Verlin Merlin
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Chapter 46- Why are the Deans just so nosy?
🕑 Added 2022-06-16 14:43:07 +0000 UTCMa sighed, her frustration evident. "I thought we already had that conversation."
"No, we had that conversation about you hiding the fact that you were the Scholar, not your knowing the most wanted rebel on the continent on a personal level. And I presume this friendship comes with knowing her location too?" Ray asked, exasperated.. "So there's another reason for the Xnarthan to want to hunt you."
"The Xnarthan wanted to hunt me the second I became the Scholar. And look who's talking about the Xnarthan wanting to hunt people." Ma said.
"I don't go around giving them more reasons to want to hurt me! But you seem to be just fine with doing that, Scholar of Afrieal." Ray answered.
"I did it to help you." Ma stated, standing up as she took a deep breath in.
"Well, I didn't ask for your help!" Ray answered.
"Ray, you're my son, you don't need to ask for help, it comes without saying." Ma answered, her voice calm.
Ray took a deep breath in, shouting would help no one. "Ma, I don't know who you are anymore. I thought you spent the day earning, so I could go to the program, and I still thank you for that. But now you tell me you were meeting with the rebellion and making some organization. Tell me, is the Rebel Queen really so accessible among the rebellion that anyone can befriend her?"
"No, Antasia is...a little cut-off to be honest. I just happened to meet her years ago." Ma said.
"Just happened to meet the leader of the rebellion?" Ray asked, suspicious.
"Yes, as suspicious as it sounds, I just met her. Antasia scouted me, said I had talent. I already knew that." Ma said, taking her seat again. Ray followed, taking a seat facing Ma.
"And then she offered me money. I needed the money, Ray." Ma said.
"So, the Rebel Queen has been buying your cookies for a long time." Ray noted.
"Not quite... Antasia didn't want my cookies, she wanted my opinion." Ma answered, hesitantly. "In addition to getting knowledge, I can also derive things from it. I don't know if it's a part of my element, or just a talent I have. But I can do it."
"So you're her advisor." Ray noted again.
"Yes, I suppose you could say that." Ma said, tilting her head.
"I see..." Ray sighed, this wasn't going to go anywhere. "What can you tell me about the Satyr problem? Is there anything we should know?"
"Yes, I suspect the Xnarthan are behind it. "Ma said, putting her elbows on the table while shifting forward, "Before you panic about that, the current Xnarthan strength is not enough to pose any threat to the rebellion. Antasia is Tier 29 already, and there are quite a few other powerful people in the rebellion. I expect they're planning to go public as soon as they're sure the Emperor can't kill them all with a single stroke of his sword."
The rebellion was far more powerful than Ray had thought it would be, weaker... Why had they been silent this long? Wait, had they? The rebels did loot the Order of Mage Warriors, and Ray doubted it was the first to be targeted by them.
Ray was sure that if he checked the list there would be a rise in burglaries, murders and assassination. The nobles killed and burgled so often that it must have been presumed to be another noble. Not to mention, the rebels were intelligent. Ray was sure a number of cases had been 'solved' with the blame landing on other nobles.
Or maybe he was just letting his brain run wild. But Ray doubted it. What was the probability that the rebels hadn't acted at all?
"Ray, there is something else we need to talk about." Ma said, drawing Ray's attention to her.
"What is it, Ma?" Ray asked.
"I may need to leave soon." MA said.
"Leave? Why?" Ray asked, now confused again.
"The Academy Dean has requested my Academy records. The records don't have much, just the fact that I have a standing case for a Barony that I refuse to accept. But it's only a matter of time before he finds something."
"Wouldn't he be less likely to suspect something after knowing your noble background? Why would he become more suspicious? Or would you having a grudge impact that?" Ray asked, alarmed.
Ma sighed, "Yes, he would be less suspicious. At first. But that will change once I start acting again, it's only a matter of time before someone connects the Scholar to me."
"So you're going to escape?" Ray asked.
"No, I have a plan for when the time comes, I just want you to be ready. Ariana will take care of you, I have already talked with her about it." Ma said.
"What do you mean you have to escape? Why exactly are you not escaping? No, this makes no sense. Ma, what are you hiding again." Ray asked.
"I am not hiding anything, you just haven't connected the dots. An escape is not an option, the only place I could possibly escape to would be the Elven lands, and the Emperor is likely to resume the advance soon. The Empire has gained much in the last few weeks, but the rebels have grown more.
To maintain the lead, the Emperor needs a new, faster source of mana. The Elves are that source. Didn't you get mana from killing Corriss? Just imagine the mana from killing all those Elves. Though I suspect they'll be taking prisoners this time.
The price of herbs used in mind control potions has gone up tenfold, the stocks are dropping. But the production has more than tripled. The only answer is that someone is buying them all up." Ma said.
"So we can escape somewhere else, the Satyrs are an option..." Ray began.
"No, they aren't. The Satyrs do not take others in, at all. And they certainly don't take Humans. Antasia has been trying to score a visit to Carti, the only Satyr city in the world, for decades. But no luck.
The fact that most of their population is nomadic means that they have limited security measures in place, they have no army, limited government and wartime measures. The city's location is secret, at least to me. The only way to enter is to be escorted in, and no Satyr is doing that." Ma said.
Ray took a deep breath in, frustrated. "So you're just going to let them find you? The College Dean has a lot of Fae artifacts-"
"No, Ray. I am not going to plan to die. I can't share my plan with you, it would reduce its effectiveness and put you at risk. But please know that I will make sure that I survive." Ma said. Ry didn't doubt it, but it still irked him that she was taking such a big risk.
And he had a hunch that it was because of him, Ma could easily just live in the rebel base and be safe. But because he was on the surface...she was too.
"Ray." Marcus said, peeping in. "Oh, you're here. I forgot the time."
"No, I am early. I didn't see the point in waiting..." Marcus said, looking at the two of them sitting as if in some kind of negotiation. Ray turned to Ma, who nodded.
"Marcus, I would like you to meet my mother, Matilda Rosenmund, the Scholar of Afrieal." Ray said as Marcus turned towards her in shock.
"Oh. So, can you tell me why Gordon is so good at knowing where Rena is?" Marcus asked, trying to make some kind of joke. Ma split into laughter, though even Ray couldn't tell what she was laughing at.
"So, do you have a plan, honored Scholar?" Rena asked, her awkwardness at Ma's presence clear.
"No, I am just here to help if you need it." Ma said, reclining on her chair.
"So, have you come across any new information since our talk?" Rena said, glancing at Ma.
"I will leave you kids to it. Tell me, how would you like some cookies? I just got this new chocolate thing from the Elven lands..." Ma said.
"I will take one of those, please, Ms. Scholar." Gordon said. Ma smiled, as she nodded. Rena just glared at Gordon in a very 'did you just ask the Scholar for cookies' manner.
"Yes, I did." Ray interrupted, replying to Rena. "Ma said that the Xnarthan don't pose a threat to the rebellion in their current numbers."
"Ok, now I am curious. Why not? The Xnarthan have been pouring in by the thousand, and have a Tier 15 disciple of the Emperor leading them. Not to mention, there is apparently a Tier 25 Xnarthan lieutenant coming with." Rena asked.
Ray took a deep breath in, building the drama as he said. "The Rebel Queen is Tier 29. The rebellion isn't aiming for the Xnarthan, they want to fight the entire Empire head on."
