Deja Vu

Elizabeth has been bedridden for about a day now. I haven't slept in ages. She still hasn't woken up, but the healers say she should recover. Apparently, I made it just in time.

I've been holding onto her sword. I'm going to get the most out of it until she wakes up. Sometimes, I get the intrusive thought to simply steal it and run away. I'm not likely to find another weapon as perfect and powerful as this. Nevertheless, Elizabeth is my friend. I won't steal from her. When she wakes up, I'll ask her about the sword.

I enter the broken-down guild, currently being repaired. Muscular men and women are hurrying about the place, getting rid of all the rubble and trying to clean up the blood that the greater monster left behind. Rebuilding efforts are currently in progress all throughout the city, but they're low on people. On my way to the front desk, I notice a few odd looks from the people walking about.

When I reach the lady at the counter, she stands up straight. They're only alive because Elizabeth fought off the the greater monster long enough for them to evacuate. And Elizabeth is only alive because of me. There's not a soul here who wouldn't recognize either of us on sight. It could be a mess if word gets around about me. I intend to leave town with Elizabeth as soon as she recovers, though, so I doubt it'll be a problem.

"Mi-mister Malt," the lady at the desk stutters.

"Sebastian is fine."

"Right, of course, sir Sebastian."

Fine. Better than "kid," anyway.

"Which assignments are available?"

Ordinarily, I'd pick from the board, but it seems like it took a hit from the greater monster, so it's in pieces currently.

"Ah, quite a lot of monsters have been gathering in the surrounding area. Groups of slimes and goblins have been spotted on the outskirts of the forest. A few orcs, as well."

"Give me all of them."

No need to pull my punches now. They won't say no to me.

"Y-yes, of course, sir Sebastian."

She fumbles with the papers for a bit, eventually giving up and just handing me the entire pile.

---

By the time I finish off the last orc, it's getting late in the afternoon, but the sun is still up, so I return to the guild to hand in my assignments. My rank doesn't mean much anymore, but the money is good for food, so I might as well.

It looks like they've been extremely busy today. The front wall is already up again, and the door is back on its hinges. I open it and enter the well-lit guild building. In the middle of the hall is a man. He's tall, muscular, rugged, and looks to be in his late 50s. He's just standing there, staring at me.

I start to approach the lady at the counter, but the man stops me.

"You're Sebastian Malt?"

"That's right."

"I am Kinn. I run this place."

Hm? This must be the guild master, then.

Looking around, it strikes me that nobody else is in the building. It's just him and the lady at the counter. They must all have gone home for the day.

"How can I help you?" I ask.

"First off, I'd like to thank you on behalf-"

I sigh.

"Get on with it."

I'm really not in the mood for dealing with other people right now.

He's taken off guard for a minute, but then returns to his former, professional demeanor.

"I received a letter that an official envoy from the royal family is on his way here to thank you and miss Elizabeth in person."

I almost choke on my own spit. The royal family? As in, the royal family that *I* am a part of? The royal family that thinks that I died alongside my parents from a greater monster attack several months ago?

"Are you alright, sir Malt?"

"Fine. I'm fine. This envoy isn't a part of the royal family, are they?"

"Not that I'm aware of? I believe it's one of their ambassadors, along with his entourage."

Phew. Safe. I've met the entire royal family before, though it's been several years. They would all definitely recognize me.

"Did they specify a day?"

"They were going to come today, but it seems like they've been slightly delayed. They'll be here tomorrow."

"Good. I look forward to meeting them."

I don't, but I probably shouldn't say that. I should be able to handle it, though. I've been thanked by royal officials plenty of times before. It's all just fake smiles and gold medals.

I hand in my completed assignments to the lady behind the counter, get my payment, and leave through the front door. I then promptly bump head-first into somebody in front of me, trying to enter the building.

"Oh, sorry," I mutter.

"Huh? KID!"

No.

"Kid, thank goodness you're okay."

"Vale. Why are you here?"

I mean to say "What are you doing here?" but I'm a bit distracted by this whole mess.

"I'm here to help, of course! All of Rosewood is buzzing about the greater monster that appeared in the town close to Sheere. I went to see what was happening and heard you and Elizabeth fought it off! You're really amazing, kid!"

He looks around, expectantly.

"Hey, where's the lady?"

"Still unconscious."

"Oh... Don't worry, kid, I'm sure she'll be alright. She seems tough."

"Yeah. She'll be alright."

"Well, anyway, I brought along some of my friends to help fix up the town here. Figures it'd be a mess."

I don't care. I'm tired.

"Thank you. I'm sure the townspeople are very happy about it."

"Eh, Vol is doing most of the work."

Hm? Vol is here?

"He's here?"

"Yeah, he insisted on coming."

Oh, yeah, I can feel his concentrated mana in the area. I really must be tired if I didn't even realize that until now. I really, really need sleep. Now.

"Wow, you look tired."

You. Don't. Say.

I finally manage to get away, and return to the inn where Elizabeth and I were staying. It's quite lonely without her here, even though she sleeps in a different room. That was her suggestion, funnily enough. I didn't think she'd be the type to care about her privacy.

Thinking about it now, it strikes me that it may have been for my sake. Despite her blank demeanor, she does actually seem to care.

Closing the door to my room, I fall into my bed and drift away in less than a minute.

---

I open my eyes to the sunlight outside. My head is buzzing. Rest is exactly what I needed to collect my thoughts and organize them into ideas.

A broken mana store. A magic weapon that can absorb uncontrolled mana. Vol, an excellent magic researcher, here, in Elsvaert. Magic stones set into the portal to Rosewood.

Scattered thoughts coming together to form a single concept. A ludicrous idea, that might just work.

Fixing a mana store is impossible, but what if there was a way to create an artificial mana store? A stone I could carry around, able to absorb my mana and prevent more monster spawns. And what better person to make it than Vol.

I head across town, barely making note of the carriage standing next to the guild as I enter it.

I could sense Vol's mana from across town. He's standing in the back of the guild, talking to Kinn, the guild master.

"Vol, I need to talk to you," I say as I stride toward him.

He turns to face me, a bemused look on his face.

"Sure thing, my boy. Though..."

Hm?

"I think somebody else wants to talk to you first."

He points to somewhere behind me.

I turn around to look at the door I just entered. I flinch.

There, in the doorway to the guild, is a person I never thought I would see again. She hadn't even crossed my mind. I just assumed she had died when the greater monster attacked our mansion, but now, here she is.

The young woman in front of me, who was my caretaker for several years, opens her mouth to speak. The bewilderment and fear is clear in her voice, as she speaks my name.

"Stencil..?"