Chapter 25: Patron Journey (P2)

No. No it wasn't awkward. Not at all. Admittedly I harboured some fears of the morning after, but Elsa, well she was just very sweet about it. And accommodating. We went at it some more.

Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to enjoy it all. Not enough time to heal fully either. Garland left the day before with his family, it was a heartfelt exit, what seemed like the entire village gathered. Elsa told me she would be leaving the next with Sem. I gave them five gold, only because Elsa wouldn't take any more than that, apparently, I was filthy rich now, as rich as a noble.

And now, today, with nothing keeping me here any longer except for the adoration of the many followers of my yet to be named religion, I stood at the edge of the village and looked out to my path.

Garland went south, basically going back down to Arak village, it was safe now that the Following wiped out the cult branch there, empty, desolate, but safe. He wouldn't be making a new home there though, instead he'd be going to the Kingdom south of this one to start up his life again. Hopefully safe from the Synagogue.

Elsa and Sem went west. They had family there. Her family couldn't exactly help her much, being considered third rate just like she is, but her Husband's family could try. If all else failed she could buy herself some leeway with the gold. Having a business as an elf automatically gave you more value, just like the elf woman that gifted me that first apple, she was very at home in the market. I'd think it made you a target honestly.

I've chosen to head north. Not just because it's been the direction, I've headed all this while but because it had what I wanted. I'd asked Elsa where she thought best, I head off.

"If you're looking to make a name for yourself, you'll want to head to the centre of the March. You've got all that money now; it shouldn't be too hard to stand out." She'd said.

I fully intend to stand out. Although, not just with money. If the centre is as she said then it'd be the best place to pick up some skills and gain some repute in this Kingdom.

So, I walk. I take my first steps out of the village and seek out my goal. Power.

***

Before she left, Elsa gifted me a bag. It was more of a pack, or sack but it has handles and it could hang on my shoulders. It wouldn't be the sturdiest, but since I wasn't travelling with the merchant carriages that only came by once a week, it would help out a lot in my journey. I've filled it up with as much food as I could.

Fortunately for me, I wouldn't be getting lost or off track. There were paths leading to all four corners, all I need to do is follow them.

"So, what exactly are you going to do at the centre?"

I want to say learn. There is a large portion of knowledge I'm severely lacking and not only in magic.

"I'll buy a home. A roof over my head, a permanent one would be a nice start to a new life in the centre." The amount of money I had jingle in my pockets should be more than enough to get me a home.

"I've never been to the centre of anywhere really. It's always really…" he trails off, hand on his chin searching for the right word, "Far off? I don't know, like something really unreachable. I mean, they always have walls around them but still."

I know what he's driving at. The centre, capital of any place is often full of posh, far away people that make others feel like their life is an uphill journey by just breathing. I know those people. I've fought them, I've stolen from them. But they've always done much worse than I ever could.

In this world though, I'd be one of them. I'll make sure of it.

"And what then?"

"What then?"

"Yeah, well. Is it just house and live until you die or are you pursuing something? A man needs a goal, a purpose."

I understood that as well. Capitalism helped entrench it into the minds of everyone around me including myself. Life must have a purpose, and if it doesn't you must give it one or have someone give it to you.

No. I didn't believe in this. Not just because I was a lazy bum in my past life but because I was a smart lazy bum. Life's only purpose is to survive long enough to multiply. I knew and accepted that truth when others didn't. A man has no use other than to exist for the sake of future men.

And that's honestly what I intend to do. Even here. I'd live as long as I could, as happily as I could. This life, this world is just another chance to do so successfully. And magic is the tool that would help me do so.

"I want to rule."

Anselm stops. He turns and looks at me with a shocked look on his face. "You mean you want to become a noble? You want to own land? Have serfs, raise armies?"

"I want to become a Nation."

Even as lazy as I am, I understood most that the height of power was in the right to rule men. It would be plenty hard to fall me when I stood behind lines of men and atop towers of resources and military and economic might.

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

"Well…I'm a Necromancer." I flash a grin at his narrowing gaze, "I've only got to grow strong."

"Strong enough to beat Perlman on your own."

"Hey. I did pretty well!" We'd argued about this before. He kept exaggerating his involvement in the fight.

"I saw it all. All sides. You caught him off guard with the grip but he had more than enough mana to cancel your hold on him. He wanted you to come close, and you did."

"You're making that up."

"You're free to think so, but he had you exactly where he wanted you. Three times. If I hadn't intervened the second and last time, you'd be dead. Very dead. Like me dead." He swerves and floats right in my face as I walk, "As cool as it is to fly, I know you don't want to get killed. I don't know that you can get strong enough to be your own nation. Necromancer or no. Perlman was a B-rank mage, he was only toying with you and you nearly died."

Not for the first time, Anselm is right. I wasn't nearly strong enough to beat a fool like Perlman, the only thing that made me have so much confidence that I could pull off being strong was the Necromancer class. But I'm being too eager. I don't know anything about the class except the commonly known things. Like undead armies. I just thought I could raise an undead army large enough to defeat my enemies, whoever they might be.

But still I haven't yet managed to summon a single undead minion. It frustrated me to no end but still. I've made some progress yet. Most noticeably is the notification that kept popping up in my vision ever since I hit Level Five.

It asked if I wanted to search for a patron. Yes or No.

I kept putting it off though. I'm not sure what a patron is but with my pockets heavy with gold and Elsa sucking me dry, I couldn't be bothered to hit yes and find out back then.

It's different now though. Now it might just be what I needed to understand this class further. I vaguely remember reading something about a patron in the Pyromancer's book of spells but the details just don't come to me.

Ignoring Anselm's prattling about tasty foods he wants to try again, I hit the confirm button.

Immediately I receive a flood of alerts. My stomach clenches, feeling like its eating itself. My knees give way and I'm on the ground before I know what's happening. Everything hurt. A lot.

As I groan, writhe and scream on the ground, Anselm comes into view, screaming something at me. I can't hear him. Behind him the blue sky darkens. It fades to night in a matter of seconds. He doesn't seem to notice.

I'm slapped with another massive injection of pain and I scream. I don't think I survive.