Villager Three

"Magic is willpower and intent given form with mana, which is easier with a strong mental image, and hence magic is tied to language. Language itself, you see, is intrinsically a method for communicating one's ideas and understood concepts to others. It's a magic in itself!

"When the Gods wove magic into this world of Gaea, which previously held none of its own, they had to use an... Anchor, of sorts. They had to pick an Arcane Tongue, as one did not already exist.

"There were many languages at the time the merger began. And so the Gods chose the one that was spoken most commonly throughout all the kingdoms of the world - a language we now know as Enliss.

"Our knowledge of this language has dwindled over time. Those who spoke it fluently have long gone to their eternal rest, and our magic has weakened because of it. But this! This child! This miraculous child!" Professor Liam's brown eyes sparkled with excitement, his nose twitching at rapid speed. He spoke so fast Brigit had to struggle in understanding him, but once it sunk in her eyes widened. "This, this, this... This has gone beyond me, my dear ladies! Miss Brigit, would you mind bringing this wonderful young lady along to meet Archmage Karl with me?"

It was Brigit's turn to splutter tea. Kira glanced at her teacup and wrinkled her nose, having second thoughts about drinking it since everyone's reaction to the flavor was so poor. Her hopes of having someone understand her were already crushed, so she focused instead on stealing the rest of the snacks from the tea tray.

"Archmage? How... That's... You... But?" Not just anyone could meet Archmage Karl DuFeu! How could some random Professor running a tiny translation service shop have connections so high up in the Council!?

"Ah, don't get me wrong, it's not a personal connection. It's a professional one! I am a humble member of a Group led by Sir Karl, one for Enliss enthusiasts and researchers like himself. My ranking isn't very high, but if I mention this in a correspondence I'm sure-"

"Professor!" Brigit interrupted, holding out her hand. "Please. Kira's situation is... Delicate. I just wanted a way to communicate with her, not parade her in front of the city's leaders. There's no need to trouble the Archmage over this."

Professor Liam paused, then glanced at Kira. A quick Scan told him all he needed to know, and he sat back down with a heavy sigh. "I see. Oh dear. She's... She's Clanless."

"Yes. And in my care. I alone lack the ability to protect her, or..." Brigit looked down at her hands and clenched them into tight fists. "Even warn her of what's to come, should she draw attention."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that, my dear." Professor Liam nibbled on a biscuit from the tray, carefully avoiding meeting the Drakke's suddenly fearful eyes. "You passed into the city legally, I assume? From the front?"

"Yes, but-"

"So the child has been verified by a guard."

"Yes, she- Oh."

"I'm sure that guard will enjoy a nice bonus and promotion after informing their superiors that a Clanless Human child has been led into the city. The Council has probably already been made aware... And it's all the more reason to meet Sir Karl!

"As an Archmage of the Council and Headmaster of the Atmont Academia, Sir Karl enjoys a unique position of neutrality and power that would benefit the child to be associated with."

"I see..." Brigit sighed, her shoulders slumping. She really didn't have a knack for complicated political shenanigans, her mind couldn't wrap around the intricate nets and intrigue woven by those holding seats of power. She just wanted to watch over the little Human girl who trusted her.

The only reason she even seriously considered following the professor's advice was because he was a Lepidor. They had strong familial instincts, to the point that they'd never willingly endanger the young of other species and have even been known to risk their lives in protecting the hatchlings of strangers! If a Lepidor was recommending she speak to Sir Karl then it was probably for the best.

"Then... Professor Liam, if you would...?"

"Yes, yes, of course! I'll contact him right away. He's a very busy man and may take awhile to respond, do make yourselves comfortable in the meantime." Professor Liam's ears twitched, and he turned to face Kira. His face screwed into a strange expression, as though he was trying to remember a complex mathematical formula without any notes or references. 「 Wait. Time. Short. 」

Kira dropped her handful of snacks, mouth falling open in shock. 「 So you... You do understand me! Or no wait... That wasn't even a proper sentence. Drat. Wait time short? Wait time is short? Or Wait for a ... Ah! Wait for a little while! I bet that's it. 」

She nodded to show she understood. The professor clapped his hands with delight, then opened his Interface to send a message.

.....

Archmage Karl DuFeu was in a foul mood.

His agents sent word the other Council Members were in a tizzy over something, but it was so hush-hush that not even his best Smokewalkers could find the details. Everything was locked down with the highest security, and they purposefully left him out of the loop.

