NOVEL NEXT 145 - Archmund Goes to a Museum Instead of Anything Real
Archmund suspected the entirety of the museum was ridiculous propaganda.
His first impression was that it was impressive. Row after row of glittering Gemstone artifacts in crystal display cases, with paintings or tapestries or ancient bas-relief sculptures depicting how they'd be used hanging from the walls behind them. On each display case, a little plaque describing the artifact.
He skimmed over one.
"Wielded by Alexander Omnio I… Slew the first of the Frontier Lords, sealing his evil back in Tataros… This incident later inspired one of Ardur's Fables."
He distinctly remembered reading that Ardur had lived roughly 2500 years ago, and the Empire was 2000 years old. The math didn't check out, unless his books had embraced approximation to an inane degree. What was more likely, a 500 year discrepancy, or the plaque before him was a lie?
And Tataros? Tartarus. Greek super-hell. Alexander wasn't even trying to hide it.
But all countries did that sort of thing. They mythologized their own history and painted over the unsavory bits. In that light, the museum wasn't that ridiculous. The magical artifacts actually worked, and they might have even done the mythical feats attributed to them.
He walked past several of the artifacts, taking a few moments on each one, imagining what purpose they might serve and then checking the plaques for what they'd allegedly been used to do. He was completely off in most cases, oddly enough — form and function didn't seem all that strongly married. Gemstone Rings had all sorts of utility — invisibility, limited flight, creating constructs of anything you could imagine. Gemstone wands "cast spells", usually externally upon the world, but those spells could be anything from a simple levitation to the transfiguration of lead to gold (which explained why the economy seemed to run on a Gemstone standard).
Every single one of these artifacts was associated with a grand and noble victory by a hero who embodied honor, fealty, and service over a horrid, detestable enemy who embodied cunning, subversion, and disloyalty. The hero, who served the Empire and its interests, defeated a foe who sought to destroy it so utterly and totally that there could be no one to provide any other sides of the story. The heroes' weapons, of course, were hallowed relics, kept in the deepest reliquaries and armories of the Omnio. This museum merely housed their trinkets and the spoils of war harvested from their fallen foes.
Obviously there was nothing in this museum that was a functional weapon, and he doubted many could break through the display cases.
But there were enough inconsistencies to doubt them as raw truth. He wouldn't say it out loud, of course. He could hardly think of anything stupider than attacking the Imperial myth within its very heart.
"Such ridiculous bullshit!" muttered a voice from next to him. Female. A mass of red curls beneath a thick-brimmed purple cap and many-layered purple robes.
He knew that face. He knew that voice.
"Raehel?"
"Archmund Granavale!" she said. Her eyes widened imperceptibly.
She got up in his face. "Fascinating. Second Awakening already?"
His father slammed her against the wall.
"Lord Granavale… a pleasure to see you too!"
He immediately relaxed. "Raehel, was it?"
"My apologies, milord," she said.
"How did you know I was…"
"Magic sense," Raehel said. "The more you hone it, the easier you can map changes in the numen to our human conception of this universe."
"Fascinating," Archmund said dryly. "I'll have to try it sometimes."
His father gave them both a curt nod, and returned to studying the museum displays. Though he watched them from the corner of his eye.
"Any chance you'll be hiring me again?" Raehel said. "The pocket money sure was nice, and I like taking a job that's not going to be so much trouble."
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"The earth exploded and Monsters rampaged over my holdings."
"And there were five battle-ready nobles there to handle it! I was so glad it didn't have to just be me!"
"I'll have to think about it," Archmund said. In truth, he wasn't so sure she would be that useful a teacher. She'd given him the rough outlines of power and progression, but ultimately his ascension had happened in a burst of brilliant serendipity at a moment of crisis.
"Aw, come on, please! I'm sure I can do something useful for you! I can cast spells at you again, or — oh, I can help you practice moves with that cloak!"
"I said I'll think about it," Archmund said.
"I still don't know how you talk as disappointingly as a twenty year old," Raehel said. "It's hard to believe I'm older than you sometimes."
