Chapter XI

  Naturally, there were dozens upon dozens of perks that came with being the Princess of Ijiria, and one of the most useful ones to Ilirianna Iiji in the recent days was the fact that almost nobody in the Citadel would question her about anything. So long as a Master, a Council Member, or another Iiji didn’t catch her acting suspicious, she could simply continue going about her business with everyone else none the wiser. Of course, she didn’t take risks if she didn’t need to, and that was why she only ever visited Abigail in Omaruo when she felt it was necessary. When times like that came up, she would simply make her way down from the Royal Quarters and towards what was known as “The Vault of the Relics” located on the floor just below her. The Vault was where items of unknown power and unique origins were stored away so that they could be kept from the general public and only used by those in the Citadel. The variety of the relics stored there was so vast that she was certain even King Markreas didn’t know all of the secrets the Vault held. Its value to her was that it was also where the three realm daggers were stored.

  Despite being full of such high-value magical talismans, the Vault’s entrance itself was actually rather poorly protected. It was a simple pocket realm erected by one of the Iijis that lived during the Age of Ascension, though unlike normal pocket realms, it did not fall apart upon the caster’s death. The reasons for this was unknown in the modern era, but many suspected it was being supported by the vast mana supply that emanated from the relics themselves. Nevertheless, the reason it remained functional was unimportant to her, for what did matter was that its nature as a pocket realm made it very easy to both enter and exit. All one had to do was approach the door and cast Dimiitio. Once inside, they collected whatever relic they were there for, then returned to the mana port and used the same spell to go back outside.

  It was pathetically easy to break into, but the reason for this was that the true defense came from the Citadel itself. Not only was nearly impossible to breach the walls of the tower to begin with, but trying to fight all the way up to one of the highest floors was unheard of. Add on the fact that the upper levels were protected with an illusion charm that could only be bypassed by a handful of dedicated “Guides” and there wound up being little need for any defense of the Vault itself. As for those Guides, they only consisted of the Iijis, High Elder Solomon Orland, and Elder Kloras Glaus. It was an effective system, but it completely failed to account for the possibility that one of those Guides may go rogue.

  Ilirianna smirked to herself, one of the three realm daggers tucked into her belt under her tunic as she rode one of the lifts down to Edwar Grunly’s office. Only seven people can even go to that Vault, including myself, and not a single one has the time to micromanage the realm daggers. Unless I get stupidly unlucky, nobody will know the dagger is missing for a mere few hours… They never have, after all…

  Arriving at the office a few minutes later, Ilirianna did a brief check of her surroundings to make sure nobody saw her entering given that she wouldn't be leaving for quite some time, then pushed the door open and walked inside. Grunly and Ryokumo were already there, the former sitting at his desk while anxiously tapping his foot and the latter simply leaning against the wall beside the sliding glass balcony door. Both looked up at her arrival, and before either could speak even a word, she kicked the door shut behind her and reached down to produce the realm dagger. As she held the glittering, bluish-green blade out before her, she couldn’t help smirking at the stunned expression on Grunly’s face as he beheld such a powerful talisman.

  “You really weren’t kidding,” he murmured with disappointment. “If not for my promise, I’d feel it was my duty to let King Markreas know just how easily the realm daggers can be stolen.”

  Ilirianna chuckled, spinning the dagger around in her hand. “It’s really not that easy,” she assured him. “But being Princess has its perks, and this just happens to be one of them. Now, this doesn’t make you want to change your mind, does it? Are you still prepared to do this?”

  “I…?”

  She could see the hesitation in his eyes and hear it in his uncertain tone. All things considered, there was a part of her that was surprised at the ease with which he agreed to go to Omaruo when she proposed it a few nights ago. She had been confident that Grunly wouldn’t sell them out, but at his core, he was an honest, moral man who followed the rules to a tee and had never so much as considered breaking the law in all his life, let alone a law as ancient and sacred as the one Ilirianna suggested they break. It was no wonder he was questioning himself even now, but as she continued to watch his eyes, she witnessed the steeling of his resolve replacing his morality as he clenched his teeth and answered her.

