A/N: 3.1k chappy :)
Crystal teardrops hung among the wisteria branches arching over the restaurant’s balcony, the air rich with their sweet scent. Warm amber light bathed the table as daylight faded. From the terrace, the setting sun spilled red and gold hues over the verdant slopes and sparse woods. Further afield, the towers soared, gleaming with their polished stones.
“Hey, stop worrying. It’s just a dinner.” Kai leaned an elbow beside the silver cutlery, resting his chin on his palm. Despite their height in the Court Celesta, only a soft breeze passed through the wards. The velvet-cushioned chair was remarkably comfortable, enough to make him sleepy.
It had been a long day, at the end of longer weeks.
Alden had booked the place. While the Wing Aurea housed the majority of shops and facilities, Raelion’s vast grounds made it impractical to have a single place. Many buildings and towers hosted quieter establishments, opened to students with the right connections.
“How am I supposed to be calm?” Reishi shifted in his seat, as if his life hung on finding the perfect angle toward the terrace door windows. “I’m about to have dinner with a Blackwood! And I had no time to prepare. What if I give the wrong impression?”
“You’ll be fine.” Kai had come early to guide Reishi around. “He’s just my roommate. No need to stress.”
“Perhaps I’d be calmer if you’d given me some warning.” Reishi threw him a dirty look. The spiky crest on his head quivered. “What if I hadn’t packed anything appropriate?”
Kai sheepishly raised his hands. “I told you I’m sorry for that. It wasn’t on purpose. You look perfectly presentable.”
“Hmm.” Reishi smoothed his deep blue robe, almost black, with simple purple embroidery on the cuffs. The sheen of the silk hid hundreds of woven runes; the color choice probably wasn’t random. “I like to be prepared.”
“I know.”
When Alden’d floated the idea of thanking Reishi in person for sourcing the archipelago’s rare ingredients, he really hadn’t thought much of it. The merchant had proved helpful and accommodating. Inviting him to Realion had just seemed a thoughtful gesture, knowing he was Mat’s friend.
Apparently, Kai had failed to specify a few details when he passed along the invite. So Reishi had assumed they’d have dinner together, get a quick tour of the famed academy, and at most share a quick greeting with Alden.
Alright, maybe I could have been clearer.
In his defense, he’d been buried with exams until this morning, and the norms of Merian high society were never his expertise.
“C’mon, Alden’s not going to bite you.” Kai leafed through the menu dishes. Did they use actual gold for the swirling letters? “Well… Nibbles might, but only if you spook him.”
Reishi halted his shuffling to glance over. “Nibbles?”
“Yeah, Alden’s snake familiar. You might not see him, but he likes riding around with Alden. He’s quite tiny and shy with strangers.” Kai gestured to describe the cute little guy, hoping it would help relax Reishi; instead, the merfolk blanched, his scaly blue skin turning almost as pale as his eyes.
“Are you talking about a Violatra Floris Dulcis? A Serpent of the Lily? Like the one on their crest?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I never asked the species. I guess it might be the one.”
Reishi slumped on the table, holding his head in his hands and mumbling under his breath. “I’m… finished.”
“Hey, what is it? Are you scared of snakes? I was joking about biting. Nibbles is really well behaved, quite friendly, and weak to flattery.”
Reishi broke his brooding to throw him a glare. “I’m not scared of the snake, Mat. But of what it represents. Only the Blackwoods’ direct line is allowed to bond with a Serpent of the Lily. That means Alden is not just a scion of the foremost Great House of alchemists and poisoners, he’s in the direct line of succession.”
“Oh… really?” Kai closed the menu and added a note to ask his roommate. “I knew Alden had a high standing, but that’s kinda neat.”
Why did he endure all those lectures about the Great Houses if they didn’t teach them the important stuff?
Reishi watched him blankly. “You knew he was a potential heir?” A shrill whistle cracked his voice.
If they weren’t such good friends, Kai would have thought the merfolk might attempt to stab him with a fork. Purely for precaution, he inched aside, keeping the table between them. “Well, I didn’t know all the specifics…”
Reishi groaned and buried his face in his hands, not moving for a good minute. The balcony fell awkwardly quiet. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he straightened in his seat. “Okay.” The confident merchant turned to face him. “Are there any other important details you forgot to mention?”
