Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Facade

Christmas passed merrily. The day was spent in the company of Umara’s immediate family, as tradition dictated. It was a time of ease, comfort, and appreciation, so all families throughout the city spent their time together.

There was nowhere to go, no parties to put on or attend, and only a few gifts to exchange. Since I got along with the family, I didn’t feel out of place and contentedly enjoyed hanging out with them.

I was enjoying myself when, in the evening, I received a succinct message from the Puppet Master that slightly dampened my mood.

“The Magisterium, specifically the President, has decided what to do regarding your kill. As for your request regarding the corpse, such matters are best spoken about in person. Come see me when you return. Until then, enjoy your Christmas.”

That was it, and the message left me with a small feeling of unease.

I wasn’t particularly concerned with what they did to my record or placement, but anything regarding President Carrion didn’t sit well with me.

Still, I had messaged the Puppet Master earlier when I had my thoughts about using the Cyclops eye as the ingredient for a Crown. I didn’t tell him the specifics, but let him know that I might have some business with it and asked him to hold it for me until I could grab it.

This was the first message I received since then. If anything went sideways, it probably wouldn’t have been his fault; I trusted him.

I simply did as he said and enjoyed Christmas day, the first day of the new year.

It was the day after that I was set to return. Business didn’t stop with the new year and both the Duchess and Duke had matters to attend to. Umara was to stay behind and handle whatever her parents needed her to do; it was probably in the realm of organizing received gifts and bonding more with her Flicker.

There was just under a week left before the Magisterium’s second semester would start. The Elites were slotted to head back out to the front lines nearly immediately afterward.

And so the day came for me to return.

“You promise you’re going to visit?”

Faey, her voice tinged with hopefulness, asked. I smiled and gave her a hug.

“Of course. You just keep yourself out of trouble. Or just make sure you don’t get caught.”

“Ahem.”

The Duchess cleared her throat in warning, causing me to snicker.

I winked at Faey and ruffled her hair, making her laugh.

“Alright, I need to get going. Mr. and Mrs. Talerria, thank you for your hospitality. I quite enjoyed myself.”

“Of course. Be safe on your way back.”

“I will.”

I shook their hands before heading to the carriage, Umara following to bid each other a quiet goodbye. Once she closed the door, I was off to the Rail Terminal where I was sent back to the Capital.

……

Umara turned after shutting the door and watching the carriage roll off.

She saw her parents staring at her, making her tilt her head. It felt like she was being put on the spot.

“What is it?”

“You’re quite the grownup now, aren’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Umara was confused by her mother’s scrutinizing comment, prompting her father to translate.

“Ahem, your mother and I happened to overhear yours and John’s proclamations of love to each other on New Year’s night.”

“Eh?”

“It was quite the surprise. We didn’t want to say anything until he left, but we had never known you to be so bold.”

Ikhor chuckled a bit as Umara’s face turned beet red.

But instead of showing her embarrassment, she huffed and turned away.

“Hmph, I’m not ashamed of anything. It’s the truth and nobody can say otherwise.”

“We’re not questioning that, dear. We just didn’t think that you two had gotten so far. It’s only been how many months?”

“Almost four.”

“And you two already look like you want to marry each other.”

The Duchess commented with sharp eyes, making Umara go silent, neither denying nor confirming.

She sighed at that.

“Daughter, don’t make this difficult for me. Not any more than it already is.”

“It never had to be difficult in the first place. You think Shadowbane would have to deal with any of this?”

*Woosh*

A small gust kicked up right as Umara said that, making her heart pound erratically for a moment as a thick sound barrier was created, blocking out all sight and sound beyond their group. Not even Faey was able to see or hear what the Duchess said next.

“Believe me, Umara. I’m trying. I know we aren’t the Raven Family. And I’m sorry any of this was ever a problem. But it is because we can’t control our own interests and power without the approval of the rest of the nobles that this is an issue. And we cannot extricate ourselves from their influence anytime soon. So unless you me to doom the entire Talerria line right now just because you don’t want to keep your pants tied, I suggest you work with me until we can find a way that works for everyone.”

“...”

Umara was silent, her head dropping with indignation.

She wasn’t mad at her mother. It was her hatred for the noble class that was only increasing.

Talexia could only sigh.

“I feel like if I don’t continue to expose you to the harsh realities, you’ll run off and do something that will make all of our conflicts explode. I know you can’t see a way out, and I can’t give one to you right now. But you need to trust that I’ll find one eventually.”

“...I just hate feeling like I’m just a tool.”

Frustrated tears rolled down Umara’s cheeks. She felt like she was going to explode, yet was constantly being crushed and confined with no way to fight back.

Talexia walked forward and hugged her, stroking her hair.

