LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter Seven Hundred Twenty Two
The next day we got back to the party. I decided to test out my newest and most consequential perk from my rank up and created wish scrolls, just like I’d been told I could at D-rank. I added eight scrolls to my ring, and was looking forward to finding new ways to trade for them. The mechanics were a bit vague to me, but I was assured they were extremely useful.
Not having to worry about getting those done within a time limit was a load off my mind, and if gave me ample time to hang out with friends on my last week with them. Thoughts like that made me spiral a bit, so I avoided them, and I tried to throw myself into the celebration.
“So tell me again how this works?” Asked Benny as he stared down the strip of park grass. “Because I don’t think I get the concept.”
I laughed and pointed at the trees above the Travis scarecrow. “It’s simple. Throw the axe and chop a branch. If it lands on the dummy, you get ten points, if it lands in the circles, your points vary based on which one. But don’t hit the dummy WITH the axe, or you’re out. Jessie grew the trees just for this purpose, and they’ll try to dodge, so be prepared.”
He squinted at me suspiciously. “That seems like the kind of thing that your overlay would be great for.”
“I would NEVER abuse my powers just to win a game.” I said as I tracked the colored arrows of the overlay to try to find the optimal trajectory. “You have deep seated trust issues and need to learn to have more faith in people.” I winged the axe (at our level throwing anything with little enough force not to clear the horizon to absurd levels of concentration on a planet like this) and it clipped through a branch, which plummeted and stabbed into the ground in the third ring.
Cursing, I passed Benny the next axe. “Seven points. You’re up.”
“I want to go next.” Announced Bethy. “I bet I could totally win. I could throw the axe way further than that. I could throw it to the moon.”
“That is not the object of the game.” I explained with a laugh. “But I kind of want to see it. WEe’d need a really nice axe so it didn’t break up on reaching escape velocity. Plus someone would need to go get it.”
Callie cleared her throat. “NO.” She said bluntly. “If you throw it too hard you might damage the moon, or maybe even move it out of orbit. We are not drowning a continent because you two want to see if you can hit a lunar body with a throwing axe.”
“You see.” I complained to Bethy. “She used to be fun. We get married and now I can’t do anything interesting.”
“Keep it up.” Smiled my wife sweetly. “And you can have all the fun you want on the couch for the rest of the week.” She winked at me, and I laughed, even though both of us felt the ache from the other knowing we’d be separated so soon. We’d hardly had any time together since we got married, and I was already off to parts unknown to do crazy god shit for my psycho great grandma.
Benny frowned at me. “Why do you seem weird about that. Not worried or amused, but like…sad.” He glanced at Bethy and the others. “He seems sad, right? It’s not just me?”
“Pay up.” I told my wife with a sad laugh. She cursed and handed me a D-rank chit. “I told her you would notice. You ARE my best friend.” I paused at Bethy’s glare. “ONE of my best friends.” I said with a laugh.
I looked around with a sigh. “Let’s go get some funnel cake and sit down. I can explain to everyone at once. Someone get the others. Cark and Cass too.”
Heading over to the funnel cake cart, I bought like…five pounds of the stuff, loaded it onto a huge tray, coated it in a snowfall’s worth of powdered sugar and then dropped it at a table set up in the shade of trees that DIDN’T move.
Everyone else came to join us, and Cass seemed especially excited about the funnel cake, snatching it up triumphantly and digging into the still hot dessert. It took her about two seconds to choke, and her brother patted her back with a sigh. “I don’t know why you aren’t more careful about that. You ALWAYS inhale the powdered sugar and choke.”
“Worth it!” Wheezed the younger girl with a thumbs up. We all laughed, but the amusement was soon gone as everyone quieted down to hear my news.
“So, I’m going to be going away for a while.” I said after a minute. “Probably five or sixth months. We’ll meet up before the candidacy competition, but you’ll be on your own for a while. Callie is going to be training with my grandma, and I made some arrangements for the rest of you if you want them. Or you can hang around with one of the others, that’s all on you.”
Bethy looked crestfallen. “What? But we all have so much fun together. We should be coming with you. We’re your backup!”
“She’s right.” Said Benny unhappily. “Why do you need to do it on your own. We always stick together. That’s like…the whole point of the candidacy to begin with. To see how you build a faction.”
“Which is why I need you to keep doing that.” I said bluntly. “I HAVE to do this. I don’t have a choice, but once its done, things will be a lot easier. For one thing, I’ll have my mom’s support. Overtly. I’m betting I could sway a few big factions with that before the candidacy competition starts, assuming I get this other thing done in time.”
My mother’s blood, and my grandfathers, would open up possible alliances that I hadn’t even considered before. Glancing at my sister, I took in her nod. That was a possibility. Interesting.
