’d lose what little direction I had. Right now I had a goal and ways to achieve it, even if they’d take forever.
Without their support…
I’d wound up doodling on a blank sheet of paper as I thought, and wound up with some kind of… crystal? I thought. It rested in a plinth I hadn’t seen before, and I’d started on some strange devices at the base when I’d stopped. I looked at it, wondering what it was.
Eventually I crumpled it and tossed it onto the desk. I’d clean it up later, or one of the maids would. I snorted at the thought, wondering how I’d wound up with maids, despite being able to trace my path here. I got the impression I used to do a lot of things for myself.
Or maybe… Alexei did?
Letting out another deep sigh, I stood and went downstairs to get breakfast and see about going for a run. It was time to get started for the day.
The rest of the day passed in relative quiet. I ran around the perimeter, not noticing too much of a difference between 10 and 11 Endurance, but trying to push myself harder when I was starting to run on fumes. Then I got the notification I’d been waiting for.
Breathing heavily, I collapsed onto the ground and went through Moderator’s Veil to reduce it back down to 10. If I was going to try training it, I needed to keep track of how long it took to get, and if it took longer each time. So far… I didn’t notice a difference.
There was something I was curious about though. “Didn’t… someone mention… there was a running skill?”
I didn’t remember who, but I could swear someone did. I stumbled to my feet to go in search of someone who would know. When I went inside, though, it was controlled chaos. Grimoire was directing staff with luggage and gear for the trip.
Porter had been busy rounding up a few guards and staff to go with, so that was also out. Calmar was busy getting things settled for his trip. Geraldine was still not around, for some reason. I was mostly just in the way.
So, I went to the training room and started doing my best. For what seemed like the rest of the day, I was left to fend for myself. Even dinner was a somber affair, with Calmar mostly trying to make sure I knew what to do in situations if they came up. Mostly it was ‘talk to Grimoire’. I was told if I needed to stay somewhere, to take the crystals in his drawer in the study and go to an inn, but only in an emergency.
And then it was the next day. I saw them off with Grimoire and the staff that remained. What had originally been one carriage turned into three and there were enough people to make most nervous about attacking them, I was sure. There was probably some equation involved that Porter knew about.
As the rest of the staff returned to their duties, Grimoire stayed with me, waiting. I was tempted to stay there until he spoke first, but the mood didn’t feel right for that kind of mind game. “So, what now?”
“Now, I get more involved in your training until an associate of mine is ready to assist us. They will serve as your bodyguard in the absence of Elayne. I think you’ll like him.” Grimoire said, looking down to me.
“Do you want a proper breakdown of my stats, or should we continue as we were?” I asked in the empty alleyway behind the manor.
He tilted his head, “Perhaps, full if you would.”
So I gave him the full stats spread..
Name: Danielle Rosecrest
Age: 17
Race: Human
Class: Noble 5
Class EXP: 431/1600
Experience Bank: 0/2000
Unspent Attribute Points: 3
Statistics
Physical
Strength: 10
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Dexterity: 13
Agility: 13
Endurance: 12 (Modified 10)
Constitution: 10
Mental
Intelligence: 21
Insight: 14
Charisma: 14
Perception: 13
Magic
Mana: 4
Mana Control: 2
Mana Power: 3
Skills
Assessment: Tier 1, Rank 8
Unarmed Combat Tier 1, Rank 6
Cheap Shot Tier 1, Rank 0
Mana Sense: Tier 0, Rank 1
Speed Reading: Tier 1, Rank 0
Deception: Tier 0, Rank 1
Staff Combat: Tier 0, Rank 3
Mathematics: Tier 2, Rank 13
Throwing: Tier 0, Rank 4
Tonfas: Tier 0, Rank 5
Two-Weapon Fighting: Tier 0, Rank 1
Swords: Tier 0, Rank 1
Traits
Noble Birth
Experience Conversion
Experience Absorption
Moderator’s Veil
Second Chance
Spatial Closet (Tier 1)
Spells
Healing: Tier 0 Rank 4
Scan: Tier 0 Rank 2
When he finished, he looked thoughtful. “I notice you said Endurance was modified to 10, correct? Why?”
“I had an idea and went with it. I figured, if I worked out like I was still at 10, then I could continue to gain easy increases.” I explained.
“The poisoner’s method, but without the risk. Interesting.” I tapped a finger to his chin.
“The what?” I asked, in confusion.
“Ah, you wouldn’t know. Forgive me.” He bowed slightly in way of apology. “It’s a rather crude way to increase one’s abilities, though it is often fatal if not done correctly, or worse you become crippled and don’t even benefit from the increases.”
“Wait, so people actually use this as a training method?” I was surprised.