“I don’t think so— no, I’m sure.” Kai corrected, calming the smoldering look. He was feeling a little guilty.” He’s just my roommate. Another student here at Raelion. Treat him as you would treat me.”
Reishi pressed his mouth into a thin line. “Mat, but I’m not his roommate, nor a promising mage. Depths, I’m not even human. I already get doubly scrutinized as a Merfolk without family backing. Here, maybe you don’t see how much influence even minor Houses wield in the Republic. If I offend a Blackwood, losing all my businesses would be getting off lightly.”
Seeing his seriousness, Kai tried putting himself in his friend’s shoes. “I didn’t mean to sound dismissive. I may have little experience dealing with people on the mainland, but I do know Alden. He’s not the type to enjoy scraping and bowing. He's not here as a Blackwood, but as a student looking to thank you. Trust me, he wouldn't have bothered inviting you if he wasn’t already pleased with you, even if you’re my friend.”
Reishi held his gaze before slumping back in his chair. “Well, that’s a relief. I didn’t like my chances of fleeing down the balcony. We’re quite high up.” He eagerly leaned forward. “Any tips to make a good impression? Deals he could be interested in? What are his spending habits? Would you say he’s more of a thrifty buyer or generous?"
Kai watched his one-eighty flip with a flat gaze, then shook his head.
“What? Your surprises already grey my scales. The least I can do is recoup my losses.” Reishi gave him a pointy smile. “Rejuvenating elixirs are not cheap.”
Kai rolled his eyes, but indulged his questions. Not like he knew much of Alden’s spending habits. “That’s about it. What about my investments?”
“Hmm, lemme check.” Reishi produced a booklet from his robes. “I reinvested the profits as you asked me. Pretty much in the projection from the last quarterly report. What did you call it… compound interest? Given our capital, steady growth is preferable to risky ventures. The trade routes are still plagued by an unusual number of pirates and bandits. One of the cargo ships vanished off the coast, but the losses are within the margins.” He gave him a pointed look over the pages. “You know, sometimes I wonder how you haven’t gotten scammed out of your fortune already. Others, I feel like you understand money better than me.”
Kai grinned. “I may have read a couple of books.”
“Books… right.” Reishi sniffed. “Anyway, just give me a heads up if you need liquid funds. Admittedly, I’ve been busy organizing things in the archipelago. Oh! Speaking of, I got a letter from your family.”
“Thanks.” Kai accepted the thick envelope and stored it away for later.
Busy chatting, they only noticed the new arrival when the terrace doors opened.
“Am I late?” Alden stood straight on the threshold. Instead of the academy uniform, he wore a suit, unsurprisingly black. Nibbles on his collar, pink tongue curiously flicked in the air.
“Nah, we were early. Speaking of.” Kai clapped the merfolk, who had gone stiff as a board. “This is Reishi. Merchant extraordinaire, and one of my oldest friends. He’s usually more chatty. Now, he’s a little nervous. I assured him you wouldn’t send assassins after him if he looked at you wrong.”
Reishi stood up with a polite bow, stomping on Kai’s foot below the table.
Kai bit back a curse. Damn, where did the merchant hide that kind of strength?
Ignoring him, Reishi offered his webbed hand. “Reishi Senyuu. A pleasure to meet you, Master Blackwood.” They exchanged greetings with manners even Valela would be envious of.
Alden inclined his head with a faint smile, taking the last seat. “If you have suffered Mat for that long, you may as well call me Alden.”
Huh… Hey!
Kai shot them an affronted look. Truly, good actions never went unpunished. At least, he’d managed to break the tension.
With his stomach growling, he called over the waiter to take their orders. He skimmed the poetic descriptions, each dish likely costing a month’s wage back home—he assumed. Listing prices on the menu was considered tacky in upper-end restaurants. Months at Raelion had taught him it was better to ignore the excesses for his own sanity.
Besides, he wasn’t the one paying.
