The days blurred.
And the weekend quickly approached.
Grace didn't do anything out of the norm, but the words of his sister did weigh into his mind. Sneaking out didn't necessarily yield any bad results - considering Aventus does not act on it right away - as long as they didn't draw in unnecessary trouble.
All the readers were stuck with Ivan not venturing beyond the city for hundreds of chapters and the only times he did during the course of those chapters was only when he did field-trips. Luckily, there were interesting things that happened during the academy act that drew people in. But he wasn't the protagonist of Blight.
He didn't have to play by the rules that the kind-natured boy walked by. In a sense, he was merely a new character that had been planted into the story's narrative.
And that worked out perfectly for him.
Still... would it be wise to drag Alice along with me? Ivan would without a doubt improve much faster soon and wouldn't need the help outside of the academy to progress.
But he's a reckless protagonist. His very nature draws too much trouble for my liking. On the other hand, if he brought along Alice--that would stimulate a quicker growth for herself and for him.
And her stimulated growth would become apparent to everyone sooner or later.
And a byproduct would be Ivan pushing himself further. Yes... that would work. I'll knock off two birds with one stone with this one. In the end, Grace knew that Alice was probably the better choice between the two individuals.
Of course, he could ask some other people - like Rufus - but his nature was too troublesome and also drew too much attention.
"This works fine by me."
All that was left was to find where Alice was currently located.
"Grace! My guy!" Turning around, Grace saw Albert wearing a shit-eating grin as he approached the young master.
"Got any plans today? If not, then let's duel."
"Is fighting all you do?"
"For now, yeah."
"Can't. I'm busy--have you seen Alice? I need to ask her something."
Albert smirked.
"Ah, young love. Where a boy becomes a man. I saw her go to the library earlier--she's been obsessing over the Magic Amplification Circle you made."
"I'm not a romance type of person."
Grace immediately declined such assumptions made by Albert.
"Yeah... whatever you say. I'll leave you to it. Any guesses where Rufus might be at?"
"He's in the training pods at the moment."
A small smirk broke out of Albert's face as he immediately turned around, facing the direction of the training area.
"All the more convenient!"
Albert ran off into the distance as Grace let out a sigh.
It looks like they're at least getting along better. I guess it's true that hardship brings people closer together. Grace turned around and marched towards the library.
Even though he did plan on inviting Alice on his little mischievous escapade--he was totally prepared to go alone on the chance that she declines. After all, this was quite a dangerous adventure that he was going to propose to her.
Good thing I have something she wants. Grace resisted a little smirk that threatened to form on his face. Arriving in front of the library, Grace looked at the exterior design.
White marbled. Polished to the core of the earth, and pillars with decorative crevices that trailed along from top to bottom. It loomed over, casting a brilliant shadow. Behind it, however, a flicker of the sun stood magnificently, faint rays of light standing behind it.
He took a few steps, his elevation heightening as he walked to the entrance of the library.
Entering the library--
It was silent.
Completely and utterly silent.
Tap!
Tap!
The white marble floors sung an echo with each footstep that Grace took. The shelves filled with books coursed with profound knowledge that not many could ever hope to comprehend.
A familiar feeling.
Just as I remembered. Grace mused as he began searching for Alice. Even though he had an idea on what part of the library she was located at, Grace did not know the exact location due to the vagueness of the novel.
Walking up to a staff member - an older gentleman - Grace asked.
"Hello, do you perhaps know where I can find books that discuss magic circles?"
The older man turned around and looked at him. There was what seemed to be a permanent frown on the elderly man's face--probably unsatisfied with his job.
"...It should be all the way to the back-left of the library. Have a good day." As the staff member got back to his own affairs - reorganizing the books - Grace turned around and went back to his own affairs, as well.
Tap!
Tap!
Again, his footsteps echoed against the marble floors of the library as he marched towards the back-left of the library in his own silence. Arriving, Grace caught a glimpse of the gorgeous youngest daughter of the White Family.
Alice sat quietly at a table, surrounded by dozens of books. She muttered a few words that Grace could not decipher, but he could tell by her body language that it was words filled with disappointment.
"Your curiosity knows no bounds," Grace commented as she sat right beside her. Alice glanced to her side, a soft but even gaze piercing directly into his skull.
Cold.
Efficient.
Direct.
That is the type of person she was.
"Well," she muttered, bitterly. "Someone didn't want to spill the beans." She looked at the books and pointed at them. Then she looked at Grace and pointed at him, as if he was responsible for her suffering.
"Nothing--absolutely nothing regarding that circle you made."
Grace offered an aloof look, shrugging his shoulders. He placed his right elbow on the smooth table, putting a bit of his body weight into a leaning gesture.
"Trade secret."
"And how did you stumble upon such a thing."
Grace smirked.
"I'm a Walker," he told her flatly. "But... you know... even trade secrets can be spilled."
Alice narrowed her eyes.
"For a price." She finished for him.
The Walker boy nodded his head. Alice could see that Grace was satisfied with how the conversation was going.
"Yes--a favor."
"And what is this favor you want from me?"
Good.
She was interested.
Grace puckered his lips lightly, then it transformed into a small, sly smirk.
"Nothing too serious," Grace said, biting back a chuckle. He hid it before meeting Alice's gaze evenly.
"Friday evening. Meet to the left of the entrance. Be further out. You and me sneak out of the academy and go outside of the city to hunt down mana beasts. Not just during that day--but for the whole of Saturday and half of Sunday."
Her eyes twitched.
And there was a small grunt that exited her lips.
"Are you crazy? We almost died not too long ago fighting in that 4-star dungeon."
Grace dead-panned.
"I think you forgot something... you purposely dove into it. You had no obligation to enter the dungeon--you made the conscious choice. And you paid the price like the rest of us."
"So? I wanted loot."
"Don't we all," Grace muttered loud enough to where Alice could hear.
Alice sighed.
"But if I accept... you'll give me the circle array?"
"Absolutely. Even the after-effects so you don't recklessly use it."
"Deal. Just don't be baggage during our hunt."
Grace chuckled, shrugging his shoulders.
"Trust me--I'm the furthest thing from baggage."
"I'll hold you on those words."
Grace got up from the seat and handed her glasses--the same pair of glasses that he got from his sister.
"What's that?" She asked him, curious.
"An item identifier."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"How'd you get that? My parents - regrettably - did not buy me one before entering."
"My sister."
The eyes that had been widened subtly then blown apart completely. In the novel, it was said that Alice viewed Madeline as a role model and someone that she aspired to be one day.
"She was here?"
"A few days ago. These glasses right here is my down payment. It's not bad, isn't it? You scratch my back and I scratch yours. This will be good for you in the future."
Alice took the glasses, placing them on her eyes. She looked over to her side, looking at the sheathed blade in the platinum-white scabbard with a red ribbon dangling on the middle.
[Sword of Youngest White]
[Grade: C]
[Effect: None]
It was a regular blade bestowed to her by her father, to which, the glasses could not know. However, it made her curious how the glasses are able to identify a brief history of items and a person within the dungeon.
Alice turned to Grace.
"...Thank you," she told flatly.
Grace merely smiled in amusement.
"We'll be comrades for a few days. This is hardly anything."
The future of the characters were important to him. The progression, their feelings, and everything that existed between and beyond those--
It all mattered to him.