Olivier’s Project

Once the winter break started, Olivier invited Madeline and Guy to the palace. The two of them were brought into a huge room that reminded them of the library at the Academy. Olivier smiled and said, "This is my office."

Guy shook his head and said, "It's good to be the king."

Madeline asked, "What is the project you need our help with, Olivier?"

Olivier walked over to his desk and opened a book and flipped to a certain page. He tapped his finger and said, "Magic."

Guy searched his memory of the game as his sister described it. Did it have magic? He couldn't remember so he asked, "Are you thinking Wütendes Menschenreich has already found a way to use magic?"

Olivier looked shocked, "Yes, how did you guess?"

Guy thought for a minute, "That spar I had with Prince Wolter von Plettenberg. His speed and strength weren't natural."

Olivier nodded and said, "More than that, we have had several other strange things happen involving Wütendes Menschenreich. Mostly their people being able to travel to and from the empire in days when it takes us weeks."

Guy nodded and then asked, "So you are hoping we can find a way to use the magic recorded in these books, or at least a method for someone with the talent to use it. Possibly even find a way to identify someone with the talent to use the magic."

Olivier clapped his hands excitedly, "I didn't even have to tell you, I just said one word and you figured it all out on your own. You really are the kingdom's most incredible mind." He turned to Madeline and said, "You aren't far behind him, Madeline, I know you have been unhappy with your exam results, but I have never seen you bothered by any problem you have been given." Olivier took the stack of books and said, "My father gave this task to our court scholars, they only managed to tell us that these are books on magic. They couldn't understand a word of what was written in them."

Madeline took one of the books and started flipping through it and said, "It looks similar to mathematics, but with a foreign language also attached to it."

Guy picked up one of the books and started looking through it, he laughed and said, "It's a programming language." He flipped through the book and laughed as he saw something interesting, "I think it uses keywords to run the commands." He looked at Olivier and pointed at him and said, "Water Balloon." His voice had a strange echo and then a burst of water exploded on Olivier's face knocking him over.

Olivier choked a moment and then quickly scrambled to his feet, "In...incredible! You looked at for just a few minutes and accomplished real magic, I can't believe it!"

Guy chuckled and said, "I must have the talent for it."

Madeline asked, "Lord Molester, did you have to memorize the formula, or just speak the keyword to activate the spell?"

Guy took the book and showed Madeline, "You see these lines here? If Water Balloon = true, then 1 gallon of water will alpha. Where alpha = target. To run the spell, you say Water Balloon and hold the target in your mind."

Madeline looked unsure, but she thought of the lines and looked at Olivier and said, "Water Balloon." She pointed at Olivier exactly as Guy had done, her voice having the same strange echo and once again Olivier was blown off his feet by a blast of water.

Olivier slipped a bit as he scrambled back up to his feet. He was speechless at first and then blurted out, "Guy, I can't tell you just how amazing you are. Our best scholars have looked at these books for as long as my father has been King, and none of the best minds of our kingdom could so much as understand one passage of any of these books, and you not only used a spell but taught another to use one with barely a glance at it."

Guy looked through the book seeing spell after spell that could be useful until he found one that stuck out, "Oho, so that's his trick." Guy said with a smile on his face, "Bless." His voice has the same strange echo but it seemed as if nothing happened.

Olivier frowned and said, "Well, you managed to use one spell. That was impressive enough." Olivier was saying to Guy only Guy was suddenly not in front of him.

Olivier felt something behind him so he spun around only to find Guy smiling behind him. Guy said, "I can move fast enough that when you blinked I was able to run up behind you."

Olivier stammered, "And it increased your strength as well?"

Guy nodded and said, "Yes, the spell increases the body's strength to a level that makes what von Plettenberg did seem easy."

Olivier asked, "Do you know how long it will last?"

Guy said, "The spell length is a constant in the formula, only I believe it is possible to modify values of the formula and make them increase in intensity."

Olivier looked troubled, he picked up one of the books and asked, "Is it possible to teach me?"

*****

Claude rented a carriage for Alicia and the baggage, he tethered his horse to the carriage and rode inside with Alicia. Normally on the trip to his father's territory, he would just ride his horse, so his pace was slowed somewhat, but that meant he was able to spend more time with Alicia. Unfortunately, once Claude was in the carriage with Alicia, he found himself unable to say anything. He hoped she would break the awkwardness between them, but instead she fell asleep, snoring loudly.

Claude considered waking her up, but then felt awful about the idea, what if she is angry about it? What happens if she wants him to let her off at some point because he is being so awkward? His thoughts became a twisted mass of contradictory decisions. Finally, the cart hit a hole in the road and caused her to smack her head against the back of the cab, she looked around and then asked, "Claude, will you tell me about the bandits you and your father have to chase out each year?"

Claude smiled and nodded he said with confidence in his tone, "The Rouvroy territory is on the western edge of the kingdom bordering the nation of El Pais De Lotharios. Each year when the Count on their side of the border comes to collect taxes, the men from their country come to ours to rob and pillage. It is not the official army of El Pais De Lotharios, although many of the bandits are clearly military trained. It is a huge burden on our territory each year, all we are able to do is train and fight them."

Alicia nodded and asked, "Is that why you became so good with the sword?"

Claude looked out the window and nodded, he turned back to her looking her in the eye and said, "Many knights come to our territory in winter to join in the hunt for these bandits, which allowed me to learn from many of the different knight orders."

Alicia thought for a moment and then asked, "Claude, why is Guy the better swordsman between you two?"

"His style is almost flawless as if it had been perfected over thousands of years. I have never seen anything like it, truthfully. I feel a certain pressure when I fight against him like he grew as tall as a mountain. He finds my weak points, sees my balance flaws before I can correct them." Claude shrugged, "I feel like its a sword art that he has practiced for decades, where I have only practiced the styles I know for less than a single decade."

Alicia giggled and said, "He is our age though, so he couldn't have been practicing that long."

"That's why he is a genius with the sword." Claude smiled, "Speaking of which, I heard from Sir Évreux that the extra practice you have been putting in paid off."

Alicia blushed and said, "I thought that since he was a knight he would be better with the sword." She thought for a moment, "Are all knights like him?"

Claude shook his head and chuckled, "Alicia, a knight is one of the most fearsome things you will ever encounter on a battlefield. They are in their true element while on horseback with lance and heavy armor. The sword is only something they use after losing their lance. Trust me when I say, a knight's swordsmanship while on horseback is truly frightening and Sir Évreux is one of the finest if not the finest young knight in the kingdom."

Alicia stared out the window for a while and then asked, "Do you think Guy was really trying to find Olivier's name on the rankings list yesterday?"

Claude debated it in his mind before lying, "Yes, yes I do. He clearly only has eyes for Madeline."