“Now that Lady Dalia has answered the question of Lord Frederic, the next one to ask his question should be Viktor, what do the rest of you think?”

  “It sounds good professor, come on Viktor you can do it.” Michael as always speaks on behave of everyone else and accepts for his twin brother Viktor.

  “What about... if we continue with the danger zones, specifically with the Duskbriar Hollow, told us what kind of creatures we can find in there.”

  At least this question is simple.

  “Excellent question Lord Viktor, if all of you need to get inside the danger zone for the family’s trial, then the best is to know the creatures who you may encounter in there.”

  “I must say that every creature in there has his own risk but we can divided in two categories, those who we can avoid or if we encounter them we can come out alive if we follow certain steps and the second kind are those who if we encounter them only a miracle could save us, especially us being really young and with levels and stats too weak to be a real threat to them.”

  “I’ve never heard of someone who wanted to separated them in those categories, so tell me what those who you consider weak are?”

  “I don’t consider weak any magical creature, for them to survive in the Duskbriar Hollow it can only mean that they are dangerous, whether they are strong or have their own tactics to become a dominant creature in there.”

  “Then tell me what are those that you are saying it’s easier to leave unscathed from them.”

  “I’m talking about the nytheras, virelings, calavores, umbrelliths, mirelumes, thornshades, glimmselks and the duskwyrms. Some of them feed from memories, others from spells or secrets, if the person knows when it’s necessary not to talk, stay quiet or don’t manipulate the mana, then the creatures can leave you alone.”

  “What are you going to do if you cross paths with one of them? Are you planning to fight?”

  “Of course not, that would be the worst thing to do unless you have a proper level, the family requires from their members to return alive, not to come back with a creature slain, we can return without killing anything and that wouldn’t mean we fail.”

  “Even if the family doesn’t require from us to slain a magical creature, it would be a great honor if we manage to accomplish it, we should remember that it’s not a test to survive, we have certain responsibility as nobles to put a good face and example to the common people.” Michael interjects in the middle of my answered and he isn’t saying something that the adults of this house hasn’t said before to all of us, the only difference between him and me, it’s that I don’t take to heart all the words that come out of the mouths of the elders.

  “That doesn’t turn my answer incorrect, I didn’t say anything that it wasn’t true.”

  “Me neither.”

  “Calm down, I understand the point of each of you, but I must say that Michael has a stronger answer, I expect nothing less from you Lord Michael.”

  I’m not surprise by the professor, he’s not the only one who tries to give the reason to the person who wields more power, that’s the way our society works, even when that person isn’t right.

  “You should open your mind so you can learn more Lady Dalia, you have excellent examples to follow like Lord Michael.”

  “Yes professor.”

  I’m not planning to argue about meaningless things, especially since I know that they aren’t going to take into account my opinions.

  “You were talking about the magical creatures, and how you divided them in two different kinds, what would be the second one?”

  “The second group is the one we don’t stand a chance if we may encounter one of them, I’m talking about the Veilmaw, the Eldeblight, th Tiraval, the Gloamsent, The Moonbound Queen, The Chimefiend and The Hollow Crown.”

  “Those are indeed scary monsters, what would you recommend to do if you see one?”

  “Honestly? Pray the gods that they help me survive and run without looking back.”

  “If they are so powerful then why do we know so much about them?”

  “For several reasons, one of them is precisely our test, the House Davenport isn’t the only one to submit their children to the trial, is something mandatory to every noble house under the Vel’Thalas Kingdom, for all those participants and the guards that put them inside the danger zone we have collected a lot of information.”

  “What do you mean for other reasons? It’s because of nobles like us that de danger zone is under control, the common people should be thankful to us for what we do for them, and it’s not mandatory, the masters already told us the importance of tradition and the honor of the house.”

  “I’m assuming that’s your question Gabriel?” I question the boy who interrupt me.

  “If you want to, I know that I’m right.”

  “Let me tell you that we only say that it’s a tradition for the noble houses and a great honor to defend the people of the Vel’Thalas Kingdom because we don’t want to admit how we were put in this position ten generations ago with the rebellion of the nobles against the crown, after we lost, the king establish this new rule as punishment and to have us under control.”

  “Careful with your words Lady Dalia, I can permit it only because you are still a small girl but those thoughts can label you as a traitor of the crown and be executed.” The professor says it with thorns in his words and I know that the moment he informs the royal guards about it, they can kill me.

  “I’m sorry professor, I will be more careful with how I express myself in regards of how they were generous for permit us to live and give us the chance to prove ourselves to the people of the kingdom of our value exploring the Duskbriar Hollow.”

  I need to be more careful, I cannot believe I was consumed by anger against a boy who’s only fifteen years old, this reminds me that I haven’t managed to control my emotions in this body, it’s a little better compare to when I was a baby that for every small thing I ended up crying, but still, I need to continue meditating to control it.

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  “I’m trusting that you keep in mind what you just said.”

  “I will.”

  “Then answer to Lord Gabriel, What other reasons could it be that we know so much about this danger zone?”

  “It’s not complicated to understand, we aren’t the only people who enter the danger zone, there’s several groups who do the same for other reasons, some of them are known by all the people and others aren’t, the ones we know about are the twilight diplomats for example, they live in the city of Velharrow and they venture into Duskbriar during lunar eclipses to seek communion with creatures like the Nyhera, they believe these beings carry lost verses of a cosmic lullaby that keeps the stars sane, and they offer music in return for glimpses of forgotten knowledge.”

  “If it sounds so nice why do not many people know or support them?” Another boy who has been quiet the whole time asks me.

