Cursed Explorer of the Arcana

“They should be here any moment now.” Martha arrives back to the agreed spot taking one last glance at her pocketwatch.

Five minutes.

She’s been following the kids around in the forest all along, looking out for their safety and assessing their resourcefulness throughout the entire hunt.

The three hunters started off pretty strong. Kayla and Victor have known each other for weeks now and they are the closest thing to good friends and comrades among the four. August is a… peculiar case. He’s very much like Elyssia, prideful and arrogant, however unlike the girl he follows cold logic instead of his pride. Needless to say, he learned his lesson when Kayla humbled him two days ago in a simple duel, shortly after his little incident in the mess hall against Elyssia. Then he challenged Victor yesterday and… poor boy got played like a fiddle.

He got humbled and that’s exactly what Elyssia needs.

That girl… The stunt she pulled after finding a source of water to hide her tracks… It was dumb, so dumb that it was almost brilliant. If any of the hunters had even the most basic perception or tracking Skill it wouldn’t have mattered but they didn’t, and Victor’s quick thinking was the only thing that saved them from embarrassment.

In the end, the deciding factor was Kayla. The forest is her playground and she probably could’ve brought down Elyssia even without the boys’ help. After the unruly mage’s capture, Martha returned to her spot for the dramatic effect more than anything, already preparing her speech about the lessons of this challenge.

Finally, the kids arrive, approaching the edge of the woods without any of them missing and still a few minutes left on the clock. However… something’s not right. Elyssia is not resisting, nor is she tied up, instead walking along the three hunters with a cheeky grin on all their faces. By the last tree, just at the edge of the road they’re supposed to return to… they stop.

“Oh, these damn kids...” Martha sighs and the pocketwatch cracks in her tightening grip.

“Hey, I have a proposal.” I get a brilliant idea sitting surrounded by my three hunters. “How about we split?”

I was so obsessed with winning that everything else became secondary. Be that Skill training, or teamwork, or having fun, or the special gift...

I could still recover some mana along the way back, burn my bindings again, and stall a little longer but… I don’t like that. The only reason I’m uninjured and conscious is the rule saying they have to bring me back unscathed and abusing that rule too much feels like what the spoiled brats would do with their family background. Hide from responsibility.

I did my best, they did their best so let’s just accept the current outcome. It was a ridiculous bet from the start. In the end, I’m not winning anything, nor does anyone get any reward besides some shoulder pats and nice words which is basically nothing in the end.

“All talkative now, huh?” Victor massages his side where my lighting struck looking all grumpy. “Let’s hear it.”

“Why are you trying to win?” I ask. Some showmanship is necessary.

“For acknowledgment.” August replies plainly.

“He’s right, this is a rite of passage, a chance to prove ourselves.” Victor seconds.

Oh shit, I didn’t even think about that.

“Okay but what if you could prove your skills, your ingenuity, and maybe even receive a share of an actual winning prize?” I wiggle my eyebrows as one after another their eyes light up with realization.

“Did we win?” Except for Kayla, clueless as ever.

“I think we could make that work.” Victor rubs his hands.

***

“Are you angry because I hurt those beasts?” I carefully ask Kayla the topic that’s best to get off my shoulders sooner rather than later.

“It’s not that,” She scratches her head. “When they get hurt I hear them begging for help and crying in pain.” Oh shit, this makes me feel like the villain here. “Every beast and animal is my friend if not family and when I ask for their help I know they’ll end up injured. If possible I try to save them and make them run if things turn dangerous but sometimes it can’t be helped, it's only natural. It’s a lot more common you know, death and injuries. Animals can’t talk things out and have no guards to catch the naughty ones. So am I angry because you killed them?” Her casual smile withers. “A little, but it’s also my fault for dragging them into this and it was their choice to stay and protect me. The worst thing about my Blessing is that I know my friends will get hurt only because I asked them to fight for me but I believe it’s the good fight and what we do matters.”

I have many doubts regarding that good fight part but asking her about them would be cruel. I think. I heard that beast tamers value their companions greatly however their bond is supposed to be something a lot stronger than whatever Kayla talked about. Honestly, her Blessing almost feels like some form of mind magic.

Returning to Martha with a ranger who knows how to orient himself using the sun and a beast tamer who can basically ask any passing animal for directions makes this a walk in the park. Almost literally.

