Chapter 7: Lessons and Legacies

Valerio watched from the window as the expedition returned to a warm reception from their families. He let out a small breath of relief after counting their numbers—no one had died.

However, his gaze lingered on their light haul. They didn’t appear to be carrying much loot or goods, and a few members had to be supported by others, their injuries too severe to be fully treated with Panacea bandages.

It couldn’t be helped. Their family still lacked many crucial roles, even with the third generation now reaching the cusp of adolescence. Fortunately, that generation already had a few promising standouts in terms of powers. Some of the second generation were studying at the capital’s university, focusing on fields like healing, alchemy, and other vital crafts.

Most importantly, the birth of a second healer in the third generation was a hopeful sign for the family’s future.

Valerio let out a long sigh. Today was shaping up to be a long day—debriefing with the expedition was already on his plate, and now he had a meeting with Herald to discuss his students as well.

As if summoned by his thoughts, there was a knock at the door. Valerio turned away from the window. “You may enter,” he called.

The door opened, and his old friend Herald Seitz stepped in, a wide, genial smile spreading across his face. “You summoned me, oh great family head?” Herald said with mock reverence, his tone dripping with good-natured humor.

“Show some respect, you old goat. I’ll have you know I’m destined to keep rising in the world,” Valerio quipped, a smirk tugging at his lips as he approached.

The two men burst into laughter as they embraced, clapping each other on the back in a gesture of familiarity and camaraderie that spoke of years of friendship.

As they separated, Herald looked Valerio up and down, his smile turning sly. “I suppose becoming a family head is a step up from being the sixth son of a former Primus,” he teased. “Though, if I recall Republic law correctly, you’ve reached the peak of your political ladder—no more climbing for you.”

“Well, that’s why I called in that favor to have you teach our third generation,” Valerio said, gesturing toward the chair in front of his desk as he moved behind it. “So, tell me—what do you think of my brothers’ and my great-grandchildren?”

He watched as Herald took his seat, stroking his beard thoughtfully as he appeared to deeply contemplate the question.

Valerio had hired his old friend, calling in numerous favors and diverting a good chunk of the family's saved funds to secure him—a highly capable university teacher—as a tutor for their third generation.

This generation would be the first eligible to take a seat on the Republic’s council, representing their family and solidifying their political standing. Ensuring they received the best possible education was crucial.

By law, a house could only claim a council seat after three generations and severing most financial ties with its parent house. This rule had been put in place to prevent the great houses from creating smaller, dependent houses to circumvent seat limits and stack the council with their influence.

Despite the Republic’s pressing need for new houses to expand, manage, and govern the reclaimed territories of the fallen kingdoms and empires, the law had remained unchanged. Only the third generation after a house’s founding could hold council positions, marking the family as fully recognized and legitimate in the Republic’s eyes.

As a Warrior Republic, however, even reaching the third generation wasn’t enough. Only the most powerful warriors from renowned houses could claim the rank of Archon and take a seat on the council, a position held for a limited term to ensure continued strength and adaptability in leadership. Valerio lamented that his house had yet to achieve the prestige required for such a position. Though he had high hopes, they would be able to make great strides in the coming years.

They were still in the painstaking process of growing their numbers, a task made all the more difficult now that the flow of refugees and survivors had long since dried up. Recruiting loyal followers and skilled individuals had become a rare occurrence, leaving them to rely primarily on those raised within their ranks to carry their efforts forward.

At the same time, they continued their fight to reclaim the hilly but fertile farmlands and mines of the former petty kingdom of Milanos.

Valerio and his younger brother—may he rest in peace—had founded the house with the goal of restoring Milanos. Though small compared to the grander kingdoms of old, it had once been a vital agricultural and industrial hub, renowned for its Milaosian Plate and black iron mines. Its temperate climate and fertile soil made it highly coveted.

Now, Milanos and the surrounding lands lay abandoned, overrun with roaming orcs, undead, and beasts. The struggle wasn’t limited to this one kingdom—many former territories faced the same turmoil. Adding to the challenge, remnants of forces still loyal to Lord Khaos occasionally organized resistance, making reclamation efforts even more perilous.

Herald eventually met his gaze, his expression turning serious.

“I’ve only spent a few days with them—not nearly enough time to get a solid read on any of them,” he began, “but I’m certain you have a few gems among them. With the right guidance and polish, their future will shine bright.”

