American Isekai - Chapter 299.5

AN: Hello all! It's Wednesday, and the second half of Chapter 299 is out! It came out a lot longer than I thought it would, sitting at about 6 thousand words (worth two chapters), and while It'll end up getting put into just the single 299 chapter later for a grand total of 11k words (worth about four chapters), for now I've released it separately, for the sake of your convenience.

Chapter 300 will still be getting released before the next release day so we aren't falling behind. I'm about halfway through it, but that's only because I didn't cut myself off and stop fleshing out 299. There's still more I could've written before the wedding, but I'm going to stop for now and finish the big day. If there's anything else I feel the need to flesh out, I can do it after.

Chapter 300 will be getting released hopefully by Friday. You guys will have it soon, as apologetic as I am about not getting it out this morning. After that, I'm going to try and get out a normal sized chapter for Sunday. Then we can continue the Wednesday-Sunday release schedule that I had intended to start doing before things got messy with the incoming wedding and big 300 chapter.

Still, in two weeks we're seeing a release cycle with a grand total of about 17-18 thousand words, including the wedding and what will come Sunday. Given that my standard chapter length is 2500-3000 words, we're getting about double the content. And while buttery wedding and dialogue stuff may not be up everyone's alley, things will be kicking right back into gear soon after. We're talking within a few chapters.

The 300 series of chapters is gonna be spicy as hell. There have been a looot of parts moving and preparing for whats about to go down. This is my first time writing out happenings as multi-layered as this while trying to keep it simple enough not to throw everyone off. I'm glad that you guys have been bearing with me.

John will be back on the battlefield soon. But first, he needs to get that ring on his finger. I hope you all have been enjoying things recently, and I hope it continues to meet expectations.

(Thankfully I'm in between exams right now so I've had more time to write. That may be changing in a few weeks.)

Anyway, Cheers!

November 30th, 628

I landed in the Holy See’s airfield. From there my transport to the Apostolic Palace was swift. 

The palace could barely be considered that by the standards of this world. It was made of normal grey stone with few outstanding features. They were going for a humble look, obviously, but it was still incredibly large given its importance and resident population. 

It was the home of the Pope and his office, as well as the residence for many of the bishops and cardinals of the Church. It was a holy place, intruded upon by outsiders extremely seldom. 

It was also where I was having a meeting with the Pope. This could be considered my first official meeting with the man. Every other time had been among other circumstances, like Umara’s Crown surgery and my transfer of technology. 

I wasn’t the only one who had been invited. Umara was within the Verga Peerage, waiting for my arrival. She didn’t want to enter such a place without me there, for multiple reasons, primarily that this meeting concerned both of us and she didn’t want to speak to the Pope unless I was there with her. 

It was a matter of caution, which had to be held in extremity given who we were seeing. This was also considering that I had learned certain things ever since going to the Gateway. Given that I had met the Pope before, and while much less powerful than I was now, there was little to hide that I hadn’t already exposed back then. Still, I would reserve everything I could in front of the man. 

It didn’t take me long to link with Umara and head to the Apostolic Palace. We were dropped in the plaza outside the building, and the first sight that caught my eyes besides the building was the amount of robed individuals outside of it. 

The majority of them wore simple robes, nothing more than white cloth with a few colored designs for identification of position or rank. There were some though who wore the robes of bishops or cardinals walking in and out, likely to their services. Their robes were a normal amount of rich, which meant vibrant colors, designs, and inlaid with precious metals, gems, or fibers. 

These men held high standing, regardless of Authority. Such meant little in front of spiritual dedication and faith, or so it was supposed to be. Nobody had any illusions that high Authority individuals were seen as greater than the ordinary, even in the spiritual realm of worship and dedication to God. 

I could go on for hours about the psychology behind it, but proof was in the pudding, and there was a reason that the Pope was Authority 12, not some beggar on the streets who spent his every waking hour singing praises and prayers. 

I linked my arm with Umara’s, and we walked to the entrance, looking quite outstanding. There were no shortage of eyes that drifted our way. After all, it wasn’t every day that outsiders entered the Apostolic Palace. 

There was a man there waiting for us, a cardinal who I recognized. Not even the Holy See was safe from Sector 4, and I had studied the administration of religious leaders thoroughly before coming here. After all, with an infallible memory, why shouldn’t I maximize my repository of knowledge and stuff every name and face into my brain as possible?

