Ambient Mage

"Good morning to you all."

"I know it has been a long, hard week on you."

Dean Rachelle spoke.

"I understand many of you are injured, if only slightly."

"However, the academy has decided to formally apologize for the untimely response to the incident."

"We would also like to award those responsible for keeping their fellow students safe."

This looked like a repeat of the imperial hall, with the exception of the hall.

And not to dissappoint, that was exactly what it was.

So to skip all the boring ceremony, I will sum up what has been said, and what the rewards were.

Dean Rachelle started calling out the camp members who participated in the defense and were recorded to have the most 'points'.

Points being amount of monsters killed.

They were given varying amounts of gold.

Next were the core of the camp.

Morgan, Rose, every healer, and the other members aside from Myself, Aura, and Charlotte.

They were given gold, and their choice of aid.

It could take the form of a new weapon, or access in the library.

Whatever they asked for, they would get it, just one thing though.

Finally, Charlotte and Aura were called.

They were obviously used to this treatment and walked up to the stage waiting on Dean Rachelle's next words.

"You two will recieve 20,000 gold, any aid this school can give, and certain school records will be allowed to you at your request."

An extreme reward.

Certain records could help a student who would have otherwise failed the midterm or final, pass with a near perfect score.

Others could relay every strength and weakness of people, monsters, and objects.

Lastly some records contain magic research, extremely dubious or arcane magic, usually both.

Finally I was called up.

"Mr. Lucas, or should I say Viscount?"

"Lucas is fine, Dean."

"Have you chosen a last name?"

She said as she patted my shoulders.

"I have a few in mind."

"Let us talk after then."

"Lucas, you have been vital, no more than that, you were necessary to the safety and rescue of your fellow students."

"Recieve these: 25,000 gold, aid in any form you may wish, and instead of records, you may ask the Dean directly for any one item, should he be okay with it."

Gasps rang out in the crowd.

The Dean was a busy man, and very few had seen him in their entire school career aside from their inauguration and graduation.

The auditorium we sat in became loud with people's whispers becoming full blown conversation over my reward.

"And as a last token of gratitude, we have taken the liberty, of paying for every expense, to bring your parents here in the most luxurious, time efficient manner."

She moved her head towards the back of the auditorium, where a curtain shielded us from what we assumed to be a prop wall.

And with that the curtain fell, revealing multiple rooms, where our parents were sitting, only, my room was filled as well.

Theoretically, I was an orphan, and that was put officially on my transcript when I was put into the application process by the Duke and Duchess.

I considered Kelson and Annelise to be my parents, but the adoption papers were never made official.

Yet here they were.

I did tell a few people of my parents, but not like this.

This was something completely different.

The school, or at least the organizer of this event knew about them to an extent.

To what extent I didn't know, but if they could dig this up, despite it not being that hard to do so, they could likely find something even more hidden, like my killing of the demon, Celeras, or the fact I had tortured him.

They could also find out about my activities in the forest, although they really would never find Fiadh.

As I stood there in shock, however going over these thoughts, the parents had already come forward from the rear of the room, and my friends and fellow students went to meet them.

I was the last on stage, and similarly they were the furthest behind.

For commoners to attend the academy was uncommon to a certain extent, but to be hailed as a hero, was unprecedented.

Bringing in a family of commoners was also uncommon, but this was something else entirely.

I looked at the deans face as she stared out into the room, and narrowed my eyes.

She could be my ally, but she could very well also be an enemy.

Best I force one or the other, before it stabs me in the back.

I went down to my family, who I hadn't seen since I came out of the door.

I gave them both a hug and a warning about the academy.

"Be careful, there are a lot of nobles here, despite my new appoointment as a noble, many here still rank higher than myself."

"Although, I should say to puff out your chests as well, since as my parents you can also enjoy the benefits of being nobility."

"My son. My baby boy."

Annelise held my head up with her hands, before making me bow and kissing my forehead."

"You know, you guys never have seen me as a child right?"

"Sure we have, I think most of the village folk have seen you scurry about even in your younger years."

"How? I'm sure my birth mother made sure I was only allowed out at night."

Despite the years, my memories of Aaron? Myself? had never faded.

"True, but Kelson always watches over the flock, and you having run around near the fringes of the town was more than enough for him to see you, and myself as well, when you were out and about early in the morning."

"Wow."

"Enough about that. How are you? Are you okay? No injuries? Are you hurt anywhere?"

The questions pricked at my conscience since I hadn't seen them in a few weeks.

"No, I'm not hurt, but you should've seen the other guy."

"Oh my Nyx, who did you kill?"

"Calm down, hun, he's joking, it was a dungeon."

The paleness on Annelise's face faded as blood came back.

