Saharan Successor

Vol. 1 - Chapter 54 - Log Out

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Benoit bought some food, trying to blend with the rest of the people as much he could, and the waiting game began. The food came for him, and even after finishing the meal, Mathias didn't arrive.

'It can't be a joke, right?'

Pondering on the legitimacy of the letter, he could see a newcomer arrive inside the tavern, a young man with long raven hair, of average stature and with a well-built body.

"Kid, this is how you are doing business? Leaving people wait for you for an eternity?" inquired a drunkard when he turned to see Mathias walk inside the tavern.

Walking to the counter and greeting the innkeeper, he placed some silver coins to the people on the counter making them behave like happy fools.

"The white-haired boy is expecting you, Mathias."

"Ehh, he came fast. I didn't expect this which make me spend more time with my lovers."

"Shame!! Lucky bastard who has it easy with women." cried some drunk people at the counter, dissatisfied with his comment.

Shrugging his shoulders and ignoring their nonsense, he walked toward Benoit, and after taking a seat at the table, he extended his head for a greeting.

"Nice to meet you, young prince. I am Mathias, the one who wrote you the letter."

"Greetings to you too, sir. Are you a high member of the Yatan Church by chance?"

"Me? No, not at all. I am not even a member of any church."

"Then, how do you know about my hatred and injustice?"

"Easy, don't get agitated on such small details. Ahem, but if you want to know who I am, let's say I am an outlander with certain tendencies at helping fools. Let's talk. What's on your mind right now?

"Does it matter?"

"Depends. You might get your answers to your problems and I would also solve my job. Anyway, do you want to eat something? You seem quite skinny, don't neglect your body."

"Hmph, who are you to tell me all of those things?"

"Meh, then you will not mind if I eat something. Boss! Bring me a medium-rare steak with some boiled potatoes, along with a strong wine."

"Aye, it will arrive in 10 minutes."

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Giving his food order, Mathias just watched all of Benoit's expressions change with his green eyes. Activating 'Arcane Intellect', which created a small white-purple eye on his forehead, it amplified his mysterious image that Benoit made of him, wondering what magic he used.

"How old are you this year, young Benoit?" asked Mathias casually, trying to engage the boy into talking with him, making him feel more comfortable talking to him.

"Fifteen."

"I see, this makes you quite young to be drinking, so I'll keep it away from you. I am of the belief that a child should be allowed to drink at the age of 16 since it's on his own accord."

The server, who was a young girl, looking to be 16-17 years old, walked toward his table holding a bottle of wine and a glass, and placing it on the table she withdrew from the table with a smile, to which Mathias when gazing at Benoit asked jokingly.

"Isn't she cute? Want me to introduce you to her? She is the daughter of the innkeeper, Silvia."

"No thanks, I am not interested in anyone. You better start talking so you don't waste my time." said Benoit looking at Mathias with a cold gaze, making Mathias chuckle at him, ignoring his orderly tone.

"This is not how I work, kid. We will first eat, before we start talking. Hmph, I even took on my free time to be here, when I only had some days together with my girls."

Benoit, who was trying to find more things about Mathias, trying to push around his status as prince, it was rhetorically mocked by Mathias, who shut down all of the young man's attempts at gathering information on him.

"Come on kid, stop asking me dumb questions. Haven't I already told you I am an outlander? Those threats don't work on me. It might even backfire, so be a good boy."

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After ten minutes, Silvia helding in her arms the food Mathias ordered came bringing the food, and when forgot to leave, remaining around the table, looking at Benoit a bit shy.

"This is all for today Silvia, thank your mother when you get to the kitchen."

"Understood, Mathias." said the young lady, walking away from the table, leaving Benoit and Mathias to their own talk.

Eating, and observing Benoit, only after he was done, he asked him a simple yet scary question.

"How deep has your hatred been consuming you?"

"I don't understand what you are asking me." responded Benoit, visibly affected by the question he received.

"Simple, for how long have you been trying to find the killer of your mother?"

"You, how do you know about mother? Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am kid, just respond my question so we can progress in helping you."

"Hisss. Fine. How long have I been consumed by hatred? For 6 years. Since the moment my mother died in a strange manner I was looking for answers. My bastard father is a fool who just accepted the death of mother, like it was the death of some insignificant woman, retreating to that woman Marie. Hmph, I have my own suspicions that it might be Marie who killed mom, but I need concrete answers, I can't simply kill her without proof."

"What about your brothers?"

"They are just some idiots who only think about that bastard's throne. It feels as if they no longer care about mom's death."