We were led by the cardinal through a winding maze of hallways and walkways. The palace was massive because just within the Holy See there were hundreds of Churches, and even more leaders who managed various regions and sectors of religious development. There was naught a single room in the place unfilled, because all religious leaders wanted to live where the Pope did. What greater form of authority, to be in the same place as he? As if it put them on equal grounds. 

Finally, we arrived at the office of the Pope. There was but a single door, and amongst the others, it stood out only in the fact that the nameplate above the door was outlined in gold. 

The cardinal knocked for us, and I heard a smooth voice answer. 

“You may enter.”

The cardinal pushed open the door, ushering us through before closing it, leaving us alone. 

I eyed the Pope, who stood in front of his desk with another guest, Hallowlight. The two watched us as we entered. 

I could tell Umara was a bit uncomfortable. Perhaps not with the fact that we were given audience with such a powerful man, but the fact that I wasn’t known for being exceedingly courteous. Where she wanted to bow, I wanted to face eye to eye. 

Eracle Syagrius. He looked the same as the last time I saw him. Linen clothes with a longsword on his waist and a stature even taller than me at 6 feet 10 inches. We hadn’t seen each other in some time, and yet even now I could barely make out his Aura. 

Or, it was more accurate to say that what I sensed was his mere existence, which usually implied some form of Aura. His Aura itself, I could glean no details about. 

And when I tried, I could actually feel the Great Barrier press down on me. Somehow, some way, it actually got closer as I walked toward him with Umara and stretched out my hand to shake his. 

He returned it in kind, and that's when I understood that so much as sensing the depths of this man’s power demanded that I break down the Great Barrier. Power itself was rejecting my observation of him. How strong he was, I couldn’t quite fathom, but my intuition told me that it wasn’t as simple as his Knighthood being that outstanding. 

It was something spiritual. The kind I sensed from those girls at the Gateway, when their rude gazes tried to glean my life’s story, just countless times deeper. 

“Greetings, Sir Cooper, Lady Talerria.”

“Greetings, Your Holiness.”

We shook hands, Umara opting for a curtsy, the Pope bowing slightly in response. 

I turned to Hallowlight, smiling at her. 

“Sovereign Hallowlight, it is good to see you again.”

“You as well, John.”

We greeted each other before I stepped back, allowing Umara to do the same. 

The Pope motioned for us to sit on the couches facing each other. Once we sat down, I faced the man and gave a small smile. 

“I must say, I’m surprised you wanted to see me personally, Your Holiness. I suppose this is about our upcoming marriage?”

“Indeed it is. I’ve heard that you acquired a reservation for the Sacred Chapel on the tenth of December.”

“I did.”

“Then I’m sure you also know that the Sacred Chapel is usually reserved two years in advance. I’m thus surprised that you were able to acquire such a convenient reservation for yourself, and in only 48 hours at that.”

“An inconsequential matter. I simply have my ways.”

The Pope sighed, lifting a few pieces of paper that had been on the table between us in advance. 

“I disagree. How did you convince the previous reservation holder to give up their time slot? You must’ve been extremely persuasive, considering they’ve been waiting for two years for that very day and time.”

“I gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse.”

“Sounds more like a threat.”

It was my turn to sigh and lean back into the couch. 

“Is there a reason that we’re speaking about this? I mean no disrespect, but I find it difficult to believe that the Pope has time to investigate the drama of Chapel reservations.”

“I don't, but I do have time to investigate you. After all, you are an important consideration in a growing amount of matters of the Holy See, especially as you start reaching.”

The Pope dropped the papers on the table. A quick glance told me that they were indeed about not just the reservation I had acquired, but faint reports on my Sector 4 assets within the Holy See. 

I looked back up at him, already memorizing every word on the pages that I could see. 

“I figured this meeting would be about marriage matters.”

“Can a meeting not have multiple purposes?”

“They can, but conversations about my Sector Four are best done privately.”

“You imply this isn’t a private meeting. Is it because your fiancé is here? Or is it Hallowlight? I can assure you, she is as concerned with this as I am. But I’m sure you knew that. So if not Hallowlight, then it makes me curious as to why you don’t want your fiancée here talking about these matters.”

