Eyes Open

"I have good news and bad news." Roko said.

"Oh?" Edea looked up as she lead Roko down the hall, "What is it?"

"I learned how to intentionally cast scan."

"Really?" Edea said, surprised, "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure." Roko nodded, "I can say scan pretty freely now."

"Well." Edea smiled, "Lunch is on me then."

"Wait, really?"

"Of course. I made a point to treat any of my students that learn intentional casting for any spell to lunch."

"Every time? Even for a second spell?"

"Yep."

"...How often does this happen?"

"Very rarely."

"How many people even know about this deal?"

"Eh. A fair bit I think."

"Wow."

"So what's the bad news?"

"I learned a new spell."

"Oh." Edea looked at Roko blankly, "What does this one do?"

"It's called Analyze."

Edea's stats appeared in Roko's vision as he continued, "It give me ongoing battle focused information on my target. Like Health and Mana."

"I see." Edea nodded, "And I suppose you don't know how to intentionally cast that?"

"Nope." Roko answered as he dispelled the information from his mind.

"Are you going to learn?"

"I mean, mind as well?"

"Great. I'll buy you dinner next time."

"You're being awfully generous."

"You're literally the only person that ever listens to me."

"I'm sure more people would listen if you advertised it as a free lunch."

"Yeah but then I wouldn't be able to sustain it."

"Fair enough." Roko shrugged, "How are the new security measures by the way?"

"They're about done." Edea explained, "There are a lot of complex changes that I'm sure will go over your head. Spatial magic can be quite complex. Suffice it to say that there is little chance of anything ever sneaking into our school again."

"Roko! Look!" Corissa ran up to the two of them, "Look! A cat sneaked into the school!"

"Oh. How cute."

Roko watched as Corissa cuddled the furry creature, stroking its soft fur as the animal purred.

…

"'Little chance of anything ever sneaking in' huh?" Roko smirked.

"Cats are known to appear and disappear at will." Edea replied.

"Is that a fact?"

"No, just an observation."

As the classes wound down for the day and the knights began to depart from their training, Roko was about to depart as well until he noticed Roland and Helena standing off to the side having a heated discussion. As this was a common occurrence, Roko was about to leave as well but decided to go check it out just in case.

"I don't understand why you need a new sword already." Helena frowned as she held Roland's sword in her hands.

"I'm telling you the balance is off." Roland insisted, "I can't control it the way I want."

"It feels fine to me."

"Try using it!"

Helena took the sword in both her hands and raised it.

"Not on me!" Roland yelped.

"Are we bullying Roland again?" Roko asked as he walked up to them, "I'm up for that."

"Oh good, Roko!" Helena smiled as she lowered the sword, "Maybe you can help! Roland says this sword's off balance!"

"Like this guy knows anything about swords." Roland scoffed as Helena handed the sword over to Roko.

"He's scanned people before. I'm sure he can do the same for an object."

"They're not nearly the same."

"They aren't the same." Roko said, "But I might be able to do something. Analyze."

Roland's sword became marked in his vision and information appeared in Roko's mind.

Sword

Health: 97%

Mana: N/A

Attack: 86

Defense: 77

A sword crafted to be both powerful and tastefully artful. With a handle that allows for one and a half hands, it's made to balance close range combat with the slight bit of mid range within its reach. The weight is balanced near the hilt for ease of movement and can be used to preform sword tricks just as well as it can switch between positions.

"It says it's balanced for swordplay and sword tricks." Roko said as he returned the sword, "I don't think it has a balance problem."

"I knew it." Helena grinned as she took the sword back.

"That's impossible." Roland frowned, "My right arm has been fumbling with it ever since I got it."

"Well there's one possibility." Roko said as he turned to Roland, "Analyze."

Roko focused his sight on Roland's armor and to his relief, the spell targeted the armor instead of Roland himself.

Armor

Health: 65%

Mana: N/A

Attack: 30

Defense: 89

Worn armor that has seen years of use. Scratches and stains cover its surface after years of neglectful maintenance. There are a few dents across the body of the armor. One dent on the right shoulder is throwing the armor off balance and restricting movement of the arm.

"The armor's the problem." Roko reported, "The right shoulder is dented and throwing off your balance."

"Whoa, really?!" Helena rubbed the dent on the right shoulder curiously, "Wow, thanks! That saves us a trip to the smithy!"

"Guess it's time to get new armor I suppose." Roland sighed as he felt the dent as well, "I have been using this ever since I began working as your knight after all."

"This does seem pretty worn." Helena nodded, "Alright. Next morning, we're heading to the smithy to get you fitted for a new set of armor."

"Make sure he actually takes care of that one." Roko added, "He hasn't been taking care of his current one very well."

"Oh, I know." Helena sighed heavily, "I've been telling him for years but he doesn't listen."

"What?! Oh come on, there's a lot of pieces to this armor!" Roland objected, "You can't expect me to clean and polish all of this all the time! Where would all my free time go?!"