In fact, they kept sending people over with more tasks they knew he couldn't refuse just to keep him busy and away from their business. That abominable Roy Fultree even had some of his younger family members cause a ruckus in the Academia that would require his personal attention to resolve.

Annoying.

Really annoying!

He was the youngest Archmage in Atmont history, the youngest Headmaster of Atmont Academia, youngest member of the Council...

And they never let him forget it!

All those old geezers really treated him like a useless brat. Condescending, pedantic, jealous power-hungry short-sighted old...

Karl would have been a rather handsome young Dragon were it not for his furious expression and the twin plumes of smoke spiraling out of his nostrils.

Emerald green reptilian eyes, chiseled features, beautiful spiraling horns and long pointed ears both heavy with gold cuffs and gems dangling from gold chains, matching the many bracelets and cuffs on his arms. Scarlet hair hung loose down his back to just past his knees, decorated sparsely with a few tiny braids and kept away from his face by a twisted gold circlet.

Despite the opulence of his accessories, Karl's tall and lean figure was clothed simply in a sleeveless maroon robe tied with a gold sash. Scarlet scales the same shade as his hair hugged the outer and back sides of his body, fading away to expose bronze skin on his face, neck, and the insides of his arms.

In his brow was embedded an oval emerald gem that matched his eyes, and seemed to give off a faint glow of its own.

He paced the full length of his office, back and forth and back and forth, until his most trusted and loyal assistant was tempted to smack the Archmage upside the head.

"Sir Karl," Lilian sighed, counting backwards from ten in her mind to keep calm. "If you throw a tantrum - ah, excuse me, if you lose your temper - it will only prove those old bastards - gentlemen - correct in their assessment of you."

Lilian was an Automata, a Being formed from inorganic materials. Her blood was alchemical fluid pumped through muscle tissue crafted of crystalfiber mesh over a skeleton of solid adamantium. Armored plates of mithril formed a protective outer shell. Only elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle joints were exposed to air, revealing the neon red crystalfiber mesh protected by localized mana barriers.

Her eyes were glowing white lenses, her carefully sculpted and delicate face the exact same design as all other sister Automata. Bright red shimmering runes sparkled in contrast to the silvery white mithril on the top and back of her head.

As an Automata, Lilian was sentient with thoughts, feelings, complex emotions and opinions of their own. In many ways her kin were like organic Beings, except they were physically incapable of reproducing, or telling lies.

She could be diplomatic with her truths, carefully picking through words like a chef perusing vegetables for dinner. She could refuse to speak when questioned, or just neglect to offer information on her own.

But where was the fun in that?

Lilian enjoyed using the truth as a tool. And those old farts who kept being rude to her boss were high on the list of personal annoyances anyway, so she didn't watch her words in the least where they were concerned.

What could they do about it? She was an Automata. And as a companion who watched over Sir Karl since he was an egg, Lilian was well aware he wouldn't dismiss her from his service just for offending some peers.

Peers he was mad at anyway.

"If I were to guess, I would think those old farts - ah, gentlemen - were keeping things from you because it is something in which you would stand in opposition." Lilian spoke frankly, her monotone voice failing to hide the snark behind her words. "And as you possess high popularity among the general populace in addition to influence over the Atmont Academia, standing in direct opposition to you publicly is tantamount to professional suicide."

"Yes, yes, thank you Lilian. I assumed as much!" Karl sighed, dropping into the big heavy chair behind his desk. "What's next on the schedule? If it's those blasted formulae from Ogben's workshop-"

"Professor Liam requested an appointment with utmost urgency. He claimed to have met someone fluent in Enliss, so I-"

"Bring them here immediately!" Karl slammed his hands on the desk, sparks flying from his mouth and threatening to set the papers on his desk ablaze. Lilian calmly produced a handkerchief from her Inventory, dipped it in a vase of flowers, and threw the wet cloth at Karl's face to calm him down.

"As I was saying, Sir Karl. I inserted them into the schedule, they are your next appointment. Professor Liam has already sent them over."

Someone knocked on the closed office door a few moments later. Lilian waited for Karl to hastily remove the wet cloth and toss it aside before opening the door long enough to let two girls inside.

A young teal Drakke and a Demi of some sort who stared at his magnificent horns with the appropriate amount of awe.

If he knew she was silently comparing his horns to gemelli pasta noodles, he'd probably cough up blood.

"Sir Karl, this is Brigit Cinderscale and Kira Hawthorne, here on Professor Liam's recommendation." Lilian bowed her head and stepped back.