I narrowed my eyes a bit. Now I was a bit pissed off. What I had expected to be a light meeting about my marriage, where I also intended to invite the Pope to officiate the wedding, was turning out to be some kind of shakedown. 

Was I concerned about Umara hearing about Sector 4 matters? Not necessarily. She had already been directly involved in some of our darkest operations. 

Still, I didn’t appreciate him attempting to use her against me.

“You must have an important reason that you’re playing these games, Pope. I don’t bore Umara with every detail of Sector Four operations because she has better things to do than bog down her mind with the dark details of the world. Those things are mine to handle.”

“These are hardly games, John. You think these are light matters?”

“Yes, I do. I call them games because that’s exactly what they are. The politics I engage in and the subterfuge I conduct are both like hobbies of mine. They are hardly my primary focus, and yet you people treat them like there’s nothing more important in the world. Just because you’re bad at them, doesn’t mean they aren’t still games.”

“Nevertheless, I have concerns about your abuse of power inside my territory. We’ve protected ourselves from Kingdom and Scourge influence for far longer than you can imagine, and while I didn’t initially intend to, your movements have made me concerned about whether your influence is something to snuff out before it grows.”

“...Are you really so naive?”

I looked at the man with a bit of disbelief. I was sure he truly believed what he said, but that begged the question of why he thought that his territory hadn’t already been influenced long before I arrived. 

Yet he smiled, waving toward Hallowlight. 

“You call me naive, and yet your fiancé is in a similar position as I. These matters are more extensively handled by Hallowlight, because you’re right, I don’t have the time to be investigating these matters myself.”

“...I’ll hold my opinions on that.”

My face fell flat as I turned to Hallowlight. She didn’t wear her normal veil and cover, perhaps because of where we were. And while she was blindfolded, her face was impeccable, her skin perfect. 

I knew she was albino, but she really was quite the specimen. Still, that blindfold reminded me of those girls at the Gateway. 

I had my suspicions. Seeing Hallowlight again confirmed it. 

My eyes gazed through her blindfold. I could sense her gaze, could sense some of her thoughts in the way her eyes shifted under her eyelids and the way she scanned me. Her body language, my memories of our last meeting, the things I knew about her, no matter how little, and what I could surmise and assume about her and what she did. 

It all painted a picture in my mind. Hallowlight, the Sovereign Healer who operated with the Order. One of the most powerful women in the world, and as about as naive as I was. 

We simply stared at each other. I noticed my thoughts flicker with images, a phenomenon I knew wasn’t happening exclusively of my own accord, despite my inability to sense any external influences on my mind. Still, I knew how to manipulate the Auric sights of others just as I could my own head. 

What were normally just memories turned to scenes of that which hadn’t happened, scenes of possibility and brutal recollection. I stared down Hallowlight and let her see a blended mixture of the truth, as well as what I could, and would, do. 

Then I asked. 

“What do you think you see, Hallowlight? I remember those girls at the Gateway well. Sisters, I believe you refer to them as. Their training was hardly as complete as yours. One of them vomited at the mere sight of me. They were rude with their gazes. But I now know they weren’t the only ones who had been.”

“You’re right, they weren’t as trained as I was.”

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she stared straight at me and smiled widely. 

“I can see past the menacing barriers that you’ve raised around your soul. I admire your ability to manipulate your mind. Perhaps that’s the path all summoners should take. Nevertheless, despite coming to us in a time when you’re forced to grab the reins of humanity’s advancement or risk extinction, it's okay to shed this portrayal of viciousness and show others your good side. I feel that your charm suits you more than your visage of terror, as opposed to what the guys at the Order say.”

My emotions turned conflicted as I felt critically exposed. It was an ugly feeling, knowing that she was seeing things I would prefer remain tucked into the catalogs of my mind. If she was allowed to see glimpses of my spirit, then she could profile me, attempt to break me down and read what I would do or had done. Those were secrets being exposed. 

Still, that she saw more than the bad meant that I would at least have someone to vouch for me. My intuition told me that Hallowlight wasn’t actually here to interrogate me, but to vet me for the Pope. 

It seemed that she would be on my side. 

