The year had passed, and as the first week of the year K416 came and went, I was now an 11-year-old boy.
With this marking a year since I left the Sword Sanctum, it was also nearly a year since I had been in Ars, the capital of the Asura Kingdom.
Of course, this gave me a lot of time to think, knowing the event that would happen in the near future.
The Displacement Incident… or the teleportation disaster. I wasn't quite sure what it was officially called.
While I didn't know the exact day of Rudeus' birthday, I knew that it would be happening sometime early next year, around the end of winter, if my memory was correct.
I knew that I couldn't warn anyone, as not only would I not be believed, but I would look extremely suspicious once it happened.
But the guilt I could already feel… it was starting to gnaw at me.
I was by no means a hero, nor did I want to be… but I at least wanted to be a good person in this harsh world.
So, since I wanted to see more of this world anyway, I decided that by next year, as long as I was a Water Saint… I would leave Ars and head towards the Shirone Kingdom.
And as for why?
Well, with my knowledge of the coming future, I only knew the exact locations of where three people would teleport, as everyone else was too vague in their locations.
Sylphy would appear in the garden of the Asuran Royal Palace, somewhere where she would be fine, and grow up into her future self.
Not only would I not be able to realistically save her in the palace, but I knew that she would end up safe, so there wasn't even a need for me to help.
Then there was Zenith, who would be trapped in the teleportation labyrinth.
But she was too far, at least without the teleportation ruins that Rudeus used.
Besides, it was dangerous, and her rescue was an integral part of Rudeus' story, where he would find and end up with Roxy, so that option was out as well.
And lastly, there were Lilia and Aisha, who would both be sent to the Shirone Kingdom's capital, or be captured there shortly after.
They would be safe, yes, but it would be difficult for them.
After all, that was no place for a little girl to grow up, and I could easily imagine the abuse that Lilia endured.
And most importantly… it wasn't that important to the story, as Rudeus' meeting with Zanoba was the main event, and I could easily see the same thing happening once they met in Ranoa.
So… that was the perfect chance.
People I knew I could realistically save, and could do so without worrying about messing up the main story's timeline.
So, once the next year arrived… I would depart for Shirone, hopefully getting there in time to save them before they got captured, and if not… then I would need to pay a visit to the royal family.
Luckily, I didn't believe that Pax had his family's approval for keeping the two, so it would hopefully just be some negotiations.
But that wasn't too important right now.
"Thank you for teaching me this past month," I said, bowing my head to my departing teacher.
"No need. You were actually fun to teach," the man said, rubbing the back of his neck with a smirk. "I've taught people from the Water God Style before, but usually they're too stiff to get anything. To think you reached the Advanced rank in just a month… you could easily become a North Saint if you focused on it."
"I… will take that into consideration," I said.
North Saint… it sounded cool, to become a Saint in all three styles, but I'm not sure that I'm ready for that quite yet.
"I see… well, make sure to keep up with the practice drills. But come to me if you need any help," he said, rubbing his fingers together. "For a price, of course."
"Obviously," I replied, sharing a smirk with him.
And thus, my teacher for the past month departed, waving his hand to me as he left.
He was an Advanced North God Style swordsman who lived here in Ars, working as a teacher for hire.
Master Reida had bought his services many times before, but it was usually to serve as a sparring partner for the students, since the North God Style was tough to handle for the Water God Style, especially without any experience.
But this time, she had instead hired him to teach me the style after I had asked, and under his tutelage, I quickly advanced to the next rank of the North God Style.
The difference between the ranks for this style was more difficult to measure, as there was no single technique needed to master, like with Flow or Longsword of Silence.
Instead, it was mostly just performing more advanced forms of the Intermediate rank techniques, such as throwing a sword, but now with battle aura imbued into the blade.
He also taught me how to subtly mask my battle aura, eliminating my presence for stealth purposes.
According to him, this battle aura manipulation would be further developed for the Saint rank, though he couldn't explain exactly how.
So yeah… similarly to the other two styles, reaching the Advanced rank was mostly about controlling battle aura and including it into combat, and since I was a Sword Saint with impressive battle aura control, only being further strengthened with my Water God training, it was quite easy to understand, even with only a month of time.
Now it was just a matter of training independently to master the techniques, and perhaps looking more into using my elemental magic in combat… but then again, I didn't want to use it too much, as I wanted to conserve my mana for healing magic.
"Vincent," a familiar voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Yes, Master Reida?" I asked, turning to her.
"Good job on getting it down quick," she said, giving me a nod of praise. "And as a reward, I have a task for you."
How was that a reward?
Not that I really minded. After all, she had hired him for an entire month just to help me get better at a style that wasn't even her own.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Deliver this letter for me," she said, pulling it out of her pocket before she handed it to me. "The Greenraven manor is to the north of the Silver Palace. Just keep walking down the third street until you see a large mansion with this seal on the gate."
From my studies, I knew that the Greenravens were a prominent family that controlled territory to the south of the capital on the coast, though they were under the Notos Greyrat family.