"You-"

She smacked my arm the way a mom would when scolding a misbehaving child.

"Ow."

I grabbed my arm pretending it hurt.

"Are you okay?"

Kelson moved to hold my body and arm out.

"Just kidding."

I smiled at the two of them.

This time Annelise hit my arm, but harder and firmer.

Still, it had little effect on my essentially superhuman physique.

Despite everything, I thanked them for coming, gave them a hug and led them to the Svarmet's before they all left via gate.

-Clap- -Clap- -Clap-

Sounds of clapping were heard from onstage.

I turned to face the dean clapping to recieve the auditoriums attention.

"With that the award ceremony is completed."

"If you have any questions please direct it to our TA's or consult with the faculty. School will also resume to the normal schedule for the combat program, I will see you tomorrow, have a good evening."

With that the ceremony ended.

Yet another bag of rewards for my troubles.

Honestly it was more than I expected.

In game, you do recieve rewards through these two, depending on the tasks you accomplish.

For example killing more enemies is a task for the school, protecting the princess however is considered a task for the empire.

In spite of all of that, I had achieved a new second episode clear, with max rewards.

Now, is probably a good time to talk about my-

"Lucas, is now a good time?"

Vice dean Rachelle came up to me.

"Um, sure?"

I pulled away from Aurelia and the others to have a one on one with the vice dean.

However, as I said, before she so rudely interrupted my monologue, now is a good time to explain my talk with the Gloria family at the ball.

It was a short conversation, between me, the butler of the household, the brother of the duchess, the son of said brother, and the head of the household.

The intention of meeting me was to ascertain my feelings of loyalty, and to test whether Alicia Svarmet had lied about me.

"It seems she has been taken with your skills and loyalty."

"She says your loyalty and integrity happen to be part of your dogma."

It seems she had talked much about me to her family, despite having few correspondences with them to begin with.

They were confused that she talked more about me than Ezechs and Matthew, not that she didn't love them, but they were out of the house, and already grown up.

Meanwhile, Aura, Theo, and I were still being watched over by her.

I felt a sense of kinship with them, though, and in the end, made a friend of the young master of the house.

He was much younger than myself and Theo for that matter.

He was only 7.

"Dad says Aunty talks a lot about you."

"So I've heard little man."

I ruffled his hair, which he seemed to like.

"I would prefer that you keep your hands from ruining my son's image further."

"Oh stop it Marcelo, let your son have his fun."

"Father!"

"You'll become head of the house soon, how can you let this bother you?"

"It seems that I must return."

My noble-esque speech came in handy in these times.

"Awww. You're going already?"

"Sorry little bro, I gotta leave."

I bent down onto one knee, brushing his hair back.

"But in the future, if you ever want to come visit me when I'm home, just let Aunty know okay?"

"Sure!"

With that, I bowed out of the conversation.

And with that, I began to listen to the dean.

"What is it you wished to talk about my last name?"

"Well, I should think that with your talents, you should have one that shows off that you are both a swordsman and mage."

"I agree."

"Have you heard of the Cinderthornes?"

"The family of magic swordsmen and close-combat mages?"

"Precisely so."

"Yes?"

"They were said to follow the teachings of a dragon spirit, and although that spirit of yours isn't a dragon, it could be said to resemble a newt or sea dragon."

"Well, I would say she resembles a sky dragon, moreso than a land or sea dragon, but sure."

I wanted to add a little smokescreen since outright denying she looked like a dragon would've drawn suspiscion.

At least I believed so.

To her whom I'm unsure where her loyalties lie, I couldn't be sure if she would grow suspicious or simply write it off as a quirk of my behavior.

Regardless, I wouldn't let my guard down.

"Regardless, what do you think of the name?"

"I think I'll adopt it."

"I see."

"Is there any reason in particular you brought it up however?"

"Actually yes, the last name also has roots in demon hunting, no doubt you could restore the house's name and prestige with your acheivements."

"But why that house in particular?"

"That's a secret, for another time unless you want to ask me that as your one aid?"

"Nope, then I'll be going now."

"Hmph. What a rascal."

I left without even turning back.

A one on one with a woman who was trotting the edge of the 8th tier, just a little terrifying.

The fact she saw the world just a little more clearly meant she could catch on much easier to any mistakes I made, but I think I handled it well.

With the school event finished, Morgan and I set off to our last task of the day before returning to our dorms.

Genoa's realm.

"Hello my cute little disciples."

"This master has been waiting, saddened, thinking she had been abandoned."

"Um, master I can explain."

"Nonsense, come sit, enjoy tea with your master."

Everything in me screamed that staying any longer would jepoardize my life.

I looked at Morgan who felt the same.

And as we turned to leave we got caught.

"Trying to leave already? I'm sad."

Well, shit.