-Chapter 10- The Guards

Arthur Leywin P.O.V.

I walk out of Vincent's office after discussing a deal to get the items needed to keep my and Lilias' identities secret while adventuring. I had also asked for a sword even though I already had one. The rapier is a good sword just not my preferred sword, if I could get a one-handed longsword that was fit for my body then I would use that than the rapier, if not and just get a decent one I can use it along with my rapier as a side weapon.

Later we are eating dinner while Vincent asks my dad about possible bodyguard options.

"Hmm, I spent some time thinking about it but none of them will be suitable." My father replies.

"I guess so, we can't stick them with an auction house bodyguard since one of the people they have to look over is Arthur."

"Yeah at that point the kids would just be protecting them." Suddenly my dad gets a brilliant idea and slams his fist into the table excitedly. "What about the Twin horns! They should be finishing their latest dungeon run. We can ask them to bodyguard Arthur and Lilia."

I was excited to hear the Twin horns being mentioned. I missed seeing them, they would visit sometimes but they never stayed long.

It seemed the plan was set, to ask the Twin horns to take us along into the beast glades.

***

I am later training in the backyard when my dad comes outside and stops me.

"Hey dad, want to spar? It's been a while since we last fought so I want to see how we both improved."

"Sure, I am still a bit worried to see you become an adventurer so this can properly prove to me that you're ready." He begins to stretch to prepare for the fight.

I decide to fight bare-handed since my rapier is inside the manor. I get into a fighting stance waiting for him to be ready, he gets into his fighting stance and he signals for the fight to begin.

I go in for a feigned punch and instead turn to a kick, he blocks the kick with his arm and goes for a punch to my gut. I quickly move my arms to block the punch and I am pushed back a bit.

"Ok, now let's get serious." He then punches his hand, his fists ignite with flames.

I smile and I begin to use wind to speed myself up, I dash at him and close the distance. When I get close he lifts his knee to hit me but I use my arms to push myself upwards using the attack to give myself momentum to then hit him with the same attack he used on me. I raise my knee to hit him in the chin.

I land on the ground after that and get ready for him to fight back. But he just begins laughing, "hahaha, Arthur you got me there. I have to admit you're stronger than most of the guards I trained at the auction house, I admit you are entirely ready to become an adventurer."

***

We are all sitting at the large dining room table, the twin horns had arrived not too long ago and we are currently deciding on who will be my and Lilia's bodyguards.

"I'd love to but my skills aren't very suitable for protection purposes, nor are Angelas and Durdens since they focus on either long-range support or large AOE attacks," Helen remarks.

"Unfortunately enough I have to agree, If not I'd sign up in a heartbeat," Durden says looking a bit saddened.

Suddenly across the table, Jasmine raises her hand, "I can protect them."

Everyone was certainly surprised to see her offer to be a bodyguard.

"But Jasmine, don't you hate this kind of work?" Helen asks.

"Well, it's Arthur and Lilia so I wouldn't mind."

"Great, we have one person, anyone else?" my father asks.

Silently everyone looks at Adam since he is the only other augmenter. "What!? Hell no, the brats are probably gonna end up killing me in my sleep one day." Adam exclaims.

"I won't kill you." I simply state.

A few seconds pass with Adam not saying anything and just thinking. "Fine, but I want a damn raise."

"Nope, we are not getting paid," Jasmine tells him.

"I was planning to pay you guys for your help." My father states.

"Not accepting payment, we are doing this for free." Jasmine swiftly declines the money, meanwhile, Adam is internally dying from regret.

***

Back at the manor, I find my sister reading one of her books that were for her age. I had already decided a while ago that I would try to train her to become a mage but would she be willing to put in the effort as Lilia did? "Hey Ellie, I have a very special job for you to do."

"Really? What is it?" she asks excitedly.

"I'm going to teach you an exercise you should do a lot, it will help you learn magic," I say trying to convince her it is something important.

"What do I have to do?"

"First I need you to sit down in a way that is comfortable for you, then I will place my hand on your back and transfer magic into your body." I try to simplify the terms so she will understand better.

"Ok, got it" she sits down.

"Ok, I need you to close your eyes and focus." I place my hand on her back and slowly begin to transfer mana into her body.

"Wow, I see so many bright lights."

"That's good, now I need you to think of all those lights as friends, they need to come together and form one big ball of friends."

She nods and begins doing so. She eventually stops after 20 minutes, It seems she doesn't have the attention span for this. It's fine, it's not like this is an urgent thing she needs to do.

Instead, I went to my room and began to purify my mana core. I had gotten to solid orange quite a while ago and the cracks on the solid orange stage have progressed rather far. If I spend the next few hours purifying it I should advance to Light Orange.

The cracks begin to spread further soon covering the entire core, and suddenly... The solid orange core now shone a bright light orange color, I am now in the light orange stage, It's sort of ironic huh. In my old world, my ki center was too pitiful. Many laughed at me and treated me poorly because of it. But here I am in this world, I already had a Light Orange stage mana core at the age of 8, something people would kill to have.

I begin flowing mana through my body to see the difference in power from solid to the light orange stage, the difference isn't all too great but it is noticeable. Since I have nothing but time I decide to read my book

The Encyclopedia of Dicathen Chapter 6

...Mana beasts reside in the Beast Glades and can only be found there. There are many different variations and unique kinds of mana beasts. Mana Beasts are classified into E, D, C, B, A, AA, S, or SS class, where the latter is rarely seen. On average, mana beasts are stronger than humans of the same class due to their physical bodies being much stronger.

...While there are a select few mana beasts that reside outside of the beast glades, they have contracted beasts and accompany their owner or tamer outside of the beast glades.

...Average class mana beasts generally roam near the first few tens of kilometers of the Beast Glades, while the stronger class mana beasts tend to reside further down in dungeon-like caves underground or further away. Higher-class mana beasts have the power to create their lair while having other mana beasts serve them. This symbolizes the strength of the mana beast and the treasures hidden within their lair if adventurers were to ever go explore.

***

??? P.O.V.

Walking down the alleyway I approach a hooded figure, "Well, give me this information you wish to share." He asks

"The boy will be attending the Helsteas auction event. I have also received word that his mana core has reached the solid orange stage." I told him the information I had gathered from some of my associates.

"Good, I should reward you for this information. It seems more than fair." He takes a small bag out of his robe and tosses it to me. I catch the bag and look inside, It is filled to the brim in gold coins. "Pleasure doing business with you." He says, I look up and get a good look at his face. He has gray hair and a bony jawline, with hollow cheeks, and beady eyes. He wore a royal guards robe meant for highly skilled conjurers. 'If he worked for the royal family, why did he gather information like this?'

I begin to leave but before I go he asks me one last question, "How did you come across information like this?" A strange question but I didn't look too much into it.

"Rumor had been floating around about him since he had been spotted by some slave traders, when we lost contact with them we began to search and they had been killed in an alleyway with both their throats slit. Since then I and my associates had done research into finding this young mage. We finally found out his name just a few months ago, Arthur Leywin, who somehow had connections to the Helstea family." (DRAMATIC REVEAL!!! HELL YEAH, HIGH FIVE!)

"Interesting, I'm gonna need you to keep this information from any other buyers got that?" He says threateningly.

"Um, I'm not sure I can do that. But I can try." He points his staff at me.

"Not good enough." He says before suddenly my clothes are lit aflame. It spreads and begins to burn me alive

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" (Yes I just spammed A, fight me) I scream in pain as the strange man walks away.

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