The Search

"That will be 50 quid."
"Here," Arthur said, passing the yellow cab driver the fare, before stepping out of the cab with his bag over his shoulders. "Damn–" He grimaced, a misstep made him jerk awkwardly, irritating his bandages. "I moved too much yesterday."

"At least I got my ring back since the police were kind enough to deliver after they 'stumbled across' a dead man's corpse in some rotting inner city alleyway."

Arthur entered the lobby and smoothly escaped to his classroom. Fortunately for him, his popularity was descending into a rumor of the past and it meant that he was no longer the center of attention– or so he thought.

Due to him being absent for a month, he had plenty of work and examinations backed up, but it was nothing a game-veteran of 20 years couldn't handle.

Ding Dong!

Arthur tries to keep a bored poker face as he tries to exit the classroom without bumping into anyone. Ellis was absent today, probably at her father's instructions.

"Oh well, it can't get any more boring than this. I finally realized that I'll have to go through six more years of this– ugh, if only my fourth year comes faster."

Arthur turns to the cafeteria to claim his food and to eat at his table alone, without the company of both his friends. Or so he thought.

"Hey, you." A familiar, feminine voice broke the silence. It was slightly a lower pitch than Ellis, a voice deepened by the screams and groaning of training.
"Yes?" Arthur looked up, wiping his face with a tissue, "How may I help you, Duchess Bianca?"
"Oh, you know who I am? Then this will be easier." She sighed, relieved, before turning serious. "I need your help."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, his ears comprehending what he heard next. Usually, the speech of a maiden of noble descent would be soft, noble, and refined– not crass, rough, or short.

"That's it, I will be waiting for your answer. Where shall we meet?"

"Here tomorrow, I'll give you my answer then. I still have to digest it all."
"Understandable." Bianca nodded, before turning and marching away.
"She's a knight alright," Arthur hummed, picking up his tray. “I’m not sure if my luck is just good, or bad, depending on how I look at this situation.”

[ A quest has been issued to you by Bianca Bayley, Ellis’ aide, and trusted friend. Will you accept her request? ]

[ Difficulty: B / Fail penalty: Favorability Penalty / Rewards: ??? / Quest Duration: 6 months. ]

“Bianca is head of a small group of students from knightly backgrounds who have come together to form a disciplinary committee of sorts. Unofficial, but a large group of knight-related students hell-bent on justice.” Arthur thought. “Not my type of group, but our interests align for now.”

Ding Dong!

Arthur winces slightly at the pungent smell of medicine and medical alcohol. George and David were lying down unconscious in their beds, in a blunt-force-induced coma. It was a club day, luckily for Arthur, and he visited his two injured friends.

"Poor things," The nurse said to Arthur as she was replacing the scented candle on the table between them. "Our doctors estimate that they'll be like this for six months, at least."

"Mn," Arthur hummed in acknowledgment, "Any idea who did this?"

Arthur turned to the nurse, who flinched slightly. It was small and almost unnoticeable, but Arthur's trained eye knew. Her posture stiffened, her hands shook slightly, missing the candlewick and she was forced to light another one.

"There are speculations and rumors, but that's just that, rumors and speculations." The nurse sighed, "They'll be alright, so don't you worry."

"Is there any way that we can speed up the healing process?" Arthur asked, standing from the chair and adjusting David's covers. "Money is not an issue."

The nurse turned to Arthur with a raised eyebrow, "There is– it's called IV-drip treatment. " She scratched her chin. "The doctors hook this needle into your arm and a concentrated healing concoction will slowly get dosed–"
"Cut to the chase," Arthur interrupted, sighing as he took out his checkbook. "Where, who, and how fast can I get this treatment for them?"

The nurse jumped back at Arthur's frown, but she answered quickly and truthfully. "I– I– can get the head doctor right away!"

While he watched her scamper away, Arthur took a good look at his two friends. "George is in a full-body cast and David's arms and head were fractured. The nurse report says that their spine was left untouched so we don't have to worry about them.”

“I should probably crash the library, my magic study is lagging behind.” Arthur remembered, frowning, “I completely forgot about that because of my suspension– damn it.” He groaned, not enjoying the amount of information that he had to catch up on. “Being a mage sucks.”

Bang!

“You’re a good shot, as always.” Mark smiled, cleaning a disassembled bolt-action rifle. “You seem to get better with every passing day.”

Arthur nodded, returning the smile to his superior. “Thanks. How were things while I was gone?”

Mark frowned, peeking over at Arthur to look at the Archery club’s senior in charge. “They can go shoot themselves in the foot for all I care.” he scoffed, his eyes on a certain cyan-haired girl his age.

She was slightly taller than her club members and her cyan hair stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the browns and blondes. She was not the most curvaceous but average in terms of overall physique and pretty good-looking.

“She’s Leah Herbert, a stuck-up goody-two-shoes.” Mark sighed, returning to the task at hand, but to Arthur’s ears– he was trying to convince himself rather than tell Arthur.

“Why’s that?” Arthur smirks, “Don’t tell me– does this guy crushing on that girl? The gossip column in Ellis’ newspaper will certainly love this.”

“She’s always bothering me about my clothes, my etiquette– basically everything that makes me, me!” Mark groaned, angrily piecing the gun back together. “She’s a stuck-up wealthy rich girl who thinks she can boss me around. To make matters worse– she’s only bothering me!”

Arthur nodded as his senior kept ranting, on and on about Leah Herbert. “Say– do you… like her, somewhat? Maybe a little?”

Mark pointed the empty gun at Arthur’s face. “Say that again, I dare you.”

Arthur raised his hands in surrender, “You miss-heard me– I said do the thing that she likes you? Seems like her, somewhat? Maybe a little?”

