Published at 16th of February 2024 2:22 pm

Chapter 69. Of Progress And Investigations

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Annabelle and Nox’s relationship improved significantly after the dinner, and he struggled to figure out the cause. He expected her to hold on to her resentment and end their tryst. Annabelle had decided to move past the issue, and he couldn’t tell why. Much to his annoyance, it became a topic of discussion in the apartment.

“I bet it's because her father disapproves of the relationship,” Lillin said. “That seems to be the case in a lot of my books. Girls always go for the man their father doesn’t like. The more he disapproves of the relationship, the more she wants it. They don’t even care that it's bad for them.”

“I’m sure that mostly happens in your books,” Vys said. “It might be more a case of you winning Lord Oakheart’s respect. He might disapprove of the relationship, but it sounds like he respects your business acumen and alchemical skill. A trade contract with House Oakheart is quite an accomplishment."

"Annabelle says I'm paying thirty percent less than the standard bulk rates," Nox added. "That's no small amount. Lord Oakheart especially sounded pleased with the contraceptive idea. The product is almost ready, I think. Let's wait until the next semester to ensure there are no side effects. Then, we can present it to the market.”

“Stop trying to change the subject.” Lillin smacked Nox’s shoulder. She put on a lousy farm girl accent as she continued. “We’re more interested in how you managed to bed a noble lass. I don’t care why her esteemed Da is willing to turn a blind eye.”

“Can we just talk about something else?” Nox asked, but no one paid attention to him. Frustrated, he returned to simultaneously preparing two concoctions off the adept list.

“It’s because our lovely Nox was there for her,” Pudge said. “Annabelle gave the sweet lad the cold shoulder for a week. To be fair, he deserved worse. Our lovely noble lass begged him to stay and not leave her with Ernest and Wilson, yet he went off with another beautiful woman. Most girls I know would drop a man for less. Anyway, Nox didn’t let that affect his promise to the young lady. She needed him to put on a show for her father, and he went even if it meant the end of their affair. That’s enough to win a maiden’s heart and open her legs.”

The group’s debate went on for quite a while longer. Nox begged them to leave his workshop, but his words fell on deaf ears. Despite his protests, he didn’t mind as much as he claimed. Their presence and banter felt nice. He felt appreciated and loved. They took a genuine interest in his life and weren’t even family. He never thought there was more to life than his ambitions. Now, Nox had people he cared about and would risk his life for, and he liked to think they’d do the same for him.

The final week before exams was more relaxed for Nox than most people. Not everyone had availed of early pass options like him. While everyone was stressed over multiple exams, project deadlines, and more, he brewed, practiced Shaping, and studied for the Intermediate Mana System Theory paper. The advanced course was optional for any delving licenses, and Nox didn't plan on taking it. However, he felt compelled to shoot for a high mark on the exam. The subject matter intrigued him. He especially enjoyed the study of essences and foci. Binary Star Systems were fun to dream about, but Nox knew it was well outside of his reach. Statistically, he was more likely to encounter a cosmic or primordial entity and end up a pact warlock.

Meanwhile, he started spending most nights at Annabelle’s. She had taken him home after dinner with her father, and they had slept together. Since then, they had met for meals every evening and then either spent time together in his workshop, the library, or the training rooms before returning to her apartment. She had a clawfoot bathtub with a heating enchantment. They'd often have a roll in the hay, have a quick supper, and then soak together before bed.

Nox loved spending time with Annabelle and discovered a form of intimacy he had never encountered before. There was more to their relationship than carnal pleasures. The pair enjoyed holding each other and talking late into the night. Neither of them brought up the swinging pendulum axe over their head that was Lord Oakheart. They both knew that sooner or later, the man would put an end to their relationship, so they spent every evening like it was their last before everything imploded.

The couple walked arm-in-arm around campus and drew many stares. Neither of their identities was secret, nor was the knowledge of how Victor supposedly died. Far too many people believed Nox had a hand in the nobleman's death. Some called him a vile scoundrel for bedding the sister of the man he killed. Others said Annabelle and Nox planned his murder so they could be together. Many fans of the latter story thought it romantic and also happened to be amongst Noxian Brew's clientele. Nox and Annabelle didn't care what the rumor mill had to say and just took pleasure in each other's company.

The Beginner Dungeon Theory exam came and went. Nox believed he aced the paper. The first half demanded several definitions and dates of historic godfalls. Meanwhile, the second half contained five essay questions, and examinees needed to answer any two.

Having taken an interest in liches and their demesne, Nox had spent several evenings reading up on the topic. The knowledge was fresh in his mind, so he picked it as one of his choices. Nox had intimate knowledge of the second topic. It was about anomalous beasts who broke free of their dungeons and then went on to create or steal a dungeon of their own. The essay questions demanded at least a thousand words or parchment with inch-tall script on both sides. Nox ended up writing a lot more. He asked for more sheets and was among the last to finish the exam.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The best part of exam week wasn’t the lack of crowds and lines in the cafeteria. Instead, it was the lack of Professor Stefann Lorenzo. During the lead-up to the final seven days of the semester, Nox attended the defensive spell class but spent it creating layered barriers in different shapes, thicknesses, and layers. He didn’t interact with the professor, and the older man didn’t speak to him. Nox couldn’t tell what it was, but he sensed an air of undeserved animosity from him. It cemented his decision not to apply for any of his advanced courses. However, he finished the class without burning bridges or as the lesser person. It was a victory in his books, and he slept well at night, not obsessing over the professor’s disdain.

