Chapter 89
The following morning, I did not stick to my usual routine of heading directly downstairs to eat and prepare for the day. This was somewhat due to the fact that there were no classes to be preparing for, but more so because I did not want to forget the idea that came to me whilst in the Crucible.
My desk drawer had my journal, some books from the library, and the bestiary left to me by Father Bernhard, but it was the generic notebook tucked to the side that I reached for.
“Morning.”
Rose must have awoken to the sound of me rifling through my things, as she loudly yawned and walked over.
“I’m gonna go raid the kitchen for coffee, want some?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I don’t know when she began drinking caffeine herself, but as something of an addict myself, she had been brewing my coffee for me every morning when we were children. This exchange felt to me like a return to normalcy in a way.
“Ugh, bro… Get a new notebook, that thing is ratty.”
“Hm? Looks fine to me.”
I had the book open to the first available page. I used it for all my classes and saw no reason it should be replaced.
“You’re impossible, Look!”
She began pointing over my shoulder.
“Why are there notes from three different subjects on this page? Nothing is colour-coded or properly marked, the title is ‘study notes’, but you’ve written what I assume is a grocery list—”
“That was for Soot’s meals.”
“Whatever. The pages are ripped and crumpled, too. I’ll give you one of mine later.”
She shook her head and walked out of the room.
“Heh…”
A smile crossed my face as the previous day’s bloodshed was washed clear of my mind thanks to a little bit of sisterly nagging.
But it was time to focus.
With my newfound ability to alter my body, I had a plethora of possibilities open to me. First, I should test the limits of what it could actually do. It was clearly not as drastic as fusion, nor did it cause any major physical changes as did. But like any skill, it could probably be improved over time with repeated use and experimentation.
As I took note of what I should try out, I realised how inconvenient it was to continue referring to the ability without a name. was the first thing that came to mind, so I ran with that.
So, how to proceed with my self-improvement? The most important order of business would be to improve my strength and stamina, but that was a long, arduous process. Ideally, I wanted to see results before we marched onto Farrowgate.
And with there were some ways to achieve this. Muscle growth could be promoted by selectively tearing down and rebuilding specific portions of the muscles during workouts, in a way that maximised my gains in the areas that needed it while reducing excessive inflammation. I could also proliferate satellite cells and spike testosterone to similarly optimise the results during exercise.
But the real magic comes after the routine. I could force my muscle protein synthesis to the peak of what is possible and safe to handle, redirect all amino acids and glucose taken in during my meals into muscle repair and growth. And finally, clear waste from the body in real time to circumvent muscle fatigue.
There were some finer details to note, but these were the main pillars of the routine I would be working on. If my calculations were on point, I could expect to see a 30-50% increase in physical strength within just three days. Theoretically, keeping this up could lead to a superhuman physique within three months.
I paused to chuckle at that thought. ‘Superhuman’ had a totally different standard in Arden compared to Earth after all. By regular human standards, pretty much everyone at silver rank and above in the IMA was superhuman. Put another way, within three months, I may be on par with Axel.
“Coming in!”
Rose re-entered with a serving tray and placed both a mug of coffee and a plate on my desk.
“Your deluxe ham and cheese sandwich, milord.”
She gave an exaggerated bow.
“We need to restock our pantry. You guys are running low on everything for cheese.”
“You're planning on staying here?”
I closed my book and turned to face her.
“Well… It's not as if I have much choice, right?”
“You’re being awfully pessimistic. I may still be able to pull some strings and get you to the capital. Ada's place is so big she wouldn't even notice you living there. Want me to send a message and ask if you can stay there?”
Rose didn't respond immediately. Instead, she stared quietly at the bedroom window.
“Do you think they're okay? The villagers wouldn't do anything crazy because of this war, would they?”
On the surface, it appeared she was changing the topic. But I responded anyway.
“In Redwater, you mean? I would be surprised if word has even reached them yet. When it does, there will probably be some distrust going around, but I doubt it would escalate to anything serious. Maybe a drunken brawl or some broken friendships, that's all.”
I shrugged.
“Is that really what you think?”
She looked back at me, scepticism written all over her face.
“You aren't keeping things from me again, are you?”
Her gaze made me uncomfortable, despite the fact that I had done nothing wrong. Then again, it was true that I had censored myself to spare her concern.
“I do believe what I said… but yeah, there's more. Don't get too worked up, okay?”
“Just tell me.”
“Alright. I think the longer this takes, the more likely paranoia will turn people against one another. Clara will be hearing some of the worst thoughts she has ever been exposed to, and half the villagers will need to move elsewhere even when things settle down.”
I began with what I was certain of, then moved on to what I considered only a possibility.
“Soleo violated their own honour system yesterday, showing they may not necessarily be above attacking uninvolved civilians. There is a non-zero chance that soldiers will occupy Redwater and drive out anyone of Imperial descent.”
“...But they spared the citizens here, right?”
“Yes, which is why I don’t consider this to be a definite outcome. But again, the longer things drag on, the more people will be willing to do what it takes to protect themselves. A slaughter is unlikely, but I could see them holding the village hostage to gain some leverage.”
