Unwoven Destinies
Yuujiki
Chapter 9: Chapter # 8 - Magical City of Sharia
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
As far as medieval cities go, the Magical City of Sharia was an impressive one.
Up until now, I've spent years traveling in this world, and no city has hit the same. Roa used to be almost like home to me, with somewhat cozy streets and nice European-style architecture hidden behind solid fortifications. Tranquil at night, it was full of life during the day. Rikaris, on the other hand, was a city of contrasts. Built in the crater with no space to spare, with smallish buildings of clay and stone, densely populated, and no green in sight, it almost resembled an anthill at times. Until it didn't. If at day it was a dry and at times hot place, with an immense population squeezed into an almost safe hub in the middle of barely inhabitable land, at night it became so delightfully different, with the illumination and pleasant coolness all around. I'm still having mixed feelings about this one, though. Wind Port, while having some of the same issues, was different too, with the wind constantly sweeping through the hilly landscape of the place, salty air and birds, and an overall port vibe. Saint Port, not that I spent too much time there, had that Mediterranean architecture and climate and so much green that it made a stark contrast with arrivals from the Wind Port. Millishion was a fantasy material, first and foremost, so majestically beautiful that it's just unfair to compare it to any other place in this world. Straight out of high fantasy, that one. West Port and Wyvern were more Chinese than anything — I can't in good conscience call them Japanese — and yet the style of those places was undeniably familiar. So let's just say they were Chinese. Latakia felt like Vietnam, or maybe Burma. I never had a chance to visit the places, of course, but hey, there was that one time when I thought if I watched enough travel vlogs, it would help me get out of the house. It didn't.
Getting back to the topic of Sharia, the city left a pleasant first impression. It had a sense of familiarity in it — I blame the European architecture — and yet there was a lot more to it. This city is called Magical for a reason. Sure, it was the home of the world's most renowned and impressive magical institutions, such as Ranoa University of Magic, Magicians' Guild headquarters, Neris Magical Implements Workshop, and more. But the official part didn't matter all that much to me — not in the same way as it did for Princess Ariel, that is. What contributed to the impression was its subtle, intangible, and yet inherently magical atmosphere. There were no bizarre, flamboyantly magical structures like Rikaris or Millishion had. And yet, the city had a unique atmosphere, as magic seemed to seep into every single aspect of life here, from public construction to the daily lives of locals. The magic items and tools were commonly used for most mundane things; I am pretty sure I noticed a vegetable peeler and a teapot that were magic items as I peeked into one of the high-end inns close to the center of the city. This place just didn't feel medieval, at least not in the same way the rest of this world did.
Sharia also didn't face the same problems that medieval cities constantly ended up with. Part of it was magic, of course. But thorough urban planning must have been the better part of it. While there was human settlement around there, the city faced rapid growth in population and importance roughly a century and a half ago with the establishment of the Magical Triumvirate as a stable and prospering political alliance. The growth of the center of this new power wasn't left to its own devices, with joint planning from the government coming in. That much was clear if one took a look at the layout of the city. It was split into districts, with the lodging district to the south, the commercial hub in the center, the university district to the east, and the workshop district to the west. The city was based on Millishion's layout. Consequently, it avoided lots of urban problems, from slums emerging to basic problems of sanitation, racial conflicts, and even maintenance.
Ariel better take notes. For reasons, it was decided that some people should arrive ahead of the party. There was the political side: the arrival of a foreign dignitary of her status must be promptly greeted, and I was sent ahead as a messenger in order to arrange it. Personally, I was all for dumping the formal part on Luke, but he had his own part of preparations to attend to, not to mention he had that ceremonial position of Guardian Knight and had to be by Ariel's side upon her arrival. Then, there was the cloak-and-dagger part: while there was no point in hiding our association long term, there was simply no real point in parading me as a new bodyguard; it wouldn't be all that difficult for all kinds of informants to get the news of my involvement back to the Asura Kingdom. Apparently, my existence was a known fact among Asuran nobles and, amusingly enough, one of the main cover-up stories for Silent Fitz. Sylphie was adorably embarrassed when it was revealed to me two days ago in the meeting. There was also a security side to the arrangement: if, however unlikely it was, someone was going to make another assassination attempt, it was going to happen shortly upon the arrival of the princess.
