Aaand, I’ve done it again, just wrote about something without offering context. The rules of using the highway - you’re weaker means it’s your own fault. If you’re using it, you are accepting that you might die going wherever you’re headed. Each realm has two dedicated lanes, two for ninth, realm, two for eighth, two for seventh, two for sixth, and two for fifth and below for a total of ten lanes.

  It’s really much safer than it sounds, since there aren’t that many awakened of the given realm moving around at any given moment, but climbing aboard at the third realm and heading into the ninth realm lane because it’s empty at the moment is a shortcut to becoming a human stain.

  — Excerpt from Around the Empire in Two Years

  Day 270, 5:45 AM

  The return trip was a matter of hours thanks to Lady Frostgrave. While I suspected she had better choices, a spell which hastened all of us was something beyond my expectations for the Eternal Light Empire’s magic.

  The next morning, that was my first question.

  “Mass Swiftness?” Lady Frostgrave asked, surprised by the unexpected question.

  “Yes. I didn’t sense any elemental attribute, let alone ice.”

  She stared at me and nodded; the topic wasn’t forbidden.

  “There’s an entire array of non-attributed spells one can learn after reaching the sixth realm. Most of them have limited combat use. Mass Swiftness, for instance, lets me increase the movement speed of up to six fifth or lower realm awakened.” She raised her finger. “But as I just said, it’s useless in a fight.”

  I nodded. “You could kill someone at the fifth realm in the time you took to cast the spell.”

  Not to mention there was a momentary lurch and several seconds it took to get used to the sudden rush of speed.

  “Do you have any other spells like that? And why do they require the sixth realm?”

  “I know several utility spells. As for why sixth realm, telling you would harm you.”

  “Can I use them before the sixth realm?” The conversation continued for an hour before I changed the topic. The learning session lasted well into the night before Lady Frostgrave interrupted it.

  “That’s it for today. Sleep on what I’ve told you, and we’ll continue tomorrow.”

  I obeyed, and time passed. Day after day, loop after loop, we discussed books and a random assortment of topics, which had confused me enough to stick in my mind. Years of loops grew more difficult to bear with each passing week. While our interactions remained genuine and unique for the most part, I did spend years speaking with the same person, keeping to very formal and mostly academic topics.

  In the end, I decided to end it in five hundred and thirty-seventh loop. After roughly twenty years of looping, it was time to move on.

  “Best locations to find precious resources?” Lady Frostgrave answered with a question as her five hundred and thirty-seventh first lesson started.

  “Yes, since I’m not a part of any order, I would appreciate any tips that would help me fund my future.”

  Lady Frostgrave regarded me and nodded approvingly.

  “I expected more academic questions, perhaps something about the secrets of advancing faster.” We had covered those topics a while ago. “But a grounded, practical question is good too.”

  Lady Frostgrave gazed into the distance, through the inn wall, just like she did every time my questions stumped her.

  “The best and simplest method of acquiring resources is to sign yourself over to an organization, but you seem disinclined.” She drew a breath and sighed. “Alchemists, artificers, and scribes earn well. Well enough to advance their realm fast enough to outpace time up to the fifth realm. Hunting treasures is profitable, but more dangerous, and there’s no guarantee a higher realm adventurer won’t intercept you in the wilds and claim your prize.”

  She started to open her mouth, but pressed her lips together just as they parted. The movement happened in a fraction of time so short I barely caught it. Lady Frostgrave seemed conflicted, but steeled herself and finally spoke.

  “Slaying cultists pays well starting from the fifth realm, but you should avoid it. The so-called cultist slayers are usually despairing men and women driven by the desire for revenge, and they usually live short lives. The cults hunt their hunters as soon as they draw enough attention.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  I wanted to ask for clarification, but her face told me she was sharing something she or the empire considered taboo, so I held back.

  “Thank you,” I said instead. “What about the locations with precious resources?”

  Lady Frostgrave smiled at that. “I’ll compile a list tonight, but I can only give you the widely known ones around these parts. If you want more specifics, I can only list the ones in the winter kingdoms, since that’s where we’re based.”

  Well, that’s not very useful, or is it?

  “I would appreciate both if you don’t mind. I think I might move to the winter kingdoms once I hit the fourth realm.”

  Lady Frostgrave nodded slowly. “Whatever you do, make sure you’re around the Sage’s City in some twenty years. There’s a traditional talents’ tournament there and you can enter even if you don’t belong to a major organization if you can make it through the qualifiers. The tournament is only for fourth-realm juniors under one hundred years old.”

