"Course it did," Anthoine smiled, "You think I couldn't charm her mother with my good looks? For shame, Henry, for shame! I did have to run from her father though, but Gascon's secret escape magic helped me a lot."

"Secret...escape magic?" I furrowed my brows, and Anthoine nodded wisely.

For some I can already see this quote happening:
Henry: Hmph, so you have cornered me. Well too bad, for I know I will use one of the greatest secret technique that I have been taught from Tristain.
*Enemies started to become more cautious*
Henry: AND THAT TECHNIQUE IS TOO USE BOTH MY FEET AND THE GROUND TO RUUUUUUUUNN AWWWWAAAAAAAAAAY!
*Henry disappeared from the battle*
Enemy Soldiers:...


Edit: Inspired by this
 
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The dragon pacified and contracted as a familiar to Henriette, André ended up with the white horse of his dreams. The moment he did, his strangeness finally burst out from its hidden place.

"This is a sign of the gods!" he roared from atop his horse, both arms raised up high, "We shall reclaim the holy lands in the name of the pope! A glorious crusade shall-" and I simply watched, baffled, as André rode off to the far end of the courtyard before a simple wave of Colbert's hand sent him to float right back in line, his white horse standing behind him and neighing gently.

"Crusade over already?" Anthoine asked with his lips twitching from the desire to laugh, a large snake perched on both of his shoulders and enjoying the warmth of the sun.

"My family has a distinct genealogy of serving as Romalia's holy knights," André said with a huff. "Rest assured-one day I will lead my crusade, and it will last longer than this!"


One day André.
 
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Thirty-Nine

I stared at the empty wall on the other side of my room, Raven resting on a perch I had bought during the time spent in the capital. I had a bag of really strong tea leaves that had to be left to dry for the day in order to become usable, and that was it. I had no coffee, my wine was watered, and I couldn't even walk into the Fairy Charming Inn to ogle a few of the pretty ladies within.

I was with my back against the opposite wall, sitting down in quite the non-noble like way. Since there weren't any servants inside my room at the moment, this was the perfect place to fight the system.

"Raven," I said to my crow, "I need to assassinate someone." Raven cawed from his perch, flapping his wings as he stared at me with his eyes. "I mean, this would be easier if I didn't have anyone watching over me, but it's not like I want to kill Wardes." I grumbled. "If only there was something I could do to distract him."

"Craaa, Craa." Raven flapped his wings, and then flew down from his perch to land right in front of me, inclining his head to the side.

"I could try to make my way out at night, but if the servants or the guards discover me-even then, I wouldn't be able to take a horse all the way to the capital-"

Raven flapped his wings, and made one more loud craa. "I know you want to help, but at night the shops are closed. Even if I could send you to get me something, it's not like they'd let you pay-nor would you be able to ask-"

"Able to ask!" Raven said suddenly, "Able to ask!" He hopped back and forth, "Pay! Able to ask!"

I stared at the crow, and then slowly got on my knees, "You...you can speak?"

Raven nodded, hopping back and forth, "Able to ask! Pay!"

I hummed thoughtfully, "On the next Void day, I'll show you where to go. Then we'll try and see what happens," I looked at him with a bit of worry, "But try not to make me worry too much, all right? If it's too hard or anything, you can just come back. I won't be angry, I promise."

"Promise!" Raven cawed. "Promise!" he then hopped a bit more around, and flew back on his perch. "Promise!"

So my raven talked. Well, at the very least this made for an interesting discovery. I could share my senses with him, but it was kind of queasy to look through a bird's eyesight, and smell through his nostrils. It wasn't something I'd suggest, especially not when he was flying -and it made for quite the interesting sensations, feeling in mid-air because you're pushing your wings to stay afloat.

The next week, even with Wardes breathing down on my neck, I still managed to show my familiar the small shop that allowed for familiars to come in and pay in exchange of service -it was a nice idea, honestly. It came from a fallen noble who knew that there were a lot of lazy nobles who would rather send their owls, horses, dragons and the likes to do the job in their stead, and so had put up a large garden in the front of his shop, with a sign to alert of the passing familiars.

Thus, that very same afternoon my Raven went on his first task of the day.

Needless to say I did not pay much attention to the lessons, too busy staring off into the horizon.

"Oi," Anthoine hissed, "professor Colbert is talking to you!"

I blinked and quickly returned my attention to the balding professor. "Thank you for returning to us, Mister Valliere," Colbert said firmly. "As I was saying, reaching Line is a matter of time for most mages, but sometimes the process can be quickened. I am to believe you have reached said threshold during your break, Mister Valliere?"

"Oh, yes," I said with a nod. "Dodging powerful wind magic will do that to you if you really cherish your body's wholeness," I pointed out.

