Past Life Hero, ch 33

Max spent an entire day in the forest, testing his new capabilities.  He also worked out strategies and shortcut codes for them with Lavinia that he thought of while he'd been refining mana. It felt great to finally have a complete mana body again. Of course, the downside was that achieving a two-star mana body with the low amount of mana in this quartet would take much, much longer.

He'd been doing a good job ignoring his hunger, but at the end of his training session that night, he prepared to sleep and told Lavinia, "First thing in the morning, I'm going to get cleaned up and get some breakfast. I should still be able to do that, right? Like they won't stop me from getting breakfast because I haven't been going to class?"

Lavinia scoffed.  "Attendance doesn't really matter.  Why would it?  The only reason why professors even take attendance is to encourage students to go to class, but some of them don't care as much and they stop, like…halfway through each semester. Some professors are assholes though and they might report absences.  If that happens you might get demerits, but it's usually not enough to keep you from being able to eat anymore. Someone would basically have to not go to class at all, not take any tests and just screw around in order to get enough demerits in their first year to send them to the delinquent dorms."

"Alright, fair enough," said Max. "I'm going to sleep now. Do you mind standing watch?"

"Got it," said Lavinia. "Nobody's come around in all this time, but it would be pretty stupid if we let our guards down right before heading back and you got stabbed in the neck."

"My thoughts exactly," said Max. "See you tomorrow."

He just slept like a baby that night and if he had any dreams, he didn't remember them. In the morning, he headed towards the academy and brought his spear with him, but stashed it right outside of campus in some bushes. Then he went to his dorm to wash up. It was so early he didn't really see anybody on the way and that suited him just fine.

In the common area of his dorm, the room with the kitchenette, there were several notes that had been pushed under the door–all addressed to him. Max ignored them. Whether they were notes from the faculty or threats from Mystic Spear students, he didn't care and didn't want to waste the time to read them. Instead, he took a shower and allowed himself to feel the overwhelming excitement about eating breakfast that he'd been holding back. After he was clean, instead of robes, he put on the clothes that he'd won from Prince Regal.  It felt like forever ago he’d acquired them.

He looked at himself critically in the mirror and decided that after actually washing up and wearing different clothes, he probably looked a lot different than he had before.

Max went to the cafeteria and got scanned with a wand as usual. All of his nervousness had been pointless because the woman with the stone wand barely even looked up and his name obviously hadn't triggered any alarms.

Breakfast was glorious. Max practically made a puddle of maple syrup on his plate and turned everything sticky, gooey and sweet. Since this could be the last meal he ate for a while, he wanted to make it a memorable one.

While he was eating, he glanced around but didn't see Lance. He wasn't sure if that was a positive or negative thing. Part of him wanted to see his friend to explain what was going on. But part of him wanted to leave Lance completely out of what Max was planning to do that day. This would ensure Lance would have plausible deniability.

A few other students that Max had seen in class were in the cafeteria, but he wasn't sure if any of them actually recognized him whild not wearing robes and after being gone for a while.  The thought amused him. However, once he got up and his dagger was showing again, there were a few second glances his way.  One of his classmates was frowning, probably trying to decide if Max was Max. At least one woman glanced up and quickly glanced back down, and Max figured that she knew who he was and wanted no part of the beef growing between Max and Prince Regal's bunch.

He headed out the door and went directly to the edge of campus where he had stashed the spear. Then he made the short hike down the windy road to the gates out of Summoner Academy grounds. He didn't pass anybody on the way, but at the gate there were two robed faculty who abruptly stopped their conversation and stared at Max, their eyes flicking to his spear multiple times. This time both men scanned him with stone wands, seeming to double check their information, and one of them opened his mouth like he was going to ask a question, but shut it instead. They waved him through and Max nodded his thanks.

He mentally asked Lavinia a question. Lavinia, the way they were double checking me like that, can anybody fake an Academy badge? It almost seemed like they were worried I wasn't a Summoner.

The spirit replied directly to his mind, saying, Not that I know of. They were probably just thrown because it's not every day Summoners go walking out of school in their first year holding a big ass spear. I'm assuming that these folks weren't the ones on duty when you came back with Regal’s dagger.

No, they weren't, said Max. Maybe it was something else.  Do you think it's possible that they were bribed? Maybe they're going to tell somebody in the Mystic Spear Path school that I went to the central area?

No idea, said Lavinia. I guess we'll find out.

