My father still hadn't grasped what I'd really found. What could be better than gold, after all?
"We're not doing this half baked again, are we?" Mnex said.
The sarcasm was gone. Replaced by something worse… professionalism.
I raised an eyebrow. "You sound almost... responsible."
"Terrifying, I know. But if we're doing this, we're doing it right… no shortcuts, no winging it, and definitely no to your stupid plans this time. I care about the structural integrity of my host body. You dying would be incredibly inconvenient."
That wasn't Mnex anymore. That was a mission control operator… who'd run too many simulations with catastrophic failure.
"No vague plans. No shortcuts. We go deep this time. To the root of the stone. This is serious, Henry. Lives depend on it."
Wow. That was almost... noble. Since when do you care about other people's lives? Want me to check your code for errors? Because I'm pretty sure you don't mean the villagers.
"I don't. If I had feelings, that line might sting. But I don't. I have logs. And yours read like a user manual for stupidity."
I stood and walked to the edge of the slope where the mine had been found. Mnex pointed out where to kneel again. The loosened dirt below had been dug up by villagers to show my father what they'd found. I knelt. Closed my eyes. Reached inward.
My mind world opened instantly. Cold. Silent. Familiar.
"I'm ready," I whispered.
"Good," Mnex replied. "Draw in your mana. And this time, don't just send it. Spread it. Reach. We're not just looking for a vein. We're mapping the mountain's vascular system."
I took a deep breath. In my mind's eye, I built the layers of rock, the pockets of pressure, the heat differentials, the branching veins of ore.
Hopefully I don't collapse again. Mnex has a lecture prepared in four parts titled 'Why Henry is Reckless and Dumb.' I don't want the encore.
Then I pushed out my mana.
It spread like an invisible quake.
The earth didn't shake... but my spine did. And the dirt beneath my palm vibrated with it.
Mana spread like ink in water.
And this was the most interesting part: I'd used this spell so often since inventing it that I could now sense exactly how far the pulse reached.
Mnex didn't speak at first. Then came his voice, calm, but charged with restrained excitement.
"Perfect. Whole map's lit up like a birthday cake. You actually nailed it. Who are you, and what have you done with Henry?"
I opened my eyes, breathing hard.
"Well?" I asked.
"Eastern slope. Thirty degrees down, eight meters in. Stable. Minimal water risk. Iron vein just behind it. And limestone starting immediately beside it."
He paused, then added, "Henry?"
What?
"This... this is textbook magic. Well done."
My father was still waiting, curious to hear what I'd found.
I held out the yellowish stone in my hand.
"Not gold," I said.
He frowned. "No?"
"Limestone. The yellow tint comes from nearby iron veins. Iron minerals dye the rock and that interaction actually improves the limestone's quality."
He was silent for a moment. Then gave a slight nod.
"Iron is fine... We'll work it. But what do we need limestone for?"
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
"Lord Father... the limestone is the real prize."
His eyes narrowed. Not in disbelief, but curiosity.
He nodded slowly. "Alright. Then let's begin."
He waved two soldiers forward. "Return to the city. Bring a larger team tomorrow morning. We start digging."
The soldiers saluted and rode off.
I remained where I was, still kneeling, staring down at the dirt.
Mnex?
"I'm here."
If I fired off another pulse with my remaining mana... would it make digging easier?
"In theory, yes. You could loosen the soil. But be careful, overdoing it raises collapse risk."
I nodded. Got it.
I closed my eyes again.
This time the goal was different, just to soften the surface.
I pulsed. The tremor hit not just my palm, but the soles of my feet.
A gentle quake. Deep enough. Still controlled.
I stood. My father had already turned toward his horse.
"Let's see," he said without looking back, "what you've really brought home from the hunt."
I bowed slightly and followed in silence.
Mnex whispered in my ear.
"It's really starting, Henry."
I murmured back to myself.
Yeah. Time for the age of concrete.
The ride back to the city was quiet.
My father led the way, and I trailed behind.
The rhythmic clatter of hooves on stone filled the air, but the silence of the mountain followed us all the way home.
Mnex was the only one who broke it, occasionally.
"Not bad," he muttered.
What?
"For an idiot, your magic today was shockingly competent."
By your standards, or humanity's?
