Aetheria: Silvannia

Chapter 10

It came as a surprise that Alouence's sister was also interested in forging weaponry and armor. That also explained the inexplicable happiness I saw in her eyes as she heard my name. In Aetheria where every god's actions are viewed in scrutiny, my continuous success in weapon forging must've spread over the years.

Cordelia and I talked about weapon forging for quite a bit and as we talked and she showed me a couple of her gorged weapons, I was amazed.

Holding the newly crafted dagger that had intricate markings and runes, I saw that they had the capability of handling dual elemental powers of whoever used them.

Mildly surprised, I turned to her. "You're very talented. Being an Intermediate Master Forger is no easy feat to reach." I told her as I slowly grazed my pointer finger down the blade's edge. It held the right sharpness, with a consistent aura running though it that was unique to a weapon of this grade.

I reached out to my soul space, feeling quite happy. I guess it wouldn't be so bad to give her a little gift.

Grasping the scroll with my hand, Cordelia looked at me in inquiry in which I replied with a small smile.

"This is the instruction manual Milheld* gave me when I was at your level. It should be able to help you reach the Grand master tier relatively smoother than figuring it out on your own."

*God of War in the prologue.

I handed it over to her, looking as she immediately smiled in happiness and excitement while repeatedly saying her thanks. I then briefly taught her how to navigate the scroll's contents with a small smile.

Nobody knows this but in over the hundreds of years since my soul was born, I have helped countless seedlings advance in their skills by providing then more opportunities for growth. Ways either directly, or otherwise. Perhaps in some way, it's because I want them to ascend in life and mayhap partly because I also want an insurance for myself- another option for help in times of trouble. After all, some graces would be more willingly repaid and one must never put eggs in only one basket.

After some time together with the two siblings, it wasn't long before I bade farewell to Cordelia and to one reluctant looking man.

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I sighed in relief as my boots touched the grainy sand on the coast of a secluded part of the beach. I didn't take the route leading back to the borders closest to the Freinch Imperial Palace but chose to visit another place instead first.

Taking a deep breath and rolling my shoulders for a bit, I then took out a long dark cloak that allowed me to cover half my face. Afterwards, I changed my armor into inconspicuous clothes and carefully changed my hair and eye color before wearing the cloak around my body.

I slowly trudged out and arrived at a nearby coastal town called Maritimum.

Although it was called a "town", it would be more precise to call this place a city due to how the territory had grown since the last time I came to visit. Belonging to one of the major trading hubs centered between the Freinch and the Malhia Empire, it has grown into a massive hotpot of a prosperous scene, crafty businessmen, and consumers seeking a good find. Of course, my purpose in this town lies not in the various goods displayed in the stalls I'm presently seeing but in something else entirely.

Just after I left the borders of Malhia's capital city, I received word from my brother, Andrew's subordinate that there was something fishy in Maritimum. In exchange for a favor, I would have to scout ahead of time because according to my brother, 'Vannia's already on her way back, why not make the most of it.'