Curse Of The Writer

The mentor

My vision swam and my breath hitched as I comprehended the danger of my situation. A Vritra, of all things that could save me, it's a Vritra...

It would have been better to die in that fall.

Am I going to get experimented upon by Agrona? Are they going to turn me into a retainer? Questions bombarded my mind as I continued hyperventilating.

"W-wh-who are you?" I managed to stutter out, trying to crawl away from my 'savior'.

She had an amused look on her face and her lips twitched slightly upwards. "Seris Vritra." she said simply.

A.K.A. The unknown variable in the war, who has no allegiances to any side.

"I'm curious, how did one so young as yourself acquire a mana-core?" 

Play dumb! 

"W-what's a core?" 

Not that dumb!

She deadpanned at me, staring as if saying ‘really?’

I sighed, Great, I made myself even more suspicious.

Idiot.

I ignored it in favor of answering Seris, “I learned about it in a book and wanted to make a core.”

“So, you merely wanted to make a core and one just appeared?” Was that a hint of sarcasm?

I shook my head, “N-No, I had this… gut feeling to try and pull the mana particles in my body to one location.”

“A gut feeling you say.” She stood up, walking towards me, “Or was it prior knowledge?”

I laughed nervously, “H-how would I have prior knowledge? I’m only four years old.”

“We both know you are much older than that.”

My heart almost jumped to my throat. How? How does she know? Wait, Agrona knew of Arthur’s reincarnation so it’s not entirely impossible. But I’m pretty sure he wasn’t the one to reincarnate me, so how?

Maybe it’s because of me.

I don’t even know who you are, man.

Oh, you do, just try and remember.

“Am I to assume that you had a similar experience in your last life?” she broke my train of thought with her question.

“I suppose…” I trailed off.

“Heh,” she let out an almost imperceptible breath, a victorious expression in her eyes.

Alright screw it, if I die, I die.

“Why did you bring me here?” I dared to ask.

“Have you grown some courage all of a sudden?” she asked rhetorically.

No, lady, I’m shitting bricks right now. I just don’t care if you kill me now.

Unless you torture me, that shit hurts.

“Very well, I will answer your question.” she said once I gave no reply, “I want you to become my apprentice.”

The world seemed to stop around me as I utter out a single word, “Eh?”

Very smart response.

Oh shut up.

She nodded, seemingly unfazed, “Yes, in return I will keep your existence hidden and you won’t have to fear becoming one of Agrona’s subjects.”