29 – Deals and Spectacles

Making a decision, I spoke.

“What if what I did doesn’t work for you? Because I don’t want you to claim I cheated you or anything like that.”

“Oh, that’s a good question to clarify before a trade like this! I really like how you use your head, little Kalin. Under normal circumstances, something like you described could very well happen. Especially between two mages that aren’t particularly friendly. So setting clauses like that in advance is good practice.”

The silver-haired man put his hand on his chin. He was obviously trying to look thoughtful, but the image was ruined a bit by the sleepy rat he was holding in said hand. When her fur touched his face, he looked down as if just remembering the little creature existed.

With a doting smile, he bent down and set the rat on the floor. After a moment of lamentation at losing her comfortable ride, she hurried over and hopped into my lap. Little traitor. Going to whomever promises to scratch your ears.

“Ahem, where was I?” Anaster straightened up again, a serious look on his face. “Oh right. I will trade what I previously offered for a description of what you did to bind so many familiars. As long as your description is entirely truthful, I will consider your end of the deal complete, even if I fail to reproduce your results. How’s that? Worries alleviated?”

I nodded slowly. “I will accept that deal, though I hope you aren’t disappointed.”

Just like the serious face replaced the smile before, it was now in turn wiped away by a delighted grin. “Sure thing, little Kalin. Here’s the book. I’ll tell you the secret after your part.”

Holding the surprisingly heavy booklet, I took a moment to formulate my answer.

“I don’t know if you will believe me, but I am telling the truth. What I did was very simple – I fed the rats I wanted to bond some of my blood. That’s it.” I shrugged.

“Your blood? I don’t… How did they not get metal poisoning?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

To my shock – really gotta stop being surprised by everything he does – Anaster facepalmed hard.

“Right! I forgot! I’m so sorry, little Kalin.”

“What are you talking about?”

Despite what I’d just thought, my surprise was renewed when Anaster took on a pitying look.

“Of course you wouldn’t know. After all, why would anyone tell you?” He sounded like he was complaining, but it wasn’t directed at me. “All adult members of the main family have… some peculiarities in their biology, let’s say.”

Thumping his fist over his heart, he continued.

“The method isn’t something I’m allowed to reveal without permission from the official family head. Suffice it to say that once of age, the blood of a Steelheart descendant isn’t what I’d describe as healthy to consume. What a terrible thing they did by withholding this from you. By all rights, you are a son of the main branch.”

Anaster brushed his eyes like he was wiping away tears. Then he frowned as he realized something.

“Damn, that means I really can’t replicate this. Though I have to wonder what’s in your blood for this to work? Especially if you really didn’t perform any other ritual for the bonding… Some side effect of your condition maybe? But I don’t–” His speech faded away into indistinct muttering as he paced.

After a few minutes where I didn’t dare interrupt him from misleading himself away from the truth, he looked back up at me.

“I’m a man of my word, little Kalin. Next time you visit, I’ll answer any three questions of yours. Anything I’m not under oath to keep secret of course. Can’t break my word, even for such a cute, mistreated nephew. As for the secret, well. Literally!”

He paused, looking at me expectantly. When I didn’t get what he wanted, he huffed.

“There is a mana well on your property. It’s a tiny thing, but I can feel it even from in here. I’d estimate it’s about three dozen meters east of the manor. Maybe four. Even before you train your sensitivity, it shouldn’t be too hard to spot. Mana has the curious effect of seeping into living beings. Small, non-directed amounts don’t do too much for most humans or animals, but plants often flourish. Beyond just growing well, they also often become modified with things like sweeter or unusual scents of their flowers, better tasting, larger fruit, harder wood and the like.”

There was an image in my head at that. A lone, huge tree with delicious, but weird fruit. When Kalin had moved here under ten years ago, the grounds hadn’t been nearly as neglected. There was no way a tree like that wasn’t in his memories or grew that big in such a short time.

Anaster wasn’t done yet.

“Instead of slightly unconventional, but pleasant effects, there is also always the chance of stuff like toxic mists, aggressive vines or infectious fungi. Always be careful of stuff like that when exploring a newly discovered mana well.