"Both. Though let's not set a precedent, we wouldn't want expectations to rise."
I smirked. Didn't reply.
We rode in silence until the city walls came into view.
The courtyard of Godfrey Mansion glowed under the evening sun, its rays painting the stone walls gold.
My father dismounted and walked inside without a word.
I didn't follow.
Instead, I turned down a different path and gave a nod to one of the guards.
"I'm going to see Doyle."
The man nodded. "He's in the guard barracks. The healer gave him a potion a moment ago, he's starting to wake."
I thanked him and headed off.
The mansion's northern wing was reserved for soldiers and guards. Quiet, orderly, smelling faintly of medicine, heavily of sweat, and unmistakably of testosterone.
It didn't take long to find Doyle's room.
I knocked once and stepped inside.
He was sitting up in bed. The bandages were gone. Color had returned to his face.
A bowl of soup rested in front of him, half-eaten.
His eyes turned to me. A faint smile touched his lips.
"Lordling," Doyle muttered. "You? Visiting me? Did I die and no one told me?"
"I came to collect damages," I said. "At least three bruises and a mildly bruised ego. Payment due in compliments."
Doyle chuckled, then winced. "Careful. My ribs are holding council. Another joke and they'll vote to exile me. And it was your plan, remember? I wasn't the one who got you punched."
Just then, the door opened.
My father entered with Theo beside him.
Doyle straightened at once, trying to sit taller.
My father lifted a hand. "Stay as you are. You're injured."
His tone was as cold as ever, yet beneath it, there was something softer.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't wait for your report. That's why I came personally."
He glanced at me.
"Henry claims he took down a bear, ten wolves, and thirty bandits. Is he exaggerating."
Doyle shook his head lightly. "Not exactly, my lord."
My father turned to me, eyebrows raised.
Doyle drew a breath. "A bear. Ten wolves. Thirty bandits. And... more than twenty villagers rescued, my lord."
My father's expression shifted, just slightly.
The corner of his mouth twitched.
A small smile. Real.
"Hm." A pause. Then…
"Well done."
Coming from him, that might as well have been a standing ovation.
Then he turned and headed for the door.
Right before stepping out, he paused.
"You're on leave for the next seven days," he told Doyle. "And I'll make sure you're rewarded properly."
Then he left.
Theo stood in silence for a beat. Then he looked at me.
"You've exceeded expectations," he said. "Well done."
He patted my shoulder gently.
"The villagers you brought will be taken care of. Rest today. The celebration... will take place in a few days. Everyone needs to hear about this. Preparations will take time."
Then he left too.
It was just me and Doyle now.
For the first time, the tension lifted.
He smiled again.
I smiled back.
He looked like he was about to say something but I beat him to it.
"Rest," I said. "There's a celebration coming. You're not attending as a soldier. You're coming as my guest. Try not to pass out from shock."
I made sure to throw in a wink.
He simply nodded.
The halls were quiet. Guards stood watch, but no one stopped me.
The day was over.
And I just… wanted my room.
I opened the door, stepped inside, and let out a long breath.
One thing left before bed.
"Mnex?"
"Ready."
I went to my desk. Pulled out parchment and a quill.
"We need to prep the reinforcement and connection runes for the planks we're ordering from Rastlin. This has to be ready before the wood arrives."
Mnex had already designed everything in my mind world. Perfectly laid out.
All I had to do now… was copy it.
First, the connection rune:
Flow + Bind + Stabilize + Bind + Seal + Flow
Then, the reinforcement rune:
Flow + Stabilize + Bind + Push + Bind + Flow.wall + Bind + Seal + Flow
Mnex sketched out exactly how each symbol needed to be carved into the planks.
Every angle precise. Every sequence perfect.
Once done, I folded the three parchments neatly.
"If you send these to Raymond through Gareth, it'll be quicker. These need to be etched into the planks before the digging begins."
"Understood," I said, setting them aside carefully. "That'll be the first thing I handle tomorrow."
And then… I turned toward the bed.
Didn't even bother changing.
I let myself fall onto the mattress, fully clothed.
The moment my head hit the pillow, a sigh escaped my lips.
"All I want is a quiet night's sleep," I muttered.
"You say that now," Mnex whispered. "Wait till I start listing ways this could go horribly wrong in your dreams."
