At the Vaust Duchy, a land placed at the northern part of the Kingdom of Virelmora, surrounded not just by ancient ruins but by people who loved the area for being undemanding in both religion and politics. Duke Caelren Vaust had just returned late at night after going shopping with Sylvara and the idiot Varien, who somehow still hadn't burned the guild hall to the ground. A slight annoyance crossed his mind when he thought of Varien. They had known each other since knight training over thirty years ago. Some would even say they were close friends, but Caelren still didn't understand why Varien hadn't thought to educate the girl before taking her out of the dungeon.
No point in thinking about that.
He sighed as he stepped inside the grand manor he called home. He had told Sylvara he would ask his son a favor, and he was a man of his word. Honestly, he did not yet know what to make of the girl, but asking for a tutor had been a wise decision.
"Tom," Caelren beckoned his personal butler, "bring Seris to my study. I have something to ask of him."
"Yes, Your Grace," Tom bowed and left the foyer.
Caelren's gaze drifted to the family portrait hanging nearby—himself, his beautiful wife Amelia, and their son Seris. Amelia had a striking head of deep violet hair and eyes the color of sea-blue water. A sage of the magical arts, her specialty was water magic. He missed her, but for now she was required to remain in the Royal Capital, splitting her time between duty and home. With a quiet shake of his head, he turned and made his way to the study.
He had barely settled behind his desk when two polite knocks sounded against the door, followed by Tom's muffled voice. "Your Grace, Young Master Seris is here."
"Come in."
Relief followed—Seris hadn't kept him waiting long. The journey between the duchy and Cindralis could take upward of two hours.
"Father, you wished to see me?" Seris entered and bowed respectfully, posture straight and disciplined, every inch a knight in training.
"Yes, Seris. I have a favor to ask—if you are willing," Caelren began, careful to keep his tone measured rather than commanding. "If you are available during the coming three weeks, there is someone in need of tutoring. In… most subjects. She is new to much of it."
Seris blinked in surprise. It was rare for his father to ask a favor rather than issue an order, rarer still for it to be on someone else's behalf. Still, Seris did not hesitate.
"Yes, Father. I can tutor them," he replied honestly. With time before the Noble Academy began, his days were largely spent advancing his own studies and training. With a sage for a mother, he could hardly afford complacency. "When should I begin? And who am I tutoring?"
"Her name is Sylvara. I am sponsoring her," Caelren replied. "I will spare the details for now, but she is around fifteen years of age and currently staying at the Meridian Guild. You may begin whenever you like—sooner would be better. I will arrange for you to stay with Varien, so accommodations will not be an issue."
The conversation concluded smoothly. As Seris departed, Caelren leaned back in his chair, quietly satisfied.
This, at least, was a step in the right direction.
After the bath, I was tired.
That was the single thought floating through my mind as I tried to decide what to do next. Checking the pocket watch, I saw it was 11:30. Wasn't it just nine-something earlier? I suppose time really does fly when you're soaking in a good bath.
I wondered if the duke had managed to find me a tutor like he said he would. I'd rather start as soon as possible—I needed a solid grasp of this new script I kept seeing everywhere. It would benefit me greatly in the long run.
But what could I offer in return? I didn't have any coins. Maybe there was something I brought with me from Eldraxis that a tutor might appreciate. I wouldn't give away Obsidryx's scales, of course—but a minotaur horn might work. I hadn't broken it off myself; those brutes loved to spar in their free time, though I could never tell where sparring ended and brawling began.
That made it perfect. An A-rank minotaur horn wasn't something humans typically came by—it would make a fine gift. Maybe the dwarven blacksmith I met could turn it into something more presentable before I offered it.
With my mind made up, I felt satisfied.
A knock sounded at my door. When I opened it, a receptionist stood there. Pale skin, a long-sleeved blouse paired with a long skirt, pale orange eyes, and black hair. When I noticed the faint fangs at her mouth, realization clicked—oh, a vampire. Nyx had mentioned them before. Cool. I'd never met one.
I must have been staring too long, because a light blush crept onto her face. Whoops.
"You have a visitor in the lobby," she said. "Guild Master Varien is busy with paperwork, so I was sent to fetch you. My name is Cherry."
