Valerian, The Legendary

The head attendant moved through the corridors calmly. They arrived in front of the big door. Valerian could feel a pair of eyes staring at him with absolute readiness to kill. It was like he stood among the wolves in the forest of Acies.

Valerian thought he underestimated the things he learned during that time. This experience will certainly come in handy for him. Ordo knocked on the door and said, “Your Excellency, Attendant Valerian is here.”

“Send him in.”, a somber voice sounded from the inside.

Ordo pushed the door and let Valerian enter the room. The silver-haired boy noticed that the room was filled with books. He could understand the outline of some topics while some remained to be elusive to him. In the center of the room lay a table and a couple of chairs.

The chairs were very simple, and not lavish, and behind the table sat the middle-aged Emperor. Valerian saw him and bowed. The man happened to be reading a book. When he saw the child bow, he closed the book and said, “Raise your head.”

Valerian raised his head and gazed directly at the man, without reflecting any emotional disturbance in his eyes. The man said in a deep voice, “My name is Libra Verus. Do you know why did I call you here?”

‘To discuss about the scene in the dining hall, Your Excellency.’, replied Valerian without haggling.

Libra Verus was surprised but also impressed to think that the head of this child was so sharp. He said, “Have you never heard that too much wisdom can also lead to demise?”

.....

Valerian nodded and said, ‘I have also heard that if wisdom is used well, then tragedy can be turned into a fortune.’

“Is that what you did? Changing the tragedy of your caretaker in the fortune of entering the Royal Palace?”, Libra asked.

He was trying to investigate Valerian’s true motive, and given that the child was sharp it was a better option to move forward in plain sight. The child was not a fool and given his courage, if he had any ulterior motives then it was better to be discovered earlier.

Valerian’s eyes flashed when he heard this question. He said, ‘I apologize for my rudeness, Your Excellency, but not everyone in the world is a monarch, who would use their pain and wounds as an opportunity to get closer to their goals.

I was found by Her Highness, and the mage by her side, when I was avenging my mother. They wanted me to be with them and not the other way around. I hope, that as a noble and grand ruler of the empire, you stay respectful to the woman who sacrificed herself for the cause she believed in.’

Libra did not show any reaction on his face, but he was surprised that this child dared to scold him. He was feeling a bit angry, however, the words were all in line with morality. As the emperor, he was indeed out of line for disrespecting a dead person.

Libra nodded and said, “I will be mindful. So, tell me what talent you have to be valued by my daughter and her guardian Mage.”

Valerian sighed and snapped his finger, his figure vanished and he appeared behind the emperor. Libra was shocked, then Valerian cast seven spells, from seven elementals. If him being mute and still able to cast spells did not shock the Emperor, his spells from seven attributes did.

He was able to cast them all, Libra has never seen anyone like Valerian. He gulped subconsciously. Then Valerian came to stand in his original spot and released his battle aura.

Libra could not help but stand up from the chair. He was shocked to the core of his soul. He asked, “What are you?”

Valerian looked in his eyes and replied, ‘I am a battlemage. One who can use all the attributes.’

Libra murmured inside his heart, ‘This is the legendary genius.’

Valerian could not detect the changes inside the Emperor’s heart and ask, ‘Do you think this much talent is enough to be valued, Your Excellency?’

Libra asked, “How many people know about this?”

‘Including you, the princess, and her immediate staff. None else.’, said Valerian.

The emperor nodded and asked, “What do you seek?”

His intent behind the question was to ask what Valerian wanted. The boy said, ‘Strength and knowledge.’

Libra nodded, and said, “I see. What will you do after you have gained strength and knowledge?”

Now, he was acting like an Emperor, this talented child in front of him should not go outside. Valerian organized his words and said, ‘I hope you have no schemes for keeping me in here like those magical beasts in the western wing because you will regret it.’

Libra was sure that this kid was bluffing him, however, the next moment, his heart skipped a beat. Valerian stepped forward to the chair in front of him and placed a hand on the backrest. The next thing Libra saw was the wood shrinking and gradually decaying, In the end, it was reduced to rubble.

Valerian said, ‘This is my blessing, I will do my best for the Empire, but if you tried to bar me the whole city will suffer. I can decay anything, not only the wood.’

He did not have a voice but his gaze was so unfeeling that Libra realized that this boy will actually do what he just said. Valerian had never harmed anyone with this blessing of decay, but he had practiced with the fallen leaves and twigs in the forest.

That was also the reason why the Driads were scared off. If they killed Valerian then the decay will run loose and destroy everything in its way. Libra realized the same fear today and said, “Do not worry. The Lumen empire does not engage in such forceful actions. You can practice with peace in your mind, but I hope if the empire is in trouble, you can step up.”

Valerian nodded and replied, ‘This much is my duty to do, Your Excellency. I have grown up in this empire. Mother Diligentia used to say, one must never shrink from duty towards the land they have lived on.’

Libra nodded, and said, “You can go now. I will contact the instructor of the Imperial academy for you.”

Valerian shook his head and said, ‘You do not have to worry, Your Excellency, the princess has her own idea about this, I will leave it for her to deal with. If anything, please keep the second prince off my back.’

Libra understood the underlying threat in this request. Vertex was a subject he was worried about as well. So he said, “Rest assured.”

Valerian bowed his head and said, ‘I will leave now your excellency.’

Libra nodded but he did not sit down until Valerian had gone out of the room. When he leaned to the backrest, Libra realized his back was damp with sweat. Valerian’s gaze put a lot of pressure on him, and his talent was even more so.

He mumbled, “Where did you find this monster, Azula. I hope that none of you offend him.”

He gathered his thoughts and said, “Ordo.”

The door was pushed open and the head attendant came inside the study room. What happened afterward was not known to anyone. (But you can guess right? Someone got spanked)

Valerian returned to the library and found a maid standing beside his table. She saw him and said in a soft voice, “Attendant Valerian, you have been summoned by Her Excellency.”

Valerian nodded and said, ‘Thank you, sister.’

Addressing each other as brothers and sisters was a common thing between the staff members. Plus, Valerian was very young and he relied on this cuteness to get some benefits from the elder staff.

The maid smiled, “Come follow me.”

On the way, Valerian asked the maid about trivial stuff. When they reached the garden pavilion he realized that the moon had risen. He was surprised slightly, time flew in a blink.

Fragrantia said, “Are you surprised? Inside the palace, the corridors are illuminated by the light of the Solaris Lapis. That stone gives off a light just like the sun.”

Valerian bowed his head to the lady and the princess, he said, ‘I have learned something new, Your Excellency. Thank you.’

Fragrantia smiled and said, “Okay, you have learned to be glib as well. Seems like the books are working their magic.”

The child was surprised but he could tell by this statement that it was the Empress, who sent Consano with the suggestion of reading other books. Thinking about this his surprise disappeared.

The lady said, “Starting tomorrow morning, you will be my attendant, Valerian. Do not worry, you will have greater freedom in your life than what you have with my daughter. Do you have any objection?”

Valerian shook his head and said, ‘As you command, Your Excellency.’

Fragrantia smiled and said, “Your first task is to assassinate the Second Prince, Vertex Verus.”

Valerian raised his head and gazed at the lady in shock. Not only him but all of the rest were also shocked.