There were several ways to get to Silverpeak from the coven.
If someone were a Magistra or had the good fortune of accompanying one, they could utilize the Pegasi service, which would greatly shorten the trip.
Traveling there on a broom was also a favorite, although only those who had mastered warming charms were brave enough to make the journey.
If none of those options were available, then one could take the road.
Courier services operated every morning and evening to and from the Sanctum, allowing even those without the skills or connections to reach town.
Normally, Orion preferred using the flying carriages. The winged horses were truly amazing and significantly reduced travel time. Unfortunately, his mother did not accompany him and had denied him a writ of permission, which would have allowed him to wield her influence and commandeer a carriage for himself.
This was why he was currently sitting in the back of an uncomfortable wagon, doing his best to ignore the sickeningly sweet smell wafting from the old lady to his right.
“Are you sure you are comfortable over there, dear? There is more than enough space for you here,” she asked in a croaky tone, and he had the vague impression that she might be laughing at him.
Given that she was a witch, that was a very real possibility. He wouldn’t put it past her to have chosen the slower ride just to annoy as many young people as she could.
[Ayla - Lv. 78] [Lightweaver - D-Rank]
She wasn’t particularly impressive, especially considering that at tier two, she should have had a C-rank class. This indicated that she hadn’t been born in the Sanctum and had not received the Initiate class at birth. However, that didn’t mean she couldn’t get her kicks in unusual ways.
Wearing an overpowering perfume and deliberately making people in a confined space endure it for two hours was more sadistic than most hobbies, but it wouldn’t be the strangest thing he’d encountered in this life.
Set, for example, could spend weeks re-reading the same books, analyzing the reasons behind word choice and how the writer might have come to use them line by line.
“I’m fine,” he choked out, deciding that an air purification spell would be next on his list. It would certainly prove useful when he went adventuring around the Magocracy, but more importantly, it would prevent his nose from enduring such abuse again.
The smile she directed at him made it clear she knew exactly what she was doing, and Orion turned even further away from her. Yeah, he didn’t want anything to do with that creepy woman.
Fortunately, they were in the final stretch to Silverpeak, and soon enough, the driver hailed them, “We’re about to arrive, please prepare to get off!”
What followed was a few confusing minutes of pushing and shoving, until finally, Orion was outside, breathing in fresh air as if for the first time.
“I’m going to learn how to fly if it’s the last thing I do,” he muttered. He was already capable of levitating; he just needed to figure out the warming portion, and he’d be good to go.
With that, he quickly hurried away, not wanting to risk the old witch deciding to bother him again. He wouldn’t put it past her.
The market district was as lively as ever, with merchants and street performers yelling and contributing to the chaos of the crowds, but Orion noticed that the selection of goods for sale had once again diminished.
It wasn’t enough to affect the overall mood yet, and no stall had empty shelves, but he would bet a pretty penny that the merchants were feeling the pinch and that customers were being more careful with their purchases.
The tent village outside the town walls had only increased in the weeks since he’d last visited, and Orion doubted the trend would reverse anytime soon.
With his new trait, he was eager to discover what he could collect from the various bits and pieces of magic flaring up around the district, but even a brief look was enough to temper his wild expectations.
Yes, people were casting spells and using enchanted items, but all of them were very basic magic.
A street performer was swallowing large amounts of water, only to have it spray out from his feet and propel him into the air, where he would spin and gracefully descend back down.
[Verification Principle] informed him that it was little more than a pouch of water attached to his boots, which the man released with a weak burst of mana—not even water mana, as he would have expected, but the raw stuff.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Honestly, it was impressive that he could pull off such a performance with spells so weak they could hardly be deemed tier zero, but for Orion’s purposes, it was useless.
I should probably focus on those people whose level is high enough to warrant my attention.
His trusty System Detection Glasses sat on his nose, and Orion tried to use them sparingly, only when he spotted someone he believed could be a hidden powerhouse.
A well-built man dressed in barbarian attire, complete with axes and a fur cloak, strode through the crowd as if he owned it; however, his level told a different story.
[Thormund - Lv. 63] [Berserk - D-Rank]
That guy is weaker than the smelly witch. I suppose that’s to be expected, considering that the Sanctum is by far the greatest power in the province. But I would expect at least a few stronger people to be around.
If only he could find that elf again...
Unfortunately, when he reached the same fountain where he had seen the elf resting, Orion found no trace of him. He hadn’t expected anything different, but he still had hoped.
Shaking his head, he set aside his disappointment and pushed through the crowds. He had a letter to deliver and an entire town’s worth of people from whom to gather data.
The Town Hall was as imposing as ever, and Orion immediately noticed the increased activity around it. While during his first visit, two soldiers had sufficed to guard the entrance, now four stood at attention, scanning the bustling crowds as if anticipating an attack.
Additionally, he noticed several guards positioned around the plaza at each entrance. And when he looked up, Orion even saw several archers and crossbowmen perched on top of nearby buildings, scanning both the streets and the skies.
