Chapter 198: Griffonpeak. [Release Version] (Patreon)

I have changed some bits when Ellaine met her parents. To make her growth and weaknesses clearer.

Edit 2. Some continuity changes concerning Chapter 199.

Edit 3: Added Hestia's updated profile.

Edit 4: Some added stuff for Chapter 201, also, typos.

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“Pardon me, would it be possible for you to fly around the city for a tour?” Ellaine opened a small window in front of the carriage, asking the coachman for a sudden change in plans.

“A tour? Madam, the palace has ordered us to fly the carriage directly to the instructed address. Changing it would be inconvenient, especially for the griffon.”

Our carriage wasn’t driving on the ground, on the contrary, we were flying through the sky inside it while a griffon was carrying it through the sky. At first, I thought it would be a bit too heavy for a griffon to carry around, no matter how strong they were, but I vastly underestimated them. The ride was as stable as flying in an airplane.

Two people were driving the carriage — the coachman was responsible for relaying the wishes of the passengers to the griffon rider. Griffons were supposedly intelligent enough to act without a rider, but since having a rider prevented any incident of the griffon panicking and dropping the carriage, riders were a necessity. Speaking of intelligence, I think the griffon also gave me the stink eye when it saw me, similar to how Count Helvas’s griffon and Sir Antonio’s hippogryph had behaved. These birdbrains don’t like dragonewts, apparently, well, I guess they wouldn’t like all types of dragonkin.

After Ellaine gave the excuse that I was a VIP foreign noble, the coachman relented and moved according to Ellaine’s plan. Considering how pushy she was, I wondered if she was alright or not. Before we talked, she activated what seemed to be a silence rune, meant to prevent sounds from escaping.

“Jeez, I thought runes were just a dwarven thing. It’s everywhere.” I heard enchantments and alchemy were more Artorias’s forte since they weren’t as specialized in runecraft, unlike the dwarves. Ellaine had a simple explanation for my question.

“It is, Hestia. I believe it is incredibly rare to find a human as proficient with runes as dwarves like Master Grimnir. Master Grimnir told me dwarves in general aren’t very fond of sharing their craftsmanship secrets to the other races, and if they did, they would only teach enough for you to have a basic understanding. I am honestly lucky to have a dwarven master teach me to become a mana engineer, although his notes belong to his deceased cousin…” Ellaine gave a small prayer to Aurena and Ilsaphone. “Due to their history, the blacksmiths in the Groushia Duchy could learn under the tutelage of a dwarven master, although the runes they could create are more focused on utility than combat. Better than nothing, right?”

Progress can’t be made overnight. While Artorias is at its core still a medieval kingdom, signs of technological advancement are evident with the amount of manatech in use, the sewage systems in Cedaraille and, presumably, Griffonpeak, and their educational level amongst the nobility. The noble districts were usually clean and modern while their mansions and palaces, at least for the wealthy nobles, were well equipped and decorated.

Unfortunately, the rest of the city was neglected in favor of the nobles. Even now, looking out of the carriage’s window, I could see a stark difference between the noble and commoner sides. The difference was like night and day. Still, the general layout of Griffonpeak was different from Firwood and Cedaraille, and I would need more time to actually see the intricacies.

I was wondering why Ellaine suddenly asked to give me a tour, but I’ll enjoy it first before questioning her. I was interested in sightseeing in Griffonpeak, since it seemed far more interesting to me than Firwood and Cedaraille.

The first destination seemed to be the entrance to the commoner district. First of all, the walls of Griffonpeak were huge, something I’d noticed when I first flew over them. Both Firwood’s and Cedaraille’s stone walls were nice to see but they were mostly what you would expect from a medieval civilization. Griffonpeak’s were larger and thicker, with round plaza areas where hippogryphs and griffons were resting. Monuments of griffons and arvisian warriors were spread around the wall, boasting to the world of their architectural feats.

Some farms and smaller villages could be seen placed outside Griffonpeak, where I saw people commuting from their homes into the city. The walls did tower over the houses by a bit, but that didn’t mean the residential houses of the citizens inside the walls were small. In fact, it looked cramped down there.

The streets were filled with people but wide enough to accommodate carriages. According to Ellaine, most of Griffonpeak was considered the “middle district,” as the slums were placed outside the city where the villages and farms were, to prevent refugees from the Atadoro Kingdom from entering the city.