It was a chilly morning as I was making my way through the streets that were just coming back to life, with no thick crowds but quite a bit of adventurers — an unusually large amount of them in robes rather than leather or steel. Vendors and just local folks going about their business. Arriving at the gates of the Magical University campus, I noted the presence of several guards by its side.
"Excuse me? I have a message for vice principal Jinas, where would I be able to find him?"
One of the guards, apparently having a bad morning, gave me a long, slightly irritated look, as if he were deciding if I was to be taken seriously.
"What kind of message?" He finally asked suspiciously.
"I'm not authorized to disclose the contents, I'm afraid. I also have a letter from him that should confirm my intentions, if you please." I fished it from one of my cloak's long pockets and took a rolled letter with a broken blue seal. This particular piece of correspondence was sent to the princess just in case of any unforeseen circumstances. I'm not sure if it was Philemon or the University staff who thought of it, but they sure were accommodating.
Taking it from my hand, the guard read it, frowning. Then he looked at me again and back to the letter. Tsk-ing, he gave it back and answered.
"You can find him at the Teachers' Building. The one with the blue roof and the statue in front of it. Go ahead." He grunted, letting me pass through the gates.
The campus consisted of a dozen or so large buildings made of large greyish bricks, several smaller ones, some facilities to be used in the summer, and spaces in between covered in snow. Lawns, gardens, and public spaces are probably there when the weather is warm. I closed my eyes for a second and imagined it in the summer. This place… feels like a campus. Huh, what a surprise. The students, mostly in their teens, were hurrying between the buildings, traveling in groups. Lessons will probably start soon. There is no particular uniform from what I've seen, and so the groups are even easier to notice. There are humans of all kinds of constitutions and attire. Lavishly clothed nobles with luscious fur cloaks seem to keep their own company, with an occasional mix of their own servants. Normal citizens' children, mixing with adventurers who seemingly don't care much for appearances. If I were there on my own, I'd probably belong to one of the latter groups, if any. My grey cloak is worn out and tattered, and there are noticeable traces of a hole from me being punctured by the Dragon God. I already noticed a dirty look or two on my way as I passed by richer students, paying them no mind.
There are also occasional demons and beastfolk of all kinds, and most notably a rowdy, bulky mixed group of half a hundred beast race and humans. I can't help but pay attention as the group passes me by, while most of the other students tend to get out of their way. While chaotic, there is an odd semblance of order in it. Two beastgirls, a cat and a dog, seem to be leaders, giving out occasional orders and conversing loudly, and the crowd seems to clear the path for them. I'm not an expert in reading body language, not to the degree of Princess Ariel or her attendants; by now I can safely say that Cleane Elrond can tell whether the person is lying based on the smallest of movements, and it is almost frightening. They're probably going to notice themselves at some point, but I'd better point these people out. That's not regular beastfolk, and the humans in their midst are a telltale sign.
Anyway, as the path finally clears, I pass through the large plaza, sparing a glance at the statue of a girl in a robe — one Frau Claudia, the founder of the University of Magic, apparently. If I didn't know better, I'd take the teachers' building for a mansion. Well, they do have some impressive magicians in their ranks, not to mention that they occasionally have to host some really important people here. From what I've heard, just Ranoa royals used to visit yearly, not to mention all kinds of dignitaries, Magicians' Guild officials, and foreign students of importance.
Upon arrival, I was greeted by a receptionist of sorts. She didn't bat an eye at my appearance and politely invited me to wait in some kind of lounge. And promtly left to fetch someone to deal with me, taking the letter with her.
