VoC: B1 — 14. Royal Masquerade
Added 2025-09-02 22:59:59 +0000 UTCStruggling to put the earlier event behind her, Aria stepped out in front of the Grand Library of Bluerise. It was everything she’d hoped it would be and more as she ascended the marble steps and entered its imposing entrance.
PoV:
1. Aria (Our Privileged Little Lich Sister!)
---------------------
Struggling to put the earlier event behind her, Aria stepped out in front of the Grand Library of Bluerise. It was everything she’d hoped it would be and more as she ascended the marble steps and entered its imposing entrance.
Soaring stone arches supported a ceiling that disappeared into shadows far above, as if magically expanded. It probably had been magically expanded by past reincarnates; they had a rich history in this world, after all.
Tens of thousands of books floated in organized streams through the air like lazy rivers of knowledge, following gravity magic that was clearly beyond what the kingdom’s current Wizards could manage. Magical orbs provided warm, steady light that seemed to adjust automatically to each reader’s needs, and the very air hummed with a concentrated sense of learning.
When I come back to the starting zone, what contribution do I want to make here? she thought, practically vibrating with excitement at her daydreaming as she approached the information desk. Perhaps I can create a time sphere to explore past events. That’d be cool. I am a Chronomancer. Oh, maybe they’d make a statue for me!
The librarian—a thin, serious-looking woman with silver spectacles—glanced up from her ledger as Aria approached. Her expression immediately slackened, making Aria beam as the woman’s gaze traveled from her face to her pointed ears, then took in her entire appearance.
“May I help—oh… Oh, my! Uh, you’re the sun elf!” she breathed, setting down her quill with trembling fingers. Her semi-annoyed attitude vanished entirely. “I-I mean, how may we serve you today, my lady? Has…the Solar Encarna returned to our nation?”
The name immediately clicked in Aria’s head thanks to [Sun Elf Pride]—one of only three sun elves who typically went beyond their isolationist isles and an Arch Wizard. Not that even royalty would know anything about sun elf politics, hierarchy, or culture. It was the reason they were so mythical to these people, which only further puffed up her chest.
“Actually, I am on a pilgrimage on my own, and Bluerise is my first stop. I’ve heard quite a lot about Bluerise and decided to investigate your library. It is…smaller than I anticipated,” she hummed, stepping back and cupping her chin while glancing around with an unimpressed lift to her eye.
She left out just how far she’d traveled to get here—better to let the librarian wonder why she’d chosen this city, so far from the Isles’ borders. Mystery always worked in her favor.
“I’m studying Tenebrin’s geography and dungeon systems, with a focus on how past reincarnates wrote about them,” Aria replied, allowing a note of scholarly pride into her voice. “Particularly anything related to Bluerise and the surrounding territories.
“Additionally, any surviving documents from the old Republic of Rashguard prior to the destruction of the nation by the Hell Gate. I’d also appreciate somewhere private to study—I prefer solitude when conducting research.”
“Of course, of course! Third floor, eastern wing, has our finest private study chambers.” The woman was practically glowing as she swiftly activated a tablet that appeared to be linked to the library’s gravity system.
“I’ll personally ensure you’re not disturbed. May I ask—how long do you intend to stay within Bluerise? Would you like me to provide any cloning materials for any original manuscript you may require for travel?”
“That would be excellent, Ms. Julia,” she chimed, putting on a cheerier air. The only one they’d really interact with would be sage-like sun elves, someone like the Solar Encarna, who was far less approachable than those of the Isles’ youth. At least, her Feat told her that. “I am still quite young and am very curious about the outside world. I do appreciate your accommodations.”
“Absolutely! Oh, but, my lady, I must tell you—we have a most distinguished visitor today. Archmage Aldwin Jespar heard about your presence and specifically requested to meet you if you arrived. He’s been beside himself with excitement. May I… Archmagus, I was just about to notify you!”
Aria’s vision wavered as hurried footsteps echoed across the marble floor.
Oh, shit…
A distinguished older man in elaborate robes rushed up to her just as she turned around. His robes shimmered with contained magic, his silver-streaked beard was neatly trimmed, and his eyes were bright with scholarly fervor.
“Extraordinary!” he exclaimed, stopping a respectful distance away and offering a formal bow. “In sixty years of magical study, I never thought I’d have the honor of meeting any sun elf besides the Solar Encarna, Lord Lumineth. I am Archmage Aldwin Jespar, Chief Research Coordinator for the kingdom’s magical affairs.”
