Ambient Mage

*Duchess Svarmet's Pov*

If you had asked me 3 days ago if I was worried for my children I would have said no.

If you asked me 2 days ago I would have said no.

Yesterday would have been the same.

But today, today was different.

I saw the exhaustion wear down their smiles.

The invisible scars on their bodies.

Their bodies had enough time to heal but what about their mind?

What was the academy's plan in this?

I needed answers.

But that comes later.

I held my children up with magic carrying them to their beds.

I found that the summon Lucas had was sitting on his stomach.

I had heard from Aura that it was cute, which it was, but I couldn't take time to really play with it.

My children in everything came first.

***

*Lucas' Pov*

-A few weeks ago-

"Lucas isn't it time yet?"

"Actually yeah, I have free time, so let's get started."

Armoria and Kimoria had been on me for the weeks after the dorms to teach them about the techniques I had used against the demon.

"Let's begin with a test for where your skills are at this point."

"Armoria for you the first test will be a silent cast test."

"Cast a silent spell, one you are proficient in since this test fails if you base your ability to use silent casting on casts you can barely manage in a fight."

"As for you Kimoria, we are here at the training grounds."

"You will dodge my sword swings and magic attacks."

"After a certain time I will give you the go ahead to attack."

"Following that, I will stop you once more."

"And then repeat the process until you are too tired to keep going.

"So in reality today is essentially a skills test?"

Armoria asked.

"Yes. I can't teach you skills that jump you up levels without the proper handling that's dangerous."

"That's absolutely fair."

With that, I began with basic swings at Armoria.

'Master, if you please, I can guide your swings if you wish to observe the other girl momentarily.'

'Thank you Isla, that would be great.'

'Very well master.'

The sword thrummed as my basic attacks got more refined.

Kimoria was still easily dodging.

"The movement area is going to decrease, so increase your movement speed."

I told Kimoria.

As I watched Armoria I realized her silent casts were all over the place.

They weren't bad, but innefficient mana wise.

She had begun with a silent cast of the first circle.

"Armoria begin to silent cast a 2nd circle spell if you are able."

"I am not."

"Then please sit for a little while, I think I already have a grasp of where I need to lead you to be able to learn silent casting of the 3rd circle."

"Yes. ....."

I didn't quite catch the last part.

Maybe it was in a different language.

I wasn't fully aware of the twins' lineage.

In game, I never really made them party members, but I had interacted with them.

So I took the effort to learn a few more human languages aside from gnomish.

There are only 4 main dialects of the human language.

One from each major province.

If I had to say what they were like, the empires language was like rough butter.

The principality was like a smooth stone.

Different styles of speaking, different tones, accents, and inflections.

The Narita empire was like moving water.

Fast paced, information driven, but silky smooth.

As for the last one, it was from the barbarians.

It was like tree bark.

Rough, short, and often had layers.

It was quite the complicated language despite the people's way of life.

As for any regional dialect, most were branches of those 4.

The twins for the most part looked Masvisian.

But if you really strained your eyes you can see the other 3 human cultures in them too.

"Lucas if you stare at my sister so intently while fighting me, how am I supposed to feel?"

Kimoria asked.

"Sorry, I was just wondering where your ancestry lies."

"But you may now attack."

My moves had gone beyond basic movements.

I had begun to strike with feints and combinations.

As she attacked she began to tell me about her life.

"Well, our father was from the Principality."

Kimoria told me.

"But our mother was from the barbarian lands, as we call it here."

Not only had I explored the entirety of the barbarian lands in the game, I had fully played through one of the barbarian girl's storyline.

How come these two never came up?

I guess they never told anyone.

"Actually, I have decent knowledge of the land of the giants."

They looked shocked.

Kimoria stopped swinging as well.

"Then let's stop here for today, it seems we have lost focus on the original goal."

The girls acquiesced but didn't want me to leave just yet.

"Lucas join us for a minute."

The two girls sat down to either side of me.

"So do you know where the Karika tribe comes from?"

Of the barbarian lands, or as they refer to them land of the giants, there are 6 locations.

The game made it so they were like the giants themselves.

One ice, one fire, one grass and trees, one for the short, one for the tall, and finally the one for the strongest.

The 6 areas were like a 5 point star with the 6th in the middle.

The Karika tribe begins in the lower left limb, and moves towards the middle right limb.

Overall it's one of the bigger clans.

"Yes."

"Then that makes this easier."

"So our mother was from the east side, moving down for her own quest."

"Along the way she met our scholarly father who she found amusing as a pet, and took back with her to the lands as a trophy."

"While he wasn't happy about being brought as a pet, his mind brushed the issue aside since he was learning about the land of the giants."

"Something even the greatest scholars couldn't do."

The way the twins were taking turns explaining was cute.

It was like watching baby birds fight over a worm.

And whoever impressed the mom got the worm.

I wonder what the worm is in this metaphor.

"In the end, my father's constant in our mother's life, rounded her sharp edges, at least in daily life, she is still very much a hunter."

"In time their dynamic changed."

"Our father took over, and he led our mom back to the principality to enjoy the luxuries."

