Chapter 84-85

More chapters coming out tomorrow. Building a backlog for Patreon so we can do dailies here too and people stop complaining about batch releases. Now I have to edit said backlog. 😭

Chapter 84

Hellbane Sword (Platinum Rank)

I look at the Crystal and put it back in my sack. I feel its cold weight in my palm, and I let it slide to the bottom of the leather bag, and the drawstring pulls tight with a rasp.

It’s not the right moment to train for this right now.

I severely underestimate how fast I burn money in Ytrial, and I hate that I only realize it after the fact. Fatty tells me why Skill Crystals cost so much here, because nobles hoard coin and demand is constant. It isn’t only nobles, since Quests pay well. I have checked, and I still can’t touch a single one because I am not an Apprentice yet.

I could try the Adventurers Guild, but I prefer not to waste time. I have reviewed the board, and the pay is inadequate for the hours it takes.

Runic Notation can make a real difference.

We can visit the Astral Library because we have been accepted into the Academy.

When Fatty and I reach it, I understand why it has that name.

There is no ceiling above us. The hall opens into a sky that holds a slow drift of constellations, and the light falls like dust that never touches the floor. The place looks like the oldest part of the Academy that still sits inside the fortress walls, and a spatial enchantment twists the space in a way that turns my stomach if I stare too hard. 

Yekrek’s tent looked clever when it stretched inside itself, but this makes that trick look like a child’s toy. I cannot take it in with a couple of glances because every aisle refuses to end when I follow it with my eyes.

Shelves of polished white marble run in lines that bend out of sight, and veins of gold thread through the stone like roots. Pale figures drift between stacks in slow patrols. They wear old armor and carry swords that look clean and unused, and they give off a cold pressure that reminds me of the Knights who guarded the shore.

“This is enormous,” I mutter.

Fatty nods. “I’ve taken a few cleaning jobs here and it’s… incredible.”

For once, he looks in awe, and he keeps his mouth shut.

“So, you said we have to pay to access it?” I point toward a round station where clerks sit with tablets and rods. Students move in and out, stopping at the station, carrying translucent tomes.

Fatty nods and scuttles after me while I walk to the counter.

“Hello,” I say, and I offer my obsidian token. People use it to count points and to identify themselves, and the thing resists damage like nothing else I have handled.

*

Elder Karl looks at two faces he has never seen before. He has an exceptional memory and a True Diamond Skill that helps it, and he never forgets anyone. He sees the two, and he can tell at once that they are new recruits.

Knight and Squire, most likely, Elder Karl nods at himself.

He appreciates that they walk into the Astral Library before classes begin, yet he already sighs because he knows the answer he will give them. The Library has prices for its sections, and those prices never take coins. If the Academy allowed coin, then Royals would buy their way into anything, even the ones who never earned it. The Headmaster hates favoritism, so all access is based on Academy Merit Points, commonly referred to as Merits.

“Hello,” the one who looks more dignified between the two says, and he offers his obsidian token.

He knows? Elder Karl is surprised.

“Jacob Cloud?” Elder Karl asks.

“Yes. Huh, I wanted to consult some books on Runic Notation.”

Elder Karl raises an eyebrow, and he nods.

He must be a smart fellow.

“They start at Bronze, Jacob Cloud. How many—” Elder Karl’s eyes go wide when he sees how many points the kid has unlocked already.

Holy shit, did he rob an Elder?!

“Ahem, under Platinum, all books can be accessed as long as you pay for the Rank. From Platinum and above, the access is tied to the specific field and, in some cases, to the books. Bronze access requires three Merits, Silver access requires five, and Gold access requires ten. Which one would you like to unlock?”

The young man frowns and speaks.

“Sorry for my ignorance, Elder…”

“Elder Karl.”

“Elder Karl, I’m very sorry for my ignorance. May I ask a clarifying question?”

“Of course,” Elder Karl smiles. He always liked polite students. Manners matter to him.

“How does Runic Notation work, exactly? I have been taught the flaws of several Skills, but I’ve never been taught Runic Notation.”

His master must have been a lunatic, Elder Karl reasons.

“First, there are many kinds of Notation, sadly. The most common one is Akraik. It’s the notation popularized by Infernals. However, you’ll find that each kind has its own problems. Usually, based on the Skill, everyone uses a different kind of Runic Notation, Cloud.”

“Huh,” the student nods. “But what about, let’s say, Ranks. If I learn Gold Rank Runic Notation, does it work for Bronze and Silver too?”

