Chapter 204: Meeting With The Duke

[Elemental Synergy II

Description: Your elemental mastery expands, unlocking new combinations. This skill grants access to:

A special secondary element: Sound (Wind + Wind)

Three of the many existing tertiary elements:

Obsidian (Magma + Water)

Crystal (Ice + Earth)

Aetherflame (Lightning + Fire)

To use these elements, you must have mastered the component skills.]

Thorian's brow furrowed as he examined the description of his upgraded Elemental Synergy. His initial disappointment stemmed from a naive assumption that he would instantly gain access to all tertiary elements. However, as he delved deeper into the details, his spirits lifted.

At least I've gained access to Aetherflame with this first upgrade, he mused. Once I meet the conditions for a second-advancement Aetherflame skill, my firepower will reach unimaginable heights!

While not intimately familiar with all tertiary elements, Thorian knew Aetherflame boasted unparalleled offensive power. No defensive spell of the same tier could withstand its fury. Moreover, he now possessed the crystal element, which the Jade King, Olivine, had wielded in Thorian's past life. The memory of Olivine entrapping a thousand monsters within conjured crystals with a mere wave of his hand remained vivid in Thorian's mind.

Crystal spells offer immense utility, surpassing even earth and wood magic, he reflected. Their only weakness lies in offensive power, but that's no obstacle for me.

As the possibilities of his newly unlocked abilities unfolded in his mind, a wide grin spread across Thorian's face. However, he tempered his excitement with pragmatism. None of the tertiary element spells are accessible yet. I should focus on the special secondary element: Sound.

Sound magi were a rare breed, and Thorian's knowledge of their arsenal was limited. He knew, however, that they excelled in creating distractions and illusions, manipulating sound waves to confuse and derail their enemies.

Selecting "Tornado" and "Wind Blast," Thorian initiated the fusion process.

[Skill Fusion Complete]

[List of Sound Skills:

Silent Room: Create an area with a controllable diameter where sound cannot escape.

Distorted Melody: Channel the power of Sound to create an eerie, otherworldly song that resonates through the air. This haunting melody warps the perception of those who hear it, causing disorientation and confusion.

Resonant Frequency: Identify and exploit the natural frequency of objects or structures, causing them to vibrate intensely. Depending on the integrity of the structures, you can cause cracks or even shatter them.]

Thorian scrutinized the list, finding each skill intriguing. Distorted Melody would allow him to incapacitate enemies without physical harm, an advantage in situations where escalating conflict was undesirable. Resonant Frequency's utility was undeniable—he could use it to destroy bridges, trigger landslides, or collapse castle walls.

But Silent Room seems the most valuable of all, he concluded.

While the other two skills were impressive, Thorian already possessed spells that could achieve similar results. Silent Room, however, was unique—an ability unlike any in his current arsenal. He couldn't pass up this opportunity.

[Congratulations, you have acquired the skill: "Silent Room"]

With this new addition to his repertoire, Thorian made his way to his bed. The coming day promised to be pivotal, and he needed to be well-rested to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

  *

As dawn broke, Thorian began his daily meditation. Despite the sweat coating his skin, he felt refreshed and invigorated. The new skills he had acquired filled him with a sense of anticipation for the day ahead. He knew today would be crucial—it was time to uncover the identity of the mastermind behind the recent events.

After completing his morning routine, Thorian made his way to the Combat Hall, where he expected to meet David. As he walked, he contemplated how to broach the subject of meeting with the Silverwater duke. The situation called for both tact and directness.

Upon entering the Combat Hall, Thorian spotted David engaged in a fierce battle against a group of ogres. He waited patiently, observing his friend's techniques with a keen eye. The young man used his wind spells to group the ogres together before bombarding them with fire.

"Impressive as always, David," Thorian commended with a smile.

David turned, wiping sweat from his brow. "Alan! Good morning. Ready for another round with the ants?"

"Actually," Thorian began, his tone growing serious, "I was hoping we could discuss something important."

Noticing the shift in Thorian's demeanor, David's expression sobered. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

Thorian glanced around, noticing a couple of mages nearby. Not wanting to risk their conversation being overheard, he discreetly cast Silent Room, encompassing them both without David noticing. "I need to request an audience with Duke Silverwater. It's regarding a matter of utmost importance that I believe he should be aware of."

David's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The Duke? Alan, that's not a simple request. What exactly is this about?"

"It's about Elian Valtor, the noble who was killed a few days ago," Thorian said carefully. "I was his bodyguard on the journey to the capital. We were supposed to part ways upon arrival, but as you know, the incident occurred shortly after. In the ensuing chaos, Elian dropped a letter he had been guarding. I managed to retrieve it while the guards were escorting him away."

David's eyes widened. "A letter? What kind of letter?"

"I'm not entirely sure of its contents," Thorian admitted, "but considering Elian was bragging about having received a mission from his grace, the duke of Silverwater, I believe it was meant for him."

