Snippet 1: Graviton
Disclaimer: I do not own the original setting.
Chapter 9: Wrapping Up
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- Altair -
As the conversation drew to a close, the king rose, signaling the end of the formalities. "Altair, it has been a pleasure. I look forward to seeing what you accomplish as a Baron of Ingrassia."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." I said, bowing my head slightly. "I'll strive to meet your expectations." I did owe him at least the minimum amount of respect now, even if I didn't particularly care much for him.
He was trying to use me and I was trying to use him.
"If you desire you may remain in the palace for the time being and browse the royal archives." The king stated.
I nodded. "Thank you for the offer King Aegil, however Shizu has given me much work to do, and I do believe she would be rather cross with me if I left it all unfinished."
It was a lie, but I didn't want to remain in the palace for long right now. I'd come back another time to understand what benefits I received from becoming a Baron later on.
We had already signed a contract that dictated all the terms we discussed. I had Wise Grimoire scan it as well, and while Wise Grimoire wasn't as good as Great Sage in the analysis department it was still more than enough.
The magic contract we signed was not binding, it was merely meant to be something that showed both of our agreements to the terms, so there was no magic effects that would force me to comply with any of the terms.
Not many contracts like that existed due to just how similar that seemed to Daemon contracts, and Humans really didn't like Daemons for the most part.
Of course I put plenty of conditions onto my agreement. I got a salary that was befitting of my new station and the power I currently had. There was hazard pay and job expenses, so if King Aegil needs me to do something he believes I could handle best, then any job-related expenses are to be compensated.
Then there was hazard pay for if a job was a bit too dangerous he would pay me for that. We would both agree on the degree of danger before I left on whatever task he asked of me.
In instances of mutual disagreement between us about something a neutral third party would agree, like say Heinz or someone else later down the line.
Then of course I retained the ability to reject a task if I believed it was beyond my abilities.
There were a few other tidbits added on but all minor. The contract may have seemed absurd but it really was rather equal, so long as the tasks King Aegil needed me for were within my ability to accomplish he'd basically have me on speed dial, and I didn't mind that for everything I'd be given.
I would receive opportunities to grow, since I grew best in combat as I learned from my fight with the Medium Dragon. I'd get a chance to see the world, and I had established myself in the world, no matter how minor my current establishment was.
Overall I don't think my decision to accept King Aegil's offer was a mistake. He offered me a political position under the guise of punishment, a political position weak enough that I couldn't cause many waves in his court, but enough to bind me to him.
It was a good move on his part, but I could make use of that as well. With the position I now had I could access many things I could not before, I had a steady source of income, and I had a greater backing than previously.
Shizu as a backer was pretty good for the Western Nations, but even her reputation could prove less than useful in certain circles, so securing the Kingdom of Ingrassia's cooperation could help me out long term.
Not to mention, once I was strong enough I could always just do what I wanted if I didn't like how the Kingdom of Ingrassia was turning out. It was more important right now as I didn't have a very strong base.
"I will have a letter sent to you detailing the privileges you have been given as well as some of the basic duties expected of you, though as we agreed the duties will not be much. Merely coming to the aid of the kingdom when needed."
I nodded.
"You should also begin to design your house emblem, and come up with a house name, as while your position is a bit odd due to the freedom you desired, you are still a noble." The king explained.
I just nodded along, all this was stuff I expected when I first agreed to the deal.
The king gave me a kind smile. "It has been a pleasure to meet you, Altair. But I am afraid that I must leave now, the duties of a king are never ending you see." He said with a laugh.
"I understand, goodbye, your majesty."
The king nodded and left, leaving me alone. I didn't trust King Aegil, but I was willing to see what would come of this for the time being.
After a few seconds I heard a knock on the door. "Lord Altair, may I come in?" A feminine voice called out.
"Come in." I called out, ignoring the odd feeling of being called "Lord". I straightened my collar and shook off the lingering weight of the meeting. I had been nervous at the start since I just wasn't used to occasions like this but that wasn't bad at all.
It didn't hurt that I did have some confidence in myself due to my rather absurd power. For an otherworlder I'd like to think I was above the norm.