Elder Karl shakes his head.

“No. Ranks fundamentally change which pathways and which veins are used and how they’re used. That means that a different type of notation must follow each Rank.”

“So…” Jacob frowns. “I’d like to start from Bronze then.”

“Of course,” Elder Karl smiles and taps the obsidian token with a bronze rod.

“Three points have been deducted.”

He gives the token back to Jacob Cloud. A small bronze etching now lies toward the bottom of the token, and it glints like a new coin.

“Thank you, Elder,” Jacob Cloud bows. “Can I bring my Squire with me?”

“Of course. Squires can access the same material that their Knight can. They must provide lots of help, but they reap many of the benefits that their masters have worked for.”

“Thank you again, have a nice day.”

This is a promising kid. He might even learn the Bronze Runic Notation basics in a few weeks. He looks like a hard worker.

*

I move through three aisles, then five, then more, and I give up on guessing the layout. I flag a Clerk and I ask for help because I refuse to waste half the day just to find a shelf. He walks with brisk steps, and he brings me straight to a section where the air hums with fine light.

I study the stone spines and the carved titles, and my brow knots.

“Wait, how does this work?” I reach toward a book. My fingers brush cold stone, and an Astral copy appears in my hand in a shimmer that moves like oil.

“Holy. I suppose they don’t want to use perishable materials…”

Runic Notations, Akraik. Basics. Bronze Rank.

“Fatty, could you start taking out all the Runic Notation books you can find? Skip history, skip specifics, just the general ones.”

I open the book and I start reading. The script is sharp, and the diagrams cut across the page like cages.

After half an hour, my eyes are already bloodshot.

Holy shit, this is terrible.

Runic Notation is not standardized at all. It doesn’t even pretend to be. If I follow the Akraik manual in my hands, I will need a month just to crawl through the scribbles that these people use. They repeat symbols with slight variations, and they shove them into bodies as if they had never seen a real person. The same symbols appear in book after book, yet every author twists the diagram of the body differently because bodies vary more than paper does. Those diagrams create the chaos. Those diagrams make the whole thing seem like a foggy, hazy dream.

If I map runes and pathways and channels directly, I can build a precise target for my hands and my Mana.

“Fatty,” I say to the Squire in front of me. He tried to open a book and failed. His cheek sits on the table, and drool leaks toward the spine.

“Yes, boss?” Fatty yawns.

“Get me a pen and paper. I just had an idea.”

“Sure.”

Perhaps the perfect notation exists, and a true scholar can create it. If I were the greatest scholar of all time and I had infinite time, I could hunt flaws across every diagram, and I could stitch a system that matches every Skill without custom work. That would turn Runic Notation into a tool that anyone can read and apply.

I am not that scholar, and I refuse to spend months here.

So, I take the standard body diagram and decide to cheat.

“Give me an analysis,” I mutter, and I nudge the Grimoire.

The vein pathways on the page light up, and the glow spills across the margins. It looks like fireworks, and it climbs through every line I can see. It’s…

“Holy…”

It’s all red.

The diagram used to describe a Skill like Fast Punch sits in front of me, and it looks like a drunk man drew it.

“Holy shit,” I mutter. “This is…”

The Runic Notation in the book is what they teach people, and it is wrong across the whole page.

“Huh.”

This is interesting. If this is so bad, what happens if I fix it? How much money would a Skill with perfect Runic Notation be worth?

Fatty returns with a stack of thick paper, two quills, and a pot of ink that smells like iron.

“Alright,” I say, and I crack my neck.

I work twelve hours, sketching runes, pathways, and alignments. I test the page against the Grimoire, then erase with a knife and redraw with slower strokes. I pull books from the shelf that cover three schools, stripping their diagrams for parts, and use them to show the Grimoire what I reject. One by one, the warnings fade. The red gives ground. The last marks shift to orange and then to yellow, and then the page clears. The Grimoire offers me a diagram so corrected that it glows pure green.

Anyone can use this, regardless of their build. They can read it clearly and trace their insights without guesswork or the associated costs.

“I guess I should…”

The library has slipped into night. The starfield above has become slower and colder. My attributes keep my hands steady, and I don't feel tired like a normal person would.

*

Elder Karl means to leave his post and get some sleep, and he stretches his old bones. Jacob Cloud walks back to the counter and speaks.

“Good evening, Elder.”

“Cloud, how was your first study session?” Elder Karl smiles. He is honestly pleased. Few students spend their first visit like this.

