The Beginning After The End (New Heights Book 2) (24 page)

I spot Elijah dancing with a girl that looks
around our age maybe a year younger, probably one of the older friends of my
sister.
 
I guess he finally managed.

“Hey, you must be the Arthur that everyone’s
talking about.”
 
A blond-haired boy
rather tall and poised leans on the wall next to me.

“Haha, I guess I must be.” I manage a faint
smile while I take another sip of my cider.

“My friends are all jealous of you for stealing
the attention from the girls here.”
 
He snickers while sticking out his hand.
 
“My name is Jarrod Redner.
 
I heard a lot about you from Lilia at
school.”
 

“Ah, you guys both go to Xyrus.
 
As you already know, I’m Arthur Leywin,
pleased to make your acquaintance.” I receive the handshake before my eyes spot
Lilia, who starts coming towards us after she sees us together.

“Can I assume you guys are either dating or
that you like her before she gets over here?”
 
I say in a low voice so that only we
could hear.

“You’re pretty sharp aren’t you?
 
Yeah, we’re part of the council
together, she being the secretary and me the treasurer.
 
I’m trying to pursue her and I’ve
expressed that many times already.”
 
He smiles at Lilia while waving at her.

“She may look a little plain, but she’s a good
girl, Lilia that is.
 
I hope you
treasure her well.”
 
I simply say.

“Well I hope to get the chance to do that
someday since she’s rejected me all three times yet so far.”
 
He says, a hint of disappointment
escaping his face.

“Hey Arthur!
 
I’m so sorry I couldn’t get the chance
to say hi to you at all today!
 
I’ve
been so busy as soon as I got here earlier and you were busy with preparing
too!”
 
Her face is flushed and by
the way she spoke so quickly and excitedly, I was beginning to understand why
Jarrod came up to me.

“I’ll leave you two alone.”
 
Jarrod solemnly walks away, a hint of
jealousy in his eyes, not even looking at Lilia as he passes her.

“You look beautiful today.”
 
I calmly say, clinking my glass of cider
with her glass before taking another sip.

“O-oh… I mean thank you!”
 
Lilia was really jumpy as she started
fiddling with her turtleneck light green dress that was embellished with frills
and subtle trimmings.
 
I haven’t
seen her since before she started attending Xyrus.
 
Lilia matured a lot this past year and a
half, her child-like face slowly becoming a bit more refined.

We started talking a bit more about her school
life when I started teasing her.
 
“You must be pretty popular at Xyrus.
 
Do you have a boyfriend yet?”
 
Even my sister would sometimes tell me
about boys who like her, gloating that she was popular.

“N-no of course not!
 
I don’t have anything like that yet
haha.”
 
Lilia was desperately waving
both her hands, signaling no way, which made me laugh.

“You’re still young so take your time and meet
the right guy.
 
But you better bring
him to me first so that I can approve before you start dating him!”
 
I poke her in the arm.

Lilia has a sad look on her face but she
quickly covers it up, saying, “Yeah I will!
 
Just don’t be too hard of a judge!”
 

“Ahem, mind if I borrow the young lad?”
 
Gideon, who came up to us, said to Lilia
in as gentle of a manner he could manage.

Lilia is caught a bit by surprise but still
replies in good manner.

“O-of course!
 
I’ll see you later then Art!”
 
She waves at me, bowing towards Gideon
before going back to Ellie.

“You know that young female cohort of yours
likes you right?”
 
He scratches his
cheek awkwardly.

I simply respond, “I know.”
 
Which begs the question for him.
 
“You two seem to get along though,
you’re not going to do anything about it?”

“She’s someone that has had her life changed by
me.
 
More so than the feeling of
like or love, it’s something more akin to gratefulness that she feels.
 
She doesn’t know that now, but later in
the future, I’m sure she’ll distinguish the two on her own.”
 
I just shrug.
 

“You know, even when you say something
disgustingly conceited like that, it doesn’t sound vain coming from you.”
 
Gideon shakes his, taking a small sip of
his wine.

“Because I don’t mean it in a conceited
way.
 
To her, I am something like a
hero who saved her life.
 