The door opened to reveal someone I hadn't seen before, though that wasn't surprising at all with the size of the palace.
She was slim and dressed in the dark reds of the Ingrassian palace staff. But I felt like something was a bit off about her, she just seemed to act with a certain amount of confidence. She was probably an experienced servant.
She shut the door behind her and gave a shallow bow. "I apologize for the intrusion, Lord Altair. I was asked to escort you out as you did not wish to stay."
I nodded. "Thank you."
She didn't move. That's when I noticed the faint shimmer of magic just beneath her left sleeve.
A subtle runic spell. She was a mage.
King Aegil must have sent her for whatever reason. Perhaps to monitor me, perhaps as a show of power, I couldn't tell, and I didn't really care either. I was already getting tired of all the political games that were happening and I had only just arrived at the palace.
It was a damn good thing I made sure I could mostly stay away from that stuff.
Though my guess was that she was just observing me, nothing more. The spell she had was one merely meant to reinforce her clothing to be able to tank stronger attacks. Most wouldn't sense it but my sensory abilities were beyond the norm.
I shook my head, deciding not to think of it anymore.
"Lead on then." I said, gesturing her forward.
The woman nodded, and led me out of the room.
"Where is Shizu-sensei?" I asked.
"She is speaking with the court mage Rykard, would you like me to inform her of your current status?"
I nodded. "If you could, that would be great, do tell her that I can leave on my own if she seems busy with the court mage."
The servant bowed. "As you wish, I will escort you to a lounge before I set off to inform Lady Shizu if that is fine?"
I nodded. "That's fine."
She led me down a corridor, as we walked I glanced at all the various things that decorated the hall, paintings that almost seemed to be alive, golden statues, and other luxuries items.
Eventually, we came to a lounge just off the east wing. It was quieter here, and the decor, while still rather fancy, seemed a bit more tasteful rather than overbearing like the decorations I saw in the hall.
"I will return shortly." The woman said, offering a parting bow before slipping away like a shadow.
I sat down on the couch, crossing one leg over the other as I let out a long breath. Despite it not having been that long I was already pretty mentally worn out. When I was speaking with King Aegil I had to be at the top of my game. I was mentally going over every word he said to see if there was some hidden meaning in his words, since I was new to the political game. I didn't know what to expect so I opted to be careful.
The things I'd read about important political figures in my past life, both fictional and real, really made me wary of all of them.
It was times like these that I wished I had something like Great Sage. If Wise Grimoire specialized in helping me control my power, master and create new spells and arts, then Great Sage was a generalist that was good at everything.
Wise Grimoire could only do the more basic general tasks as the majority of its computational power and data was focused towards magic and arts. I suppose I ought to have expected that when it literally was born out of my Grimoire from Black Clover.
I closed my eyes, deciding to relax for a bit.
- Shizu -
Rykard slowly looked up at her. "I was rather surprised to hear you took on an apprentice. You had rejected many prodigious warriors and mages who requested to learn under you. What changed?"
A small but fond smile grew on her face as she thought back to Altair and Yuuki. Both were so different but both were truly wonderful young men.
She was sure Altair would be able to handle the king accordingly despite his nervousness.
Shizu leaned back slightly in her chair, the porcelain plate before her nearly empty now, save for a few delicate crumbs.
"It wasn't something I planned." She finally said, her voice soft. "As I'm sure you'll hear, I met him by pure chance. He was a stray otherworlder I just happened to come across, I took him under my wing from there and things just developed."
Rykard nodded. "Understandable. What of Yuuki Kagurazaka? I've heard he is the only other student you are teaching, he must be rather special as well."
She knew Rykard was prodding her for information, but she didn't particularly care for what she was sharing as it was all information he would eventually hear either way. "Yuuki is someone I am teaching, though I would not consider him an apprentice the same way I do Altair. But he is also a brilliant young man with incredible potential."
His sheer martial talent was extraordinary, Altair only managed to keep up with his rather absurd Unique Skill, though Altair was also quickly growing in martial skill. Her apprentice seemed to be one who learned best when in direct combat rather than simple lessons.
