Chương 95: Chapter 90-Chosen Snow Fort

Lying flat in the snow, I wonder. Is that snow or just little tiny flecks of death? The kind that wants to kill me. Did you know that before I came to this University, I didn't have to deal with any of this shit? Not the Imps, Demons, Giant Spiders, Giants, White Worms, or even rage-inducing symbols. None of it. The worst I had to deal with was a stray thug or what I was going to eat that night. Sometimes I would worry about my sister. She's always on dangerous jobs that pay shit, but at least they pay.

Mateo comes into my vision with a worried look." Are you going to help or are you just going to lie there, Horned One?" he asks. Looking around me, I see that the snow fort that he's building is going well." You seem to be doing fine on your own, Kid," I say as I close my eyes. Nothing like the weekend is what I would like to say, but the rage doesn't seem to be lessening, even with me outside of school grounds. Alyver said it would take about a week to create the potion, but can't she make it quicker?

Oh, who am I kidding? She probably has the most to lose here with her entire village on the line. If she says it'll take a week.

It'll take- My thoughts are suddenly interrupted as a bucket full of snow suddenly buries me. Sitting straight up, I wipe the snow from my face. Standing there with a smug expression is Mateo." This was your idea, and you're not going to help?" he asks as he grabs another bucketful of snow. Squinting my eyes, I consider pelting him with snowballs. That's probably the rage talking. It's not a terrible idea, but I was the one who suggested making a snow fort. Guess I'm the one in the wrong today." Fine, fine.

I understand. I'll help you build the snow fort," I say as I step out of the middle of the snow fort." Yeah, because that's what I really wanted to do today. You were supposed to teach me how to slip a ring off someone's hand," he says as he rolls his eyes." Was I? Maybe that changed when you failed to [Steal] from that thug. I knew it was too early to have you [Steal] in public.

Listen, Kid, until you can place these rocks in someone's pocket without them noticing you, we aren't doing any more training," I say, putting my foot down. Mateo brings his wrists up and points to the bracelets." How am I supposed to do that with these things making a noise every time I move? It's impossible. You might as well put a cowbell on me," he complains. With a devilish smile, I unlock the bracelets and put them on. I then walk over to a small crowd who're getting ready to head into Mass.

Without making a single noise, I [Steal] the small pamphlets they have in their pockets and then make my way over to Mateo." Impossible? Really, kid?" I ask as I hand him the stack of pamphlets." Well…

I can do it if I try," he says with childish confidence. I take the bracelets and put them back on him." Then do it. Put these pamphlets back in those people's pockets," I challenge him. Mateo gives me a defiant look before heading towards the crowd. Hopefully, I wasn't too harsh with him. Once you get in that mindset that something is 'impossible', it becomes infinitely more difficult to ever achieve it. After all, everything starts in the mind.

The moment you've decided you can't do something is the moment you've failed. Which is why a slight provocation should help him get out of that mindset.

At least I'm not my sister. When she was training me how to do this, she threw me to the wolves. Quite literally. She had me [Steal] from a Wolf Beastkin gang. One misstep and I was going to end up mauled to death. Obviously, I did it. She was watching me… I think… I hope… I'm unsure. She might not have been watching. As I spiral in my head, I watch Mateo effortlessly sneak the pamphlets back without making a sound. You can do it if you try, Kid. All you needed was a slight nudge in the right direction.

Mateo walks back with a cocky look." Told you I could do it," he says with a smug look. I give him a slow clap." It seems you can. Good work, Kid. Now, back to the snow fort building," I say with a smile. Mateo gives me a confused look." You said we would restart training if I put those pamphlets back," he says with a hint of annoyance.

"Did I? I don't seem to remember me saying that. Are you sure you didn't hear wrong?" I ask with a devilish smile. Mateo thinks and then gives me an angry face.

"Rocks and pamphlets are the same thing! Don't split hairs!" he yells. Letting out a bellowing laugh, I have to stop myself from crying." Don't get so worked up. I've already started the training. Listen, Kid. The kind of people you'll meet in this type of work are tricky. They like to bend truths, imply promises, and leave out information. There's also the people who outright [Lie], but I'll teach you how to spot those later," I say as I build a wall of the snow fort.

"Ok. So what exactly are you going to teach me?" he asks as he helps me build the snow fort." The truth is like this snow fort. It's real, something you can touch and understand, but malleable. To spot someone who builds snow forts, you first have to become a master at building snow forts," I say with confidence." Was the entire reason we came out here to build this metaphor?" he asks." Not the entire reason, and it's not that far. The Cathedral is right there," I say as I point at the Cathedral across the street.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it." Then why are we building a snow fort?" he asks with an intense stare." That's simple, Kid. The end of winter is approaching. We wouldn't get a chance to do this for at least another year," I say with a hint of embarrassment." You're the sentimental type, aren't you?" he accuses." Maybe, maybe not. I'm just the type that likes to cherish memories.