The Vice Principal of Ranoa University of Magic, Jinas Halfas, turned out to be an elderly man clad in a deep blue robe. He was thin, well-groomed, and had a polite smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Greetings, young man. I am told you had a message from Princess Ariel?"
"Indeed. My name is Rudeus Greyrat, and I'm here on behalf of her majesty, Ariel Anemoi Asura, the second princess of Asura Kingdom. Thank you for meeting me on such short notice." I noticed a flash of recognition in his eyes. Well, if nothing else, Greyrat is a prominent family name.
"Think nothing of it, Rudeus. I trust her majesty is well?"
"She is quite well, although we've encountered… complications on our way. They've been mostly dealt with, of course. I believe her majesty's letter would convey the essence of current matters best. If you would?" I passed a thick, tightly rolled scroll sealed with an imprint of the royal coat of arms on golden wax.
The old man carefully scanned the letter, and as he passed greetings and pleasantries, he frowned at the contents.
"Her Majesty was attacked?" He suddenly asked, his eyes rising from the letter to me.
"Indeed, in no man's land before the Red Dragon's Upper Jaw. Fortunately, between her entourage and myself, we've managed to defeat the assailants, and her majesty herself wasn't hurt, but several good men and women had fallen in the assault." I explained with a nod.
"I see." Jinas got back to the letter. After a minute or so, he took it aside and looked at me appraisingly. "Her majesty arrives today, then?"
"I would expect so."
"I'll see to organizing a welcome fitting her stature. We'll see to providing the necessary security, of course. Now, I see her majesty also recommends you as a special student?" He narrowed his eyes a little. Barely noticeable and perfectly understandable. Who is even this boy, he must think.
"If it wouldn't be too much of a strain, of course. We would hate to impose or demand special preferences. I understand Her Majesty herself and her closest entourage are technically going to be special students as well." Technically, that is. Ariel planned to use the following years in the North to gain as much political clout as possible, and for that she would have to use her main asset, the charisma stat. In order to use it, she would have to be approachable and do a lot of work herself, between charming people, promising riches in her service, and negotiating useful deals with local noblemen and people of note. She would have to get enough money, establish new contacts, and hire enough people into her service in order to at least reestablish her intelligence network — the very first step toward her return. That's why Ariel decided to enroll as a normal student, at least publicly. And if she had to really learn magic for it, well, it was a good skill to have, and she was actually fascinated with it a little bit.
As for special students, those were normally either royals or researchers of their own merit, or a combination of those. While connecting with other royals is useful, they couldn't possibly be actually recruited, so that was left to less convenient means. It would be impossible for royals to completely ignore each other's presence, after all, if only for political reasons. As for researchers and other talented mages, while recruiting them might be possible, they often already have their eyes on something, and getting involved in a hot and dangerous political mess is most likely not included in their preferred occupation. Even if they wanted to get some financing and such, why would they resort to entering the service of a princess who is in voluntary exile when there are patrons who are so much less risky to get involved with? Therefore, the task of laying the groundwork with these people is left to me. Besides, if I were to become a special student, not involved with Ariel, that would shroud some of the machinations from the public eye and Asuran spies around.
"It would be possible, I believe. However, it might seem improper if you alone were to be enrolled as a special student while Princess Ariel herself is not, you understand." Jinas finally answered after a minute of consideration.
Of course. Special students are offered the position in order to advertise and promote the University of Magic as an institution, of course. They can't have just anyone as a special student. It's good that I have some tricks up my sleeve.
"Perhaps a public demonstration would suffice? My association with her majesty doesn't have to be the only reason and be known to the general public."
"A public demonstration?"
"I am a Saint-class water magician in my own right, and I am a student of Roxy Migurdia, the Water King. She is quite renowned, I believe. She used to be a court mage in the Kingdom of Shirone, among other things." Yuck, I hate promoting myself. But there is Roxy. I can praise Roxy for hours, and if my deeds can make the world see the greatness of the Goddess, I'll count it as a win. I only hope no more heretics of Pax's ilk arise to sully the good name of my religion.