I nearly slipped up and said “just like we're doing”, but there was no need to let Rose know about that. It would be bad for our relationship if she knew I was the reason half her friends were being used as political tools.
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“Could you—”
“No.”
She furrowed her brows as I cut off her predictable question, so I gave in and explained myself.
“You want to know if I can go check on our family, maybe bring them back, right?”
She nodded.
“Even travelling alone, I can't cover that much ground bring back non-combatants all before the Imperial Princess arrives. I would also need to convince them to abandon their home without causing panic, evade elven scouts, and possibly engage Solean lookouts in the worst-case scenario.”
Rose rubbed her eyes in frustration and dropped her forehead onto my shoulder.
“Sorry… it's just so frustrating…”
She mumbled.
“I know… how is Delilah? You two have any issues?”
“Haha, smooth transition, bro.”
She lifted her head and smacked my back.
“I'm not changing the subject. How is she?”
I pressed on.
“Scared.”
Rose began cleaning up my desk to keep herself busy as she spoke.
“She's worried about her dad, naturally. She was a little hesitant to tell me much, but I think Sir Connor is still in Farrowgate. Given his rank, it's unlikely he will be able to sit it out when the Imperials come knocking. All the Solean kids are struggling to understand why their King has committed such a crime, but at least has accepted the reality of it…”
She looked at me, then stole a glance at my axe, which was hanging by the door.
“She's especially nervous about being around so many people who could be ordered to besiege the city any day now.”
“They already know our plans?”
“No, no. Nothing like that. It's all just fear and assumptions at this point.”
“I see. Still, it's not like the students are fighting each other, right? You and Delilah aren't at each other's throats. At most, she's just a little wary of you.”
“You're saying our relationship is basically a reflection of how Redwater will be?”
“Broadly speaking, yeah. And as I said, it would be surprising if Redwater were to be brought up to date anytime soon. I'd expect maybe a week until they hear the news. So, here's my advice: wherever you and Delilah are now, that is where Redwater will be a week from now. Use this as your measuring stick for the time being.”
There were clear holes in the logic, but to someone seeking comfort, it would feel like a rational hope to hold onto.
I finished my breakfast, took the plates and tray, then stood up.
“C'mon, I wanna chat with Axel about something.”
I nodded to the door, indicating that my arms were full.
She hesitated, clearly wanting to mull her thoughts over with me some more, but I needed to keep her occupied. Any further discussion would not be to her benefit.
Seeing that I was not going to say anything more, Rose cooperated and opened the door, following me out downstairs.
There, Axel was still sprawled out on the couch, though he was very much awake.
“How are you moving right now? My body is killing me here.”
He slightly tilted his head back to look at me.
“You’ve seen it before, remember? Eight hours of sleep, and I'm good as new.”
I responded.
“...You gonna explain how that works for real this time? And don't say it's a Druid thing.”
I laughed and placed the dishes in the sink, then set to washing them while Rose stood on standby with a drying cloth.
“I suppose I should place more faith in you… ask your questions, and I'll do my best to answer what I can as honestly as possible.”
Axel had effectively turned himself into a hated enemy of his people and was now stuck, surrounded by those unlikely to ever fully trust him. Beyond that, we both had each other's backs during all the turmoil, saving one another from countless mortal blows. I felt comfortable bringing him into my circle of trust… Within reason, of course.
“Oh? Is the elusive Rex going to reveal his mysteries to me? What a wonderful morning glory!”
“Don't phrase it like that.”
“Haha! Alright, first question, what was that monster?”
“Dunno.”
“...Oi.”
“Don't get mad, that was just a bad question. I seriously don't know, but I it was someone who had manipulated their soul to a point where they became… twisted. Basically, they were my future self if I were to lose my way.”
“Awesome, that was as clear as mud.”
Axel sarcastically commented.
“Let's see… Ah! How did you do that thing with the mana organs?”
I gave Rose the awkward side eye, but the way Axel phrased it at least left me room to leave out the gory details.
“Hmm… that was taught to me by one of the two passengers I carry around with me.”
I tapped my chest.
“I didn't know about it myself until yesterday, though I admit I toyed with the theory in my younger years.”
“Is that passenger of yours also what I saw in the arena?”
“I have no memory of that, sorry.”
I passed the plate I finished washing over to Rose, who took one look at it, sighed, then took the sponge out of my hand and replaced it with the drying cloth.
“That reminds me, though, what exactly happened after Bridgit hit me?”
“You turned into a tree person and stabbed her.”
He made a noise imitating Bridgit being skewered.
“It was pretty freaky, man. Pretty awesome too, though. Oh, you also had a weird exchange with Lloyd.”
Axel found the strength to finally sit upright and slowly began to stretch his limbs.
“Something about messing with time and being a crime against nature?”
Rose and I both burst out laughing.
“I wouldn't go far, the guy isn't an abomination. So? What happened to him afterwards?”
“Ran off.”
Axel shrugged.