The morning sun reached the edge of my bedroom window.
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't tired. Oddly enough, I felt wide awake.
And I already knew, everyone would be home today.
I got dressed and crept down the hallway in silence.
The dining room door was open. Voices came from within.
My mother and father were already seated at the table.
Father sat at the head, with Mother on his right. My four year old brother Roderic wobbled his legs on a small stool beside her.
Beth wasn't there…
Agatha's probably with her, I thought.
Mother smiled gently when she noticed me.
"Come, Henry. You're late today," she said.
Her voice held no scolding, just warmth.
"Good morning, Mother. Good morning, Lord Father," I said.
Father simply nodded. Mother pulled an empty plate closer to her.
As the servants began filling the plates, Roderic spotted me.
"Hen-wee!" he shouted. "Did… did you beat the bear?!"
I smiled. "I did."
Roderic's eyes widened.
"Bwutah! Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
Father set his knife down with a soft clink.
"Really now," he said. "How exactly did you take down a bear and ten wolves?"
Mother paused, her brow rising.
"Ten… what? A bear and ten wolves?"
I nodded. "Yes."
Mother gently set her fork on the table. "I thought it was just… one bear. I wish you'd started with a rabbit."
I smiled. "We did. But then…"
I leaned back a little. Roderic leaned forward, eyes locked on me.
"While walking through the forest, I found a bear at least four, maybe five meters tall," I said.
"But I knew I couldn't handle it alone. So I looked for something else and ran into a direwolf pack. I let them chase me… and led them straight to the bear."
Mother's eyes widened. Father said nothing. Roderic's mouth hung open.
"And then?" Roderic whispered.
"Then the bear and the wolves fought each other. I just… waited until there was a winner.
But there wasn't one. So I dealt with whoever was left."
Silence fell.
Then Father lowered his head and gave a short chuckle.
Mother shook her head, caught between saying something and staying quiet.
Roderic banged the table and yelled:
"Henwee's a hewo! Henwee's a hewo!"
Everyone chuckled at Roderic's words. Then another silence settled in.
Father spoke again, this time more serious.
"What about the bandits?"
Mother dropped her fork.
"Bandits? What do you mean bandits? Did you run into them?!"
I lowered my head.
"The next day… on the way back. I was gathering wood when I heard a scream."
Mother's face turned pale. Roderic quieted. Father's expression darkened.
"I followed the scream," I said. "There was a camp. Bandits had set it up… and taken villagers as prisoners. They were going to sell them as slaves."
Mother covered her mouth. Father sat stone-still.
"I went back," I said. "Asked Doyle for help."
"How could Doyle allow that?!" Mother snapped.
Father nodded grimly in agreement.
"It wasn't his fault," I said quickly. "He didn't want to. He said we should return to the city and report it to Sir Theo.
But… I didn't listen."
I looked away.
"He had no choice. He had to come with me."
My throat tightened.
"I didn't act first. He tried to handle it. But… he was ambushed from behind.
Once Doyle went down… it's better if you don't know the rest."
I raised my eyes again.
"The important thing is: Doyle's okay. And the villagers are safe."
No one spoke for a while.
Then Father asked, almost in a whisper:
"And you?"
This time, I didn't look away.
"I'm okay too."
After breakfast, everyone slowly dispersed.
I walked down the hallway and returned to my room, closing the door behind me with a deep breath.
The papers on my desk were still there, rune schematics Mnex and I had drawn up the night before.
All three were neatly folded and labeled: Link, Support, and Positioning.
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Come in," I said.
Gareth stepped inside, quiet and composed as always.
"I have a task for you," I said, handing him the papers.
"Take these to Raymond. He should deliver them to Master Rastlin immediately. These runes need to be carved before the planks arrive."
Gareth bowed. "As you wish, young lord."
He took the papers carefully and left, closing the door behind him without a sound.
After Gareth left with the rune schematics, I stood alone in my room for a moment.
Outside, the mansion was quiet… too quiet for the chaos I knew was coming.
The celebration wouldn't be today. There were still preparations to make, guests to invite, and stories to spread. But the clock had started ticking.
I could almost hear it in the distance: the murmurs, the footsteps, the clinking of goblets.
Soon enough, the whole city would be celebrating.
And when that day came… I'd have to play my part.