Aria put on her best fake smile. “An Archmage? That would make you past…”
“Level 40, my dear, yes. I know, a mere title of sorts, bestowed by the System and nothing like the Class Sub-advancement of Arch Wizard, such as your Solar Encarna—I couldn’t dream of reaching past Level 80! No, the honor is mine. And did I hear you were a young sun elf?” he inquired with fervor.
“I am,” Aria returned, trying to keep her voice calm; her heart beat like a drum against her ribcage, and she wanted to return to her amulet. “Seventeen, to be exact, and on a pilgrimage. A new initiative that very few of my peers seem willing to engage in… I doubt even Lord Lumineth has heard about it.”
Damon, why did you give me [Unchained Heart] to counter [Lich’s Heart]?! I could use a cold, Lich’s heart right now!
Hopefully, that carveout would help buffer whatever Aldwin had heard from the legendary sun elf high nobleman because…there was no way any sun elf, much less a seventeen-year-old, would be out of their realm. Never.
“Mhm. Mhm.” The man nodded emphatically, stroking his beard and looking around her rather than at her, likely examining her magical aura itself. “So much magical energy flowing around and through you…and for a seventeen-year-old, at that, is…only heard of in reincarnates with unique blessings, and even that seems to pale in comparison to what I’ve seen of them in my youth—before the Vanishing, that is.”
Shit. Shit. Shit! Okay. Chill! Calm down. Of course, I have magic all around me and through me. I’m a freaking Lich! My whole body is magically created. Plus, there’s my Feats that further amplify my mana… Just…act natural.
“We do get a few reincarnates in the Radiant Isles.”
How is that natural, idiot! Damon, where are you?! Save me!
“Indeed,” the man hummed, vision narrowing slightly as he finally met her frost-blue eyes. “Your Incarnas has warned us of your…Chaotic-Evil problem child. And right when we have our youngest prince revealed to be a dark elf in disguise. Troublesome. Troublesome indeed,” he sighed.
“I am sure you relate, seeing you have your own reincarnate issues—a sun elf with that infamous, forbidden item, the Black Book. For a moment,” he laughed, “I was afraid you might be him…”
Okay. New levels of ‘oh, shit’ just hit the fan! she internally cried. There’s another sun elf out here that’s a reincarnate…from The Spider Greater Goddess?!
“But…you are no man,” he said with a relieved nod, looking around her again. “There is a certain magical flow to gender, you see. When you read as many magical auras as I have throughout my life, you can see details like that…among a few other things.”
Safe! So safe! Hah! Not even close! Being a lady for the win!
“That being said…” The Archmage’s brow furrowed slightly, making Aria’s fingers tighten against each other at her front. “Pilgrimage, you say? Fascinating. I must admit, that is a rather… counter-cultural move from everything I understand about your illustrious people, Lady Aria. Very counter-culture, indeed.”
He knows my name. How does he know my name?! Did he break into my system menu? The menu popped up on instinct in front of her face, sliding through options to look at Damon’s shared Feats. No, wait… Damon shared [System Trickery] with the transformation Feat. I should be warned if that happens. So… Oh. Great. He’s been talking to the shopkeepers! Wait…
Suddenly, her ears flew up as she caught the amused smile in his twinkling eyes.
Is he… Is he giving me a way out?!
Head tilting to the side with a ‘you got me’ laugh, shaking her frame ever-so-slightly, she added a defeated tone. “…You’re right. There is no pilgrimage.”
“There isn’t?” the breathless librarian gasped, listening in close by with bated breath.
“Mmm.” The Archmage nodded with almost a fatherly smile. “I thought not. So, you’re a runaway? May I ask why you chose to rebel and leave the safety of your magical realm? You do understand I will need to inform your Solar Incarnas when I next see him…but that could be a decade or more from now, and you sun elves operate on a far longer timeframe than we humans.”
Super safe! What a nice old man! I’m a rebel teen! Yes! Perfectly me! I don’t have to pretend! Damon, see, I’m totally fine. I’m a natural. Just wait ‘til you hear this story.
“So?” he inquired with a small press for details. “If you would like, we can talk in private.”
“That…would be welcomed,” she returned with a thankful grin. The librarian’s depressed sigh followed in the background. “If you could proceed with our earlier arrangements, Ms. Julia.”
“Of course.”
Following the Archmagus to the third floor, she found him pulling inward, like the look she’d see grandparents get back in New York, thinking about their grandkids. There was total silence until the spacious private chamber was sealed, and only the two of them were left.
He turned and sat in a chair, motioning for her to join him as the stack of books she’d requested floated down on the tables beside her, seemingly sent by Julia.
