Chapter 166: So That’s Why

So That’s Why

Seeing his blank stare, Xander explained the situation to Ben calmly, and only after he did did the boy speak.

"... Are you guys important?" That was his first question.

"That’s..." Xander trailed off. Important...

"I think significant is a more accurate term. Basically a lot of people are looking our way at the moment." Aubrey elaborated, and Ben looked like someone who’d just been told they would soon be in the middle of an assassination attempt...

Actually that’s exactly what he’d be told.

The boy scratched his head, then he looked at Xander.

"Is this like a test? Or something meant to help me gain more experience." He suddenly asked, and Xander tilted his head.

"... I see why you’d think that, but honestly, no. It’s honestly just some convenient timing." Then he added to himself.

’That being said, since the assassination is probably directed at me specifically. Like i noted earlier, since I’m a "bigger hole in fate" and drew Ben into my "orbit", he’s likely gonna be entangled in some situations I cause simply due to existing. Like what’s going to happen now. Honestly this whole fate stuff is so odd. I wonder if I could... hm. Maybe.’ His thoughts trailed off as he imagined an interesting scenario, but his instincts told him that such a thing was only plausible in the future, so he filed it away for now.

In the brief silence that was more contemplative than awkward, Mary had given Ben a snack, no doubt still performing her duties as a maid despite everything.

"Anyway, I guess since Ben is here, we’ll need to include him in the plan. Provided that he can contribute properly." Aubrey got the conversation back on track with a light clap of her hands.

"With that said, Ben. You don’t need to reveal everything now, but would you mind showing us what you think are good enough artifacts that could aid you in a fight?" Ben looked up from his snack.

"Oh, um..." He opened his suitcase again and began to bring out several items. And the more he brought out, the more stunned everyone became.

It soon became very apparent that there Ben... was a bit terrifying.

***

In the end, the group wasn’t able to glean anything that happened in the meeting. All they knew was that the thing had lasted the whole day, which made them all wonder what it was about.

Xander was especially curious about the Wraiths, because apparently as soon as the meeting ended, they all gathered up and left the Palace of Defiance. Not even waiting for the next day that was the official departure date. It could have been chalked up to them wanted to leave due to how reclusive they were and their goals being fulfilled. But it still seemed oddly hasty, even for them.

Night soon fell within Irene’s dimension, with everyone going off to do their own thing. However, Falael lingered in Xander’s room, and the boy read her intent, letting him know that she was waiting for him.

As for Ben? Mia had calmly constructed another pocket space inside Xander’s room where he could stay. So there was no cause for disturbance.

Well, Mia and Keir were on his Bed, but both of them seemed content to just sleep.

Falael sat at the set of chairs on one side of the room, and Xander came near her.

Looking away from her intent for a moment, he just observed her in general, and he saw that her arms were folded, eyes straight forward and jaw tense, like she was bracing for something.

He didn’t address it immediately.

Instead, he sat next to her, close enough where they could feel each other’s body heat, and after some silence, she slowly leaned against him, the tension slowly bleeding out of her.

Xander finally chose that time to speak.

"... Wanna talk about it?" He asked gently, turning off intent reading so the conversation could flow naturally.

Falael didn’t say anything for almost a full minute, then she exhaled deeply.

"You ever wonder why I don’t talk about my dad?" She asked, and Xander fell silent.

The short answer to that would be yes. During their 6 months training, the group members naturally had multiple chances to meet each other’s families. Falael’s mother included. And while she was essentially just an older version of Falael personality wise, she was also surprisingly sweet. Like the pride was actually a part of her and not performative.

However, the obvious absence of a father figure was palpable, and Xander along with the other two tacitly agreed not to mention it.

"I figured you’d talk about it when you wanted to." Falael nodded slowly.

After some hesitation, she continued, her voice oddly subdued.

"... My dad was human. He worked as a Knight for a certain Marquis. Nothing crazy, but it was still respectable work, and my mother and I never needed to worry about skipped meals or clothes. It’s also why I know so much about nobility despite not being a noble myself. He’d always tell me stories about things he heard in the Noble’s territory." Her gaze turned distant, and Xander listened in complete silence.

"... I was 10 when it happened. The Marquis... wasn’t a great person. He was the type to allow his children to do whatever and never punish them. Always covering for them. Always acting like they could do no wrong." Her lips pressed together.

"One of them, lacking magical talent and aptitude, refused to accept the reality and started looking for alternate paths to gain power, and in the end, somehow, he got his hands of items detailing Ritual Magic." At this point, Xander began to see where this was going, but he still refrained from talking as he felt Falael’s hand grip his tightly, like she was grounding herself, and she stared at a spot on the wall like it owed her money.

