Re: Zero - Dawn Eater

"It's a summons?" Hedin sat on a sofa, right in the middle of Roswaal's office. Opposite him sat Emilia and the clown, behind which stood Rem.

"That's right." Emilia nodded in seriousness. "It's from the wise council. Maybe they have something to say about the selection. Even we have not been told of the real reason behind it."

Hedin scratched his chin, in thought.

"Well, if it's an important summons, we can't help but go, can we?"

"That's riiiiight." Roswaal chimed, his lips curled into a small smile. "It'll be a weeeeeek long trip. I will aaaaalso arrange you to leaaaarn magic in the capital. Sir Feeeelix is not one that agrees to such requests quiiickly. It's you luck that I was able to convince him."

A low chuckle escaped his lips.

Hedin smiled smugly and leaned back into the sofa. "Well, then should I say thank you? Even though you're only paying me back?"

He could afford such levels of casualness. He had stayed here for a month by now and his station was also important.

"Noooot at aaaaal." Roswaal shrugged his shoulders. "I was merely saying that this triiip might become looooonger than a week for you."

Hedin nodded in understanding. That was very logical. Not only was he going to be learning healing, but also Yang Magic.

Speaking of, his Spirits Arts studies had been coming along nicely. Turns out, spirit arts were actually a lot more complicated than they looked.

It was different for different levels of spirits. For lesser spirits with no consciousness, the contractor had to do most of the heavy lifting with mana control and such. Without the proper control, the spirit's power could even hurt the caster due to mana backlash.

Fully formed spirits could outright ignore such restrictions.

And it was not like a single person could make a contract with a spirit of every element. Spirit affinity usually played a much more pivotal role in such things.

But to talk of him, he had finished his studies and his spiritual affinity was 'scary' as Emilia put it. And if Puck's analysis was anything to go by, his spirit affinity had apparently become stronger.

Hedin theorized that his spirit affinity would stretch as far as his glory would, which meant that he could theoretically scale it infinitely. Of course, it was a different matter to put into practice – but the fact was, so long as he kept getting stronger, his spirit affinity would only grow.

All that was left was to make some contracts.

"Rem will accompany us to the capital while Ram will stay here." Emilia said.

Just then, Hedin threw a glance at Rem. She smiled sweetly towards him and tilted her head.

He was happy that she was coming but that was not the part that stuck out to him.

"Ram is staying here? Alone?" Hedin asked, incredulous.

He knew the pink haired maid. She was... subpar at household work and even worse at cooking. The only think she could make that could be considered good was mashed tatoes.

"Ram is peeeerfectly capable of managing this place aloooooone." Roswaal was quick to say.

"Right." Somehow, Hedin doubted that. Inwardly, he imagined a comical scene. After a week, Emilia and Roswaal return to the mansion, only to find it covered with spider webs and the kitchen reduced to cinders.

Can't say I wouldn't find such a scene amusing. Hedin felt his poker face and after a bit of discussion, everything was decided.

Preparations were made and then they were off to the capital, post haste.

...

...

...

"Now, where should I look for Reinhard?" Hedin mused as he walked through the busy streets of the Capital.

The towering buildings rose around him, white and red and draped in all kinds of colourful fabrics. Towers rose in the distance, their white stone glinting in the sunlight and the crowds moved through the stone paved paths in a collective symphony.

Ground dragons pulled carriages and loot carts around, heading off to different districts and a black bird flew high in the sky, overlooking everything from the high heavens.

Hedin felt a bit nostalgic about the place. It was, after all, where he had first appeared. The closely pressing streets that branched off like a web, the paved roads, the bustle in the street, the hawkers calling out their wares, the multitude of shops scattered all around - it was extremely reminiscent of Mulberry.

Hedin chuckled. When he had first arrived, he could never associate the capital with Mulberry. There was a world's difference between them.

Now? After staying so long in Arlam Village, he could see a sliver of his own city in this capital.

Arlam Village, although peaceful, was devoid of the fast city life he was used to.

"Didn't Emilia mention something about the Astrea family estate? And the Guard Post? Which one should I visit first?" He mused as he adjusted his hat. Like his first time in the capital, he was receiving all kinds of stares. His choice was fashion, darker colours and a hat that concealed his hair alongside red eyes were never a commonly seen mix.

Of course, the blade he now held strapped behind his back played into that.

He reached into the side pocket of the trench coat and stroked a seal he had gotten from Emilia.

It was not her own official seal. Apparently, she had yet to make one. The problem was, she wasn't a noble by birth and could not logically make her own seal. And so, she had adopted her sponsor's seal for the time.

Roswaal didn't even let up on a seal... well, that's to be expected from him... or his family? Should I say? The seal was also every bit opulent and attention catching as the clown himself.

He connected with Raven and told it to search for the guard post. If he didn't find Reinhard there, he would go to his estate.

The reason he was out finding the sword saint was to get a heads up on Felt's situation. Hedin didn't trust Knights in the first place. And a girl like Felt, thief by profession and on such a knight's mercy? It rang all the wrong bells in his mind.

Although he was sure about Reinhard's own character, doubt still remained. Especially after he had learnt not to judge things by glory alone.

And so, after Raven filled him up on the details, Hedin made his way to the guard post.

Moving through the rough crowds was never as easy task, but Hedin's large frame was surprisingly nimble as he moved through them.

He turned away from the main street, opting to enter through the smaller ones.

Eventually, he reached the guard post.

It was a large building, almost 6 story in size.

It was made with carved white stone, mixed in with shades of blue and red. A mix of red and golden drapes hung from the walls, emblazoned upon them the symbol of the knight order and the royal family of lugunica.

