Touch of Fate

Chapter 270: Particular Deliberations

Chapter 270: Particular Deliberations

"This is good!" Cariel exclaimed, her words slightly muffled by the full sized turkey leg she was tearing into. At least Mike thought it was a turkey leg. He was a little scared to use Appraise. To make matters worse, she'd also apparently forgotten about the strangely flat fork and knife laying beside her plate, and was using her hands instead.

[Well, Lifestyle Magic makes it easy to clean up after yourself, so this should be alright. I'll just ignore the stares she's getting.]

In the meantime he was savoring a bite of roasted duck. The dish superficially resembled something he'd been fond of before he came to this world, at least until he took a bite. Unlike the cuisine back on Earth, the Almiran style duck was apparently soaked in some kind of fruit-based sauce, which permeated the meat, giving it a sweet and slightly sour taste that he initially didn't like. The more he ate of it, however, the more it started to grow on him.

[It doesn't quite taste like a citrus fruit, so maybe plum or perhaps a kind of berry?]

"Hoho, what do we have here? Mixing it up with dancing girls now?" Brenden teased as he slid into the seat next to Mike. "You should be careful. I don't think Tal and Sera would appreciate you flirting with other women...You know, any more than usually do."

Mike shot him a dark look. "Tell me honestly. When looking at that, do you really think they have any reason to worry?"

He pointed at the paladin, who was now in the process of draining an entire bottle of wine she'd acquired somewhere. Noticing the attention, Cariel stopped, unleashed a powerful belch, and then gave them a blank look. "What? Do you want some?"

Brenden's face fell at the disappointing sight. "I see what you...Wait a minute. You're that warrior who fought with me against that Death Knight."

Cariel tilted her head to one side. "Did I? I've fought a lot of things with a lot of people, recently."

"That was like two days ago! How have you forgotten already?!"

She just shrugged. "Maybe Julia would know?"

Mike patted his friend's shoulder sympathetically. "Don't let it get to you. I think that's just the way she is."

Brenden sighed, "Whatever. How much longer are you planning on staying here, anyway? I think there are still a few events planned, but nothing too critical."

"Honestly, the only thing I wanted to do here was enjoy the food. Once I'm done, I fully plan on sneaking out." Mike replied while passing a duck leg to Audra, who promptly began to devour it, bone and all.

[Hmm, she's starting to eat more again, even though I've been keeping her supplied with mana. I'll have to get Red to ask Murthinax if that is normal. Although, he may not know anything about Wyrms.]

"In that case, some friends of mine are throwing a very different kind of party down by the docks, if you are interested."

"Eh, I don't know. Heading home and getting some sleep for a change sounds pretty good right now."

Brenden threw one arm around his shoulders. "Come on. The night's still young, and this will be a good time, I promise. Besides, I may or may not have told Tal and Sera that you'd be taking them there."

"...Why?"

"Well, you'll be leaving the country pretty soon. Who knows how many more chances you'll have to celebrate before you're on the road again. I think you and I can both agree that they deserve to have a little fun before you go."

Mike sighed. "Alright, alright, you win. No need to guilt me anymore. Where are they? We should probably take them home and give them a chance to change. I'm guessing the kind of celebrations your friends have in mind don't exactly require formal wear."

"Ha. I think they should still be in the ballroom."

Turning to Cariel, who had finished her 'turkey' leg and was now working her way through an entire pot of soup, Mike asked, "Did you ever remember what you needed to say to me?"

The paladin squinted, as if a thought suddenly occurred to her, but then her face returned to its usual grin. "Ah, I forgot that's what I was supposed to be doing."

He chuckled. "Well, if you ever remember, you can locate me through the University, at least in the short term. I hope you enjoy the rest of your night."

"Bye, bye. May you walk in the blessings of the light." She replied distractedly as she returned to guzzling down the soup.

[I don't think I've heard that one before. Something to do with her religion, I suppose?] He thought while following after Brenden, only to quickly forget about the strange paladin as another wave of fans nearly overwhelmed him from an unexpected angle.