"The Council has begun to take notice of Yuuki Kagurazaka; he has made his desire for reformation within the Mutual-Aid Association rather clear." Rykard said.
She nodded. "I imagine they would. He doesn't hide his intentions. But he's young. He's idealistic. And he's dangerously clever." Her lips curved slightly upward. "I admire that about him."
"And Altair? What do you think of him?" Rykard asked.
"He's different. Where Yuuki burns with vision, Altair thinks before he leaps. He doubts himself too often, but that same doubt keeps him from being reckless, though it seems sometimes even he can still be reckless." She said with a small laugh, thinking about his most recent quest.
"Hmm, both seem to be rather interesting young men then." Rykard said.
Before Shizu could respond, a servant entered the room, bowing respectfully. "Court Mage Rykard, you are needed in the Hall of Divination. The king has summoned the council."
"It seems your student has managed his meeting with the king rather well." Rykard said as he looked at her.
She smiled. "I expected nothing less."
Rykard rose, his movements fluid and precise. He glanced back at Shizu, his expression softening slightly. "It seems our time is cut short."
She nodded. "It was nice to see you."
Rykard nodded. "Indeed, I enjoyed our short chat."
As Rykard left the room he paused. "Do tell your pupil to expect an invitation to meet from me."
She merely nodded as Rykard left.
Shizu sat alone with her thoughts. Whatever lay ahead, she would face it. For the sake of the otherworlders who couldn't fight for themselves, and for the faint hope that the ideals she held might still hold meaning in this unforgiving world.
"Lady Shizu, Lord Altair's meeting has finished with King Aegil. He has been offered the opportunity to remain within the palace for as long as he wishes, however he has refused and expressed his desire to reunite with you as he has studies to do."
Shizu held back her laugh. Altair having work? He finished most of the general education work he had been assigned ages ago, that was likely just an excuse for him to leave. In which case she would cover for him.
"Indeed he does." She nodded sternly. "Please take me to him."
The servant bowed before beginning to guide her.
- Altair -
I heard the soft click of the door before I saw her. Shizu stepped into the lounge with her usual quiet grace, the warmth in her expression immediately easing the lingering tension I hadn't realized I was still carrying.
I nodded. "Shizu-sensei." I greeted as I stood up.
She gave me a gentle smile. "I heard that you impressed the king." She said.
I shrugged. "If that's what you heard then it must have been true."
Shizu hummed in acknowledgment before turning around to face the servant who led me here. "We can speak more later, for now we should leave." I nodded and took my position beside her as the woman led us out of the palace.
"Sorry for interrupting your meeting if I did so."
Shizu waved me off. "It was no issue, Rykard was leaving anyway."
"How do you know the court mage?" I asked.
"He sought me out some years ago when I visited this kingdom. He is rather proficient at Fire Magic and wished to exchange some tips about it. Ever since then we would meet and speak whenever the chance arose." Shizu explained.
I nodded. I wanted to ask what kind of person he was and if he was trustworthy, but seeing as there was a servant in front of us, asking that now would be rather foolish.
"Rykard had mentioned that he would like to meet you. He seemed rather impressed with the spell you used, what was it?" Shizu asked with a teasing smile. "Ah right, Burst Nova." She said with a grin.
I rolled my eyes. "The name isn't that bad."
Shizu merely laughed as we stepped out into the afternoon sun.
I gave her a sideways glance. "Don't act like that when you're the woman who once used a spell called Crimson Seraphim to light a campfire."
Shizu placed a hand to her chest in mock offense. "That was a perfectly efficient spell, thank you very much. Besides, a little flair never hurt anyone."
Before long we reached the front gates of the palace. "This is where I will be leaving you, my lord and lady." The woman said.
"Ah, thank you very much." Shizu said.
The woman bowed. "It was my pleasure to escort both of you esteemed guests." With that she left.
I turned to look at her back as she walked away.
"Something wrong, Altair?" Shizu asked.
"Not really, I was just wondering what was up with her, she seemed a bit different from the other servants I came across."
Shizu hummed. "She was likely trained by Rykard in some capacity going by the hidden spell she had prepared just in case. He perhaps sent her to observe you. He was interested in meeting you after all."