“Refugees?” I asked. There weren’t any wars going on, so I wondered where these refugees came from, but I forgot wars weren't the only reason for immigrants.

“The Kingdoms of Atadoro and Artorias are like two sides of a coin when it comes to two certain policies — treatment of beastmen and slavery. Those unhappy in Atadoro and freed slaves usually make their way into the Duchy of Lecartiglio first. If they are unhappy there, they move to Griffonpeak, since it’s similar to a white ray of hope for the refugees. At least, that is what I learned from the academy.” Ellaine then pointed at the snow-covered tip Griffonpeak’s mountain and the white citadel of the royal family. I was already enamored by it under the moonlight, but the city’s beauty shined even under the sun.

“Shouldn’t there be a slum inside the city? Look, that area over there looks more decrepit than the rest of the city.” Where there is wealth, there are also those less fortunate. The nobles segregated themselves from the commoners by walling off their district from the rest of the city, and the same case applied for well-off commoners and criminally-inclined ones, except they just moved away from those areas instead of walling it off.

“That’s…” Expressing disgust, Ellaine paused before forcing herself to speak the rest of her sentence. “I believe that is the red-light district. I haven’t visited that area yet; if I had to visit the lower city, I usually stayed around the merchant district. I heard criminals and those who want to leech off our capital live there. I admit law-breakers exist in every facet of society, but these people are… urgh.”

Setting aside Ellaine’s own sense of justice, I do believe we would do best to avoid that area of the city. Hopefully we won’t have to go there, but I also didn’t know of any reason that could make us go there. Still, for a red-light district, it was smaller than I would have expected, making me wonder if there was an underground area or not. Considering Ellaine confirmed Griffonpeak had a sewage system for the lower city, it would make sense for there to be people living in the sewers.

Without stopping, the griffon carriage continued the tour, moving us closer to the merchant district. That was when I noticed the biggest difference between the last cities I visited and Griffonpeak. While Firwood and Cedaraille split the noble and commoner districts in two, meaning they had an outside entrance for both, Griffonpeak’s layout made it so that the noble district was centered around the palace.

Since Griffonpeak’s citadel was built on the mountain, numerous other noble-related facilities were built on the mountain as well, although on a lower level. For this reason, the noble district was elevated from the lower city, making it literally the upper city walled off from the rest of the city, with only a single pathway connecting the two parts.

Still, the lower city’s merchant district was nothing to scoff at. Even Ellaine, a noble, admitted to visiting it with her former friends and acquaintances, as it was the point of commerce and culture for many of Griffonpeak’s citizens. The upper district was a place for relaxation, education, and home for the nobles while they used the merchant district for shopping, visiting the opera, and temple visits. Since the children of merchants and wealthy commoners hanged around here, nobles began to call visiting the lower city “flying down to mingle.”

“‘Flying down to mingle?’ That’s so pretentious!” I called the statement out.

“Y-Yeah, I can agree on that. The royal academy is built on the mountain, above the noble district. Since the grand bridge was broken during the war, we students could only use the flying carriages or our gargoyles to move around the city. ‘Why not fly down for the day?’ is slang for visiting the lower city,” Ellaine explained. “But I suggest we visit the merchant district once we have settled down, Hestia. Unlike Cedaraille or Firwood, it is an area a princess wouldn’t need to worry about her safety.”

Due to the area becoming the ‘downtown’ for nobles, an order building for the Knights of the Lionheart was built there to act as security. Guards and knights patrolled around the area, making it probably the fourth most secure area in Griffonpeak.

As I said before, this was also where the temple was situated. Right next to the path leading to the upper city, the temple had two entrances meant for nobles and commoners respectively. Designed like a gothic temple and a large enough interior to fit in a lot of worshippers, the temple stood out quite a lot compared to the aesthetic choice of the rest of the merchant district.

“Wait, is that a colosseum?” I pointed at a large stone arena placed a bit away from the merchant district. Although it was maintained well, a few parts of the colosseum were a different color, as if somebody switched the rocks with new ones. “Why are people putting banners and other festive decorations on it? Ellaine, I didn’t know Artorias was into blood sport!”

I had seen it before during my first inspection of the city, but I gave it little attention since I was searching for the temple at that time. Ellaine’s safety was all I could think about back then. Now that I saw the colosseum again, I was surprised to see Artorias liking gladiators and blood sports.

