Return A Favor

Idia returned to his room and sighed after placing the potted plant carefully on his table and patted Ortho on the head, "Has my parents responded yet?"

Ortho shook his head, "Father and mother haven't replied to Big Brother yet..."

"I see. It looks like we have some free time on our hands for once." Idia sighed in relief, "I should be able to play some games today."

Suddenly, a loud ping was heard as Ortho cried out excitedly, "Ah! Big brother, you've received a message from Lotus!"

"That guy?" Idia raised a brow, "What does he want? No, shouldn't he be busy dealing with the aftermath?"

"Let's see." Ortho pulled out a transparent blue screen and began to read it, "The situation at school had calmed down significantly overnight. I overheard the teachers talking about you. So, I can guess how the situation came to be. The senior, Stelios have helped calm the situation back in your dorm. He told me that it was easy since everyone was eager to stay inside, though some did just want to go back home."

"No surprise there." Idia sighed, "And? What? Are they going to start worshipping or fear me now or something? No wait, Lotus can't use magic. But, what if he thinks I'm awesome being part of S.T.Y.X. and a magician? No, wait. I've also had to work with overblots. Anything to do with that always gives off an ominous impression. There's no way he'd reach out to me for nothing."

"But, big brother..." Ortho looked confused as he continued reading to himself, "He said that, if you're overthinking of his reaction, then you should snap out of it. Amazing... He already predicted what you'd say! He said that only the vice-dorm leaders and those close who work with the dorm leaders know what happened. As for everyone else, he's worked with the vice-dorm leaders to quell the chaos. So, you can just focus on working and return to school with our friends. Also, he said that, if Night Raven College gets out of this dilemma, then he wants your opinion on this design for the mechanic arm he's working on. The goal is to take in high voltage of electricity passing through the body. However, it's not working too well and he got his hands on some good materials from his hometown. A material from Land of Dawning or Kingdom of Heroes that has the ability to exert electricity. He's hoping you can help him see what the matter is and that you'll definitely be interested in this material."

"Ha? A material that can exert electricity? What is he talking about? There's no way a material like that exists in this world. That sounds like some SSR material-" Idia's eyes widen in shock as he rambled on, "Wait! There is one!"

"There is?" Ortho looked to his brother curiously and with bright excitement, "What is it?!"

"Well, a long time ago, there was a weapon forged for one powerful god. Aside from him was the forger... When the forger hammered the metal used for the weapon, it would shoot sparks everywhere. Until the weapon was complete, he was unable to even touch the weapon." Idia recounted with a sigh as he rambled, "But, when it was done, this god would throw it down from the sky at their enemies. Those weapons are lightning bolts. The metal used to make it was said to have been celestial metal and the weapon can burn the skin off a god in two nanoseconds!"

Idia shook his head dejected, "However, those things were just legends and nobody has seen the real thing for a very long time. I doubt that's what he has in his hands. Maybe it's some type of gold material or copper."

Ortho watched as Idia looked around for some of his old consoles in his private quarters. For Ortho who usually takes this time to decide on others that can help their dilemma, Idia was very confused as he quietly exited the room and contemplated for himself. He opened the email again and looked over it with confusion as he pondered, "Why would father and mother send me an email all of a sudden? And, why is father going to Briar Valley, but not want me to tell Big Brother? Does mother know about it? Hm... Just what is this...? Let's see..."

There was a moment of silence with Ortho having closed his eyes before opening them again and furrowing his brow hesitantly, "My system is not malfunctioning, but this seems weird... I... feel strange? Should I ask big brother about it?"

.....

It was the second day when Peony looked away from her desk of books at the call of her teacher.

"The leader of S.T.Y.X wishes to speak with you."

"Oh?" Peony raised a brow and nodded as she changed her outfit into one of red with black embroidery this time.

After redoing her hair, she left the room as Peony talked with her teacher, "Speaking of which, it is a week day, isn't it? Apologies for pulling you away when your husband requires your assistance the most, Senior Sister."

Lady Zigvolt shook her head, "It's unfortunate, but, once this is over, I can return to help him sort out the papers and assist him again. For now, this is very important. Hence you must remain vigilant, Princess Peony."

"Hm?" Peony frowned, "So, it was not discussed what it was that he wished to discuss with me about?"

"No." Lady Zigvolt shook her head.

"Then, we can only listen to what he wishes to say." Peony nodded, "I hope that things went smoothly with their accommodations? With the owner's absence, it would be troublesome to cause problems for her to deal with upon her return."

Lady Zigvolt sighed, "With how strong you are literally and politically in this kingdom, does anyone dare cause problems for you?"

"I see." Peony sighed, "Unfortunately or fortunately, this influence is only within this kingdom. Nobody knows who 'Lotus' is."

Upon arriving in the room once again, she was greeted with the familiar set as the three fates greeted her.

The tall man greeted her solemnly as he began, "I apologize for my misconduct yesterday, Princess Peony."

"It is all of the past now." Peony responded as she asked the Zigvolt to leave them be, "In the end, we are all living beings in this world. Please have a seat."

They took a seat on the sofa and she began, "I was told that you wish to speak with me?"

"That's correct." The Head of the Shroud family responded solemnly, "Princess mentioned that this soul flame is Ortho. I would like to know how you've come to know of my deceased son."

Peony knew that she can't reveal the truth yet or that she's currently a student in night raven college, so she opened her mouth and said, "I met a robot while scouting a potential site for our kingdom's annual event. I was examining the behavior of the students so that the event does not cross with the students studying in the school, but, in a dorm with an upside-down design, I got lost. It was Ortho who gave me a hand thinking I was one of the students I switched places with temporarily. It was there that I noticed he had a very unbalanced soul. I then met with his brother and the other dorms members and got them to teach me mechanics. I'm not a profeasional, but I have knowledge on magic and souls."

She explained how Ortho's robotic body became a vessel for his half soul and was sustained by the magic and energy his brother had been feeding him during the recharge phases. However, Idia has been unknowingly keeping his brother's soul alive by feeding him his own magic for so long and how Peony finally realized who Ortho really is was only after hearing from her connections in Briar Valley of a rumor about a missing child in the Shroud family from some high class nobles she passed by once.

"I had a guess, but, honestly, it was your reaction that helped confirm it for me." Peony shrugged leisurely.

"So, that's how you know of my sons." The head muttered with a look of bewilderment, "But why do you want to help us?"

Peony raised a brow, "I don't know about the Island of Lament, but I was taught pretty well that I should return the favors granted upon me and not take things for granted. Naturally, it won't sit well with me unless I give Ortho a hand for helping me. He might not have known of it, but I was in the dorm searching for my contract familiar as well. When he helped me, he consequently saved my contract familiar from perishing with me. Having a trace of fairy blood in me, I'm not very good with the metal mazes of that dorm as well as most craft fairy or the royal family can tolerate and there is hardly enough magic in the air since it was constantly taken in by the surroundings. Without magic, I go hungry and tired easily. Once I'm gone, my contract familiars will perish with me as per the contract. That was the situation I was in as soon as I found my contract familiar. I don't know about you humans, but I only dare to form this contract with familiars willing to work with me and knowing full well what the consequences are should they tie themselves to me. As for me, I have the responsibility to care for them. To me, they are also family as much as they are my familiars."