"Yeah, that's right," said Max out loud. "I guess we'll find out."

He made his way to the part of the central area where blacksmith hammers rang and shops sold weapons. He chose a store that he'd seen before the last time he was here called Blade and Bow. Despite the rather snazzy name, it was actually one of the lower quality stores that he'd seen.

The store was open. Lavinia had been right that most of the shops in the central area opened early. It was apparently because students who braved the dungeons could leave and come back at odd hours.

The person manning Blade and Bow was a very bored looking twenty-something-year-old woman with pink streaks dyed in her hair. She'd been staring off into space when Max came in and it seemed like his entry returned a little bit of life to her. He assumed she'd been there for a while and was tired. She said, "Welcome to Blade and Bow. How can I help you?"

Max held up the spear in his hands and said, "I would like to trade this for another weapon and hopefully a few mana units on top of that."

"Okay, that's easy enough," said the young woman. She collected the spear from Max in a business-like manner and then fished a bronze colored loop from behind the counter and began peering at the weapon through with. Her eyebrows scrunched up in concentration.

She nodded in appreciation and said, "This is really not bad. Maybe not top tier, but not low tier either. Honestly, if it were any better, I would give you advice to go to one of the other shops because we don't usually handle merchandise any higher quality than this. But I think I can take it. Can even give you a decent price, but it might not be as good as you were hoping."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, some people come in here thinking they're going to get the same amount that a weapon might sell for in shops if they sell it to us, and that's not how it works. We have to turn a profit."

"Oh yeah, for sure," said Max. "So how much is this thing worth?"

The shopkeeper pursed her lips and said, "Eh. I think I can give you like three hundred for it."

Lavinia's voice echoed in Max's head.  That means it's probably worth about a thousand.

Max had no interest in the spear, needed money, and what he'd just been quoted was enough for his purposes. He said, "All right. But I'm planning to buy something here so you can hang on to that and I'll browse. Is that okay?"

"That's fine," said the woman. "I'll be here."

Max chuckled politely and went to the area of the store that had swords. During his first life, he'd preferred larger swords, but he'd trained in all types and styles. For now, he didn't want anything too big.  The problem with large swords is that when in confined spaces, they could actually be a liability. Besides, he liked the idea of truly mastering a new style. So after briefly browsing the larger swords and looking at them a bit wistfully, he moved to the nimbler blades. For his purposes now, it was probably better to get a smaller sword anyway since he could get a higher quality blade for the units he had to spend.

He found what he wanted in a barrel full of similar size swords. It was maybe a tad bit longer than the average machete back on Earth, with a graceful, slightly swept back single edged blade.  The guard covered the top half of his hand.

These types of weapons had been carried by seafarers and sometimes bandits on Albion. They were a staple of southeastern martial arts on Earth and sometimes used as tools.

Max just thought of it as a short sword.  The price on it read 320 units.

He did one more search of the other swords and then spent some time inspecting the one he’d picked out, making sure that it was put together well and knocking it with a mana-infused knuckle to make sure the blade’s temper was good.

Satisfied, he went to the front counter and said, “I would like this one, for 299 mana units, please.”

“299 exactly, huh?” said the shopkeeper. She raised an eyebrow. “Are you eccentric or something?”

“You could say that,” said Max, and then he gave his most charming smile.

It didn't seem to have the effect he was hoping for, because the shopkeeper grunted. But she still said, “I think we can probably make that deal.”

Yeah, I bet so, thought-spoke Lavinia, considering they're making a ton of money off you at this point.

Max ignored his contracted spirit. Lavinia might be an expert on summoner lore, but she didn't know much about blades. And Max had made the request after looking at the prices of every other sword in the store, getting an idea of how much mana units were worth.

In this Quartet, he determined that his haggled price was a bit more than the sword was worth, but not by much. And the spear he'd just traded could be worth more money, but it also could sit around for a few months or years until somebody bought it, too.

Overall, he felt like he hadn't gotten too terrible of a deal. Besides, the spear hadn't cost him anything in the first place…other than a painful and frustrating death.

“Would you like your new sword wrapped or boxed up, sir?" asked the shopkeeper.

“"Not really," said Max.  “Can I just take it?"

“Of course," she said.

Max nodded and attached the sheathed sword to his belt next to a small, empty bag. His dagger rode on the other side of his hip. As adjusted his bet, he casually asked the shopkeeper, "I bet you don't get a whole lot of Summoner students in here, right?"