Noticing my incredulous tone, Ellaine began waving her hands rapidly, as if she was trying to protect Artorias’ reputation. “No, no, no, no, Hestia! You misunderstand. The colosseum is simply a remnant of our past. It was built during the time of the Leosfalt kingdom.”

Back when the Atadoro and Artorias Kingdom were still part of the Leosfalt Kingdom, it would be an understatement to say they just hated beastmen. The reason why slavery was forbidden in Artorias today was in no small part thanks to their predecessor’s willingness to enslave any beastmen in the name of the Goddess, thinking they might cure their “unholy” bloodline.

According to Ellaine, during their reign, the Leosfalt Kingdom was a vassal kingdom of the Folschreck Empire and constructed the colosseum as a way to entertain their empire guests, who loved spectating warriors. Beastmen slaves were turned into gladiators, forced to fight each other for nothing but their lives. It also became a prime source of entertainment for the common folk.

After the War of the Fae, the colosseum was devastated by the elven invaders. When Artorias was formed, plans were made to remove the colosseum, but due to objections from commoners rioting to prevent the destruction of more “historic buildings,” the royal family and seven dukes vetoed the idea. As Artorias had to remain a vassal of the empire to prevent retaliation, the colosseum was renewed to entertain their guests.

“Ah, I just remembered this, but in three weeks, on the fifth of SpringBloom, the kingdom’s founding will be celebrated! They must be preparing for the festivities,” Ellaine informed me, reminding me of what the king said.

“Wasn’t there supposed to be a ball on the 1st of SpringBloom? To celebrate Saintess Eshe and the other empire visitors? Will there be another ball or feast on the fifth?”

“Yes, most likely. However, if I could hazard a guess, I believe the king wishes to use the celebration of our kingdom’s founding to welcome our guests from the empire. The celebration usually lasts a whole week with various festivities like a colosseum battle, an opera, and whatever the commoners decide to do,” Ellaine then paused for a moment to think before continuing. “The academy also celebrates this founding by having a ball specifically for the students to join. The whole week will be just a huge week of socializing. Social season has opened up again, urgh.”

Opera, huh? Really want to join that. Still, what is happening at the colosseum?

After I asked Ellaine about it, she replied, “Nowadays, our colosseum is used to celebrate certain events. Like the kingdom’s founding, the announcement of the grand dukes, or to provide an outlet for the rivalry between the knight’s school and mage’s university. Tournaments are hosted to witness powerful warriors and mages fight, jousting events, and competitions between the mages and knights. Hopefully, without casualties, of course.”

“There is a rivalry between the knight’s and mage’s divisions?” I asked.

“Yes, but it isn’t too important, really. There are even rivalries inside the two factions since they are split up between the duchies responsible for them. Groushia and Lecartiglio for the knight’s school, and Morgiana and Myrrdin for the mage’s university. These two factions belong to the royal academy and it’s a part of our education. Well, that was the short summary, but I don’t think I need to explain more since we won’t be involving ourselves with them,” Ellaine said.

She will be leaving the academy soon and I don’t think anything interesting will happen there, so I won’t have any reason to visit it.

After we passed the opera and royal academy, I began to wonder why Ellaine was doing this. I then asked Ellaine a question, now that we had spent some time on the tour. “Is everything alright, Ellaine? I agreed to the tour, but why did you suddenly suggest it? Shouldn’t your parents be worried about you at this very moment?”

With how much concern her father showed when Ellaine was unconscious, I thought it would be better to quell his worries. Her parents even visited the palace to bring her some clean clothes.

“…” Ellaine’s expression distorting, looking conflicted at what to say. “I think… I wanted to collect my thoughts for a moment before I met my father and mother again. You still know I wish to become a griffon knight, correct?”

I nodded.

“You told me father carried me to the palace, correct? After you were arrested? Well, after seeing me in that feeble state, I don’t think my father would agree to become my sponsor. Without a sponsor, becoming a squire at any knight’s order before I graduate from the royal academy would be a faint dream,” Ellaine contemplated her situation. “I… need to find a way to convince him first before I confront him.”

“Have you?” We had spent quite some time on this tour.

“I mean… I gave it some thoughts b-but, uhm. Well, I think I have something but I’m not so sure. You know, to persuade him, I-I need to show him something, to make him believe that I’m compet-”

[“Why not demonstrate to him your new-found powers, dear?”]

