Morvane palace, crafting station inside Crow's suite.
The sound of glass being sanded and polished was unending.
Nine Crows were actually building up mirrors while a little farther away, I was enchanting each one of them with the mana stones Gerd had so graciously provided.
Was this a process needed for the ritual to become a Runner? Yes and no, more importantly I was only using mana to break down the stone and draw the needed runes in the mirror.
I was training my mana control restlessly.
I also needed a lot of mirrors to create a meditation room for my Singular Reflection, of course, all enchanted with the runes for [illusion], [resonance], [sound] and [echo].
To achieve the perfect sense of self that I wanted, I needed to somehow lose myself in the illusion and still be able to get back to myself.
Lose myself into fakery to find reality.
Of course I would begin with my [disillusioned] skill and slowly disable it until I would be able to completely separate reality from illusion and I was sure it'd be quite hard.
I also needed some portable mirrors to use as components for my spells.
I discovered that with the use of components I could use magic beyond my limit.
After all, both [Mirror's mercy] and [Confessor's reflection] used 9 runes each, four within the enchanment and five in the spell and as a Walker, I simply couldn't handle a spell with nine runes on its own.
I'd know, I tried.
"Crow, we're having dinner together tonight, his grace has called for all of us to be present."
Oh I guess it's time to give use those white marbles.
I looked up from my enchantments and Cael was standing way to near for comfort. When I arrived at the palace the yesterday evening, he was waiting in my suite to interrogate me on what happened and didn't leave until I assured him that I was fine, safe and that I managed to keep my rightful spoils of war.
"Yeah, let's go. We can't have the food wait for us."
We left my Crowlings work force behind and made way towards the dining hall where the rest of the rich gang was waiting.
This time there was no round table, just a regular one if a table that could fit 50 people was regular anyway.
I sat at my place, on the left of the head of the table, clearly reserved for my father and right next to me, sat Cael.
One thing I noticed was that there was no semblance of a duchess anywhere, but since it was not my business to talk about I just ignored it.
When the Duke arrived the meal finally started and my glutton ass ignored everything and everyone as soon as I saw the juicy roast calling my name with such lust I never thought I could experience.
Every bite I took was a promise to never forget this love at first sight.
Every gulp a sacred blessing I received from the god of food with plentiful reverence.
This food, this glorious gift from the heavens, truly was one of the biggest reasons I enjoyed life.
"Everyone, it's finally time."
Father waved his hand and in front of everyone a purple box containing what I expected to be the white marbles appeared.
"Inside those cases, you'll find three runic marbles, as you all know, they will directly help you strengthen your rune to the next step. The process of consumption is quite simple. You just need to eat them."
Everyone donned a beautiful grin and couldn't wait to consume the miracle ball, but dad advised us to consume them alone, since the resonance of the 12 main runes in the same place could destabilise our cultivation.
My problem however was what to enhance… [confusion] or [divinity]?
Well, there was still time to think about it. We had an entire week and a half before the academy opened again, yes, the investigation was extended and the 12 big guns called for extra scrutiny. During this time, our physical training was in the hands of my and Yom's personal instructor who joined hands with Gerd after he took oath of secrecy and temporary loyalty.
"Oh! I almost forgot!!"
I waved my hand dramatically, but I really spread what I had prepared with threads of mana, something that didn't go unnoticed by father, whose smug only deepened.
"I was able to create a charm for you all, but I also need to teach you a spell to make it work."
"Mirrors?" -Yom
"Indeed, after what happened the other day, I kept thinking: there must be a way to avoid beyonder beast from stealing our runes and render us completely immobile. So I made these mirrors, unfortunately they are single use charms… I call them: fuck you mutts, you can call them whatever you like and together with the spell [Joker's card] it should be able to fool those monsters into copying and corrupting the rune preselected in the mirror. The rune selected is [mobility] so it should make them something akin to rocks for the kicking."
I then went ahead to explain the formation of the spell and the runes needed for it to take effect, unfortunately this spell only worked in tandem with the mirrors that were all enchanted with my [illusion] rune, so outside of those situations it would be useless.
"I'd say you need to practice for chantless casting and always wear the mirror on your person, if it's in your inventory it won't work… why are you guys making those faces?"
Yom didn't bother answering, he just stood up and came to hug me, action that was mimicked by dad in a heartbeat.
"What?"
"I'm just happy, take the hug and shut up." -Yom
"I'm proud of you son." -Dionen
That was not what I expected at all, maybe a thank you and some complaints on the need to learn a spell that had such a specific use, certainly not heirs with teary eyes, nor receiving hugs from my brother and dad.
"Ok, thanks, but stop! It's just a mirror! This is embarrassing."
The murderous hug only got stronger, I even started to feel a certain dampness on my shoulder that I decided to not point out.
"Alright, thanks for the love, but really this is not something to be so happy about. It's just one charm and a spell that is otherwise useless. If there's more than one of those blobs at the time, it'll also be useless, I can't make something to fool those things forever, I'd need to be able to manipulate at least 30 runes at the same time, 60 if I'm not delusional."
Finally I was freed, but the look on the heirs faces didn't change.
They all thanked me though and promised to repay me properly. I didn't know what properly meant in the heads of this rich teens, but I was happy nonetheless.
The dinner ended on that tearful note and everyone returned to their suite.
I didn't even want to think how big this palace really was, but I didn't need to think about it.
What I did need to think about, was the enchantments that awaited me and the mirrors in my room.
Or so I thought.
"Can I stay the night?"
"Cael are you for real? Do you wish to repay me with your body? That mirror really isn't worth so much."
He blushed a little, just barely, but I noticed nonetheless.
"No, it's just… this palace is so different from what I'm used to and you're constantly working on something, even your silence has sounds in it."
That was… strange.
"Do you actually want me to ask or just accept your presence?"
"I'd be grateful if you just let me stay."
I sighed and went back to work, I wanted to finish at least 10 enchantments before going to sleep. Especially since we were scheduled to wake up at 6 am.
"Fine, but I don't sleep on the floor, we either share or you adapt."
"We can share."
"Hold on to that thought. I usually sleep hugging pillows, I might just hug you if you get to close."
He looked at me like he was challenging me to dare and touch him.
That only made me more eager to try.
"I… I guess baggers can't be choosers."