Back to the Surface 1

The Annual Duchy Banquet is held by the ten duchies that governs that Vinstead Empire. The royal family, the Vinstead Family, created the Annual Duchy Banquet because of elitist reasons.

(Sorry for inconsistencies, but if the empire name changed please point that out)

Large banquet, lavish meals and spectacular decorations. Anything that labels "I am superior" is written in this event. Naturally to avoid political fights the Royal family hosts the event.

Not that it stops the political fights, it still happens, in the most pettiest way possible. Also, the Annual Duchy Banquet is not only held for petty reasons, it's also to improve relations, recommendations, and introductions. There's a lot more than that.

That's why…

"I can't believe that you actually came, Lenneza."

Lenneza looked at the young man who talked to her. She cannot help but be annoyed, but she didn't show it on her face, she just smiled and answered calmly.

"Of course I would, until Leonard comes back I will be the one to take such responsibilities."

Charlie gave a low laugh, before giving a displeased look.

"Haha… You're no fun." Charlie then looked around and whilst smiling, pointed at a green haired individual. "See that, Lenneza?"

Lenneza looked at the direction Charlie is pointing, a green haired boy, sharp eyes and nose, square jaws and dainty lips. He is handsome by aristocratic standards.

"The Lozette family are having financial issues." Charlie marked.

Lenneza took a bored sigh, clearly knowing what Charlie was indicating. The Lozette family has significant authority within the Empire, the most successful businesses around the empire are magical tools and mana stone and core trades.

The Lozette Family has ownership of 78% of all processed mana stones, meaning that they have a significant monopoly. Their family has their techniques on processing mana stones, which gave them their prestige.

Though, that prestige meant that someone covets it. Some people are just that unreasonable.

Lenneza couldn't help but feel pity, the Lozette family is one of the neutral duchies. The fact that it's known that they are desperate enough to have their sons and daughters just for cash…

'Wait, did this happen in the first iteration…?'

It seems that Lenneza was staring hard and the Lozette boy also glanced at her direction.

"Oh, good luck with that, Lenneza."Charlie chuckled as he left.

Lenneza couldn't help but be annoyed at the guy, he hadn't made any moves that could be detrimental to himself so she could do nothing about it.

Alas, it looks like she would need good luck as the Lozette boy started walking towards her.

***

Leonard walked side by side with Jai as they tried different venues of the market district, Leonard was enlightened with different bizarre snacks as they went through.

Sometimes, Jai couldn't help but laugh at Leonard's reaction, she was being fed with new sights about Leonard she didn't even know existed.

"Hahaha! Y-you didn't know it was that sour huh?!"

"Shut up…" Leonard said, exhausted.

Leonard just sat down on the bench, he was exhausted beyond relief as he mentally bulldozed every challenge that Jai gave him.

He did win, but at the cost of his dignity. He had shown every face he could towards Jai and countless innocent bystanders.

"Ugh…"

Leonard could still hear Jai snickering but decided not to snap at her, instead he smirked and looked at her eyes directly, she immediately got wary just by his actions.

"Didn't know you could smile from ear to ear like this."

"Well, Yeah…"

"Do you have more plans for this trip?"

Jai placed an index finger under her chin, contemplating what to do next, funds aren't a problem and they've eaten a lot of food already.

"Hmm… how about we go to the gaming district?"

"Gaming?"

Leonard came from the modern era, gaming is a word that made anyone perk up in the idea of video games.

"Yeah, they play board games and a lot of physical games."

"Oh! oh… "

Leonard was dejected at the idea of physical games, he's no Jakari he would be immediately crushed if he ever played in their league even if he played along with his age.

"What about the board games?"

"Hmm? Well, there's Dama, Joku and a few more I think."

"How are the first two played?"

Jai explained the rules of Dama the more Leonard heard the explanation he could see the similarities between Dama and Checkers. And with Joku it was similar to chess, the pieces are just different.

"Huh, it seems that I already knew how some of those work."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Damn is similar to Checkers."

"Oh… well want to try those?"

"Sure."

Leonard was led to the gaming district, the gaming district was of course, filled with physical sports, one game was like that Aztec sport where you only can touch the ball by legs and shoot it on vertical hoops.

There are many varieties of sports that can be played. But none of them resembled games on the surface, curious Leonard watched for a few minutes, Jai stopping as he satiated his curiosity.

Once he was finished watching Jai led Leonard to a hall, it's a large hall that was filled with tables along with some players sitting opposite each other.

Leonard was fascinated about these people, they were of different society, different from what they came from. Yet, they were all the same in front of entertainment.

Leonard found a guy sitting on a table, the format of the board game is Joku, the Jakari chess. Leonard walked up to the guy and asked.

"Greetings, are you perhaps waiting for someone to play with?"

"Greetings, yes, it seems that everyone is occupied at the moment. Why not play with me?"

Once he heard the invitation Leonard nodded and sat down.

"I'm Leo."

"Jarvan."

The introductions were brief, the two flipped the sand clock and began their own session. The board was reminiscent of chess and so were its pieces.

Leonard got the brief rules and possible moves so it wasn't that hard to get the hang of the game. Jarvan made the first move as the one who held the white piece.

Time passed and only clacking of the pieces were heard amongst the two, Jai watched, observing how good Leonard is at Joku.

"Hmm… by how good you play you must've played Joku a lot, Fellow Jakari."

Leonard must've forgotten he has been wearing a disguise, but nodded nonetheless.

"Though I have never seen you around here."

"It's my first time playing here. Exactly."

"Oh? Where did you play previously then?"

"Home."

When Leonard said home, Jai blinked, she fiddled with her fingers, hearing Leonard say Home while playing Joku reminded her that his true home isn't down at the dungeon.