A chill rushed down our spines as we trembled for a split second. Ellaine’s hand snapped upwards, showing us the two eyes occupying the gemstones of her spell rings. It was our newest, but unwanted, party member, the Demon of Lust, Klea’Hatma.

“What do you want?” I scoffed at the demon’s sudden remark, showing how irritated I was at her speaking out.

[“Come now, Hestia, nobody can hear what I’m saying. This is all kept private, after all. No need to be shy~”] The constant innuendos are making me want to puke. Still, it is true if we kept the telepathic link between us, nobody could hear the demon. [“All I am suggesting is to have Ellaine show her dear father what she can do now. Simple.”]

“I will not use you before our preparations are finished, demon,” Ellaine spat out. “The Goddess has given us clear instructions. You will not tempt me.”

At least, Ellaine is cautiously hostile and not actually corrupted by that thing.

[“Come now, you two, I do like it rough but constant rejections do hurt eventually. We are a team, no? Shouldn’t we be more friendly towards each other?”]

“No, why should we?” I replied harshly.

“I have no reason other than to use your powers, demon.” Ellaine made her intentions clear.

[“…Certainly, the youth these days. Hmph.”] Klea’Hatma pouted. [“Anyways, do what you wish. I simply wanted to give little Ellaine a confidence booster. You have a new strength, dear, so be more decisive and show it to your daddy.”]

“And I already told you I am not interested in using your powers before Hestia is finished with the preparations. Do not think you can tempt me to use your powers, demon.” Ellaine was steadfast, rebuking anything Klea’Hatma wanted to do, not letting the demon’s honeyed words move her. But what the demon said next caused her to be speechless.

[“I am not speaking about my powers, obviously. Letting something inside your body without protection is just being a fool, child. Instead of complaining about me all the time or delaying the inevitable, how about you just go to your father and show him your progress? How long have you been traveling with dear Hestia? I don’t know. Regardless, you should have learned something if you were even remotely interested in proving your worth to people. Anything is better than nothing. Goodbye~”]

…

We didn’t expect to be lectured by a demon. Speechless. We were both keeping our mouths shut as the carriage continued moving through the skies before eventually landing at Ellaine’s home in Griffonpeak. Marianne, Ellaine’s mother, immediately charged out of the mansion’s entrance and gave Ellaine a hug as soon as we’d left the carriage, giving me little attention except for a courtesy greeting. I hope she isn’t super angry at me.

“Svena?!” As we were escorting into the mansion, I suddenly noticed a familiar face. Svena, the temporary maid House Helvas assigned to me when I was staying in Firwood.

“I welcome you to Griffonpeak, Lady Hestia. It is good to see you in great health,” she curtsied. “House Helvas has assigned me once again as your maid, if you would accept me, of course.”

I could not reject her. Having somebody familiar was wonderful, especially somebody who knew what I liked. Speaking of maids, somebody else was diligently waiting for Ellaine.

“Josine!” Ellaine called out after she was released from her mother’s embrace.

Holding back tears to appear professional, Josine, Ellaine’s personal attendant, bowed to her mistress. “It is good to see you, My Lady. I am very gladdend to see you unharmed and healthy. Welcome back home, Lady Ellaine.” It was very likely that Josine had heard news about Ellaine’s arrival and injuries from Count Helvas. I could only imagine how worried she was.

Reunited with our maids, Ellaine and I were escorted by Marianne and the maids into the mansion. While we walked, I asked Svena if Barathan or Manuella were around but she informed me they had to remain in Helvas County and the Helvas mansion in Firwood, respectively.

We were led into an office room where Count Helvas was waiting for us. After all the butlers and maids, including Svena, left the room, I immediately went ahead and apologized to both the count and countess.

“I am sorry! As the leader of Aurora, I had a responsibility to keep my party members safe, including Ellaine. I’m very sorry for worrying you, Ellaine’s parents, so much due to my incompetence!” I bowed deeply, surprising the two older nobles of my sincerity.

“Lady Hestia, please, there is no need to bow!” Marianne expressed her opinion loudly.

When I stopped bowing, the two explained that they weren’t angry at me, as becoming an adventurer was Ellaine’s choice. Rebelling and joining me before Ellaine’s officially took a break from the academy, which had caused a ton of rumors to be created, annoying her brother Jonathan as a result. The fact Ellaine did not arrive in Griffonpeak at the beginning of the month did make them angry, but their focus was directed at Ellaine alone.