“I know. Again, I’m sorry. I wish I could have spared you from that. I thought that I could do so by finding you someone suitable, a good man to marry since you would have to anyway. But I didn’t expect for you to find yourself one, and for him to be so outstanding that he would piss off the entirety of high noble society and risk his life for his girl. Sometimes I think that you’re the lucky one, not him.”

“Hm.”

Umara smiled just a bit, the two separating and looking into each other’s eyes.

“Regardless of all that, plans change, and we adapt. What I need from you is to play the game with me and bide your time. If you really want this, then you’ll do that. I have a feeling John understands that as well. He’s rash, blunt, and frighteningly casual with people he shouldn’t be, but he’s also smart. That’s probably the only reason he’s still alive. So for his sake and ours, can you restrain yourself and play along?”

“...Yes.”

“Good. Thank you.”

Talexia nodded and dispelled the barrier, sound and sight returning.

Faey was confused but followed as they all walked back into the mansion.

That’s when Umara muttered.

“Fake it ‘till you make it.”

“What?”

“That’s what John said. I suddenly feel like it’s quite the accurate phrase.”

“I agree. Be prepared to do so. There are a lot of people asking questions and pressuring us to answer them. For the next few days we’ll be under some intense scrutiny.”

“Is that why you’ve sent John away? I thought we were going to face these things together?”

“Well, that was before he almost killed a suitor for trying to dismantle your relationship. I’ve decided that it would be better if he wasn’t put into that kind of position again. I fear he would overestimate his enemies and accidentally kill someone in the process.”

“Hm.”

Umara smiled, pride evident across her face.

It seemed she finally had her mother on her side. Now, all she had to do was, as she said, play the game and bide her time.

So long as that worked, she wouldn’t step outside the lines. It eased her greatly to know she wouldn’t be going against the Duchess.

The most pertinent issue now was the Talerria family’s overreliance on noble society. It wouldn’t be a problem had they just been another good little noble family, sequestered in their own fiefdom far from the capital. As they currently were, that was almost exactly where they stood, but Umara’s current predicament certainly increased tensions. And, if Umara read into her mother’s words correctly, there was soon to be a lot more conflict in their attempt to extricate themselves from noble society.

Their bid for freedom would not pass without some extreme consequences, and that made Umara wonder what her mother could possibly have in store. She would need some extreme measures to compensate for this extreme circumstance.

Whatever it was, she didn’t know even half of it. Fear now joined caution in keeping her in line. If she weren’t careful, she would be the spark that ignited a firestorm larger than even her family could handle.

……

…

My first stop after arriving in the capital a day later was the Hotel.

There, I unpacked and situated myself before sending a few messages and leaving to take care of my most important order of business.

I soon arrived at the Polaris Headquarters, finding my way to Maxwell’s study.

He greeted me with an even gaze.

“Yes?”

“Good day to you too. I have questions.”

“I may have answers.”

He looked down at his desk, papers covered in scribbles before him.

I took a seat and asked.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I recently killed a Cyclops Scout.”

“Yes, I had been notified that you did something rather impressive. What of it?”

“I was wondering about its viability as a Crown. Would I be able to use it, and would it be beneficial for me?”

“Hmm…”

He looked up at me and back down in surprisingly deep thought.

“Considering the nature of your weapons and their reliance on your sight, it wouldn’t be a bad decision. A Scout has an advancement path almost entirely dedicated to observation. Authority 7 is when they finally attain some form of offensive capability, but even that only stems from an extreme level of observational ability that far surpasses even those well above its Authority. It’s one of the most extreme examples of a specialized Scourge beast. So yes, if you wanted to, you could use its corpse to create a Crown for yourself. You wouldn’t attain the same observational abilities, but it would still increase your own several fold.”

“Really? If you truly think it’s a good pick, then I’ll go through with it. I already want to.”

“Each body has a limit as to the amount of Crowns it can hold. And this Crown would fill a slot well. It’s quite the suitable pick considering your style. It would magnify a strength of yours.”

His evaluation was straightforward, and he didn’t even know the future of what my summons held. Sight being a significant factor was an understatement. It was the foundation of ranged combat if nothing else, not to mention all the other benefits that greater observational abilities provided.

I was fully prepared to move forward with this if he signed off. And since he did, there was nothing more to say.

“...Alright then. I suppose I just need to retrieve the corpse?”

“Yes. Bring it here, let me inspect it, and then we can find an alchemist to discuss the process of turning it into a Crown. It wasn’t dismantled, correct?”

“No, it wasn’t, not even for its Crystal. I gave it to the Puppet Master for safekeeping.”

“Very well. Go get it from him. Perhaps we can have the Crown ready before you go back out for your next trip.”

“Sweet.”

I got excited, standing and making my way out.