Extricating himself from the situation, and tracking down the other two took a great deal of effort on his part, but within the hour, they were on their way to Brenden's friends' party

----------------------------------------------

Mike woke up the next day feeling refreshed and relaxed for the first time in a very long while. Of course, to be fair, he hadn't actually slept in weeks. So that really wasn't saying much. Still he was feeling great, and decided that he would work the occasional night of rest into his schedule every so often, simply for the psychological benefits it seemed to provide.

The party they'd gone to last night had turned out to be a drunken and debauched extravaganza, just like he expected. A combination of freely flowing alcohol (courtesy of the King of Thieves) and the jubilant air of triumph had made the party-goers cheerful and a little bit too wild. In fact the celebrations themselves were actually still going on when the sun started creeping over the horizon The morning light had found a stone-cold sober Mike (courtesy of his ridiculous poison resistance) leading his intoxicated friends back to the dorms. While he could have used a bit of Healing Magic to fix their conditions, he decided to let them have their fun.

[Still feels a little weird to see teenagers drinking so openly, but I suppose it's just part of the culture here. Besides, it seems like the people here are a little more robust than back on Earth, so maybe it doesn't affect them as badly.]

As far as he could tell, the humans of Ea were more resistant to illness and even lived longer than their Earthling counterparts. It was not uncommon for him to spot people in their 90s and 100s, despite an almost complete lack of institutionalized healthcare. Some of it probably stemmed from the sanitation benefits of Lifestyle Magic, but he guessed that mana played a large role in extending human lifespans.

Taking a moment to wax philosophical on the inherent differences between the two worlds he'd been to so far, Mike stretched and sat up, only to realize far too late that he wasn't alone in bed. As his hand came down on something soft and squishy, he heard a faint exhalation of breath that was distinctly feminine.

His mind blanked for a moment, before ramping into high gear. [Alright brain, think. You went to bed alone immediately after making sure Tal and Sera were safely in their rooms. The door was closed, but not locked. Audra was in her usual pillow nest at the foot of the bed, and Brenden stayed with his other friends, having no intention of coming back here. As this section of the dorms is closed to all but a handful of individuals, I can therefore safely conclude that the identity of this mystery person is]

He glanced down and met Lily's bleary eyed gaze. She was still in the process of waking up, so he did his best to quickly and smoothly slide out of the bed without disturbing her. Once he was a safe distance away, he casually cleared his throat and asked. "Um, Lily? What are you doing here?"

She yawned and stretched, quickly demonstrating that she was only wearing a thin blouse and a pair of loose linen trousers that reminded him of the sleepwear available on Earth. While this was better than he was expecting, it was still a far cry from being completely comfortable for him.

Giving him a heavy lidded look, she mumbled her response. "Came to talk, but you were asleep, so I joined you."

Mike started to reply, but stopped once he realized that she wouldn't really understand why this kind of behavior could be a problem. After running through a few possible scenarios, he sighed and decided to forget about it. "What did you want to talk about?"

She yawned again, before staring at him with mild confusion. "You're leaving soon, right? I want to go, too."

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea"

"Why?"

[Of course she has to ask the hard questions.]

"Well, don't you still have classes to go to? You don't want to get behind in your studies, do you?"

"I only care about Alchemy, and I can practice with you while we travel. I think you already know more than the teacher, anyway."

[I suppose that's fair.] He thought before coming up with another counter argument.

"Okay, but what about your family? Surely they wouldn't approve of you traveling with a bunch of people they've never met before, right?"

She frowned as if giving the matter a great deal of thought. Finally, she said, "Maybe William would know."

Guessing that this situation wouldn't get resolved until he discussed the matter with him anyway, Mike followed Lily out into the common room. The butler was easy enough to track down, since he was sitting fretfully by the window, a cup of tea clasped in his shaky hands. Mike explained the situation, trying to get a read on the man's sudden nervousness. His fears were confirmed when William shot back with a most unexpected answer.

"This is perfect!" He shouted exultantly.

"Uh...Are you sure you understand what I'm talking about? I'll be leaving the country, and I don't intend to return any time soon. If Lily goes with me, I can't exactly promise that she'll be safe. In fact, I'm somewhat notorious for being a danger magnet."

"You misunderstand, sir. While this is by no means an ideal situation for milady, and will likely harm her chances of a favorable marriage in the future, there is something far more dire in the works that requires an immediate solution."

While Mike doubted that Lily's marriage prospects could be harmed any further than they surely were already, he decided to press on. "What's the trouble?"