“Just one more exam, and you’re done,” Kris commented when they met up for their final mentor-apprentice meeting for the semester. “How do you feel about your first term at Woodson University?”

“In all honesty? It was far better than I expected. When I agreed to come with you, I thought it would be tedious, but I’d get into dungeons and rifts quicker than with the more traditional methods. Only the latter half of my expectations turned out to be true.” Nox smiled at the older woman, accepting the glass of amber liquor she poured her. It came out of a nicer bottle than her usual beverage. “I’ve made amazing friends, learned a bunch of new things, discovered talents I didn’t know I had, and started a business.” Nox chuckled. “I never thought I’d start a business. I always thought alchemy would pay for my meals and travels between delves. Now, alchemy makes me money so that I can delve without the pursuit of profit. It's not constraining, and I can use the expeditions to learn and sharpen my skills.”

“I’m glad.” Kris offered Nox a bowl of roasted mixed nuts. He rejected the drinking snack and nursed his beverage while she drained half of hers. “You should be proud of everything you’ve achieved in just four months. I know Mou would tell you the same if she were here. Ascending one’s star from novice to journeyman in that timeframe is unheard of. As far as I know, only warlocks with powerful patrons have achieved such a feat.”

Nox chuckled. “If I had a patron, I wouldn’t have to work as hard as I do.”

“You’re wrong about that. A warlock might give you access to more essences and perhaps a signature conjuration or two, but what you do with them is based on how you develop your mana system. I know warlocks twice your age who’re still on the low end of journeyman after decades of working with their patrons. They might’ve dedicated their time and skill to other pursuits, but that doesn’t change the fact of their stagnation.”

“How are things going with your investigation?” Nox asked, changing topics. He believed Kris had an inkling of Lillin’s identity but refused to broach the subject directly. They had known each other for just four months, after all. And Kris was yet to trust him with information regarding her spell set. “Are we still going on our expedition? The entire party is waiting to hear from you before we make a decision of our own.”

“The abductions and attacks died down a lot after you and Annabelle were attacked,” Kris answered. “We might’ve scared the powers behind it after we started investigating the northern nobles and royalty. Once the students leave for the semester in a couple of weeks, they will have fewer targets. So, the expedition is on. Unless the Oakhearts are willing to lend us their vessel, I only have to arrange transport, and then we’ll be ready to go.”

“Could you give me a clue regarding where we’re going?”

“I trust you, Nox, but I don’t know whether the rest of your party. It's for the best if we keep the knowledge to ourselves. However, it's a high-adept-to-low-expert dungeon. We won’t be exploring it much, though. I’m more concerned about the rifts it leaves in its path and the blights that follow. You’re going to get a lot of requests for curative brews. I suggest you brush up on your recipes for those.”

“In its path?” Nox raised an eyebrow.

“Does Beginner Dungeon Theory not cover roving dungeons?” Kris asked.

Nox shook his head.

“Do you think the Golden Isles are the only cluster of sky-bound islands in the world? They’re the most famous but not the only ones. Many house dungeons. There are a few floating along the continents’ coasts. Some teleport between points where leylines intersect, and a few whose openings randomly move around the northern mountain ranges. They aren’t common and are the hardest to contain.”

“Well, now I’m hoping Intermediate Dungeon Combat covers the topic next semester. How soon will we leave?”

“Perhaps a week or two after the semester ends,” Kris answered. “Some students might need counseling if they fail their final project or exam. I’d also like to stick around until the bulk of the end-of-semester parties and gatherings end. Dean Woodson and I are worried the abductors might make one last move before everyone leaves the city. We need to placate the Imperian Inquisition, too. They’re convinced that the criminals have agents in the university staff.”

“Don’t you think that’s a possibility, too?” Nox asked. “Failing wards. People going missing inside campus. Mostly Imperium citizens going missing. The abductors are organized and couldn’t have been working without inside help.”

“I can’t afford to think that. My pride wouldn’t be able to handle it. I might be a delver, but I’ve made a name for myself as a detective and investigative mage. Only diviners succeed in this field, but I’ve done so without dedicating a star or planets to the craft or training as a war mage. The thought that the colleagues I trust and have already investigated might be involved in this mess would break my heart.”

“What about the people who’ve already gone missing? Won’t you be assisting in their search?”

“That’s not a part of my skill set,” Kris answered. “I’d rather not go into the details of this matter, Nox. Until the second attack on you, some investigators included you in the list of suspects. I’ve successfully cleared your name, but I’m not yet at liberty to discuss the matter further.”

“Wait a minute. Why would I be a suspect?”

“You’re an outsider who survived an archon dungeon’s birth at the age of six. That alone is extremely suspicious. Then there is your relationship with your step-sibling and a best friend that claims to have killed assassins sent after you. There’s a lot about you that’s suspicious, Nox. Play smart and safe so you don’t implicate yourself in anything concerning.”

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