If this was a sealed letter meant for them… then it made sense she needed someone strong and trusted to deliver it, rather than a maid that could easily be targeted on the way.
"Understood," I replied.
Sticking my hands back into my pockets, I headed out the main entrance.
I was feeling like taking a walk anyway.
—
The delivery was quite simple, as I just needed to hand it over to the knight stationed at the manor, his strength as a Water Saint acting as proof of his position in itself.
And so, with that done, here I was, walking back through the streets of the noble district, taking in the new sights, as I hadn't been to the northern area of the city that much.
But as I was heading back… I was interrupted by someone.
Or rather, a trio of people, who were all walking towards me.
"Princess Ariel, please let us return to the Silver Palace!" the young man said.
"Please, Derrick, the noble district is safe, correct?" the young girl said, her blonde hair draping over her white coat.
"I-It is safe from vagrants, yes… but it is not that we have to worry about," Derrick replied, quieting his voice to a whisper. "Please remember your position, princess."
Wait… Princess… Ariel… blonde hair…
Was this girl who I thought she was?
"I suppose… but it is still best to request things in person," the girl replied. "And I can trust you two to protect me, my Guardian Knight and Guardian Mage."
And those two next to her… I think I knew who they were as well.
"I… thank you for your trust, Princess Ariel, but I must agree with Derrick," the young, brown-haired boy said. "While we would gladly offer our lives to protect you… it is unfortunate to say that our combat potential is limited."
"Oh, come on, Luke, don't say such terrifying things. Besides, is it not fine to venture outside the palace grounds once in a while?" the girl said, suddenly stopping as the three nearly passed me. "After all… it grants me the opportunity for interesting encounters."
She then turned to look at me, her lips curling into a small smile as I myself came to a stop.
Princess Ariel… this was someone I already knew.
The Second Princess of the Asura Kingdom, who would become Sylphy's best friend and liege, would later flee to Ranoa, and eventually return to take the crown.
I remembered that she was described to be pretty, and I had even heard rumours of her beauty during my time here, but to be honest… they didn't do her justice.
Blue eyes that radiated charisma. Long blonde hair that fluttered gently in the breeze. And a pale, perfect face that was easily the most attractive I had seen.
Even though she was just a girl… her beauty was almost terrifying.
She had been called the most beautiful princess to ever live, and I certainly wouldn't deny it, as she was probably the most beautiful person in general.
"You… what's your name?" she said, looking at me with interest.
The other two of her companions stopped, turning to look at me with guarded interest.
"It's… Vincent, Your Highness," I replied, finding my breath after a moment.
Thankfully, she had already kind of revealed herself from their talk, so it wasn't suspicious for me to know her identity.
"No family name?" Ariel questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"No… I am just a commoner," I explained, bowing my head.
That immediately caused both Luke and Derrick to go on alert.
"My lady, we should get going-"
"Patience, Derrick," she replied, raising her hand to stop him as she continued looking at me with a smile. "Vincent… may I ask what you are doing here in the noble district? It is quite curious."
She didn't seem suspicious or anything… just curious.
Well, when it was a pretty girl asking me a question, especially one with her authority, it was obvious that I would answer.
"I'm a student of the Water God Style, learning under my master Reida Reia, the Water God," I explained, raising my head. "Is there something you need from me, Your Highness?"
"Not particularly… I simply find you interesting," she said, her smile growing. "But for you to learn under the Water God herself… may I ask what rank you are?"
I subtly glanced at her guards, seeing both Luke and Derrick looking at me with a bit less harshness.
The status of being a direct student of the Water God was not to be underestimated, huh?
"I am an Advanced-rank Water God swordsman," I explained.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise as her gaze sharpened.
"I see… and how old are you?" she asked.
"I am… now eleven years old," I answered.
The intensity of her stare only got stronger, while both Derrick and Luke got more cautious.
Hm? Was it that surprising?
"To be that strong at your age… that's quite amazing," she said.
"I thank you for the compliment," I replied calmly.
"Of course… though, I have to ask… for what reason are you up here in the north of the capital?" she then asked, tilting her head.
It… would probably be fine to tell the truth, right?
I don't think the task was a secret, after all.
"I… was delivering a letter for Master Reida," I explained. "I perform tasks for her, such as deliveries or guarding people, in exchange for her training me and taking care of my horse."
"Is that so? That must mean you're quite trusted by her," Ariel said. "Do you-"
"Your Highness," Luke interjected, sending me a small glare. "I apologize, but I must remind you that we have matters to attend to."
Quite harsh… I wonder what his problem with me was… ah, actually, it was probably just worry.
After all, I told them that I was an Advanced-rank swordsman, and from how he held himself, Luke was barely an Intermediate-ranked one, while Derrick was a mage.
Here, this close, I could easily kill all three of them if I wished.
Ariel paused, her perfect smile cracking a bit in annoyance before she sent me a small bow.
"Unfortunately, I must depart for now. But… I am not burdened with prior engagements tomorrow," she said, sending me a small wink. "So, perhaps, we shall meet again."
