Chapter 103: Goodbyes

Chapter 103: Goodbyes

Chapter 103 - Goodbyes

Shining rays filtered inside his room. Kai looked around, his thoughts sluggish. A moment later, recognition flashed through his eyes.

Right, that happened.

He slipped out of the covers, there was more light than he was used to. The sun shone brightly in his living room.

I must have overslept. I cant remember the last time that happened.

Something was weird. After years of habit, he always woke up at the break of dawn, whether he wanted it or not. Last night he went to bed later than usual, but not that late.

Stepping outside intensified this feeling. The beach and the sea were the same, but something was wrong, different. Then it clicked. Kai waved his hands through the air flaring his mana skills. His skin didnt tingle.

The mana density is falling. Have they already deactivated the gathering array?

Kai turned to head for the mansion and froze on the spot. He blinked twice and rubbed his eyes, pinching himself for extra zealousness. He was awake. Mana Sense and Inspect gave him the same result as his sight.

The estate was simply gone.

Sand, a grassy meadow and flat ground. The elegant white mansion with blue accents, the library, Doras place, even the greenhouse and the plants, had disappeared without a trace. There was no sign of the foundations or the basement where Virya kept the core array of the estate.

What the fuck is going on!?

Plants and shrubs grew where the large buildings once stood. Apart from the lack of trees, the area looked ordinary, like any other empty stretch found on the islands. His little house was the only proof it hadnt been a dream.

Kai was relieved to see the silver ring was still on his finger. Creating a tread of mana, the small spatial closet appeared in his mind. It was all there: the sword, the cube and the package which must contain Doras potions.

Im not crazy, they just left without a word.

He had considered the possibility they would leave first thing in the morning, but not this. Never in a million years would he have imagined theyd uproot their house and bring it with them.

Kai let himself fall on the sand, feeling lost. The sound of the crashing waves calmed him. In deep Attuned Meditation, he waited for the world to make sense again.

It must be some kind of Space Magic. Either theyve teleported away, or they have an enormous spatial storage. If thats even possible.

The weird speculations helped him settle down. The weird sluggish sensation had left his mind, leaving him sharp and focused. They must have also done something to keep him asleep while all of this happened. It couldnt be a coincidence that he overslept.

Ten silver Elijah drugged me in my sleep. Damn jerk, he couldnt even ask me first, Kai said to no one in particular. He checked his surroundings, almost expecting the butler would jump out from a shadow with a snarky comment. No such luck.

Well, no matter, I feel fine now. Ive never been one much for goodbyes either.

Getting to his feet and dusting off the sand, Kai went back to his lonely little house. As he scanned the room, his eyes fell on the letter that sat on the table. He would have noticed it earlier if he were his usual self.

I got a goodbye note, I suppose.

Opening the folded papers, he immediately recognized Doras calligraphy.

Dear Kai,

I clearly remember the day you first came to us. You were so small, observing everything with your inquisitive little eyes. I dare say it was one of Lady Viryas wisest choices in the eighty-seven years Ive known her.

I know this must all seem so sudden and unexpected, and Im sorry we didnt have time for a final goodbye. Alas, circumstances Im forbidden to mention demand we move quickly.

Elijah has been delaying our departure for a while, waiting any further would turn very problematic for him. I must thank you for keeping him company these last few years. The ring he gave you is the first one he received when he was about your age. The fact he chose to give it to you means more than hell ever tell you.

Elijah

Yep, thats definitely him. Why write a goodbye note when you can put a death threat?

Rolling his eyes, his attention moved to the book. It was only a finger thick with a dark brown leather cover that bore no title. Kai scoured his mind to find what Elijah could be referring to. He had vainly searched for many different information over the years, though one thing stood out the most.

Could it really be it?

Opening the first page left no doubt. Initiation to the Mysteries of the Guide - A Deeper Look into Professions, Feats and More.

His heart began thumping in his chest. For something everybody had to deal with, knowledge about the deepest mechanism of the Guide was scarce. Kai browsed through the pages, stopping on the section about feats.

A long list of achievements presented himself before him. Some that he knew or even obtained, some he did not. Kai couldnt believe his eyes. He had looked for this information for years. Clearly, the reason he never found anything in the library had been a deliberate choice.

Virya probably believed this was too big of a help or something. Kai would bet the mage didnt know about this. It explained why Elijah hadnt told him about the book last night and advised him to wait till morning to check the ring instead.

Damn, now I feel like I should have thanked him more. Such a butlers move.

Voraciously reading his new book, time flew by. Some chapters began with lines like: Beware this knowledge may affect the rewards bestowed by the Guide, and Do not communicate this information to individuals younger than fourteen years of age. Those were a bit of a downer.

Thank the spirits, I started reading from the beginning and I didnt skip ahead.

It was unfortunate, but the book contained enough knowledge to keep him busy for years, and the feats were only one of the sections present. Time flew by as he dived into the pages.

When the light became too faint to read the words, Kai reluctantly put it back into the ring. He never thought hed have to cross the jungle again so soon. But he had no reason to stay here.

If the Republic noticed the villa had vanished into thin air, it could lead to a difficult situation. Just because he hadnt done anything illegal, it didnt make him feel safe. Better to feign ignorance in Sylspring.

There was no way Virya had missed such an obvious problem. Maybe he was worrying for nothing, but hed rather not risk it in case she thought of this as another challenge.

Kai put most of his silver, Doras recipe book and a few more volumes inside his ring, lightening his bag considerably. The spatial closet wasnt particularly large, though it was perfect for small and heavy items.

Luckily, I chose the sword, a spear wouldnt fit.

It was a pity, the ring couldnt contain his backpack since the two spatial enchantments would conflict with one another. With everything ready, he ate a cold meal and went to sleep early.

The next morning came fast and brought a terrifying discovery. When he tried to use the sink in the bathroom, no water came out. He ran to the shower, and it was the same story.

Nooooo! How could you do this to me!?

Kai took a deep breath to stop himself from hyperventilating. Activating Mana Sense, all the runes he had personally engraved were still there. He let out a sigh of momentary relief.

Examining the scripts, he soon found the problem. Whatever the estate used to supply the appliances had been whisked away together with the buildings. There must have been some remaining energy in the circuits yesterday that now was gone.

Remain calm, Kai. You can fix this!

Plans for a new gathering and converting array or a rechargeable battery spined in his mind. He had never undertaken such a large project, but he possessed the necessary theoretical knowledge.

He fought the temptation to take out a paper and draw a draft. Time was ticking. Kai had to harden his heart and abandon his shower in such a shameful condition.

We had a great time together, didnt we? I promise I will be back to fix you one day.

With one last look at the place where he spent most of his life, Kai hoisted his bag on his shoulder and headed for the jungle. His feet followed the ground that once hosted the paved path to the estate.

A new chapter of his life was just beginning.