It was the next day, supposedly Arthur and Tess got into some argument yesterday when I wasn't there.
You know, both of them are older than me, and yet the two fight over the most stupid things.
Arthur was pressing Tess on how the only reason she was in the war was to prove to everyone she wasn't a child and could handle herself.
This was the exact reason I joined the war, and it worked, everyone looks at me differently now. Tess doesn't have my powers though, but she has every right to do what she is doing.
I was sitting in my room, it was four in the morning, I couldn't go back to sleep after having a nightmare about fighting Uto. There were only guards up, so there wasn't much to do, but sit here and think and absorb mana.
Today, was the announcement that will start the real war, and make Arthur and me Lances. I was thinking about that, Arthur needed to get stronger, but how do I go up to him and be like, get stronger or we will lose the war.
After the speech, I was going to give him Uto's horn, so that should help a little. Most of the mana inside of it will go to creating Regis, I know Arthur struggles with the mana inside, it causes him to see some of Uto's memories.
What if I give the ring to Arthur to wear, then push the mana in his body to his core using blood magic. I don't know if that's safe though, I could do more harm than good.
I activated "Blood Oath" and sensed to see who was all here. Immediately, I could feel the Lances, all of them were here in the castle, in their rooms most likely. Actually, everyone was here, every royal family member, every Lance, it makes sense because of the speech.
Alright, before I start to absorb mana, I should probably change. I already laid out the outfit I wanted, it was the same one as yesterday, I washed the clothes before I went to bed.
I sat down on the edge of my bed and started to absorb the mana in the atmosphere. I activated my ring for ten seconds, shooting mana into my core and not into my palm.
I only hoped that Aldir didn't sense it, he didn't before, so I should be fine.
The speech today should be interesting, I have no clue what is exactly said, like if Elder Virion says something about the deal Alacrya has offered us.
Jagrette really tried to talk shit yesterday, it was funny, Arthur defeated her, which meant I could as well. I thought it was funny how she took Uto's rule, it makes me wonder if Agrona or someone, told them to do something. Cylrit was the one that stayed calm, and the other Retainer was supposed to start a fight.
I activated my ring again, going for ten seconds, then stopped. I spun the ring on my finger, I never liked wearing jewelry, but in this life, I wore two rings and two bracelets.
I absorbed mana and thought over things for about two hours, that's when people started to move around the castle. I was assuming they were getting ready for the speech.
I wonder what's going to happen with Lance Olfred, I mean there are dwarves at the speech. I believe they kept the Lances betrayal from the public, the only people who would know would be whoever he was communicating with.
That's when someone knocked on my door, I sensed three people outside the door. "Sir, may we come in." It was a maid, why is there a maid here. If I could sleep, I would want to sleep past six a.m.
I went to speak, but someone on the other side did, and I knew who it was. "Let me handle this." The door swung open, the four people outside the doors stared at me on the edge of the best with wide eyes, most likely surprised to see me up.
"Aya, that is highly inappropriate." I told her jokingly, rolling out of bed and standing up before them.
"Well, if you are up, you should have known that all the other Lances except for your brother and you, are already ready." Lance Aya told me. "The speech will take place in four hours; you need to start getting ready."
"Huh? In four hours, and you are coming to make me get ready? Don't you think that's really early?" I told the four maids, noticing one holding a fancy outfit. "No, I am not wearing that."
I backed away from them, that outfit was not me, I wore comfortable shit, not fancy white uniforms. "Sir, we were sent here to help you prepare, today is a big day for you." A black haired maid told me.
"Virion, do as you are told, I'll come back for you in an hour." Aya started to back away with a smile. "I think Lance Bairon went to wake your brother."
"How pleasant, that had to be awkward for the two of them." I do remember that actually.
"Ha, I'll see you, listen to the maids or I'll come back with your mother." That was the best possible threat she could have come up with.
Aya left, and the three maids stared at me. "Virion, please, you need to go wash yourself." The only maid I recognized here was the one that just spoke, it was Meredith.
"Meredith, I'm already dressed, catch me a break, and let me just go to this speech with this outfit." I told the three maids with a smile.
"Sir, please comply." An elven maid said with blonde hair. "Go wash yourself up, and if you are unable to do that, we will assist you." Why was she speaking with such authority?
I stared at the elf. "Uhh, I think I can do it myself, ma'am." I slowly took a step towards the three. "I'll take the clothes and change in there." I reached out a hand as I got closer to them.
"Here." The last maid with brown hair, handed me a garment, something to wear under the other clothes. I looked at the other clothes as I held the garment.
"We will dress you when you are done, put that on when you finish washing off." The elven maid told me. "We will be waiting here for you."
I sighed and made my way into the bathroom and got undressed. I was ready for the day, and now I have to do it again.
I turned on the water and went inside and began to clean myself off. I ran the water through my ashy brown hair, I admit, I don't usually wash up in the morning. I like to wash up at night before bed, that way I can get up and leave in the morning.
After about ten minutes, I turned the water off, and dried myself off using wind magic. It was easier to just use magic than a towel, I grabbed my boxers and slipped them on, and then I placed the garment on.
I walked outside and the three maids were standing there waiting for me. "Are you happy now?" I looked at the elven maid.
"Good, now let us work." The maids began to dress me in awfully looking clothes. "Fix the right arm."
"I will." The brown haired maid said, as she readjusted something on my arm. "There."
"Virion, step into these." I stepped into a white pair of pants; they had silver armor slabs on them.
"Is that a freaking cape." The plated armor they placed on my upper body that was silver, had a red cap on the back of it. The outfit was really restricting, and I was already hating this moment. I should have created a clone and sent that to the damned speech.
"It is." The elven maid said as I felt it swing down behind me. "Now, take a look."
