Chapter 157: One More Favor

Zac stood outside Armani’s cottage, staring at the door. "You know, every time I leave this place, I swear to myself I’ll never come knocking on her door again."

[And here you are...]

"And here I am, standing outside her house again, about to ask for another favor. That’s what you’re about to say, right?"

[Right.]

"I promise this will be the last time."

[Yeah. Write that on a river.]

Zac ignored the system and opened the door only to see the living room completely empty.

He stepped inside and looked around. "Armani?"

There was no response.

"Miss Vice-Principal?"

"Big sister?"

[I don’t think she’s home.]

"Yeah, I can see that perfectly well."

Zac sat down on one of the couches and waited. More than an hour passed, yet there was still no sign of Armani.

Eventually, he gave up and decided to return tomorrow. But the moment he stepped outside, he spotted Armani leisurely walking towards the cottage.

"Where have you been?"

Armani raised an eyebrow. "I’m a busy person, all right?" Then her expression changed. "How did you get inside my house?"

"The door was open."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "So you’re saying you enter anyone’s house if the door happens to be open?"

"I didn’t mean it like that. Besides, it’s not entirely my fault. You are the one who left it unlocked."

"Until today, no one in this academy had the nerve to barge into my house without being invited."

"Then let me be the first."

She looked at him threateningly. "It seems you don’t fear me anymore."

"To tell you the truth, I have never feared you."

"Really, why? Am I not fearsome enough?"

"No, that’s not it. I know for a fact you wouldn’t do anything for me because of my mom."

Armani gave him an amusing look. "Come inside."

The two entered the cottage and sat across from each other on the couches. "So," Armani said, "what do you want this time?"

Zac blinked. "Is it that obvious?"

"Although I’d like to believe my handsome nephew cares enough to visit his aunt simply because he missed her, I know perfectly well that you only come here when you need something."

"You think I’m handsome?"

Armani’s expression became flat. "Don’t use my words to inflate your ego."

"Understandable."

"Now spill it. What do you want?"

"Remember when you said you knew someone who could forge me a good sword?"

"So that’s what this is about."

"Yeah. I recently picked up a sword technique from the ’Skill Archive,’ and it’s pretty impressive."

"Oh, you mean the ancient manual no one could read?"

Zac looked at her in surprise. "You already know about it?"

Armani gave him a peculiar look.

Seeing her expression, Zac immediately restrained his smile. "Right. Why do I keep forgetting who she actually is?"

[Ask yourself.]

"You said it’s impressive, so I assume you can read it?"

"Yes," Zac replied hesitantly. "Do you want me to tell you what it’s about?"

Armani stared at him. "What exactly do you take me for? Someone who would poach a technique from a child?"

"No, no, no. That’s not what I meant."

"Relax. I was only joking. Though I would appreciate knowing the actual name of the book."

"You see, back then when I was a student, I too was interested in it but eventually gave up because there was simply nowhere to go with it."

"Eternal Seasons, Summer Form."

"Hmm... So that’s what it’s called, huh? That’s quite a formidable title."

Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "And judging by the word ’Form,’ it really is only part of a larger series."

She continued almost immediately.

"If the technique is based on seasons and this one represents summer, then, unless I’m mistaken, there should be four books in total, with the remaining three corresponding to the other seasons of the year. Am I right?"

Zac stared at her in amazement. "She figured all of that out from just the title?"

[That’s what experience does. Give someone enough of it, and a single clue is often enough to reconstruct the whole picture.]

Armani leaned back. "Well, whatever the case, that technique sat inside the archive gathering dust for centuries."

"If it finally ended up in your hands, perhaps that’s where it was always meant to be."

"Remember, a wise person once told me, genius and talent aren’t the only things that determine how far someone will go. Sometimes, the unexpected opportunities a person encounters are just as consequential."

"Anyway, enough philosophy. Back to the sword."

Zac nodded.

"Did I ever tell you what kind of person this swordsmith is?" Armani asked.

"Yeah. You said he was kind of moody."

"Oh, he’s more than that." She folded her arms. "I can give you my card as an introduction, but whether he agrees to forge you a sword is entirely up to him."

Zac frowned slightly. "Can’t you call him first and say something nice about me? You know, increase my chances a little?"

"No."

"That was fast."

"You see, Zac, I don’t give recommendations. I’m only doing this because of my relationship with you and your parents, and even that is already pushing against my principles."

Zac sighed. "You’re making this sound like I’m asking you to commit a crime."

"Oh, well. That I could do without batting an eyelash."

Zac stared at her.

[Did you already forget her top 10 moments?]

"Anyway, more importantly, the person you’re about to meet dislikes recommendations almost as much as I do. So pray he doesn’t throw you out the moment you show him my card."

"That’s not very encouraging."

Armani reached into her inventory and handed him a small card. "It contains my mana imprint. I’ll send the location and the other details to your VSB later."

"Ask your class instructor for leave and permission to exit the academy before you go."

"Thanks."

Armani gave a small nod in return and began walking toward her bedroom. After taking several steps, however, she stopped and looked back, only to see Zac was still standing there.

"Why aren’t you leaving?"

"Well, you see..." He struggled to arrange the words.

"You want something else, don’t you?"

Zac scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Can you lend me the Flame Slasher again? You know, the sword you gave me during training?"

"And why do you want that?"

"Well, even if I manage to make a deal tomorrow, it’ll probably take some time before the sword is actually finished."

Zac continued, "And I don’t want to waste that time sitting around doing nothing."