  “Yes, I still want to see Abi again,” Grunly stated. “All these years, I’ve wished for one last chance to speak with her before my time comes, and deep in my heart, I felt something was wrong—that she wasn’t truly dead. You've proved that I’m not just a hopeful, senile old man, so if I let this opportunity pass, I do think I’d forever regret it. I hope King Markreas can understand that should the worst ever happen, but I’ve made my decision, Princess. Please, take me to Omaruo.”

  The Master of Nature bowed his head, and since Ilirianna knew that her actions were far from deserving of respect, she quickly replied,

  “Don’t bow, Master Grunly. I’m doing this for Abigail and myself as much as you, so a bow is the last thing I need.”

  “V-very well,” he said softly, rising back to full height. “Then, do we just go? Is there anything you need to say beforehand or are we just winging it? I admit, I know very little about Omaruo, so…”

  Ilirianna brushed his concerns aside. “Don’t worry, you’ll draw far less attention than my green hair will. That being said, it’s a decently long walk from the entry point to where Abi lives in the nearby town, so as long as your pride can handle it, I may have to carry you at some point.”

  “I-I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” he insisted, and not wanting to argue, the Princess just shrugged her concession and turned to Ryokumo.

  “We’ll only be there a couple of hours, so open the portal right here at exactly three o’clock, okay?”

  “Worry not, Liri, for I used to pull this off on a weekly basis back at the Academy,” he reminded her with a laugh. “The portal will open when the time comes, that I promise.”

  “Good. In that case…”

  Even though she had been back to Omaruo once or twice in the last few years, Ilirianna always felt a rush of excitement and adrenaline when her finger pressed down against that ruby button, causing the yellow mana to flare up along the edges of the blade. It was an old power they no longer understood, and thus, it was amazing to wield it. With a sharp downward slice, Ilirianna cleaved open the space before her, creating a swirling yellow portal that would admit them to another world entirely. Grunly had certainly seen plenty of magical phenomena over the course of his life, but not even he would have ever witnessed the opening of a realm portal, so even though he was still clearly nervous, there was a glitter of awe in his eyes that was almost childlike.

  Ilirianna smiled warmly, then extended her hand down to the Master of Nature.

  “Shall we?”

  ***

  “I wish I could give you more of a heads-up as to when we’ll be here, but unfortunately, it’s far too chaotic back in Ijiria to know anything for certain. Then there’s the possibility that he refuses to come with me, in which case I won’t be back at all. So, would it be too inconvenient to ask you to be ready for us at any point in the next two Omaruan weeks or so?”

  Abigail Reiner was sitting on a park bench, watching her son running around the playground, when a sudden surge of mana erupted off in the distance. It was in the direction of the beach where the realm portal always opened, and as the woman closed her eyes and allowed her senses to open up as widely as she could get them, she focused herself on the signatures that were bound to enter Omaruo at any second. Sure enough, after a few moments, she sensed not only Ilirianna, but also the signature of a man she had long since come to terms with the fact that she would never sense again. She knew the high likelihood that she would see him very soon, but that didn’t make it any less surreal when Edwar Grunly stepped into this realm. The sweet old Master who had once been like a grandfather to her was now in the same world as she was. Much to her dismay, she couldn’t quite prevent her eyes from watering up.

  “I am here because I wanted to see if you were worth my time. And even in just these few words we’ve shared, I do think you could be… Which is why I would like to personally invite you to attend the Academy of Erika.”

  The memory of their first interaction came to her then, for it was one of the most treasured moments of her life. The fact that he saw value in her and offered her a chance to take her life in a direction she never believed possible was what set her on the path that carried her to where she was now, and while she would never claim that her time at the Academy was perfect, if given the opportunity to go back in time and refuse his offer, she would still make all of the same choices she did.

  I had a lot of regrets about how things ended, but if not for some of my mistakes, I wouldn’t have the family I do now… I wouldn’t have Eric, and I might not even have Scott. I just hope…Grunly doesn’t come to hate me… I hope he can understand why I abandoned Ijiria—abandoned him.