I let go of some of the tension in my body, noticing that Umara’s hand was clenching mine with rather incredible strength. 

I squeezed her hand back before responding, a bit more relaxed than I was a few seconds ago. 

“I hardly need my enemies knowing how much of a charmer I am. But I appreciate an evaluation that doesn’t disgust you.”

“But of course.”

Hallowlight suddenly turned to Umara, giving her the same smile she gave me. 

“You are quite loved, Umara. I’m glad to see that you return it in kind.”

I glanced down at Umara, noticing her start to flush. 

The Pope sighed, motioning toward Hallowlight. 

“Alright Hallow. If we can return to our topic.”

“Of course.”

The faint smile on my face faded, but at least the growing hostility had been defused, for now. 

I looked into the Pope’s eyes. 

“What do you want from me? I assume you brought all this up for a reason.”

“Well, I’d like you to remove your agents from the Holy See.”

“Which won’t happen.”

“Which is why that’s not what I’m asking for. I’ll give you my bottom line. Don’t interfere with the affairs of my territory. I don’t care what you see or discover. Keep your hands off, and go through me if you so desperately feel the need to do something. Maybe even cooperate with us, if you’re feeling generous. Do we have an agreement?”

I stared at him in silence for a few seconds, his hand raised for a shake. I certainly didn’t want to agree, but this was also a concession on his part, and quite the gracious one at that. It could’ve gone much worse, and defying him here would shift us right onto that course. 

It at least seemed like he wasn’t as naive as I thought he was.

So I reached my hand out in kind, shaking his. 

“We have an agreement.”

“Very good. Now, as for the issue of the Chapel.”

The Pope brought out another piece of paper from a spatial device, glancing it over. 

“I have no issues with you using it. You are far from the first to do such a thing, and I could care less about the reservations, especially since you at least compensated the unlucky couple. However, this doesn’t solve the issue of whether or not you can get married.”

I remained silent, letting him elaborate, even though I knew what he was going to say.

“As much as the Kingdom has enjoyed appropriating the term, marriage is a sacrament and getting married demands that both parties be baptised and have gone through Chrismation. As far as I know, neither of you have done that, which means you can’t get married in the church. That will change as soon as you do these things.”

“There’s no need to worry about me.”

I responded plainly. I wasn’t sure how it translated between worlds but the religion seemed the same, and I didn’t intend to redo processes that I had already gone through years ago. Not simply because I didn’t want to, but because I wouldn’t replace the sacraments from Earth that had been given to me by and with my family. 

“I’m already Catholic, was born and raised that way, and don’t intend to redo things.”

The Pope silently glanced at Hallowlight, who nodded to him after having observed me. 

There must be some way she was able to verify what I said. I don’t know how much she saw, whether she saw things of Earth, but it was clear she knew enough. Perhaps her nod came after verifying something completely unrelated to her ability to see my spirit. 

I really needed to send people to the gateway. Thankfully, Umara had provided me with the coordinates. Soon, I’d have some eyes there. 

“And Umara?”

The Pope turned to her, her head shaking. 

“I am not baptised, Your Holiness. However, I have already scheduled my baptism. It will be on the sixth, and if necessary, you can contact my sponsor, Vetsmon Verga. He’s with the Order.” 

“Just days before your marriage. Worry not, I trust that you have your affairs handled, and I certainly trust a member of the Order to be a sponsor. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

She smiled widely, a small smile growing on my face, merely to keep up pretenses. 

She had spoken to me about the baptism, and I had trusted her to arrange things since she didn’t want to bother me with it while I was busy. What I had not known was that Vetsmon was her sponsor. 

I wasn’t opposed, of course, but I’d be talking with her about this little surprise later. 

With that, the Pope seemed satisfied. 

“Then I have no objections. So long as the Sacraments are fulfilled before the day of your marriage, you two are free to be wed in the holy presence of the Lord.”

The Pope stood, signifying the end of our discussion. I certainly had nothing more to say at the moment, not before I handled things with Sector 4. 

We shook hands, holding the grasp for a few seconds as he spoke to me. 

“This meeting may not have been as friendly as I initially wanted it to be, but I congratulate you, John Cooper, on your marriage. May God bless your union.”

“Thank you, Your Holiness.”

