Chapter 36.1 – Visiting the Castle 1.1

Pearl gulped while staring at the Magical Orb in her hands. A Wyvern, a flying nightmare with wings six metres wide, five times bigger than a person, no matter the species. A big mouth full of strong, sharp teeth, a tail that ends on a spike made of bone, and claws as big as short swords that could pierce armour or turn a City wall into rubble.

Pearl couldn’t stop thinking about the absurd amount of Magic such Orb had, and Alex noticed her eagerness. “The way you are looking at it, it seems you like it. You want to have it, don’t you?”

“Yeah… All this Magic would give me a tremendous boost in case of an emergency…”

She gave the Orb to Alex, who slowly pushed it back to her. “Keep it if that means you will be able to defend yourself from an attack. Who knows, maybe you need the Magic in it to save me one day.”

Pearl smiled at the glow of the Orb. “I think I can do that. I have never had an Orb this big. But... This is so unbelievably expensive and rare. I have only heard of one Wyvern that was killed over five years ago, and it was a big Elfian army that did it. Are you sure I can have it?”

“Sure, I am sure. You saw a bunch of them on that shelf, right? I have many others. Wyverns don’t appear very often, but when they do, they are extremely difficult to kill, and I always try to put their Orbs to good use, to honour the ones that died to get them or were badly injured.”

Pearl stared at the Orb with trembling hands. “You mean… someone died to get this? I don’t know if I should have this, then…”

“Someone either died or got injured, and I don’t know anyone else more appropriate who could put that Magic to good use, to honour the sacrifice of the ones that fell to get it.”

Pearl made a slight nod while still staring at the Magical Orb. “I tend to see an Orb for their Magic, and I fail to think about the ones that died because of the Monster that had it. I suppose I am not the only one doing that, because I often hear Adventurers at the Guild in Bouria talking about their fights against Monsters, but they never make a big deal about the ones that died because of Monsters. That means… that pile of tiny Magical Orbs that I was playing... Many people died to get them, and I was foolishly playing with the memory of their sacrifice…”

Alex nodded while pointing at the crate with gold coins that Anika was still stirring. “Even these coins have a deeper meaning than payment for my workers. Some of these coins are also used to give compensation to the family of a soldier that died because of a Monster. A few also represent workers or farmers that died or got injured while at work. All my money and Magical Orbs have the blood, tears, and sweat of the people that work for me. That’s the reason I brought you all here. I saw the glow in Anika and Wenammy’s eyes when they heard Viscount Finley saying how much money I had, and I also saw your eyes when you discovered I had a bunch of Magical Orbs. What I have represents the hard labour or the suffering of a lot of people. I try my best to improve their lives so fewer of them suffer or die because of Monsters or accidents. I can’t do anything about natural deaths, but I can make sure they live a happy and safe life under my service.”

Pearl nodded and stared at the big Magical Orb she was carrying. Anika slowly took her hand from the crate and looked at a single gold coin. “This one could pay for the meals of a family of three for a week. You have crates filled with coins, and you give work to a lot of people. You pay them with these coins, something that I never heard a Human Noble do… I admire you, Alex. The way you treat the people under you is nice to see. You treat all of them with respect and kindness, even the maids that we crossed paths with during our walk, you either smiled or nodded at them, greeting every single one of them. You did the same to the servants, the soldiers… I never did that… In my family’s house, I never treated my servants like that. I guess… I was spoiled by thinking it was their duty to serve me and my family. I hardly know the names of most of them, but you called your maids by their names, and even asked about their children, or parents…”

Alex made an awkward smile. “I guess… I was raised like that. I can’t see anyone as my inferior, or me as better than anyone. The people that work for me are doing a job. I pay for that job, and it’s not troublesome for me to ask them if they are happy or if they need something to make their lives better. With some rare exceptions, they don’t try to take advantage of me or my kindness. The few that do that are quickly expelled because if they can’t valour the life I provide them, I don’t want them near me.”