“No chance in Hell.”

“Duly noted.”

Ding! Dong!

Arthur breathes in and out, repeatedly, calming down his mind and he stretched his tired limbs. “What a long– exhausting day.”

He breezed through the streets with his skateboard, expertly dodging pedestrians and cars as he went by, carefully garnering the attention of a few unamused elder people. Arthur dismounted the toy and carefully trotted to his house’s front door, with the skateboard under his arm.

“Whoa, a package,” Arthur noted, seeing a crate of solid wood and a small sealed bag atop it labeled to his address. Arthur looked around the sidewalk, impressed that no one even tried to steal it as it was just left there. “Nice, I wonder whose this is from?”

Without wasting another second, Arthur speedily entered his house and unboxed the crate with haste and the bag with care. They were filled with wholesome gifts with handwritten letters, Arthur could almost hear them speaking to him as he read them out.

“Oh wow– Whiskey from the Simmons house’s cellar, I’ll take it.” Arthur nodded, holding a note, “Also, there’s this note– ‘I enjoyed your alcohol, and I have discovered we prefer it strong. Here is a token of appreciation for your goodwill towards Ellis, and I hope you are going to continue to do so in the future- Duke.” he read out smiling, “‘and a small bundle of checks totaling ten million Sterling for easier deposits’– Francis.”
“Gratitude of a duke household is something else. Good things do come back around.”

Despite the lavish amount of money and the probable golden liquid in his hands were far out-classed by the package he had received from the bag.

“A compilation of everything you have missed’- Ellis Simmons.” Arthur smiled softly, “‘I have finally repaid my debt. When I was struggling with my academics, you have come to my aid. Now It is my turn to repay the favor–” He read out. “Under all that frown and killing gaze, she’s a real softy inside.”
“So what went wrong? Why did Ellis become like that.”

Arthur’s spine shivered with the memory from his previous life. The Academy was attacked for the second time by another country, this time, Ellis Simmons was on Dragon-back, a creature thought to be extinct and capable of great magical prowess, wisdom, and sheer destructive power. “They say that the first empress had a dragon friend.” He thought, flipping through the book.
“Though it was a terrible end for the Villainess, seeing her ride on a scarlet-red dragon with an alluring dress and short hair was truly something– my viewers were all entrapped even as I had to fight the hardest boss fight in the history of boss fights.” Arthur sighed with a smile, “I’m sure I broke a few copyright laws because of exposing my third-party backups but I beat it anyway and died.”

Setting the crate in Arthur’s attic storage, he took a small booklet lying on the ground and dusted its crusty, dry leather cover, and blew on it for good measure.

“Since I’ve prepared it, I might as well assemble it. Gantz Galileo has had enough time to mull over our conversation, he might stop any day now so I need to prepare accordingly.”

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock– Ding-Dong, Ding-Dong–Tick-Tock…

The ticking of the grandfather filled the silence of the bar, only to ring a small melody when it struck twelve, and Arthur disguised as Lupin patiently waited.

“I asked Vincent for the keys and to keep them down just in case Gantz shows up. It’s been a month and each time he has not appeared, so tonight should be a good time.”

The chime of the small brass bell overpowered the ticking clock, and the man in question arrived in an all-black suit, matching himself in attire and ambiance.

“Oh, would you look at that–” Arthur smirked underneath his hat, “He’s determined now, It seems he had shed his prior insecurities.”
“Mr. Lupin, I’ve finally come to a decision,” Gantz spoke first, breaking the silence, “I have had a discussion with…my late father, by his gravestone– and I have resolved myself that even if I perish on the journey to prove the church wrong, I will see it through the end.”

Lupin got up from the bar stool and procured his watch, from his pocket, flicking the protective cover open and clicking it closed for dramatic effect.

Click!

“Are you sure?” Lupin inquired, standing face to face with Gantz, their eyes staring at each other, unwavering. “Will you stand by those words?”

“Yes, even if I burn the last minute of my life, I will not stop until I find the sister continent."

Arthur nodded at Gantz's resolve, not a hint of cowardice or worry to be found in his eyes, as they instead burned with passion, resolve, and determination. It made the reincarnator smile, envious even of his spirit.

"Look at this young man, he's completely crazy– Man, I feel old."

"Even if I do believe you, how far are you willing to go for your revenge? I am sure a smart man like yourself is very aware of the end of your revenge, yet you still wish to proceed?"

Gantz looked up frowning, imagining the face of his enemy, a man dressed in priestly robes turning his back on the burning building he had once called home "Yes, I am."
"Well, that's good to know," Arthur sighed internally, "Are you willing to be my ally? My helping hand, my shadow– my accomplice?"

Arthur watched as Gantz took a step back and kneeled with his right knee, with his right hand curled in a fist and placed against his chest, he took an oath inside that pub.

"I, the last survivor of the Baron House Galileo, solemnly swear upon the Empress, my undying allegiance to you–"

Gantz lifted his head, to see Lupin removing his hat, seeing a boy not older than sixteen with black hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Arthur, just Arthur. I said friend, ally, accomplice– not servant –so get up." Arthur smiled, "Now, for your first task: I need you to transcribe the contents of this ancient notebook."

Gantz received the old journal, its pages weathered and on the verge of breaking, the leather covers scratched and unmaintained-- gently holding it as if it was a priceless artifact.

"This is the ancient journal I found, and within the text, it clearly states the existence of another continent-- for the stars deemed it so, like--"

"Like my father!-" Gantz interrupted, viewing the journal like an ancient holy relic, "I will do my best in restoring it! I will transcribe it to another journal, as I study it! I swear on my father's grave, this will be done without fail."

"Good, That's the energy that I like."