Chapter 45

45 Set-Off

Azula asked, “Do you have any weapons on you after giving me this?”

Valerian nodded, but before handing the knife to the princess he said, ‘Your Highness, the edge of this knife is coated with the blood of Meluca Bees, please be mindful. It can leave you in a state of temporary paralysis.’

Azula was surprised and then asked, “Why are you holding it like this then? Do you think, you will not get cut?”

The boy was slightly moved by the concern in her tone and said, ‘I have beast skin gloves, they protect me from the cuts.’

Azula sighed and said, “You really are gutsy. Give it to me, I will have Quies get the craftsmen prepare a wooden hilts for these.”

Valerian gazed at her and then nodded. He walked up to her side and carefully placed eight such claw knives on the table. Azula was about to say something when the door was knocked and a loud voice sounded, “Your Highness, is that brat here?”

The voice belonged to the elusive mage Rectus. Azula smiled and said, “Come in, Mage Rectus.”

The door was pushed open and the mage walked in wearing black pants and cerulean tunic. This was a travel outfit used by mages. His eyes locked at Valerian and he said, “Before we leave, I challenge you for a dual.”

Valerian raised his hand and asked with indifference, ‘Are you sure?’

.....

Rectus was surprised, but he said, “Why shall I not be sure, you brat, you dared to prank us all in the forest. I will get back to you for that.”

Valerian gazed at the princess, who smiled and nodded. She said, “You can make your own decision.”

This was a great deal of freedom she had given the boy. She did not want him to feel like he was a servant under her. Valerian nodded and said, ‘You can call go and round up everyone else, who wants to teach me a lesson. I will not do this again and again.’

Rectus and Azula were sort of taken aback by the confidence he displayed. The mage gazed at him for a little bit and said, “Fine, we will meet in the training field after ten minutes.”

Valerian raised his hand and said, ‘If you lost, I will have each person on your side to pay me five shillings.’

Rectus almost tripped, he said, “If you win, I will pay you five hundred Teals. But if you lost, I want you to walk behind the convoy from here to the capital.”

He thought Valerian was getting arrogant since he spent two months inside the forest, and wanted to teach him humility. Before Azula could say anything, Valerian nodded and agreed to the bet. The princess did not say much, she had given him the freedom to make his own decisions.

After Rectus left, Valerian bowed and asked the Princess to be the witness. Azula happily agreed and the two people came to the training field, where ten people stood waiting for Valerian.

These people were the guards of the princess, and Rectus. Quies was standing at the sidelines with Priscilla. The maid saw the princess coming over and arranged for a chair. Valerian bowed to Quies and moved ahead.

Azula asked, “Quies, why did you not take part in the challenge?”

The old steward said, “Your Highness, I can tell that the child is stronger than before, however, if I were to get serious, with this many people against him. He will not have a chance. That would be unfair.”

Azula nodded, she asked her maid, “What about you Priscilla?”

The maid said, “Are you kidding me, Your Highness? This guy can kill a War Bear now. Why will I go and pick a fight with him?”

Quies was shocked, and he turned to look at Priscilla. The maid said, “I am not lying, Sir Quies. Look at him.”

When the old man turned his head to look at Valerian he found the boy taking out a set of gloves from the inner pocket of his coat and putting them on. With the experience he had, could he not tell that the gloves were not simple.

Valerian stood against the ten people with no hesitation in his gaze. This was intimidating for the opponents. Azula gestured to the old man beside her, who said in a sonorous voice, “Ready?”

The nine guards quickly assumed a charging formation with Rectus behind them. The guards had their shields erected and spears aimed at Valerian. They were ready to beat this boy black and blue.

Valerian, on the other hand, placed his left foot in front and leaned forward. Quies said, “Begin.”

The guards wanted to charge, when Valerian vanished from his spot already, he had no intention to waste time with these people and their silly games.

Rectus frowned and said, “Charge.”

The guards moved forward, the distance between them and Valerian’s original position was thirty meters and they could over it in two steps, however, the delay from surprise had given the child a lead.

When Valerian reappeared, he was five meters away from them and before they could step forward to stab him with the spears, the boy jumped high in the sky.

Quies shook his head, Valerian was trying to bypass the front line to take down the magical aid. It would not work, he has exposed himself to the mage.

Rectus smirked and raised his hand to cast a spell, but suddenly the child in the air appeared in front of him. Valerian used a spell, ‘Ventus Motus.’

This spell boosted his speed of descent and none of the people had expected him to use Magic so delicately. Just as he was about to land in front of the shocked mage, he twisted his body in mid-air and delivered a round house kick to the head of Rectus.

The impact sent the mage flying, and the warriors, who had just turned around were shocked. Valerian did not pay attention to Rectus, he gazed at the warriors and cast another spell, ‘Terra Liga.’

Four of them found their legs bind in hard rocks. The other five saw this but still they charged ahead. However, was Valerian so easy to deal with? He bypassed them and cast a spell for the other four people.

‘Vitis paralityca.’, four people were quickly wrapped in grayish vines, immobilized.

Next, Valerian appeared in front of the only moving warrior, who stabbed at him with a spear. The child simply knocked the side of the spear head with the back of his left palm and dashed in. Then he landed ten punches to the warriors abdomen, making him curl over from pain and puke all his food outside.

Valerian did not stop, he picked up the spear of the defeated soldier and appeared in front of the eight immobilized warriors. The spearhead was placed on their napes with extreme ease, indicating their deaths if this was a real battle.

...

On the sidelines. Azula did not know when she had stood up. While Priscilla was sighing in relief that she did not take part in this battle, Quies was agitated, he mumbled, “I should have stepped in.”

Azula also nodded, she said, “That way, his real skills could have been seen. However, this is also good. If we do not know his strength, our enemies will be in the dark too.”

Quies nodded, they turned their attention back to Valerian.

...

After Valerian made the warriors surrender, he took away the spells and even helped the puking guy with a healing spell. Then he walked over to Rectus, cast him a glance and left the place.

Azula saw this and shook her head. Valerian was definitely not happy with the bothersome behavior of Rectus and thus he left him unconscious on the ground. She had to cure the mage herself.

...

Rectus woke up and asked, “What happened?”

He could not process what even happened, Quies at the side said, “Mage, you lost.”

Rectus gulped and said, “Has he become a beast after staying in the woods?”

Priscilla said, “Given that you are still alive, I will say, he held back his power. Otherwise, it would be like a watermelon against the stone, you are the watermelon, just so you know.”

Rectus shivered, and looked at Quies who nodded. The child has become terrifyingly strong. However, if they were to ask Valerian himself, he would say that he had a long way to go.

Azula asked them to have breakfast and prepare to leave the city quickly. She wanted to get back home as soon as possible. The people nodded and they began to prepare quickly.

Valerian was also called over by the maids, while he was tending to the Snow Deers. After the meal, the people were ready. After the meal when the princess got on the carriage, Priscilla followed her, and Rectus was also going inside, when a figure half his height stretched out his hand in front of the mage.

Rectus gnawed his teeth, he was reluctant to give away his money, when Valerian asked, ‘Do you want to fight again?’

The mage shivered and glaring at the child he took out a silk bag and shoved in latter’s hands. The boy took out four notes and with both hands passed them to the princess, the debt he owed was now paid off. Azula also did not say anything and took the notes with a smile.

Valerian was given a horse to ride, but he shook his head and sat on the coachman seat with Quies. His identity was that of an attendant. The old steward checked the carriage one last time and after he took the reins, he said, “Set Off.”