Chương 268: Expecting

"Elicia, are you okay?" Damion asked as he held her shoulders while she vomited again at his feet.

"Let's get you to the healer wing. I'm sure Professor Y…"

"No. Help me back to the dormitory. Maybe call Dean Teft back."

"Why Mage Teft and not one of the school's healers?" Damion questioned as he helped Elicia to her feet.

"The healers answer to the Headmaster," Elicia told him. Damion did not question her reasoning any further and hurried back to his dormitory with her. Thankfully, there was no one else around to notice. After calling Mage Teft and telling her Elicia's symptoms, the Dean rushed over.

"You stay out here," Mage Teft told Damion. She shut the door to his bedroom, leaving him to wonder what the situation was.

"I am, aren't I," Elicia said to Mage Teft as the older mage finished her brief examination.

"I am no healer. I can't give a definitive answer."

"You can give me your best guess. And… you can tell me what I should do."

"My best guess is yes. All the signs are there. And from what you have told me of you and Damion's going on, it should not be a surprise to you. Though, I would have thought you would have at least used some protection."

"He'll be leaving soon. For who knows how long and maybe he won't ever return. And I…"

"You wanted to keep something of him," Mage Teft finished wistfully.

"Is that so wrong?"

"It is a bit selfish, not to make him part of this decision, but it is too late to regret it now, and the fault is not entirely yours."

"What should I do? I can't stay here until he graduates. If someone notices and mentions it to the Headmaster…"

"You are quite right. Unless you want to rejoin the Sorin family, there is only danger by staying here at Silver Spire."

"Then where should I go? Where can I even go? I have no money and soon, I won't be able to safely work."

"There is a place of relative safety I can send you. But don't mention where you are going to Damion."

"Why not?"

"He needs to be able to honestly deny knowing where you are."

"You think the Headmaster will figure out why I left and try to find me through Damion?"

"Possibly. In any case. I have given Damion the information he needs to be able to find this place. And the people there will take care of you. I promise."

"When do you think I will see Damion again?"

"There is no way for me to know that. He may head straight to you after he graduates or as soon as he reaches B Rank. Or he may wait so he can grow stronger. In any event. Where I am sending you it is important that you share with the people who will look after you about Damion's plan for a new magic school. You will understand why once you are there." Given Mage Teft's certainty that she would understand the whys once she was there, left Elicia little room to ask for more information.

No doubt, Mage Teft was being circumspect to protect whomever it was she was supposed to meet there, but it did not help Elicia's nerves.

"When should I leave?"

"The answer to that question, is as soon as possible."

"Should I tell Damion the truth? I don't want to hurt him." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Tell him what you wish."

"Then let me tell him now. Damion, can you come in here please," Elicia said raising her voice.

"You need me?" Damion said as he poked his head in the door.

"Yes. I need to tell you something."

"Okay."

"I'm pregnant." When Elicia's words hit Damion's ears he felt the world spin and greyness pulled at the edge of his vision. Mage Teft rushed over to him and caught him before he could fall over. After a moment, he reoriented himself as he processed what Elicia told him.

"That is wonderful," Damion said.

"You aren't mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"Because I… because we never talked about this. And the Headmaster…"

"Don't worry about that. We can think of somewhere you can go. Maybe Saung. I'm sure Leland or Gerrard would be willing to look after you for a while. Until I can fully support you."

"That won't do," Mage Teft cut in.

"Why not?" Damion questioned.

"I have a place already arranged for her."

"That was fast, or did you figure this would happen?"

"I believed it was a possibility," Mage Teft answered.

"So, what do we do now? When does Elicia have to leave?"

"Right away. The story will be that she went into Argentum to buy medicine to settle her stomach and vanished."

"What?" Damion questioned in disbelief.

"Won't that make the Headmaster suspicious?"

"No matter what we do, he will be suspicious. But as long as he can't find her. There will be nothing to worry about."

"And how can we be sure he won't find her?"

"By making her untrackable," Mage Teft said. She then pulled out her communication tablet.

"Dorian, I need a favor," Mage Teft said into her communication tablet.

"So soon? I thought you had more time?"

"No, this is for someone else. Similar arrangements but open the portal at the midway point between Argentum and the school."

"Understood. How long before I need to open the Portal?"

"One hour."

"Very well," the voice said and then disconnected. At first, the person's name did not register with Damion, but when the voice mentioned opening a Portal, he realized that Dorian, was Dorian Fletcher, Arica's master.

"Alright Elicia. Gather what is absolutely necessary. Everything else, you should leave behind. Damion can pack it up and take it to you in the future."

"Here, use this," Damion said, taking his old adventurer backpack out of his personal spatial storage. Already packed inside it was his adventurer kit. Combined with the armor he had already 'paid' her with to be his attendant, Elicia would have everything she needed to work as an adventurer if she choose. This way, anything she earned, could go towards her and the baby's wellbeing. Damion did not know how long it would take him to be able to safely contact them.

Desire told him to go with her right now, but he knew doing so would jeopardize the steps Mage Teft had taken to ensure Elicia's safety. For now, Damion just had to be patient and grow stronger.

'System, purchase four E Rank Health Potions and four D Rank Health Potions.' {Affirmative, four E Rank and four D Rank Health Potions purchased for 260 credits.}"Take these with you," Damion said. He took out the potions and stuffed them into the backpack. Since he could not go with her now, this was the best he could do to make sure Elicia would be alright.

"What kind of potions are those?"

"The kind that can save you when nothing else can. You can only take one in a week. The smaller ones are E Rank, and the larger ones are D Rank. A D Rank potion can fully heal anyone at D Rank. Use them cautiously and only if you truly need one."

"These are like the potions Justiciar Straus was asking you about. Where did you get these?"

"I bought them from a very selective store. Beyond that, I can't really tell you."

"It is time Elicia; you have quite a way to go to reach the halfway point for the portal," Mage Teft urged. Elicia quickly kissed Damion before hugging him tightly.

"Stay safe," Elicia and Damion whispered to each other during their embrace.

"Can I ask you for one more thing?" Elicia asked as she released Damion.

"Will you let me take your old sword with me? I don't have a weapon artifact, and I was thinking that… well if I had your sword it would be like a part of you was with me."

"Here," Damion said taking the sword out and handing it to Elicia. He had planned to keep the sword as a memento to his family. But if it could help protect Elicia, it would be worth her taking care of it for a while. Since he had upgraded it to C Rank, it would serve her well for quite some time. Once Elicia departed, Damion and Mage Teft stood in his dormitory living room for several minutes before the older mage broke the silence.

"You seem to be getting more trusting of people."

"You mean since I gave her my sword to use?"

"I mean since you gave her those potions. Even before that, you let us both see your affinities and even told us about how many spells you know."

"I can't live forever not trusting people. Besides, I've never been good at keeping secrets. Can you give me a hint at where Elicia is going?"

"It is best if I don't. She will be in good hands. Just follow the instructions in the message I gave for when you reach B Rank. You should not have any problems finding her." Thank you for reading! If you are enjoying my story, please hit follow and favorite. Reviews and feedback mean the world to me and help bring in more readers. Thank you all for your support! If you are reading this novel anywhere except Royal Road you are reading a pirated copy.

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