“Some very driven people, yes. I would suggest not going five below your maximum value while training. While the method works, it does have diminishing returns after a certain point. And we’ll have to find something to work with Constitution, since I assume the poisons build that innately.” He mumbled to himself.
“Why not just… low dosages?” I suggested.
“Hm… perhaps. I’m hesitant to suggest it and tempted to just tell you to put your points into there. Until you hit 20.” He was still deep in thought, “Though we’d need to find something to train your magic stats then…”
“I’ll leave you to think on that while I do a few laps around the manor.” I said, happy that my idea had merit, and looking forward to more numbers going up.
“Don’t push yourself today if the last increase was yesterday. We’ll start weight training this week and move onto Dance instruction when my associate arrives.” He shouted after me.
I waved back to acknowledge that I’d heard him.
“Think she’ll be okay?” Cal asked Porter as they rode out of the city gates.
“She has Grimoire with her. Most likely, she won’t even notice we’re gone if she’s as intent on training as she seems.” He shook his head, “Wish she’d had more of that before the incident.”
Calmar sighed and thumped the back of his head against the wall of the carriage. “Don’t remind me. After my mother… she just got mean… This new Danielle…”
“You’re worried it’s a mask or something?” Porter asked carefully.
“No…” He held his hand up without opening his eyes and wobbled it back and forth, “Yes… maybe… I don’t know anymore.”
The bodyguard looked out the window at the passing countryside, “If it hadn’t been for your infatuation, it wouldn’t have hurt so much, I imagine.”
“Ugh, can we not talk about that either?” Calmar groaned and looked out the window on the other side.
“We need to, now.” Porter said, seriously.
The carriage was silent for several minutes as the tension built. Finally, Calmar broke it, “Fine. I’m a creepy guy liking a girl who is too young for me and whose father is married to my mother. Is that what you want me to say?”
Porter snorted, “What? No. I mean, you are, but that’s not what I meant.”
“What, you didn’t mean to imply I was grooming her?” He snarled back.
The bodyguard did something he rarely had to. He kicked Calmar in the shin.
“Ow!” The lordling yelped.
“You done?” Porter asked.
“Sure…” Calmar said, rubbing his shin.
“I mean are you still going to hold a torch for the her you knew when you first met? Hoping that you’ll recapture the person from back then.” His face turned serious as a tomb, “Or are you going to take things as they are?”
Still rubbing his shin, Calmar looked away, “I don’t know.”
Porter returned his gaze out the window, “Think about it. We’ve got a long way to go.”
They sat in silence for a few hours as Calmar thought on Porter’s words. It was, in a way, a fresh start with her. None of the baggage of their previous relationship. None of the weirdness of him being eight years older than her.
Eventually, he looked Porter in the face again, “You know what I miss the most from back then?”
“This should be good.” Porter said dryly. “What?”
“Danielle’s mother. Despite hers and my mother’s differences, she was always so… certain. A rock for the family to form around, you know?” He said, working through his thoughts.
“I wouldn’t know. I was still in the army.” Porter replied.
“Right. You’ve heard stories though, right?” Calmar asked.
“Of the Witch of Flames? Oh yea. Regular trips to the Grave Woods and Mirror Caves. The Flame Flower Fields were her playground and she was supposedly a Tier 5 Adventurer. Most mages looked up to her.” Porter said, remembering different times.
“I know I did!” A voice spoke from the other side of the carriage wall.
Both Porter and Calmar paused, having forgotten that Samuel could probably hear them.
“Thank you… Samuel.” Porter said, after clearing his throat.
A rather sheepish, “Sorry sir.” Came back as a response.
“My point was… the Danielle when she was around was… bright. Beautiful. Innocent of so many things.” He said, wistfully.
“That’s how children are with parents who care for them.” Porter said, putting a hand on Cal’s knee.
“I wouldn’t know…” He said, “By the time I found her… mother already had a seal.”
Porter looked away, the topic killing any built up levity. “We can fix what was done.”
“No, you can’t. Not anymore.” He said, taking a deep breath. “Father won’t allow it… but we’d all be better off if she…”
Porter kicked him in the shin again.
“Ow! Will you stop doing that?! Between you and Dani I’m going to get seriously hurt one of these days!” He whined, holding his knee.
“Just answer me this, and we can talk about something else.” Porter said, getting the topic back on track. “Do you still feel the same way about her?”
Calmar frowned, “I don’t know. I just know this Dani deserves a second chance. And a brother who isn’t a creep.”
“All I needed to hear.” Porter leaned back in his seat and kept watch out the window.
Calmar pulled out a book to read, trying to ignore the motion as the cart moved along the dirt road.
Samuel, just focused on driving, enjoying the feeling of wind in his hair, oblivious to the rest of the conversation in the carriage.