An Inciting Isekai - Chapter 21 (Patreon)

The walk back to the town was uneventful, and since they were walking, not running with their supernatural bodies, was slow. 

Levi scanned the area of the so-called ‘Nothing’. It was nothing but mountains. The entire ground was covered in loose, sharp rock. But the sky was gorgeous. Only one sole cloud hung in the sky, the rest was a pure blue that set Levi’s mind at rest. Feeling the warmth of the sun hug his shoulders added onto that. Life outside the Krag was the best. Definitely. Or maybe it was the fact that he had never gotten a chance to fully appreciate the beautiful weather? If he wasn’t working, he was inside playing games. 

During the journey, his mind was stuck thinking about the Round Table. The first time was spent largely wasted. Sure, he had learnt a few things, but that wouldn’t cut it. He had access to a treasure trove of information at his fingertips, and had access to Otherworldly beings. And he intended to make full use of it. 

Slowly, questions formed. He had a plan. Now he just had to wait until midnight to ask them.

***

Returning home, Levi fell asleep. Although he didn’t know how long it had taken him to rise from his deep slumber, when he left the house, the sun was high above. It was past noon. 

Bram, Sera, and Gregory were seated in the middle of the street, on the chairs from the house, their faces serious. 

“What time is it?” Levi approached, wiping his dreary eyes. He planted his ass on a random log that had been placed. Maybe by Gregory. Nah, he wouldn’t do that. Bram or Sera would, though.

Gregory took out a pocket watch from his vest. “Just about to hit 4 o'clock.”

“How are you feeling, Levi?” Sera asked, guilty.

“I’m good,” Levi said, “but why the guilty face?” 

“We, uh, we were watching you the whole time.” 

Levi was confused at first. Watching him sleep? What weirdo does that? But then his eyes widened at the sudden realisation. She was talking about his small venture in the mine. “The whole time?”

Sera nodded.

Levi continued, “Like, the time when one of the hounds was teeth deep in my leg?”

She nodded again, slower this time. 

“B–but–” 

Gregory interrupted Sera. “But I took it upon myself to wager you had what it took to make it to the other side. Bram was always there with you. In case it got a bit hairy, he’d intervene. I just wanted to see what you had in you. I’m sorry, lad.”

Levi shook his head. He was a little pissed off. But ultimately, it was his own decision to keep forging ahead, despite the risks. 

“It’s okay,” he said. “But I am curious on one point. Did you know that beetle was there?”

Gregory smiled in response.

Levi’s brows rose. “That would have gotten quite a penny back in the city, no?” 

“Honestly,” Gregory said with a small smile. “It’d have made us rich.”

“You must really not care about money then,” Levi said which elicited a few chuckles from the trio.

“There’s some things that money can’t buy, Levi,” Sera said. “Status is one. If you do well in the Academy, we will also benefit having been the ones to introduce you. And on that note–” Sera took out a golden medallion from her pocket. On the face of the gilded metal was a rose. 

Money can’t buy power here? Levi thought to himself in surprise. Hell, that was quite different compared to earth. 

“–Take this,” she said, handing it to Levi. Levi inspected it. It was an Uncommon Ingredient, an emblem of the house Lindar. It gifted a Profession Class, Commerce Path. 

So there are different types of CLasses, not just combat ones. Interesting. 

She continued, “Each child of the Lindar family receives one token once they reach adulthood. It is used to recruit a child of their choosing into the Academy. I’ve never found a worthy choice–until now. I want you to have it.”

“Me?” Levi asked. He looked at the surprised expressions from Bram and Gregory. Something told him this was a big decision. “That’s a big deal, isn’t it?”

Gregory gazed deeply at Sera for half a second, before shaking his head. “It is a big deal. Be thankful.”

“Thank you, Sera, truly,” Levi said. “But what does it do? Is it like a fast track into the academy? You weren’t originally going to use this method, were you?”

Sera smiled. “You really are quite perceptive, Levi. Yes, at the beginning, I wasn’t going to use it on you, but you’ve shown a lot of potential. Not just because of your talent, that’s actually the smaller part. The major reason was because of your mentality. That fire that burns brightly behind your eyes. The desire to grow stronger.

We were going to sponsor you. But this way, you’ll be under the name of my family, and all that encompasses that.”

Bram added from the side, “A noble family's protection is a big thing. People will respect you. You’ll be given resources by the family. Social events will open up to you. Marriages. Private tutelage.”

“Social events, marriages?!” Levi tensed.

Gregory chuckled. “Oh come on, Levi. A handsome lad like you, you’ll have women lined up.” He leaned in, mouth to the back of his hand, and whispered, “Unless you like men, eh? I don’t judge. The world is changing, Levi.”

Levi shook his head. “Women will do fine.” But I don’t want to get bloody married, Levi thought. Not until I’m eighteen, anyway! Levi found his cheeks blushing. What the hell was his young body thinking?!

Levi tried changing the subject to something less frightful. “Tell me more about the Imperial City. What’s it like there?”

“Are you trying to change the subject, lad?” Gregory joked.

Levi squirmed. 