“Ellaine, dear, maybe joining Lady Hestia now is too early?” her mother stated with a wry smile, causing Ellaine to frown, looking conflicted like a little sheep. “There is still time, right? You haven’t graduated yet, and if you would allow me, I could help you with your magic. Educate you on how to be a proper adventurer.”

“Fighting monsters is completely different from fighting other humanoids,” Count Helvas began to speak. “Learning how to duel another human or beastman is something you’ll learn well as an alumnus, whether as a knight or mage. However, one issue with the academy is that they do not teach you how to fight against monsters. Monsters come in far more different forms and sizes than beastmen. The amount you need to prepare as a normal human being to adapt to every single threat is maddening. That is why adventurers above C are worthy of praise, as they have years of experience under their belt.”

He then bent his body forward, telling Ellaine to look him in the eyes before continuing, “I admit, I trust Princess Hestia to keep you safe, regardless of what happened before, but you will keep worrying everybody around you if you cannot see your own limits. You insult our house’s name and your own, Ellaine. You would do best to—”

“I wish to become a griffon knight!” Ellaine finally let her thoughts out, shocking her parents like a thunderstorm.

“…Why?” Count Helvas looked at his daughter incredulously, speaking in an irritated tone.

“I-I am not useless, father. I-I have found a master who will train me into becoming a proper artificer. I have reached D rank as a hunter. I-I met an experienced fighter and asked them to teach me the sword. I even reached level 58,” Ellaine tried to persuade her father with every feat she could think of, but her father remained unimpressed.

“And? What does this have anything to do with you becoming a griffon knight? Ellaine, the Order of the Lionheart is a prestigious Knight’s Order for those strong of will and body to tame a griffon. You know the initiation process. Do you think you can survive alone on Avitor Peaks? Without Lady Hestia or her companions? I think not,” Count Helvas harsh words stung Ellaine, causing her to waver. “Besides, you are naming all of these as if they are your own feats. If I had to guess, they are not. While I am surprised to hear you are level 58, what does a level have anything to do with this? Your level is irrelevant if your skill is below average.”

Skills and training over stats. It’s always been the case.

“You cannot persuade me with these lukewarm arguments, Ellaine. You are a daughter of House Helvas, an aristocrat. As a retainer, you will not shame yourself in front of your mistress!”

I wanted to say something, but I had enough common sense to read the atmosphere. There wasn’t any way for me to speak my opinions without making it awkward. This was Ellaine’s battle. If I had spoken up, I would have proven Count Helvas’s point.

Ellaine needed to stand and fight.

“Then let me show you my progress, father.” Although she looked nervous, Ellaine’s trembling eyes looked directly into her father’s as she spoke.

“How? Are you suggesting a spar?”

Ellaine nodded. “I want to show you my conviction. I want to show you my wish to become a griffon knight just like you. I want to experience the same tales you told me when I was still small, I want to fly as high as you and mother. I want to become somebody you can be proud of, just like my brother. I want to finally become a person who can proudly call herself an Artorian, somebody who doesn’t continuously shame her house with every single breath! I want to stop feeling only bad for myself, father!”

Count Helvas took in a deep breath before speaking his next words, “… Very well. Come with me to the sparring grounds, we will use a sword there.”

“Andre?!” Marianne looked at her husband in horror, but he simply waved his hand in dismissal.

“I will not hear your complaints, Marianne. Our daughter has picked up the sword, and, as her father, how can I refuse her challenge? I will see for myself why Lady Hestia praised her fighting ability.” When he walked past Ellaine, he continued speaking to her. “Shiver any more and you will lose your chance, Ellaine. If you wish to prove yourself, then show me the courage you have gained through your small-time traveling. Come in a gambeson. Your armor is a gift from Lady Hestia, it will not truly prove your new strength.”

Hope and determination were filling Ellaine’s every step as we walked to the sparring grounds. Ellaine’s father wasn’t wearing his armor, only a gambeson like his daughter. The moment they locked eyes, Ellaine gulped and began to shiver again. The thought of fighting her father caused her to remember when he stopped her sword training, telling her it would be better to pick up magic.

“Don’t worry. You fought against giant spiders and lizards. You can do it, Ellaine.” With one final push, Ellaine clutched her sword and the fight began.