"Well, sir, have you heard of the crisis currently facing Dovistan?"

He felt like he'd heard something about it in the not too distant past, but he couldn't recall any details. "I'm afraid I haven't."

William ran a hand through his grey hair, looking old and tired as he did so. "Well, as I am sure you are aware, Dovistan is famous for its military might. I do oblige myself by saying that in terms of training, bravery, and skill, our army has no equal anywhere in the Inland Sea Region."

[News to me, but whatever.]

"The reason for this has always been a product of our unique location next to the Vale of Silence, a horrid breeding ground for some of the most terrifying monsters to have ever walked this land. By necessity, much of our society is based around beating back these beasts whenever they invade our territory. While it always takes a terrible toll on our people, we have successfully held onto our section of the Southern Continent for hundreds of years. However, recently it has gotten much worse. The attacks are coming much more frequently and causing a great deal more devastation."

"I see, and you feel that it would be in Lily's best interest to avoid going home because of the danger."

William grimaced slightly. "While I would like to agree with your interpretation, sir, I believe that milady would probably have little to fear from all but the most terrible of the monsters. Indeed, I think that her return would actually contribute quite a bit to the country's overall military power, much as I hate to admit it."

Thinking back to the way that she handled herself in the midst of combat, Mike could certainly understand the butler's argument. "Ok, but I'm not really seeing your point, then."

"That is because I haven't told you the full story yet, sir." William replied quietly, "You see, Lily's father has recently gotten in trouble with the king. I don't know many details, as I've only just received a letter about it from a contact in Medun, but it seems that he's been accused of treason. Under ordinary circumstances, this would likely resolve itself in due time, but with the country facing a serious crisis, I believe the king is looking to make an example of him, and perhaps shift some of the blame for the country's ongoing woes. The entire family has been placed on lockdown as a result, and I fear that we will soon play host to royal representatives demanding to have milady sent back home to join them. While I doubt that they would have the gall to do anything to a ducal household without sufficient proof, I admit I am concerned."

He paused for a moment, eyes taking a slightly distant cast, "Dovistan is a...harsh place. With so much of our lives dedicated to survival, there is little room for compassion, and crimes are punished severely. Should they find milady's father guilty, it would not be unheard of to put his entire family to death."

Mike pondered that for a moment, weighing his options, before asking, "Is he guilty?"

William hesitated, and in doing so revealed what he likely thought was the truth. "I cannot say for certain, sir, but I suspect that he may be. My lord is not as...wise as his father, and I fear that he may have put his faith in the wrong sort of advisors."

"I think I understand the situation." He replied as he glanced over at Lily, sensing that she had been far too quiet over the last few minutes. It was lucky that he did, since she was working on chemically altering the contents of her own teacup with a vial of a vibrant green liquid. The tea began to bubble ominously as soon as the fluids mixed, leaving him with little doubt as to how this would play out.

A momentary effort of will suppressed the small explosion that occurred immediately afterward, leaving only a dull gray sludge in the bottom of her cup, that looked to be relatively stable.

[Where did she even get that stuff?] He found himself wondering, before looking back towards William now that the danger had passed.

"So, Lily is basically a fugitive, and it won't be long before someone comes from her homeland to arrest her. As such, it would be in her best interest to simply vanish for a few months until the heat dies down. Is that about right?"

The butler nodded. "While I am not sure what the temperature has to do with anything, I believe that cuts to the heart of the matter."

"How long does she have?"

"It's hard to say, sir, since the sea lanes have been disrupted due to the war. If I had to guess, I'd say we have a matter of weeks at most. However, due to the nature of the communication I received from my contact, it's possible that the message got delayed, and we may only have a few days."

Mike sighed and leaned back in his chair while looking over at Lily again. She was now poking at the grey sludge in her cup with a spoon, forming it into a ball.

Despite her unusual personality, she could be depended upon in a fight, and was arguably the most individually powerful of those who carried the companion title. In the event that he needed to operate separately from the rest of the group, he could rest easy knowing that she was there to guard them. Still, it was something he would need to discuss with the others before he made his decision.

"What about you, William? What are you planning on doing?"

