Chapter 94 - Rewards (Patreon)

They were sitting in the main camp, which during the few days they had been away had grown into a small tent settlement with proper toilets and showers, far superior to anything Arien had built at their own camp.

Everyone from their class group was there, along with Elia, who for some reason had decided to stay with them.

"I still can't believe Adam made fools out of all of you," Pori said.

"He got lucky," Reyna replied. "But yes, he pulled it off."

“Lucky?” Gilly snorted. “Do you really think I would’ve let Mel eliminate me that easily? That was the plan. Now we're getting the Portal!”

Reyna shook her head. “You deliberately eliminated most of your own team to make yourselves look harmless, counted on us to protect you from Basil, and then somehow managed to take Effie’s flag while she was attacking another camp. A lot could’ve gone wrong. What if Greg had been eliminated by Basil? How would Adam have known Effie wasn’t at her base?”

“He would’ve simply abandoned the camp and watched Effie’s team,” Gilly insisted, still excited by the victory. “Besides, he predicted exactly how every team would behave. At first, I didn’t believe him, but he even said you’d come begging us for help. We laughed so hard when he said that.”

"Rey, you're in second place. Efie's third. Stop complaining," Pori said. According to her own account, she'd already come to terms with finishing last during the previous few days.

Arien felt the most sympathy for her. Not because of the last-place finish, but because she hadn't even gotten a chance to prove herself before being eliminated without a fight.

"We should keep an eye on Adam," Sebastian stated. "Predicting your movements isn't that unbelievable. But getting Greg to abandon his own interests for an opponent's sake is noteworthy."

"Isn't that outright against the rules? The Masters should disqualify both Greg and Adam," declared a still-bitter Matt.

Greg’s betrayal had hurt Matt the most. During the battle, Greg had disappeared to notify Adam using an amulet Adam had given him earlier. When Matt learned what had happened, he declared there was no excuse for abandoning your comrades in battle.

"It isn't against the rules. The Masters probably even liked it. Everyone knows the Academy is also supposed to prepare us for future Faction conflicts. But Sebastian is right, we need to watch him."

"Rey, relax," Arien advised, afraid she'd become obsessed with Adam and spend the next month devising ways to neutralize him. He himself felt a certain admiration for the boy. Outsmarting the entire cream of the crop of arrogant aristocratic children was impressive.

Though, the fact that Adam considered Arien a traitor to his own class somehow irritated him more than it should.

"Arien, I still haven't congratulated you on your fights," Pori interrupted, changing the subject. "First defending against Basil's team. Then demolishing Liam and Madri. And when it turned out you survived Efie's attack and wanted to keep fighting. Half the camp was cheering for you. I think even the Masters were hoping for a duel between you and Efie. What a climax that would've been for the tournament!"

"That's true," Gilly agreed. "You were phenomenal. Especially against Liam. I don't know if I could've coordinated everything so perfectly. The best part was the look on his face." The girl laughed, unsuccessfully trying to imitate the shocked expression of the beastkin.

"Looks like you weren't bored here," Arien replied, slightly embarrassed.

He had no idea the Masters had created something resembling a broadcasting studio for the students who were no longer participating in the competition, complete with several magical screens showing the battles live. From what he'd gathered, it wasn't even particularly advanced magic, apparently it merely combined the Aspects of Air and Light.

Maybe he should have been more careful, but with the upcoming Arena battles, it would soon become obvious anyway that he was someone to be reckoned with. Of course, he could intentionally lose. But the points awarded for victories were something he absolutely had to obtain if he wanted to remain at the Academy. They could be exchanged for artifacts, among other things, as well as private lessons with the Masters. In other words, his future at the Academy would depend on them.

A small commotion began to spread through the camp. The Masters were finally ready to announce the official results and rewards, so everyone started making their way toward the edge of the camp, where a huge magical scoreboard had appeared, suspended in midair.

After a few minutes, once everyone had gathered in a semicircle, Master Cerick greeted them in a somewhat warmer tone than before.

“Welcome, everyone, and congratulations on the last few days, filled with battles and unexpected twists. I hope each of you takes at least one valuable lesson away from this tournament. If so, then it means we have achieved our intended goal! I know you must be exhausted, so we won’t drag this ceremony out. A list of things each of you can improve, along with a general report of your personal performance during the competition, will be sent to you by mail tomorrow.”

Arien glanced around at his teammates. He hadn’t realized the Academy had been observing them closely enough to prepare individual reports.

Then he remembered how much time he had spent lying around camp doing absolutely nothing.

Reyna caught his eye and smiled. Of course she had known.

“Today, however, we congratulate all of you, but especially the winners. Please give a round of applause for Adam Uthelson and his team!”