"Well," Professor Colbert coughed with his fist in front of his mouth, "While it is a method that works, it is also extremely dangerous. Safer methods include repetition, understanding of the elements' in their most basic forms, meditation..."

And as the professor kept on speaking, I yawned softly with a hand to cover my mouth. Closing my eyes, I allowed my senses to connect to those of my familiar. He was standing in line with other familiars, the small pouch of Ecus around his neck firmly secured.

There was a hint of happiness at the thought that I was checking on him. A desire for a head rub, some pebble throwing games, and he wanted some juicy apples and minced meat to eat. Well, I could easily accommodate all of that. This in turn made Raven all the more happier. He was so happy he made a small cawing sound, similar to a giggle, and then returned to firmly hop a bit forward as the line proceeded to the next familiar. In his pouch, there was also a written order just in case he didn't manage to say it aloud.

"Mister Valliere!" the exclamation made me sharply jump on my seat, eyes wide. Professor Colbert looked on with a displeased expression, "I would expect you to be paying attention, since this directly relates to Line mages in particular-"

"Sorry, sorry," I said sheepishly. "I promise I'll pay attention."

Professor Colbert nodded, "As I was saying, a Line spell is not simply an empowered Dot spell, though one might wish it to be so by chaining the same element and pronouncing the same chant. It is possible to variate the spell through the second element, while maintaining some of its basic characteristics. Thus, the evocation of a sphere of fire as a single dot fire spell might become a line of fire with a Line spell, or a sphere of paralysis with the addition of a wind element. A water element might create a sphere of steam-there is great versatility in chanting, and in the elements' aligning to one another-though in general, practicing with specific spells is for the best. Variety means nothing if you stand on a battlefield. Know a few, good spells, and you will always triumph in duels."

Half an hour later, and a feeling of victory rose through my chest. I didn't check, but I was sure this meant one simple thing.

Three hours later, with the classes done for, I opened the window of my room and stood in wait for the arrival of my care relief package.

My Raven flew right in, landing with a small package tied on its back. A leather flask filled with red wine, and a pouch of leather that held spherical small beans.

"I love you," I muttered breathlessly as I knelt to hastily remove the straps that held the packages safe. Though the prices were a bit steep due to the cut that the owner of the place took, he had servants sent to buy the stuff from other shops and then bring it back, thus-indeed, it was kind of like ordering from an online site like Ebay. This bit of commercial wisdom was great, especially since I now had both wine and coffee.

"I already told the servants to have your dinner be made of apples and minced meat," I pointed out to Raven, who was excitedly flapping around with various degrees of glee, all the while repeating I love you! I love you! with his raven-like tone.

The beans were something one could eat raw, and I wasted no time with trying a few out.

Though they tasted of watermelon. Wet watermelon. No, rather than wet watermelon, they tasted of water with a hint of melon to them. Spitting out the seeds, I carefully gathered them and then put them aside in another pouch. "You see, Raven," I whispered with a hint of conspiracy to my raven. "The trick to this is that I'm going to plant this beans, and magic the shit out of this entire thing until I manage to self-replicate the conditions for their growth." I smiled. "Then I'm going to do my best to ensure that rather than years, they'll blossom and give fruits in a matter of weeks." I giggled. "And then, then-"

I exhaled as I took a sip of red, unadulterated wine. "Ah...this is life." I patted Raven's head, rubbing his back much to his enjoyment. "You're the best familiar ever, Raven."

I had wine. I had coffee beans. I had an awesome familiar.

...

"The best! The best! I love you!" Raven exclaimed happily, rubbing his raven head against my hand of his own accord.

"Awww, you're the cutest thing ever!" I exclaimed back as I hugged him tight.

Seriously, my familiar couldn't be this cute!
 
Delinquency. Delinquency always finds a way.

Really enjoying the way things are going here - a nice humorous aside before things (presumably) get serious.
 
Raven is going to say lots of embarassing things isn't he?
Henry better be carefull whit what he says when he's alone.
 
I'm just waiting for when Karin meets Raven and the lovable bird gets turned into dinner, served with a side of mashed potatoes and salad.

Mmm... Mashed potatoes...
 
It's only a matter of time before the corvid starts blackmailing people. :V

I'm just waiting for when Karin meets Raven and the lovable bird gets turned into dinner, served with a side of mashed potatoes and salad.
Nah, she'd only threaten that if he had summoned a chicken. A raven, while not as glorious as a Chimera or Griffin, is more tolerable.
 
Shade, I'm confused as to why Henry suddenly cannot drink wine at the academy? It was mentioned that he was free to do so in earlier chapters.
 
Meh doesn't matter.
After a few escape attempts of his newly cultivated Coffea, he'll have a perfect substitute for wine.
 
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