I just shrugged. I suppose some reconnaissance was only to be expected. I'd just have to make it clear that I would only tolerate it on their turf though, I wasn't going to be dealing with that back in my room at the academy, or while in class.
I turned to look back at Shizu as the guards opened the gates for us. "You said that the court mage wanted to meet me?"
Shizu nodded. "Indeed, I would expect an invitation from him."
I sighed.
"He is a good resource you may find some use in, he was once a student of Razen and holds connections to the Council of the West." Shizu explained as she led us towards the inner portion of the capital city.
"I'll keep that in mind." I said.
"So how did the meeting go? I did not ask while that woman was present, but I am rather curious." Shizu said.
"The king seemed to be trying to manipulate me in some way."
Shizu's steps paused for a moment as a dangerous sort of aura began to leak out of her. I could feel the temperature skyrocket for a moment before everything went back to normal.
People were looking around oddly before shrugging it off.
"What did he do?" She asked in a composed tone of voice as she continued walking.
"Nothing too bad, he just seemed to be trying to manipulate me into seeing him and the kingdom in a positive light. I think he wanted me to be devoted to the kingdom so I could be relied upon for tasks by him. I'm guessing his end goal is some sort of personal soldier."
I wasn't experienced in politics, but the tropes spoke for themselves.
Shizu hummed in acknowledgment. "I suppose that much is as expected of him. He has not managed to strengthen this kingdom to this point due to luck."
I looked at her in confusion. "Was Ingrassia in a different situation before he became king?"
Shizu nodded, eyes flicking toward the city skyline as it stretched out before us. "Quite. When King Aegil ascended the throne, Ingrassia was fractured. Not in territory, but in spirit. Corruption ran deep, noble houses were on the brink of civil conflict, and its military power was miniscule."
I raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"
"Worse." She said. "There was even talk of foreign intervention. The Western Council nearly deemed the entire region unstable. I believe they wished to use that as an excuse to annex this territory."
That sounded like that corrupt council.
"So, what was discussed in the meeting then?" Shizu asked, going back to the previous topic.
"He put on a show about how much damage I caused and whatnot, as if he didn't have mages that could probably fix everything in a couple of weeks." I said with a roll of my eyes.
Shizu nodded. "That is just how things go. In the future you need to be more careful, don't give anyone the chance to accuse you of anything, I learned this the hard way as they'll milk you for everything you're worth. The only time when you can afford to do so is when you are too strong to control."
I nodded. "I know. In the end he offered me a punishment in name, he offered me the title of Baron. In his words it would show my dedication to fix my mistake and prove my reliability to the other nobles that were making a mess of things."
Shizu's lips twitched. "A noble? I suppose that isn't too surprising. He had offered me the position of Marquis on multiple occasions."
"You had to show me up, didn't you?"
"Fufufu, but of course." Shizu said with a laugh. "But I do hope you understand the choice you have made."
I nodded. "I do, we signed a non binding magic contract that shows the terms we agreed on. Basically I don't hold the same duties as most nobles, I just need to be there when the kingdom is in danger. I also have the right to decide if what is occurring counts as the kingdom being in danger."
Shizu let out a light whistle. "He is being very generous."
I nodded. "I thought so too. The terms are extremely favorable to me. I'm betting he just wants me to have a positive opinion of him for now."
Shizu nodded. "He is likely playing the long game."
I did believe that becoming a Baron was more beneficial for me long term than it was short term. It was either that or some sort of punishment by the court for "damaging" the kingdom's land, and I didn't want to keep relying on Shizu for every single problem that came my way.
In the end as long as I became strong enough, then I could do what I wanted.
With that the political talk between us wrapped up we continued to chat about more simple things. I spoke a bit about the food that was served, Shizu had tried some of the palace's chefs' food before and was a bit jealous that she didn't get any.
Before long we arrived at the academy and split up to return to our rooms. I had the next 3 days off so I planned to just train during that time, and maybe take on a short quest from the Mutual-Aid Association if it's close by.
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I sighed as I waited in my seat for Shizu to begin today's lesson. I hadn't done as much as I wanted to over the 3 day break I had. I mostly just trained a bit and relaxed for the most part.
