[Salvos] 54. Noble (Patreon)

54. Noble

***

There was a discussion— an argument amongst the Humans and the single Cyclops man as they protested the sudden decision imposed on them. Zack turned to Daniel accusingly, but Jaakko spoke over them calmly. He drew the attention of the noble, Saffron Merryster. The pink haired Human woman said a number, and all arguments ceased.

An hour later, I found myself sitting on the back of a horse, riding with Daniel as we followed a gilded carriage make its way down a gravel road. We weren’t the only ones following it— Helen, Jaakko, and Zack had their own horses too. And there were a few other riders dressed in full plate armor, escorting the coach from the side.

They were Saffron’s bodyguards, donning the sigil of their family’s house. I had never seen anything resembling the symbol before, but apparently it was supposed to be a vulture. To me, it just looked like a big bird.

We travelled at a relatively fast and steady pace, the twinkling dots in the broad night sky turning into lines as our horse galloped to keep up with the magically enchanted carriage. The whispering of the trees from the hushed breeze turned into a howl as we blew straight into the wind; only the dinning of the hooves could drown out this suffocating noise. But I was used to such a feeling. I glanced down at the horse.

“I’m faster than you.”

I spoke simply, poking at his side. Daniel turned around and opened his mouth. He paused, thinking for a moment. Then he sighed.

“I’m not even going to comment on that.”

I grinned.

“Because it’s true!”

I continued blithely swaying from side to side on the back of the horse as we made our approach to the dimly lit town just ahead.

“You know, I like her.”

“Uh, pardon?”

He blinked, looking back at me as the horse slowed.

“What do you mean by… like?”

“She only had to say one thing and you Humans immediately listened to her. I want to be able to do that. I want to be a noble!”

“Ah.”

He quickly faced the front, focusing once again on riding.

“Well, I don’t think you can be a noble, Salvos. That’s something you have to be born into. And as we both know, you’re not… even… y’know?”

“But I can pretend, can’t I? I’m pretending to be a Human [Rogue] right now!”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not? Look— listen.”

I cleared my throat and raised my chin. With a hand on my chin and my back straight, I spoke haughtily.

“Cease your rowdy squabbling. I, Salvos Merryster, will pay you 10 platinum coins to bring me to the city of Warrington right this moment.”

“That’s… not bad, actually. But you can’t just use someone else’s family name and pass it off as your own. You’ll have to provide proof for that. Also— you don’t have 10 platinum coins.”

I waved a hand dismissively.

“That was just an example, I can just make up one of my own. And if they demand payment, I’ll just run off!”

“And if they come after you?”

“I’ll kill them, of course.”

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply. He glanced back at me with a single pleading eye.

“Please, Salvos. Don’t try something like that. Ever.”

“Fine.”

I scowled, crossing my arms.

…

“You’re lying, aren’t you?”

I failed to suppress a grin.

“Yep!”

—--

We reached the town soon after. It was not Warrington— that city was still another four days ride from where we were. This was a town close to Hazelbury. Saffron had been in a rush to leave, having delayed her stay there due to the news of a Greater Demon running amok in Falisfield.

This town was apparently outside of Falisfield, which was why she wanted to get here as soon as possible.

“Goodness gracious, this inn is rancid. And you’re certain this is the best around?”

“Apologies, Lady Saffron. This establishment may be of poor quality, but it is the highest one that this town can provide.”

Her servant, a Human man named Matthew, bowed his head and spoke apologetically.

“Well, it is certainly better than staying in that cramped city, worrying over threats that might not actually exist. Honestly, it was suffocating hearing you worry on and on about that mysterious Demon that hasn’t actually done anything.”

“Apologies, Lady Saffron—”

Saffron walked past me as a cloying scent wafted to me. I wrinkled my nose.

“What is that smell?”

“Salvos—”

“Are you speaking to me, adventurer?”

The noble stopped a few feet ahead of me. She craned her neck back, turning an assessing eye to me.

“No, I was asking Daniel. But if you can tell me too, I’d appreciate it.”

I smiled innocently at her; she frowned.

“If you must know, it is the scent of my perfume. Alchemically made— not your cheap, ordinary market bought perfume commoners tend to use.”

“Huh.”

I cocked my head.

“It’s a bit strong, but I like it. Smells far better than blood and dead bodies.”

“You…”

Saffron trailed off, wrinkling a brow. She took a few steps towards us and Daniel gulped. He opened his mouth, but the inchoate sound forming in his throat was cut off as she spoke.