“I’m sort of done with Bronze Rank Runic Notation. May I buy access to Silver Rank books?”

Elder Karl frowns.

“You’re done?”

“Yeah, I think… I got the hang of it. I think I’ll move on to Silver.”

“You have understood Bronze Runic Notation?” Elder Karl asks, and skepticism shows on his face.

Is he mocking me? Is this a farce?

“Well, sort of. Could I…”

“Sure, I was just about to leave. Do you plan to stay up all night?”

“Just a little bit more.”

Jacob gives Elder Karl the token and gets it back with five fewer Merits and a small silver etching above the bronze one. A tiny book now sits below them.

I hate students who have to pose and pretend to have learned more than they actually know, Elder Karl sighs.

*

The next morning, Elder Karl takes his post and sees Jacob Cloud amble toward the counter with bloodshot eyes and heavy purple bags under them.

“Cloud?” Elder Karl asks, confused. “You actually stayed up all night?”

He sees the Squire of Jacob Cloud, the morbidly obese fellow, rub his eyes. The boy looks like he slept well, and he almost looks fresh.

“Good morning, Elder,” Jacob Cloud says, and he carries a large stack of papers.

Elder Karl counts in his head. About twelve hours have passed since he last saw the boy.

He can’t be here for the Gold Rank access, can he? He couldn’t be that shameless? Is he trying to impress me?

“Cloud, I really suggest you take a break, child. You’re studying a lot, but the courses haven’t even started. Why don’t you go catch up on some sleep and come back later?”

“Elder,” Jacob asks with a raspy voice, “I’m done with the Silver Rank Runic Notation. May I have, please, access to the Gold Rank section?”

“Are you serious?” Elder Karl frowns. “Are those all your notes?”

The old man points at the stack of paper in Jacob’s hand.

“Yes,” Jacob replies. “It’s… may I have—”

“Cloud, would you mind if I followed you, son? I would like to take a look at what you’re doing.”

Jacob Cloud looks back at the Elder and smiles crookedly.

“Sir, yes. No problem.”

I really want to see what sort of clownish behavior this kid is up to.

Elder Karl follows Jacob to the Gold Rank shelves for Runic Notation after granting him the rights for it in exchange for ten Merits, and he takes a chair beside him. The light here sits cooler than in Bronze and Silver, and the script on the spines grows tighter.

Jacob opens a random book. It does not even use a standardized notation. He takes a page and he starts to sketch diagrams in the margin and on one of his sheets. His hand moves fast and then slows for checks. He stops, stares, and writes again.

What the hell is he doing? Elder Karl leans to see, yet he cannot read the half-formed shapes that crawl over Jacob’s page.

“Cloud, what are you doing?”

“My master taught me a better way to use Runic Notation. But I need to see the right diagrams to remember. I’m just piecing them together.”

“Huh, do you mind if I take a look, son?” Elder Karl points at the papers. “I won’t steal anything. If there are secrets…” Elder Karl slashes his palm of his own accord. “In blood, by blood, I won’t reveal your secrets, son.”

It is normal in the Astral Library to swear on blood for small deals. The oath is not a jest. If you break it, the penalty drags on your leveling, and it does not let go.

“Sure,” Jacob slashes his palm and accepts the oath.

Elder Karl begins to read. He enters with skepticism, yet he has earned the right to read advanced courses when he wishes. He knows Runic Notation to the point that he can record True Diamond Skills with it.

He studies the first diagram, and he frowns because it looks wrong to his habits and right to his instincts.

Seconds pass, and his eyelids twitch.

This… He looks at Jacob Cloud, terrified, and he feels an urge to beat the child half to death for being reckless. THIS IS PERFECT! HOW IS HE DOING THIS IN PUBLIC?! IS HE INSANE?!

“Cloud, get up and follow me immediately.”

“Huh?” the kid replies, but Elder Karl has already grabbed him by the collar, and he drags him toward a private room. He chooses a door that students do not use unless an Elder sends them there.

They move three steps, and a cry of pain cuts through the aisle.

“Fatty!” Jacob snaps out of his sleepiness. Elder Karl lets him go, and he gathers the abandoned pages with both hands.

Those are priceless! Elder Karl sweats, and he strokes the paper with caution. Who’s this kid, damn master? Does he still take students? Hell, I’ll shave my beard and put oil on my face if he thinks I’m too old! What kind of monstrous being crafted this Runic Notation?!