I gave him a small smile, Umara and Hallowlight giving their goodbyes. Umara also handed Hallowlight an invitation to the wedding. 

She took it with a happy smile. 

“I’d be honored. It’s been some time since I’ve been to a wedding.”

“And we’re honored to have you!”

Umara stepped away giddily. She quite liked Hallowlight, and that would be yet another Sovereign at our wedding. 

With that, the two of us stepped away, leaving the Apostolic Palace and heading back home. 

Now our affairs would be all about the wedding and its planning. With the green light from the Pope himself and all requirements settled, there was nothing stopping us now. 

……

…

December 2nd, 628

“It looks like a nice place…”

Faey muttered after stepping off the plane. A short distance away, she could see John’s estate, both the main building and its auxiliary buildings and areas. 

With the weather having cooled significantly over the last month, there was light snow sprinkling down from the overcast above. Faey had on warm and thick clothes, not technically necessary since Knights were often immune to the weather and temperature changes, but she enjoyed being warm amidst the cold. 

Her breath came out in a vapor as she followed her mother. There to meet them was Erhan, John’s butler. The man was dressed sharply, but Faey could still barely comprehend him. He was Authority 10, capable of becoming a Marquess with his own territory and noble family, and yet he chose to serve John. Faey could offer just a smidge of understanding since John was who he was. 

Erhan bowed a bit to Talexia when she approached, motioning to the car waiting for them. 

“It is our great pleasure to have you, Duchess. John waits within the estate with Lady Umara.”

“Very well.”

They all boarded the car, getting driven the short distance to the estate and being let out to walk in. 

Entering through the back door, Faey glanced around at the mild architecture. The estate was built more like a fortress than a household. There was concrete and steel everywhere, as well as thick enchantments riddling the structures. While there were some veneers that attempted to mask the brutalist design, John’s paranoia was clear in its influence. 

It was both a home and a bulwark of protection. 

Faey hadn’t been in the estate before, even if she had heard of it from her mother. She wasn’t sure if she would have designed her own estate this way, but it had its own charm, especially considering all the facilities it seemed to have. While not lavish and rich like their own estate, it was definitely functional, and probably no less expensive considering how deep the enchantments went. 

Upon entering the living room, Faey saw John and Umara sitting with some of their friends. She recognized Vetsmon and Tana, as well as Feiden, Ponteck, Ilinca, and Shadowbane. There were some other faces she wasn’t as familiar with. She remembered their names: Aki, Katta, Aria, and Jaya. 

That girl Katta gave her the creeps. She may be pretty and unique, but something about her Aura unsettled Faey. 

They were all gathered around a table, going over papers with writings and drawings across them. There were samples of flowers and pastries across trays nearby, Tana and Jaya stuffing their faces with some cake as the others sipped on steaming chocolate beverages, dressed in full clothes for warmth. 

The house was a cozy mixture of coolness and warm circulating air, a few of the girls wrapped in blankets as they cuddled into seats

They all turned when Faey entered with her parents. John and Umara stood, walking over for greetings. 

After John had shaken Ikhor’s hand and Umara had hugged her mother, they moved to the table, John bringing up a few papers. 

“We’ve been going over the menu and decorations. Please, get comfortable.”

Talexia nodded and took her seat with Ikhor, Faey settling in by her sister. 

Talexia commented after everyone was in their places. 

“You all seem to be comfortable.”

“Everyone is on leave, not to return to the front lines until after the wedding. I figured since I was hosting, I may as well make it a warm day in the winter.”

“Hm, it certainly is warm.”

Faey smiled a bit as John started showing Talexia a few pages with design choices. From the layout of the tables across the venue to the arrangement of every item on the tables themselves, there were many details to go through and almost all of them required personal input. 

Thankfully the venue was at least already set. While the marriage ceremony itself would be in the Holy See, the reception would be within John’s estate. John had built an entire ballroom and renovated most of the auxiliary estate for this very purpose, making all of it fit for hosting the highest of society. After all, they couldn’t possibly invite multiple Sovereigns to any old normal mansion. 

Faey glanced out the window nearby while thinking about it all, watching the snow fall for a moment. Nearby, on a wall of the living space not far from the glass, was a fireplace with burning wood logs, leaving a smoky scent that lingered in the living space. 

