Don't Destroy the World

Ember blinked in surprise. "What? Why?" she blurted out.

For a moment, amusement flickered in Knight Vantosia's eyes before they returned to their usual blue stoicism. Even so, Ember couldn't help gaping. Though Priest Beslen had mentioned Knight Vantosia having a sponsorship, Ember hadn't taken it seriously. It wasn't that she didn't doubt he had one since he was a noble but his Seedling spots would be extremely limited due to not being the head of the Moze noble family or the firstborn.

The practice among the nobility was that the head of a noble family was given enough Seedling spots to cover himself and his children. Based on rank, they were given extra spots that were usually passed out to those under them - this could be other family members, a spouse, or whoever they decide to sponsor. This didn't mean their children's children would get a spot unless they were the next head of the family.

Ember knew for a fact that Knight Vantosia was not the next head of the family. Being a knight took him out of the running since a Knight had to put the royal family first. On top of that, she was aware that the Moze family had many children though she wasn't sure what their rank was. But he was not a duke or a marquess. The knight either had to come from a Count, Viscount, or Baron family, meaning his slots were limited. Still, it was possible that his family head had given him a spot or that he had earned one from the royal family but that would be two spots and those spots would usually be reserved for his firstborn or a chosen squire. None of it made sense to offer to a girl he had met only a few weeks ago.

"Illusions, a sleep ability, and some sort of pathfinding ability. Those are my guesses as to your abilities."

Ember froze up. She started to deny what he was saying but he continued.

"My eyes see the truth, meaning I can see past illusions."

Ember's mouth clamped shut. Her brain went into overdrive. She had to be careful, otherwise she would fall into his trap.

"What makes you think that I'm the one who was using those abilities?"

"Were you?" Knight Vantosia said and his eyes began to glow.

Ember didn't speak but that was answer enough.

"You already admitted that you have time to register," Knight Van said.

"Damn it," she muttered. So, she had fallen into his trap already. It explained why everything had seemed slightly off when he questioned her the night before.

"I could already have a sponsor," Ember said.

"But you don't. If you did there would be no reason to hide your ability."

That wasn't true but to say otherwise would mean she was a criminal and this light questioning would turn into a full interrogation.

"I'm looking for a sponsor," Ember said, begrudgingly.

Knight Vantosia nodded his head. "And how exactly did you awaken?"

The room grew tense at the question. She had to be very careful with how she answered. If she said a priest awakened her, she could get the Order in trouble and give the royal family an excuse to suspend the Choosing. She didn't want to take away the hopes of commoners just based on some misguided words.

"Was it your mentor?"

Ember shook her head. "No." She breathed out. "When I opened my eyes from the fever, I woke up with abilities there."

Knight Vantosia blinked in surprise but then frowned, narrowing his eyes. "You're telling the truth but you're hiding something."

"I was not awakened illegally," Ember said firmly. "That's the truth."

Knight Vantosia frowned but nodded. "You're telling the truth. Explain further."

"I rather not," Ember said. "I already told you it wasn't illegal and you know I'm speaking the truth."

Knight Vantosia stared at her coldly and Ember stared back, refusing to be intimidated.

The knight shook his head. "You're playing a dangerous game, Maiden Ember."

"All the more reason why I can't accept your sponsorship."

"And why is that?"

"You can't trust me and I can't trust you," Ember said. "Sponsorships are limited. I doubt you want to waste one of your spots on someone you can't trust."

Knight Vantosia looked pensive. "That's usually the case."

Ember sat there, waiting to see what the knight would do next.

"I still wish to offer you a sponsorship."

"Why?" Ember asked, exasperated at this point. The knight sure was stubborn.

"I see your potential," the knight said simply.

"I seriously doubt that would make you look past all the secrets I have."

"You're correct," Knight Vantosia agreed.

Ember waited for him to continue but the knight didn't say anything further.

Ember gaped at him before gathering herself and shaking her head. "I refuse."

"Why?"

"You'll eventually resent me for my secrets and I don't fully trust you either."

"That is a dilemma, but I won't resent you," the knight said.

Ember scoffed. "It seems even the knight of truth can lie."

Knight Vantosia frowned. "I won't resent you because I believe you will eventually tell me the truth."

"You sound pretty confident."

Knight Vantosia nodded. "Think about it. I'll call for you in a few days and you can give me your answer then."

"I gave you my answer," Ember said firmly.

"And I reject it," Knight Vantosia said, simply. "Think about it and we will talk again later."

Ember wanted to argue but she could tell by his expression he wasn't going to budge. "You'll have to accept my answer next time."

The knight grunted and Ember stood up, annoyed, and made her way to the door. Once she stepped into the hall, she saw Knight Garrick and Priest Beslen outside.

"Priest Beslen?" Ember asked.