"Sigh, you truly are a sensible child. However, do you know you can get your answers in a large plethora of ways, not need to soil your hands in the dark arts? The Yatan Church or even Rebecca's Church, will not be your help in this hurdle you are in."

"Then who will? You tell me who will? How will I be able to find my answers that eat at my soul? How will I be able to get revenge for my mother?"

"Kid, do you want to hear something from me? It might make you a bit angry, but you have to deal with it. There are two ways I see this story of yours, you either can be right or wrong. Being wrong is unlikely, since I am trying to solve the case of Duke Welf on how he was framed."

"Do you know who my main suspect is?"

"Marie?" asked back Benoit, gritting his teeth with his crimson eyes releasing some red aura.

"Bingo. I can propose to you that we work together to solve this, you get your answers for your mother's death, I get answers for Duke Welf framing."

"Once again who are you, and how do you know about such things? Weren't the outlanders supposed to not care about what's happening here?"

"Hehe, just an outlander. But, apart from this information, well, let's say I am indebted to someone, and as much as I would love to say I am not in debt, I can't fool my conscience and got connected to Welf House without even knowing."

"So you are trying to get your answers for Duke Piaro's situation? Wait, it was as I believed, someone framed Uncle Piaro. No way in Hell uncle would try to backstab us and take over the throne, not that I would care that much."

"Indeed. I'll leave it to your choice if you want to work together with me on solving those problems, but you better not speak any word of this, not even to your father, brothers, or servants. It will be something between the two of us, an alliance accord."

"How can I trust you?" asked Benoit, trying to see if there was anything wrong with Mathias, to which he was responded by a grin.

"You can only try and trust me. How will your search progress forward, it will be a good indicator that you weren't scammed, and truth to be told, I can't do nothing with a little princeling like you. You are not a candidate to the throne, you are not liked by the nobles, your relation with your father is also cold, you tell me, could I get something out of you?"

Looking down at the table, Benoit could only reply with a short answer.

"Nothing. I'm worth nothing."

"Let's not go that far because everyone is worth something, even the pig the innkeeper is growing. A young princeling like you has its worth, but not so high that might make me want to entice you."

Talking for a bit more with Benoit where he could visibly see the progress from his state of mind, returning back to a calmer one, compared to the one filled with hatred. When they parted ways, and with Benoit hearing Mathias remark again.

"Kid, you can always visit me at this address if you feel like talking. Whenever you feel down, remembering about your mom, we can talk. Know that there's always a light waiting behind a shroud of darkness." specified Mathias while giving Benoit something akin to a visit card he and Fayrene worked on for their business, getting up from the table and walking toward the counter to pay for his meal.

Benoit followed along, also preparing to depart, not wishing to arouse his father's suspicion or his brothers for disappearing from nowhere, and when he exited the tavern, he opened up.

"Thank you for your words. I started understanding some things which I didn't realize to this point. I will try to see you whenever I have some new information."

"Don't worry kid, and about the information, don't make it in such a bad way it arouses suspicions. It will be even harder for me to extract my information when the group of rats feel the fire underneath their feet. Got it?"

"I do. I am not dumb."

"That one I know, but kids your age act upon emotions which you never know when you will blunder."

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Separating his way from Benoit, he returned back home where Fayrene was sewing on the dress, while Jeanne returned to her home when he went to see Benoit.

"How was your meeting with the young prince?" asked Fayrene with a curious tone, while her hands kept sewing.

"Good, the kid is a smart one. But he already bit upon the rotten fruit, boiling his hatred over his family. What I fear is that his mind would snap when the truth is revealed and all my work would go to waste."

"That boy, is he really studying the dark arts?"

"That's the aura around the kid, is something small I was able to see while entering 'Arcane Intellect'. It could mean he took a small bite and he is savable. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen, I can only try to rescue the kid." said Mathias while getting a seat on his chair, staring at Fayrene as he was speaking with her.

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Moving past the subject of Benoit they about their usual day living normally, yet this couldn't be said to be so simple in Mathias's case because the two remaining days of Beta Stage started to make their presence known.

He did a good job to hide his mental state on Friday, however as Sunday arrived where the large countdown for the game shutdown was grinding his mind and feelings, the two girls could feel that something wasn't right with Mathias.

Jeanne walked to his side at the courtyard, and taking his hand in her own, she asked him with her angelic voice.

"Dear, are you alright?"

"Yes I am fine, I am just thinking of something, but you girls don't have to be bothered with my inner problems."