"Uh… perhaps?" I questioned, confused.
What did that mean?
Was it just politeness? Or was it… something else?
Anyway, with the three taking their leave, I started back towards the Water God dojo, thinking over my surprise encounter with the second princess.
While I had thought of meeting her if I ever went to Ranoa during her time there, I didn't expect to encounter her before then, much less by complete chance.
By the time I returned, the sun was already beginning to set, and after a quick dinner, I found myself in Isolte's room for our nightly study session.
We usually did it after horse riding, but Helios was too tired from the morning, where my North God teacher gave me some tips on fighting on horseback for my last lesson with him before he left.
I had thought that being in a girl's room would make me a bit nervous, but once I got used to it, the nervousness quickly faded… especially since it didn't really feel like a 'room'.
After all, Isolte's 'room' was even bigger than my house back at the Sword Sanctum, and it even had its own bathroom and living space separate from her bedroom.
"Vince… how do you do this again?" Isolte asked.
"Here, let me see," I said, looking over at her issue.
It was a practical mathematics question, that much I could understand.
I could even see some of the symbols from my previous knowledge of math that I had taught Isolte to help with her learning.
"I just… don't know the steps for this one," she said, frowning a bit.
"Is that so…" I muttered, reading over the question.
Let's see…
'A granary holds 450 sacks of grain, and the 25 people in the village consume a sack per week. If 10 people join the village, how long will the current granary storage last?'
A basic algebra problem.
A question that girls of Isolte's age would have already mastered, but for this world, it was actually quite advanced.
"Okay… so for this one, you're solving for time, but before that, you need to get the new rate of consumption," I explained, writing down the numbers. "First, you find the common denominator between 25 and 10, which is…"
"Uh, five!" she answered.
"Right. So, now you need to find the rate of consumption for those five people," I said. "So, 25 people divided by five people is five groups of five. So, we then take the single sack per week and divide it by the five groups, meaning that five people consume…"
"Uh…" she said, counting on her fingers for a couple seconds. "One fifth, so… 0.2?"
"Exactly. One fifth per week," I said, writing it down. "Now we use that to find the rate of consumption for the entire population. The original 25 consume one sack per week, and with 10 added, it uses two groups of five people. Leading to the new rate of…"
"One and two fifths," she answered, feeling more confident. "And with that, I can just divide 450 by… 1.4?"
"Exactly. And that's the time that the storage will last in weeks," I said, nodding happily. "You get it now?"
"Yes… thank you, Vincent!" she replied, beginning to write down the answer.
It was no wonder Isolte was already learning the advanced mathematics of this world, as she was a very clever kid.
With her issue solved, I returned to my own studies, and this… it was the start of something new.
I already knew math and science from my past life, and I probably knew more than the most accomplished scholars here, at least in terms of theory.
It was still a bit rough to do calculations without a calculator.
But anyway, up until this point, I had been mostly learning about the world and history, with a focus on the Asura Kingdom and the Central Continent.
While I still intended to keep up with that… I was starting to get bored, and there was a certain point where it began to have no use.
Knowing the general history of the world and the kingdom was useful, but studying the exact dates and names was something meant for scholars of the subject.
And so… I decided that I should use my time to learn a new language.
While I would be interested in learning the Demon God language, that was a bit difficult to do here, as there was still quite a bit of prejudice against the demon races, especially with the Milis Church's influence in the nation.
And unlike Rudeus, I didn't have a Migurd magic teacher to help.
So that left two real options: the Beast God language and the Fighting God language.
The Fighting God language was pretty similar to the Human language, the one I knew, and it was only used in the Begaritt Continent… so the best option out of the two was obvious.
The Beast God language… if I ever found myself in the Great Forest, it would be immensely helpful, and there were plenty of resources in the library here to learn it.
"By the way, Vince… how was your day?" Isolte asked, causing me to look up from the dictionary I was going through. "Grandmother asked you to help with a task, correct? Did that go well?"
"Ah… yeah, it was just a simple letter delivery," I explained, remembering the day's events. "But… I did end up in an odd situation after that."
"Really? How so?" she asked.
"Well… I ran into the second princess, Princess Ariel," I said.
Isolte's eyes widened before she quickly calmed her expression.
"Really? I actually saw her last year for her tenth birthday party," she said, narrowing her eyes. "I believe it was right before you arrived here."
"Really… what a coincidence," I said.
So Ariel was my age… she really didn't hold herself like an 11-year-old.
"Indeed… so, did you talk to her?" she asked.
"Yeah, briefly. She was mostly just curious about me," I said.
Although there was something she said at the end… something about tomorrow?
I don't really remember.
"Huh… is that so…" Isolte said, pausing before she turned her head to look at me. "Vincent, did you think she was cute?"
What kind of question was that?
But really, there was only one answer.
"Yes, impressively so," I said, nodding my head.
"Hmm… I also think so," she said, returning to her studies. "But… impressively so, hmm?"
While that last part was whispered to herself, I caught it.
And that hum was filled with displeasure… what was with that?