Karl stood straight at an impressive 2.1 meter height, clasped his hands behind his back, and released control of a single percent of his aura. Any more and the hearts of the low level girls would probably explode.

He didn't even need to Scan them to see both were in the lower side of Rank F. And one claimed to know Enliss?

Laughable!

They were so young and weak he could almost see eggshell fragments in their hair like fresh hatchlings, how could they have the time to study it? Much less the resources?

If they had access to the kind of funding and resources required to learn Enliss enough to claim fluency, the girl would be wearing shoes! And the Drakke would certainly have a much nicer sword on her hip!

His already foul mood darkened even further, and the suppression from his aura increased until the Drakke woman started struggling to breathe.

The danger of crushed expectations. He'd had his hopes up, only to find them dashed against the rocks before they could even try to fly.

Professor Liam was going to get an earful later!

Karl crossed the length of his office in a few steps and loomed over the Drakke, whose teeth were clattering as her entire body visibly trembled. Dragons were a higher evolutionary form of Drakke, so his aura suppression was especially effective on her. She couldn't move or speak. "So, you are the one with the audacity to claim fluency in Enliss? Little Drakke?"

「 Knock it off you giant bully! 」

Karl looked down, emerald eyes wide open. The tiny Level 1-F Demi girl-

No.

He Scanned her quickly and his mouth dropped open.

A Human hatchling!

A Clanless Human hatchling!

Speaking Enliss! True Enliss with the appropriate mana resonance, weaving together into a fluid song unlike any Enliss chants or phrases he'd ever had the privilege to translate!

Real, fluent Enliss!

The thin Human girl fought against his suppression and moved to stand between him and the Drakke, holding her arms out as though she sought to shield the woman behind her. Her bright blue fox eyes were filled with defiance and anger, even as her face was pale and shimmering with cold sweat.

Karl dropped to the ground in a kowtow and pulled back his aura. "I sincerely apologize!" Followed immediately by: 「 Sincere apologize! 」

Kira jumped in surprise. Unlike Professor Liam's halting awkward use of a few words, the guy with noodle horns... The words he said, even though he only used two, just fit better together than the stilting ones used by the rabbit man.

She didn't know why she had that impression.

「 Then don't do it again. Or else I won't forgive you! 」 Kira stomped her foot, trying to look serious and intimidating just in case he didn't understand her. Behind her, Brigit gasped for breath and tried to reorient herself.

「 Yes! Many gratitude! 」 Karl sat up like an obedient child before their favorite teacher, hands resting on his knees and eyes sparkling bright. He reluctantly pulled his gaze away long enough to flash a glare at the quietly snickering Automata in the corner. "Lilian, send Professor Liam a bonus and Gold-tier accolade on behalf of the Group. Clear my schedule for the day, make whatever excuses you like. Then guard the perimeter."

"Yes, Sir Karl." Lilian left the office, leaving a very confused Brigit and slightly amused Kira alone with the enthusiastic Archmage.

"I truly am sorry, Miss Brigit." Sir Karl said, climbing to his feet and gesturing to the comfortable chairs in front of his desk. "When I first saw you both, I... Well, I assumed someone was pulling my leg about one of you speaking Enliss."

"Understandable, Sir Karl. It's quite an outrageous claim coming from people of our level." Brigit smiled faintly but refused to meet the Dragon's eyes. He was just too strong.

How was she supposed to watch over Kira if she couldn't even defend herself?!

"I am an Enliss enthusiast, it is my... My Fixation." Karl's cheeks turned a bit red. Most Dragons had Fixations on gems, minerals, jewels or even specific creatures. The level of their interest could vary from mild hobby to life-consuming obsession. But his was something as intangible and difficult to collect as a language! Dragons prided themselves on their Hoards and the flaunting of such, yet his was...

Rather pitiful in comparison.

Enliss was almost a dead language, used for magic but no longer spoken conversationally. Translating old texts required enormous time and effort, especially since the language itself was difficult, nuanced, convoluted and complex as hell.

His Hoard consisted of several hundred books, a few translated texts, and a rudimentary grasp of the language. Not exactly something he could take pride in.

"Then it's even more understandable," Brigit said, her expression softening. A Dragon getting a mad due to his Fixation... She counted herself lucky he didn't char her into a crisp when he thought she was lying. "Kira doesn't speak Common, Sir Karl. I wanted to find her a tutor, but all she understands is Enliss..."

