Mark of the Fool

Chapter 256: Birthdays and Miserable Businessmen

Chapter 256: Birthdays and Miserable Businessmen

Alex stood before the mirror in his darkened room, examining the golden symbol on his shoulder. The mocking jesters face stared back at himits grin as malicious as everfaintly glowing like some self-satisfied tattoo. Alex inspected it carefully, looking to see if it had changed. Did it actually look different or was he imagining things?

He peered at it in the low light.

Yeah, it definitely looked smaller.

A chill went through him.

Why is it shrinking? he wondered. Is something happening to it? Is Uldar going to-No wait.

He looked more closely, stretching the skin with his fingers.

No, it hadn gotten smaller. His shoulder had gotten bigger, but The Mark had remained the same size.

He sighed, not knowing if he should be relieved or not.

Youre imagining things, he said to himself. Nothings going to happen. You havent read of anything happening, and youve never heard of Marks going through changes. Then of course, there wasnt really any detailed information written about The Marks that hed been able to find so far. So, who knows if they did change.

Still, on the eve of his nineteenth birthdaynearly a year after hed gotten The Markhe couldnt help but wonder if something was going to happen.

He shook himself.

Youre just speculating, man, he told himself. Nothings going to change and nothing has changed. The only thing that youre doing is making yourself tired. and technically, youre not really going to be nineteen until late tomorrow evening, so stop thinking about stuff that you cant change for now. One thing he could change when it came to The Mark was to get Thundar to teach him some body illusion spells to hide it. If anything happened in Thameland and his shirt had to be off around other people, it needed to be concealed. Maybe he could talk to him about that tomorrow.

Turning away from the mirror, he went to the window and opened the shutters to let the night air in and watch the starry sky for a while. The sky was clear, and the moon was full. A cool breeze played over the skin on his bare torso, but it was pleasant.

Very soon, hed be looking up at the moon from Thameish lands. The expedition was structured in a way that he and his team would be teleported to his homeland for a block of days, then teleported back to Generasi for on-campus days. While the expedition would count for two of his coursessecond year Art of the Wizard in Combat and Alchemyhed be taking three other courses back at the university.

Exploring, researching, and fighting deadly monsters on site, then back here for my other classes, Alex said. Ive got to plan my schedule so that there arent any conflicts between classes and my shifts at Shales. Its gonna be a hell of a year.

The expedition was taking over his thoughts, and he was finding it harder to think of anything else as the time drew closer.

Come on, man, he said quietly. Future problems for the future. Lets just think about today.

Closing his shutters, he did a few sets of pushups, then turned in for the evening.

The next morning, he awoke to the most wonderful smell drifting into his room. His eyes shot open and he flew out of bed.

The scent was very familiar.

Dressing at the speed of a sprinting Swiftling, he bounded out of his bedroom to find that he was the last person to wake up. A big breakfast was laid out on the table: flapjacks with fruit syrup and whipped cream; thick, greasy bacon strips, and spicy sausages. The perfect breakfast feast.

A platter in the centre of the table caught his attention. There, in all of their delicious glory, was a hill of cookies that made Alexs throat catch when saw them.

Hed know his mothers recipe anywhere.

Happy birthday Alex, Mrs. Lu said with a warm smile as she placed the last dish on the table.

Selina and Theresa were already in their chairs while Brutus was sitting beside his master, looking at the breakfast with three pairs of longing eyes.

Youre up, finally! Selina smiled at him. I nearly went crazy: I wanted to eat so bad-Oh, happy birthday by the way.

And so the dead arise. Mr. Lu smiled, pulling out the chair between him and Theresa. Come, my dead young friend, have yourself a feast.

Happy birthday, Alex, Theresa smiled warmly. Come and eat before it gets cold.

Alex sat down with his family, and being in their company, let his fears from last night melt away.

I cant believe that its been a year since you left Alric, Mr. Lu said. In some ways it feels like you were there just yesterday, in others it feels like it was ten years ago.

I know, Alex said, shaking his head. I cant believe it myself, Mr. Lu. Sometimes I just cant. So much has changed since then. This time last year I was still at McHarris placethankfully, for just a little while longer.