Karl rounds the corner, and he sees the trouble.

Two large Infernals block the aisle like pillars. Their horns curl back, and their uniforms hang open to show marks burned into their chests. One of them holds Fatty by the throat and lifts him high enough that his feet scrape the floor. Students stand two aisles away, pretending to read, and the air holds the kind of silence that invites worse things.

Jacob clenches his jaw. “Put him down, right now.”

“He bumped into me, this little cockroach,” the Infernal sneers. “Who does he think he is? I should punish him.”

“I had sent him to get me some tea,” Jacob says with a tone that makes Elder Karl raise an eyebrow.

Is he trying to get into a fight with two Infernals over his Squire? Is he insane? Those look like first-year students, but they’re clearly much, much stronger than he is.

“I said,” Jacob states again, and he steps forward, “put him down.”

Rules don’t allow me to interfere unless this turns dangerous, Elder Karl thinks, and he grinds his teeth. Damn it. Stupid Headmaster and his rules!

Chapter 85

When I see the big Infernal lift Fatty by the throat, my blood boils. The aisle feels narrow because his bulk eats up the space, and the shelves seem to lean in. Fatty’s feet scrape the marble, and his eyes bulge and tear, and his fingers claw at the thick hand that closes on his neck.

“He just bumped into you, and you try to harm him? My Squire?”

Cloud. Stop. Back off, I hear King Baalrek’s voice.

“We are Infernals, Human. We are one of the Three Great Races. When we walk around, we shall be respected. This fat bastard will learn manners now.”

I take a hard look at both of them, and I bring the Grimoire online in my head. Lines map across their bodies, and I scan for active Skills and weak seams in their armor. I feel tired, and I know I am not thinking straight, yet I refuse to let anyone but me mess with Fatty. The air carries a dry heat from their skin and a faint smell of coal. Their breastplates resemble dark iron etched with runes that seem to absorb light.

Fatty has not complained in the last twenty‑four hours. I expect him to be a thorn in my side, and I braced for it, yet he stayed close and he fetched food and water and whatever I needed while I drowned in Runic Notation. I do not know why I expect him to fail. I think it is because I want to strangle him at the market, and because he acts like a fool. I saw him watch me with respect while I worked. He fell asleep a lot, to be fair, yet he never complained when I woke him for something, and when he woke after a nap, he got me what I asked without a word.

They will bully my Fatty over my dead body.

Cloud, those are Royal Guards. STOP.

The large Infernal stands at least three feet taller than I. He looks down and he erupts in laughter. “You think you can do anything to us?”

Cloud. They will kill you if you do anything. I’m serious. The Elder behind you is not going to be able to save your life. Especially after you just gave him some perfect, insanely accurate Runic Notation. Stop. Be reasonable. Let the kid take a lick or two. They’re not going to kill him.

“Touch him, I dare you,” I say, and I am ready to coalesce Black Flame in an instant.

I don’t stand for bullies. If they touch my Squire, and if they would kill over something so trivial. I’ll kill them first. I can see their openings. They don’t expect my attack.

Cloud, if you somehow managed to land a lucky blow that kills BOTH of them, then not only would you be an idiot, you’d be hunted by all my people combined. Any Infernal would be required, by law, to kill you on sight.

Oh shit, I frown.

“Okay, tell you what, fellas,” I say, and I switch my tone. “Would you like a deal?”

The two Infernals blink at the turn. Their horns curve back in glossy black arcs, and their pupils narrow. I smile and spread my arms, keeping my hands open so they see that I do not cast.

“I happen to have some great Runic Notation on hand. Let my Squire go, and let me know if you have a stubborn Gold Skill that doesn’t level up at the moment. I have numerous contacts and could help you out for free. How about that?”

They trade a look with raised brows. Their red skin creases at the eyes, and their shoulders loosen a little.

“I can guarantee for the student. He’s very resourceful.”

Elder Karl speaks from behind me, and I glance back because I do not expect him to vouch for me. He gives me a thumbs‑up, and he holds my notes tight against his chest.

“Any Skill?” one of the Infernals laughs. “Who do you think you are?”

“I’m nobody, really—nobody who’d ever want to insult two Infernals, of course. I am a great admirer of your kind. The horns are fantastic. The skin color is ravishing. I do, however, have a vast network of contacts. I’m fairly certain I can have anything ready for you within a few hours. If you are not satisfied, I’ll bring back Fatty, and you can do to him whatever you want. I’ll just need a brief demonstration of whatever Gold Skill you have that needs work.”

