Cas set off with Venrui. He was ready to chase after his supposed potential. He brought the rat council with him because his Mistress told him that they were his to watch over. He would take that order to the grave if need be! They traveled to the North, away from Pesinwok, under Venrui's recommendation.
"We want to stay as far off course from Alix's path as possible!" Cas agreed and continued to follow the man. During their journey, Cas came to discover a few strange things about his "guide".
Besides his strange personality that is.
Venrui seemed quite familiar with the land of Pesin as they traveled without a map yet never seemed lost. The man was also very interested in Cas's pursuit of magic, insisting that the boy find time every single day to continue developing it. Then there was the man's high level of knowledge of different magic herbs and foilage.
He seemed to be strangely knowledgeable in all things involving travel leading Cas to believe that the man must be an adventurer. Yet, the man avoids all forms of combat so he may be a merchant?
When they are attacked by monsters it is Cas that has to fight them, and it was even mentioned that should they ever enter a conflict with other mortals then they would run away as fast as they can. Reason being that, Cas is nowhere near skilled enough to take down any trained fighters.
Cas was confused by everything Venrui did yet none of it was suspicious just...curious. Each of these things made Venrui more interesting in Cas's eyes causing the boy to naturally analyze the man more. He wanted to understand his travel companion.
Three months of travel later, Cas and Venrui are settled into an inn within small town called Groneve. Venrui had been paying for all of their residents so Cas never worried about needing money. One day during their stay, Cas was in his room studying some different magic theories when a knock came upon his door.
"It's me Cas, may I enter or am I disrupting you?" Cas stood from the desk and opened the door. On the other side stood Venrui holding a newspaper with a smile on his face.
"You're disrupting me but come in any way." Cas walked back over to the small desk and went back to studying meanwhile, Venrui walked in and closed the door.
"I've got something interesting to show you, Cas!" Venrui said while holding up the newspaper.
"What is it?" Cas asked without looking up from his work. Venrui moved over and took a seat on the bed at the center of Cas's room.
"It's this article that was posted in today's paper. I think you'd find it quite interesting!"
"You said that. Now just tell me what it is so that I can get back to work." Cas pulled his gaze away from his work to his strangely giddy companion. Venrui presented the paper to Cas.
"Look! Right there, it says that Typhon, the Endless Storm, is in it's recession period so we can head to Jabri!" Cas stares at Venrui blankly.
"Okay, this couldn't have waited until we were actually on the road?" Venrui shrugs.
"Well, it could have but I felt like you'd need more warning seeing as the next place we're heading is quite dangerous." Cas sighed and went to go back to work when something else on the newspaper caught his eye.
"A giant bird monster attacked Pesinwok?"
"Hmm?" Venrui turned the paper around and grunted in interest. "Seems like it happened just last month. Oh dear, I hope my shop's okay!"
"You have a shop?"
"Did I never tell you? Hmm, must never have come up in conversation? It's a quaint little magic material shop called Omnicia. I sell all sorts of things required for spellcasting and magical development there. I also sell potions and the such!"
"Oh, that explains why you know so much about herbs and different magic flowers."
"You were curious?" Cas shook his head.
"Just noticed while we've been traveling together. Look..." Cas pointed to a part of the paper that held an interview with a knight that claims to have fought the monster. The article reads like the mad ramblings of a crazy person. Saying things like the monster could shrink into a smaller bird and how it even became a person at one point. There was even talk about the monster being controlled by something else that looked like a mortal girl.
"Well, that's just silly!" Venrui laughed. "That truly sounds like something straight out of a fictional story! Everyone knows monsters can't transform and there's no way to control them! This man is truly a hoot!" Venrui joked but Cas had a serious expression on his face.
"Could it be my Mistress's doing?"
"What does Alix have to do with this?" Cas opens his mouth to answer but hesitates for a second. Should he really be telling this guy about something that meant so much to his Mistress? He then recalled during one of their many training sessions his Mistress speaking of plans to reveal the spell on a grand stage someday so this could be seen as just a peek behind the curtain before then. He reassured himself and proceeded to explain to Venrui Alix's monster contracting spell, Omnia Nexus.
Venrui sat with eyes wide. "Th-that's revolutionary! Do you have any idea what a spell like that could do for the world? What that unlocks for spellcasters? To have the ability to control monsters is something that has been theorized for hundreds of years but never successfully done! The best achieved has been the domestication of the beast category but if she can fully control anything stronger than a beast then that makes her a Mythic spellcaster at the minimum!"
Cas nodded along. "Interesting! I knew that my Mistress's spell seemed amazing from what she showed me but I never expected it to be so world shattering! Though who was I to expect something mediocre of someone destined for greatness!"
"Exactly!!" Venrui shouted unable to contain his excitement. "And you said that she showed you the method that she used to make the spell. That means that there is a chance that you may be able to create something with a similar effect!" Cas immediately shook his head in denial.
"I could never recreate my Mistress's greatness!"
"That's not what I meant." Venrui corrected. "I'm not saying that you can create the same exact spell as her, that's just not how sorcery works which you should know. What I'm saying is that you have her notes, her work and the her thought process meaning you could logically learn from her and make your own variant of the spell that works for you!" Cas's face twisted in confusion.
"That doesn't sound feasible?" Venrui nods agreeing with the boy.
"You're right, it doesn't sound feasible but it could be possible! Especially with the connection that you and Alix have!" Cas's face eased as he did have to admit that he held his Mistress close to his heart. In fact, ever since last month his connection to his Mistress has felt even stronger than before.
"Come on, Cas!" Venrui stood from Cas's bed and motioned for him to follow. "We should start heading toward Jabri now. I think you'll have a lot to learn in a place like that!" Cas nodded and started packing up all of his things. He told Orin to go find the rest of the rats and meet them at the entrance of the town.
It seemed like Venrui was going to get a lot more involved in the journey from this point on. As he left town, Cas said a silent prayer to Alix.
'I shall follow you're wish and march along to the path of greatness in magic. I will not disappoint, Mistress Alix.'