Right, McHarris, Mrs. Lu made a sour face. A poor businessman and a worse neighbour. I wonder whatever happened to him.

Well, last I saw him he was being grappled by Peter and Paul, Alex said.

Wait, really? Mr. Lu asked. McHarris is a piece of work, but I didnt think he was a criminal.

Diddid I never tell you aboutthe eggs?

No, not a word.

Oh well, then, Alex slapped his hand on the table. So the day I got fired-

He regaled them with the story of how hed discovered that McHarris had been using bad eggs in stuff hed been selling to his customers, and how hed managed to get the guards set on him.

Ew, Selina made a face. Ew! Ew! Ew! I had some of his cookies. Ew! I think Im gonna be sick.

Selina, dont you dare, Mrs. Lu warned her. I didnt slave away since long before sunrise just to have you throw up all your food back onto the table.

I wont, but the thought of eating rotten eggs is nasty, the young girl said. Ew!

Well, he got what was coming to him, Theresa said as she cut some sausage.

No arguments here, Alex said. StillI kinda wonder what happened to him after that.

Oh, we saw him at the port, Mr. Lu said. When we were leaving Thameland. He came later than everyone else and he looked like hed gotten beat up.

Aw, man, hes not in jail? Alex asked.

Well, he wasnt, last we saw of him, Mrs. Lu said. I guess getting noncombatants away from Thameland trumped keeping him in the dungeon. Dont know what happened to him when we got to the Rhinean Empire, though.

Good riddance, Theresa said. I wonder what happened to Peter and Paul.

Her parents shook their heads and said they didnt know.

Well, maybe we can try to see how they are when the expeditions on, Alex said. Well be in a different part of Thameland, but maybe we could get a message sent over.

If you find out, Mrs. Lu said. Send us a message so well know. Remember, some of the guards used to come to the tavern for their evening meal; so, Id like to know if theyre alright. She sighed and looked sad for a moment.Im sorry we wont still be here when your expedition starts, but we have to get back to the boys soon.

Well miss you, Alex said.

Pfeh, I just hope that Evans gotten all that stuff about going back home to fight out of his head, Mr. Lu grunted. The boy doesnt know a spear from a candlestick and he wants to go and fight monsters. Fighting men would be bad enough, but monsters! Ridiculous. Im not even sure if I should tell him that you two are going back. It might give him ideas.

Well, if you do tell him, Alex said. Tell him that were not going alone. Some of the greatest minds in wizardry and some of the best fighters are going with us. Itll be a lot different than a bunch of guys going back home with some spears and swords.

If I tell him, Ill be sure to emphasise that, Mr. Lu said. Hopefully that gets the idea out of his head. I told my brother to beat it out of him, if he had to.

You know what? Tell him that Ill beat him up if he doesnt stay put, Theresa said. Even if I have to track him down halfway across Thamelandand I wont be happy if I have to do that.

Mr. Lu snorted. That might provoke him even more.

After a couple of punches itll provoke him a lot less.

Alex snorted. Im pretty sure your punches these days would do a lot more than simply provoke him.

Well, if hes bedridden, then he wont be going anywhere and doing anything stupid.

Hah! Mr. Lu said. By Uldar, where did my cute daughter go, and who gave me this living weapon instead? Ah, nevermind. Finish up, breakfast, all! If we dont, well waste the whole day.

###

You know what my favourite thing about your family is? Thundar said. All your birthdays are around the same time, so its just wall to wall feasts.

Indeed, but my waist is not going to be very happy with me by the end of all of this gorging, Khalik said, patting his belly. Still, Ill be glad to finally see what this place is like. The last time we were to come here, we missed out thanks to that mana vampire.

For Alexs birthday supper, his friends had decided to take him to the restaurant he, Khalik, Thundar and Najyah were heading to when theyd gotten jumped by the mana vampire. He was a little irritated that they hadnt gotten over here since the attack, but the truth was, theyd been busy and had pretty much forgotten.

The campus restaurants were niceespecially the one hed taken Theresa to for their first datebut this place felt like it was on an altogether different level. It reminded him of the patrizias ballroomwith high vaulted ceilings, and plenty of spacebut while the roof of Isoldes cousins ballroom was glass, the restaurants ceiling was the illusion of an undersea world.