“What truly brings you to Bluerise, Lady Aria?”
Settling in and folding her hands in her lap, she sighed and glanced toward a map on the wall, showing the kingdom. “It’s simple, really… I crave adventure. I’m gifted. I want to explore. I want to challenge myself…and my peers don’t understand that drive.”
Ugh. Internally, she felt herself slipping off a little. C’mon, what would Damon do? Think! He wouldn’t just do a sob story, he’d…yeah! He’d do this…
“In our culture, we are often treated as property, you could say, to the state itself. That is accepted by the culture. It is voluntary. Yes, in a more sophisticated manner, but there are the select few, like me, who don’t…quite align with that vision. We would like the ability to choose our own paths.”
She returned her focus to the Wizard, holding out a hand to one of the books beside her. [Gravity Pull] brought it to her grip, allowing her to run her fingers along its spine; that got a small smile from the elder. She was finding her stride!
“I left with nothing but my talents. Then, I was met with such kindness from the Bluerise citizens that it left me shocked,” she chuckled, playing with her gifted necklace. “I can cast any kind of [Black Magic] and even perform [Unity Magic], bend time itself with my unique subclass! But…this is another kind of magic…”
A small crease in the old man’s brow made her quickly pivot, holding up the book in her hand. “Is this library filled with anything I couldn’t obtain back home? No. Far from it. Yet, somehow, it feels like it has more. Does that make sense?”
The Wizard nodded once, glancing toward the same map she’d looked at. He took out a pipe from what looked to be a spatial bag, extracting materials as the silence stretched between them. Stuffing herbs into it, he held his finger to the tip, causing a spark without a word. He puffed to get it working through the stem before blowing out a long stream of silvery smoke.
Ooh. Are we showing off now? Aria internally grinned. The [Silent Cast] Feat? Sun elves get that baked into our racial advantages. It must have taken him five decades to unlock naturally, but I’ve got something even better from [Lichdom], not that I’d want him to know I have that. I get [High Occultism] from it, which gives me [Instant Cast], baby. Pure instinct casting.
“…Hmm. Interesting… Very interesting.”
He got up, walking to her table to study the various study material she’d had sent to her as he talked. “I’m aware of the genetic advantages sun elves obtain via your [Blood Magic] origins, infusing Feats into your very bloodlines. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment, done by a very distant reincarnate, as I understand it.”
Aria’s mind blanked. Wait, really? I didn’t even know that!
He wasn’t done, though, picking up a reincarnate-written book titled ‘Volume 1: Beginner’s Guide to Dungeoning.’
“[Black Magic]...being able to perform every Elemental Magic—Fire, Earth, Water, Ice, Air, Lightning…and, yes, even Unity Magic—is a part of that birthright.”
He set it back down, tapping the cover and making Aria’s ears twitch slightly with the rhythm, as if he were considering heavy topics.
“A one thousand, five hundred year average lifespan, [C-tier Magic Initiate], providing multiple Magical School leniency for advanced studies, and [F-tier Arcane Tradition] allowing you to choose a School of Magic to grant twice the amount of spells a level grants…”
Aria almost mouthed that first part in disbelief as [Sun Elf Pride] confirmed it in her soul. Wait…if I live 1,500 years and I’m 17… Oh shit, I’m basically still supposed to be in a crib! Less than one year old by human standards! Is that why…he’s being so soft with me?
If I’m seventeen. To anyone who knows sun elf culture, I’m a baby who ran away from home! At least, by their standards. Walking, talking, all of that, I’m normal by human standards, but sun elf culture views maturity totally differently.
She did the math quickly in her head as he paused and shook his head with a slow chuckle at his own statement. Aria was fixated on the numbers, though: 100 years? Kindergarten age. 200? Elementary school. It wasn’t until 300 that she’d even be a teenager!
Yeah, he knew far too much about sun elves than she gave him credit for.
“No, sun elves are certainly wonders that humanity can learn greatly from. Inheriting Feats such as [Silent Cast], [Fae Physiology], and [E-tier Magic Resistance]. But that…” he said, pointing at the book now resting in her lap with a small frown. “[Gravity Magic] is not born into the typical sun elf line. Can it be learned? For sun elves? Absolutely. Yes, according to my friend. But…for a seventeen-year-old? Mmm…”
Oh, no… Did I overplay my hand?! How does he know so much about sun elves?!
“What…are you trying to say?” she asked with a strained smile. “I’m gifted?”
