Days passed, and Sylvester sparred with Aurora from morning to evening the entire week. He ended up more beaten and bloodied every time, but the unspoken rule was not to go easy. Aurora helped Sylvester more, as she overpowered him too much. Meanwhile, only his strongest moves could make Aurora react thoughtfully.
Over time, his strength increased, making him crawl ever so close to advancing to Archwizard level four. But he was still not quite there and required an even bigger push, which he could sadly not find. So he decided to call it a good week and prepared to head down south.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come along?" Felix asked with a heavy heart as he arrived at Sylvester's house. "I thought we were a team."
"We still are, Felix. But I need you to grow as well. Train while you are in the Holy Land; focus on getting stronger and getting promoted. The world only respects the strong, and I want you to get stronger. If you stay with me, most of the time will be spent serving the people or plotting some military action. I don't want that," Sylvester plainly replied.
Felix sighed and nodded. "I knew this day would come. The speed at which you are advancing is too fast. I just… can't keep up. But I will try to do my best while staying here and working for Oroborus."
"Good, but never use that name outside, even if you are sure of being alone. The world can never learn about Oroborus. You, me, Sir Dolorem, Gabriel, and my mum are the only members, and each has a different task to fulfil. So focus on your role, and never discuss anything with others." Sylvester warned Felix sternly.
"Go it. What's Gabriel's job, though? I don't remember him having any speciality besides light magic." Felix inquired.
"Preaching, Felix. Gabriel has a great prospect of becoming a preacher, a wise master of all knowledge related to the faith. He can become another Archbishop Noah, the head of religious studies. He will become the mouthpiece of the faith if he plays his cards right, as he has light magic."
Felix became silent after hearing that and just saw Sylvester packing his luggage. For the first time, when he saw Sylvester's back, he felt overwhelmed. He felt small, like an ant in front of an elephant.
He often wondered what went on in Sylvester's head, but sadly, Sylvester was an enigma that could not be understood.
"Sylvester." He spoke again after some time.
Sylvester looked back as he suddenly sensed a strong scent of tulips and cloves — Absolute worship and admiration.
"Sylvester… I owe you my life, and I will follow you even if it's the gates of hell we stand upon." Felix resolutely proclaimed while staring sharply into Sylvester's golden eyes. "I don't know what you have planned, what your aim is, or even if you are right. I don't care about anything, any faith or any ideology. You are my brother and forever will remain my brother. Nothing will ever change that."
"What if someday you find out I'm secretly a demon?" Sylvester asked in a joking manner.
Felix shrugged and replied. "That would mean the rest of the world is a worse demon than you."
Sylvester chuckled at that reply since he expected that. He moved and sat beside Felix on the second chair and rested back. "Tell me, have you ever wondered why we were born? And why are our lives like this? I sure do."
"Honestly, I never had time to think like this since all my free time was spent hating my father. But does it matter? We're here, and we do what we have to do. Didn't Archbishop Noah say? 'Our life has already been written. We're merely characters filling the role until the final full-stop appears.'"
Sylvester fiddled with his hand on the armrest of the chair. "If that's the case, I really need to find whoever wrote my life and kick his ass. Someone has tried to kill me from the time I was born, and now I sometimes feel tired… I question why I'm doing all this."
"Why… are you doing all this, then? Just break the oath and live as a non-clergy." Felix retorted as if stating the obvious.
Sylvester's golden eyes shined with a hint of anger, but that vanished quickly. "I do this because every time I think of quitting, I remember the face of Shane… Then I wonder how many more Shanes there were?"
Felix's eyes lowered as he remembered the cheerful kid. "Shane… He didn't deserve that."
Sylvester stopped resting and got back to packing his bag. "Since we've been damned to live this life, I might as well save a few Shanes along the journey."
"So we're going to live for others?"
Sylvester chuckled. "Aren't we already living for others? We're men of faith, Felix. Of course, you are free to leave anytime. I heard things are going smoothly between you and Isabella."
Felix showed the rare sight of blush and rubbed the back of his head. His face turned full of smiles, and the scent of love bloomed. "She's very caring and attentive to details. Though she warned that her family will never agree to us being together."
"You need not be afraid; I will pull the right strings. If the Pope orders, they are nothing to stop you two. So go wild and enjoy the life of a cringy teenage lover. I will cheer from a distance, and if someone asks, I don't know you."
Felix felt confused if he should be happy or angry at the ridicule. "It's not cringy. You will know it when you fall for someone."
"My youngling brother, my time for love and cringe has passed long ago. Now, if you will excuse me, I must visit mum before heading out." Sylvester lifted his three enormous bags, one in each hand and one hanging on his back. While Chonky proudly sat on Sylvester's head like the king he was.