We keep chatting about small stuff like what we could do in our free time, how we imagine our future, fun little corners in the Fort… It’s weird, all this we. I barely know these three, and I definitely wouldn’t call them my friends or anything but they’re close. I’m not comfortable with having people close to me, not yet and not here.

Let’s just say this was the closest thing to what I had to my normal life back home ever since that terrible night. It was like having fun with the gang again, even if a bit more violent.

Soon the trees grow sparse and a very valid question is asked by Kayla, “So what now? Is the time already up?” I haven’t planned this far.

“It’s not, look!” August responds and we follow his eyes.

Martha, the foul witch pulling the strings, the culprit behind everything standing there with that pesky watch in her hand and eyes following our every step.

“So we have a deal, right?” Victor stops and puts a hand on my shoulder. “You won't go back on your word-”

“Do you know me like that?” I cross my arms and give him the flat look.

“Fair.” He chuckles. “Then let’s wait here and smile. We’re all winners today.”

And that’s just what we do. As the seconds tick by realisation slowly dawns on the old mage’s face, her sly scheme countered by an equally shrewd counter.

That gift better be something nice. And something we can share otherwise things would get uncomfortable.

“You think we’ll have to run extra laps tomorrow morning?” Kayla whispers and by the single eyebrow jumping up on Martha’s forehead I’m not sure talking quietly works.

“We didn’t break any rules and did exactly what this exercise was meant for.” Victor also seems to have noticed our instructor's change of expression. “With that said… it’s likely.”

I skipped every morning exercise until now and August rarely expresses his feelings but we’re still part of the collective sigh.

After the frown on Martha’s face can’t grow any larger she appears in front of us with a pouch in her hand. “Yes, yes, very smart way to teach the unruly one a lesson.” She throws me the pouch and I already know what’s inside before it lands in my palm. “That’s four gold only because I value the team effort. I don’t know any of you well enough to pick something for you so we can stop at the market on our way back and you can buy something for yourselves.”

Holy shit, four gold, one gold each… That’s more than some low-level adults earn a month. I wouldn’t call it special but I don’t think I’ll complain. Damn, I’m basically rich, and just how rich is the old hag to hands down throw this type of money around?

What to spend it on? Food? Nah, we have plenty of food in the mess hall. Clothes or accessories? Maybe something comfy to sleep in, anything else would just get damaged.

“No need to stop.” August is the first to reply.

Huh?

“Yeah, I think I’ll just save it til I really need something. This is too generous.” Victor agrees and yoinks a coin from the pouch.

“Y- yeah, that’s the responsible thing.” I hastily add because they sound so mature about it compared to my plans to buy sweets and comfy pajamas. Those pajamas do sound nice though.

“That’s it?” Kayla’s reaction baffles everyone. “Man, I hoped for something cool, like a pretty ribbon or a mysterious egg but it’s just money…” She pouts.

Yeah, she’s something different.

“I request the challenge that she took to come out more often.” August speaks up out of the blue. A lot more words than we usually hear from him.

“Likewise.”

“Yeah, me too, me too.” Kayla also jumps at the opportunity with enthusiasm.

Hey, that’s not… fair. Is it?

Martha doesn’t answer right away, looking at me instead crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. “Is it even necessary?”

I know the question is aimed at me and I know what she means. Do we even need to waste our time with that?

“No, they pass.” I begrudgingly agree.

As much as I hate to admit it, they’d have no problem repeating my feat of killing a hundred levels worth of beasts in a few hours. Victor could locate them easily before carefully and meticulously racking up the numbers. August can cover much more ground than I did and even if he messes up and things turn risky he can just escape and look for a different prey. And Kayla… she might fuck it up but only because she might feel bad for the beasties.

All in all, having them all do the challenge would just waste the rest of this outing. I still did it better though. My score was quite a bit above the minimum and I was weaker than any of them right now. Is it a bit unfair? Maybe but this much I can swallow. All I have to do is perform better to keep my lead.

Child’s play.

***

After resting a little, recharging our mana, and cooking up new formations to accommodate me, we returned to the forest. This time it really was all about getting comfortable with others fighting around you and improving your Skills.

With Martha around we quickly found beasts either quite a bit stronger than us or numerous enough to pose a challenge. In the following hours, I learned that Kayla can’t just win every fight by befriending any living creature and making it fight for us and Victor’s… I don’t know what to call them, prophecy, guess, or deductions? So his deductions aren’t always spot on. August is still lame, being fast is nothing fancy.

Just about when Solair touched the edge of the horizon we decided to call it a day and return home.