Jinas' eyebrows rise in surprise, and his smile now reaches his eyes, if only for a moment. Before I say something else, he composes himself and inquires.
"Roxy is a well-known mage, but I'm afraid simply being her student is not quite enough to stop the questions… However, Rudeus, are you perhaps proficient in silent casting?" He asks after a dramatic pause. I see, my reputation really does precede me at times. Oh, well, that's better than nothing.
"I am capable of casting most attack magic spells I know silently, except the most advanced. Would that be sufficient for our matter?"
"Of course, of course. If you would?" And suddenly he is up and gesturing for me to follow. I hurry after him, and after a few minutes, as he comments on the University facilities, we arrive in a gym-like hall. On the left half of the facility, a mixed group of students practiced wind magic. Some of them sent curious gazes my way, and I notice an aloof dog-eared beastgirl from before at the side, but she doesn't pay much attention, chewing on some dried meat as her gaze lazily follows me for a couple of seconds. Getting into the farther part of the gym, Jinas stops before an elaborate magical circle several meters in diameter.
"This is a dueling circle; it's capable of instantly healing most injuries within its boundaries. Please go ahead." He gestures for me to enter.
"Is there anything in particular I should demonstrate?"
"Oh, whatever you feel is the best. Or, perhaps, a spell from each type will do. Yes, that would be for the best." Jinas answered good-naturedly. Here we go. I lift Arrogant Water Dragon King, sending a stone cannon into the ground. It leaves a fissure in the bricks. Oops. I follow up with an Ice Pillar, then a Wind Slice, and end it with a Flame Pillar. Well, at least there is no more damage to the property.
Turning back to Jinas who stopped several steps behind me, I noticed some genuine excitement, soon to be schooled back into a controlled, polite smile. Students further away are also looking at me, not bothering to hide their reactions, from awe to envy to apprehension. Even the beastgirl doesn't seem to be bored anymore.
"Thank you, Rudeus; I believe that will suffice. Let us not disrupt the lesson any longer." After several minutes of gushing over the demonstration and several token questions from Jinas himself and an elderly teacher of the class, it seemed like the demonstration had to be cut short. Well, he does have to arrange the welcome for the princess.
After getting back into his office, we discuss matters of security and accommodations for the princess and her party for another hour, until we are interrupted by a knock. Somewhere along the way, Jinas sent several men to start arranging proper greetings for the princess, with junior staff checking this or that from time to time. This time, however, it's someone else.
"Vice principal, pardon the interruption. Your appointment for ten o'clock has arrived. Should I let them in?" The receptionist woman asks. Jinas asks her to wait a little and sends me an apologetic smile.
"Pardon me, Rudeus, it seems I got a little carried away with the planning."
"It's fine, vice principal; that's the work for you. Once more, I thank you for meeting with me on such short notice." I even bow in a semi-Asuran, semi-Japanese manner, and he seems to be taken aback. Oh. I wasn't supposed to do that.
"Think nothing of it; hosting a Princess of Asura is a great honor for us. We will meet in several hours, of course. I trust you will be there to greet her majesty?"
"Certainly. It was a pleasure to meet you, vice principal."
"Jinas, if you would, Rudeus. You are no lesser mage than half of our staff. Please, allow me to see you out." There it is. It feels like when the parent of your friend asks you to call them by their name when you are a kid. Awkward. At least I don't have to, for now. Leaving the office, we get back into the lounge, where the next visitor is waiting.
I stop in my tracks as a shiver runs down my spine. I'm suddenly face-to-face with a hellhound. A creature of darkness and terror. A servant of a cursed, evil god. A petite black-haired girl, whose face is hidden behind a white mask.
Notes:
Thank you for reading. Any feedback, including but not limited to negative, is always appreciated.
Sorry for long wait, people, I've done it again. Finishing a degree and writing simultaniously turned out to be beyond me. At least it's over (for now) and I'm a proud Bachelor of Law now. And I'm super motivated to continue writing. Please look forward to the future updates.