"I see, seeing that your companion is The Little Warrior you seem not to be normal either."

Leonard's brows twitched, he looked up confused but with a malicious grin.

"The Little Warrior?"

"Yes," Jarvan looked at Jai. "She's been the focus of rumours after arriving with a Razor Centipede in the guild, you know."

Now the grin was turned to Jai, Jai doesn't know how to react to such nicknames so she just blushed in embarrassment.

"Of course, I didn't know my family would have the nickname The Little Warrior."

"Tease me and you'll get pinched."

Jai barked menacingly, Leonard couldn't help but smirk while avoiding Jai's scowling eyes.

"Haha… well, It certainly is a surprise to hear Jai with that nickname."

Jarvan nodded as he looked at the pieces on the board. He gave an approving nod before raising his hand for a handshake, Jarvan lost.

"Nice game."

Leonard returned the handshake giving respect to Jarvan as he stood up. Once they were about to leave Jarvan spoke up, with no emotions in his voice.

"I'll give you a warning though, Child of Fate."

Leonard's footsteps halted, he looked back at Jarvan with anxiety forming in his heart. Jarvan just fixed the pieces on the board as he continued with his words.

"The girl is gaining traction, she will surely receive the envious actions of others."

Leonard took his time to digest those words and before he left he nodded in thanks, leaving with Jai.

"What was that?" Jai asked confused

"A warning."

Leonard knew of the consequences of his plan, from teleporting the centipede corpse and using Jai as a mode of excuse on how a razor centipede is hunted.

In all accounts, nobody would believe that Jai would be able to hunt the centipede single handedly, even if the subjugation quest came in with no clear age restriction it was still unbelievable that a girl in her early teens would be able to hunt a centipede.

These are the consequences of his actions, and he would not be so naive as to think that Jakari society would be peaceful, even in times of war.

He held Jai's hand before he even knew it, Jai didn't say anything, she could tell that Leonard is anxious, afraid even. Their bond is of that of a family.

Even though he had not experienced loss Leonard knew of the guilt, in the first iteration, he never caught on about Lorraine's whereabouts not even knowing of her death.

Although he couldn't do anything about it in the first iteration means he would wallow on such thing, no, he would improve himself and make sure harm wouldn't touch a single hair out of someone he cared for.

He wouldn't be ignorant. Not anymore.

Their little trip ended when Leo walked back to the hut he was staying at, not so far from the town but not so near either.

A day passed just like that.

Leonard had to hunt for another ingredient to achieve his goal, once he completed the magic circle he could finally go home. The Living Pine is a monster, fierce but not as the Razor Centipede.

The Living Pine has a material called the Living Pine Dew, it's unimaginative name but that's beside the point, the dew is Mana conductive like Mithril something that is extremely useful for his endeavour.

It's not like there aren't any other materials, the main reason for the Dew to be the main material to be used is because of its mana retention, it sustains the mana that isn't effectively used.

If a circle is used, the circle expends mana but some of those mana gets leaked. If the Dew is used after the activation of a circle it wouldn't leak any mana, it would just stay within the dew.

Unlike the dangerous High Bark forest which contains the centipede, the Living Pine is a rare occurrence, only a Pine tree that gained enough mana and an ego would become a Living Pine.

And of course, through abundant luck a Living Pine is reported to exist, just when Leonard needs it.

"A-are you sure you can do this alone?"

"Yeah, even though it's less dangerous than a razor centipede, I will still be cautious so don't worry."

"Mm… well if you say so, it will be lonely for a while so come back early, okay?"

"And here you complain about no flirting."

"That isn't a flirt!"

Leonard laughed as he went about his journey, saying goodbye to Jai. The Living Pine is reported to be at the other side of the High Bark forest, near the Agzon race, another sapient race by the dungeon.

Leonard had no information on how they look because all encounters just say the same thing, Dark Bark, vibrant leaves and tree tentacles. He is very worried about the last description.

Worried that once caught he'll be torn apart or worse be used as food being kept alive for days. He had to make a lot of contingencies for this specific event.

Not like he didn't, he was fully well prepared.

In his journey, this time, he took his time to take in his surroundings, he noted and with his latest creation, magically captured an image of the things he found interesting.

Now, with no restrictions, Leonard embarked using his magic, enhancing his body Ashe leapt across the lands. A few predators tried to capture him, but it was easy to escape as Leonard learned the art of hiding early on.

Though, once he did come to the sighting location of the living pine he encountered a problem.

"Everyone, make sure to stay near. We're close!"

There's another group already within the site, he lowered his presence by engulfing himself in his own shadow and even suppressing the cycle of his mana, only slowly.

Leonard watched as the group of Jakari walked around, he wore the choker with the disguise enchantment and walked towards the opposite direction of the group.

He doesn't need to go along the group, much less a stranger group. Leonard only knows Jakari culture through Jai so he isn't sure what will they do once he got caught.

Nonetheless he continued his hunt.

***

"You felt that?"

Jamar looked at the Jakari with long hair. Shaking his head at the question, one reason was because he didn't felt what he was implying and the second being that he didn't understand.

"Why, Kahir did you notice something?"

"Yeah, like… something hid and walked off."

Jamar looked at the distance his mind wandering but wary, he pointed at a tree. Kahir glanced at the direction he pointed and squinted his eyes, he could not see anything. Then Jamar started moving his finger, it started moving fast.

"It's someone."

At that word the group of Jakari's became cautious. There's only few that people could hunt and today, they don't feel like sharing.

"It's after the Living Pine."

"Must be."

"Let's get going, and make the search fast. We don't want our resources to be wasted."

With that comment the entire group started rushing, they couldn't let this target go, they felt that the Living pine which is theirs is being taken away, they wouldn't let that happen, kin or not.