“Well, I do pay you to guide and polish them,” Valerio quipped with a humorous smile.

Herald raised an eyebrow. “Cheaply, I might add. Do you even know the kinds of offers I’ve gotten from the great houses?” He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “You’re lucky I owe you a life debt, old friend.”

Valerio winced. Compared to the great houses, his own family was almost insignificant—poor by comparison.

The wars and the fracturing of the great houses had taken their toll on them as well, but they still held far more wealth and influence than his fledgling house.

In contrast, Valerio had been forced to tap deeply into their savings—and even take out loans—to afford Herald’s services for the full five-year duration.

Valerio’s bitter expression didn’t go unnoticed, and Herald let out a long sigh. He seemed reluctant to speak without more time to assess his students properly, but Valerio could tell he had already formed a first impression of most of them.

“I apologize,” Herald said, his tone softening. “I am glad to be here. The children are quite bright—your family has done well with their education so far.”

Valerio watched as Herald straightened slightly, his gaze sharpening as it settled on him. After a moment of silent appraisal, he spoke.

“I can already guess which children you have high hopes for, so let me address it.”

He paused briefly before continuing. “Lucia has a caring nature that aligns well with her healing powers. Given her Life aspect and the way she manifested it, she’s almost guaranteed to obtain a variation of Unaging and join the ranks of the Undying.”

Valerio listened eagerly, happy over the news; any additional members of his family joining the undying, particularly a healer, could shape their future for the better.

“She’s also quite bright. No matter what other aspects she awakens, she will be a crucial asset. And considering that her first ability allows her to reinforce the life force of both herself and others, she might even awaken Unaging before reaching the Crown Stage.”

Noting his excitement, his friend waved him off. “However, she doesn’t seem particularly combative or violent—she doesn’t have the heart of a warrior. If you plan to send her on expeditions to accelerate her growth, she’ll likely need a dedicated protector.”

Valerio nodded in understanding, but one question weighed too heavily on his mind to ignore. “Do you think she’ll be able to reverse the aging of others once she advances to the Crown Tier?” His voice carried a quiet hope.

Herald tsked, tilting his head with a disapproving look. “Be careful with such desires. Placing expectations like that on the young can lead to subconscious resentment, which might affect their path—and prevent the very awakening you’re hoping for.”

Valerio couldn’t hide his surprise. A pang of guilt welled up inside him. He and a few others had occasionally inquired about Lucia’s progress and whether Asterion had awakened a space-related aspect.

Did I already plant a seed of resentment? he wondered.

“You already did it with Asterion, didn’t you?” Herald’s tone was knowing, almost reproachful.

Valerio felt his stomach drop as he nodded, cursing himself internally.

“It might not be resentment yet,” Herald went on, “but I haven’t missed the boy’s surprise when I didn’t give him special attention or ask about his aspects.”

Valerio couldn’t help but wear a guilty grimace as he met his friend’s gaze. He would need to speak with the other family members to ensure no one else inquired about it again. “I understand. I’ll get the word out.”

“Good. If you had insisted on continuing to pressure the kids, I would have pegged you as hopeless. I suspect his mother stopped you from doing so?”

Valerio nodded. “Yes, she put a stop to it, telling us we shouldn’t place such expectations on anyone, much less the little ones. But she never explained it the way you just did.”

“Elves trace part of their heritage to the fey,” Herald replied. “While they don’t speak in riddles, you won’t often get a straight explanation from them. It’s simply not in their culture or way of thinking.”

He leaned back slightly, studying Valerio.

“Speaking of heritage, Asterion takes after her quite strongly. His lifespan likely won’t match his mother’s, but even without Unaging, he’ll stay young and live far longer than most.

The amount of mana he possesses also far exceeds that of the others, though I’m not sure if that’s purely due to his lineage or the fact that he keeps munching on minor treasures from that Fey Tree.”

“Does that cause any issues?” Valerio asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Herald scrunched up his face in thought before shaking his head. “It makes mana refinement more difficult for him, but thanks to his competitive nature, he’s been practicing outside of class to keep up.

In the long run, that determination will pay off significantly.”

Valerio considered his friend. It had been a long time since they had spent significant time around each other, but he was certain Herald was holding something back. Still, he chose not to press the issue—if Herald wasn’t speaking openly, he had his reasons.