At first, due to Ellaine’s levels and using SP to buy stat growth skills, Ellaine was able to keep up with her father. Marianne gasped as she saw her daughter keep up with her husband’s movements, and Count Helvas even praised Ellaine for training well. Ellaine was able to show her father what she learned from Yorshka, showing a more unorthodox sword-fighting technique using magic and [Dragoon Jump]. Well, unorthodox compared to her father’s prim-and-proper sword fighting.

Count Helvas wasn’t a strong mage, something Ellaine told me once. When he defeated his brother for the mantle of Count Helvas, he defeated him not with magic and the sword, but the sword alone. Her time sparring with Yorshka wasn’t much, but she was able to improve her footwork and stance to the point it wasn’t amateurish. Still, what kept this fighting on the edge was Ellaine’s use of her superior magic.

“She has already reached the advanced skills for wind and earth magic?” Marianne showed a faint smile, clearly proud but baffled at what was happening. She then turned to me. “Is this part of your gift to my daughter, Lady Hestia? And truly chantless casting is beyond what a normal mage should be able to do. [Chant Revocation Lv. 10] is reserved for the most committed archmages.”

I nodded, causing Marianne to sigh deeply. Considering how long she must have spent training her arcane powers, I could guess she was a bit envious.

As Ellaine’s wind and earth spells devastated the sparring grounds, the tides finally turned the moment Count Helvas used his first ability. “Gale Steps,” the same footwork ability Saori learned from Gael, accelerating the user’s speed for a short burst; with this ability, Count Helvas slipped through Ellaine’s spells like the wind.

As her father advanced forward, Ellaine found it hard to weave her spells without a skill like my [Parallel Thoughts] nor an especially high level in [Concentration]. Count Helvas’s sword swings forced Ellaine to dodge around, making it harder for her to keep shooting out spells. As she tried to escape with [Dragoon Jump], the count used [Calling Winds].

Just like the time that Farron used it on me, Count Helvas swung his sword downwards in an arc, causing the winds before him to get sucked towards him. Ellaine, surprised at this move, was pulled right back into close combat. The Count, now completely serious, did not allow Ellaine a single opening. Without showing leniency, Count Helvas aggressively continued his barrage of attacks, ending this battle after unarming Ellaine.

Count Helvas’s ability to chain his sword abilities over and over again was too much for Ellaine’s still blooming sword skill. She was able to give a good enough fight at the beginning, but Ellaine was still a mage at the end of the day.

“Do you understand now? You need more training, Ellaine. No dream can be achieved without the strength to push yourself beyond your current state! You may have a higher level than the average aristocrat of your age, but you do not have the strength to do so. Do not be arrogant, daughter.” Harsh words spewed out of his mouth like fire after brutally putting Ellaine in her place.

Biting her lips in frustration, Ellaine nodded. “Yes, father.”

“You will go back to the academy to dismiss those crass rumors created in your two weeks’ absence, yes?”

“Yes, father…”

“Good, then we are in agreement. Tomorrow we shall continue your training. Prepare yourself, for even if you are my daughter, I will train you as if you were a normal squire.”

At the unexpected statement, Ellaine snapped her head up, looking at her father with a quizzical face. Her father, however, simply stayed stoic. “You made your vow already to become Lady Hestia’s retainer. Will you break this vow and dishonor yourself even more, Ellaine? Do you remember what God Kargryxmor represents? He is the God of Dragons and Oaths. I hope you didn’t even think of breaking this oath with one of the dragonkin, especially Lady Hestia. I cannot stop you from going, but I will make sure you will leave the nest with the strength to achieve your ambitions.”

Reaching his hand out to help Ellaine up, the Count finished his speech, “It took me too long to understand my role as your father, Ellaine. You have proven yourself to me, a knight alumnus of the Order of the Lionheart, so I will sponsor your initiation once you have finished my training. As your father, I ask for your forgiveness, Ellaine. Allow me to rectify my neglect for your training, simply because I underestimated your determination.”

Speechless at what her father said, Ellaine clutched her hands into fists, grabbed her father’s arm and stood back up. With a resolute, “Yes, father! I won’t fail you!” It seemed our time in Griffonpeak would take longer than expected.