"They went deep into the countryside."

"Our mother loved the area, but despised the principality, so they comprimised, and came here."

"And that's when we were born."

"Sounds like a touching love story."

"It does seem picturesque doesn't it?"

"So do the two of you speak any other languages?"

"Well, I don't," said Kimoria, "but my sister does."

"I speak Karikan, and Masvisian."

"Our dad though can speak Karikan, Masvisian, and Krinzes."

Krinzes being the official title of the language of the Principality.

"Our mom speaks fluent Masvisian, but has complete mastery of Karikan, as for Krinzes, she has mostly forgotten it."

"Your parents seem like interesting people."

"I think they are a little out of the norm for most people here."

"However, in reality, they are much like other families."

"I kind of want to meet them."

I said offhandedly.

"Well, you can, ....."

Again Armoria's voice trailed off, like she only said 'Well you can'.

I immediately filed away the sounds I heard for translation later.

"Lucas you should definitely come over, mom would love to see a real noble person."

"Really?"

"Yes, she thinks they are quite interesting people too."

"Then I guess after practice sometime you guys can introduce me."

With that our first day of practice ended.

***

And the second started.

"Armoria your knowledge on silent casting is lacking which is something we need to work on first."

"As for you Kimoria, you have the skills necessary, but your swordsmanship style has to change to accomodate learning this footwork, otherwise your thrusts and slashes will end up at their pinnacle as you are already moving away from the opponent."

I took turns moving between each sister, giving them pointers on their work.

A comment on aggressiveness here, a note on circulation there.

They were already making fast progress.

***

The third day passed, and then the next, and the one after that one too.

Finally after a few weeks had passed, and the Oskarog incident finished, they were ready to learn from me, desite my healing arm.

Both of them had seen rapid improvement of their combat abilities following our training.

Kimoria's movement was less edgy, and Armoria could use silent casting in the second cirle with minimal mana loss.

"Before we finally get around to learning your techniques, we should probably do the same for you."

What did that mean?

"What?"

"We're bringing you to our family today."

Meet the parents huh?

This isn't terrifying in the slightest.

As we neared a gate in the city, Armoria warned me.

"It may get a little hectic here so just be prepared okay?"

I nodded I had chocked off the entire day to training them, so this was okay right?

We walked through the gate and were transported to the southeastern part of the empire.

"Wow you guys live far."

"We know, it was only recently we got a gate here."

"I see, and how long have you live here?"

"Well, our parents lived here for 20 years or so."

"We've been here our entire life."

They walked over to a small cottage house.

It had two stories, and looked nice.

"...... ... ........ .. .... ... ......."

Words were spoken here, and according to my 3 or so week long translation, it should ne "We're home, and we have a guest."

The door was open, and I sat outside waiting for an invitation as they weren't sure of the house's integrity yet.

"[Hahaha, mom, dad, Mia and Ria brought home a boy.]"

A child's voice echoed as it sounded like a race was going on.

"[He looks like a noble.]"

Another child's voice, but female this time.

After that the thunderous race noises ceased and the owners came to the front.

"[Welc-] Sorry, a bad habit I picked up when greeting my girls, how are you?"

"I'm doing well, I'm Lucas by the way."

I bowed to her.

The mom was a smokeshow, like wow.

Whoever the husband was, was a lucky guy.

"[Lucas stop leering at my mom.]"

"[Leave the boy alone Mia, he's just surprised. Your dad was too when he was younger.]"

"[Ew, mom I didn't want to know that.]"

"Come in, Lucas."

I saw a decently normal looking guy sitting at the table.

He was certainly handsome, and would be rated 7 or 8 out of 10.

He had no special features like a perfect face, chiseled jawline, or muscles, but he just looked good.

I could understand in passing why these girls never paid much attention to looks in the academy.

Who in reality could look like these two?

"Gawking at my mom, staring at my dad, jeez Lucas, I said meet my parents not look at them."

He put the newspaper down.

"Ah, hello, you must be the boy she's talking about."

I tilted my head, before turning it towards the twins.

Kimoria immediately sold her sister out by pointing.

"I wondered what kind of person you were when she mentioned that there was a pretty noble boy in her classes, but she was right."

"Your face is something else."

I didn't know what to say.

Thanks Fiadh for the makeover.

"So, what is your noble rank if I may ask?"

He seemed a little nonchalant about talking to a noble.

Even if it was a supposed noble.

I scrutinized him a while longer.

I recognized his face.

But where?

I stepped back as I came to a horrifying realization.

The three princes of the principality, or more accurately the three sons of the pope, and king, were originally 4.

However the third prince ran away, leaving only small vestiges of his prescence in the castle walls.

Even in the game, the only way to find his portrait was to obtain the key to a painting in the main hall from the kings quarters.

Inside the painting was the third prince's hideout.

It was a secret location and one the game gave you a trophy for.

I immediately kneeled and brang my hand up to my chest.

He immediately stood up almost angry.

I tilted my head down, and began to speak.

"I greet the third guiding light of the world."

"Well, this was not how I imagined meeting, but well met regardless."