Hedin went to the front and showed the guards the seal. It was quite a small thing but looked as if it had been minted with every possible colour imaginable. The guards instantly straightened upon realization that Hedin bore the seal of the Margrave.

As he stated his business, he was immediately led inside.

"The sword saint is not here currently. We shall connect you with a conference mirror."

Conference mirrors. Hedin had read about them too.

They were mirrors that connected to another, connecting people over vast distances. They were called Meteors. Hedin's own world had something similar, only that it couldn't transmit images.

He was left to a room with multiple such mirrors. Around each mirror was a wall of glass, no doubt to conceal the nosie inside.

Hedin moved along the guard who led him to a mirror and began operating it.

Just a moment later, the image of a handsome male with bright red hair and sapphire blue eyes appeared on the screen!

That's impressive. Hedin's eyes shone upon seeing this.

"Hello? Reinhard?" Hedin called out as the guard moved outside and closed the glass door behind him.

"Hmm?" Reinhard looked at him for a split second before recognition flared on his face. He gave a charming smile. "Hello, Hedin. It's been a while hasn't it?"

"Indeed it has." Hedin chuckled. "I remember the last time, you were taking away a small unwilling girl."

Reinhard chuckled with a strained curl of his lips. "Please do not jest about such things."

"Alright alright." Hedin nodded along, not wishing to bother the poor sword saint further.

"I wished to check up on Felt and Old Man Rom." Hedin continued. "Rom's state was pretty anemic last time and Felt herself wasn't too happy going with you. Now that I've come here, I figured might as well check up on them."

"Ah, right. I do remember hearing from some nobles that Lady Emilia had acquired an attendant. You have come alongside them, I see." The sword saint nodded in understanding. But then, an apologetic expression crept up his face.

"But I'm afraid I cannot yet reveal how Lady Felt and Rom are."

Lady? That word again. It was something Hedin had noticed the last time too.

"I can however-" Reinhard spoke, breaking Hedin out of his thoughts. "Tell you that everything about them will be revealed tomorrow. At the meeting conducted by the wise council."

Such importance? He remembered that Reinhard had said that the matter was of the utmost importance and concerned the highest authority in Lugunica - the dragon tablet and the wise council.

Stopping for a moment, Hedin nodded.

"I trust you." He said.

In the mirror, he watched Reinhard's smile widen ever so slightly.

"I am thankful." He said.

After some more talking concerning different subjects, the call was cut off.

Hedin walked out of the small cabin and was escorted outside.

The guard post, as he had come to find out, was surprisingly empty. Only a few guards here and there and no other people.

It's probably only for official purposes.

He mused to himself but still found it a bit strange.

Or that every guard is out on patrols at the time. That was a more plausible assessment.

Walking out of the guard post building, Raven landed on his hat and croaked once.

"Hmm." Hedin scratched his chin, wondering what else to do.

I don't really have anything else to do. The only thing I was out for was completed. Should I go sightseeing? I can see all such sights through Raven's eyes. It's a lot more impressive from so high up too.

For a moment, Hedin was at a loss.

Whatever, I'll just wander around and go and eat some of Rem's cooking.

Rem's cooking was one of the best he had ever tasted. And it stood to reason that he had become a bit addicted. The taste was simply too good to let go of.

Thinking of Rem, Hedin again felt a wave of doubt creep into his mind.

...

Not much had changed in the capital. The middle class still had small houses and the sizes of the buildings only increased as one went up the incline.

At the top rested the royal palace.

It was not so much clever building than it was idiotic, in Hedin's own views.

Such a blatant show of their 'superior' positions was bound to cause problems in case of public unrest. People hate being shover information to their faces. They hate being shown that they might be below someone.

In that respect, Hedin again felt that his own world was superior. They practiced power not by a show of blatant architecture and social hierarchy, but by clever manipulations.

Such a system, he felt, could stand a lot longer.

Civil War had happened some decades prior, and its effects were still visible in the kingdom.

No Empire is ever so grand that it lasts an Eternity.

That was Hedin's honest assessment. It was all over the place. If anything, he would say that the kingdom was parodying itself, showcasing such an extreme social divide.

But what can be excepted from a medieval society. Not to mention one that hinges so much on military might. Everything still very much depends on face to face interactions and hard power. Without proper networks, information exchanges and companies at play, not to mention the absence of a king, soft power is hard to practice.

Hedin sat atop a ledge that overlooked a large chunk of the capital. He was somewhere in the noble's district.

Raven sat cuddled up beside him as Hedin petted it.

"What will become of this country... it's in such a mess." He chuckled.

"Will Emilia even be able to take care of it?"

"Maybe! Maybe!" Raven croaked an answer.

"Maybe huh..." Hedin narrowed his eyes, overlooking the city. "From so high up, everything looks so peaceful. As if all the world's problems have melted away. It's only down there that you begin to see the problems. Emilia is studying hard... but each candidate has their own desires."

He shook his head and stood up on the ledge. Raven, still wanting more pets pulled on his leg. Hedin scoffed and kicked it away, which prompted it to come close and peck his ears.

Flutter! Flitter!

The raven's wings flapped and fluttered as it attacked Hedin. He didn't move, only continuing to look at the city.

"Maybe Emilia will succeed. Maybe she won't... it all depends on what happens from here on." He chuckled, and let himself fall.

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Throw some stones.

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(Image Here)

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A/N: Read upto 10 advanced chapters on my patreon: patreon . c o m/Yesnth Just remove the spaces from between.

Cheers~