"So you want to use my sword to train the technique."

"Yes."

Without another word, Armani reached into her inventory again, pulled out the Flame Slasher, and tossed it toward him.

He caught it carefully and stored it in his inventory. "Thanks."

With that, he immediately turned around and hurried out of the cottage with a broad smile on his face.

Armani watched him disappear.

A rare smile slowly appeared on her face. "What am I going to do with that boy?"

She shook her head. "Sometimes he carries himself like someone twice his age, and other times he reminds me just how young he still is."

Still wearing that faint smile, Armani opened her VSB and dialed a number. "Hey, old man."

"Yeah, I know it’s been a long time."

"Okay, okay. Forgive me. I promise I’ll call more regularly from now on."

"Yeah. I do need a favor from you."

"You see, I’m sending someone your way."

"He’s..."

***

"So, let me get this straight." Matilda looked at Zac from across the room.

"You’re going to meet a swordsmith tomorrow to have a sword made for you. So you want a leave of absence and permission to leave the academy realm for the day."

"Yes. That’s about it."

"Okay, fine."

Zac blinked in surprise. "Fine? Really? Is that it?"

"Yeah. But..."

There’s always a ’but,’ isn’t there? Zac thought.

"As your class instructor, I can authorize you to leave the academy realm. But since Sir Simon is currently responsible for your training, you’ll need to get the leave of absence from him."

Zac’s expression immediately soured. "Can we not involve Sir Simon in this? You know how he is, right?"

Zac straightened himself, ready to imitate Simon’s stern voice.

"’What use is a sword to a swordsman who cannot properly wield it? Train yourself before worrying about your weapon.’"

He then dropped the imitation. "He’ll probably say something like that."

Matilda’s lips curved slightly as she suppressed a laugh. "That’s exactly why I’m taking you to him. I’d love to watch you get an earful for all the trouble you’ve caused me."

Before Zac could protest, Matilda practically dragged him along.

When they eventually reached Simon’s quarters, Zac was surprised by what he saw.

He had expected something imposing from one of New Dawn Academy’s senior instructors. Instead, Simon lived in a remarkably simple house surrounded by a spacious compound. Cherry trees stood throughout the grounds, their branches bare of blossoms at this time of year.

Apart from them, there was barely any decoration. "This is surprisingly... normal."

"What were you expecting? A huge mansion with ten butlers waiting outside?"

"I don’t know. Maybe a mountain temple, a waterfall, perhaps him meditating beneath lightning?"

Matilda ignored him and walked toward the door and knocked.

Zac glanced beside the entrance. "Doesn’t he have a doorbell?"

"He prefers things as natural as possible. He also dislikes excessive dependence on technology."

"You say that, yet he makes us wear gravity bracelets that also monitor our vital signs."

"You can call it ’Selective Traditionalism.’"

A few moments later, the door opened, and Simon stood there with an irritated expression.

He looked at both of them. "Don’t either of you have anything better to do than disturb an old man’s meditation?"

Matilda bowed her head slightly. "Sorry, Sir Simon. Our little troublemaker here has something urgent to discuss with you."

Zac immediately turned toward Matilda with a betrayed expression.

[And, ladies and gentlemen, this is what you call throwing someone under the bus.]

Simon’s gaze slowly shifted toward him. Feeling the intensity of his stare, Zac gave an awkward smile.

"Hello, Sir Simon. How’s it going?"

Simon’s glare intensified.

Matilda also looked at him with an expression that practically said, ’You’re dead.’

"Okay. No pleasantries. Understood. Could you at least invite us inside?"

The glare remained unchanged.

"Right. Outside is fine."

"Ahem...hem..." Zac cleared his throat. "I need a leave of absence tomorrow, sir. I asked Miss Matilda, but she told me you’re the one responsible for my training and that..."

"Enough." Simon’s voice cut through him. "Couldn’t you have asked me this a few hours earlier?"

"No, sir. What happened was..."

"I don’t want your explanation. Why do you need leave?"

"I’m going outside the academy to meet a swordsmith."

"A swordsmith?"

"Yes. I’m trying to have a proper sword forged for me."

"And who exactly are you meeting?"

"About that... the person who recommended him didn’t actually give me much information."

Ding!

A notification suddenly chimed from his VSB.

"Oh, speak of the devil." Zac immediately opened the message and began scrolling. "She just sent me the details."

His eyes moved across the screen. "His name is Sieg...Siegfried."

The moment the name left his mouth, Matilda and Simon looked at each other in surprise.

Simon turned back toward Zac. "Was it Miss Vice-Principal who told you about him?"

Zac blinked and nodded.

Simon remained silent for a moment. "Fine. You may take tomorrow off."

Zac didn’t understand why Simon had suddenly agreed, but he wasn’t about to question it. "Thank you, Sir Simon."

"No need. I only hope it doesn’t turn into a wasted journey." With that, Simon shut the door in both their faces.

Zac stared at the closed door. "Warm as always." He turned around and saw that Matilda had already started walking away.

Zac hurried after her, and once they were reasonably far from Simon’s house, Zac finally asked, "So... who exactly is this Siegfried?"

Matilda looked at him strangely. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because I noticed the expressions on both of your faces when I mentioned his name."

Zac glanced at her. "Is he really that famous?"

Matilda turned and looked directly at him. "Famous isn’t quite the word I’d use."

Zac raised an eyebrow.

Matilda’s expression became unusually serious.

"Siegfried is what you would call... ’a living legend.’"