King And Council

I guess I underestimated Elizabeth. I really hadn't expected her to have figured out my connection to the king.

True, she changed me out of the expensive noble garbs my father gave me, but they still shouldn't have been able to point directly to the royal family. So then...

"How?"

"Kinn told me."

Right. The guild master. I should've known he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut about me. I need to be more careful about my loose ends.

"I don't mind, though."

Huh?

"We don't need to know everything about each other to be friends, right?" she asks, with an inquiring tilt of her head.

...

"Right."

Funny. I forgot how nice friends are.

I haven't made any real friends since Number 3.

I remember attempting to bounce back after having lost Princess Sofia after my reincarnation. I tried connecting to Number 3's family and even attempted to get some new friends, like I had done as Number 2, but it wasn't the same. It felt empty.

I never really got the spark back since then.

---

I awoke to the sounds of fanfare this morning. It's been a few days, and the day of the king's arrival has come.

Walking downstairs, I find Elizabeth and Vol already up and eating breakfast. Elizabeth has apparently asked him to come. I guess she thought I might be nervous.

I'm not, but I appreciate the gesture.

After finishing our breakfast, the three of us head to the central hall of the floating academy, where the meeting with the king and council will take place. We were lucky enough to be able to request the location ourselves.

A small 15-year-old adventurer, a blonde woman with a sword and golden armor, and one of the best elven magic researchers in the world. All of us walking towards a floating building, located in a city inhabited by elves, and built of rosewood trees.

We must look like quite an odd little group like this.

We arrive in the central hall early. The place has been highly decorated and some attendants are waiting in the back with food and drink. It kind of reminds me of the mansion. I wonder if Cerla will be here, as well.

The king and his entourage isn't here yet, but the council is already present. They look very high-and-mighty, with their backs straight and chins lifted. What they might call "proper posture."

I wonder how they'll react when they find out who I am.

It was good that we arrived early, because less than half an hour later, a messenger hurries over to the elven council and whispers hurriedly to them.

He's here.

The host slams a large cane into the ground, letting a deep sound reverberate around the room.

"His Majesty, king Gariss Marakov, has arrived."

The entrance doors are opened wide by two well-dressed elves to reveal a middle-aged man with a well-kempt beard and mane. His black clothes are embroidered with gold details, which cover much of his chest. He looks more like a general than a king. In fact, he reminds me a lot of my father, with one exception.

The golden crown placed upon his head, a green gem embedded in the center.

He strolls into the room, almost a bit too casually for a king. Several servants follow behind him, much like the ones we had in our mansion. A butler and a maid. Behind them is a third person, barely obscured by the king. I guess he knows well enough to bring Cerla along.

So now what?

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Vol and Elizabeth bow to him.

Eh, whatever. I can't be bothered.

I stay still and look calmly upon the king as he walks up to us and pauses about a meter away.

Then, to my surprise, he puts on a big grin - not a fake one - and embraces me with open arms, like I was his own son.

"My goodness, Stencil, it really is you!"

Hm. Not sure how I feel about this old dude hugging me.

I pat him lightly on the back.

"It's... good to see you, uncle."

My eyes flick over to the elven council.

Ha, they look like they're about to pass out.

After a slightly-too-long hug, he lets go of me and steps back a bit, a happy and mildly concerned look on his face.

"Have you been sleeping properly? Are you eating well?"

What is he, my mom?

"I'm perfectly fine. Elizabeth and Vol-" I gesture toward them in turn, "-have been taking good care of me."

"Ah, I'm glad."

Another win for partial truths.

"So, how can I help you, uncle?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"I assume you didn't travel all the way to Rosewood just to see me, did you?"

"Of course I did."

What.

"Is that not okay?"

What in the fu-

Is he an amateur or something? I thought father said they he had been king for years.

The king lets out a loud belly laugh.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Of course, I was hoping to bring you back with me!"

There it is.

I suppose we might as well get straight into it.

"I would rather not. Vol and I have been working on some revolutionary technology."

"Oh?"

"Speaking of, I'd like to let my good friends, Vol and Elizabeth, demonstrate it for all of you, if you don't mind."

"Oh, certainly!" the king says, excitedly.

I look over to the council, which gives me a slightly confused nod of approval.

I gesture toward Vol and Elizabeth, who have walked over to the stone.

"This," Vol picks it up and shows it to the room, all showman-like, "is an *artificial* mana store."

I see a mix of intrigued and confused looks around the room.

"It can absorb excess mana and contain it for future use, just like any other mana store. Please observe miss Elizabeth's swordsmanship without the mana store."

Elizabeth pulls out her blade, which glows as usual. Last night, we set up two large stones for her to cut. Actual monsters would've been better, but Vol didn't think that bringing live monsters in the academy would go over very well.

Letting out a deep, focused breath, Elizabeth pulls back and slices down hard. There's a loud cracking sound as the sword embeds itself about a quarter ways into the rock.

I can hear sounds of admiration from around the room.

It *is* quite impressive that she can do that on her own, but with the mana stone...

"Now, with the power of a meticulously constructed artificial mana store," Vol explains to the crowd, as he attaches the stone to Elizabeth's sword.

The moment he inserts it, the blade bathes the entire room in an intensely blue light.

I glance around quickly. Everybody's eyes are fixed to Elizabeth and the glowing sword. It almost feels like all light was turned off around us, and only the blue glow of the sword remains.

Elizabeth pulls back to strike.

You know, I didn't think about it earlier, but wyvern scales are supposed to be extremely tough. She'll probably slice straight through the rock and hit... the...

Uh...

"Hey, is the academy floor strong enough to resist the-"

* C R A C K *