5 The why

Thanks to Molly´s help, I was able to understand the theory behind magic and mana.

All living beings had the energy of the world called "mana", this energy can manifest as a living creature called "Magic beast" when one of these beasts is corrupted by anomalies in the earth or third parties, suffers a mutation that turns it into a "Demonic beast", that is far more aggressive and dangerous than a normal magic beast.

Take it as a tiger that instead of dying of pollution becomes twice its size and throws thunders by his claws to anyone that sees, something like that.

Ye... Over my dead body, I´m fighting with that.

Mana can be physically manifest by the use of the correct words and be shot or "cast" through the body as a "spell". The amount of mana and the class that one person had depended on luck when they were born. If you had a good amount of mana and a class that specializes in magic, then you could become a magic caster of the kingdom or an adventurer, among other things.

For example, someone with the class of "Fire wizard" would be 10 times more effective in fire magic that someone with the class of "Swordsman" or "Priest" or "Wind wizard" and so the list goes on.

You better get a good class or you are screwed... Pretty much like me. Or at least that should be it, but to be honest, the human can be very stubborn, I wouldn´t be surprised if one of the knights of Fardan had the class of "Peasant" or "Weaver".

Returning to the mana and magic. There were lots of different kinds, to attack, defend, heal, support, lots of things, from shooting a giant fireball, to make a 5 yeard old kid possess the strength of 10 men.

Molly told me that the gild of adventurers had support magic that worked as a preservative for its members, 100% effective.

I was tempted to ask her if she had that spell on herself, but I better avoid losing my head.

So, adventurers, that sounds like something a world of swords and magic would have.

According to Molly, the people with a great talent for magic were able to combine spells to make new ones.

-What about the other races? Don´t they have a special characteristic over mana?

-They have.

Elves, naturally good with magic and mana control, loved by nature because of their tree, their appearance is so beautiful that they consider themselves as the closest to god, so most of them are very proud, although their body is not the strongest among the races and they are not very fertile.

Beastmen, masters of physical strengthening, but just a few know how to use other magic, the lack of mana is very common among them, but their bodies are the strongest.

-How about you? Are you good with any other magic apart from physical strength?

-Hmph, it may come as a surprise, but I not only master the physical magic, also the wind. She raised her palm, and from it, a small tornado appeared, the size was like a cell phone, but the strength of the wind was the same as an electric fan at full power.

-Holly shit! That looks awesome! I commented with the same excitement of a kid looking at a new toy.

-Hehe, it´s nothing, the royal mage and her disciple can do a lot more.

Yhea well, if they are capable of making one of those tornados at full size the I don´t them to dislike me.

Dwarves, short, strong, grumpy, and creative, most of them had the same amount of mana as a human or beastman, they are considered part of the human race, the best blacksmiths and miners you could ever find.

Demons, the same or more amount of mana as the elves, their physical strength rivals the beastmen, most of them are good-looking, there is the theory that the demons are demonic beasts granted with intelligence either by the gods or the world itself.

Shit, scary doesn´t even fit, and those kids playing the hero are supposed to kill those things... That is fucked up.

.....

Let´s do something risky.

-The king...no... the whole royal family has some balls to kidnap kids and force them to fight against those demons.

I faced Molly with my poker face again, this time was for real, and she knew it since her gaze became more irritated.

-The situation deserves it, is that or perishing before the demons and demon beasts, if we could do it ourselves... then we wouldn´t have done the ritual... since the risk for the princes and the queen is so big.

Molly responded with the face of someone that ate something nasty.

Now that I think about it, there were 2 thrones, but just the king was sitting, something happened to the queen, serious enough to not present herself to the heroes.

-The risk? I asked looking at Molly.

-....

Silence replied, but I was close to something, so I wasn´t going to stop, I rested my head over my shoulders and simulate as if I didn´t care at all.

-Not going to respond? Good, let me guess, something like the recoil, or paying the price for doing the invocation afflicts the queen, that´s why she is in bed, meanwhile, you wait for her recovery. Sure it was something like a miracle that nothing happened to the princess, or maybe it happened but affected her mother, or it could be that precisely because nothing happened to her that the queen is in a fatal state.

As I said my suppositions I noticed little reactions from Molly that assured my theories, she turned her head when I talked about the queen, so my supposition can´t be that far from reality.

Guess that´s all I´ll get for today.

I left my unconcerned posture and looked at Molly once again, when I made sure to have her attention I bowed in a perfect 90°.

-Sorry Molly, I spoke more than I should, it wasn´t my intention making you mad.

She just looked at me in silence, her expression was serenity incarnated, seemed like she was waiting for something to happen.

-Haaaah*

A long sigh came before Molly's response.

-I knew it, you are dangerous.

-...Excuse me?

The hell is she talking about? Did she saw through me?

The air became heavy, discreetly I moved my hand to my back pocket to pull out my penknife, but before noticing, the edge of a dagger was resting on my neck, green feline eyes were staring at me with murderous intent.