David fell silent for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. Finally, he nodded. "This is indeed serious, Alan. If what you're saying is true, my uncle needs to know about this. But why can't you entrust me with the letter to give to him myself? It would be much easier than requesting an audience for you."

"I understand, and I don't wish to burden you," Thorian sighed. "But I've also experienced many strange things on the journey to the capital. The number of bandits was unusually large, and their skills did not befit mere thugs. We were also nearly caught in the path of a monster wave."

"A monster wave?! Right in front of the capital?" David exclaimed before calming himself, not wanting to draw attention. "This seems like too significant a matter to brush aside."

After a moment of contemplation, David complied, "I understand. I'll try to secure an audience with the duke for you. I'm sure my uncle would rather hear all of this directly from you rather than secondhand. Give me until sunset. Meet me at the central fountain, and I'll let you know what I've managed to arrange."

Thorian nodded, relief washing over him. "Thank you, David. I truly appreciate your help in this matter."

As they parted ways, Thorian couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and apprehension. He had set the wheels in motion, and now all he could do was wait and prepare for whatever might come next.

The day passed with Thorian's mind preoccupied by David's mission. If his friend couldn't secure the meeting with the duke in a timely manner, Thorian would be forced to take action himself. He would need to sneak into both the knights' quarters and the Aethergold estates to check whose aura matched the masked man's. Of course, this would be a suicidal mission, but it might be the only choice left to Thorian.

Time flowed as Thorian trained his lightning, ice, and magma skills on the giant ants. With David absent, he was free to showcase his powers without worrying about prying eyes.

As the sun completed its journey from east to west, Thorian made his way to the central fountain. He stood vigilant, even as the sun fully set and the moon peeked its head over the horizon. It wasn't until an hour past their agreed meeting time that David finally appeared.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting, Alan," David rushed towards him, breath rapid. "As you know, the duke is a busy man. It took some time to get hold of him and explain your situation."

"No harm done," Thorian said, shaking his head before fixing David with expectant eyes. "So, did his grace agree?"

"He did," David smiled brightly, urging Thorian to follow. "And we need to go meet him now. He's only allotted an hour for your meeting, so we have to move quickly if we don't want to miss this chance."

Hearing David's words, Thorian fell in step behind him. Yet he didn't drop his guard for a moment. His Elemental Sight worked tirelessly, from the mage court to the Silverwater estate, watching for potential ambushes that might lurk around any corner.

I'm not familiar with the court politics here. It would be foolish to let my guard down.

Thankfully, none of Thorian's fears materialized, and the two entered the Silverwater palace safely. Inside, Thorian maintained his vigilance, ensuring he didn't miss any suspicious movement. While no fighters with strong energy converged on him, the looks from passersby were far from pleasant. Most seemed confused by his presence, while others directed disgust at both him and David.

Glancing at his companion, Thorian noticed that while David appeared unbothered by the gazes, his fist was clenched tightly.

Well, that at least rules out the possibility of this meeting being a trap.

With quick steps, they ascended the stairs, arriving at the duke's study.

"I'll leave you here, Alan," David said, patting Thorian's shoulder. "Don't worry, and feel at ease with my uncle. I've properly informed him about your circumstances, and he's eager to speak with you."

"Thank you again for this opportunity," Thorian nodded.

With a curt smile from David, Thorian opened the door to find the duke deeply engrossed in his scrolls. The appearance of a mighty middle-aged man, with muscles that threatened to rip his suit, stood in sharp opposition to his scholarly demeanor.

As he noticed Thorian's presence, the duke set down his reading glasses and gestured, "Please, come and sit down."

"Yes, my lord," Thorian said with a light bow before taking a seat across from the duke. He sat with a straight back, his gaze locked firmly on the duke's eyes.

"I heard from my dear nephew that you served as Elian's bodyguard on his journey to the capital. Is that correct?" The duke asked, scrutinizing Thorian.

"That is indeed the case, your grace," Thorian confirmed. "On that journey, we experienced hardships uncommon so close to the capital. The bandits were numerous, and some even displayed incomplete aura control. There was also a monster wave that nearly engulfed our carriage."

"Those are indeed curious circumstances," the duke mused, looking down in thought before fixing Thorian with a knife-sharp gaze. "But there's one part of your story I find hard to believe. You claim to have recovered a letter that fell from Elian's body after he was stabbed by that rebellious boy. Tell me, how could you possibly have done that when a dozen guards surrounded Elian the moment he fell?"

Though surprised by the duke's suspicion, Thorian maintained his composure. However, just as he was about to respond, a sharp killing intent pressed against his body. The energy emitted by the duke was suffocating, and Thorian knew that at any moment, his head could roll.

"Choose your next words carefully," the duke warned, his voice low and dangerous, "and do not take me for a fool."