Chapter 80 - 81
"Can all Drunaeda do magic? Or is it the same for them as other people, where it’s only one in a hundred or so?"
A bit of pride conflicting with the bittersweet look in his eyes, the old man raised his bald head by a few degrees. "As a matter of fact, they can. Each tribe or clan has its own specific attributes and abilities, just as with people that aren’t Drunaeda. For us, however, we can only have up to two attributes, and even this is rare. You, my boy, would be an anomaly to most of my people."
Alistar blew on a spoonful of stew and then took a delicious bite. "It’s nothing special," he said modestly. "I’ve read that there are plenty of people that have four or five attributes, so having three isn’t too impressive."
Laughing, Mr. Herst gave him an affectionate smile. "Even among the noble houses, three attributes is a big deal, Alistar. I doubt that anyone else in all of Distan has more than two." Growing a bit more serious, he added, "Which is why you shouldn’t advertise your abilities. Remember, lad, the greatest advantage you can have in life is to be underestimated. You never know when a hidden ability could mean the difference between life and death, and I daresay that such advice will come in handy when we consider your future intentions."
"I...how did you know?"
"It’s clear to me that you miss young Kaila very dearly. Knowing what kind of person you are, I can’t imagine that you’ll simply ignore her situation for the rest of your days."
Mr. Herst was far more aware than Alistar had given him credit for. He hadn’t told anyone aside from a few of his friends that he planned to rescue Kaila within the next three years. He had told the old man all about his training in both magics and the way of the sword, which evidently had been enough for him to come to an accurate conclusion.
"If you were me, could you?"
Mr. Herst gave a sad shake of his head, but then told Alistar to focus on his dinner lest it get cold. The two enjoyed the simple yet tasty meal, talking about interesting facts that either of them had read in the most recent books that they’d picked up. For the next hour or so, they discussed different areas within the Holy Lucian Empire, including Providence Region, which was the province where both the emperor and the pope resided. What Alistar found most interesting about this part of the empire was that it was known as The Land of One Hundred Counties, where the highest ranking nobles were limited to counts, all of whom jointly ruled their counties with a bishop, archbishop, or cardinal of the church.