The man showed a patient but slightly exasperated smile as he took his seat, his legs crossed and his fingers bridged in his lap.
“Yes, consider me impressed, Lady Aria. Not just that, but astonished even. Not only have you gained the powerful School of [Gravity Magic], but by your admission…have the Chronomancer Class and [Time Magic].”
“Oh… So, I’m very gifted.”
“Please, do not insult my intelligence after everything I have laid out… There are only two possibilities that you, a seventeen-year-old sun elf, would have both Schools…and this impossibly dense magical aura I sense. I believe you are gifted. So what is the answer to this logic trail we have been on, my lady?”
To rub salt into her wounds, [Sun Elf Pride] was the one who gave the answer to her, and it made her ears fall, deflating in her chair as she answered the question. “That I’m a reincarnate…or sun elf royalty.”
Aldwin let the ax hang over her neck, and she actually felt sweat gathering under her armpits as his scholarly brown eyes looked straight into hers—no accusations, no judgment, only a search for the truth. She’d gone up against a man who had devoted his whole life to the pursuit of knowledge, and lost spectacularly.
Now, she had a choice, and she knew what he wanted without him having to say it. Legally, he was barred from scanning her. Not only that, but it probably went against sun elf treaties and many other finer protections sun elves had in the lawful kingdom. But he was also legally obligated, especially to the crown, to help the kingdom avoid any political troubles, especially with a legendary race like the sun elves.
I’m screwed…but I’m not. I can’t fight. He’s above freaking Level 40! I’m…I’m going to be taken away. They’re going to take me away…
Flashbacks of Child Protective Services showing up at their door hit her in the gut, reminding her of her childhood in New York, how hard her big brother fought to keep custody of her.
What will Damon do? I messed up… I messed up big. I only have one option—and it’s not the truth. Only one answer lets me escape all further questions…
Tears welled up in her eyes, real tears, as she whispered, “Here…”
Her system sheet appeared to the public eye, and [System Trickery] rewrote everything she needed it to. Aldwin smoothly rose to his feet, setting his smoking pipe on the arm of the chair as he moved closer, arms held behind his back.
Level 5. Not too high. Not too low.
Any lower and he’d know I’m a reincarnate—the class wouldn’t show up at all unless I’d leveled first.
Please, let this hold…
Seconds ensued in utter silence as soft tears ran down her cheek, and he read the partially fake information:
Level 5.
Chaotic-Neutral.
No deity worship.
Everything related to her Lich Feats, every reincarnate-related marker—scrubbed.
He let out a long, slow breath—a sigh that carried the weight of what he was reading. Then, without a word, he dropped to one knee.
Bowing his head low, he said softly,
“Princess Aria of the Solaris Throne… I thank you for your honesty.”
Aria’s lips parted, breath trembling.
“So, what happens next, Archmagus… Will you look to contact Lord Lumineth? I assume he is the friend you mentioned before who has given you insight into our people?”
She tried to keep her voice even, despite the knot forming in her chest.
“…A taboo, I might add, despite my hypocrisy in that regard.”
A faint, unreadable smile touched Aldwin’s lips as he looked up at her—calm, tired, and maybe…a little sad.
“I must say, Princess…it is truly a wonder—no, a blessing—to witness the potency of the Royal Line.”
He rose, folding his arms behind his back.
“A one thousand, four hundred, and sixty mana pool…at seventeen years old…and Level 5…
“Remarkable.
“[Magical Infinity], [High Magic], and [Mana Growth] working in unison…
“[Instant Cast], [Unbridled Concentration], [Aura Link], and [Spell Echelon]…
“Extraordinary, Princess.
“Truly extraordinary…
“[Blood Magic] is…divine.”
A pause. His gaze softened—amused, reverent, and distant all at once.
“No. I will not be contacting the Solar Encarna.”
He bowed once more.
“I thank you for your honesty, Princess. Please, enjoy your stay in Bluerise.”
For some reason, her tears only doubled.
He left without another word.
She sat frozen, hiccuping, sniffling—emotions unraveling, waiting for the inevitable sound of boots or spells or cell doors opening in her mind.
Five minutes passed.
Ten…
Thirty.
No one disturbed her.
Gradually, her pink-rimmed eyes drifted to the books beside her, heart and mind sinking into the silence.
I…made it out?
How?
Why?
Why did he let me go?
No… Not just let any sun elf walk free.
He let a sun elf princess—a runaway—just…go free?
Why?
------------------
[ Next POV: Sophia]
[ Theme: After our last epic confrontation and retreat, how will our mimic girl handle her comeback?]
------------------