For some time, there were small discussions, some about the wedding planning, most totally off topic. Not everyone had something to do or decide on, but that was hardly an issue. 

What mattered was that everyone was in one place, in each other’s presence. It was a rare occurrence. 

Faey turned her head, glancing at a corner of the living area. She had noticed the tree when she walked in, but only now that she took a better look did she realize how dressed up it was. 

Ornaments hanging from branches, magical lights tied to strings and looped around, and dangling strands of thin silver placed occasionally that shone under the lights. 

There were also some odd pieces of what looked like candy, hooked like a cane and swirling with red and white color. Faey had never seen it before, and she stared long enough to catch John’s attention. 

“What do you think?”

Faey turned to him, smiling and combing back her hair before glancing back at the tree. 

“It looks nice, but what is it?”

“It’s a Christmas tree. First one that I’ve set up in my own home in the last 7 years. This tree was the closest I could find to a conventional evergreen from my memories.”

“I see.”

Faey stared at the tree a bit longer, John sighing. 

“Yeah, it’s not complete though. We need family ornaments to hang. Personal ones for each of us. That includes you, so start thinking of an ornament you’d want.”

“W-Well I’m not sure what I should be looking for. This is the first I’ve even heard of tree ornaments.”

“Hm, well, take a look at mine.”

John brought up his hand, Psyka blooming and forming into an image. After a couple seconds it looked like a real object as it fell into his palm. 

It was a bear, wrapped in a sweater and scarf and riding an undersized snow plow while waving. It looked old and slightly worn, certainly not the prettiest or most ornamental thing. 

But it was cute, and most importantly, personal. 

John chuckled a bit. 

“My mother got me this ornament when I was just a baby. It went up on the tree every year, and when I was old enough, I would hang it myself, along with the rest of my family whenever we started putting up Christmas decorations. Everyone had one, and we’d all choose a branch to hang them on. Sometimes we’d fight for who got to hang theirs higher.”

“I see…”

Faey went quiet, others around them staring at the ornament. 

It felt like what John was showing them carried a lot more weight than he let on. After all, nobody had ever seen his family before. In all the time they had known him, they had only heard the very occasional mention of them, if that. 

John kept the illusion active for a few seconds longer before dispersing it. 

“Maybe I’ll come up with some, and you can let me know if you like them.”

“Sure, thank you.”

“Of course. Oh, and that reminds me. You, and Feiden, follow.”

John stood, the two standing with him after a moment of confusion and walking out of the living area. 

They went to the training building, entering the metal room with weapons, gear, and thick enchantments across the walls. 

Once the door closed, John turned to them, smiling. 

“Feiden, I’ve told you about your new assignment.”

“Yes…”

“You’ll be training Faey here in the way of the spear. You’ll engage with her technique, refine it, and help develop her Aura alongside her combat. Every other week, you’ll leave the Line and return here to train her for that week. During that time, both of you will live within the estate and use its facilities.”

Faey and Feiden looked at each other, Faey smiling nervously and bowing a bit. 

“I’ll be in your care.”

“Y-Yes. Uh, John, I don’t think I’m the best for teaching. Is there a reason you can’t get someone from the Whetted City’s academy to teach her? Someone with significantly more experience than me?”

“The reason I can’t, is because I don’t want to. Through teaching her you will also teach yourself. Your goal will be to train her until she can beat you in the basics.”

“I…”

Feiden glanced at her a few more times, Faey’s smile turning wry. 

Something like that would likely never happen. Feiden may come from a Marquess household and technically be born with lesser talent than her, but Faey also didn’t believe that she was capable of walking the path her sister did either. Not only were she and John both on a whole other level, but Feiden was their close friend, as well as someone from their class. 

The Calamity Class was renowned, and not just because of what happened to them at Purple Sky. Those who hadn’t gone insane or catatonic had moved on to become incredible Magi. John may be the most famous of them, but he was not the most powerful. 

Faey had no idea how powerful or talented Feiden truly was, but that he could stand beside John and Umara in battle meant that he was on a level she couldn’t fathom. Attempting to teach her to beat him, even if in just the basics, was an impossible task. 

Not that impossible was any reason not to try. The point was training, obviously. Still, John’s excuse for not finding Faey an instructor from the world’s most prestigious knightly academy was rather lackluster. 