There were other matters he wanted answers to. His voice was cautious, tinged with a flicker of hope. “I am hesitant to ask, but is there a chance he awakens an aspect that grants him Unaging?”

“The Essencia of Stars is tied to a vast array of aspects, but Unaging is not an ability that manifests often. The space aspect, for instance, is one of the rare exceptions that could grant it through a crown branch, though even then, it’s a slim possibility and requires a lot of dedication and intent.

"Life and time are technically possible aspects as well, but without an awakening stone to unlock an aspect related to one’s Essencia—or the rarer variant that allows choosing a specific related aspect—only the latter can truly guarantee a desired result."

He paused, his gaze distant, as if sifting through centuries of knowledge. “That said, it’s not uncommon for some awakenings to stray from the core of one’s Essencia, branching into entirely unexpected paths.”

Leaning back, Herald’s expression grew more pragmatic. “If you’re looking to force the issue, you’d need an Awakening Stone tied to an aspect like Life or Vitality. But even then, how the power manifests—and whether it grants Unaging—would depend entirely on him.”

His lips pressed into a thin line. “And we both know how rare and expensive those specific stones are.”

Valerio nodded sagely. The competition for any Awakening Stone with a reasonable chance of granting Unaging was fierce. Most who uncovered one within a rift either absorbed it immediately or fought over it to claim its power, leaving only a handful to ever reach the market.

Bringing one out openly invited trouble—jealousy, bloodshed, and the kind of desperate ambition that the servants of the Void had once used to topple dynasties.

They had twisted greed, envy, and fear into weapons, turning kin against kin and shattering entire bloodlines. Those who failed to learn from history had either perished—or become something far worse. Something twisted. Something vile.

“As for the other children,” Herald said, steering the conversation back on track and away from their dark past, “Theos, even if he doesn’t awaken a Toughness or Vitality aspect, will be a terror on the battlefield. The Titan aspect is one many Archons and Primus have shared, as it is a heavily combat-oriented power.”

His personality is well-suited for that of a warrior. He, along with Asterion and Zena, is highly competitive—whether academically or physically. All three frequently push each other, though Zena leans more toward academics

“And Zena was…?” Valerio asked, somewhat guiltily, realizing she hadn’t been one of the children he had taken note of.

Herald shot him a disapproving look. “She hasn’t awakened her aspect yet, so it’s not surprising you wouldn’t have paid much attention to a girl with the Sea Essencia. Though I had hoped you would have taken a keener interest in this particular generation.”

Valerio grunted, his gaze drifting toward the window. “You know I have a lot of duties and things to consider. I’m working hard to ensure they’re cared for, and I’m not exactly suited to teaching them much beyond combat.”

Herald let out a wicked chuckle. “I’ll hold you to those words. Though, it’s worth noting that very few in this generation—aside from Theos—have awakened an aspect suited for combat. That said, I have high hopes that the children with a Beast Essencia will awaken aspects that can fill those roles.”

“Truly?” Valerio asked. “Didn’t you just say Asterion and Zena were both competing with Theos? There have to be a few more than them who practice fighting, no?”

“Yes, but neither Gravity nor most aspects of Sea are inherently combative. Both are more often used to control the battlefield—at least in the early tiers. As for the others, either they haven’t awakened their powers yet, or their abilities aren’t suited for direct combat.”

Valerio frowned. He had squeezed as many of the eleven- to fourteen-year-olds into that class as he could. The younger ones wouldn’t have developed their mana channels enough, nor would they be able to properly follow the lessons, making it counterproductive to include them. The older children, on the other hand, were already being educated elsewhere.

His thoughts were interrupted by another knock at the door, signaling that the expeditionary force was ready for their debrief. He let out a long sigh as Herald rose from his seat.

“Let’s continue this discussion another time,” Herald said. “You have other pressing matters to attend to, and I have classes to prepare.”

“Thank you, Herald. Your help means more than you know,” Valerio said, his voice sincere.

Don’t worry about it, old friend. I’ll continue to do my best to see your family thrive.”

Valerio felt touched by the words and got up himself, embracing Herald briefly before letting him out of the chamber. Outside, Telemachos and the others were already waiting, and he waved them in.

-----------

Index

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter