The Tentacle Awakens

by J. J. Pavlov

  "The nature elements are fire, water, wind, and earth. The spiritual elements are light and dark." Arcelia responds in Luna's stead, her voice once again filled with patience and warmth, despite her earlier agitation. I feel like I could be lulled into sleep by it. "Most people have an affinity for one element, not many have two, but wielding three is already remarkably rare. There are very few individuals with four or more."

  So, this means I'm really amazing, huh?

  "Among all elements, light is the rarest. There are only twelve people in Lares who command the magic of light, including myself." The saint continues her explanation. Wow, that makes her quite amazing, too. "But the rarest of all magic affinities is space. There is only one human in this world who wields it."

  Wait, did she say space? Like teleportation? Oh, I guess the transportation circles are a form of space magic then. Mithra and Maou-mama are incredible then? And only one person having it means that he or she must be treated as a treasure of humanity.

  "And what about dark magic?" Since she mentioned it earlier without including it among the rare elements, I assume it's not that rare for people to have it?

  "Only demons and the cursed possess the dark element." She states with her head tilted slightly and a hand on her cheek as if she's troubled.

  Uh-oh. Is this the moment of truth? Will it be revealed that I'm a demon?

  "Humans who have been corrupted have all their previous elements stripped away and receive the curse of darkness, which allows them to wield dark magic instead." Even though her eyes are closed, I can't help but feel that she glanced at Lady Nightwane just now. The latter is looking away as if to avoid eye contact, most likely out of pure instinct. "But being able to wield all elements, including both light and dark, is unheard of."

  There's a hint of concern in her voice when she says this.

  "Does this mean I can be of help to you, Rolan?" I quickly change the topic by turning to the adventurer party and showing off my pure-heartedness, so that this saint doesn't suspect me. "I can learn magic!"

  "Indeed, you are capable of learning light magic that can heal the wounds of those you care for." Arcelia responds in the leader's stead. "What is your name, young lady?"

  "I'm Chloe Marcott." I introduce myself with a slight bow. I don't know what it is, but bowing seems to be ingrained into my very soul - it shouldn't be in my muscle memory since I was reborn in a new body.

  "I can recommend you to the Royal Academy in Kongenssoevn. You will receive the highest quality education in the arcane arts. Of course, you will be exempt from paying the tuition fees." She's basically trying to sell me a university placement. Is that what a saint would normally do? Well, she did say I wouldn't have to pay anything.

  I'd be tempted if I didn't have a deadline to fulfill. Who knows how many years I'd have to spend there. More importantly, I'd most likely be under surveillance because of how rare my existence is. Then again, I'll be able to learn magic!

  "That's incredible, Miss Chloe!" Rolan is strangely excited. "The Royal Academy is the most prestigious magic school in the world."

  "So you really don't want me to join you, Sir Rolan?" I look at him with upturned eyes and a sad expression. He's baffled by my response and shrinks under my gaze. You're too weak to women, dear leader.

  "I... I think it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. With us, your potential could never be realized." Damn, he's actually considering what's good for me. I don't want to leave this party just yet, though. I won't let myself get swept away by more side quests.

  Ah, but going to the academy could be the main quest.

  "Can we not stay together? Could you not attend the academy, too?" I turn to Luna for help. Arcelia did mention that the half-elf's three affinities are considered rare, too. Essentially, I'm acting like a middle school kid who doesn't want to go to a high school where she doesn't know anyone from her old class.

  "Miss Sigint, was it? If it is true that you command fire, wind, and water, then you are eligible for a scholarship at the academy, too." The saint's attention is on Luna now. Hah, pulled you in with me! Let's see how you choose and how Rolan reacts to this.

  "I..." She turns to her sweetheart for help, but he's making a difficult face. Shocked, her words become stuck in her throat.