Sylvester kicked Felix out of the house first, then locked the door and proceeded out. On the way, many Bright mothers wished him good luck for whatever he was doing. Then he arrived at the stables and took out the old rotting carriage from days gone.
"Aren't you going to meet Isabella, Lady Aurora, and Gab before leaving?" Felix asked as he helped prepare the carriage.
"I met them yesterday already, so no need." Sylvester climbed into the reinsman seat and bid Felix farewell. "You better be close to becoming an Archwizard by the time I return, Archpriest Felix."
Felix saluted clumsily. "Understood, your esteemed grace. I will just invent a magic pill that will instantly make me as strong as someone who took a century to reach that level."
Sylvester knew Felix was joking. Everyone believed that it was impossible to become an Archwizard so quickly. Sylvester was an exception. Why and how; nobody knew.
"Anything is possible, Felix. Take care now, and don't get her pregnant."
After all, how could Sylvester leave his age-old habit of embarrassing the young ones with words? Even as he went, he left Felix blushing.
Felix stayed standing in the spot until the carriage vanished on the road. His cheerful smile disappeared soon after as he rubbed his face. "Damn you, Sylvester. You forgot that we, God's favoured candidates, are supposed to be smart. I see it all… I see your tired shoulders. I will give my all to growing stronger… I will share the burden with yo… Achooo~!"
He quickly cleaned his nose and groaned. "Is he cursing me again?"
…
Sylvester quickly took a ferry to Guild Peninsula and arrived at the biggest sick bay to find Xavia. She was the big boss of the healers of the entire peninsula, so she had all sorts of benefits in her office, including her own big private office space.
Bam!
"Meow meow!"
Xavia felt Miraj hug her on the chest, so she hugged him back. "Did you eat the breakfast I made, Lord Chonky?"
"Meow meow," Miraj replied cutely while enjoying the head pats from his dear big mum.
Xavia lovingly looked at her son, now much taller and mature-looking. "Every time you go, you return so changed. It aches my heart, but I'm a mother stuck between duty and motherhood. So please be safe, dear. Eat healthy, and stay away from trouble. Did you take all the honey and banana cookies I made for you two?"
"I have taken everything, mum. Though I must say, it's you who must stay safe. Keep Zeke close by, and let the Inquisitors stand guard. I can only work freely if you're safe. As for my safety, I'm taking Sir Dolorem and Bishop Lazark along, and they should already be waiting for me in Green City. Not to mention, your son is now an Archbishop." He proudly raised his chin.
He didn't like acting that way with Xavia and Felix. He was not a young boy. But he had to do it to keep the act going as it reassured the others easily.
Xavia got up and handed him a book. "I was able to find this after asking a Cardinal healer here. This book is from the higher clergy library, and it supposedly teaches internal healing through manipulated Solarium circulation. Try to learn it and be safe."
He accepted the book and bid farewell to Xavia with a hug. "I will send a letter whenever I get time."
He left the building and climbed the cargo carriage. Since the roads were good, he moved fast on Green road. He passed by Bard's shop and noticed the long line as always. He eventually crossed Baron Loveland's castle and the bridge.
The wind was calm and cheering, and the Season of Solis was just around the corner, which meant the peak of summer was starting soon. It was pleasant and soothing for the north, but where he was going soon, the summer was hell.
"Aawoooo…" Miraj tried to eat air while sitting beside Sylvester. "Maxy, how are human babies born?"
Sylvester looked at the furry cat in wonder. "Why are you interested in knowing that?"
"You told Felix not to get pregnant. Will he give birth?" Miraj questioned, understandably so, since he lived his entire life inside Holy Land, in the Bright Mother's housing. He had never seen childbirth.
"Haha, he's a boy, Chonky."
Miraj tilted his head in amusement. "Boys don't give birth?"
"You will learn the answer yourself one day, Chonky. Let's focus on the road now." Sylvester whipped the horses softly and zoomed past the many other carriages on the road.
Eventually, he arrived near the southern gates of Green City. It was crowded like always, as people went in and out regularly while the guards checked those entering.
"Halt!"
Sylvester stopped his carriage and greeted the guards. "I am Archbishop Sylvester Maxmilian, here by invitation from the King." '
Thud!
Abruptly, the metal door was dropped down.
Shhh…!
All ten soldiers there unsheathed their swords and rushed towards Sylvester. But, for some strange reason, Sylvester didn't react at all. 'What the… They smell full of worship, yet brandish swords?'
Clank!
"Lord Bard!"
"Your Grace!"
"Savior of Gracia!"
"My Lord!"
Surprising Sylvester, one after another, all ten soldiers plunged their swords to the ground while kneeling like a knight.
"C-Can we shake your hand, your grace?... Please?!"
"..."
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