After everybody took a shower, we all went to the dinning room for dinner and supper, where the Count and Countess informed Ellaine and me about the Sarlenzia Trading Company suddenly receiving a large supply of fulinoe leaves, Belzac herbs, and other Belzac plants or herbs.

They complained that they weren’t able to purchase anything since they were sold out immediately. Marianne’s family in the Morgiana Duchy managed to buy a few, even gifting some leaves and herbs to her, but the Helvas couple were still distraught at missing this golden moment. They even became silent after we told them we were the suppliers for the Sarlenzia company.

After dinner was done, Count Helvas suggested to Ellaine to reenter the academy next week, in four days’ time. This was the time needed for her to catch up on the materials and homework she had to do.

As all students of the academy lived in the institution’s dorms, Ellaine’s brother Jonathan hadn’t made it back home yet. The count suggested to surprise him the moment Ellaine could make it back, telling her to make it as explosive as possible, although I didn’t understand how. The countess could only sigh as Ellaine’s training began.

We also took this time to share the demon secret with her parents, considering this was something they had to know. They were mortified at first but slightly calmed down after I told them Aurena agreed to it. It went without saying that once they had a discussion with Lust, all they could muster was a disgusted face with all her innuendos.

Three days. It took three days for Saori, Tasianna, and Grimnir to make it to Griffonpeak and Helvas mansion at the highest speed the garms could drag the RV.

During this time, I was finally able to finish my newest song-spell. After explaining everything to Saori, Tasianna, and Grimnir what happened when we were gone, the tests could officially begin. Inside the basement, Ellaine’s parents and Aurora were waiting for the debut of my newest song and the unveiling of Lust.

<Custom spell song gained: [My Darkest Thoughts]>

<Custom spell song [My Darkest Thoughts] has been perfectly integrated into the System>

_____________________________________________________________________

Name: Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor  Level: 15 Race: Young Sunfang Dragon

Age: 1 Year Job: Infernal Hellblade  Level 0/30

Status:    Health: 15482 (+5196)  Mana: 42153 (+7130)

Strength: 7683 (+2363) Intelligence: 12003 (+3325)

Vitality: 4236 (+1215) Wisdom: 5890 (+1570)

Agility: 11365 (+2684) Stamina: 8065 (+1979)

Effects: [Damaged Mana Path [Left Wing] (Minor)]

Skill Points: 10950

Unique Skill: [Dreadflame Dragon Lv. 4] (+2) [Hellblade Dragon Lv. 3] (+1)

[Solar Core Lv. 3] (+1) [Venerated Saintess Lv. 3] (+1) [Idol Lv. 2] (+1)

Skill:  Magic skills and related:

[Lava Magic Lv. 3] [Lightning Magic Lv. 3] (+1)

[White Flames Lv. 3] (+1)

[Corrosive Fire Lv. 3] (+1) [Sacred Magic Lv. 7] (+1) [Earth Magic Lv. 10]

[Earth Amp] [Earth Magic Efficiency] [Terra Magic Lv. 3]

[Wind Magic Lv. 10] [Wind Amp] [Wind Magic Efficiency]

[Storm Magic Lv. 3] (+1) [Space-Time Magic Lv. 5]

[Space-Time Magic Efficiency] [True Draconic Lineage]

[Draconic Barrier Lv. 6]

[Silent Casting Lv. 10] (+1) [Magic Power Enhancement Lv. 7]

[Long-Range Spell Enhancement Lv. 4] (+2)

[Mental Stability Lv. 8] [Mental Warfare Lv. 5] (+1) [Fluid Cast Lv. 3]

[Delayed Cast Lv. 1] [Continuous Cast Lv. 2] [Mana Eyes Lv. 4]

Physical skills and related:

[Unarmed Technique Lv. 8] [Unarmed Mastery Lv. 3]

[Sword Technique Lv. 1] [Spear Technique Lv. 7] (+3)

[Spear Mastery Lv. 3] (+2)

[Draconic Roar Lv. 4] [Sundering Enhancement Lv. 6]

[Piercing Enhancement Lv. 6] [Crushing Enhancement Lv. 3]

Senses and movement skills:

[Silence Lv. 1] [Accuracy Correction Lv. 7]

[Concentration Lv. 7] [Foresight Lv. 3]

[Danger Perception Lv. 6] [Probability Correction Lv. 5]

[Detection Sensor Lv. 3] [Enhanced Olfactory Sense Lv. 6]