“So is this a weekly thing now?” Martha’s eyebrows do some little dancing at my question before she smiles lightly.

“Probably, but I won’t be the one to accompany you every time.”

Oh Gods above, please, if you hear me let it be anyone but Bennett. Or Wyat. Or any other idiot this city hides. Coming out here is still worth it, just let it be with someone normal.

[The Class Skill [Mana Bolt] has reached lvl 17 -> 18.]

[The Class Skill [Mana Shield] has reached lvl 17 ->18.]

[The Class Skill [Mana Spear] has reached lvl 12 ->15.]

[The Class Skill [Mana Blade] has reached lvl 12 ->13.]

[The general Skill [Running] has reached lvl 16.]

[The general Skill [Pain Tolerance] has reached lvl 5.]

[The general Skill [Dodging] has reached lvl 18.]

[The general Skill [Stamina] has reached lvl 11 ->12.]

And that’s without the list of things I’ve killed. I’ve said this before but the real-life stuff is just so much more effective than the duels and practice session in the courtyard that it’s not even funny.

“I only need about-” I try to inform my teacher about my progress just to get interrupted.

“Help, please, someone help. I can’t do this anymore.” A man rushes down the road towards us.

The walls of Granhall are already in sight and he clearly seems to be coming from the gate area with the countless travelers, farmers, and merchants all waiting for entry. His everything is dirty and the simple clothes on him paint the image of a beggar however what really stands out is the piece of metal around his neck. A slave.

He runs right towards us, begging the entire way. “Please, I just need to hide from-”

A gentle bolt of lighting from Martha is all it takes for the man to finally shut up and collapse, damping the fall with his face.

“Why not just let him go?” I ask as we pass the unconscious man, not even stopping to check if he’s alright.

“Trust me Eli, I was merciful.” Martha chuckles. “Nobody is born into slavery, people need to earn it.” Doesn’t sound like something I want to earn. “Burglary, vandalism, failed payments, and many other crimes big and small lead to someone losing their freedom. As a form of punishment to learn their lessons, the criminals need to repay the damage they cause by providing labor. As simple as that.”

“But why not let him escape? Maybe he was treated badly?” Kayla asks the next question.

Was it really necessary to get involved?

“Runaway slaves are usually caught within days, and their masters are rarely happy when they are returned. About treatment,” Martha scratches the back of her head. “There are laws to protect even the criminals, even those who deserve no second chance, but yeah, it happens.”

“What if I just say that he’s mine?” I’m genuinely curious about this one. Could I steal a person?

Martha finds my question hilarious. “No, that’s really not how that works.” She chuckles. “You need to be at least sixteen to own someone and you need to have the paper binding them to you.” While she answers, a group of men approaches, armed, angry and clearly looking for someone. “With that said we discourage slavery among our ranks. Traveling with them is tedious and Krieg dislikes unwilling weaklings being thrown into battle.”

That doesn’t sound too kind and caring now, does it? And what’s with these people caring about the whims of a God when they aren’t even a holy order or cult or whatever?

Would I love to have a servant trim my nails, feed me and massage my leg all day while doing whatever I ask? Sure, sounds like a dream. Could I do the same thing simply using a buttload of money? Yes.

The angry chasers soon pass us, thanking Martha along the way after they spot the blacked-out runaway not far behind us.

Is that really the best way to solve the problem, to punish criminals and make things up for the victims? I would love to say no, except I don’t think I have the right to. Yapping about a problem without having the slightest idea how to solve it is just that, yapping.

Not that I can change any of that nor do I really want to.

“So, Martha,” I get back to where the rude slave interrupted me. “I still need a few levels in Mana Blade any chance we can-”

“No,” She huffs without delay. “I thought we agreed on this… Beasts won't be the only things trying to kill you so you will train against humans just as thoroughly. If not you’ll end up at the bottom of the rankings.”

“There’s a ranking?” My competitive spirit roars up deep within me.

“There is, but only kids above level 18 can vie for the top spots and the rewards that come with it. You better take practice seriously.” The usual youthful fiendish smile adorns her old face. “Or just take the Class up without maxed Skills, it’s faster.”

Like hell I would. Damn, the people here really know how to make me do the work even if I don’t feel like taking things seriously. Who would like to sit at the bottom of the scoreboard without any rewards?

“Just give me a few days.” I declare confidently only to have my momentum broken as we arrive at the gate.

This Abyss damned line…