The butler bowed politely, "I'm afraid that even the employees of my lord's household are under suspicion, and if I remain here, I will most likely be detained by the Dovistani representatives. Should you see fit to bring milady with you, I would like to humbly request that allow this clumsy servant to follow along as well. While I may not be of any use to someone as capable as yourself, I can at the very least serve as a decoy should the worst arise."

"I get that, but I can't exactly anticipate the kind of danger I'll be facing in the future, and you don't have Lily's durability to fall back on. Are you sure about this?"

William smiled gently. "I have been with milady for her entire life. Although it's truly arrogant of me to say so, I've always looked on her as something of a daughter. If I were to abandon her at this critical juncture, even if it is the wisest choice, I don't think I could live with myself afterward."

"Alright, I understand. Before I make a decision, though, let me talk to my other party members and get their take on the matter."

"Of course, sir."

Luckily Sera and Tal were already in the process of getting up, and their discomfort stemming from the excesses of last night were easily dispatched with a bit of Healing Magic.

He explained the situation to them, fully expecting to hear a chorus of complaints from the Oracle. After all, Sera had been hostile towards Lily from the beginning, and that hadn't changed much since. However, his preconceived notions were thrown on their head for the second time this morning.

"I say we take them both along." She stated simply, once he'd finished summarizing.

"...May I ask why?"

"Even though she's a socially inept bag of uncontrolled and idiotic urges, we could use another frontliner now that Brenden is staying here. She might not be good for much else, but I admit that she can take and dish out a lot of punishment." The Oracle replied grudgingly.

"I concur." Tal added in the ancient language she'd started using to communicate with him. "So long as we mitigate the worst of her excesses, Lily will be a great asset. Besides, now that we've grown to know her, it would be heartless to simply abandon her to her fate."

"Right, what she said." Sera added. "And before you ask, William will come in handy for a couple of reasons. First, as an experienced butler from a ducal house, he should be well versed in the etiquette of the countries we intend to visit, or at least, he should know more than I do. Second, we could use someone who is familiar with managing supplies, logistics, and household finances."

"We do?"

"We do." She nodded. " I know you've been more or less handling it at the moment, but you've got bigger things to worry about. Bringing in a reliable and experienced servant will help lighten your burden."

"Alright, alright, you've sold me on it." Mike finally agreed while standing up. "I'll add them to our travel arrangements, not that we really have any at the moment. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm craving breakfast....or maybe lunch, depending on what time it is."

Sera followed, a smug grin on her face. "Actually, I already took the liberty of chartering a ship to take us to the Riverlands. For free I might add."

[I was kinda planning on summoning some flying monsters to carry us there, or at the very least, make some kind of conveyance with magic, but I guess this works, too. It might be nice to have a leisurely trip for a change.]

"Free?" Tal asked suspiciously as they all moved towards the dorm dining area.

"You remember that boat we rescued from the Tenundians? Well, it apparently belonged to a trading company that sided with the Second Prince during the civil war. Now that the whol thing has been settled in the First Prince's favor, they were keen on showing themselves as loyal citizens of Almir. What better way than to transport the Hero of Almir on his journey?"

"You do know I was hoping to keep this trip a secret, right?" Mike asked.

Sera scoffed. "Well, the secret has been out for days. Everyone in the city is talking about you leaving, although the reasons and destinations vary."

He sighed. "Figures."

Walking up to the serving counter, he was about to ask for one of the sandwiches the maids had prepared for lunch, when a voice interrupted him.

"Um, are you sure that you should be having lunch here?" Wallace, the bespectacled Science Department student who shared the building with them, asked. Thanks to all the drama that had happened since the last time Mike had actually stayed at the dorm, it felt like it had been months since he'd even laid eyes on the man.

Feeling that a little friendly ribbing was a good means of breaking the ice, Mike smiled and asked, "Come on, the sandwiches here are to die for. Where else would I be going?"

Wallace adjusted his glasses. "Well, the sandwiches are good, but I figured you would be a bit more concerned about the awards ceremony that you're supposed to be a part of. Isn't it starting soon?"

[...crap]

As if to mock his sudden realization, the clock tower chose that moment to go off, signalling that it was indeed five bells.

"Change of plans. We're getting lunch to go!" He announced while hurriedly running back to his room to change. Based on his estimation, if they left within the next few minutes, they would only be casually late.