“I’ll go talk to him.”

“Mm.”

He just nodded as I strode out of the study.

From there, I made my way straight to the Magisterium. I had already messaged the Puppet Master, and he was just waiting there.

So with a quick ride, I made it to the gates where I sought him out.

I found him in the training grounds, specifically that little shed he was always in.

He was waiting outside.

“You’re here.”

“Yes. Where’s the corpse?”

“Come inside first. We need to talk.”

He waved me in with a less than jovial mood, amplifying the ominous feeling I had felt back when he initially messaged me.

We entered the shed where he took a seat, inviting me to do the same.

Once seated, he sighed and sat straight.

“First, let me tell you about the decision made by the President regarding your record.

“Okay.”

“It will be recognized. You are now the first Authority 4 to ever kill an Authority 7 in Magisterium history. This record will stand for centuries to come, enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Even if there are those younger than you who eventually do the same, your record as the first will forever stand. It’s an honor granted to extremely few.”

“I see.”

My eyes widened a bit. I didn’t really think much of it, but this was still a big deal. My name would forever sit on display within the Magisterium. Future generations would know that it was I who set that record, something never done before in recorded history.

I felt some pride in it, but refocused as he continued.

“However, there will not be a ceremony, as there were for other records. The record will be quietly enshrined inside the Hall, not to be celebrated or congratulated.”

“Hm, well, I don’t care about that much. I expected something petty like that.”

“That’s good. But…”

He went quiet, giving me a sinking feeling.

“What is it?”

“...Forgive me, John. I didn’t realize until you sent me that message. By then, it was already too late. It seems that they ripped the opportunity away before we even realized it was there. That’s the difficulty of having smart enemies.”

“Puppet Master, where’s the corpse?”

I asked directly. It was almost obvious why I had asked about it in my message to him. I wanted to make a Crown out of it.

But if he could see that, why couldn’t they?

I just didn’t think they would stoop to that level. It hadn’t crossed my mind. My kill should be mine to do with as I pleased, especially one of such a magnitude.

But more than that, I had entrusted it to the Puppet Master. If I had at least kept the head with me, even just as a trophy, I would’ve been able to do whatever I wanted regardless of what they said.

But I didn’t.

The Puppet Master stared at my shoes, unable to quite meet my eyes. A look of almost defeat crossed his eyes for a split second before he continued.

“Currently, it is in the possession of the President. Where it could be precisely is a mystery. Regardless, it is set to be enshrined inside a case within the Hall later in the week. The corpse will be there alongside your record as evidence and a trophy.”

“I want it back.”

“...Carrion gave me a message to deliver… in case you said that. An excerpt from Magisterium Regulatory Policy.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Puppet Master handed me a folded sheet of paper, which I took and read.

“Article 3, Section 1: Hunted beasts and their corpses become property according to Kingdom law. The property rights belong to the hunter by default, unless otherwise dictated by any employing entity the hunter may be affiliated with.

“Section 2: As the employing entity, the Magisterium reserves all rights to beast or animal corpses hunted by any and all students and staff under its name and purview. This includes all pieces and parts of the corpse such as the Black Crystal, and all monetary gains from selling the corpse, processed or otherwise, are, by rights, considered Magisterium revenue.”

“Article 2, Section 1 of the Ignoble Hunter Rights Bill: Only beasts or animals at or above Authority 9 are allowed to be claimed by non-noble persons regardless of any affiliations and/or contracts which may dictate otherwise. This includes all parts of the beast or animal, such as the Black Crystal.

“Section 2: If the property has been processed or dismantled before the Ignoble Hunter has claimed it, and the Ignoble Hunter and the employing or contracting entity cannot come to an agreement on distribution of property parts and pieces, the property must be sold and the employing or contracting entity is allowed to withhold coin equal to the processing costs, with a limit of 70% the selling price.”

…

I sat there in silence.

For some time I wasn’t sure what to think. According to law, I had no rights to the corpse. The only way I would ever have the rights was if it were an Authority 9 at minimum.

However, there was some fine text hidden within these laws.

The Ignoble Hunter Rights Bill.

Key words: Ignoble Hunter.

Would a noble child have to give up their kill to the Magisterium?

No, they wouldn’t. The Bill was only for the Ignobles. The commoners. The peasants.

I could practically taste the mockery in the name of the Bill.

In fact, the very paper I held oozed contempt.

The President, having studied my weapons, or at least having read the reports about them, knew that my sight was an important factor in their use. And it wasn’t far-fetched to think that I may want the corpse for a Crown. It was well-suited for me, after all.

Regardless of my plans for it, he seized it. And his only explanation were some snippets of law.