"I don’t know the full details... But apparently, the son attempted to do a ritual where he would be bestowed a ’new form’ or something along those lines. And it succeeded. However, as it turns out, that new form just turned him into the vessel for the descent of some terrifying creature. And this happened in the Marquis’ Main house where my father served." She closed her eyes.

"The disaster was eventually quelled, but it came at a cost. A large majority of the area was destroyed by the ensuing battle, and several High Mages were needed to kill the son. But even then, the losses were heavy. Among the casualties... was my father." She opened her eyes.

"I like to think he’d been valiant, or held the line during everything. But when I saw his remains... I just knew that he likely died before he even fully understood what was happening. And how else would it have happened? He wasn’t a powerful Mage. He was a knight, he used swords..." Her tone was mocking, but it seemed directed at herself rather than her father.

After some seconds, Xander finally spoke.

"Is that why you found me so distasteful when we first met?" Falael stiffened, then slowly relaxed, and she nodded faintly.

"... When I saw you with your sword, going up against people who were meant to be talented mages, I felt almost... offended, sort of." She shook her head. "It’s stupid, it’s just..." She turned to look at him. Her eyes were glossy, but she didn’t look like she’d cry.

"I sort of... wished you’d shown up earlier. You know? That maybe, just maybe, if you’d appeared with your skills, maybe you could have taught him how to use a sword better. And then maybe he’d have been able to survive the disaster." She looked back down. "Well, that... and i also felt sort of indignant. Like, if my father died because his power was insufficient following a path that led to nowhere, what right did you have to prove that the ’dead’ path actually had more room for growth? In my head, that just meant he died because no one was bothered to properly explore that path. And that hurts more than the alternative." Silence fell over them again.

"... And I’m guessing that’s why you were so adamant that Ben’s own form of Ritual Magic had to have a cost too? Especially since the results are as potent as we saw." Xander pressed gently, and Falael just sighed with a nod.

"Yeah. Similar thing, I guess. Seeing him do it so effortlessly, I couldn’t help but wonder if, like with your swordsmanship, there was a ’proper’ path of Ritual Magic that Marquis’ son could have taken that wouldn’t have resulted in my father’s death." Xander slowly shook his head at that.

"While I’m the last person to say whether something can or can’t have a certain path, Ben truly is unique in his methods. I highly doubt that the person you’re referring to could have used such a method even if he knew about it." Falael scoffed.

"Of course. That’s why he’s here in the first place, isn’t it? Ben’s unbelievably special." She glanced at him.

"Just like you." Xander blinked.

"Uh... I’m flattered?" Falael shook her head.

"It’s not just a compliment. Seriously, you show up one day and completely revolutionize a dead path in less than a year while consistently introducing concepts none of us even thought existed to make our magic evolve in absurd ways. We are young, but we aren’t stupid. Then Ben appears and, similar to you, effortlessly makes use of a path everyone thought was dangerous like there’s no issue. Not to mention how the princess just drops him in your care." She poked his chest.

"It must be related to whatever you said you’d tell us after this, right? Well know that we aren’t clueless. So don’t be too terrified of us reacting badly. The bar would need to be extremely high for that." Xander blinked again.

Right, his friends belonged to a world behind on science, but that didn’t mean he was stupid.

He suddenly felt a bit nervous... but also kind of relieved?

"... I’ll keep that in mind." He hesitated before nodding.

"Good." Falael sat up and stretched.

"And I feel better, after talking. I won’t lie and say I’m completely trusting of Ben’s abilities yet, but... I won’t cause a fuss about it unless I have a reason to." Xander rested his chin against his palm.

"How mature of you. The you a few months ago would have been determined to find some flaw to push your agenda." Falael turned to him with a deadpan expression.

"I have a star in my mana pool. Don’t test me." That made Xander crack a smile.

"There she is." The teasing in his voice made Falael’s ears redden slightly, and she huffed.

"Tch, things were easier when you were denser than a brick. Ugh, whatever. I’m going to my room." With that, she stood up, walked to the door, then paused.

"... Also, thanks for listening to my rant." She mumbled before stepping out.

Xander looked at the door for a few seconds, then he sighed.

’How tragic.’ He thought, feeling sympathetic for Falael. However, he would not pity her, that would be an insult. Instead, he’d do his best to ensure she and Ben became comfortable with each other.

"Man, how can you be smitten by her yet resist my charm so effortlessly?" A soft, pouty voice wrapped around him like silk, but Xander shook off the effects of Mira’s charm and looked to the side where her figure materialized, still as magnetic as ever.

He didn’t address her statement and just asked.

"What’d you discover this time?" Seeing his lack of reacting, the succubus clicked her tongue and waved one of her wings, causing a few feathers to fly out.

They hovered in front of Xander before projecting several images.

"I did the stuff you asked of me with relative ease. However, I think you’ll want to focus on this one especially. It’s also still about the assassination stuff." Xander looked at the image Mira projected, and what he saw made his eyes narrow.