  Is he actually considering letting her go? This really shouldn't be that hard of a decision; if you don't want her to go, just say so. When you just think about it a little, you're an adventurer without any roots, so you could move to that city called Kongenssoevn with her. It's not like the academy doesn't allow you to lead a normal life beside it, or does it?

  "I think you should go, Runa." He answers, and I'm surprised. Didn't think he would decide this way.

  "What about you... what about us?" Luna looks at Rolan with the same kind of upturned eyes as I did, though I doubt she's doing it with the same kind of purposeful intent.

  In either case, I don't want to hear any of their couple-talk, so I mute them in my mind until this is over and they have something useful to say again.

  "Can we... think about the decision?" Finally, Luna turns to Arcelia and asks for more time.

  "It is not a pressing matter. Your affinities will not disappear with age, so you can come after you have completed your immediate plans for the future." With a graceful nod, the saint agrees to it. "However, learning capabilities do decline, so please do not take too much time."

  She's saying that when you're older, you won't be able to make as much progress anymore, even if you have the talent. That's a pretty obvious concept where I'm from, to the point where children aged in the single digits are made to attend cram school to get a head start in life.

  "I understand. Thank you so much for your guidance, Lady Crux." Luna is relieved that she doesn't have to make a decision right now. I'm riding on her wave in this one and will do the same as she does.

  "But you can start with this, Miss Marcott." Arcelia reaches into her pure white cloth satchel, which I didn't even notice she had until now, and takes out a small book before handing it to me. Don't tell me these are your holy scriptures or something. "This is the scripture of Belys. Through learning from it, you can nurture the mindset required for light magic."

  So, I was right. I really don't feel like reading this world's equivalent of the Bible...

  "I can teach you a useful incantation right away, so that you may be of immediate help to your friends." She holds out a hand to my forehead and chants the word 'Sano'. Her hand begins to glow, and I feel slightly refreshed. "This is a basic healing spell that can alleviate pain and close smaller wounds. Please practice it whenever you can, to train your focus and control over magic."

  "I'm indebted to you, Lady Crux." I state with a grateful nod and hold the small book to my chest, signaling that I'll be cherishing it. I don't want to read stories of saints defeating demons and helping the poor, but the spell she just taught me should be quite useful.

  I know that everyone can use some sort of magic, which is the incantation to activate maps - even though that feels more like a voice command to unlock a phone. That means I should be able to learn it, too. Otherwise, my affinities would be completely wasted, and that shouldn't happen in such a setting.

  "Sano." I hold my hand out to Rolan and put my mind into it. I don't know what to expect, but I imagine that it will have the effect Arcelia told me it does. Suddenly, a faint light comes from my hand, and I feel warmth surround it.

  I did it! My first spell in this fantasy world!

  "I can feel it! You're really casting light magic, Miss Chloe!" The target of the spell is overjoyed at seeing me succeeding right away. Does this mean I'm actually talented?

  "Well done, Miss Marcott." Arcelia shows me a radiant smile that accentuates her saintly aura. "Then I shall excuse myself. If you have any more questions, you can find me at the church today and tomorrow. I will return to the capital in the morning two days from now. There, you can find me in the Cathedral of Light."

  S
he places her left hand on the center of her chest and brings the fingertips of her right to her forehead, before gesturing at us with it. Her movements have one extra step compared to what Luna and the others did earlier, so I assume it's an action reserved to a priestess of this religion.

  "Under the guiding light of Belys, we shall meet again." With this blessing, Arcelia takes her leave. We all bow to her in gratitude and watch as she walks towards the exit.

  Hey, I'm actually grateful! She even taught me magic! And I learned something even more useful than that from her: Even a saint, that appears as pure as a human being can get, can't see through my acting and transformation.

  "Alright, then I'll register at the guild." Turning around to Rolan and striking while the iron is hot, I immediately bring up this topic again.

  "... there's just no arguing against you, huh?" Finally, he shrugs with a resigned smile. He makes it sound like he couldn't just refuse; not like he's the leader or something. Although, maybe he's actually happy that the prodigious I will join his party.