  Abigail smiled, her attention returning to Eric, who was climbing up the play structure with some little boy she didn’t recognize. The two of them were excitedly laughing with one another as they raced up to the slide, only to do the same thing again upon reaching the bottom. She always marveled at how easily he could befriend people, even those who were clearly less social. No matter where they went, Eric would find another kid to play alongside within mere minutes of their arrival. As she pondered this, a slight grin turned her lips as she recalled something he had said roughly a year ago—something that almost everybody else in Omaruo would brush aside as the ramblings of a child spawned from a wild imagination.

  “Sometimes, people feel good! I dunno… I just know, Mommy! They’re good! I know they are!”

  It brought her a great comfort to know that, even if he had yet to display magical skill, her sixth sense had been passed on to him. It would serve him well in life to implicitly know who he could trust and who he couldn’t, even if he was able to live the peaceful existence she wanted for him.

  A soft breeze suddenly blew across the park, its touch soothing as Abi continued to observe Eric at play while awaiting the arrival of Grunly. Unsurprisingly, it took quite some time for their signatures to even reach the edge of Wilham, which was almost certainly due to the fact that they couldn’t use magic to increase their pace lest they further risk their activity appearing on the QuaerBasim. However, at some point, they started to move a bit faster, indicating that Ilirianna may have decided to pick him up. Since Abi wasn’t in any rush, she had little issue just waiting there at that park, though she couldn't deny the quickening of her heartbeat the closer her old mentor got.

  Then, after around an hour, the signatures finally reached the street behind her. She couldn’t quite bring herself to turn around just yet, her anxiety making her fear a disappointed or angry expression upon the Master’s face. What made her even more nervous was when Ilirianna’s signature turned and split off from Grunly’s the second they reached the edge of the park, for she had been under the impression the Princess would be joining them, but it seemed she intended to let them speak in private. Abigail swallowed, now able to hear the soft steps of Grunly’s feet and wooden cane against the grass until he appeared in her periphery. Steeling herself, Abi turned her head and, for the first time since she departed Erika for Noctalus, she found herself staring into Edwar Grunly’s eyes.

  Her anxiety vanished in an instant as she beheld his beaming smile and his tear-filled eyes. It seemed like he couldn’t believe what he was witnessing as he stood there beside the bench, and even a part of her wondered if she was imagining things. He appeared much older than she remembered, as if the last handful of years had aged him far faster than the years she spent at the Academy, and though it was a grim thought to suddenly enter her head, she had a feeling that this was going to be the last time they would ever meet. However, she had once believed their last encounter had already passed, so even if this was the end, it was still extra time she had never believed she’d get, therefore she would make the absolute most of it.

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  “Abi,” Grunly finally whispered. “You really are alive… Not that I thought Princess Ilirianna was lying, but… Thank goodness…”

  Abigail felt her tears finally break free as she gave a soft laugh and a warm smile. “Yeah, I’m alive, Grunly. I’m sorry I was never able to say goodbye, and I’m sorry I never told you the truth. I wanted to, but—”

  “Oh, it doesn’t matter,” he told her with a shake of his free hand. “I don’t care about that now. I’m just so relieved you’re okay—that you weren’t killed in Stellareid like everybody said you were. I’m so happy… Come here…”

  He spread his arms for a hug, one that she was quick to give as she got up from the bench and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She began crying, having not been prepared to get so emotional so quickly while also finding herself ridiculously relieved that he wasn’t even slightly angry with her. She wasn’t quite sure how many details Ilirianna had told him about her circumstances, but she imagined he must know about her family if he was this forgiving.

  “Mommy? Are you okay?”

  Startled by the sudden question, Abi released Grunly and turned to see Eric standing just a few feet away, staring up at her with worry while occasionally shooting the Master of Nature curious glances. Grunly’s eyes went wide as he gazed at the boy before he chuckled to himself.

  “Yes, Eric, I’m perfectly fine,” she assured him as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

  The boy tilted his head. “But you’re crying.”