You never know when you won't have the chance to make them anymore," I say as my eyes drift over to a couple of kids playing in the snow. Those are some of the kids from the Cathedral. Mateo should know them. After all, some of them look his age. Looking back at Mateo, I smirk. Operation Friends is a go." Hey, Kid. Why don't you go and play with those kids over there?" I say as I finish up a tower of the snow fort." Don't want to."

"Why not?" I ask in the Imperial Tongue." We can't even speak the same tongue. How are you expecting me to play with them?" he says in the tongue of the Sands.

"Well, playing doesn't really involve talking. As long as you understand them, you can play most things. Look, they're also building snow forts. Probably going to [Throw] snowballs soon, and given the uneven number, they'll probably welcome you with open arms," I say as I start working on another tower." What aren't you getting? I can't speak the Imperial tongue or understand it. It's pointless," he says.

"That's odd."" It really isn't."

"No. It really is. I mean, I've been speaking the Imperial Tongue for the last bit of the conversation here, and you've been responding perfectly," I say with a devilish smile. Mateo's eyes go wide." I have no idea what you're talking about," he lies poorly. Switching back to the language of the Sands, I give a sigh." Come on, Kid. I noticed you could understand the Imperial Tongue a week ago. Guess those lessons in the Cathedral are finally paying off, huh?" Mateo huffs as he finishes building a tower." Ok.

So, maybe I've picked up on bits and pieces of the Imperial Tongue. I can't speak it, but I can understand it now."" Good. Now go and talk to those kids. Socialisation will do wonders for you," I say as I spot my target." Fine, but I'm not going to have fun doing it," he says as he saunters over to the group of kids. Stretching, I walk over and sit next to a hooded individual.

"It's a nice day. Isn't it?" I ask the hooded figure. The hooded figure gives a slight bow, but doesn't say a word.

"I may not be the most responsible person, but should you be out here?" I ask the hooded figure.

"I have no idea of what you speak of, Sir," she says, trying to disguise her voice.

"I won't rat you out to David if that's what you're worried about. Not as if you've strayed too far from the Cathedral anyway," I say as I watch Mateo get the attention of the group of kids. The hooded woman shakes her head.

"I believe you are sorely mistaken. I am not who you think I am," she says, somewhat losing the fake voice.

"I thought [Lying] was a sin."

"..." Mateo begins to help the kids build snow forts. He struggles to maintain a sour look, but soon breaks into an awkward smile. You can do it when you try.

"Not like I care, but it seems like something you might care about," I say. The hooded woman lets out a sigh.

"How did you know it was I, Chosen One?" she asks with her silky voice.

"I'm The Chosen One. Of course, I would be able to spot the Holy Maiden," I [Lie]. I recognized the faint golden aura around her. It's barely visible, but when you're as perceptive as me. You can spot the smallest of details. That and she sits the same way the Holy Maiden does. Very proper-like.

"You are indeed The Chosen One that the Gods told me of," she says with the smallest hint of annoyance.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask.

"Every now and then, I take some time to admire the sights. It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asks.

"It can be," I say as I watch Mateo laughing as he gets pelted in the face by a snowball.

"It's a shame that I can't see more," she says with a hint of sadness.

"If you'd like, I can make a Chosen excuse. Something along the lines that I need your help to do something of grave importance," I half-joke.

"Lying is a sin, Chosen One, but I do appreciate the offer. I'm not being kept against my will. In fact, Paladin David probably knows I'm out here and the Pope as well. Sneakiness is not one of my strong suits," she says with a small laugh.

"Then why can't you see more?" I ask.

"I suffer from Mana Overload. A rare form of it. My mana has a tendency to want to escape my body at a constant rate. As you know, this burns away at my health as well. As the Holy Maiden, I can stave off the effects by using the holy mana present in the Cathedral and other Holy sites, but if I stray too far… I won't be long for this world," she explains in a matter-of-fact manner. A speck of her face peers out from under the hood for but a second. Dark black skin, a pair of brown eyes, and a young face.

Far too young. No older than me, maybe younger by a year.

"That sucks. Are you okay being this far from the Cathedral?" A small laugh escapes the hood.

"It does 'suck', and I should be fine. I'm close enough," she says as she watches the children.

"Did you know that my type of Mana Overload appears when you're but a child? It made it difficult to have a normal childhood, but I'm grateful to see that you're providing Mateo a normal one."

"I'm trying. Kid's going to have it rough having me as a brother," I half-joke.

"I think you are exactly the person he needs. The same way I know that you are exactly The Chosen One we need," she says, causing me alarm.

"How much-" The bells of the Cathedral ring, signalling the start of Mass.

"It would seem it's time for me to go. I have Mass to attend to. May the Gods bless you, Chosen One," she says and then leaves me sitting alone. As she walks away, a single thought runs through my mind.

"How much do you really know, Holy Maiden?" I ask myself.