The crystal droplets among the wisteria glowed a deeper amber as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Kai nudged the conversation along until Reishi overcame his nerves and fell back into his witty, charming self. It was probably the closest Kai had seen his roommate come to laughter.
Since they started studying Dora’s recipes, Alden had only grown more obsessed with Master Etiman’s brewing methods. Reishi had to scour half the archipelago, hiring teams of gatherers and divers to secure the herbs and marine ingredients.
Beyond offering thanks, the dinner served to negotiate a longer-term supply deal. They hashed out the general terms, helped along by easy smiles and steadily emptying wine glasses.
Kai smirked at his roommate. “That’s quite generous. You don’t need to give him a better deal for my sake.” His chuckle choked when Reishi kicked his shin beneath the table.
Ouch! When did he get so violent…
Alden gave him a flat, disapproving stare. “I would not. This is fair compensation. Due to my lack of knowledge of the Baquaire Archipelago, I hadn’t realized the challenges of my initial requests. Or the logistics involved. I should rather apologize for that. We’ve barely grasped Master Etiman’s work. All sensible Alchemists value reliable suppliers more than short-term profits.”
Reishi sipped his goblet to hide his smug look. “Same as merchants value reliable clients. And really, no apology needed. I’m relieved Mat has made such a sensible friend. Maybe you’ll manage to rub off some common sense on him.”
Alden tipped his glass in Reishi’s direction before taking another sip. “My confidence is rather meager in that. But I’ll try.”
These two…
Kai scoffed at his traitorous companions, taking a spoonful of mango sorbet. At least mangos never betrayed him. Some days, he really wondered if his friends had joined in a grand conspiracy against him. After all his patience and generosity…
Ungrateful punks.
As the waiter cleared the table, Reishi and Alden settled the final details of their deal, discussing delivery schedules and communication methods. Both seemed pleased with the arrangement.
“Thank you for the dinner. It was nice meeting you. Oh… Of course, you too, Nibbles.” Reishi dipped his head to the snake, who shyly poked his head from Alden’s sleeve. “I’d like to invite you next time. But we can write about the specifics. I have an airship to catch, and the academy sounded pretty serious about not missing it.”
Raelion maintained strict policies on visitors. Passes were a nightmare to get for non-blood relatives, let alone non-Merian citizens and merfolk.
Outside the Intakes and official occasions, few people were permitted to use the Summonarium. That was already after Dean Astares had vastly expanded their use. The spatial waypoint only functioned thanks to the Green-1 ambient density, and even then, the Space mana was tightly regulated.
“Same.” Alden fondly brushed his finger along Nibbles’ scales.
“C’mon, we’ll walk you there.” Kai stretched his back as he stood, pleasantly full.
“It’s really not necessary—”
“Sure is. We can show you a bit of the academy on the way.”
“It is only proper.” Alden agreed with a nod.
“If you both insist…”
Reishi failed to suppress his pointy grin as they accompanied him to the Martial grounds to catch his ship. It was about a half-hour panoramic walk. Their airdock jutted out like an alabaster spire, its pale structure gleaming in the evening lamplights. Hanging ladders and metal chains linked the tower to a small fleet of moored zeppelins, the night filled with the buzz of their motors.
“Thank you, Mat.” Reishi leaned in for a quick hug, still beaming.
“Yeah, yeah.” Kai patted his back. “You’re welcome.”
Exchanging a more formal goodbye with Alden, the merfolk vanished into the building with a spring in his step.
Perhaps there actually were deals where everybody won. Reishi gained a lucrative contract and a connection to a Great House; Alden got to experiment and moon over Dora’s recipes; and Kai received free ingredients and tutoring. Even after months of brewing, he had plenty of herbs left from the ‘bribe’ chest.
Thankfully, he’d also heard nothing from Alden’s mercurial Aunt.
Maybe she’ll disappear if I ignore her long enough.
Kai shoved his hands into his pockets. A pale violet moon drifted through the clouds. “Thank you for inviting him. And… everything else.”