  “They’re tears of joy,” Abi said with a laugh. “Now listen, I want to introduce you to a very good friend of mine—one I haven’t seen in a long time.” She reached her hand out and beckoned for him to come closer before continuing. “Eric, this man here is Edwar Grunly. He’s like my father, so that makes him your grandfather, okay?”

  As if now convinced that she wasn’t lying and was truly happy, Eric’s worry was quickly replaced with excitement as he turned to stare at Grunly with awe. “Really?! That’s awesome! Hi! I’m Eric and I’m seven!” He stuck his fingers out as if to add emphasis to his age. “I like your beard!”

  A part of Grunly seemed unsure of how to interact with him, but true to the man’s nature, he composed himself and replied, “Why thank you. I take very good care of it. It’s nice to meet you, Eric.”

  “So you’re my grandpa? That’s cool! I thought I only had one!” Eric told him as he began bouncing on the balls of his feet.

  The Master of Nature nodded, a soft red blush coming over his cheeks. “It would seem so, yes. If you’d like, you can call me ‘Grandpa Ed’.”

  “Okay! My other grandpa likes hugs, so can I give you one, too? Do you also like hugs?”

  “I most certainly do.”

  Eric then practically jumped on Grunly as he threw his arms around the man. Grunly seemed a bit surprised that Eric would be so affectionate so quickly, but Abi knew without question that it was due to the sixth sense’s reading of him.

  “Alright, Sweetie, why don’t you run back to the playground for a bit and we can take a walk with Grandpa Ed in a little while,” Abi suggested as she placed a gentle hand on his back.

  Though he seemed reluctant, Eric did as asked, said goodbye to Grunly, then hurried on back to the playground to return to his friend, who had been curiously watching them from atop the structure. Abi watched him leave with pride, and before she could turn back to continue her earlier conversation, Grunly muttered something soft enough that she almost couldn’t hear him.

  “Like a father, huh? Was I really that important to you?”

  Her answer was instant and required no thought. “Yes. You were. In fact, you were one of the most important people in my entire life. I love you like the father I never had, which is why I wish I could have told you everything sooner. It all happened so fast, and even Nigreos and Album never found out, and I just—”

  “Abi, like I said, I understand.” He placed his hand over hers to comfort her before the both of them sat down on the bench. “You found out too late, and there was nothing to be done. I would have never forgiven myself if you’d put your son at risk just to say goodbye to little ol’ me.” Grunly then turned back to watch Eric for a few seconds. “He’s a very sweet boy. I can already see glimpses of you in him. Did you name him after the city?”

  “I did, yes,” she answered. “Erika meant the world to me, and when I saw the name ‘Eric’ in an Omaruan baby naming book, I found myself always coming back to it. My husband, Scott, liked it a lot as well, so that’s what we went with. Eric Reiner…”

  Grunly folded his wrinkled hands on his lap as he let out a slow breath. “It’s a good name. I’m overjoyed to have met him… And you know, now that I’ve pondered it a bit, you didn’t just come up with the name ‘Reiner’ out of nowhere, did you?”

  “W-well… No, it might have been taken from Scott,” she admitted with a guilty expression. “Though, I couldn’t outright say that to anyone since he officially never existed, but…yes, that’s where Reiner came from.”

  “I thought so,” he said. “In fact, a lot has begun to make sense ever since I learned the true story of what was going on back then, and I must say, you were quite bold. One wrong move was all it would have taken for the government to come swooping in on this quaint little town. I fear that even my presence here is a dangerous risk, even with Caeli keeping an eye on things back at the Citadel. I’m not so sure I could have handled the stress of it.”

  Abi nodded her agreement. “I sometimes wonder how I did it, honestly. But it was worth it. I knew from my very first trip here that I loved it—that Omaruo was just a wonderful, peaceful realm and that Scott was a person I’d never forget. I wish you could meet him, but he’s off at work and won’t be back until after you leave. That being said, what do you think of Omaruo? Not many get to realm travel in their lifetime, so have you enjoyed it?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” he grumbled. “Perhaps I’ll look back on it fondly after it’s over and I know my presence here hasn’t destroyed everything, but right now, I’m a tad anxious. Although, in my brief time spent traveling here, I must admit that the…what did she call them? The cars are a fascinating thing. I know the Kratons have a similar idea, but for a hulking metal box to move like that without magic is an impressive feat on the part of the Omaruans. Ha! I nearly had a heart attack when the first one shot by!”