They lean close and one whispers. The marble floor throws their low voices back at us.

“If the pipsqueak is not lying, remember what the Princess told us. We must form alliances and get contacts. Plus, we’ll just kill them both if they’re lying.”

The other Infernal nods and releases Fatty. My Squire crashes to his knees, and he turns purple and he wheezes, and I crouch to steady him while he drags air into his lungs. A ring of students stares from the next aisle and pretends to read.

“I promise, you won’t be disappointed. The first two are complementary for you, great gentlemen. May I just get a small demonstration?”

“If you’re lying, you will pay. In blood. I won’t even have you swear. I’ll just take pleasure in hunting you down.”

“Of course, hunting is a great hobby,” I say, and I nod with a smile that feels a bit too wide.

They frown at me as if they cannot decide whether I am brave or stupid.

“Why do you need a demonstration?”

“My master gave me an ocular Skill which helps me figure out what sort of diagram you need. You know how fickle Runic Notation can be.”

Both Infernals sigh and nod as if I say something they already believe. Their armor clicks when they shift their weight.

“Even standardized Notation sucks for Infernals. That is why we developed so many,” one of the two says. He is the one with the bigger horns, and he looks a little more handsome than the other.

They kinda look the same to me.

All humans look the same to me. I hear King Baalrek’s voice in my ear.

“So, gentlemen, may we proceed? And may I know your names?”

“I am Skarak,” the one with bigger horns says.

“And I am Parek,” the other says.

“Alright, great names, huh, whenever you want.”

Skarak goes first, and ash gathers around his arm in a slow spiral. The air grows dry, and gray dust curls off the floor.

“This is a Skill that starts at Gold Rank. Even among our kind, it’s hard to master it. I chose it because I wanted to honor the Princess and show her that those who protect her are not useless bastards. Ashen Grasp.”

A giant hand rises from the floor. It is made of ash, and it clutches the air, and the fingers leave streaks on the marble where the soot drags.

This is a field control Skill. The mana of this guy is so damn dense.

I activate the Grimoire and I file the flaws as they light up across the shape. I track the vein routes that match the movement of the ash, and I mark them in my mind.

“Thank you very much,” I say, and I cough to clear the dust. “Huh, Parek?”

Parek steps forward, and heat rolls off him. Around all of us, thick blazing chains appear, and they snake through the aisle and they hover ready to bind anything he points at. The links spit sparks, and the light paints the shelves with moving bands.

Holy shit. What’s up with these two Skills? They’re so good. And they would definitely fit me. Oh shit. I need to buy them.

Good luck with that, King Baalrek says.

I trigger the Grimoire before Parek drops the Skill, and I flash him a thumbs‑up.

“I’ll come see you guys tonight? Or, you can find me here if you’d prefer. You tell me.”

They look at each other, and they hesitate. I hear the chains fade and the heat eases.

“Huh, any problem?” I ask.

“We’ve got guard duty from now to tomorrow morning, human. You…” Parek starts.

“I mean, we’ll just get the diagrams, check them, and if there’s anything wrong with him, we’ll kill him. Just let him come,” Skarak says.

Yo, I’m still here, I think to myself. It has to be bad manners to talk about killing me right in front of me, no? Also, what do you mean by that, King Baalrek? Why can’t I learn them?

Those are pure Infernal Skills, Jacob Cloud. We occupy the Dungeons where you can find them and monopolize them. No one really has a monopoly over specific Skills, but we do try to preserve our heritage as much as we can. Ashen Grasp and Hellchain are signature Infernal Skills. Hell’s Sword is much more common, especially the set that it comes with. But these two? These are Nobility‑level Skills. They’re on par with your Dark Lattice—heh, actually, your Dark Lattice is slightly above those.

Wait, where’s Infernal Veins on this scale?

At the level where they’re going to kill on sight the moment they see you use it.

Can’t I, like, negotiate that?

You can try. My people do love deals, I suppose. King Baalrek sounds sincere, but, as always, I’m not sure if he’s trying to get me killed.

Parek nods and thinks it over with a tight jaw. The last sparks fade on the floor.

“Human. Come tonight to our dorm.”

“What? You’re in a dorm too?”

“Everyone is,” Elder Karl coughs from behind. “It’s part of the vows of being a Knight Apprentice, Jacob Cloud. You’ll have to swear during the ceremony on that, among other things.”

