Noble Arcana

I have found over the years that my mind often solves problems when I am otherwise engaged. Unfortunately, I am rarely able to be engaged in anything other than the problems themselves.

• The Journal of Victor Morrow

The first letter he opened was from Bernice and smelled faintly floral.

Solomon,

I am glad to hear that you’re alright. The way the papers were reporting things made it sound like you’d been besieged by forty malicious guards armed with guns and held them all off yourself. Aside from that I’ve also heard that you were recently attacked by some manner of beast in the woods near your estate? You’re making quite an impression on people as a frontier lord, but I do wish you’d be more careful.

My betrothed has once more moved our marriage back. I cannot say that it is a surprise, though I must admit the stagnation of things is wearing on me. It didn’t seem as difficult when I had your company with me and father’s firm hand reminding me of what it was all for. Now though I have so little company. I’ve even taken to having daily tea with the new Lady Morrow. I hope that does not make you think less of me.

With the engagement moved Chorde does believe it may be appropriate for me to visit, but he would prefer to wait until you deliver Crimson Command to Vaugn. Now that sounds like a tremendous adventure.

With love,

Bernice

He finished reading the letter. He was concerned for her. They’d both always tended toward melancholy, but it seemed as if it was affecting her far more than it had before. He took the time to write a thoughtful reply and then sealed the letter. In addition to the letters he’d send back to his family he intended to send a number of pelts as well, just like those he’d given to Viscount Byar. He’d chosen a fox for Bernice, a Weasel for Jude, and a Deer for Chorde. He smiled as he imagined Jude’s face upon seeing what he’d received.

He worked his way through the next few, finding the usual updates from Chorde and his mother as well as one from the Stock and Saw lumber company that was interested in visiting Moonfallow and performing a survey of the nearby woods. He’d spoken to a merchant with some ownership of them only a day prior. He responded in the affirmative, asking them to suggest a time that they may be available to visit. Whatever they said he would have to deal with the Lord of the Black Wood before then.

He moved on to the final letter, opening it carefully.

Lord Morrow,

I seek your assistance with a delicate matter. Can you please meet with me at your earliest convenience. I will be going to the Church every day at noon until you may meet me there.

• Threen

That was interesting. He certainly had unfinished business with the expected homunculus. What could he want from me though? Thought Solomon as he looked at the text of the letter. Threen’s penmanship was absolutely flawless. He wondered what kind of materials and effort it took to create something as complex as him.

Solomon pulled his watch from his pocket to check the time, finding that he would’ve already missed Threen at the church that day. He placed his letter carefully to the side and picked up the most recent Etling Gazette, leafing through it for anything pertinent for a few moments before deciding his mind simply wasn’t in it and setting it to the side along with Threen’s letter.

A few moments later Claire arrived with a plate of cut fruit.

“Thought this would be nice after your trip, Lord Morrow.”

“Thank you Claire. How have things been here?”

“About the same Lord. A bit easier for me without the extra mouths, but everyone’s kept busy.”

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“Thank you,” he said, popping a grape into his mouth. Shortly after she’d left Melissa arrived.

“Any news?” he asked.

“Nothing too pertinent, Lord. Just…” she paused to glance out the door to make sure that no one was eavesdropping. “Felicity has been sleepwalking apparently. It gave one of the night guards quite a fright to see her standing in the window at night.”

Solomon nodded. He’d hoped the time he’d seen her was a one off event, but it seemed that it would be ongoing.

“Have the servants choose someone to get up once per night to check on her. I know it’s a pain, but I will give them a bonus of five copper draks for each night they do it. I don’t want her accidentally hurting anyone.”

Melissa nodded. “That was all. Everything else seems to have been going well.”

“I hope that we’ll get a similar report from the Watchman station tomorrow.”

“I do as well.”

He nodded, looking up at her. “How about you take the rest of the day off. I’ll probably just be locked in the library for much of it anyway, and I’m sure the trip was taxing for you.”

She frowned. “No. I think I’d prefer to work. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself anyway.”

He shrugged. “I won’t force you of course.” He ate another grape. “Did you have the gift from Viscount Byar placed in the library for me?”

She nodded.

“Thank you.”

With that she was dismissed. Solomon took his time eating, forcing himself to be patient and not rush into the library. He knew he wouldn’t be as effective on an empty stomach. Once he was done though, he gave up on trying to be disciplined and rushed to the library, the cold draft following him as he moved.

Inside the library he locked the door and moved toward his desk where he found a long box with a card placed atop it. He grabbed the card first.

Happy Hunting,

-JB

Solomon smirked at that and opened the box carefully. On the top layer was a thick wrapping of cloth which he carefully removed. Inside was a gun. It was silver with a hilt of black wood and the opening of it seemed very wide. He’d asked James to give him something that could simply be stuffed with large amounts of small metal objects and fire them all at once. Along with the gun itself as a small pouch that smelled of sulfur and several small pouches of tiny metallic spheres. He imagined those were the bullets that would be loaded had he not had ammunition of his own that he wished to use.

He lifted the gun in his hand, finding it quite cumbersome. He would almost certainly need to hold it in both hands to use it. His primary concern was that he wouldn’t be able to practice with it before he needed to use it. In order to try it he’d need to smuggle the gun somewhere far enough away that no one would be able to hear it, fire it, and then return without anyone noticing. The majority of places he could go to perform such an action were in the black woods anyway. Still, he was hoping he really only needed it to work once.

He stood up, carrying it over to the suit of armor that stood between two bookshelves. He carefully activated the rune in its helmet and watched as it moved to the side and the entrance to the hidden study opened.

“Thank you. And I appreciate you watching things while I was gone.”

The helmet regarded him blankly.

Solomon nodded at it and walked down the steps into the study, feeling immediately more at ease. He placed the gun and its accessories near where he’d been cutting up the strange metal chain. He’d decided to call it null-metal. The name would suffice until he learned what it was actually called.

He then walked over to the desk where his homunculi and blood vials had been stored. Both were low on mana so he began by pushing some of his into each of them. His mana control was steadier since he’d returned and checked on things within Moonfallow. That further strengthened his theory that his mana could be stabilized through proper care of his subjects and property.

He picked up one of the blood vials and swirled it around, watching his mana dance within it. Aside from allowing him to control the vials and the blood within them at a distance, it seemed that the frequent infusion of his mana kept it from coagulating as well. He had realized a method to continue filling it as well. He moved over to the bowl of null-metal shards and grabbed one, quickly cutting his arm with it. He watched the blood flow from it and nodded. It seemed the null-metal could get around paternal protection. He filled two more vials with mana infused blood.

Once he was done with the blood vials he turned to the homunculi. They were still maintaining their standing states, all of them holding their hands to their chest as if in salute. He found the one in the lead first, noting the cut across his arm from the first test he’d done. Aside from that he noticed some damage to its knees and shoulders. That had likely been from when he’d shimmied out of the window in the gambling hall. It seemed that he was protected from even minor injuries.

He patted the clay form gently on the head and infused all of them with more of his mana. He then walked over to the other desk and updated all of his notes. He added his observation of the homunculi not being able to protect him from things like gases or poisons as well what he’d learned regarding his own mana. He’d have to delve more deeply into the homunculus grimoire within the repository once he got the chance to do so.

With all of that done he did a quick mental check of the time before turning to the hidden room that allowed him access to the repository. He hadn’t had much luck finding any powerfully offensive spells, but perhaps he hadn’t travelled far enough yet.