Magic Aptitudes? Tested (Again)!
After three months of recovery and training I am now able to walk on my own again. I’m not back to form yet but I can now train alone and be a bit more independent again. After putting on my old clothes I take out my mask and clean the dust off of it.
“Are you sure you want to go in these clothes, dear?”
“Gao! We’re going to a guild branch so I need to look the part.”
“If you’re going in disguise anyways why not wear some cute and comfortable clothes like the pajamas you like so much?”
“I can’t go in my pajamas, mama. If I do that people might find out.”
“Find out what?”
“That I’m a baby.”
“But every Dragon and Beastfolk who know Dragons will know that you are from your scent, anyways.”
“I have a solution for that.”
“Oh~ What is it?”
“I’ll just lie to them!”
“I see and what will you tell them?”
“I’ll just tell them I smell like a baby because I’m a father!”
“Pfft I see…What a…snicker Well thought out plan. Do tell me how that works out for you.”
“Gao gao! I’ll tell you all about it when I come back. Are you ready, manya?”
“Yep. Though I do have to agree with mama, that plan of yours is a little…Unlikely to work.”
“No, no, it all makes sense. I am a part time silk merchant that got close to mama thanks to your connections. I got her scent on me while taking her measurements, causing me to smell like her and because I’ve been around my daughter so much I also smell like a baby. My cover story is watertight, kikikiki.”
“Riiiight…You know it’s moments like these, Rose where I really notice your mental age.”
“I’m pretty smart, huh?”
Petting my head manya answers, “Yeah, you’re a lot smarter than anyone of your age.”
“Eeeeyaaaah~”
Melina enters, “Your Highnesses, the carriage is ready.”
“Do we really need to go with the carriage, manya?”
“Well, usually I’d fly you there but since you insist on the disguise this is the only way to keep up appearances.”
“Does the carriage have windows?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Well… I was hoping that if it didn’t we could cuddle on the way there…”
“Pfft We have curtains, it will be fine.”
“Gao?”
“Yes, really.”
“Gao!”
“Now come on, let’s go, Rose.”
Getting into the carriage I transform into my draconic form and stay close to manya until the carriage stops. Once we’re there, I transform back and put my mask on as I leave the carriage first and hold out my hand out for Scarlet to appear as though I’m escorting her.
Waiting at the front is Miguel who seems a little flustered as he sees us. He seems to be wearing the guild uniform, maybe he works here.
Walking quickly towards me he asks, “What are you doing, Rose!? That getup is totally not cute!”
“Shhhhh…I’m in disguise.”
“I can see that but…Why?”
“Because I’m here as the adventurer Thoma Ahad today obviously.”
Looking a little bewildered he turns to Scarlet and our guards who seem to try to ignore him.
“Right…Let’s go to the back entrance. Do you want me to carry you, Rose?”
“Nope! I can walk again.”
“I can see that…But I don’t think it’s healthy for you to-”
“I don’t care, I want to walk. Also I’m in disguise so call me Thoma Ahad.”
“Right…Thoma Ahad, please follow me,” In a whisper he adds, “And please be careful, Rose. The floor is made from stone. If you fall over you’ll hurt yourself.”
“Don’t worry I won’t.”
“Can you at least hold my hand while we walk? We can just say it’s because we’re friends.”
“Hmm…Sure.”
Hand in hand with Miguel we enter the guild from the back. It doesn’t look as big as the one in Old Kroy but it’s a little bigger than the one in Berk. Inside, auntie is already waiting for me.
When she looks at me she has a similar look of bewilderment on her face, “Why are you wearing that, love?”
“I’m here as Thoma Ahad today, your Grace. An adventurer of the Shooting Stars group.”
“Right…Love, why are you doing this? We’re just here to measure your mana and give you a new guild card. Also frankly you look ridiculous. Why not wear your pajamas?”
“Because I’m in disguise! Also since you will update my card it is an official guild appointment so I need to be in my adventuring outfit.”
“Okay…But is this really how you adventure? Please tell me you at least wear armor.”
“Yeah, I have leather armor for my torso and legs.”
“Leather armor…Rose, your scales are way too soft for that to be enough! And what about a helmet?”
“I don’t have one.”
