Chapter Eighteen: Urge To Grow

I woke up next to my beautiful wife. Her belly was poking out, showing just how close she was to give birth. The feeling was new to me, an endless inclination of responsibility. I was going to be a father. It made me happy, but it also made me despair. What if I'm not good enough?

My endless responsibilities as the current leader of Jantyr's village. Will it really allow me to be a good father? Or will it drown me in responsibilities, making me forget about my family?

These kinds of thoughts were depriving me everyday and were only growing with each day. But today is different, today is not such a time. I can't be distracted.

I woke up in my bed, injured. My wife is next to me, sleeping peacefully. But will she be able to keep sleeping peacefully? I'm too weak, like everyone else. If I want to protect Matisra's smile and raise my child in peace, I need to become stronger!

I slowly removed the white blanket covering me and Matisra. With the greatest swiftness within my capabilities I left the bed and walked towards the kitchen.

Our maid had already prepared a meal for me. Most likely having sensed my stirring.

"Good morning my lord." my maid said. Bowing respectfully towards me. Without wasting a second she then pulled out my chair and inclined me to sit. With no reason to refuse, I complied with my maid's wishes and sat down. Bread laid on the table. Butter had already been spread on the bread and a cup of tea filled to the brim was next to the slice of bread.

I relished the taste of bread and tea for a few minutes. Quiet and peaceful, it really brightened my mood for the day. But all things must come to an end and after a while I had to go to work.

As I walked towards the door, I noticed my spear leaning against the kitchen wall. Without hesitation I grabbed my precious and left.

Countless people greeted me on my way to the mansion in progress. There were currently some merchants in the city, not something uncommon by now. Orcrasist had turned into a neat trading post. Many cities longed for our local products.

The gravel road and stone roads both served a wonderful purpose, of making walking a bliss.

When I finally reached the mansion, I could see Howard pulling his hair out in frustration. The single leader's life was already getting to him. Good thing I'm back.

"How you doin ya bastard!" I said with a slight accent. Howard could be seen going through the five stages of bliss when he heard my voice and happily turned his attention to me.

"Lenart, thank Jantyr you're back. I was about to die due to all the stress! Traders, Orcs and all other responsibilities. Let's share again ay, don't want me to have all the fun now do you!" Howard said. Clearly happy to be able to shove some of his workloads on my shoulders again.

"You know me, just give me the task and it'll be completed, but not today! I will be going you know where, to you know what!" I said. No more exchange of words was needed. Howard simply nodded and said.

"Hope you find what you're looking for. I haven't personally done you know what, but in the future I have plans to do the same. You better cover my shift then you bastard!" Howard said.

"Of course, that's what friends are for!" I said.

I walked past Howard and entered Jantyr's new room. It was lit up by magic candles, which were very expensive. Their lights are enhanced to be stronger and lit all areas in the room. Very worth it, if you ask me. There were four candles in the room, a very generous amount, as we only bought five.

I walked up to the totem of Jantyr and paid my respect.

"Thank you for helping me!" I said, truly thankful. Without the deity's help I would have died in the forest.

"Don't concern yourself with such nonsense. I gave you what was rightfully yours!" the deity said to me and I smiled. Such a kind deity. Not many gods and goddesses actually bless and help their people. They simply watch them progress, indifferent to anything that happens. But not Jantyr, it helped us when we needed it.

I walked up to Jantyr's totem and moved it to the side. When the totem was moved, a hatch became visible. Without wasting time I opened the hatch and A staircase was revealed.

I started descending the stone staircase, which was totally dark, until I reached the destination. An opening into the hidden library. The room was totally dark, the only saving grace was the fifth candle, which rested on a was next to the staircase. I quickly grabbed it and started walking.

When this place was built, the bookshelves were categorized with different labels. Such as curses, conjurations, transfiguration spells and what not. That included weather magic, which was why I'm here. I'm going to learn weather magic and combine it with my pure weather abilities, to create the best of two worlds. This way I could become stronger and maybe in the future face hundreds of orcs.

The magic candle embraced everything within six meters of it, with its warm light. I walked next to shelf after shelf, reading the words on them. Until I finally found what I was looking for. "WEATHER MAGIC" it read, with capital letters. There were about fifty books around this subject and the bookshelf was way too big, for the amount of books residing in it. But that just proved the future ambition to fill it with more books.

I traced my finger along the leather books and read the titles, searching for what I wanted.

"What is weather" "Weather conjuration" "How to predict weather" were the three books that caught my interest first. So I grabbed the three and headed towards a couch and armchair. They were neatly placed next to a small table, with a candelabra, with only one holder, which was empty.

I placed my candle in the holder and sat down in the armchair, while placing two of the books on the table, while keeping "What is weather" , deciding to make it my first read.

(Meanwhile)

Jasmine was sitting in the library. In her hand was another magic book, the twelfth of the day to be precise. Like always she was reading the book, so Jantyr could copy its content. After reading twenty-five books, she stopped and grabbed the book she was here for today. It was an advanced version of basic wards.

'If you want to break them, might as well learn to make them' she had thought to herself.

Jasmine borrowed the book and returned to her room, which over the years had become her room. Basic ward magic had been used to make the room twice as big and also make it thief proof. Or should she say, prank proof. No one could enter her room due to her warding skills, according to her.

Some days ago she tried budging the secret library's wands. Let's just say, utter failure.

Jasmine read the book and started practicing. She used float magic to make water float in the air and then made it pour like rain on the apple. While also letting wind hit the apple. She was training specific warding. The act of preventing a special thing to enter, while allowing others to come and go.

At first she failed and failed, but with some days practice, she eventually succeeded. Leading her to go further, spells!