Chapter 100: Butterfly

Chapter 100: Butterfly

Im making out with Selena Gomez. Shes so beautiful and hot. We are sharing a glass of wine in a fancy NYC apartment, sitting on the hard, wooden floor that creeks a bit when you walk on it but in a good way.

Shes saying something about how Im an amazing lover between tongue lashings. I dont really have the will to listen. Shes just absorbing my full attention, and I swear, even if you dont believe me, shes just so hungry for my kisses! Shes basically slobbering all over my lips!

WOOF!

I think one of my eardrums just ruptured.

My eyes pop open, and I find Grigio on top of me while Im lying on a bed. Stan is standing by the bed, and someones asleep on a chair, bent towards my own bed.

Is that Vilith?

Grigio suddenly licks my face, and I realize that it wasnt Selena Gomez I was making out with.

OH, GRIGIO! NOT COOL, DUDE! NOT COOL! I try to push the massive dog out of the way, but its like trying to move Godzilla. Off the bed! Off!

I push, but Grigio just sits like an unmovable monk. The goddamn bastard looks like hes smirking at my plight.

Grigio, leave him alone for a second, Stanimal says while looking at the massive dog.

The dog snorts and shoots me a pitiful stare before jumping off the bed, making the floor of my room creak. This goddamn monster will cave in the pavements of my bakery one of these days.

Stanimal? Am I not in prison? I look around, surprised. I fully expected to be arrested as soon as we landed a foot outside the mine.

Some friends of yours found a way to play the law for you. And it wouldnt have been put in prison, Joey. You would have been executed, Stan says with a sad smile.

My countrymen love to say, here for a good time, not a long time, I snort. Its obvious that I do not agree with that, but Im glad I wont be hanged.

Hanged? Stan asks, confused.

Well, thats how they execute you, right? I ask, now in doubt.

Wait.

Dont tell me these freaks have people go through terrifying torture before dying

We slowly stab people with thin, enchanted blades. Some die because they bleed out after screaming for hours. It takes a while for your body to fail, especially because they use potions to make it last longer if the crime was heinous enough. They use potions until they are not effective anymore. This method was born during the first wars against Humans, Joey. Its rarely used nowadays. But Im sure the Captain would have loved to rehearse it in your honor.

Stanimal, dont be so bleak, dude. Come on. Cheer up. We slew that Dungeon! Plus, Im not going to get executed. Listen, dont tell me details about the law, ok? Id rather not know it.

Stan stifles a laugh and nods.

Oh.

Oh.

Wait a second.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

Stan? What is that laugh?

This old man is going senile, Joey. Dont pay too much attention to me.

Having said that, he slowly takes off.

Stan. Stan! STAN! WHAT DID YOU DO? STANIMAL, DONT YOU DARE LEAVE ME HERE!

My shouts seem to finally wake up Vilith, who has slept like a rock through the rest of the conversation. Waking up, she stirs quietly, like a cat. Her sharp eyes could cut, I swear. There is something about this woman that makes me piss myself in fear. Its like some very hard to describe quality that encompasses her flesh.

You, she says with a determined look in her eyes.

I cant help myself.

Me?

You, she says again.

Me, I snort.

This stuff will never get old.

How you doin? I flash her a wink, and she just stares at me. Theres no threat to break my teeth or anything like that.

She stands up and stretches an arm toward me.

[Skill Aura Lucis Acquired!]

[Skill Light Overcharge Acquired!]

God, please, give me a break.

I wish I were that strong, one of Gaiuss men tells his leader.

Our favorite baker was hiding his capabilities all along! Gaius slaps my shoulder and forces me to raise my face to the guys.

Joey! Viliths voice comes down the stairs together with her.

Here she goes, Gaius removes the hand from my shoulder and gives me a wide berth.

Holy hell, Gaius, you sneaky little raccoon. I mean, you giant, fat raccoon. Why do you act like you dont know me when Vilith comes down? Whos the boss here, you or her?

Vilith, Gaius says somberly, have you already told him about your proposal?

I can see Gaius trying his best not to laugh.

Oh, so they are in cahoots!

Lets see, should I start blasting people with my magic now that I

Wait. What about Lucillus and Antoninus? my brain finally catches up with reality.

The fact that you are a Gold-rank adventurer now justified their actions too. They were here until a few hours ago. However, they are both out of jobs right now. I took the liberty to tell them youd hire them both. Please, correct me if I was wrong.

I stare at Stan, tired. He knows Id agree to that without batting an eyelid. At this moment, I still ignore our finances, but the old guy knows what hes doing, or I like to think so, at least.

I look around, taking in the crowd of chatty people around me. Vilith still wants me to take on some weird crusade for her people. But Gaius and the others are laughing and joking about everything and nothing. Maybe, even if this is the start of my life as a part-time adventurer, I could still have some fun.

Something comes to my mind.

Oh, Stanimal, listen. I need some help with a thing later. Ive been working on a very complex spell to carry messages across great distances. So far, Ive not figured out much more than playing my voice through a light construct. I wanted to send a parting message to Lucinda since shes never given me the opportunity to reply. I have something important to tell her, and I need some closure. If you help me get some range, I can show you the spell Ive been working on!

Lucinda

Three months after her arrival at the Nine Towers Academy

It was deep into the night when Lucinda got back to her room. She opened the window to breathe some fresh air, tired after spending all this time segregated in the personal library of [Archmage] Titus. She had earned his favors after sharing her research and had got a fast-tracked apprenticeship. Everyone at the Nine Towers Academy was more than jealous of her.

She was already the star-pupil, the [Mage] you should keep your eye on and not slight because one day she was fated to join the ranks of the [Archmages].

Plus, she had also got a nice suitor among Tituss other disciples, Atticus.

Who knew what was going to happen in the future? But one thing was for sure; hers had never looked brighter.

Sometimes she felt little pangs of guilt for how she had treated Joey. But when he explained to her the insane theory he had come up with, the gears in her head started spinning unstoppably. She had to flee Amorium and bring what he told her to an [Archmage]. It had cost her a lot to get an audience, but the gamble had paid off.

In the end, even if Joey had made a crazy deduction, it didnt mean they had a future together. He was funny and easy-going, but that wasnt part of the world Lucinda was going for.

To this day, she still wondered how Joey managed to create the spells he had displayed in his bakery the day they had kissed. Lucindas ears flared a little after diving into those memories, but she tried to calm down, nonetheless.

The rose had been an insanely difficult [Light] construct, but that had been as far as Joey had gone with his magic. And Lucinda suspected he would never go further than that because of his laziness. A rose was complex enough to be impossible for him to break that ceiling.

Just as her thoughts hit that note, something appeared in her visual field.

She was now staring at a butterfly made of pure [Light], with minuscule junctures recreating the complex structure of its wings and shedding motes of light in the night as it fluttered its body around.

It was a celestial vision, something so stunning that Lucinda felt her throat go dry. Instantly, she ruled out it could have anything to do with Joey, for obvious reasons. She wondered if it was one of her masters great creations.

It was clear that it was a spell, probably an illusion, though. It would be too hard to build something like this from a simple spell matrix. It would have too many parts to visualize properly, and it could never produce such smooth movements could it?

The butterfly stopped on the edge of her windowsill, and Lucinda felt a flicker of magic vibrate through the air. Then, the butterfly spoke.

Yo! This is Joey speaking! Joey Luciani! Sad you had to go do your archmagery stuff; I will miss those buns!

Lucinda gasped and waited for several seconds to hear the rest of the message.

The butterfly took off and flew into the night, flickering and disappearing right after.

Turns out that was the whole message.