“Victory goes to Val!” Marshall boomed, his voice echoing across the training grounds. His face held a smile, clearly impressed by the fight he had just witnessed.
“Val!”
“Val!”
The crowd erupted into cheers, calling Val’s name over and over again as if they were fanatics. This was how the Northerners showed their respect to the strong.
Eliana, standing among the crowd, felt a sense of joy washing over her. Oliver was just a stranger to her, but Val… Val was her man. To see him come out victorious was a source of happiness for her.
On the other hand, Alfred was surprised but also quite pleased. The youngest son of the Lord of Thunder, known to be the best swordsman under the age of 20, had been bested by Val.
‘He is far more skilled than I gave him credit for,’ Alfred thought to himself, appreciation for Val’s talents replacing his initial shock.
His decision to befriend Val was looking more and more like a brilliant move. However, as he evaluated the situation further, he felt a twinge of regret. He had perhaps not shown Val the sincerity and commitment that the young man’s skills warranted. The friendship they had developed needed strengthening, needed more trust and respect from Alfred’s side.
Alfred knew that survival in this world hinged on one’s strength. However, he believed that to truly flourish, to rise in power and influence in this kingdom, one needed to forge alliances with the strong and the potentially great. And in Val, Alfred saw both – existing strength and the potential for greatness.
The strength and potential Val had shown today, convinced Alfred that he was worth investing his time and loyalty into.
Thus, Alfred decided then and there to invest more in their relationship.
Val retracted his sword from Oliver’s neck and extended his hand towards him.
He was in dire need of proper guidance in wizardry. He had become a wizard through unorthodox means and had managed to gain an Arcane Heart, but his understanding of wizardry was still minimal at best. He could sense his soul power but was clueless about how to manipulate it or use it in any meaningful way. 𝒩𝞸𝐕𝔩xt.𝔠𝒪𝔪
In Oliver, he saw an opportunity. If he could gain Oliver’s respect and friendship, he could potentially learn wizardry, the art of manipulating soul power, from him. It was a long shot, but Val was willing to take it.
His thought process was simple. Show Oliver respect, befriend him, and in doing so, create a foundation where he could ask for his guidance without it seeming too straightforward or demanding.
So, standing tall in the arena, amidst the cheering crowd and the fallen swords, Val held his hand out to Oliver. It was a gesture of respect, friendship, and a masked plea for help, all rolled into one. And he hoped that Oliver would accept it.
Surprised but grateful that the victor of their battle was showing his respect instead of looking down on him like what he was used to, Oliver grasped Val’s offered hand. With a firm pull, Val helped him back to his feet.
“Well fought,” Val commended, a small, respectful smile on his face.
Oliver chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re too kind. Here I thought I was some sort of sword prodigy, but you’ve bested me with ease.”
Val seized the opportunity to steer the conversation towards his goal. “Where did you learn to use wizardry?”
A puzzled look crossed Oliver’s face. “Why do you ask?”
“I’m a wizard myself, but I’ve never had proper guidance. I can’t even manipulate my soul power,” Val confessed, hoping this would create the connection he needed.
The community of wizards was quite small and exclusive. The chances of one wizard running into another were rather slim, akin to finding a long-lost lover in a crowd. Val was aware of this. He also knew that it was an unwritten rule amongst wizards to look out for one another. This rule was what Val intended to leverage to his advantage and get Oliver to teach him wizardry.
Oliver looked at him suspiciously. Wizards were rare, and what were the odds that his opponent was one? He reached out and grabbed Val’s hand, sending a pulse of soul power into his body to explore his internal structure. His suspicion turned into shock when he discovered the unmistakable presence of an Arcane Heart, the undeniable mark of a wizard, in Val’s body.
“You… You really are a wizard,” Oliver gasped as he looked at Val in disbelief.
“I told you so,” Val replied, a trace of triumph in his voice.
Suddenly, Marshall spoke to them, “Alright, you two. Your match is over. Leave the stage and let the other participants have their turn.”
The two wizards nodded and left the arena.
“Congratulations on your victory, Val,” Eliana approached them and said.
“Thank you, Eliana,” Val replied, a wide grin on his face.
Suddenly, Oliver poked Val in the ribs and asked in a teasing tone, “Is she your girlfriend?”
Eliana blushed, her ears turning a deep shade of red. She was shy, yet her eyes betrayed the happiness she felt at being acknowledged as Val’s partner.
“Yes, she is,” Val nodded without any hesitation or shame, his chest swelling with pride.
In this world, physical intimacy was commonplace. Most individuals would experience it at a young age, it was almost considered a rite of passage. The only exception to this rule were the nuns who worshipped the God of Light. They would abstain from such activities until they were married.
Furthermore, a nun’s purity couldn’t be faked.
In this world, there existed certain cursed artifacts that could be used to determine whether an individual had been physically intimate, and every branch of the Holy Church of Light had one. If a woman was detected to have had such an experience, she wouldn’t be allowed to become a nun. As such, the purity of a nun remained unquestioned, and their chastity was regarded with high esteem.
For this reason, it was considered to be the greatest achievement in the kingdom for a man to win the love of a nun. This achievement was greatly sought after, but very few were fortunate enough to claim it.
That’s why, Oliver felt envious of Val. After all, Val had managed to gain the love of a nun, an accomplishment considered the pinnacle of success in their society!
It should also be mentioned that since Eliana was a nun who worshipped the God of Light, Val felt fortunate as he wouldn’t have to have sex with a woman he did not love to continue his act. Unless they were married, Eliana wouldn’t demand it, and he decided to make sure that he gets what he wants from her before that happens.
“You really lucked out, didn’t you? Getting a pious woman like our sister here to be your lover,” Oliver let out a low whistle.
Hearing his words, Eliana’s face turned as red as a steamed crab.
“Don’t tease her so much,” Val said to Oliver.
“Alright, Alright, I won’t,” He then asked Val, “Let’s continue our conversation, shall we?”
Val nodded, his curiosity piqued. He was eager to learn more about wizardry.
Oliver turned towards Eliana and politely asked, “We have some important things to discuss. Would you mind excusing us?”
“Is it really necessary?” Val asked.
Oliver nodded, “Yes. There are some secrets that should not be shared with non-wizards. It’s for the best.”
“It’s alright. I’ll excuse myself. Have a good time, gentlemen.” Eliana gave them an encouraging nod, then walked away to give them privacy.