“Huh? He just ran away? Did he fight at all?”
“Not that I saw. Zac had left a moment earlier, though. I guess Lloyd was following. Dunno if he joined my cousin or was trying to stop him, but he seemed angry at your passenger.”
“Hmm…”
I pretended to focus on my new task of drying the dishes, but my mind was occupied with deciphering Axel's claim.
Lloyd was a passionate young man who thought with his heart rather than his head, but I didn't recall ever seeing him angry. Even when he was first adopted and brought to Redwater, he just looked resigned, rather than enraged, even though his own home was razed and everyone else butchered.
So why would the Stag Lord set him off?
I focused inwardly, hoping for a response, but both voices had been silent ever since I returned from the world of nothing.
“So... where's Fleur?”
I moved the subject along, far less gracefully than I should have.
“Already gone. The watchdog came to collect her three hours ago.”
Axel tried standing, only to immediately fall back into the couch.
“Any sign of the others?”
I ignored his frustrated growl.
“Olly hasn't come back. Tilly is helping dispose of the dead, but she dropped in briefly. She was all pouty about something, but I don't think she came to get anything, she just went upstairs, then stomped back down and left.”
“Huh, weird… oh, wait…”
I remembered that I had promised to stay with her last night. Whoops.
“Anyone else come by?”
I tactfully kept my mouth shut and mentally apologised to Meztili. I legitimately felt bad for letting her slip my mind like that.
“Isolde brought banana bread.”
He pointed to a covered platter. I lifted it to reveal nothing at all.
“Soot got to it, though.”
Axel laughed as my expectant smile vanished.
“Morning, all!”
Lily came to join us with a spring in her step. She then stopped and presented me with an uncharacteristically serious salute.
“Squire Lily of Ashenvale, reporting in for morning duties, sir!”
She let the silence linger for a moment before breaking into laughter and moving to help Rose put the dishes away.
“Why are some of these still wet?”
She commented, causing Rose to roll her eyes at me and begin re-drying everything while I stood opposite Axel.
“I've filled in one of my slots already. Have you got any candidates in mind?”
Ignoring Lily completely, I moved on to pick Axel's brain.
“You seriously chose ? She's a—”
He glanced at Lily and lowered his voice.
“She's a Have you already forgotten?”
“Oh. I forgot you saw that yesterday… I've known for a while now, it's fine by me. Also, she's a devil, not a demon. She gets pissed if you get it wrong.”
“Same thing… Look, don't say I didn't warn you when you find a dagger in your back.”
He relaxed a little, but his arm muscles had visibly tensed up as if preparing to strike her at any moment.
“Don't worry about that, let me hear your thoughts for candidates.”
“Doesn't really matter. Nobody's gonna be able to keep up with me anyway.”
He scoffed.
“True, but you don't need equals. You need people who can cover your weaknesses. Say, for example, a scout and a priest.”
“Nah, balanced teams are for those who have to do all sorts of jobs. I plan to be in the thick of the fighting as much as possible. I'll probably join the Order of the Frenzied Talon, or the Crimson Chain, depending on who seems the most interesting.”
“So, frontline shock trooper, or monster hunter? Well, I do agree that a full group of bruisers would work in either scenario. What will you do then?”
“Dunno. Leon might be a good pick. He needs some toughening up, but he's got the skills. Maybe Felicia as well? Fleur would be better, but she's under protection. I doubt I'll be allowed to take her.”
His list overlapped almost completely with my own.
“Not Meztili?”
I asked.
“She's good, but… nah, the zombie crap would grate on me too much. I can't see myself being on a permanent team with her. You two are friends, why don't you take her?”
Lily and Rose finished up their work and came to join us.
“It's not a bad idea.”
Lily nodded along to Axel's suggestion.
“The three of us have experience as a team, and we all get along. It would be the smart choice.”
She continued.
But I was on the fence myself. Unlike Axel, versatility was essential to me because it complemented my skill set. Two spellcasters would make that tricky to achieve. Lily could provide support, hinder opponents, engage in stealth, espionage, and diplomacy, and carry out assassinations. She even had connections thanks to her time working for Merk.
Meztili was much harder to use in comparison. She would be fantastic in large-scale, drawn-out battles, which could be helpful in the immediate future, but after that…
I just couldn't think of many scenarios that were likely to arise where that would benefit me. There was also her faith to consider. The more my squires follow me around, the more likely they are to stumble across my anti-divine sensibilities. This was also what made Lily such a perfect fit for my team.
“You don't look convinced.”
Lily poked my nose roughly.
“It doesn't to be someone from the IMA, you know? Grab a goblin or something if you can't decide.”
“Oh? Can I really do that?”
I perked up immediately.
“...Y-yes, but I was joking. Please don't make a filthy goblin my equal.”
I stood up with excitement and began packing some things. I found Soot sleeping off a food coma by the rear door and loaded my bags onto him while yelling back into the house.
“Lily! Get your things ready! We're heading to the Verdant Divide!”
In my hurried rush around the property, I never noticed the look of utter despair that had befallen my infernal underling.