“We’ll see each other soon, Human. Surprise us, and you will be surprised by our generosity. Our people do not mistreat their allies.”

We do kill them sometimes, Baalrek adds in my mind.

“Of course, I’ll be there. Which dorm?”

“South Wing, third floor. We’ll be at the door.”

“Perfect, see you!”

*

Elder Karl watches Jacob Cloud cut a wild deal with Infernals. The ghosts at the end of the aisle drift closer and then fade back, and the nearby students pretend to study while they listen. Infernals handle deals with skill, and they hold control in battle and outside it. Jacob Cloud just accepted a job that asks him to guide Infernals on Infernal Skills.

Either he is the greatest genius alive, or he is the biggest moron.

“Cloud, do you know what you’re doing?” Elder Karl says, and he clutches the papers. He swears to protect students and to act in their interest for the Academy. People can twist oaths if a student lets himself get tricked, yet Elder Karl refuses to be tricked. He sees the talent Jacob Cloud possesses for Runic Notation, and he does not want the boy to die so young.

“Elder?” Jacob turns to him.

“You think you can actually fix their Skills with your knowledge and Runic Notation? How would you even know about Infernal Skills?”

The bodyguards look young, and they act like Squires of the Princess they mention. They do not push Jacob too hard because they plan to kill him if he fails. Jacob Cloud has still made an impossible promise.

“Sir, I think I’ll be able to. I just need to finish up with the Gold Rank notation.”

“May I help?” Elder Karl proposes.

“Sure.”

Elder Karl sits beside Jacob, and he takes the quill while Jacob hunts through books. The table grows cluttered with astral copies, and the ink bottle leaves a ring on the stone.

“Ok, this line is messed up. The veins here, the heart veins, should be more like Kraslak’s Notation. Yes, exactly like that! Elder, you’ve got great drawing skills!”

“Thanks, Cloud?” Elder Karl laughs despite himself.

This kid knows that becoming an Elder is not easy, right?

They work for three hours. With help from someone who knows what he is doing, Jacob refines the Gold Rank Runic Notation in a quarter of the time it takes for the other two. The final diagram sits on the page with clean angles and the routes braid without knots.

Elder Karl studies the Gold Rank Runic Notation he just drew with his own two hands, and his fingers shake.

“Cloud,” Elder Karl says, “you know what you just did? Like, do you have any idea how valuable this is?”

“Quite valuable?” Jacob asks.

“Quite is not the word I’d use, but sure. Now, though, would you mind me watching you fix those Skills?”

“Of course not, Elder. In fact, I had a proposal.”

Huh? Elder Karl raises his eyebrows.

“You seem to very much like Runic Notation, right? I don’t think that attracting everyone’s attention with a bunch of these notations would be wise, despite the fact that it’d make me a bunch of money. Would you mind being my middleman? I would like to produce a few Runic Notations and also, you know, like, make money?”

This is it? Elder Karl thinks. You hold insane wealth, the kind that could change the course of a life. Whatever. This is for the best. Make a lot of money and keep a low profile. Cloud does not have the power or the backing he would need to survive the fame this Runic Notation would bring.

“Sure,” Elder Karl smiles. “I will do my best, Cloud. My ask, however, is to study this Runic Notation. However, I feel like I’d be robbing you blind if selling Runic Notation was all I did for you. How about I add something to the deal to square it up a little?”

“You’re very generous, Elder,” Jacob says, and he pats Fatty’s back. Fatty’s color finally returns, and his breath comes steady.

“So, I’ll add Merits, of course. I don’t have much to spare. But I’ll give you thirty Merits. And I can also… Cloud, there’s only one way you might know how to Tutor Infernals. Your master is an Infernal. Or you stumbled upon the kind of legacy that would make you the greatest target of Infernals. I saw the records before, and I can feel your Mana quite clearly. You’re a Hell’s Sword user, aren’t you? And I bet you forged your Class upon it.”

“Huh,” Jacob says, confused by how Elder Karl knows so much.

“I can feel it, Cloud, I’m an Elder,” the man sighs. “Now. Wouldn’t you like to find someone who could sell you those two Skills? And perhaps hook you up with things that are normally quite difficult to come by in the normal market.”

“You mean…” Jacob narrows his eyes.

“Twenty Merits, my collaboration whenever you need it during your stay at the Academy, and I’ll hook you up with my contacts on the Hidden Market. Any Infernal Skill you might want? I know people who can get them for you.”