"A tutor? No no no that won't do at all. It would take far too long, and I have so many questions... I need to make amends anyway. Wouldn't having an accessory with Translate be more convenient for now?" Karl slipped off a gold ear cuff and held it in his palm. Green magic circles appeared one after one as he fired off a list of Spells. "[Enchant Accessory]. [Imbue], [Translate: Common]. [Imbue], [Skill: Disguise Species], replace Human with Demi-Elf. [Imbue], [Emergency Contacts], register the Brigit Cinderscale and Karl DuFeu currently present. [Imbue], [Crisis Signal]. [Imbue], [Locater], broadcast to emergency contacts only. [Imbue], [Hide Accessory Enchantments]."

Kira raised her eyebrows. She could understand most of what he said! They sounded like Spell names... But whatever he mumbled in between the names was back to gibberish.

The green magic circles hovering above the ear cuff spun in place and descended onto the accessory. They flashed bright light for a few moments, then dimmed to leave only the cuff in Karl's hand which he held out to Kira. 「 Gift. Please adorn. 」

Kira glanced at Brigit, waiting for her encouraging nod before taking the cuff and clipping it into place on her left ear.

Brigit wasn't surprised an Archmage Dragon would be able to make such a high level and valuable accessory in mere minutes, then hand it over to a hatchling like it was a mere toy. Especially since he was trying to curry favor with someone who could fluently speak his Fixation language!

"Can you understand me now, Kira?" Brigit asked.

Kira's expression went from confusion to surprise and finally delight in the span of seconds. "Yes! Then, can you understand me too?"

What a strange sensation. She was speaking English, but the other two seemed to hear something else. And when they spoke, her ears heard the same gibberish as always but she just... Knew what it meant.

Too bad the knowledge didn't seem to stick. 'More like a video stream than a file download, huh?' Kira thought with interest.

Magic was really neat!

"I can understand you too!" Brigit laughed and clasped both of Kira's hands in her own. "I've been wanting to thank you, Kira. If you hadn't shown up when you did, and scared those guys off, they would have..."

"Ah? So they really were bad guys..." Kira scowled. She regretted not throwing rocks at those pig-men's short little legs as they ran away yesterday. "Sorry, I didn't know if anyone was in the wrong there or I would have done something sooner. Falling in the middle of you guys was an accident, though."

Brigit chuckled. What could a Level 1-F do against a few Level 5-F? Even if she was Human! And she looked so serious, like she really would have done something for her sake. Brigit felt a comfortable fuzzy warmth well up in her heart. "Thank you all the same."

"You've helped me a lot since then, I think we're square!"

Karl cleared his throat to remind the ladies of his presence. "Yes, well. Miss Kira, please accept that ear cuff as my apology for startling you and Miss Brigit with my... Rather imm.a.t.u.r.e outburst. As I told Miss Brigit, I thought I was being made a fool of, and I lost my temper."

Kira turned to scowl at him. "Look, mister-"

"Karl. Karl DuFeu."

"Mister Karl. You should be more careful of your temper in the future! No one likes a bully."

Color drained from Brigit's face with every word Kira spoke, until she looked more gray than teal. But Karl just laughed, propping his chin on his hand. "You're absolutely right. I've been in a bad mood, but that's no excuse to take it out on others."

"It's good that you know! Behave better in the future." Kira crossed her arms and let out a soft 'hmph', fully displaying her disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Karl grinned wider.

He was being scolded by a child but didn't look embarrassed or angry at all. Despite the first impression he left on her, Kira couldn't help liking him a little.

Plus he had noodle horns, and that was pretty funny.

"How old are you, Miss Kira?"

"Um..." Her scowl faded, her gaze shifting to focus on her hands. "14, I think? Kind of. Technically. I think also much older than that. Like a lot older. But I'm not sure how much more older cuz I don't know how much time has passed so..."

Both Brigit and Karl raised their brows in surprise. Karl waved a hand, and a large green magic circle formed on the floor of the office.

-----

NOTICE: You have entered an isolation array.

-----

Kira glanced at the tooltip that popped up and raised her brows as well, but for a different reason from the other two. "What's an isolation array?"

"A Spell for keeping out eavesdroppers," Karl said, folding his hands together on the desk and leaning forward. His grin vanished, replaced by a very serious expression as he fixed his gaze on Brigit. "Miss Brigit?"

Unlike before, Brigit met his gaze directly. "Even if it was an accident how it happened, I owe Kira my life."

Nodding, Karl turned back to the bemused Human hatchling looking back and forth between him and the Drakke. "Very well. Miss Kira, can you tell us your story?"