The Master began clapping, and the other Masters and assistants followed suit. Scattered applause arose from the students, but most of them didn’t seem particularly pleased that someone from the common folk had won. Especially in such a manner.

“Each member of Group Two may choose either participation in the Portal or twenty points at the start of the semester,” Master Bonette announced.

“Second place, with twenty-seven points, goes to Group Three. Each member receives six points.

“Third place, with twenty-four points, goes to Group One. Each member receives three points.

“Now for the bonus rewards.”

The Master paused, and everyone looked at one another.

There were bonus rewards?

“We didn’t mention them because we didn’t want them influencing your decisions,” Master Bonette added with a teasing smile.

“Each Ratglider token was worth one additional point. Unfortunately, nobody caught a single one, so... well, sometimes that happens. Though our poor assistants worked so hard catching them for you...

“Now, for the highest number of defeated opponents. Four points go to Arien Terryson! A round of applause for him!”

This time, the applause was much louder than it had been for Adam’s team, which pleasantly surprised Arien.

Four extra points. 

Someone patted him on the back. Someone shouted his name. He couldn’t deny that it felt pretty good.

“And now, for the most spectacular battle, according to the unanimous opinion of the Masters gathered here and those observing from the Academy,” the Master continued. “Efie Coldhart! Three points!”

Once again, loud applause erupted, though not quite as enthusiastic as before. Arien himself clapped vigorously. Efie’s performance truly could be considered the most spectacular.

“Additionally, everyone who earned an armband receives one extra point. Now, something very important.”

The Master silenced the growing commotion with a single wave of her hand.

“Members of the teams that placed second and third may transfer their points to whomever they wish. This is a special exception to the Academy’s ranking rules. You may even sell them for money. We will not concern ourselves with that. 

“If someone reaches twenty points through such transfers, they will be allowed to exchange them for entry into the Portal alongside the winners. 

“You have time until we arrive back at the Academy by carriage. Once there, please report your decision to Assistant Yrick. And again, congratulations to all of you for your efforts. We depart in one hour.”

With that announcement, the Master left them sitting on the grass in stunned silence and walked away with the rest of the faculty.

The silence lasted only a moment before the camp erupted into noise.

Some students complained that nobody had told them about the personal rewards for Ratglider tokens. Others immediately began offering money for transferable points. 

Arien barely had time to process the announcement before several aristocrats surrounded him, offering cash and vaguely defined favors in exchange for his points. With eleven to sell, he had more than anyone else still looking for a buyer.

Fortunately, Reyna grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the crowd before negotiations could begin.

“Thanks,” he said, rubbing his neck lightly. The girl was strong.

“You’re welcome. And don’t worry, I’m not going to ask for your points. You earned them, and they’ll be useful later.”

“Uh... thanks?” To be honest, he was a little surprised. Reyna often liked to say that anything could be bought if you had enough money. But she was right. The points would be useful.

Their group slowly gathered together, remaining slightly apart from the pandemonium unfolding nearby. They sat in a circle, discussing the new implications of the announcement. In particular, they debated how the competition might have gone if they had known about the Ratgliders. Some claimed nothing would have changed, while others predicted the teams would have fallen apart entirely, with everyone hunting monsters on their own to earn points.

Eventually, after nearly half an hour, Pori and Reyna joined them, collapsing onto the grass in exhaustion.

“So? Did you manage it?” Madri asked.

The girls were the only members of the group who had joined the scramble for points. The rest either lacked the desire or the necessary funds.

“Reyna bought three points, and I bought five,” Pori said with a heavy sigh. “But don’t ask how much it cost me.”

“That’s still not bad,” Sebastian remarked. “I feel like killing Basil for knocking us out at the very start of the tournament.”

“There will be more opportunities in the future,” Reyna said, though her usual confidence was missing from her voice.

“The Academy places a lot of emphasis on similar competitions and tournaments in later years. And they’re not all based on combat. Apparently, during sixth year there’s an inter-semester Mana Manipulation competition.”

“Gilly, you’ll have to tell us everything you see in the Portal,” Matt emphasized. “Every detail.”

The girl blushed slightly. “I’m sorry you won’t be there! I promise I’ll describe everything step by step, as if you were there yourselves.”

“Well then, time to head to the carriages. At last I’ll get to sleep in a real bed!” Arien announced, standing up and stretching loudly.

In the end, Arien was glad he had participated. He had gotten a few good fights, spent several days outside the city, picked up new ideas from watching Effie’s magic, and earned enough points to give himself a strong start to fifth year.

More than any of that, the applause after his fights had stayed with him. It had felt as though he truly belonged there.

“Rey, wait!” she heard a familiar voice call as she headed toward her family’s waiting carriage.