  “Yeah, they’re definitely something that takes time to get used to. If only you had time to ride in one! It’s not what you’d expect, and isn’t quite the rush that flying with wind magic is, but it’s still an experience I think is worthwhile.”

  “A pity I won’t get to try it then…”

  They fell into silence, both shifting their attention back to Eric as they enjoyed each other’s company. It was a wonderful, nostalgic feeling that mentally brought her back to all of those afternoons following class that she spent in his office, having tea and cookies as they simply talked about whatever felt right in the moment. She found herself sad that she wouldn’t get to try his baking again, for Edwar Grunly was a master cook like few others when it came to desserts. Even after seven years spent in Omaruo, she thought back to those days quite often, and having the Master of Nature there beside her made it feel as if she were back in school again.

  “Seven years…” she murmured under her breath, causing Grunly to look at her with surprise. “I can’t believe it’s been that long. I’ve missed you so much.”

  Grunly’s brow furrowed, as if her utterance suddenly reminded him of the time discrepancy. “That’s right… It didn’t quite click when Eric said his age, but…it’s been longer for you, hasn’t it? How old are you now, Abi?”

  “Twenty-seven,” she told him with a sigh. “I’ve caught up to Liri in age…and I think I’ll pass her in a few Omaruan months.”

  “I see… Realm magic really is something beyond my comprehension… You’re happy though, right?”

  She nodded. “More than I’ve ever been.”’

  “Then it was worth it, I suppose,” he replied with a confident tone. “Yes, if you’re happy, then I’m happy, too. I would have loved to appoint you Master of Nature in my stead, and I will forever stand by my opinion that you would have been one of the greatest of all time, but if that is not what was meant to be, then I shall not complain.”

  Abigail frowned, glancing down to the man beside her with confusion. “So you really never picked a successor? I mean, I thought Iris would have been a more-than-fitting replacement for me.”

  “Miss Mackia was certainly talented, but…” Grunly paused. “Well, I was foolishly holding out for your return. Is she who you think should replace me?”

  “W-well, I don’t want to make your decision for you, but I started bringing her to our tea parties because I hoped to at least leave an option for you should I ever have to leave.”

  She could see the realization click as his eyebrows raised, telling her that he truly hadn’t ever understood her subtle signals. However, he didn’t seem angry or frustrated, and instead just let out a long, deep breath.

  “Very well then. King Markreas has been pestering me to retire for some time, so perhaps the moment has come for me to do as he desires and step down. Yes… Once I return to Ijiria, I will name Iris Mackia my successor. Then, should I survive the Battle of Ankalla, I will officially retire. My time has come, and I’ve been too stubborn to realize it.”

  Abigail felt relief, for she knew this was the outcome Ilirianna had been seeking by organizing this meeting, which meant that the risks taken were truly for the best. She could send Grunly back to Ijiria in a much happier state while helping Ilirianna in her quest to improve the state of the Masters. It had all seemed to work out, and she was given the proper goodbye with her beloved master that she had always wished she could have had.

  Goodbye, Master Grunly. You meant the absolute world to me, and I love you more than I can ever express. Thank you for being my mentor, and thank you for putting your faith in a nameless wanderer like me.