-..... Miss Molly, Can I know why are you doing this?

-Leave the act, you could have fooled everyone, but not me.

Tch, shit, she knows.

I stopped the gentleman act and returned to my true self, then, I voluntarily approached my neck to the edge of the dagger.

-What are you?!

This made Molly lose her cool and take away the blade. I quickly threw myself on top of her, grabbing her wrists and putting my hips between hers, spreading her legs with my own so that she could move them.

Small drops of my blood fell on the beautiful face of Molly, her cheeks got stained with the blood of the slight cut on my throat. It hurt but wasn´t something I couldn't handle.

Molly and I maintained visual contact for a while before speaking again.

-Who are you? Asked Molly

-A man trying to survive in this shitty world of swords and magic, nothing more.

-Why did you do that act of knight?

-I´m the only person without the title of hero, they would eventually get rid of me, to avoid that, I made them contract me as another servant to win a salary and a roof until the real heroes finish the job.

-...You lied in the faces of everyone and abused the goodwill of the king.

-We are all liars if you saw through that, then it's because you're the same as me.

-!! Don't compare me with you!

-I´m not comparing anything, I'm just saying the obvious, you know it yourself... deep within those green eyes... you know it´s true... you reflect yourself in me, you know I´m a "you" that is not afraid of using dirty tricks to keep going, but something stops you... What is it?... Honor? A legacy? The will of someone close?

-Enough!

Molly easily got free from my grip and exchanged places with me, now she was sitting on me, grabbing my wrists with one hand and with the other pulled out some nails-claws that pulled over my already damaged neck.

So this is the strength of a beastmen, now I know I can´t go against them yet.

But if she was able to free herself so easily from the beginning, Why did she listen to me?

Now that I was so close to her and had a good view of her face, I could tell she was truly beautiful, delicate features that could deform into a beast at any moment, lovely green eyes that could stare with the coldness of an assassin, some pink lips that hide fangs capable of tear the flesh, straight long hair that rested on her left shoulder in a pretty braid, and the stripes of a tiger that ran trough her body until it reached her cheeks gave her an exotic and wild beauty.

The sensation of her juicy ass on my crotch was delightful, but I didn¨had the opportunity to get aroused when some sharp claws threatened to go through my throat.

All right, I believe that you already noticed that I can´t do anything against you even if I wanted, besides, if it affected you so much what I said it´s probably because it´s true, you´re smart, so you´ve already thought of that.

...Shut up.

Well? What will you do? You´re gonna kill me right here and now?

... I could easily do so.

And what will the king say about that?

...I can convince them.

Then why are you doubting?

... Aren't you afraid of death?

Of course, I am, precisely because I want to survive is that I have to do all of this, You think I like this world? Do you think that risking your life for strangers is something marvelous? Don´t fuck with me! I never wanted to come here! But I don´t have to gossip do I?! I´m the weakest of the group!! I can only use words to maintain myself alive in this fucking castle! No! In this fucking world!

....

I could feel the grip of Molly decreasing.

-... Look, I went too far with what I said, Okay? I admit it, it was out of place, but I´m no threat for you or your precious royal family, I´ll just stay here until I can return to my world, I won´t cause you problems and I´ll do the work you tell me to do, simply put those claws away before you make my neck a blood fountain.

Another moment of constant visual contact.

-... Fine.

With that said, Molly let go of my wrists and took her claws off my neck, but she was still on top of me.

Dam it, Is there something more?

I pulled out my pack of cigarettes and started smoking one still lying down.

-Fhhh* Haaah* What´s going through your mind?

I couldn´t see her face because she kept looking down, also, the lights of the signs weren´t giving me any good vision angle.

-...What you said before... that we were the same... everything you said... How can you know that?

Oh? I wasn´t expecting that.

-...Fhhh* That´s because I truly think we´re alike Molly, Haaah* I was bonded to codes too, both moral and ethical, I used to do things for others... I also wanted to be recognized.

-... By who?

-... I´ll tell you if you do the same.

-...

-...

Molly got away from me and started to gather the cups and books.

-I´ll lead you to your room... tomorrow we´ll start your training.

So you won´t tell me eh.

-.... Yhea.

I didn´t have the energy to dig deeper into the topic, so I just helped to clean our mess and let Molly guide me to my room in awkward silence.

Before opening the door I called Molly.

-Hey... The library... Can I see you again there?

-...Rest, Roberto.

With that farewell, Molly bowed before and banished in the darkness of the corridor.

-...You too.

I didn´t know if she could hear me, but I wanted to say it anyway.

I entered my room and closed the door, I didn´t bother to appreciate the design and simply drop into the giant bed in the center.

-...What a way to end the night.

I took off my glasses and clothes, throw them into a near piece of furniture, covered myself with the blankets, and closed my eyes.

Finally, it was time for some sleep.