He was prepared for this. He knew I would come for the corpse. Even if I didn’t, either he wasted a small bit of time printing this message, or he would taste the satisfaction of withholding an important opportunity for my growth.

And he did. This could have been an incredible boost in my auxiliary power. The advantages in battle I would have gained from this Crown would no doubt be a potentially critical factor in preserving my life and the lives of my team.

And now, with a single piece of paper, all hope of that was lost.

There was silence for a long while as I processed what this meant and how I should react. I truly wasn’t sure.

Should I rage against this? Should I just laugh and declare war?

I set down the paper and stood from my seat, walking out of the shed without a word.

My feet took me to the administrative offices of the Magisterium.

I pushed open a door smoothly, the only sounds in the main hall the even tapping of my heels and the soft click of the door behind me. I walked past various doors, plaques by their frames denoting the positions of their occupants. Most sat empty.

Two flights of stairs later, I walked down a lushly carpeted hall, my footsteps muffled by the thick fabric. The plaques on the wall all seemed to point me to one spot: President Carrion’s office. The desk right in front was empty, the secretary that would’ve stopped me gone on vacation.

I nearly threw the door open. Carrion stared back at me, a smile creeping onto his face.

“Oh, John. You’ve returned.”

A towering window silhouetted him against the Magic Tower in the distance, his outline practically glowing in what seemed a cruel mockery of my suppressed anger.

I walked up casually enough, unknown strength keeping me from just leaping at him, and stood squarely before his desk with a placid face.

“I want the corpse of the Cyclops Scout I killed.”

“Given your mood, you visited the Puppet Master first, who should’ve given you my response. I don’t believe there’s much more to say o-”

“Fuck the laws.”

I cursed plainly, without a single change in attitude.

“You don’t care about them. Your prideful ass thinks you’re some kind of king. Skip the bullshit. One of your students wants the trophy of his kill. You’d think a reward is in order for the first record of its kind.”

“I thought we were skipping the bullshit.”

Carrion shot back, rising from his seat and meeting me at eye level.

His Aura fanned out as he did, a sense of dread permeating my pores. But I felt so detached from my own self that I didn’t even react to it. My emotions didn’t feel like mine anymore.

“You’re right. I don’t give a damn about the laws. Except when they give me every right to tell you to fuck off. You’re not getting that corpse. And you’re not getting a Crown out of it.”

He smiled and eyed me, a certain facet of his genial facade revealing a much darker interior.

“I’m going to lock that corpse away, Crystal and all, right inside the Hall of Fame. I’m going to pin it up nice and pretty behind a single pane of unbreakable glass. Everyone will be able to see it and know you were the one who killed it. They’ll sing your praises for the next few months. You’ll become an idol for the younger generations. And yet, you’ll always know that the corpse behind that glass could've bestowed you greater power. It will forever be a reminder of what could have been.

“So please, indulge in your hatred and rage. I want to see your frustration and indignation. It’s the least you can do for attempting to undermine me in my own mansion. Even though something like this is a small matter I shouldn’t mind, even though you’re a bug not worth paying attention to, I’ve decided to do so as I was bored. What better way to entertain myself than to see a worm like you squirm around when he was denied the little scraps of food he caught.”

A harsh laugh came from his throat as he walked an arc in front of me.

My vision turned spotty, my mind went white. I couldn’t comprehend the sheer intensity of my emotions.

This kind of depraved malice… I didn’t understand it. My rationality screamed at me exactly what I needed to know, but even with the power of Psyka, it didn’t get through. I didn’t know how to react to it.

Even my Aura boiled over, slashing against Carrion’s with wanton rage in an attempt to gain a foothold.

But against the Authority 11, any cracks were as ephemeral as the light. I was powerless. That’s just how it was in this world. I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

Having had his fill of fun, Carrion sat back down behind his desk again, a frown filling his face.

“Alright, now get out of my sight, you insect.”

*BAM*

He flicked his hand, a wave of vigor throwing my body across the office.

I rolled limply when I hit the floor, only stopping when I crashed into the door. It felt like my entire body had been battered by a sledge hammer, blood leaking from my nose and mouth.

With nothing more than a thought I suffered debilitating injuries. That was the physical manifestation of such a difference in power.

I pulled myself off the floor with any scraps of energy left in my body, too exhausted to even offer one last sign of defiance by slamming the door. I needed to retreat and regroup. Sticking it out here would achieve nothing.

Once I had stumbled my way out, I caught sight of the Puppet Master just outside the building, my head pounding from my thoroughly battered Aura, my body throbbing from new injuries.

It was a good thing he was there too. I didn’t have the strength to walk myself back to the dorms. I crumpled into a heap on the pavement, a few quivers of pain wracking through my body. The last thing I saw before darkness took my vision was the Puppet Master looming over me, mouth open with unheard words.