  ***

  Ilirianna spent most of her day in Omaruo simply wandering the town and taking in sights she’d never had much of an opportunity to see there in Wilham. At first, she’d wished that she had asked Abi for a little bit of money so she could have stopped at one of the local restaurants for lunch, but after finding a rather beautiful nature trail leading into a nearby forest behind one of the neighborhoods, she decided that she was quite pleased by the rather serene and relaxing afternoon. Her recent encounter with Toranei and Nakoma had been hanging over her ever since it happened, causing her to constantly feel all sorts of negative emotions like anger, disgust, and even just disappointment at how parts of her life had turned out. Ever since Tali Firrik made that bold declaration about her heritage, Ilirianna had felt so painfully lost. The single most important factor in her identity was revealed as a lie, leaving her completely unsure of who she was supposed to be. She had a feeling that was why she was so desperate to hold onto her right to the throne, for it was the last remaining aspect of who she thought she was that she still had access to.

  Even if I’m not truly an Iiji by blood, that doesn’t mean I can’t still succeed Markreas…and when I do, I want my country to be one I can take pride in. I want to make Ijiria a better place, and I can only do that if I’m the one in power…

  These were the thoughts constantly running through her brain, never giving her even a second of release, so as she walked down that trail, breathing in the earthy scents of the forest, she finally allowed her brain to empty itself. She stopped thinking about her problems in Ijiria since they were an entire world away. The trees and the birdsong were so vastly different from the chaos of Erika, and as she took a deep breath of that sweet air, she suddenly understood more than she ever had why Abigail had left Ijiria behind for this place. An intrusive part of her suddenly considered if she could ever do the same before brushing that thought aside. She had responsibilities that she couldn’t just abandon, but she did wonder if becoming Queen would allow her to visit Wilham more often.

  Yes… I would very much like that.

  Feeling rejuvenated, Ilirianna used her senses to find that Grunly and Abi were at a cafe near the park where she had dropped off the Master of Nature, and since it was around time for Ryokumo to open to portal, she knew she had to go and let him know. Upon arriving at her destination, she instantly wished that it didn’t have to end, for the second she entered the cafe and caught sight of Grunly sitting in a booth with Abi and Eric, she caught a full glimpse of the most genuine smile she had seen from the old man in years. He looked truly happy, like he was having the greatest day of his life, and there she was to bring it to an end.

  Grunly’s smile wavered when he noticed her standing in the doorway, a silent understanding passing between them that it was time to go. Ilirianna approached their booth, and when Eric glanced back to see her heading their way, his cute little face lit up with excitement.

  “Ilirianna!” he exclaimed happily, looking as if he was about to crawl across his mothers lap to give her a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

  The Princess grinned down at him, always finding it a pleasure to meet Abigail's son. “Hello, Eric. Unfortunately I’m just here to pick up Grunly, so I can’t stick around. It’s really nice to see you again, though.”

  The boy frowned. “Aw… You can’t just stay for a bit! If you do, we can get you a cookie!”

  “Thank you, and I honestly wish I could, but we’re on a tight schedule.”

  She briefly made eye contact with Abi, who was gazing up at her with a glow of appreciation, as if to wordlessly let her know that she was glad they went through with this plan of theirs. She mouthed a thank you, and Ilirianna returned her appreciation with a warm smile and a gentle nod.

  “Are you ready to go, Master?” the Princess went on, turning now towards Grunly, who was just finishing the cup of tea Abi must have bought him.

  After taking a long, final swig of it, he let out a sigh of satisfaction then said, “If I must, then yes. But this was a wonderful day—one that I don’t think words can properly describe. Thank you both for trusting me with such an important secret. You have my word that I will take it with me to the grave.”

  “I’m going to miss you, Grunly,” Abi told him softly. “But I’m glad I got to have some tea with you one last time. Take care of yourself, alright?”

  He chuckled. “You, too, Abi. And it was wonderful to meet such a polite young man as you, Eric. You watch out for your mother now, okay? Can you promise?”

  “I promise!” he chirped. “Nobody can hurt Mommy while I’m around!”

  “Oh, I believe you.” Grunly then grabbed his cane from where it was leaning up against the table and slowly pulled himself from his seat. Before taking another step, he gave one last look at Abi and Eric, as if wanting to burn that image into his mind for as long as he still lived, then his earlier smile returned. “Goodbye. I love you both so very much.”

  Abigail stared back, a brief flicker of sadness poking through her otherwise joyful features as she replied, “I love you, too, Grunly.”