She may
have fantasies about a relationship between us like any young girl about her
idol, but that doesn’t mean she is in love with that person.
 
Anyway, I’m sure you’re not here to give
me a love counseling.
 
What is it
that you wanted to discuss?”
 
I turn
to him, my face a bit more serious.

“Haa…why do I feel like I’m talking to someone
same age as me.
 
But yeah, you’re
right, how did your sister like the present you so kindly took from me?”
 
He changed the subject, sitting down on
the floor while leaning against the wall.

“Received as a compensation, not took.
 
And I haven’t given it to her yet.
 
I will later.”
 
I correct his statement.

“Right.
 
Well, after refining the blueprint and creating a plan, I sent it in to
the Council of Dicathen.
 
They
approved it and is undergoing a construction plan right away.”
 
He announces seriously, his usual joking
manner nonexistent.

After the founding of the Six Lances, the Three
Kings and Queens of Dicathen came together and announced to the public that the
current monarchy of each of the three Kingdoms is changing into one big Council
for all of Dicathen.
 
This decision
wasn’t really up for debate but it did bring some groups of people to rebel
against it.
 
For now, the location
of the Council of Dicathen was unknown, the only source of communication
available through some trusted individuals while major broadcasts were
publicized through each City’s Governor.
 

“Congratulations.
 
I’m sure they rewarded you well for
that.”
 
I reply.

“Bah, money is just a means to an end for me,
gold is but a useless commodity that only has use in buying stuff actually
useful for me. But you, you’re an asset that I do not want to let go.
 
What is it you want brat?
 
Money?
 
Power?
 
Knowledge?
 
I can give you all of that if you be
more open to me about what you know as well.”
 
He gets up, his beady eyes gleaming with
curiosity.

“I don’t intend to change how the world works
for my own benefit.
 
This Continent
is doing just fine without any of it.”
 
I retort, making my intentions clear.

“So you’re saying you have ideas on inventions
capable of changing how this world works?
 
Fascinating…” His ears must only be hearing this he wants to hear
because my intentions weren’t getting through to him.

Imbuing mana into my voice, I growl in a low
voice so only he could hear.
 
“Mr.
Gideon, let me make it clear that I’m not here to indulge your selfish
curiosities.”

This shakes him up a bit at the different tone
in my voice as it trembles his body.

“Well you sure sobered me up real quick.
 
Yeah I guess you’re right.
 
How about a give and take then?
 
I’m not asking for world changing
inventions like that steam engine you gave me.
 
I just want to get to know how you think
really.
 
I’ll be your personal
benefactor for whatever you need.
 
Really, I’m desperate brat, don’t make this old man plead any
more.”
 
His voice sounds sincere
this time.

This was what I planned for but I didn’t want
to give in to his wishes too easily so I persisted. “Can I take your word for
it?”

“Of course!
 
What do you take me for?
 
I’m a man of my words.
 
You’re quite a family man so I
understand why you were so interested in that Phoenix Wyrm necklace.
 
I may not be a great mage but I know my
way around artificing and magic implementation theory.
 
Hell, you need some allowance for school
right?
 
So how about it?
 
Yeah?”
 
His beady eyes and electrocuted hair
made him look even more pitiful.

Sticking my hand out, I give him a business
smile that sends shivers down my now benefactor’s body as his eyes twitch for a
bit before shaking it.

The party eventually came to an end after the
bell rang for midnight making it officially my sister’s birthday.
 
After more dancing, eating and drinking,
and present giving the guests slowly started leaving until the maids eventually
started cleaning the ballroom.
 

My parents gave my sister a pair of beautiful
hair ties with ornamental bells that were silver on first glance but shined a
rainbow reflection underneath a light.
 
My sister excitedly asked my mother to tie her hair for her so her long
hair now had twin ponytails.
 

My sister was pretty disappointed that the Twin
Horns couldn’t make it to her birthday since they were currently in a dungeon
but she got over it quickly.

“Happy Birthday little sister.”
 
I give her my present and I hand the
other box, which wasn’t as prettily decorated, to my mother.
 

“Wow!
 
It’s so pretty!”
 