“Not that I would recommend searching for them on your own. Most of the unclaimed ones are likely in the untamed wilderness. Like that forest your town is almost swallowed by. There’s all sorts of nasty things out there. Not a good place for a delicate person to go traipsing through.”

“I understand.” Even with Kalin’s laissez-faire approach to ruling his territory, he knew about the countless beasts living in the forest.

“While I just said most animals aren’t very affected, that’s more of a general rule. There are some outliers that take to the mana exceptionally well – ha! – or exceptionally poorly. Those often mutate into monsters. Whether it ends up as a bigger, better version of what it was before or turns into a nightmarish abomination depends on which of the two it is. And just like humans with a taste for mana, they really like living near the wells. So be careful.”

His eyes pierced mine until I confirmed I would once more.

“If you can avoid it, don’t get rid of any benign mana-changed plants. Anything dangerous should go unless you have an expert on hand, but the harmless outcomes are often useful. Those unusual-smelling flowers might help to relax your mind. Or a fruiting plant might be extraordinarily productive with delicious harvests. Though I’ll leave your garden up to you.”

With a flourished bow, Anaster added, “Thus concludes my part of our little transaction, little Kalin. How to actually make use of your newly discovered well will be explained in the book. Do try to damage it, I’d like to brag about my craftsmanship next time we meet.”

As I was left blinking at the unusual advice, he winked at me.

Then, in the most un-Anaster-like move I’d seen so far, he stood up straight and smoothed his robe. He looked at me with total seriousness.

“Now, there are a few things I was asked to relay to you as a representative of the family. First of all, a reply to all those letters you sent over the years, asking for money or things. Here.”

Reaching into his robe, he somehow pulled out a bag almost as large as his head. When plopped down on the table, it clinked considerably.

“Your father, the duke, has seen fit to bestow upon you this small sum of money in addition to your normal stipend. Do with it as you wish. Buy something nice for yourself. Or for a girl you might like.”

A bit of a twinkle returned to his eyes as he winked at me. Then it was gone like an illusion. Serious Anaster was back.

“Second. You are no longer barred from returning to the family’s main seat of power. As of me delivering this message, you can consider your unofficial exile to be officially over. You remain as official lord of this little backwater place whose name I forgot, even though it was probably on the documents I was made to read before coming here. Oh well. Ahem.”

Even in serious mode, he really didn’t change. Apparently I wasn’t the only person being driven crazy by this man’s presence. I could only imagine what all the ‘important’ people in the family must think whenever they had to deal with him.

The image made me smile, which Anaster obviously interpreted as being about his message.

Honestly though, I didn’t really care all that much. Did I want to have more to do with any of Kalin’s family? His half-siblings and stepmothers, not to mention all the more loosely related members? Heck no. I’ll be just fine out here without them.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“I know you must be excited, but I personally wouldn’t recommend coming back any time soon. The climate in the duke’s residence really wouldn’t be good for your health.”

Getting the distinct impression he’s not talking about the weather.

I nodded. That was just fine by me. I’d stay here in my backwater and let those conniving bastards fight it out among themselves. The less contact I had with the family, the better.

“I have more happy news for you,” Anaster continued. “The third official message is as follows – upon my return with the confirmation that you haven’t been eaten by a demon, your father dearest has decided one of your lovely siblings will be joining you here. Didn’t tell me who or why, the little snot, but he insisted I tell you to get ready.”

Hold on, what? I sat up straight.

“What?”

“I dunno. You’ll be getting a visit from family soon. Well, family that isn’t me. Unfortunately, I can’t stay, much as I’d love to laze about in the countryside for a few years. Also, I won’t be back any time soon. That damn teleportation array guzzles mana like no tomorrow. Even in a place near a mana well like here. And my old bones can’t handle a carriage well. Not to mention I apparently ‘spook the horses’. Bah.”

I looked this ‘old man’ up and down. Despite the ageless aspect of his appearance, he did look mostly like a young man. Unless that was just skin-deep, I very much doubted he actually had frail bones.

Also, didn’t you complain about having to mention your old age just a while ago?

“Don’t look at me like that. You try getting to my age, then we’ll see who has the last laugh.”