Anika slowly nodded with a glow in her eyes while staring at Alex. “No wonder I fell in love with you… At first, I confess, it was only because I wanted to have fun. After all, you didn’t speak much during our first Quest, and you made me curious, but you kept on breaking the walls I placed around my heart, walls that were supposed to protect me from getting hurt. Now, I only care about conquering you and living a long life by your side. I am learning a lot, and I am beginning to think about everything I did during my years in my family’s house… The way I annoyed the servants, or abused them… I used to be a very spoiled little Mermaid.”

Alex made an awkward smile. “Thanks, I guess. So, what do you say if we get out of here and go find my uncle to go see those new soldiers? I almost forgot about them.”

Anika put the gold coin in the crate again and took one last look around. It was indeed an immense fortune, and Alex even told her he had more in other houses. It was strange to hear him say that he didn’t consider any of that money his, but because she was knowing him better and discovering what moved him, it was understandable.

As they left the room, she asked, “Alex, if all that money is to pay for your workers, why don’t you take any for yourself, for your expenses?”

“I don’t need it, actually. I always lived a life with no luxury, so even if I had all the money in the World, I wouldn’t know what to do with it. Most people need money to have a better life, but mine is good enough. I know that there are greedy people that are never satisfied, but I was never like that. Besides, I work as an Adventurer for hire, remember? The money I received as payment is more than enough to pay for my food and my room at the Guild in Bouria. I even save some money from the Quests, and some of the Magical Orbs I get I donate to Churches and Orphanages.”

Anika slowly nodded. “I see, so you sold the Magical Orbs you got on our voyages...”

“Actually, my Spirits ate the Magic, but I know a very good artisan that makes jewellery with pieces of Magical Orbs. Remember that little Lamia girl in Bouria?”

Anika thought for a while, and her face brightened. “Oh, I remember you saying that you made some tools for her mother to use! But... Why do you let your Spirits eat the Magic in the Orbs? Why not sell... Okay, never mind, wrong question, you don’t need the money. Hehehe!”

Pearl took one last look at the shelves with the biggest Orbs and spoke, “I bet all those Nobles in the Chamber of Lords would be crazy about this if they ever come here. I don’t see most of them getting sad because of the deaths these Orbs represent. They would surely only think about how much food, clothes, and jewellery they could buy. Well, I used to only think about the Magic in them, but after what you said, it’s kind of hard for me to forget it and still see Magical Orbs like I used to do. I... also lost a few friends because of Monsters, but at that time, I saw the Orbs I got as a source of Magic. I totally forgot about what it cost to have those Orbs in my hands. Stupid of me...”

Alex noticed the sad look on Pearl’s face and said as he placed one hand over her right shoulder. “I am sorry if I made you remember something so sad. It was not my intention.”

Pearl slowly nodded and looked at him with such a gentle smile that Alex felt his heart skipping a beat. “Thanks, anyway. At least I learned something new about you. You keep on making me sure that I want to be with you, even when you make me remember sad events from my past. You are something else, Alex. Any other Human out there would spend the money from the sale of all those Orbs and the coins on those crates as if the World were about to end. I am almost positive that if I asked you to buy me a tonne of clothes or weapons, you wouldn’t even think twice. You are too kind, and it’s tempting to abuse you, but at the same time, I would never do that and make you angry at me. Weird, right?”

“Weird because of what?”

It is weird because at first I was unsure of what I felt. Then your Magic overwhelmed me, and then I started to know you a lot better, and now I am sure I like you. Strange how things turned out, right?"

Alex got a slap on his hand by an annoyed Anika to make him let go of Pearl Pearson, and he spoke while rubbing his hand, “If you are talking about having you three interested in me, then yes, that’s strange, considering that any of you wouldn’t have any problem conquering any man you wanted.”

Anika answered while going to the stairs that led to the top floor. “And yet, there you are, still second-guessing our intentions. You are slow or stubborn, Alex. Any other man wouldn’t hesitate to go after one of us.”

“Yes, someone already told me something similar. I just like to be sure of my feelings, that’s all.”

Anika gave a big smile. “Then it’s just a matter of making you go crazy about me, and you will know for sure what you feel!”

She ran up the stairs, leaving behind a surprised Alex, thinking that Anika was indeed something else, while Pearl and Wenammy were frowning at her boldness, which kept on making them feel they were being left behind in the race to Alex’s heart.