Alden glanced over. “I don’t mix friendships with business. I meant it when I said it was a profitable arrangement for both of us. I had underestimated the peculiarities of your archipelago, probably why Master Etiman spent so long there…”
Cough… Fanboy… cough…
“Well, it was still nice seeing him. I would’ve never gotten a permit to have him visit without you.”
“Uh, don’t mention it.” Alden turned away, his heels grinding on the gravel path. “We should head back to the dorm. We’ll need all the rest for the Moon Trials.”
“Of course.” Kai strolled after his roommate. A cool breeze swept across the trails winding around a crystalline pond. “Though I thought you didn’t like using your family’s influence.”
Alden slowed his measured strides, studying him for a long moment.
“What? Do I have something in my teeth?”
“No, just… Most people keep comments like that to themselves.”
“Was I too direct?”
“Yes, but I don’t really mind.” Alden resumed walking, giving no sign he intended to elaborate for a couple minutes. “I don’t like being treated as a proxy of my House. I like being treated as just another student, but I’m not so naive as to ignore reality. Before I step into any room, most people already have clear expectations of me. Of what I can give them, or do.” His gaze drifted toward the distant towers, dark shadows highlighted in the moonlight.
“My name will follow me wherever I go. Overcoming that would be nearly impossible, nor would I wish to… It’s my family. My House. Despite the inconveniences, I’ve made my peace with it. I have duties to fulfill.” He let out a quiet breath. “I suppose I meant to say I’ve settled on a sort of compromise. Since my name will always loom over me, I don’t mind using it for others, or to balance someone else’s pull.”
Alden’s brows furrowed. “What? Do I have something in my teeth?”
Kai smirked and shook his head. “No, just… That was a way deeper answer than I expected to my dumb question.”
Alden snorted a quiet laugh. “Let’s head back.”
“Hey, wait! Do you think you could use your connections to find out about the Moon Trials?”
“No one knows about the Trials. Teaching us to face the unexpected is their entire purpose.”
“I know, but… It’s not a small affair. Some must have a clue, right?” Nearing the Trials, the halls ran rampant with speculation.
Alden took a stone path, looking like he’d ignore him for a moment. “The clues around are wrong more often than not. It’s not that no one knows. Even if the specifics have changed, the Trials are one of Realion’s oldest and nearly uninterrupted traditions.” He sighed.
“The academy has multiple options always available, so only the dean knows what they’ll choose until the end. And still, knowing would be less advantageous than you think. Especially for first-years, the number of students leads to a lot of variability in the Trials. Take the Mid-Term Trials. The experience in the underground maze would have changed a lot, depending on where you started. Preparing for everything would be nearly impossible.”
Well, it was worth a shot.
Cutting through a dense thicket, Kai couldn’t help stealing glances over his shoulder, his mind sharpened by Hallowed Intuition. Crooked branches swayed and creaked above the trail. However unlikely it was that they’d kidnap them into the Trials twice, the paranoia lingered.
Huh, did that lamplight flicker? Or did I imagine it?
With a vehement shake, he hurried to catch up with his roommate. He really needed some proper sleep. His tension only eased once the white dormitory building came into view, its façade half-encroached by dark ivy. Warm light spilled from the ground floor, accompanied by the buzz of students hanging in the lounge.
“…Moon of Strength. It’ll definitely be a tournament or a battle royale.”
“Nah, the second years already did that last year. My uncle told me it’ll be a survival contest under the blessing of the Green Moon…”
“…be a Trial of intellect. The Blue Moon of Mind…”
The voices turned muffled as Kai followed Alden up the stairs. “Hmm, do you think any of them have a point?”
“Pay them no mind,” Alden huffed, his hand resting on the banister. “The academy does tend to cycle through the Moons to honor each goddess. But no one has ever found a mathematical formula for how they pick. And how they interpret their aspects matters just as much as. The same Moon can have wildly different Trials depending on the lead architect overseeing it.”
“I see.” Kai committed the details to his mnemonics. Between exams and training, he’d had no time to research. Not that it sounded like it would help much.
As their dorm room door shut behind them, he finally let out a slow breath.
In the end, his skills would matter more than whatever the academy threw at him, and those had all grown steadily in the last months.
Uhm, how did I get another level in Hallowed Intuition?