“The Jewel of the Centre of the World,” Bram said, saving Levi from the teasing. “The first thing you’ll witness is the highest walls you’ll ever see in your life. Dark and lumbering, they’ll leave an imposing will branded to your mind.”

“Walls? Surely they can’t be that high?”

“You see that mountain over there?” Gregory pointed to the land of the Nothing they had just traversed yesterday. The mountain pointed to was at least the height of Ben Nevis Levi had seen many moons ago. “As tall as that. No, they feel even taller.”

“How is that possible?” Levi gaped in astonishment.

“Magic,” Gregory said simply.

“Or not,” Sera added. “No one knows how the wall was created. It’s the same for the other towns nearby. Each settlement has the same walls, but just smaller. 999 years ago, we lost most, if not all of our history. We call this the Forgotten Era.”

“So you have no idea what happened?” 

“Not a clue,” Gregory said. “We’ve had archeologists discover some things, but they are in a language we don’t understand, a language we’ve long lost.”

Huh, that’s strange. I wonder what kind of language it is? Levi thought.

“The walls,” Bram said, “were thought to have been created before an apocalypse that wiped out most of the life on this planet. We may have no records of that era, but the walls tell a story of their own. Claw marks the size of buildings have been raked into the brick, scorch marks mar the material. Once upon a time, gargantuan beasts roamed.”

“Do you think that it was an apostles doing?” Levi asked.

“That, or a god is my best bet,” Gregory said.

Levi turned quiet as he thought about the past. It sounded like his own world, when the meteors struck the earth, casting the entire world into an apocalypse. Although this one was presumably caused by devillihs monsters. How did the people of that time react when it had happened? Were they scared? What was it like seeing monsters the size of mountains? Levi shivered.

“Moving onto something of a brighter note,” Sera said. “We have multiple festivals throughout the year in the city. One that is near is called the Bright Star Festival.”

Levi shifted his ass on the wooden log. It was uncomfortable, yet his ears were glued to Sera’s words. He was interested in this new world, and all the history it had. He hadn’t paid much attention to Earth, but he’d live a different life now.

He wanted to know everything about his new life.

Sera continued, “It’s a celebration of the senior students that are nearing their final month within the Academy. You see, in the final year, it is the duty of a student to head north and battle the monstrous waves that spawn from a tear in the earth. It is their final test, and it is incredibly dangerous. Thankfully, there haven’t been many deaths over the years. The Academy has excellent teachers, after all.”

Levi finally spoke, a question popping up in his mind. “A tear in the earth? Are these monsters related to the ones in the Krag?”

“Closely, aye,” Gregory said. “To the chosen, it is considered a gateway into the Krag. One where we don’t need to wait for the hand of god to cast the land into darkness. The seniors, both the chosen, and the not, have their final test on the battlefield. Of course, that depends on their Sway they’ve chosen. They may be on the backline, securing trade, or creating weapons and armours, enchanting clothing. That sort of thing.” 

“And after they are back,” Sera said excitedly, “my family holds a grand ball every year. You can drink and eat to your heart's content.”

“A ball?” Levi asked nervously. “That requires dancing, doesn’t it?” 

Bram laughed. “It’s not as bad as you think, Levi. Besides, the food makes it worth it.”

"And don’t forget the drink," Gregory said, clicking his tongue as if mimicking the enjoyment of a cool ale.

“Somehow, the thought of battling a horde of monsters is less terrifying than attending a social ball,” Levi said. The others laughed. 

“Don’t worry, Levi,” Sera said. “During the trip to the capital, we can practise your footwork.”

“And fighting,” Gregory added. “Now that you have a physical enhancement Sway, you’ll need to know how to throw a punch, or an elbow. Bram can teach you that. He’s known for his hand-to-hand combat.”

Levi glanced at Bram and nodded. “I saw that firsthand.”

“I have my military training to thank,” Bram said.

“Don’t listen to the humble giant, lad,” Gregory said. “I received the same training. Still can’t beat him even if he ties two hands behind his back, and doesn’t use any of his abilities. Hell, even if he didn’t have physical Sways, he’d kick my arse into next week.”

“That’s not true, Captain,” Bram laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"So," Sera said, her gaze fixed on the family sigil in Levi's hand, "what do you think? Would you like to join my family?”

Levi stared at the sigil deep in thought. Did he want to join? Honestly, he had no reason to refuse. But, stories of the past haunted his decision. He had heard from various materials in history of people entering a family and having to deal with politics, and whatever else was thrown their way. Only to die from a power struggle from within. Would that happen here? 

Here, in this world, he had no relatives to protect him. And what power he did have, he doubted that it would be enough if shit truly hit the fan. But it was also an opportunity to gain more Ingredients, wealth, and a place to stay. Guaranteed entry into the Academy.

Levi nodded. “Sera, I want to join.”

Sera beamed a smile. Gregory patted his shoulder. “Good decision, lad. How about we celebrate the good news with a tumble in the dirt?”

“Huh?” Levi asked, confused. However, seeing Gregory’s playful smile, he sensed a bad time. Pain was coming. His premonition came true.

“How about a good old sparring session?”