Chapter 46 - Back to Greymoor

Chapter 46: 46 - Back to Greymoor

’Shit. My head feels like somebody’s using it as a drum.’

Adrien became aware of his body before he bothered opening his eyes. He was lying somewhere warm, covered by something soft enough that it definitely was not the balcony floor he remembered collapsing on.

Then the rest came back.

The grimoire. Lightning Bolt. The tree he had aimed nowhere near, and Amelia shouting his name somewhere around the moment his legs stopped working.

’Right. I passed out.’

He hadn’t expected that to happen, though in hindsight it probably should not have surprised him. Learning Winter’s Reach had pushed Absolute Comprehension hard enough to leave him bleeding, and that had only been Four Stars. This time he’d forced his talent through a Six-Star spell while an SSS item emptied his Core in the background.

Apparently even his body had limits.

Adrien opened his eyes.

He was in a bedroom he did not recognize, though it was unmistakably part of Vael’s house. Clean wooden walls surrounded him, and an open window let cool air move through the room. Someone had cleaned the blood from his face and changed the ruined shirt he’d been wearing.

Then he noticed Amelia.

She was asleep in a chair beside the bed, her head resting awkwardly against one hand. Her pale blue hair had come slightly loose, pink showing through the strands where the sunlight touched them, though the dark red ribbon was still tied near the back.

She had changed into simpler clothes as well, something soft and loose enough to wear around the house.

’I suppose I scared her.’

Adrien pushed himself upright carefully. His head still hurt, but the difference from before was enormous. His Core had already begun filling again, and whatever changes the Draconic Physique had made to his body seemed determined to get him functional again as quickly as possible.

The door opened before he could put his feet on the floor.

Vael stepped inside, looked at Adrien, then at his sleeping granddaughter.

"Well. You’re alive."

"I am."

"You gave Amelia quite a scare." Vael kept his voice low as he entered. "When I came home, she was convinced something had gone seriously wrong with you."

Adrien looked toward her. "Sorry about that."

"I’d save the apology for her." Vael pulled another chair over. "She explained what happened in the market as well. I have to admit, I’m annoyed somebody managed something like that inside Elyndor without me noticing."

"You’ve got no idea what it could’ve been?"

"I’ve been busy." Vael rubbed his beard. "There are still people in the family asking questions about my granddaughter, what happened in that camp, why humans were operating this close to our territory. I’ve had better weeks."

Adrien nodded. "But the shop itself? Magic, maybe?"

"If it were ordinary magic, I imagine your Absolute Mana Sense would’ve reacted."

"My Absolute Mana Sense wasn’t working properly inside either. Everything felt blurred."

"Then whoever did it wanted the place difficult to inspect." Vael leaned back. "My first guess would be an item, a formation, or both. Something powerful enough to interfere with perception and change what people remember seeing."

"So basically, we know nothing."

"Now you’re learning."

Adrien laughed quietly, then regretted it when his head throbbed.

Vael held out one hand. "Can you show me the grimoire? Only for a little while. If maintaining it is as expensive as Amelia says, don’t be stupid about it."

"I’ve recovered enough. Give me a second."

Adrien reached into his Inventory.

The process was painfully slow compared to what he had watched the old shopkeeper do. Mana gathered between his hands, taking nearly ten seconds before black leather and silver markings finally settled into a solid book.

The drain started immediately.

Adrien passed it over.

Vael’s expression changed the moment he touched it. He turned the grimoire once, opened several pages, then ran two fingers along one of the diagrams without activating anything.

"Hm."

"That sounds promising."

"It means I’ve never seen anything like it." Vael looked up. "What rank did your System give you?"

"SSS."

Vael’s eyes widened.

It was the first time Adrien had managed to get that reaction from him.

"Well." The old elf looked back at the book with considerably more respect. "It’s been centuries since I’ve seen an item of that rank."

"Centuries?"

"I’m old, Adrien. Don’t be rude."

"I wasn’t going to say anything."

"You were thinking loudly."

Vael handed the grimoire back. "Whatever happened in that alley, somebody may have wanted this to reach you specifically. Whether that’s good news is another question."

Adrien dismissed it immediately, relieved when the mana drain disappeared.

"One more piece of advice," Vael continued. "Don’t tell people you own an SSS item. You’re already talented enough to attract attention without walking around advertising something kingdoms would happily kill over."

"Wasn’t planning on it, but I’ll keep that in mind."

A movement beside them made both men turn.

Amelia stirred, blinked twice, then focused on Adrien sitting upright.

Her magenta eyes widened.

"You’re awake."

Before Adrien could answer, she came out of the chair and wrapped both arms around him.

"Thank goodness. You scared the hell out of me."

Adrien froze for about half a second before putting one arm around her back. "I’m alright. Sorry."

Vael cleared his throat.

Amelia went completely still.

Her face began turning red before she had even released Adrien.

Vael stood with remarkable dignity. "I’ll leave you two alone. My granddaughter seems to have the patient well under control."

"Grandfather."

"What? I’m praising your medical care."

"Please leave."

Vael was already smiling when he closed the door behind himself.

Later that afternoon, Lucien accompanied Adrien down through Elyndor and toward the route that would take him back to Greymoor.

"You feeling alright?" Lucien asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Amelia told me you passed out."

Adrien grimaced. "Oh, that. I’m fine. I emptied my Core doing something stupid."

"Good to know you’re self-aware." Lucien waited a moment. "And you and Amelia?"

Adrien looked at him. "We’re good."

"That’s all?"

"That’s all."

Lucien seemed disappointed by the lack of material but let him keep it.

The journey back passed without incident, and Greymoor came into view later beneath a clear afternoon sky. Adrien had barely entered the courtyard when a polished mana-powered carriage caught his attention.

It looked expensive. Dark bodywork, bright metal trim, and enough enchantment running through the frame that even from a distance Adrien could tell it was built for comfort rather than hauling grain.

Ariane climbed inside.

The carriage started moving before Adrien had crossed half the yard.

He found Garrick standing near the steps and pointed after it. "Where’s she going?"

"Oh, that." Garrick watched the carriage disappear through the gates. "Work. We still have villages and towns under Clairmont territory that need regular visits. Someone has to check on them, hear complaints, make sure everything’s running properly."

Adrien looked back toward the road.

"And Ariane volunteered?"

Garrick gave him a tired smile. "Very enthusiastically."

Adrien watched the carriage vanish beyond the gates.