“You’re the [Rogue] that killed that Greater Demon, the [Djinn], aren’t you?”

“I am! My name is Salvos.”

I nodded with alacrity. The noble huffed.

“I am aware. I have heard your name mentioned numerous times since I passed through Silvergrove. And you have a fire creation Skill, don’t you?”

She folded her arms, her frilly sleeves laced with golden lines scrunching together.

“Salvos, I don’t think you should just tell people—”

“I do!”

“I see then.”

Saffron tilted her head back, placing a hand on her lip. Her lips curled up as her red eyes stared out the window at the moon.

“Thank you for being honest with me, unlike your friend with his trinket there.”

Daniel winced, covering the necklace around his neck.

“Y-you knew?”

She laughed, turning around and beginning to take her leave as Helen, Jaakko, and Zack returned from the nearby stable and entered the common room of the inn. The [Archer] glanced at me then at the noble.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing is wrong. However, I will be borrowing your friend here. Tomorrow, Salvos, you will be riding with me.”

Helen blinked.

“Wait, why?”

“I want her to show me her Skill.”

Saffron replied dismissively, walking up the steps to the rooms above. The Gold Ranks just stared, confused.

“Uh, what just happened?”

“I don’t know. But I like her.”

Then they stared at me. Daniel sighed.

“She doesn’t mean it like that.”

—--

I sat inside the velvet coach, brows furrowed and a bead of sweat dripping down the side of my head as I focused on the flames held in my hand. Saffron had welcomed into her carriage the next morning, just as she said she would, and requested me to demonstrate the capabilities of my fire creation Skill to her.

She sat across from me, with Matthew by her side as she leaned over and peered into the morphing blue flames.

“And you’re saying this is an advanced version of the Skill?”

“Yep. It’s [Advanced Fire Creation]. Pretty amazing, right?”

I remembered how terrible [Basic Fire Conjuration] had been— the fact that I was able to now create the delicate shape of a flower with fire attested to the name of the Skill.

“Interesting. So you must have a rare Class then.”

“I… uh, do?”

I cocked my head, unsure of how to answer the question. Saffron smiled, tapping a hand on her lips.

“I apologize if I’m prying. It’s just uncommon for a [Mage] even to get such a rare Skill, you see. And yet, you’re a [Rogue] who has one. A hybrid Class may not be too uncommon, but considering all these factors combined… well, let’s just say that you certainly live up to your reputation.”

“Do that many people talk about me?”

“Perhaps only in Nixa. More so in Falisfield, however. You’re celebrated as a local hero for ending the Destroyer’s rampage. I, myself, am grateful for your actions. It is thanks to you I could finally leave the Nightsveil, the Capital, and begin my journey to Shedos.”

“Shedos?”

I gave the noble an inquisitive glance. She elaborated.

“It’s a country northeast of Nixa, past Elutra and neighbouring the Eastern Kingdoms. It’s relatively unknown, apart from its famous Mavos Academy, which I’m sure you've heard of.”

I shook my head. An academy? That’s a place to… study? Train? Receive education. I rubbed my head, confused.

“Nope.”

“Hm. Well, perhaps I underestimated the education of a commoner. Nevertheless, it is an academy located off the coast of Shedos. Famous for its world class [Mages]. A prestigious institution, it only accepts students above Level 40, and after four years of education, most graduates leave the academy at Level 70.”

“Four years to get to Level 70?”

I narrowed my eyes. That’s so… slow!

“It is fast, is it not?”

“Uh… yeah!”

I lied, trying to keep a straight face. I looked at the pinked haired noble, identifying her once again. I frowned.

“Wait, you said that [Mages] there have to be at least Level 40. Aren’t you only at Level 35?”

“Indeed.”

Saffron smiled slyly. For the first time in the entire ride, Matthew made a sound. He coughed into a hand, looking at her.

“Apologies, Lady Saffron. But I believe this is not something you should be talking about.”

“It’s fine.”

She waved a hand, turning away from him. She looked over at me with eager eyes.

“I thought you wouldn’t notice. See, Mavos Academy doesn’t just admit Level 40 students. No, their criteria is that you have to at least have reached your first Class advancement. That way, you’ll already be specialized enough that they don’t have to teach you the fundamentals, instead refining what you already know while teaching you new things.”

“But I thought your Class only advances at Level 40!”

She leaned back, a satisfied look on her face.

“Perhaps that’s what the common folk tout. But the truth is, if you meet a certain set of requirements, you can reach your first advancement early as I did.”

I blinked. Is this true for Demons and their evolutions too? As far as I could tell, it probably was.