Not that Faey wouldn’t take the chance. She wasn’t sure what was going through John’s head, but she knew her own goals and he had opened the door for her. She would move forward, as she intended from the beginning when she asked this of him. 

John suddenly took out a few pieces of paper, slapping them against Feiden’s chest. The man took them, John patting him on the shoulder after the handoff. 

“Here’s a guideline for you, friend. I’ll leave the rest to you. Hang out in here as long as you two want to flesh out the details. I’ll take my leave.”

John waved and left, Faey waving back with a bright smile. 

The door closed behind him, Faey turning back to Feiden as he read the papers. 

She had never gotten a very good look at him. They hardly ever met in general, but Faey had known that he was good looking and another close glance confirmed it. 

He read the papers with a small scowl on his face, though he seemed resigned to his fate. Still, even that expression on his face was… pretty. 

No wonder John called him a pretty boy. Faey had no way to disagree with that evaluation, and she didn’t mind getting lost in his handsome visage. 

“So, listen…”

Feiden spoke, Faey perking up as he looked at her. 

“I’m not sure how serious John was about this, but I can talk to him and get you in with a real instructor. I’ve never taught anyone and I’m still learning things myself. I’m far from being a master. Hell, I’m not even Authority 10 yet.”

“But you’re only a level under, and it’s not like you won’t reach it at some point.”

“I guess…”

He didn’t seem to know how to respond to Faey’s praise. She smiled a bit wider, looking into his bright eyes. 

He seemed to have a generally reserved personality. From what Faey could remember after that fateful day, his girlfriend at the time had been killed during the chaos at Purple Sky. Faey still wasn’t sure about the details even to this day, but an attack by the King of Anarchy was bound to kill most. It was a miracle that anybody from the Calamity Class had survived. 

Still, it seemed to hit him hard. Faey could see it in his attitude. Nobody would be the same after an event like that. John and Umara certainly weren’t. 

If Faey had noticed anything from them though, it was that they had only grown closer. Their love for each other had become ingrained in their souls and they had been inseparable ever since.

Anarchy made them fight for each other, bonded them in a way that made it seem like they were fighting against the whole world together. 

Faey was curious if Feiden had the same thing within him. 

She got closer to him, her shoulder brushing against his as she looked at the papers in his hands. 

After several seconds, she turned her face up to his, smiling. 

“I think we can give it a shot. You don’t really think you could steer me wrong, do you?”

“I won’t deny the possibility. My path may not necessarily fit yours.”

“But the basics are basics for a reason. I think your expertise in real combat is more than enough to elevate my own.”

“Fighting King Bloods is a bit different than fighting humans.”

“You should show me.”

Feiden’s mouth closed, a bit of conflict on his face as he found himself unable to rebut. 

Faey knew she was technically right. She was still only Authority 4 and he was an entire 5 Authorities above her. That was an unfathomable gap, especially considering that like her sister, they were only roughly 8 years apart in age. 

Faey couldn’t imagine crossing 5 Authorities in 8 years. That was a task that would take most others double or triple the time. 

Especially if Feiden kept advancing. At the rate he was going, he’d be Authority 10 within another year or two, and only just pushing 30 years old while she was in her early 20s. 

Could she hope to catch up? Absolutely not. 

Did he have an immense amount to teach her despite not being a master as he so proclaims? The answer was a resounding yes. 

Feiden had no way out, especially when it was John telling him. The man hadn’t even asked. 

Finally, he sighed, reading over the papers more. 

“Very well. I don’t know what John might have planned for me, but we can do some light training while we’re here until the wedding. Did you bring your gear?”

“Always on me.”

“Good. Give me the day to go over these. Tomorrow, we can start with something light, if we have nothing else to attend to.”

“I have a good feeling that we’ll be free.”

Faey grinned, Feiden smirking in agreement.

He put his hand out, Faey taking it. There was no shake, just a light but firm grasp between them. 

“I look forward to working with you, Faey.”

“As do I. Should I call you Master?”

“I’d really prefer you don’t…”

“Master Feiden.”

“Just Feiden, please.”

“Hehehe.”

She laughed a bit. Turns out he was easy to tease. 

She could already tell that this would be fun.