“You go running around without a helmet!?”
“Yeah…Helmets are pretty expensive and they get in the way of seeing well sometimes.”
Massaging her forehead auntie thinks for a bit then answers, “The fact you survived this long truly is a miracle. If you really intend on going on adventures again it will only be after I get you better equipment.”
“Gao! Thank you auntie.”
“Sigh…Come on, let's get you to my office.”
“Are you the Guildmaster here auntie?”
“Officially I’m just the vice guild master. This job here is just a front anyways, I do the real work somewhere else.”
Auntie then points at one of the royal guards and says something in Draconic. The guard hands her a cape and she throws it over me and picks me up.
“Eh!? What are you doing auntie?”
“I don’t like you walking around in this ridiculous outfit. In fact, I don’t like you walking around at all. The office is upstairs so I’ll carry you there.”
“But-”
“No but’s, let’s go.”
Getting carried upstairs with a cape over my head, I hear some murmurs on the way. I hear a door open and close then auntie puts me on her lap and takes the cape off of me.
“That was mean, auntie!”
“I just didn’t want anyone to see you like this.”
“I have a perfect cover story though.”
“Oh~ What cover story?”
“I am a part time silk merchant that got close to mama thanks to Scarlet’s connections. I got her scent on me while taking her measurements, causing me to smell like her and because I’m a father and I’ve been around my daughter so much I also smell like a baby.”
“Pfft…How cute. Now that we’re alone could you please take that creepy mask off?”
“Sure…”
Petting my head, auntie says, “See looking a lot cuter already. Now can you please put your hand on the crystal ball?”
“Gao.”
Putting my hand on the crystal there is a small light coming from it.
“Damn…Looks like my mana went down.”
“This is genuinely concerning…”
“Is it? Should I train my mana more?”
“Please don’t. This is the orb with the largest mana resistance we have. The fact you made it light up at all means you have the mana capacity comparable to an old, high class mage. It’s quite concerning.”
“Isn’t that a good thing, though?”
“No…This is concerning.”
Auntie then gets out what looks like a magic wand and hands it to me.
“Try channeling your mana into this.”
“Gao.”
Channeling my mana into the wand, six orbs fly out of it. A black one, a red one, a blue one, a yellow one, a green one and a gray one.
“So you have an affinity for all elements…It’s not surprising but…It’s still more than impressive.”
“But I only had an affinity for Dark and Spirit magic the first time we measured it.”
“That’s because you weren’t touched by the Spirit Kings yet. You have touched the embodiments of all elements. It only makes sense you were impacted by it. Now please put your hand on this crystal ball.”
“Gao.”
Putting my hand on it, the ball shines in a purple light.
“Fascinating…Your mana has a purple color. I know it is theoretically possible but I have never seen it before.”
“What does it mean that my mana is purple?”
“It means that you naturally produce mana that has a perfect balance of the water and fire element. Most people don’t have any color for their mana but as Dragons we all have a red color due to us being descendants of Ifrit.”
“What does it mean to have colored mana?”
“Hmm…Well, usually it means that the element of your color is enhanced when you cast spells and that you can’t cast spells of an opposing element. But your mana is a complete xxx it’s two opposites working together in perfect harmony. I’m not sure if that would even be possible without the Spirit Kings directly intervening.”
“That’s really good though, right? Doesn’t that just mean I’m strong?”
“You’re too strong, love. If people find out about it it will be really bad. You’d become a target. So please, don’t tell anyone about this.”
“Can I tell Rayla and my friends?”
“...”
“No. I’ll vet them first and if they can be trusted I will tell them.”
“Gao…”
“Also…I’ll obviously have to talk to your mama about this first but I’m thinking of getting you a magic teacher.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Aren’t you interested in it?”
“Hmm, I am but I’ll probably only stay for another three months or so. So it’s not really worth it to get a teacher. But maybe I should ask some spirits to teach me spells.”
“Spirits are unreliable. Also you don’t know for sure you will leave in three months. At least learn the basics and some defensive spells.”
“But wouldn’t that just be a waste of money?”
“Rose, we have enough money.”
“I guess that’s true…I’ll try then.”
“Good, I’ll make sure to call someone suitable.”
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