Honestly, the idea of a stop on the way to…whatever the competition was going to be, didn’t exactly lack appeal. Looking at her though, my attention was brought to a different problem. Chelsea looked…angry. Not just a little angry either, she’d been seething since we’d talked to grandma.
Weirdly, I was conflicted about her reaction. I think some part of her was bitter I got chosen, and I think some part of ME was gloating about that bitterness. It wasn’t nice, but she’d literally gotten everything good in our lives, knowing she was jealous kind of made me a little cheery. Of course, then I felt like shit for gloating while my twin sister worried about my possible death, which brought my attention back to the danger, and the cycle started over.
“So what are these ‘arrangements’?” Benny finally asked, seemingly trying to distract everyone from the downer mood. He also tried to grab some funnel cake, though Bethy snatched the piece he was going for last second.
“Well, like I said, Callie will be working with my grandmother.” I said, smiling at my wife. “She actually suggested Bethy might benefit from working with her as well. If anyone understands being born as something unique and powerful it’s Celia. She might be able to help with your control. I’ll leave you with some wish scrolls so you can keep up the seals, but we thought that might be helpful. Any of you are free to turn us down.”
Bethy looked uncharacteristically serious for a second, but nodded. “That…that’s really sweet. Thank you guys.” She stepped up to hug both of us, and I nodded warmly. Bethy had my back during this mess, I was going to have hers too, and I knew Callie was grateful for her support when she couldn’t be around to help me, too.
“Benny, you’re with Zeke. The ability to weaponize crafted items that are a part of you is right up his alley. I can’t imagine a better teacher for you.” He blinked, but thanked me, not noticing the pitying glance from Cark.
I glanced at my sister. “You know grandma is training you, but I figured maybe you guys could stick with mom. Mel is perfectly suited to train under her, Cark could learn a lot, and Gabe could train with Andrew.” I tried to make it sound like I was asking a favor, because I wanted her around Bethy and Gabe, who would keep her from spiraling if she got too worried. I didn’t like the look in her eye.
The suggestion seemed to snap her out of her funk a bit though, and she smiled. “Of course. You know I love having…” She glanced at Bethy quickly. “Everyone around.”
“Jessie and Celine will be working with mom’s friend, the Princess from the conclave.” I said with a smile at our healer. “I’m sure she has a ton to teach you both about plant and animal magic, at least based on what mom said.”
Finally, I turned to Bethy. “As for Abel…I was thinking about it. We need someone uniquely powerful, with a connection to blood and a staggering amount of combat potential. Is there anyway you could ask your dad to take over his training while I’m gone.”
She squealed and clapped. “Oh that sounds wonderful! I don’t know who this Abel person is, but daddy needs a new project. He hasn’t taken an apprentice since the last one…actually it’s probably better if I don’t tell you what happened. The position is open, though.”
Abel looked concerned. “Wait…what happened to the last one. Don’t ignore me Bethany, you can’t just say something like that and not explain!”
“Abel’s gruesome horrible death aside.” I said cheerfully. “Does anyone else have any issues with the arrangements I made? Like I said, anyone can turn down the chance and go with anyone else.”
Contrary to his outraged expression, Abel went silent. I knew he wouldn’t ever turn down an opportunity to become stronger, and being trained by the most terrifying S-ranker in the universe was an opportunity it would be stupid to pass up. I had faith Bethy would tell her dad not to ACTUALLY kill him, and honestly, given his own training methods, I was enjoying the uncertainty a bit.
“Whatever.” Said Benny with a sigh. “I’m going to hit D-rank before you get back for sure. I want some of those damned wish scrolls too.”
“I talked to grandma about that.” I said with a grin. “She gave me a late wedding present.” I held up my hand. “His and hers spatial rings. Shared pocket dimension that Callie and I can both access from anywhere. Mom looked SUPER jealous, so I think they’re really expensive, but I can use them to store the scrolls for you guys. It’ll be like I never left.”
Use of the scrolls still worked through my power, so the payments would reach me directly in the case of stats, and Callie could use the rings to store more physical pay. It was exhausting making them, since I had to preload them with enough stats to accomplish most wishes, but the extra flexibility was worth it.
After that, the conversation drifted to the task itself, and I filled them in. They all seemed worried as hell, but eventually Callie put her foot down, saying we only had a week left and that we’d better make the most of it. She forced us all back to the festival to play Travis mocking games and listen to a contest where everyone tried to make up the most humiliating backstory for the dead translocator.
All in all, it was a great night, and I felt so much better about leaving knowing my friends were taken care of. I could strike out on my own without worrying about anything happening to them. I just hoped I’d be able to make them proud when we reunited.