  "L-let me join you, too." Suddenly, Lady Nightwane raises her voice and stutters her wish to become a member of Rolan's party as well. It seems nobody expected that since they all turn to her and stare in surprise as if doubting what they just heard.

  Well, I told her about the fact that these guys want to take care of this underground slave-trading network, and now I'm joining them in that endeavor. It's only natural that she would want to come along, then. Especially since she did kind of make a spoken contract with me, wherein she becomes mine in exchange for my help.

  Wait, what exactly did she think when I said she would be mine? That she's my slave now or something like that? I'll have to ask her about it later; after all, I'm not in the habit of keeping slaves.

  "What happened between you two last night?" Luna finally asks the question I had hoped would not come up.

  "Nothing, she just came to my room to talk about the doll a little." I smile at Lady Nightwane, but make sure not to extend it to my eyes, signaling to her that she knows the consequences of revealing what we talked about. She gets my message and nods in agreement to my story hastily. "Since the rooms in the inn all have two beds, I let her stay over."

  "So, about Lady Nightwane joining..." Rolan scratches the back of his head and seems to scrutinize her appearance. "Can you fight?"

  And the same exchange as I experienced before happens between these two. When the dark elf replies that she doesn't know if she could kill someone, I really believe it; she's too timid to do something like that. But at the same time, she knows that her touch is deadly, which means that to find out about it, she already involuntarily killed somebody.

  "I-I'm proficient in alchemy. Y-you can leave making healing salves a-and remedies to me." She tries to make her case but doesn't sound very convinced of her own abilities.

  "What about magic?" I ask her, but her expression of shock takes me by surprise.

  "Uuuh..." There's a reproachful look in her eyes as she looks at me and makes this sound. Huh, should I not have asked this question?

  "Oh." I remember what Arcelia just told me about elements a moment ago. Corrupted humans - and most likely demi-humans, too - have their elements stripped away and are limited to using dark magic. And she doesn't want to reveal that she's cursed to everyone just yet.

  Oops.

  "I-I haven't learned any magic." In the end, Lady Nightwane opts to say that she doesn't know any magic, instead of revealing herself to the others. Luckily, nobody pursues the matter and asks her about her elemental affinities, so she gets away with remaining vague.

  It's a wonder Luna doesn't seem to consider the fact that apparently she's been buying magic supplies from someone who doesn't actually know how to cast magic.

  "Well, we could take her in on a probation period, and see what she brings to the team." I speak like my position in the party is already set in stone.

  "Hahaha! The missy doesn't waste any time, does she?" Gram laughs heartily and slaps Rolan's back, who shakes his head in disbelief.

  "More flowers to adorn our saga with are always welcome." With a grand gesture, the bard tips his feathered hat and speaks in his usual fancy language. For once, I'm glad he's running his mouth like this since it favors our chances of getting into the party.

  "I... don't care." Luna looks away and mutters in an obviously faked disinterested tone. She seems to have resigned herself to the fact that I'm going to join, and the fact that Lady Nightwane is coming along now is most likely being blamed on me, too.

  "... let's get you registered, for now, Miss Chloe." Sighing, the leader finally gives up and simply goes along with it. "And I guess Lady Nightwane, too."

  Chapter 13 - The Best-Laid Plans

  Registering with the adventurer guild seems to be quite simple and doesn't involve any typical fantasy stuff, such as getting a magical card created from thin air, where all my information is visible. It was to be expected, since this world doesn't deal with stats and skill points, and magic isn't the solution to everything.

  Here, I only had to sign my name on a form after reviewing its contents. However, it was in no way simple, since I can't read the language of this world. I was fortunate that the bard and Gram left to gather more information about the upcoming quest issue, and only Lady Nightwane stayed with me in the room where the formalities were being sorted.