There were no quests that I was comfortable with completing in a 3 day timespan so I couldn't do that, so I ended up just training,
There was a 1 week break coming up though, I planned to take a longer quest then. Hopefully there would be a bandit extermination mission. I knew that in this world I'd likely have to do things I didn't want to.
Up until now I had never killed another human being, and I wanted to get that over with. I didn't know how I would feel or react when doing that, so I'd rather get the experience over with through some bandits rather than when my life is actually on the line.
I mostly went over my sword forms, I was nowhere near the strongest swordsmen and swordswomen in this world, Dino, Milim, Guy, Leon, even Benimaru were some of the more well known in the series. I'd at least like to become the best I could possibly be since getting to their level was a whole different matter.
I turned my head as I heard the door to the classroom open.
"Altair!" Yuuki said as he approached, his characteristic grin on his face.
I gave him a small nod. "Yuuki."
I didn't like him due to just how fake he was, but I had gotten used to being at least cordial with him.
He gave me a rough slap on that back. "Look at you, a noble now!" He grinned mischievously. "Ah, my apologies, I mean Lord Altair." Yuuki said as he gave me an exaggerated bow.
I guessed Shizu probably told him.
"It's nothing special, I'm sure you could receive the same offer if you wanted." And I didn't doubt that, despite my thoughts on him, Yuuki was a genius. He just tended to get overconfident and that ruined him.
"Hahaha, you don't need to flatter me. The honor you were bestowed is seriously great, Altair! With that you have a firm place in this world, you should be able to live a stable life from here on out."
For the most part what Yuuki said is correct, as a noble I had many privileges that allowed me to make quite a bit of money. Nothing compared to what the nobles whose lineage spans back centuries can do, but enough that most of the working class couldn't even imagine having.
"That's true."
Yuuki unfortunately took the seat right next to me. "Damrada seemed to like you quite a bit, you know?"
I raised a brow. I didn't know if that was good or bad, I was leaning towards bad. "Is that so?"
Yuuki nodded, a smile still on his face. "I'd expect for him to be offering you quests now, he seemed eager to invest in you."
"I see… thanks for letting me know then."
Yuuki slapped my back. "No problem! What are friends for!"
My lips twitched. He really was quite good at his whole act. There was a chance that I was just wrong about him, who's to say that Yuuki is actually a bad person in this world? For all I know this world didn't follow the "canon" events, and people were entirely different from what was depicted in the light novel.
While that could be true I still thought it was too risky to ignore what I knew entirely. I was willing to adjust my perception of people and the world once I saw sufficient evidence to convince me I needed to. Perhaps that was unfair, but that was just how I was.
Before long Shizu entered the classroom. She took her spot at the front of the room and gave Yuuki a long look.
"Seeing as this will be your last class for a while Yuuki, I will be hammering the fundamentals into your head. It's best if you remember everything as all the information I'm going to share can aid you on your quest." Shizu explained.
I looked at her and Yuuki in confusion. "Is Yuuki leaving for something?"
Shizu looked to Yuuki with a raised brow. "You didn't tell him? I thought that was why you were sitting together."
Yuuki sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Aha, I was going to but… I forgot."
Shizu sighed. "It's things like this that make me worry." She muttered.
"He has accepted a quest that will take him out of the kingdom for months." Shizu shared.
"Yeah, it was one Damrada offered me. He's a merchant and wanted me to accompany him as a guard for a few of his deals around the Western Nations." Yuuki shared.
"I see."
Maybe something is going on in the Eastern Empire with his organization and Yuuki had to return to check on it. I saw no other reason for him to use Damrada as an excuse to be away for a few months. It did make sense that he'd have to return here and there to make sure people remembered his authority.
But with Yuuki leaving for a few months, that meant a certain event was probably coming up soon. I don't remember anything about Yuuki's trip mentioned in canon, but it was likely too minor to even have a sentence about it.
I was always curious about why exactly Yuuki had never met Hinata up until the Tempest Founding Festival. Both were students of Shizu during a similar time period. If Yuuki was out of the kingdom while Hinata was here that would make sense. And Hinata only stayed with Shizu for around a month or so before her bullshit Unique Skill allowed her enough strength to set off on her own.