“Not really," said the shopkeeper. "Usually, actually, only at the end of each semester when some of them have to go to the dungeons." She laughed and said, "I'm glad I don't have to do that shit."

“Yeah, I bet," said Max. "So, I actually have a friend who's in the Mystic Spear Academy, and I was hoping to meet up with him later today. Do you know where students from the Mystic Spear Academy hang out here in the central area? I'm pretty new here." He pointed at his student badge. "Actually, if you know and wouldn't mind telling me, it’d be helpful to know where a lot of the first through third years hang out, too.  All the schools, but mostly Mystic Spear students.” He smiled.  “My social life is on life support."

“Oh, so you know some Mystic Spear Path students. That makes sense. I was wondering why you had the spear. Especially since you were only a first year." She tapped her lips thoughtfully and said, "I think I can give you a few pointers. I mean I'm not an expert or a tour guide or anything like that but I can kind of see where people usually are when I walk around."

“Excellent," said Max. "Anything you can tell me would help a ton."

"Okay, sure thing." She smiled.  Max chatted with the bored shopkeeper for another five or ten minutes until he decided he was starting to push it. If he stayed in the central area much longer than this, he might run into enemies and that would screw up his plans. So, he had to cut the conversation short.

"It was nice meeting you, Amy. Maybe I'll be back sometime to get another blade."

"Okay, sure thing Max," said the shopkeeper.  When she'd given Max her name earlier, he had made the decision to actually try to remember it.  Amy was nice, and stood out from some of the uninterested and unhelpful shopkeepers he’d seen before. Amy seemed to take her job at least somewhat seriously and she was trusted by the owner to make decisions on buying gear.

It didn’t hurt that she was easy on the eyes, but that was no Max’s focus at the moment.

"All right, I'll see you later." Max left the shop, glancing each direction and walking as fast as he could without attracting extra attention.

Lavinia's voice suddenly echoed in his head as she said, Wow, I didn't know you could be so flirty.

"Yeah, well, there are a lot of things you don’t know about me. I'm a man of many talents," said Max.

Obviously, said the ghost, but you must have learned this stuff in your first life because you sure didn't use it much on Earth.

"Didn't have much time," Max grumbled out loud. "Scholastic expectations, homework, and student loans suck ass."

Lavinia's mental voice was less teasing as she said, Yes. After reviewing that part of your memories, I completely agree with you. I'm glad I never had to deal with student loans in my life.

Well, this is fun to talk about, thought Max, switching to keeping the full conversation mental.

If it is not to your liking, you could always go back and flirt with the shop girl again.

What, are you jealous!? thought Max.

Hardly, said Lavinia. You are definitely not my type. I already said so. Besides, I'm dead. I just didn’t know you could be so…unprofessional.

Ah ha! Max mentally sent. I bet the reason we met in the first place was because you couldn't resist my boyish good looks, especially after you fucking peeked on me in the shower!  Pervert ghost.

Look, I thought we weren't going to talk about that anymore, Casanova, said Lavinia. If you keep on this topic, it might impact our working relationship over the next twenty-four hours, and I don't think you want that.

"Fair enough," thought Max. And he chuckled out loud. Part of his was connected with Lavinia, so he caught the edges of what she was feeling–second hand embarrassment.  She must really not have gotten out much when she’d been alive.  Probably a hard core introvert.  Now he could almost imagine a small ghostly foot, kicking him in the back of the leg.

He made it back to the gate to the Summoner Academy without any problems. But instead of passing through the gate, he loitered near the edge of a parking lot and waited for the guards to be distracted with their conversation again.

Max fixed the mana unit he'd gotten from Blade and Bow out of his pocket. He held the marble-like object between thumb and forefinger, and a second later, it was snatched from his grip by one of Lavinia's spirits. Similar to how the spirits had carried his spear through the forest before, one of them had wrapped around the mana unit, while another made spindly legs, and they walked the money into the forest.  The strange procession vanished out of sight without making a sound.  The guards never noticed anything.

Out loud, Max muttered, "Lavinia, is there any range to how far you can control your spirits?"

"There is," she said quietly in his ear, "but as long as we're in the Quartet, I don't think I'll ever be out of range. The same is tru for you and I."

Okay, good to know, thought Max. And then he left, moving quickly, his heartbeat in his chest and a bit of adrenaline flowing in his body. Now he was heading towards the Mystic Spear Path Academy. He was going to do some trespassing.

If he got his way, he might even do some damage.