“And what are these requirements? Do they also apply to the next advancements?”

I leaned forward, sitting on the edge of my seat until my face was next to hers. Matthew cleared his throat again.

“Apologies, Lady Saffron—”

“I know, I know.”

Saffron sighed. She put a single finger out and slowly pushed my face back.

“Personal space. And no. I will not tell you the answer to those questions. I’ve already told you enough. Now come. As unrefined as your fundamental control over magic is, the Skill makes up for most of your wasted mana use.”

“But I have [Advanced Mana Manipulation]!”

I protested, defending myself. She scoffed, haughtily raising her head.

“If a Skill is all it takes to learn something, then there’d be no reason to go to an academy to learn. Your fire creation Skill, while certainly special, is not the greatest thing in existence considering I can just learn fire creation magic. And maybe, I’ll get a Skill for it in my next advancement myself— or before then.”

“You can do that?”

I blinked. Isn’t that how I learned [Basic Fire Conjuration] in the first place? It just got upgraded when I evolved. But I did not use any Skill to use my first magic attacks. And I did not use a Skill to learn how to manipulate mana— I gained most of those Skills only after the fact.

“Yes, why else would I be interested in your magic? Show me what you can and cannot do.”

I did just that; I made weapons made of fire, from swords to bows. I showed her my Blazing Bolts, and she actually praised me for it. However, when it came to the kusarigama, she began to lecture me for not being competent enough with my Skill.

“A [Mage] at your level and with the Skill should be able to make a kusarigama. That’s a complex weapon, yes. But it’s only a regular weapon, no? It’s not even a Low Grade weapon like your Blazing Bolts are.”

“I am not a [Mage].”

I crossed my arms, scowling.

“Maybe that’s the problem. Or maybe you don’t quite understand how that Cyclops weapon works well enough to recreate it. Hrmph. Could you try making the fire chains heavier?”

I did as I was told, however the weapon lost form. The mana diffused to the surroundings and I felt my body sag as a slight exhaustion take hold of me. Saffron made a dissatisfied sound. Matthew once again cleared his throat.

“Apologies, Lady Saffron, but that’s not a very lady-like noise for you to make. And I do not believe it is recommended you experiment magic while in the carriage. Need I remind you the enchantments on the vehicle are expensive, and your father will not appreciate having to repair any such damages possibly inflicted on it.”

“Yes, Matthew.”

She sighed, shaking her head. I looked at the rather odd looking Human man with his gray hair and wrinkles. Then I turned back to Saffron.

“Is that all that he can say? ‘Apologies, Lady Saffron’.”

“Sometimes, I think it is. He’s my butler— he’s supposed to watch over me and mind my manners for me. But it gets annoying quite often.”

Matthew said nothing, seemingly satisfied by the fact that I wasn’t trying to make something I could not with my Skill anymore. I continued showing the noble the extent of my Skill, until she lost interest in it and began asking me other questions.

“You’re quite young yourself, aren’t you? What are you doing being an adventurer at your age.”

“I have to make money— to survive!”

I answered simply with a nod. She raised an eyebrow, unamused by my curt response.

“While that logic seems to be counterintuitive, I will not question it. Instead, I will ask you this: why do you do something you do not enjoy?”

“I don’t enjoy being an adventurer?”

“Yes. You said it yourself, didn’t you? You dislike the stench of death and blood.”

I remembered the conversation from yesterday, sniffing as I realized that Saffron was no longer wearing her perfume.

“I don’t actually dislike it. It’s just… smelly? And your perfume had a different smell than I am used. But you’re not using it. You smell like—”

The carriage jolted, and suddenly came to a halt. The noble fell forward into my arms as I caught her. Matthew protectively covered her with his body as I helped her back to her seat.

“What was that? What is going on?!”

She threw the door of the carriage open and I followed behind her as she marched out, Matthew already ahead of her.

There was an explosion as Helen loosed an arrow. I heard the sound of a chain flying through the air as Jaakko uncharacteristically bellowed, and Zack fumbled on the ground for his book. Daniel was ahead, alongside the other Merryster bodyguards and already engaged with something coming out of the trees.

“Monster attack!”

A voice shouted as the first creature landed on top of the carriage. Saffron paled as the monster snarled.

[Rancer Mite - Lvl. 51].

Author's Note:

I've been thinking about rebranding for a while, and I finally decided to do it. You can still call me Delta since the D in "MelasD" stands for Delta. Or whatever you want. I don't really care. I needed a username without numbers and this was the best I could think of.