[Enhanced Vision Lv. 8] [Tracking Lv. 3] [Night Vision Lv. 8]

[Odorless Lv. 1] [Evasion Lv. 10] [Acrobatic Lv. 10]

[Air Walk Lv. 4] [Terrain Maneuvering Lv. 6] (+1)

[Mid-Air Maneuvering Lv. 4] (+2)

Resistances:

[Physical Super-Resistance Lv. 5] [Absolute Pain Tolerance]

[Mental Corruption Resistance Lv. 3] [Mind Protection Lv. 5]

[Mana Leak Resistance Lv. 10] [Abnormal Status Nullification]

[Fear Resistance Lv. 5] [Lava Resistance Lv. 5] (+3)

[Lightning Resistance Lv. 2]

[Holy Resistance Lv. 8] [Inferno Resistance Lv. 6] (+3)

[Terra Resistance Lv. 1] [Wind Resistance Lv. 7]

[Water Resistance Lv. 2] [Dark Resistance Lv. 1]

Stat growths and related:

[Enhanced Strength Growth Lv. 7] (+1)

[Enhanced Strength Enforcement Lv. 5] (+1)

[Enhanced Vitality Growth Lv. 7] (+1)

[Enhanced Vitality Enforcement Lv. 5] (+1)

[Speed of Sound Lv. 1]

Others:

[Stage Fever Lv. 5] (+2) [Handicraft Lv. 6] (+2) [Woodworking Lv. 7] (+2)

[Stonecrafting Lv. 1]

[Trap Creation Lv. 8] [Instruction Lv. 2]  [Identity Blocker Lv. 10]

[Tranquil Mind Lv. 1] (New) [Cooking Lv. 7] [Benevolent Aura Lv. 3] (+1)

[Draconic Aura Lv. 3] (+2) [Royal Presence Lv. 3] (+2)

[Dismantle Lv. 8] (+1) [Gluttonous] [Thought Acceleration Lv. 4]

[High-Speed Calculation Lv. 1] [Multi-Thought Processing Lv. 2]

[Parallel Thoughts Lv. 10] [Core Regulation]

[Humanize Lv. 10] [Pyrokinesis] [Aerokinesis] [Telepathy]

Job:

[Instant Heat Ignition] [Inferno Coating]

Ability List: Dragon:

[Dreadflare Aura] [Hellblade Edge] [Scale-Dust Veil] [Hellflame Breath]

[Solar Beam]

Unarmed:

[Dragoon Jump]

Spell List: Custom Magic:

[Symphonie des Feuergottes] [Prayer] [Sanctified Blaze]

[Sanctified Blaze: Halo of Consecration][Ignite] [Panzer] [Unheilge Engel]

Custom Spell Song:

[The Will to Fight and Survive] [Dragon Fire] [My Darkest Thoughts]

Lightning Magic:

[Lightning Bolt] [Purple Flash] [Levin Core]

Lava Magic:

[Lava Ball] [Lava Stream] [Molten Guard]

Holy Magic:

[Sacred Smite] [Sacred Veil] [Sacred Field] [Banishment Beam]

[Major Heal] [Omnictus] [Gloria Ascendence]

Earth Magic

[Earth Wall] [Rock Blast] [Earth Strike] [Rock Bullet] [Sturdy Earth]

[Earth Spears] [Earth Crash] [Earthen Shackles] [Terra Wall]

[Bedrock Blades] [Rumbling Might]

Wind Magic:

[Wind Bullet] [Wind Cutter] [Air Shield] [Wind Slash]

[Swift Winds] [Wind Blast] [Featherfall] [Aerial Blitz]

[Tornado Bullet] [Slyphid’s Cloak] [Tailwind]

Space-Time Magic:

[Haste] [Storage Magic] [Warp Point: Entry] [Warp Point: Exit]

The Light Magic:

[Shine] [Sanctuary]

Titles: [The Light] [Bearer of Kargryxmor’s Blood] [Divine Inferno]

[Otherworldly Reincarnator] [Princess]

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I would love to hear your opinions on how I handled Ellaine's character development. It always unnerves me if I'm taking it in the right direction or not. After what happened in the recent chapters, where Ellaine's character was able to shine the most in the shortest time, after all the build-up from Winter Arc to the Firwood Arc to the Alchemist Arc to the Cedaraille Arc.

If you have the time, I would love to hear your opinion.