"Are you sure? Share it with me, maybe you will feel better afterwards."

"Thank you, dear, but there's really nothing you could do, it's something which will disappear the next day and I will feel much better."

"Then I shouldn't worry, if you'll be fine by tomorrow."

Nodding his head at Jeanne, as he was holding her hand, later gazing at her gorgeous face, he couldn't only keep his calm and push away all the negative feelings the last day inside 'Satisfy' brought along.

Still, Jeanne after staying with Mathias for one hour, holding hands at the bench Mathias constructed, went back inside the house, and seeing Fayrene at the counter, reading some books, she asked her.

"Sister, aren't you worried about Mathias? He is feeling bad for some unknown reason and I have no idea how I can help him get better."

"It is fine just give him some space to sort his thoughts and by tomorrow you will see the same Imp, as yesterday." responded Fayrene with a calm voice making Jeanne feel calmer too.

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On the courtyard, Mathias was having a conversation with Vlad, Red and Maple, where they formed a group chat which they used to talk their soul out.

&Malakai: Hey Matei, have you prepared your mind for the shutdown? Don't get desperate if things don't go the way we thought, okay?

&Red: Ohh, is there a problem with you guys? There's only 3 hours before the shutdown. It is time to try getting wasted for the first time inside the game. Has anyone tried it out?

&Malakai: I did.

&Red: How does it feel? It is the same as in reality?

&Malakai: More or less, just give it a try. Anyway, Matei, are you still there you bum?

&Mathias: I am prepared. Stop making it a scene, I spend my time with the girls, and I only have to write them my farewell letters.

&Maple Mist: Big brother, did you make yourself a girlfriend inside the game? Could it be that girl Fayrene?

&Malakai: Jackpot little Maple. You got in front of you the rarest specimen of simp in the entire 'Satisfy' game.

&Mathias: … Do you guys really have nothing better to do?

&Red / &Malakai: No.

&Malakai: Brother, we really are kindred spirits, do you want to join Mathias and my guild when the live version starts?

&Red: Heh, are you sure? What if I ninja steal all the gear from the bosses we raid?

&Malakai: None of my business, Mathias will be the guild leader.

&Mathias: Why me?? Since when did this responsibility get on my shoulders.

&Malakai: You are the strongest among us, and also are a smartass which can administer the guild reaching the top levels.

&Mathias: How do you know? We didn't even fight to test it out.

&Malakai: There's a new video of you crushing that Reis guy on the forums. It wasn't even edited. From what you have told me about your skills, you didn't even go all out. Just take the leadership, I don't want to be bothered managing a group of people from all over the world. Also, my English isn't so good.

&Mathias: So those guys recorded me fighting that fool? How popular is it?"

&Malakai: Not so much. You are lucky because everyone is watching the videos of the Guild Wars, but the ones who saw you fight, already theorized about your strength and ability to beat that Cain guy.

Mathias kept quiet, tacitly taking that role, while the rest kept their talk, with Louis asking a simple question for which he stressed a lot.

&Maple Mist: Can I also join your guy's guild?

&Malakai: You are more than welcome. Hehe, I can't wait to tag in Saharan Empire and crush all the noobs without beta access.

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The conversation between future guild members continued on, and the night inside Satisfy arrived, he walked Jeanne back home, and when inside he planted a letter inside the book she was reading, a copy of his book.

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Not consummating their love, because of Jeanne's fears she would descend into darkness, having to keep her purity. He still took his time to pleasure her, removing some of his worries in the process.

"Ahh, dear, your messages are something that can ascend anyone to Heaven." moaned Jeanne laying in bed with her naked back put on display.

"As long as you are happy and satisfied, this is all I care about, my love. Have a nice sleep and take it easy at work, okay? Also, don't forget to eat."

"Thank you, dear, for everything." said Jeanne, while kissing Mathias on his lips, before he left her room, leaving the angelic woman on her bed, touching her lips with her tender finger, later closing her eyes and descending in the dream space.

Mathias walked downstairs and his face was slightly dejected, stopping to look around his surroundings, he could only muster his strength to walk forward, thinking of the best ending possible.

Exiting her mansion, and closing the door with the extra key he received, he walked on the streets of Titan that were still bustling with activity with a knot in his throat, however, this feeling of dejection was amplified by the moment he arrived back to Fayrene's Shop when he saw his muse by her office reading the Arcane Tome.

"Come here, dear. I found an interesting spell in the magic tome called [Rune Writing] . It doesn't seem like a spell but more like an ancient way of writing."