I nodded and followed her. She was fairly short—maybe five feet tall.
As we reached the lobby, I saw what looked like a younger version of the duke—but different in a way I couldn't immediately place. He stood a little shorter than Duke Caelren, his posture straight and disciplined, the kind that came from training rather than authority. His hair was the same deep blue as the duke's, though cut short and kept neat—practical rather than ornamental.
What caught my attention most were his eyes. Pale, icy blue, like water just beginning to freeze—clear, sharp, and thoughtful. They didn't carry the same cold weight as the duke's gaze, but there was a quiet intensity there, the look of someone who observed more than he spoke.
He was dressed simply but well: scholar's robes layered neatly over light training gear, as if he moved easily between books and the practice yard. When his eyes met mine, a brief flicker of curiosity passed through them—measured, not judgmental—before he inclined his head politely.
This had to be the duke's son.
"My name is Seris Vaust. My father informed me that you were in need of tutoring assistance."Seris lifted his head and looked at me.
Is this when I should introduce myself too? Surely he already knows who I am if he spoke to Duke Caelren… right?
"My name is Sylvara," I replied. "Let's head to my room to talk—or the room full of books on the third floor." I gestured away from the many eyes and ears filling the guild lobby.
He looked surprised at my suggestion as we walked. Maybe it was because I hadn't used the proper name for the third-floor room. Nyx and Varien had both told me what it was called—I just couldn't remember.
We reached my room quickly. Once inside, I finally spoke more freely.
"I'm new to life up here and need help reading the newer script. If you can also assist with mathematics, sociology, economics, or any other subjects, I would truly appreciate it." I hesitated, then continued honestly. "In return, all I can offer right now is an A-rank minotaur horn. I can bring it to the blacksmith if you'd like it turned into something specific."
As I spoke, I picked up my bag and began placing my books inside.
Seris looked as confused as Duke Caelren had in the carriage when I mentioned a new script, but he nodded and followed me to the room full—
It's called a library!That was the word. I could finally stop overthinking it.
"Based on what you've told me," Seris said thoughtfully, "I'll assume you're familiar with the older script. I'll bring a book from that era, along with a beginner's text to teach you the modern alphabet and help you start recognizing words."
He scanned the library, deep in thought, pulling not only books from the shelves but also a wheeled chalkboard and sticks of chalk. He stopped at a nearby desk where a green-haired elf man was working, retrieving paper and quills before returning to me with everything.
He handed me the older script book first.Book of Botany and Medicinal Practices.
My eyes widened. "If this is still current, I don't know much about the plant life or medicine up here."
When I looked up, Seris was staring at me in surprise—like he couldn't believe I could read the cover, yet had expected it at the same time.
"When you said new script, I briefly wondered if you were from a different kingdom," he admitted with a soft smile. "Knowing you meant the ancient language eases my concerns. This should be manageable."
He placed alphabet cards on the table beside a thin, empty book. "The languages are similar—but also very different. I'll adjust your learning plan as we go, so be prepared."
I read through the botany book but couldn't finish it as part of the lesson. Instead, I worked through a chapter, translating it into the new script inside the thin book. The alphabet cards stayed in front of me the entire time.
Every mistake I made was corrected immediately.
Seris insisted this method would help me learn to read, write, and study all at once. I couldn't argue—it was working. After what felt like three hours, there were already words I no longer needed to pause and translate.
"Good," Seris said calmly. "Now that your language work is finished for today, let's move on to history."
He sounded completely at peace, like he never wanted to leave the library.How nice.
The rest of the day continued much the same. When I finally checked my watch, it read 4:50 PM.
Goodness, I couldn't miss dinner.
"Seris, that's enough for today. Let's go eat," I said, standing and stretching.
We'd been in the library so long that Cherry had brought us lunch earlier. I suspected Seris might genuinely live among the books, but he agreed without complaint.
For dinner, I had hamburger steak with an egg and roasted vegetables, along with a fruit juice I couldn't quite identify. Seris ordered steak and vegetables with wine—something about that brought flashbacks of his father. Similar tastes, it seemed.
Before parting, he told me that after training each day, I could find him in the library. He said he was happy to have a pupil.
The last thought I managed before sleep claimed me was this:
Can I really learn everything… or will my head explode first?