Illusionary fish, whales, sharks and merfolk swam overheadan appropriate theme since it was a seafood restaurant.

The group had a secluded table on the patio overlooking the canal at the back of the restaurant. Selina was nodding and waving at gondolas and other watercraft passing below. Glowing candles floated in mid-air, each burning with a different colour and a flame that gave off no heat. They made the atmosphere even nicer.

In some ways, they reminded him of the light from his forceball as it shone in his room when hed gotten The Mark a year ago.

This place is expensive, Mr. Lu said as he speared a piece of calamari. But by Uldar is it worth it.

Agreed, Grimloch shoved a massive piece of shark steak down his throat while others watchedbewildered.

Only Thundar looked completely unconcerned. Relax, thats no more cannibalistic than me having a nice piece of beef.

And that still seems strange to me, Isolde muttered.

Hah, me too, even after nearly a year. By the sapphire sea, I cant believe we have known each other for almost a year, Khalik said. Time passes quickly. Especially when people have gone through as much together as we have. To think that the last time we were to come here, the evening became about a mana vampire attack and not a celebration meal.

Alex said. You knowtheres been some hard times, but seriouslyall of you. These have been some of the best times of my life. Even considering recents events.

Theresa reached over and squeezed his hand. Some of mine too. And I think itll get even better for you once you see your gift.

Indeed, Khalik said. We all pitched in a little to get something for you that I think you have been wanting for a while.

He gestured to someone inside the restaurant and a porter began pushing a cart toward the patio with a set of tools and containers sitting on it. Alexs eyes grew wide.

It was a full set of beginners alchemy tools.

Flasks, beakers, magic tools for heating, a sample of Kamookaks moss and

Alexs jaw dropped.

Is that a mana spectrometer? Those things cost like ten thousand gold coins!

Aha! Khalik and Isolde exchanged grins and the prince said. You would think so! And it would have, were it new, but this is a used device we managed to find at a business liquidation sale. And, to be honest, it was a little on the broken side.

I spoke to Professor Jules after we bought it, Isolde said proudly. And she agreed to repair it. Now she wanted youto be aware that this is an older model and to not expect it to be quite as accurate or as quick as those we use in class, but she said that it should serve your purposes. And she also asked me to wish you a very happy birthday.

Wha-I-wha- Alex stammered. I dont care if the thing was a box of scrap when you bought it! This isdo you know how far ahead Ill get with this?

Now, he could begin making any potion he wanted. He would just need to rent some space and then craft away, once he got the ingredients hed need. And, he had more than enough coin to buy them now. Hells, he might be able to buy some mushroom samples from Kybas to get his own potion garden started.

What kind of business was it that failed? Alex asked.

Well, it was a shop owned by a country nobleman, Khalik said. It was shut down becauseapparentlyhe was deeply embroiled in the middle of criminal activities and many of his assets were seized.

Indeed, Isolde said. Apparently he had hired thugs to raid a rivals orchard or something of that sort.

Well, Alex said. His loss is our gain.

Indeed. I shall expect you to make many potions for all of us on our trip, Isolde said.

Isoldeyoull be swimming in potions-Wait a minute, Alex said. Thisnoble. You said he had thugs raiding an orchard?

We werent given all the details, Khalik said. But I believe it was a nobildonnas apiary he was raiding, and not an orchard.

Theresa froze. Diddid these thugs use a vespara?

I do not kno- Khalik froze. No! It couldnt be!

Who? Alex said. Who was the nobildonna that these thugs were raiding?

Goodness, Isoldes eyes widened in realisation. Do you think itI believe it was Nobildonna Moggi.

Alex burst out laughingcackling like a witchand Theresa joined him a second later.

That mustve been the guy! Alex cried. The guy that hired those vespara trainers!

Khalik and Thundar collapsed in laughter, while Isolde just sat, dumbfounded.

It seemed like one thing hadnt changed between his eighteenth and nineteenth birthday: he was still making life miserable for shitty businessmen. Still, a year after they had come to Generasi, Alex had to say

his nineteenth birthday was turning out to be a whole lot better than his eighteenth.