Seeing how happy she was of her new discovery of her intelligence stat growing, he walked to her, pushing aside his thoughts, not wanting to burden her with his dark thoughts, he went by her side and could see a blank page.

"It is blank for me, Fay."

"Really? The master's book is really a mysterious one, but try activating the 'Arcane Intellect' spell, it should be enough to allow you to see the page since we aren't that far apart when it comes to intelligence."

Nodding his head, and activating the spell, he waited for some seconds before right in front of his eyes, the page slowly began filling itself with letters, revealing a new chapter of the book.

[Runic Writing -

If you managed to see this page, I would have given you a smile if I was beside you, because it signifies you have become a full-fledged 'Arcane Apprentice'. Congratulations, young pup.

'Thanks, old man.' thought Mathias when reading the first line of the page before he continued to read more on the notes.

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This isn't a spell as you might have wanted, instead it is a writing system of the mages, runic writing, used to keep secret our conversations and letters. Not even the parasites are able to decipher the runic system. For that I am proud to be one of the main contributors along with His Majesty and High Elder. You will find in the future as you grow and learn the Runic System my name and all those noteworthy persons of my life.

The Runic System is something that at first look might be something primal, but once you understand the writing system, it would be easy to write it because there's a common similarity as the high elvish language.

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Following the description placed by the Archmage, and the teases for the future, he placed his eyes on the writing system and how it worked. After some hours where both Fayrene and himself were reading and discussing the writing system, Fayrene who was feeling sleepy stopped her talk at that point.

"We have plenty of time to learn this language. Imagine it Mat, we would be able to talk with elves and also keep our letters secret. But learning this will take some time, we can't rush it."

"You are right, Fay. It's truly interesting how you could build such a system using only your mana. In the future, we will be there, among the best." replied Mathias who was reading the arcane tome, while Fayrene went to change into her sleeping gown.

Plating a kiss on his cheeks, knowing that he wouldn't be sleeping, she returned to her bed, and with a peaceful mind she went to sleep.

Feeling the silence of the room, accompanied by Fayrene's breathing, he stood in place like a stone, contemplating on what he should write her, as a farewell message.

There was only 40 minutes remaining before the game would shut down which could be translated to two hours inside the game, which felt like an inferno for him.

Minutes passed and Fayrene was sound asleep, and finally settling his thoughts on what to write her, he opened the 'Arcane Tome' and turning the pages he reached the first spell he learned, the beginning for his journey [Arcane Awakening].

With his quill in hand, he began to write on that page on the blank spaces, sharing everything on his mind, without even knowing the [Mana Core] began shining with a calming purple hue, while the writing he was placing in the tome was also releasing some white-purple light.

When he was left out of space, he marked for Fayrene the continuation of his note, and with a serene face he continued writing his note, turning from page to page according to the spells he learned, until he finished his letter it was only 10 minutes remaining.

Closing the tome, and placing it back to the closet of the table, he rose on his feet and decided to walk outside to clear his mind with the breeze of night.

Walking toward the city center, the still active Titan said its farewell to this long haired man with his white shirt opened revealing his toned body. His hair was fluttering in the wind, and as he got to the center plaza, where all began, he closed his eyes calmly, listening to Morpheus' emotionless voice calling out the countdown.

[10]

[9]

[8]

" Things are in your hands. I've done everything I could do, not leaving this to luck, but it is you who decide. Just leave some leeway for my little heart."

The count of Morpheus which was listened by all players who stopped in place continued on, by the time it reached the third second mark most players inside Titan began roaring like crazy people.

"Bye you dumb NPC's it was a pleasure killing you!"

"Ayee, it was good times. I will see you guys in the live version!"

"Farewell you bitches!"

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"Goodbye my muses. May fate bring us together again."

[1]

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When it reached the 0 count his vision was disconnected from the game, returning to the character creation, where another message from Morpheus was sent.

[We thank you for giving a chance to 'Satisfy' and for all your feedback thus far. S.A Group team will await you in the next phase release. For more details keep yourself updated with the notes of the developers on the website and social media.]

Mathias who was in a ghost form, heard this message and waiting for some more minutes for a possible statement, it was for nothing, it was just himself alone.

"Log out"

Saying that, he was disconnected from the game, exiting the capsule and when outside he looked calmly at his phone showing 19:15 before opening his laptop and getting to the kitchen to prepare some food.

"Now, let's see when the live version will be brought up. Until then, I need to get used with not entering the game."