"The same place Mikado's goes."

"Why do you keep him around?" Roko asked.

"Don't make me ask myself that question. I've been trying to avoid that for years." Helena sighed as she rubbed her head.

"N-No...I swear I'll clean this new set! I swear!"

"You better." Helena sighed, "Roko, would you like to come along? Maybe you can help pick out the new armor!"

"I really should refuse..." Roko muttered, "But if it means getting more practice with this new spell, I probably should."

"Great! We'll meet you in the morning!"

As planned, Roko met Helena and Roland at Galia the next morning. Together, they headed to the resident armorsmith where sets of armor decorated the room, ranging from fancy to the bare essentials. Helena pulled Roland away from the fancy armors and into the more practical section of the store.

"So." Helena sighed as she dusted her hands after pulling Roland away, "I don't like putting this all on you but we'll be counting on you."

"Don't expect extraordinary results." Roko sighed as he pulled out his notebook and pencil, "Analyze."

Roko analyzed all the armor he could, writing down their stats and any points of interest in his notebook. Making sure to include the price as well, he had analyzed well over half the store before he had to sit down and began to wonder how the hell he was going to sort this data with just a notebook.

"You okay?" Helena asked as Roland wandered off to look at the fancy armors, "You look tired."

"Not as much as it seems." Roko replied, "Unlike scan, ana- this spell doesn't record itself into my mind so I don't have to worry about it cluttering my brain. Still, keeping track of all these unique attributes and stuff is surprisingly tiring."

"Should we come back another time?" Helena gulped.

"No, I...I'll figure something out." Roko sighed as he looked around, "Sir, is there a large piece of paper I can borrow?"

"Hm? What are you going to do now that you've stared at everything in my store?" The blacksmith frowned, "Well, I have some paper here. Don't know if this is big enough for you."

"I'll make do." Roko said as he walked over to take the paper, "Thanks."

It took a whole afternoon but Roko, Helena and Roland all walked out of the armorsmith with an order sheet for a new set of armor to be delivered in the next two days.

"Phew." Helena breathed a sigh of relief as they left the shop, "That took a while and I'm not quite sure about everything that was going on but at least it's over."

"Sure we couldn't get the other one instead?" Roland asked.

"That one cost 10% more and gave 13 less defense." Roko sighed, "Plus those spikes were completely unnecessary."

"I could stab someone with it."

"And then how would you get them off your body? Or are you hoping they will just crack and fall off?"

"I'll...crack your face." Roland muttered to himself.

Ahhhh, I feel so relieved!" Helena stretched her arms, "It's a bit late but we should grab some lunch before we return. Come on, Roko. I'll treat you."

"Sure." Roko said as he stowed away the paper he had charted his results on, "I was getting kind of hungry anyway."

"Okay. What do we feel like eating?"

"Feldt!" Roland cried.

"I don't know anything about the cultural cuisine of this world." Roko shrugged, "So I'm good with anything."

"Oh yeah. I forget you're from another world sometimes." Helena nodded, "Well, Feldt it is then. Their food is generally considered pretty homely. If you get homesick don't be afraid to tell me!"

"I doubt that'll happen."

"Hmmm...actually, you've been to Corissa's home town right?" Helena said as an idea crossed her mind, "We have our exams in a few days and after that, our winter break. Most students take the time to go home but you don't really have anywhere to go so how about you visit my country?"

"You want to bring him to Aporia?!" Roland cried.

"Why not?" Helena shrugged, "It's not like he's been exiled or anything."

"He just had a vacation."

"We have exams in three days. We won't be doing much else other than study so I think we deserve a break."

"You say that like he's going to actually take all the exams." Roland scoffed, "I don't see him taking the etiquette exam!"

"Last I checked, knights don't have any exams to take at all." Helena frowned, "What are you going to be doing while Roko is taking his magic exam?"

"..."

"That's what I thought." Helena nodded, "So how about it, Roko?"

"A vacation sounds nice." Roko admitted, "I could use some time to relax."

"You just had a vacation." Roland muttered.

"You have no idea what I've been through."

As the exams came and went, Roko could feel the air of relief around the school as people began to talk about their vacation plans. With little time to unpack, much of Roko's items were still ready to travel from his last trip to Cordis. Though he had to exchange the clothes that still vaguely stank of sewer. As Roko was preparing for his trip to Aporia, he found himself being called up to the headmaster's office.

"How are you dear?" Zadkiel greeted Roko as he entered the room, "I hope you were able to complete you exams without trouble."

"For the most part." Roko sighed, "There were some things I couldn't really study for like dance practice."

"Mmm. Well, after your outstanding performance in Cordis, I was thinking of handing you another tiny mission. Also related to those creatures, of course."

"Oh uh..." Roko gulped, "Actually, I was invited to visit Helena's hometown, Aporia."

"Well, how convenient." Zadkiel smiled, "That's exactly where I want you to go."

…

"MOTHERF-"