Someone's future

Chapter 9

Thick smoke filled the room. The intense pressure from the opposing temperatures being forced together created an explosion that was felt even by the Knights of Cipher Unit. Naoya, the closest one to it, flies back several feet, landing right beside Sir Valiansteel, who, with a wave of his hand, clears up all the smoke and ash filling the room. Naoya gathers himself and stands up, looking around for his friend.

“Oh, don’t worry about her, boy. She wasn’t real,” the knight beside him says.

“What…? But she hugged me at the end… she was real,” Naoya replies, confused.

“Remember what world you’re in now. This ain’t two paces away from your momma’s house anymore. That girl you saw was just an illusion I pulled from your memories. Just like with everythin’ else that happened here.”

Naoya looks around and, sure enough, there aren’t any traces of broken plates or holes in the ground or even the furnace. The hall was as empty as it was when they first entered.

“But… why?”

“To test you, of course. I ain’t believin’ what others said about you, so I wanted to see it for myself, and well… you definitely showed me what I wanted to see,” Sir Valiansteel walks back to Cipher Unit, Naoya following behind him.

“Your natural skills are definitely up there, the way you could bend the water so well and contain the blizzard. And creative too, looks like you learned from what I said real fast,” the knight says as he opens the doors, which now lead to an office, located somewhere high up based on the view outside the window. The room had simple furnishings, like any other office, except for the line of framed images of people on the wall, all of them wearing the same trench coat that Sir Valiansteel wore.

Sir Valiansteel walks in, and the rest follow. He walks towards his table and signs something on a beautiful piece of paper, which he holds out in his hand for everyone to see.

“C’mere, Shiranui Naoya. You’ve passed my test, which means a lot of things for you now. Your talent will let you choose a lot of careers in the future, but I want it in the Order, so I’m extending a personal invitation for you to join us. You will become part of the first, and frankly the only, line of defense the city needs. You think you can handle that responsibility?”

Naoya, going from confused and stressed from the test a while ago, to now being positively surprised with the Sir Valiansteel’s statement, replies. “Yes, sir.”

“Well, you say that, but it ain’t gonna be that simple. ‘Cause of your special circumstance of, well, being from another world, there’s things you need to do before you can join us.

“First, you’ll visit the Canopy and get yourself registered as a citizen of Valebryn.

“After that, I’ll be writing a letter of recommendation to the Academy for your admission. Since you’re already quite mature, and I reckon you’re smart enough to handle it, you’ll be attending the special course instead of the regular one, so you don’t gotta spend the next 10 years catching up to people your age. Just learn what you need to. Doesn’t matter if you take more than one year, just finish it.

“Once that’s done, you’ll attend Level 11 classes, and while at it, you’ll be officially joining the Order as a provisional Knight, meaning you will attend training and sometimes be called on duty. When you graduate from Level 11, that’s the only time you’ll become an official Knight of the Aetheryn Order. Did you get all that?” Sir Valiansteel says as he finishes laying out his plans.

Naoya and the knights listened to his plan with shocked expressions.

“Wait, so you’re saying I’ll be studying at the Academy AND joining the Knights at the same time? Just like that?”

“That’s what I said. What, you don’t want it?” The man says, taking out his gun and pointing it at the paper he was holding.

“No no no, wait! I want it! I just… why? What did I do to deserve this?” Naoya said, still doubting if all of it was real.

“Why? Simple, really. I see something in you that I saw in plenty of other people, like Astrea over there: I see potential. The ability to change the world. If there’s one thing in this world I fully trust, it’s my gut. And it’s tellin’ me you’ll be doing great things in the future,” the man says with a smirk.

”So, are you ready for your new life?”

Naoya looks at him, feeling trust and gratitude. He looks at the knights behind him, all of whom are smiling, and finally, he looks at the pink fairy beside him, remembering his humble beginnings and his goal of exploring this vast new world. He remembers the old lady’s last words to him before he died

You’re ready now. Have fun!

“I’m ready, sir. I promise I won’t let you down,” he replies to Sir Valiansteel. Calm, clear, and full of conviction.

“Well, then. Welcome to Valebryn, Naoya. Your new life begins now,” the man says, and he hands the paper over to Naoya. He looks at it and reads its contents, which were pretty much everything that Sir Valiansteel, already said.

“Ummm… so what happens now? And what do I do with this?” he asks.

“Oh, that paper? That’s just an order I signed to my secretaries. It should goin’ to their tables now,” the man said as the paper floats out of Naoya’s hand and disappears.

“As for what happens, I’ll be assigning Cipher Unit, as well as Halo Unit, to be your guides. They’ll be teaching you how to get ‘round and helping you adjust to life here in Valebryn. You’ll be staying here at the HQ until you start your studies at the Academy, then you’ll move to its dorms. I’ll be sending the order to Captain Bellan and Captain Eiren tonight, and you’ll start the assignment tomorrow, is that clear, Cipher Unit?”

“Yes, sir,” the three knights reply.

“Y’all were first ones he met in this world, so I figured y’all can keep looking out for him. As for Halo Unit’s, well. Their… ‘personalities’… should help you get accustomed to the world’s norms. Anyone have questions?”

No one had questions.

“Well, that’ll be it then. Remember what I taught you, boy, and good luck. Now get going, all of you,” Sir Valiansteel says as the door behind them opens, and the knights salute him before leaving.

“Thank you, sir. For all of your help,” Naoya says, stopping by the door and bowing to the man before leaving.

“Don’t mention it, boy. Get goin’ now,” Sir Valiansteel says he sits by his table. The boy smiles and leaves the room, catching up to his companions with a spring in his step.

The man watches him leave and the doors close. Within the office, someone silently appears out of nowhere. Sir Valiansteel, feeling the person’s presence, speaks.

“So that’s him, huh?”

“Yep, I was successful.”

A lady with wavy blue hair replies. She wore a large hat, elegant robes, and is sitting on a beautiful chair and had a small table with a teapot and snacks in front of her. She looked normal, except that she, along with her table and everything else, was upside down, positioned above Sir Valiansteel on his office’s ceiling.

“So now, we just keep an eye on him?” he asks the lady.

“Yes, just observe. Don’t worry too much. My theory was correct, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, there’s nothin’ wrong with him. Maybe this gamble of yours wasn’t actually so dumb after all, seein’ how it’s turnin’ out,” he says with a wry smile, looking at the wizard above him. The woman meets his gaze before speaking.

“Of course I’m right. I knew him best, after all,” she confidently declares, taking a gravity-defying sip of tea.