The priest had a bemused look on his face but before he could speak, he was being pulled into the office and the door was firmly shut behind him. This was a dilemma. It was clear that Knight Vantosia had noticed that Priest Beslen was involved. She just hoped that the priest wouldn't reveal too much.

She sighed and began walking to her room only to stop when she remembered that her mother was resting inside. That meant she had free time. Her first thought was to train but to do that she would need privacy. She knew Priest Beslen was keeping her soul weapon a secret and she couldn't practice her abilities in front of anyone either. That meant if she wanted to train, she would need a private spot.

This was when she hit another wall with Finder. Finder could find inanimate objects, unawakened and awakened creatures and people, knowledge, and abilities. It couldn't find a general place just like it didn't show her places she hadn't been. It meant while it showed her where an object was it wouldn't show her just a general place but it could show her the things in a place. So, asking it to find her a private spot wouldn't work. It could help her find the knowledge about a private spot.

She frowned as something occurred to her. In her past life, Finder had led her to find a safe spot to hide when she was on the run with her family. Of course, it hadn't worked completely at the time. Mostly she asked for Finder to find empty burrows and things like that but it was technically a place and not an object, or maybe it blurred, like how a house was both an object and a place, but when she tried to use it in her past life in that way it hadn't worked after her evolution.

Maybe it had only worked because she had been close to an evolution. Did that mean if she pushed, she could unlock that ability? It was clear it was an evolution and probably one she could have gained instead of the find awakened creatures and people ability. That meant she would have to guide it to opening that ability on her next evolution. However, that wouldn't happen until she was in some desperate, traumatic event based on her vision. Still, it was a good idea to keep it in mind. If she could figure out how to locate places based on just a general concept that would make it easier for her to find a land to build her kingdom.

When Ember pulled herself out of her thoughts, she found she had wandered to the area where Patricia was staying. Instead of acolytes, two priests guarded the entrance to her room. One look at them told Ember they were warrior priests, ones that had focused on training in combat and the elite of the Orders fighters.

Before Ember could decide if she wanted to go through the trouble of trying to get approved to see Patricia, one of the guards knocked on a door and an acolyte hurried out.

"Please inform Oracle Patricia that Maiden Ember is here to see her."

The acolyte nodded and scurried down the hall.

Ember couldn't help her surprise that they recognized her and that they immediately requested permission for her to see Patricia. Was it something Priest Beslen had set up or was it Patricia's doing? It didn't take long for the acolyte to return and Ember was guided down the hall to another door where they passed two more warrior priests.

Ember was led inside to a room that was more luxurious than any room she had seen within the Order. That wasn't to say it was on the same level as what was seen in a noble estate. The room she stepped into was a sitting room meant to accept guests. Inside were several plush chairs and a simple table in the center where food had been placed. Paintings hung on the wall and magic orbs floated in simple but beautiful pillar candle holders. Against the wall, facing the door she entered through, was a small marble rendition of the Akashic Tree.

What really grabbed Ember's attention about the room wasn't its furnishing but the people in it. Patricia was sitting on a well-crafted wooden settee with soft cream cushions. Across from her, sitting in a matching settee was Lady Allyana Uniar. For a moment, Ember stared before she quickly regained her manners.

Ember bowed to Allyana. "Honored Greetings, my Lady."

"Oh! That was unexpected," Lady Allyana said and gestured for Ember to come forward. "Please join us."

Ember wasn't sure what to make of that so she drew closer but didn't sit down.

"You can sit," Allyana said.

Ember sat down next to Patricia who gave her a happy but somewhat shy smile.

"Maiden Ember, Oracle Patricia has told me so much about you."

Ember gave Patricia a questioning look and the girl immediately blushed.

"I told her about how you gave me your Blessing."

Ember relaxed. She didn't think Patricia would share with the noble about the pre-Seedling classes she gave her and Rowan, but nobles could be tricky people and Patricia was young and naive.

"Not only did you give her your Blessing and make her an Oracle, I also heard you helped to find Meri."

Ember was shocked to hear that the noblewoman had already heard about that. She could've heard from Meri but Meri wouldn't know about her. Even Patricia didn't know about it. That meant she would have heard about it from the knights or Priest Beslen but why would they tell Lady Allyana? She didn't think Priest Beslen would've told her but the knights might have reported the situation to Count Uniar and the Count most likely informed his daughter. She looked at the woman and Lady Allyana gave her a warm smile. There were no questions or suspicions in her gaze, only a warm gratitude.

"I thought about it and think it only right that you be rewarded for what you've done. I was thinking about how best to reward you. And I came up with an idea."

She reached out and quickly grasped Ember's hands. Ember watched her carefully. Lady Allyana's every move and gaze felt genuine. Her eyes shone with excitement. "What do you think about getting a Blessing?"