"So why are you here anyways?" Archmund said, changing the subject, because he liked to avoid discussions of his relative age and maturity at all costs. "Since you don't really seem to… believe…"
"Magic sense," she said. "I'm pretty strong, so my numen is just swirling through the world around me freely. When it runs through the Gems, I get some idea of what they're used for and how strong they are. It's a little tricky because the cases are made of Gem as well, but I'm strong enough to get a good sense even through the interference."
That was yet another skill Archmund could develop, but unlike Raehel, he had a magic tablet and a voice in his head that could guide him towards mastery. It was really too convenient sometimes.
"This stuff fascinates me," Raehel said. "As far as I can tell, all of these artifacts really do what they're claimed to, but some of them have far more potential than have ever been unlocked — and some of them are so weak it's impossible for them to have been used in the legends ascribed to them. It's beautiful, and yet hysterical. The utter brazenness of how made up some of this stuff is."
His father grabbed Archmund by the shoulders. "Alright. It was certainly pleasant speaking with you, Raehel. We'd best be off—"
"They can't touch me, and by extension they can't touch you," she said. "They'd be a fool to slightly inconvenience a Master of the University, and while you're with me you're protected as well."
"I thought you were only at the second or third Awakening," Archmund said.
"You're not the only one who's been practicing," she said.
"What about the Gates? You're hardly at the power of a Master of the University at this time," his father said condescendingly.
"You don't have to give up that much power to get this far inside. I'm almost back to full power. Is it different for you?"
Reginald Granavale looked at her in disbelief. Archmund reflected that one, she truly was a genius, and two, it would probably be possible for him to do the same if he could figure out how she did it.
"Another privilege of diplomacy, then," his father sighed. "But alas. It is a risk I cannot take with my son's safety."
"Hang on," Archmund said.
"Strong she might be, but the Emperor could crush her with but a glance."
"Wait, wait, wait," Raehel said. "This isn't a prohibition on visiting your lands or anything, is it?"
"Of course not," said his father. "But the walls have ears. We're leaving."
Raehel speed-walked besides them as Reginald dragged Archmund towards the door by the cloak. "Wait, wait, you can trust my power—"
"How can I reach you?" Archmund said. "If you're here—"
"Regular mail should do," she said. "If you send it from the capital itself, it'll get to me within the day. From your hometown it'll take however long it takes to get you to the post office."
"I need you to get me some books if you have them, then," he said. "I'll send you the list earlier."
He grasped at the door ineffectually; his father was actually quite a bit stronger than he was. Raehel nodded eagerly.
"I love books! I'll do what I can!"
And then his father wrenched him out the doorway and back into their carriage.
"Was that necessary?" Archmund said as their carriage headed back to their townhouse.
His father gazed outwards at the elegant facades and towering spires of the Imperial City. He took a long sigh before he spoke.
"The University and the Imperial Capital have… an understanding. Both are immensely powerful, but where the Empire derives its strength through the force of relentless organization, the University is ruthless in its classification and stratification of power. The Empire spends much of its power on the majesty of this city, while the University has immensely powerful individuals. It would take a thousand people at Fifth Awakening to incapacitate one at Seventh — which makes the Empire and the University evenly matched."
Archmund did some rough calculations in his head and then stopped bothering. He wasn't going to try to estimate the population of the Imperial City.
"Outright war would be devastating for both," he said.
He wasn't sure just how bad it would be for the University to lose one of their Seventh Awakening people, but given that the Emperor was at the Eight Awakening…
"Exactly. And there's plenty who'd gladly step into that power vacuum. The Church, or the Frontier Lords. They have the resources to do so. We… are better keeping our heads down."
He spoke no more as they rode back, despite Archmund's barrage of questions.
"Brazenly made up?" Archmund said, once they were back in the security of their home. Though he wondered how secure it really was.
"Oh, it's all a little puffed up. People like a better story. A cleaner founding mythology. That doesn't mean it's wise to gain a reputation for pointing it out in public. The mages are well known for their utter disregard for the founding myths of our nation, but they have the power to defend their gross disrespect."
"And will there be issues with associating with her?"
"None at all. Everyone knows they're horrifically disrespectful, and yet their powers and expertises are undeniably useful. It becomes no impugnment at all for a noble to hire a University Mage."
"But to associate outside of business?"
"It looks improper, but matters of this sort are bound to happen. Aren't you precocious?"
Archmund really had no idea what he meant by that.