My sister
was ecstatic at the precious necklace that she probably will never know how
much it’s worth.
 

“T-this is gorgeous…” My mother’s reaction was
actually even stronger than Ellie’s, her eyes locked on the light pink gem
embedded on the white gold chain.
 

“Keep it on at all times okay?”
 
I say directly to my sister by I also
look at my mother so that she catches my drift.
 

“Where in the world did you get something like
this Son?”
 
My father was still a
little tipsy but he was fully functional.

“I’m sure met Mr. Gideon right?
 
I’m going to start working for him while
he teaches me various things about magic.
 
He gave me this as a token of my apprenticeship.”
 
It wasn’t a lie but it wasn’t exactly the
full truth either.

“Well, I’ll have to greet him one more time and
thank him for taking care of you.
 
I
can’t believe my boy is going to attend Xyrus Academy soon!
 
You’re going to kick some butt out there
right?
 
OWW!”
 
My mother clonks him on his head at the
last statement and gives me a big hug, my sister following suit.

“Thank you for this present.
 
We’ll both keep it on, right
Ellie?”
 
She hugs my sister too.

“Yeah! We’re matching now haha!”
 
She looks happy and she’ll be safe.
 
That’s all that really matters that this
point.

_________________________________________________________________

After my sister’s birthday, my daily life
turned very repetitive.
 
My birthday
passed by as well, and although the Twin Horns couldn’t make it, their dungeon
exploration leading them to the depths of the Continent, we did hear back from
them from Guild Hall, indicating that they were still alive and okay.
 
My birthday was nowhere near as grand as
Ellie’s but I had no problems with that.
 

Only a few people aside from mine and Lilia’s
family came, Gideon included of course.
 
He gave me exactly what I asked for, which was a seal for my attribute
mana for fire and water.
 

“While it’s a little gaudy, keep this bracelet
on at all times when you want to hide your mana attributes.
 
It’s still a trial product from me so be
careful.
 
The two charms on the
bracelet each can hide and seal one elemental attribute mana from being sensed
and gauged by others.
 
Christ… I
didn’t believe you were a quadra-elemental Augmenter but…”

I’ve gotten a lot closer to Gideon over these
past few months and, while he is quite eccentric and quirky, he’s a good and
trustworthy person.
 
I haven’t
indulged him in much besides my abilities as a mage, which he took as quite a
shock.
 

My birthday was, all in all, a quiet and
pleasant time with my family.
 
Elijah and me quickly went back into training, and while his abilities
have become a lot less powerful, he has become a lot more adept in controlling
his Earth and Metal Conjuring.
 
He
still has a lot to learn if he’s going to catch up to me but we both have time.

As for me, training was going by steadily.
 
I was planning to only use Earth and
Wind Attribute mana, which probably accounts for 20% of my actual power, but
that doesn’t mean I plan on laying back and hiding myself in school.
 
Why not enjoy the benefits of being a
good-looking prodigal dual elemental Augmenter?
  
I had a family that I had to make
proud right?

Elijah was much more eager to go to school than
I was, expressing on many occasions what kind of “hot” female friends he’ll
make.
 
I keep telling him that we’re
only 12 and that girl’s aren’t “hot” at our age, but he filters that out and
says he’s going to go for older girls as well.

My father’s training resumed a bit slower after
he used all of the benefits from the beast core I brought, but he did manage to
level up his fire augmentations, his skills and abilities become a light orange
rather than red like most other Fire Augmenters.

Like I expected, the beast will didn’t react to
Elijah when I gave it to him.
 
He
couldn’t even sense anything, becoming confused as to why I still had it.

With Ellie enjoying school and bringing a
closer group of friends over more often and my mother and Tabitha enjoying the
free time of being a housewife, life couldn’t be any more content.
 
For how long this would last, I would
give my life to make sure it lasted until their life ended in their due time.

The eventful day in the Dicathen Calendar,
marking the day of when the first steam engine ship named Dicatheous will set
sail on the voyage to the other Continent, also marked another important day.

The Dicatheous was scheduled to set sail
tomorrow, which is also the day both Elijah and I will start our first day of
Xyrus Academy.