Overall, it was evident that Silverpeak’s administration was taking the situation in the south very seriously. Given the troubles they’d already faced with infiltrators and saboteurs, Orion believed this was a prudent approach.
It did mean that he was stopped as soon as he moved toward the entrance, though.
“HALT!” One of the guards yelled, lowering his spear toward him. High above, archers drew their bows back, while crossbowmen got ready to release their bolts.
Faced with a very messy death, Orion froze, unsure of what to do.
[Jeremiah - Lv. 59] [Quick Lance - D-Rank]
Before he could come up with a sensible reply to ease the tension, another soldier quickly stepped in. “Stop! That is a wizard from the Sanctum!”
The guard who had pointed his spear at him froze mid-step, turning to his companion, “What? How do you know that?”
“Can’t you see the embroidered cloak? He has the symbol of a Magistra on him.” The wiser of the two shot back, and Orion nodded.
“I am here to bring a letter to the mayor from my mother, Magistra Asteria Voidwalker.” He didn’t particularly like name-dropping like that, but he preferred it over being skewered by a dozen arrows.
He reassured himself that his Light Shield would probably protect him; it was just a matter of who would be faster.
Yeah, that’s not reassuring at all. I just got my class, while these men have been training for at least a decade.
“Enough!” A voice roared from above, and they all looked up toward the highest floor, where Lucina, the giant woman who served as mayor of Silverpeak, was sticking out of her window. “Let the kid come in, and stop waving your little spears around. Learn to tell friend from foe!”
Castigated, the aggressive soldier pulled back, pressing his lips together and bowing his head in apology. Orion quickly waved him off before hurrying into the building, feeling his heart beat fast.
He had been preparing for a possible fight for years, having received a wake-up call when that ghoul almost got to him. However, that didn’t mean he had any idea how to conduct himself in battle.
I could probably defeat any of those soldiers in a sanctioned duel, but it doesn’t matter much if I freeze up the moment they swing their spear.
To be fair, a dozen men had surrounded him, so it wasn’t exactly a fair fight, but he would need to take steps to prevent a repeat of that showing.
We should start practical lessons soon. When we are called to decide our schedule, I’ll be sure to let Eire know that I want to gain combat experience.
“Over here, young lord!” A vaguely familiar voice called, and Orion looked up to see that it was the same mage who had operated the elevator the last time he’d been by, years ago.
Surprised to see the man, Orion nodded in acknowledgment. “Good to see you. You’re with Casper’s Omnidirectional Transports, right?”
Surprise was evident in the man’s expression; he had not expected him to remember. However, after a moment, he smiled toothily. “Ah, that company failed three years ago, after the main office was found guilty of corruption of officials in Valderun. But my services were deemed worthy of being retained by the Lady Major, and I was hired directly.”
“Uh,” Orion blinked as he got into the elevator. Curiously, he pulled on the vague feeling he’d come to associate with [Verification Principle] and watched as the man closed the elevator door and flicked a finger up.
The spell he summoned was unexpectedly complex, far more than he had anticipated.
Indeed, it surpassed nearly everything he had been able to analyze thus far, clearly categorizing it as tier two magic.
Gravity was involved, but there was more. A firm grip around the elevator ensured a smooth ride, a highly efficient redirection of air around the structure, and additionally, an acceleration and deceleration system guaranteed a swift delivery to every floor, regardless of the distance.
By the time they reached the top of the tower, Orion had almost entirely forgotten about the confrontation outside and was instead immersed in a deep analysis of the differences between his own levitation magic and the man’s.
“Here we are, young lord.”
“Oh, call me Orion,” he said distractedly, and the man favored him with another grin, tipping his head.
“That would be an honor, Lord Orion. You might call me Ezebediel, then,” was the reply, and almost subconsciously, Orion barely remembered to use his glasses.
[Ezebediel - Lv. 91] [Gravity Mage - D-Rank]
Now, what on earth is someone like that doing working as a glorified elevator operator?
“Oh, there you are. Are you alright, kid? Asteria would roast me over an open fire if something happened to you under my watch?” The rumbling tone of Lucina pulled him from his thoughts, and Orion looked up. And up.
She’s a big’un. I almost forgot.
Standing at over ten feet tall, the woman loomed over him, even after gaining two inches in the past year alone.
Orion wasn’t the tallest among his peers, as that privilege belonged to Dorian, but he was the second tallest, which was enough for him to finally start feeling less like a kid.
Lucina made him look like a toddler once more.
“I’m fine. Just surprised,” he said honestly, pulling out the package his mother had given him and handing it over. “This is for you.”
The giantess took it, curiously turning it over.
Given how simple it could be to send a package to Silverpeak using courier services, Asteria's choice to send it with Orion indicated it was sensitive stuff.
“Well, make yourself at home on the couch. I’ll have a response letter written up soon.” Lucina vaguely waved him on before stopping. “Ah, there is another person inside. But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll get along fine. My brother’s daughter has come to visit, and she’s a delight. Why don’t you get to know her while I handle this?”
Oh, fantastic. More social interactions.