I turned toward the mirror in my room, I was in a white outfit, that had red and gold lines running throughout it, and silver armor all over it. I looked like a Lance, yes, but was it really worth it.
"Now, please sit down, and allow us to brush your hair." Meredith told me, and I faced the three of them.
"My hair is fine." It was all messy, I liked it like this. However, by the glare I got from the elven maid, I could tell they weren't going to allow this. "Fine." I turned back around and sat down on the couch.
They started to brush my ashy brown hair, pulling on it, and I felt them start to tie it up. I was going to look ridiculous wasn't I, this was actually awful, totally awful.
I'm a boy who likes to be covered in grime, even when I am not losing my mind, it's just who I am. These clothes weren't me, and I know it's so the public sees me as some noble figure, which I was clearly not.
"There, you look good." Meredith said as they moved away from me. I sat up and stood in front of the mirror again, they combed my hair, and tied it up, since it was so long.
"I look awful." I spoke out loud. "Do I really need to wear this? I'm eleven years old, I don't think the public cares what I look like."
"You are going to be standing in front of the public, you need to look the part of a noble." The elven maid said authoritatively. "Don't argue about it and wait for Lance Aya to come get you."
The three maids bowed to me and left the room. I sat down on my bed, wearing this shitty ass outfit.
The door opened and my mother walked in. "Oh, wow, you look amazing, honey."
"Mom, it is not the time to lie." I stood up and faced her with the armor dragging me down. "I look like I'm preparing to fight off a dragon."
"Haha." My mother laughed as she walked up to me. "You are very handsome." She said, trying to make me feel better. "Are you excited?"
"No." I answered truthfully. "I was before, but now, wearing this in front of people, I am going to look like a fool."
"You won't." My mother placed a hand on my shoulder. "They are going to love you, just be happy Elder Virion asked for you to stand up there with him."
"You know why right?" I asked, not knowing if she knew I was being crowned a Lance.
"No, why?"
"Oh, then I guess you'll have to wait and find out." I told her with a smile.
"You look like a proper soldier now." Aya spoke from behind my mother. "Mrs. Leywin, mind if I take your son to see Elder Virion before the speech." If my timing was right, the speech was in three hours.
"That's fine with me, Veer, listen to Lance Aya." My mother bowed to her. "Thanks for looking after him."
"No problem." Lance Aya said as my mother faced me.
"Remember, listen to her, and make sure to behave yourself in front of the royal families, I know you like to talk, so don't say anything you shouldn't." My mother gave me a serious but happy stare, then left the room.
"You heard your mother." Lance Aya sent me a smile as she looked at me. "You better listen to me, Lance Leywin."
"Haha." I laughed sarcastically and made my way into the hall with her. "I can't even walk properly; my clothes are so heavy." I usually wear tights and a light amount of armor, so this was on a totally different level.
"You look handsome, deal with it." Aya scolded me. "The people already respect you after what you have done in the dungeons."
"Hah, if they respected me, they could have gone with a different nickname than Devil of Dicathen." The name was growing on me.
"I think it shows just how dangerous you are." Aya said as two guards bowed to us. "You might be the most dangerous person in Dicathen."
"That may be true."
"I only met your brother once before, but from what I've heard, he was also a dangerous individual." Aya met him when he was a prisoner.
"He is, maybe even more than me at times." Arthur still had a lot of experience fighting, that makes him, in certain situations, more dangerous than me. "I'm trying to spar with him before we are sent out into battle."
"Oh, I would love to see that, but I am being sent out as soon as this is over." Aya and I stopped in front of the council room. "Open the doors, I brought Lance Leywin here to see Commander Virion."
"Of course, Lance Aya." The guards bowed and opened the doors for us. We walked inside, standing in the center of the room was Elder Virion.
"Lance Aya, thank you for bringing him here." Elder Virion sent us both a tired smile. "Lance Aya, can you wait outside?"
She bowed her head, sent me a smile and a nudge, then left the room, closing the door behind her.
"Where is your sword? I told the maids to make you place it on your side." Elder Virion looked at me. "You look like a Lance."
"I look like an entitled brat." I stood across from him. "So, why are we chatting in here before everything?"
"I want to speak about what's going to go on." Elder Virion ran a hand through his white beard. "Today, I am going to speak to the people, then I will introduce both Arthur and you as our new Lances." He paused for a second, then went on. "Since Arthur is older, I'm going to have him speak before the people, if you wanted to, you can speak after him, but I worry you will say something you shouldn't."
"Oh, I am fine without speaking." I assured him, I would totally say something off topic. "That's all you wanted to tell me?"
"No, there are two other things." Elder Virion took a step toward me. "I am going to announce that you, the newest and youngest Lance, defeated a Retainer without being harmed."
"Alright, that's not a big deal." He really didn't need to tell me that. "What's the other thing?"
"I haven't spoken to Arthur yet, but because of your age. I know the soldiers know who you are, and what you can do by now." Elder Virion shrugged. "I mean, what was it, four dungeons your team cleared by yourself? They also know about the one hundred Alacryans you took down, and after they learn about your battle with the Retainer, you'll gain more of their respect."
"Okay, where is this going?"
"I'm going to place you where Arthur is going to be in the field." I felt excitement building up inside of me, that meant I should be in the front of the line to fight another Retainer. "I know you might not like this, but it's for your own good, at least for now. I have no intentions of leaving it like that forever, just for the start of the war."
"I'm fine with that." I told him with a smile. "If I have a chance to fight alongside my brother, I am not going to turn it down."
"That's good to hear." He smiled at me. "Now, how about you take some time to prepare yourself with Lance Aya."
"I'm already prepared, but okay." I shrugged and made my way out of the room.