Chapter 173: Deminte

Arza sat on the floor of a simple two-story building in one of the more obscure corners of the mage part of the Tribe Grounds.

The man who brought him had told him to wait for Lady Deminte for one day in this room, and that she was going to meet him the day after. 

Arza asked about what was going to happen with his classes, and the man just told him not to worry about it, as he wasn't going to be attending them anymore. 

He wondered how it was possible for some people to bend the rules this much, while if another had done a similar thing, they would be punished by them. Karan told him that its' just how society works and he didn't need to worry about it, but Arza just couldn't get over the fact, even now. 

Well, Karan told him many things, like how he shouldn't trust him that much since not everything he said would be a correct. He also felt like Evin had said something similar as well, but he just couldn't remember when. Evin said a lot of things, after all. He was pretty sure that Ssatsko also said something similar at some point. 

'Well, why bother speaking, then,' Arza clearly remembered retorting in such a way, which received a slightly shocked expression from Evin and Ssatsko. Arza didn't know why they were so shocked. But now that he was surrounded by kids and adults with lots of varying thoughts and ideals, he kind of understood the two's words. 

But it wasn't like he was unhappy with the situation, no. Arza was glad that Evin gave him this chance to stay away from the crowd. At first, he was very content with the kids surrounding and flocking around him, but as he spent more and more time with them, he was starting to realize how boring and childish most of them were. He would much rather spend his time with Evin, listening to him drone off about random things.

Arza felt a bit bad, since he was comparing literal children to someone who had lived an entire life at some point, but it was how he felt in the deepest parts of his heart. 

'If you really want something, but you know that taking that thing will result in someone else being unhappy… well, I'd certainly try my best to take the damn thing anyway,' his father's advice entered his ears. Arza felt that Evin said something similar at some point as well. 

'But my wish is to become strong enough to protect my family and then beat up all the people that always take you away from me,' he thought, thinking about the time when he chanced upon his mother burying her head his father's back, telling him to come back safely with tears in her eyes.

[Damn, who does that woman think she is? Keeping us in here without even bothering to check up on us…] Karan's voice echoed in Arza's head.

[Well, let's just enjoy the peace while we can. I know you feel very spent when we're surrounded by children,] Arza tried to give the man some optimism.

As the two were conversing like this silently, the door to his room opened and a chill went up his back. 

An elderly woman in light blue clothing was eyeing him from the door with a condescendingly icy gaze. But from closer look, Arza really couldn't call her a proper old lady. Aside from her graying hair and the occasional wrinkles on her forehead, she looked much better than most of the forty-year-olds Arza saw back on Smallwall village.

"Lady Deminte," Arza greeted. His father told him that greetings rarely went wrong.

"Arza, right? Do you have a last name?" 

"No."

"Are your parents both commoners? Tell me about your situation a bit," Deminte said imposingly.

"My father's a mage that graduated from Arcvallen, while my mother is a commoner from my father's hometown. We still live there. Smallwall town."

'Why is this so important?' Arza thought annoyedly. Every Northern Child he met would drone off about their family and Tribe, like nothing else existed in the World.

"Hmm… Tell me, how long have you been friends with that boy?" she asked idly.

"Since the days I became conscious," Arza answered truthfully.

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think staying with him will be anything good for your growth," she said off-handedly.

"What do you mean?" Arza tone couldn't help but become aggressive.

"His trickery, his variety of methods, his heterogeneousness, his conduct… all of them are detrimental for you, who's much more suited for the True Path," Deminte said.

"The what?"

[Sounds like a scam,] Karan commented.

"The True Path. The path that all mages were fated to walk. Don't look at me like that. It's nothing like what you're expecting. In fact, I think you're going to like it very much," Deminte smiled ambiguously.

Arza looked at her with some wariness. The way she smiled exactly the same when Evin would try to scam him into something. 

"What do you want from me?" Arza asked, his mind unusually sharp.

"See? The black-haired boy's ruined you. His wary attitude rubbed off on you, so whatever I say, you will question it. Even if I told you that I have absolutely no wish to recruit you under my wings and that I just want to see where you end up with the proper training, you wouldn't believe me. Well, perhaps you would… if you've never met the boy, that is," Deminte smiled coldly.

"Why do you have to bring him into this all the time?" Arza asked.

"You really think I don't see his plan? You really think I couldn't notice his gaze piercing through the illusive veil and a smirk appearing on his face? It was so disturbingly familiar, I thought Nasst had shapeshifted into the boy. Such childish ideas… Don't forget, child, I'm a super-imposer," Deminte scoffed.

Arza was a bit shocked, but he expected such an outcome. In fact, he planned to tell the truth to Deminte.

"I didn't mean that… But if you want to talk about the topic… Well, Evin told me to have us write a contract that ensures my safety and my freedom. Obviously, we can talk about what I can do for you to pay you back for your training," Arza said suddenly.

Deminte just scoffed again and handed Arza a piece of paper, which Arza could tell, was filled to the brim with energy from the World of Water.

"I, Deminte Olfanrel, swear upon the Livendia Threetail's Contract that I am willing to impart the knowledge (ones that I am allowed to) upon Arza of Smallwall Town… I do not require any form of repayment from the other party," Arza read with some shock. 

The supposed Contract then included a bunch of lines that promised Arza and his family's safety and some details about the knowledge she held. The only request she had from Arza was to give his best when training the methods she imparted upon her, while also keeping it a secret. 

"Do you believe me now, or will you have someone check the Contract's legitimacy?" Deminte asked with a snort.

"Why are you doing this?" Arza couldn't help but ask.

Deminte shrugged in response.

"It's hard to watch you waste your talent like that. Such potential for the True Path, but you'd rather jump into the muddy water and taint yourself… Well, if you want another reason, well, I need to have some of my kin understand a lesson," she smiled coldly.

'What does that mean?' Arza thought, feeling like he stumbled upon something important.

"Don't think too much about it. What's more important is your decision. Will you accept my tutelage?" Deminte asked and her eyes seemed to become an edge sharper compared to before.

Arza gulped almost instinctively, his eyes wavering under Deminte's cold glare. His heartbeat quickened and his hands started sweating. Something started clumping up in his chest, like he was about to suffocate. 

"I-I'll do it!" he suddenly shouted avidly.

Deminte only smiled lightly at Arza's zealous shout.

…