  Thus, when the guild worker left for a moment, Senka could translate for me quickly, and I could fill in the form. The dark elf is still shaking in her boots whenever the doll girl speaks, but I know she'll never reveal it to the others. After all, there's a secret between them that she doesn't want to get out further than it already has.

  I'll have to ask Senka to teach me this language properly over time since I won't be able to hide my identity for long if I can't understand the human writing system. If I were a peasant, it might be reasonable for me to be illiterate, but my setting is that I'm a noble.

  And if I don't learn how to read, I won't be able to study the magic book Arcelia gave me.

  "Thank you for waiting." The guild worker who took our forms away for the final procedures comes back into the room. "Here is your guild emblem. Please show it whenever you are acting on behalf of the guild during requests."

  She hands each Lady Nightwane and me a metal badge with the guild's symbol on the front and our names carved onto the back.

  I've become an adventurer!

  With our newly gained proof of membership, we return to the main hall to show it to Rolan and Luna. Holding it up high for them to see, I grin from ear to ear. There's no turning back now; I'll be coming with them, whether they like it or not.

  "You can't get rid of me anymore." I grin at the leader and wink at Luna. The latter looks at me with a bewildered expression.

  "Hah, the joke's on you. I'll work you hard from now on." Rolan accepts it with humor and returns my grin with one of his own. "No getting away from me now!"

  I find myself laughing with him, and realize that despite our inherent differences, we could become friends. If only he didn't want to kill my mother...

  "Rolan, come here!" Ingrid's voice resounds through the hall, and we all look up to the second floor. The guild master is standing on the gallery in front of her office and waving at the leader.

  It seems she has news for us.

  We're back in Ingrid's cozy office. From her expression, I can judge that things didn't go as smoothly as they could have. I think it's obvious that the merchant isn't going to have the slaves packed up and loaded on his carriages already when he's only heading out in a few more days.

  "Vigi inspected Sveinn's carriages as well as the warehouse where he stores his goods but found nothing out of the ordinary." Crossing her arms while sitting in her boss chair, the guild master shares the piece of information she gained. I already expected that it wouldn't be so easy to find proof. "But there's something else. I had a guy go and check on Lady Nightwane's store, and someone broke dow
n the front door. It seems those kidnappers returned, and when they didn't find her, they trashed the place completely."

  "So they came back..." Luna frowns and gives Lady Nightwane a sympathetic glance. The dark elf seems quite shaken by the news.

  "But they left clear footprints, so they don't know that we're investigating them. I have my best trackers on their trail." Ingrid's face is unexpectedly filled with aggressive determination. For some reason, she sounds very reassuring right now. "If we can find their base, we might be able to obtain evidence that links them to the slave trade and Sveinn."

  "The big man told me that the city watch has some illicit dealings with Sveinn and most likely other smugglers that may be carrying slaves." Rolan brings up this concern and looks to Ingrid with a thoughtful expression.

  "This issue might be out of our league, is that what you're saying?" Her eyes pierce into his, as she inquires with a dangerous undertone. Why does it feel like she's judging him?

  "Not like that's going to stop us, right?" Grinning, the leader pumps his fist and responds naturally. That's so cliché! He's like the typical shounen anime hero who doesn't put any thoughts into potential consequences and merely follows his convictions!

  "Thought so." Ingrid smiles. It seems she already knew he would answer like this.

  "But Gram and Sigurd aren't around right now." Rolan brings up the fact that two of this party members might not be back on time for when the trackers return with information on their hideout, and wouldn't be able to join the raid if we were to go right then.

  "That's alright. I told my trackers to keep watch over their hideout when they find it, and send someone back to inform me of its whereabouts." Standing up from her chair, Ingrid walks over to her window. "I'm sure we have plenty of time before then, so we'll gather everyone first."

  What follows is a round of strategizing during which I don't have much to add. I can't really come up with battle plans or strategies since all I was ever good at was one on one fighting games.