The crowd parted ways as several people approached Val.
Val looked at them and raised his eyebrow.
‘What do these big shots want from me?’
“You were a great help during the Beast Tide. You made a significant difference out there. I can’t praise you enough,” Marshall patted Val’s shoulder. The young man had really made the northerners proud today.
“I just did what I thought was best,” Val replied to Marshall modestly.
“I’ve never seen a man as fearless as you,” Yona stepped forward and confessed to Val.
“I get that often,” Val replied to her with a smile.
His smile made him look all the more charming, causing her to blush at his undeniable charisma.
Suddenly, Jareth appeared before Yona and Val.
Looking sternly at Val, he said, “What you did was commendable because it worked out. But next time, it might not. Rushing towards danger and not listening to the orders of your superiors is foolish. So don’t do it again. I am saying this for your own good.”
Val narrowed his eyes subtly.
‘Does he think I don’t know that? If I wasn’t confident in my abilities, I would have never done that.’
However, he kept quiet with his lips pressed together as he didn’t want to escalate the one-sided argument into a full-blown conflict.
“Don’t mind him. Jareth is a rigid man who likes to follow the rule book to the letter. He believes there’s a proper process for everything, and doesn’t like people who think otherwise,” Yona chimed in.
“Yona, you…”
Jareth felt flustered.
Whose side was she on?
“I don’t mind,” Val said to Yona.
Actually, Val believed that if a dog barks at you and you bark back, it will only make you look bad. Unless a dog tries to bite you, you don’t need to go for the kill.
“Val,” Marshall said. 𝗈𝚟𝓵ℯxt.𝕔𝑂𝔪
Val turned to him with a raised brow, “Yes?”
“You’re a capable man, Val. If it were up to me, I would have given you a spot in the team that will deal with the recent dungeon break. But doing so would be showing favoritism. Although I am the leader of the lower city guards, I can’t break the rules of the Frontier. You understand me?”
Val nodded.
“If you’re interested, make sure to attend tomorrow’s training event,” Marshall said.
This was the most he could do to help him.
“I will think about it,” Val said.
Night arrived after a while.
The sky tonight wasn’t clear.
The moons and the stars were hidden behind the clouds.
The world was submerged in darkness.
The houses and buildings of the Frontier were aglow with light.
In one such illuminated abode, two young people sat opposite each other at a small table, enjoying some high-quality tea.
They were Val and Oliver.
“So we finally have a chance to chat without interruption. What was the proposition you wanted to discuss?” Val asked.
“Val, I come from the Destiny Walker Family. To become a member of our family, one needs to pass three tests. The first is to become a low-level wizard, the second is to gain the acknowledgment of a Destiny Walker, and the last is to learn the Anti-gravity technique. You’ve already passed two of these. You’ve become a low-level wizard and gained my acknowledgment. If you learn the anti-gravity technique, you can become a part of the Destiny Walkers. Are you willing?” Oliver asked.
Val contemplated this before asking, “I have a few questions.”
“And I don’t mind providing answers,” Oliver said.
“What are the benefits of becoming a Destiny Walker?” Val asked.
“The Destiny Walker Family is one of the fairest families in the wizard community. As long as you become a mid-level wizard and don’t do anything forbidden, you will be given the chance to form your nascent soul by the family head. Moreover, my family holds considerable sway in the kingdom, although it isn’t publicly known. What I am trying to say is if you ever have issues with the authorities, my family can easily help you get out of trouble,” Oliver said.
“Are there any obligations I should be aware of if I join the Destiny Walker Family?” Val asked.
“There aren’t any. And you’re free to leave anytime you want. We’re not as stringent as other wizard families that force their rules onto members. We respect individual wishes and autonomy,” Oliver answered.
“Who is the family head?” Val asked.
“It’s Lord Lucious,” Oliver replied.
Val’s eyes widened.
This deal sounded too good to be true.
However, Oliver had no reason to lie to him.
“I accept your offer, Oliver. But, I haven’t met the third requirement yet. I haven’t learned the anti-gravity technique yet.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll teach you the anti-gravity technique.”
“Right now?”
Oliver simply nodded in response.
“The anti-gravity technique requires you to use a certain amount of Soul Power to negate the G force of the world. The amount varies according to a person’s weight and size. Finding the exact amount and keeping the output of soul power consistent are the keys to successfully executing this technique. Do you understand?” Oliver explained to Val patiently.
“Yeah, I think I do,” Val replied, nodding his head slowly.
“Now, try it,” Oliver instructed.
Val was taken aback, hearing his words. He asked, “That’s it?”
Oliver nodded before saying, “Like I said before, the exact value varies from person to person. It changes according to one’s build. I can’t help you find it. You need to find it yourself. But don’t be afraid of failing. Usually, it requires countless tries to get it right. The previous wizard king had said that mastery of the anti-gravity skill is built on repeated attempts and failures. No one can skip this step.”
Val scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Well, it’s not too hard. I just need to offset the gravitational force acting on my body with an equal and opposite force created by my Soul Power, and I should be able to pull it off.”
Oliver gave him a surprised look. “That’s one way to put it, though I’ve never heard it explained so… scientifically before. Besides, the exact value of Eldrich’s gravitational force is yet to be determined. So how are you going to do it?”
“Who said I haven’t already determined it?” Val smiled mysteriously.