“What is it, Arien?” She felt utterly exhausted and dreamed only of going to sleep, but she decided to be polite. After all, she still hadn’t properly thanked him for the showers. Pori hadn’t stopped praising him after discovering what he had built for their group. Only Efie’s camp had enjoyed similar comforts.

“You know,” Arien said, “I was thinking on the way back that I probably won’t use my points for a while. If you want, I could lend them to you.”

“Lend them?” Reyna frowned. Once points were entered into the official rankings, they couldn’t normally be transferred.

“You see, I’ll mostly need points to buy artifacts, manuals, elixirs, and time with experts,” he said without the slightest trace of resentment or envy in his voice, something she always appreciated. “You, on the other hand, have access to most of those things through your family. So what would you say if I lent you the points now, and over the course of the year, you paid me back with the equivalent value in supplies and lessons from experts? I know you can’t hire any Academy Master without points, but I assume your family has friendly mages with a similar level of skill?”

“That... that could work,” she said, feeling her mind suddenly begin to race.

Her family had access to artifacts and study materials at least as good as anything the Academy offered, and arranging instruction with experienced mages would hardly be difficult.

But what was in it for him?

He could sell the points and use the money to acquire the same things. Maybe even more. Finding buyers would be easy.

“Why?” she finally asked, too tired to unravel his motives herself.

“Why what?”

“Why are you offering this to me? We both know you could get a better deal from me, or from anyone else. Even keeping the points seems more beneficial.”

“And do I need some hidden motive?” he asked. “Can’t I just help a friend?”

“No?” she replied, genuinely baffled. Surely he didn’t expect her to believe that.

“Ugh. Sometimes I feel sorry when I watch all of you,” he said, more to himself than to her. “It’s just that you’re always complaining about how you can’t get into certain shops and other places because you’ve never been through a Portal. And I know it genuinely bothers you. So if I can help you with that, why not? You can assume I intend to take advantage of the connections and opportunities you gain there afterward, if that helps you sleep better,” he said, rolling his eyes.

Yes, that did provide him with some long-term benefit. But he could have obtained that same access through money. She herself could have acquired certain items found there through intermediaries long ago. 

What truly irritated her was simply the fact that she had never been able to enter personally.

“So? Do we have a deal?” Arien asked, waving the signed slip of paper.

“We do.” She wasn’t going to refuse an offer that good. “Tomorrow I’ll send a lawyer with a contract covering everything we agreed on.”

“That won’t be necessary,” he replied with a shrug.

“But what if I cheat you?” she asked irritably.

“Would you?”

“No.”

“Then that’s enough for me. Nobody else needs to know about it,” he said with a grin and a wink, handing her the slip. “See you around.”

“Wait,” she called after him.

He looked back at her.

“I’m sorry about what happened at my estate. I really didn’t know it would end like that. None of my family was supposed to be there. My father…”

Arien’s grin disappeared.

“I’m sorry.”

Why was that word so hard to say?

Arien remained silent for a moment. “I understand, Rey. We don’t get to choose our families. Just remember that it’s up to us whether we end up becoming like our parents.”

He gave her a small smile. “Enjoy the rest of the semester break.”

Whether we end up becoming like our parents…

The words brought back another voice from years ago, one she had tried hard to forget.

Your father is a monster…

Reyna shook her head. This was not the time to think about her mother.

She waited until Arien was a few steps away before looking down at the slip in her hand. She had no intention of cheating him. If anything, she would make sure he received slightly more than the value of the points he had lent her.

What unsettled her was how easily he had trusted her.

Arien could be infuriatingly naive about some things and remarkably perceptive about others, but during the tournament he had done everything she had asked of him and more. Now he had helped her again without demanding anything beyond a fair exchange.

Normally, she would have started wondering what he wanted from her and how much trust was safe to return. Right now, she was too tired for any of that.

Maybe having an actual friend could be that simple. The thought brought Effie to mind, and then Pori.

By the time she reached the carriage, something else had pushed those thoughts aside.

She was actually going inside a Portal.

Smiling to herself, Reyna climbed in. Several minutes later, she was asleep.

The good news is that I’ve finished most of the edits for Book 2, so I can finally focus more on Book 3. Yesterday I managed to write two chapters, and I discovered that I absolutely love writing fights where the Skills of warriors, mages, and other professions counter each other, and the stakes are literally life or death.

It’s also been a month since the last Q&A. We’ve had a lot of new faces since then, and the story has moved forward quite a bit, so sometime next week I’ll make a post where you can submit questions. You can also start sending them to me by DM now if you want.

I’ve also got a few ideas for how to give you a little more value in return for your support, but first I want to see how many new chapters I can realistically write now that I’m not spending quite as much time on edits.