  “I haven’t finished my explanation but I can answer if that is your question Brian.”

  “It is.”

  “People regard them as cult, after every trip they take into Duskbriar, all of them lose pieces of their own mind, they don’t looked sane at all, and that’s in case they return, the majority die in there, for that reason people don’t mention them much, hoping they disappear completely.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense, if they really want them to erase that knowledge then how is it that you know about them?” Brian asks me back.

  “You only have one question per person.”

  “Just answer him, every time you speak is full of yourself, that’s why we don’t like you.” Bermouth says in anger to me, and I’m surprised that he control himself from attacking me, for someone who is smart in mathematics and the reason that’s he’s taking classes with the rest of us, he doesn’t control his emotions, especially in a match, that’s the only reason I win over him the last time.

  “It’s funny you say that, because that’s also the reason I don’t like any of you.” I want to provoke him a little just for the satisfaction.

  “What did you say cursed child?!” He yells while starting to come over where I am.

  “Stop!” The professor needs to interfere between us. “I think you owe an apology to Lord Bermouth after the way you speak to him Lady Dalia.”

  I know that the best thing to do is to do what he says, it’s not worth it to argue over this topic, I don’t care if the professor is going to support the boys over me.

  “I’m sorry Lord Bermouth.” I say it with a fake smile on my face.

  He doesn’t accept my apology and only keeps staring at me, he should realize that I didn’t really mean it, but he can do little about it in here, he will need to wait until he has the opportunity in the training grounds.

  “If we leave the fight behind then we can continue.”

  “Yes professor.” I’m the only one who answer him.

  “I assume you want to use your question in this matter Lord Bermouth?”

  “That’s correct, how is it possible for her to know all of that if they want to hide that information.”

  I extend my hands to my sides indicating the place where in.

  “This is the library of the house Davenport, at the level of a Viscount is not that difficult to obtain that knowledge, especially if with all of that information can help the future rulers of this lands, it can be expensive but is an investment, or at least it’s what I’m assuming, if any of you search for information here about the rest of the danger zones, you would only find the most basic details you can think of, but it’s another story when you search for the Duskbriar Hollow, it’s the place where every child is put to the test after all, and you need to remember that information is power.”

  It surprises me sometimes how this house can have that kind of expensive articles like books with this kind of intelligence, but we have no money in recent days, this only indicates the poor management that the personal in charge of the finances have.

  “Lady Dalia is correct with her words this time, my lords should consider to read more books related to the Duskbriar Hollow, and tell me Lady Dalia, are those the only people who enter that area beside us?”

  “No professor, of course there are hunters wanting to slay magical creatures for the materials, or members of the adventurer guild in missions to collect different plants for alchemists, we also know about the Scholars from the floating citadel of Aerionspire who enter the zone to observe entities like the Umbrelliths and Mirelume, they believe the Hollow holds metaphysical laws not found elsewhere in Aetheris.”

  “I can tell that you have spent a lot of time reading through the books we have in here Lady Dalia.”

  “That’s right professor, the last time you ask me something about it, I didn’t know anything and was incapable to respond.”

  “We should pass to the next person then, you can ask your question Lord Daryus.”

  “My question is about the last war we have in our kingdom, when was it and what was the result?” The brother of Bermouth responds to the professor without looking at me.

  “So we finally put the questions about the danger zones behind, marvelous Lord Daryus, as expected of you, Lady Dalia if you be so kind to respond.”

  “Of course, if we talk about the last war that involve our kingdom it should be the conflict we had with the Aeclethar Dominion in the third Aetherian Cycle from the year 121 to 130, this kingdom is the one that’s near Sylphmar Glade, they needed a special artifact that we have in order to cure a rare disease that was plaguing their people, in the end neither side could win, the solution was a magical contract that obligated them not to attack us for one thousand years and a special offering of artifacts so we could lend them Panacea’s bracelet.”

  “Good answer Lady Dalia, Lord Olebert, please ask your question.”

  “You mention how the kingdoms try to conquer Sylphmar Glade several times before but couldn’t do it. Why this kingdom can be near this danger zone without suffering any consequence.”

  “That’s because their people are the only individuals who can access the danger zone without incurring the anger of the fairies, bounds with an ancient pact, every citizen under Aeclethar cannot damage in any form Sylphmar Glade and in return they obtain benefits, one of them it’s the way their cities float above the land for example.”

  “That will only leave us with you Lord Salazar, please ask the last question to Lady Dalia.”

  “I will ask about the other continents, how many they are and how is the relationship between the different kingdoms.”

  “We know that there are four continents, Vaelmyr where is located the homeland of the elves, Drakholm ruled by dwarves, Umbrathal which is really similar to our continent Aetheris, I can say that in the present everything seems to be diplomatically stable, I hope that this situation continues in the future, and other big war doesn’t happen again.”

  I must say that this past years I’ve been really busy learning all kind of information, a piece of information that I find was that the date is third Aetheris Cycle year 244, that puts my birth in the same year as my last life. Maybe my mother is still alive, but there’s little I can do currently, even if I want to run towards her with all my might. They don’t use the same time system as us but I can infer it with the knowledge of my past life and the one that I have now.

  “With this I have no objection if you decide to stop coming to our lessons Lady Dalia.”

  “Yes!”

  “We are free!”

  “Finally!”

  I don’t say anything and can only be still while the ones who are cheering and jumping are the boys.

  [Skill Level Up]

  [Critical thinking Lv6]

  [Skill Level Up]

  [Public speaking Lv6]

  [Skill Level Up]

  [Analyze evidence Lv6]

  [Skill Level Up]

  [Debate Lv2]