So maybe Shizu would be bringing Hinata Sakaguchi back some time.
I knew that Hinata would bring Shizu a lot of pain, mostly because of Hinata's own trauma and fear of attachment. I wasn't going to be a busy body and interfere where I probably shouldn't, but Shizu had done a lot for me and I was extremely grateful to her. I saw her as practically family at this point, she was the one constant I had in this world after all.
Maybe I could at the very least get Hinata and Shizu to part on good terms, rather than Hinata just running away and never seeing Shizu again.
But that was for the future.
"Good luck then, Yuuki."
"Thanks!" He responded, his carefree grin back on his face.
Shizu then began her lesson, but my thoughts weren't focused on that. My thoughts were on the heroine that I'd probably soon be meeting. Hinata played a key role in making sure that the timeline doesn't go to shit, and while I had resolved myself to take things a day at a time and not constantly worry about getting things right, I was still worried about the future.
I wasn't foolish enough to think I could predict and manipulate everything with my canon knowledge, despite what I may have wanted when I first appeared in this world. This world didn't move in strict lines or cutscenes. It flowed with choices, mistakes, luck, and more.
That was one thing I really wanted, luck.
Still, there were anchor points I could try to navigate by, and Hinata Sakaguchi was one of them.
She was a pretty intimidating figure, she came across as a cold and unfeeling person, a ruthless zealot, the kind where if you weren't with her, you were against her. She wasn't the kind of person I thought likeable, but I knew she had a softer side to her.
But when you really looked, when you really read between the lines… she wasn't evil. She was just broken. Molded by trauma, but there were many like that in this world. Milim, Veldora, Rudra, even the Angels.
But it wasn't my job to fix her. I wasn't here to save people. I was here to survive. I just… didn't want Shizu to suffer.
I wasn't sure how I wanted to act around Hinata, so I just resolved to just act as myself. No particular schemes to get her to take the same actions in canon or anything. I'd leave what our relationship would be to fate.
I was still worried about if what I was doing was the right thing to do, if it was right to just ignore that I could impact the fate of the world with some of my actions, but I didn't want to live like that anymore.
It was just tiring to have to carry that self-imposed weight on my shoulders, even when the time came I didn't know if I really was capable of making sure Falmuth sent their army to their death for Rimuru's Awakening. I knew that I should make sure that happened, despite how monstrous the actions were it would be for the greater good.
But I always hated the "greater good" type of characters. Besides, even if things went to shit in this timeline there was always the next one. So long as Chloe was around things wouldn't be too terrible.
"Altair." Shizu's voice cut through the fog of my thoughts, and I blinked.
"Yes?"
She narrowed her eyes. "If you could stop mentally sparring with invisible enemies and answer the question, that would be appreciated."
Yuuki gave a light chuckle from beside me.
I gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, could you repeat it?"
Shizu sighed but did so. It was a question about basic reinforcement spells, layering energy through muscle and bone for increased strength. I quickly gave my answer as it was basically the most basic thing we needed to learn.
This lesson was mostly about Yuuki as Shizu was probably worried for him, but she still wanted me to pay attention it seems.
"Good." She nodded.
Class went by rather quickly after that.
"When are you leaving?" I asked as Shizu said we were done for the day.
"Today, Damrada was waiting for me to finish class, I didn't want to miss any more than I already was going to." Yuuki shared as he packed up.
"I see, good luck then."
"Thanks, Altair." Yuuki said as he grinned at me. "I guess I'll see you when I'm back!"
I nodded. "Yeah."
"Stay behind for a few minutes, Yuuki." Shizu called out. "I want to make sure you're ready for your journey."
Yuuki rolled his eyes. "No need to go all mother hen on me, Shizu-sensei. I'm more than ready."
Shizu nodded. "Perhaps that is true, but being even more ready could not hurt."
Yuuki sighed. "Yeah, yeah." He turned to look at me. "I was hoping to walk with you, but I guess that's not happening. See ya, Altair, I hope things go well for you while I'm gone." He said with what seemed like genuine kindness for once. It threw me off a bit, to be honest.
I just decided to think he was faking it, it was easier that way since I really didn't know just how good Yuuki was at acting, just that he was really good.
He waved and followed Shizu deeper into the classroom while I turned and left, my footsteps echoing softly down the empty corridor.
- King Aegil -
He hummed lightly as he walked down the polished corridors of his palace. He had reigned for nearly three decades now, and while his power had never been seriously contested after the initial interference of the Council of the West, the quiet rot of bureaucracy and aristocratic stagnation was still there.
It always made it difficult to further advance his kingdom, so he was always seeking new seedlings that could be used for his kingdom's own goals. Rykard was one such seedling that had paid off.
He had met Rykard at a gathering for the Council of the West, he was only the Majin Razen's apprentice back then, so Aegil approached him and planted some seeds that would result in Rykard ending up serving him in the end.
He had always been seeking new allies or subordinates that could be of use to him. The Magic Inquisitors were his attempt to create valuable subordinates on his own. When one of the lead scientists of the experiment proposed the idea to him, Aegil had quite a bit of hope as it was sound, and not the ramblings of a mad man.
The idea was to have Humans absorb the power of a Monster and turn into a Majin. This would strengthen the Human body to absurd levels, as well as allow Humans to make use of magicules to cast spells with ease.
This method was far safer than being corrupted by magicules, as many did not survive that process if the body could not adapt to magicules quickly and efficiently enough.
Depending on the Monster Factor they incorporated, they can operate in various environments, making them ideal for any sort of military operation, whether an undercover one or something else.
Of course things could never be easy. Due to the Factor from the Monsters being absorbed, this Factor would cause the Humans who absorbed them to become… monstrous. Not in appearance but in nature, they would give into their worst impulses, becoming shadows of who they once were.
He shut the experiment down from then on, leaving him back to square one. Despite how well his Kingdom was doing, he always wanted to have enough military power to tell the Council of the West to screw off.
Their stunt during the beginning of his reign had always worried him, as he knew despite everything, if that power fully united against him, there was nothing he could do.
That led him to now. He was hopeful about Altair, he seemed like a young man with much potential, potential that could aid his kingdom should the worst happen. He felt like he had a good understanding of Altair already. So long as he didn't cross Altair's bottom line, and offered more benefits than what he took then Altair would not see it as a problem to serve him, if only in name. For he knew how those strong ones thought, sometimes their pride wouldn't allow them to truly serve a weaker individual, though it seemed like Altair didn't have the issue many of his other kin had on that front.
Many otherworlders believed they were "destined ones", people who were destined to be the greatest. And of course they were special when compared to most, however many still ended up dead due to their arrogance.
He was always eager to recruit an otherworlder who actually had a good head on his shoulders, which led to why he was so lenient with Altair. The court was harping in his ears about "punishment" and whatnot for destroying a forest that was within his kingdom's lands.
Many thought it would send a message that Ingrassia was weak, if they allowed someone who harmed their kingdom's land to go free, but they were short sighted and did not understand the benefit that Altair could offer.
Not to mention he was one of the legendary Conqueror of Flame's students. He had to be generous to Altair if only because of her, and in the end he ended up with a new ally he could count on.
He didn't intend to mistreat Altair, merely make use of him as Altair would surely make use of him if he had a good head on his shoulders, and King Aegil believed that he did.
The boy had shown restraint. Power, certainly. But restraint. Altair had all the markings of someone who understood this world, and had the capacity to thrive in it.
"Father!" He sighed as he turned around to look at his son who was running towards him.
He loved him, but his son was a fool, he was not confident in leaving the kingdom he put his all into in his hands which was why he had been recruiting advisor after advisor, some meant to teach his son for he wished for his son to grow up, and others to guide him should his son remain as foolish, and jealous as he was.
And that was another reason for his desire to recruit Altair, of course that was further down the line if Altair proved to be trustworthy.
His useless son, for one, remained a constant source of irritation. Spoiled beyond reason, with all the weight of royalty and none of its strength. Perhaps that was his own failure, but he was always busy with his own duties and could not afford the time to properly raise his own son. He had grown up the same way, so he thought his son would turn out fine. Clearly he had been wrong.
Aegil had stopped expecting anything from the boy years ago. It was not hate, nor disappointment, it was simply an acknowledgment of truth. If his blood could not carry his will into the future, he would need to find those who could.
The kingdom was his everything, and he'd be damned if he let it fall due to his own mistakes. His people deserved better than that.
King Aegil turned, offering a tired smile as his son skidded to a stop before him. The boy was flushed, clearly out of breath.
"Yes, Elric?"
Elric Von Ingrassia, that was his son's name.
Elric glared at him. "I heard you didn't punish that outsider, Altwa, Altar, whatever his name is." Elric said, voice brimming with frustration. "You just let him walk free after destroying a forest that belonged to us, to me?"
He sighed as his eyes narrowed at his son. "Altair. His name is Altair, and it would do you good to remember that, for there may be a day when you must rely on him."
Elric scoffed. "As if I'd need his help."
There was another flaw of his son, he refused to rely on others, always believing that he only was right.
"And you would do well to remember this, son. Nothing in this kingdom is yours until I say it so. Do not mistake my leniency with you for weakness, should you continue to compromise this kingdom's dignity I will be forced to do something." He said, his eyes narrowed.
Elric gulped loudly before working up some of his courage. "Why? It makes us look weak! The nobles are already whispering that you've gone soft. That you're placing faith in a stranger over your own blood!"
Ah, so that was what this is about. Elric's pride was wounded. Though he was surprised that the nobles already knew of what had occurred in the palace. Perhaps there were some spies he wasn't aware of, he'd have to get Rykard to do another cleansing.
Aegil chuckled, but there was no amusement in his laugh. "If they believe strength lies in punishing those who could one day save their hides, then they're fools. And you, Elric, would do well not to mimic them."
It still astounded him that some of the nobles did not understand the true nature of this world, of how much true power matters. Yes, he possessed vast political power, as did the Council of the West, but when one of the first generation Demon Lords appeared, the entire West would be forced to bow to their whims.
What use did political power have in the face of absolute power? That was his purpose in ingraining Altair with the Kingdom of Ingrassia.
Altair had incredible potential, he managed to call in a few favors to get Altair's files from the Mutual-Aid Association, and it was listed that Altair had incredible potential, this was recorded by the renown Heinz himself. He also possessed the power to manipulate one of the most fundamental forces of their reality, Gravity.
Someone like that, under the tutelage of someone like the Conqueror of Flames was bound to achieve heights of power not many could imagine, in the same league as Shizu herself.
While Shizu did not wield the same influence the first generation of Demon Lords would have at their mere presence, many kingdoms would still not dare to refuse her requests so long as they weren't too absurd. Having someone like that on his side would do much to tame the Council of the West.
He eyed his son with something between pity and resolve. Elric could never understand this. Not yet. Maybe not ever if he didn't change his outlook. Just because he was a prince did not mean this life would be easy for him, not in this world at least.
"You speak of pride and appearances, but there is more to being king than that, Elric." He said with a sigh. "I hope one day you'll be able to understand what I am speaking of." He said as he turned around, continuing his earlier march.
Perhaps he had made a mistake with Altair, but if that was the case he would just have to bear the consequences.
He snorted as he thought back to the contract Altair agreed to. That brat was really a tough negotiator, and he conceded more than he wanted to, but in the end it was nothing he was too upset about. He was more amused than anything.
If he pushed too much then he would have put his foot down, the negotiation was more to help him better understand Altair, it was fine taking a minor loss for that purpose.
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Author's Note:
Sup everyone, back with another chapter of Graviton. This is more of the after effects of Altair's choice and whatnot. We get to hear about some of the king's reasoning for investing in Altair, some of his backstory and whatnot.
But to sum it up, the king wants his own " Majin Razen", someone who is known throughout the West, and can tell other countries to fuck off if need be. That's how much influence Razen has, and as Ingrassia is a smaller kingdom he's been wanting something like that desperately.
Yuuki is taking off for a bit, I wonder what'll happen when he's gone?
Thanks for reading, peace.
Thanks to @Salante and @Flowerman for beta'ing this chapter.