  “Thank you,” I nodded with a smile. That was a new piece of information. “Are there any other such events?”

  The first day passed as a relaxed chat about the best places for me to visit to accumulate wealth and experience, as well as Lady Frostgrave’s thoughts about what I could do to make my future smoother and path easier.

  When I awoke the next morning, Newstar called out for me before I even left our room.

  “Dandelion, I have a quick question before you’re off.”

  I gestured for him to speak.

  “While we were underground, you were using your earth magic until you ran low on mana. How do I do that with my fire mana?”

  For the five hundred and thirty-seventh time, he asked the same questions in the same words. I sighed, knowing how the conversation would play out word for word.

  “Newstar, we are beyond the point where you can just say you owe me another favor, and I will not reveal a secret like that to you, nor anyone else, without getting something of equal or greater value in return.”

  The youth clenched his teeth, making the same decision as every time before.

  “Dandelion, watch this.”

  ‘I know of the location of a tenth realm core.’ Newstar mouthed the words without a sound.

  ‘Never speak of that again.’ He froze at my words, the hair on his arms bristling. ‘Your information is valuable, and it is prudent you shared it like this, even though I believe nobody is listening, and this inn guarantees privacy. But you should never tell anyone about this ever again. A tenth realm core is a calamity. The royal families and ducal houses would do whatever is necessary to acquire one. Regardless of the cost and with no moral qualms.’

  ‘But I didn’t even mention its location?’

  Indeed, he hadn’t, but even someone with a half-rotten brain would’ve figured it out.

  ‘It is in the mine you worked in, obviously. The information you just shared is priceless and worthless at the same time. Keep it to yourself, otherwise you might wake up dead one day.’

  I wasn’t joking. Had Lady Frostgrave been malicious, she would’ve killed us for the treasure she needed. Or perhaps she would’ve had we proved greedy. Regardless, Newstar had given me a decent excuse to share more information with him.

  “Fine, I will explain. I will also teach you how to use the spear and the sword. With time, you will need a heavier spear than what you have currently, but getting practice is never a waste.” I gave him the practiced stern look, but my heart wasn’t in it after doing it over and over again.

  “My method is useless for everyone who does not wield mana of the four basic elements.” Right on cue, his face grew long, and I kept going. “I have made runic seals which convert one type of energy into another. I have a full cycle, allowing me to stop it when the energy is in the state I need and draw that energy into my body.

  “But before I developed that solution, I considered a crutch, which could prove useful to you. I had an idea about making reservoirs of specific energies I used the most so that I could draw mana from them whenever I needed it. I can teach you the runic configurations which will make such zones in your realm.”

  It wasn’t the best solution, and I believed he could do without it, but it didn’t hurt to share it.

  “That said,” I continued, “I still have no clue how to evaluate your favor. The weapon training I mentioned will last two weeks, until you leave. Whenever I am not busy with Lady Frostgrave, I will do what I can to guide you and help you improve.”

  “Don’t you mean until we leave?” He looked at me intently, so I explained.

  “I am staying another week to help Swiftbeak and finish some matters I was hesitating about until recently. Once done, I will head deeper into the empire. Currently, my plan is to settle in Glory City, the seventeenth prince’s city.”

  “You won’t join an order?”

  “No. I will remain a hedge mageknight until I reach the point where I cannot support my own growth, probably the sixth realm. We might never meet again, but if we do, I hope we can remain friends?” I smiled reassuringly, but he frowned, trying to process what I had said.

  “But why? Didn’t you say joining a major order is safer?”

  “It is. For someone like you, it is a place to grow and learn from a mentor. You can learn how to use books properly and many other fundamental tricks, which you lack. But my method is different. I read, and through practice, I mold the theoretical knowledge into something which suits me. It will be a great path for you too, one day, when you have amassed enough knowledge and experience. I said you are a genius, and I mean it, you are much better at this than I am. My only advantage is time and experience. Without those, I would not have even considered reawakening, and I would have been a mediocrity until death. In a sense, I have you to thank for all of this.”

  I said more than I meant there, but I had to add at least something genuine to the loop which would stick, and Newstar pressed his lips together into a line.

  “Thank you. Is that why you were willing to do all those favors for me?”

  “In part,” I admitted. “In part, it is because I wish to be your friend and ally, if you would have me.”

  I gave him my hand, and he stared at it for a moment before clasping it.

  “Gladly.” He smiled, squishing my hand with all the strength of a little girl.