The Dreamer's Fall

Chapter 9 - Earl Helagaust

"Wha..." Foster muttered as he skimmed through the list of names and read the signed order granting them to Earl Helagaust.

"Young master, I don't understand. Who is this Earl Helagaust?" Foster asked as he finished reading the order.

"It would appear that I am, or should I say will be. Now, come and sit. This concerns you as well." Arthur replied, leading the pair into the study.

Unsurprisingly, Kyren was hovering around the study with his arms and legs splayed out as if floating along a lazy river. His head perked up when he saw the commotion and looked toward Arthur.

"What are you doing here so late, kid?" Kyren asked, not bothering to change his floating posture as he hovered to Arthur's side.

Of course, Arthur couldn't answer him since Foster and Senna were around, but it made things easier since he would only need to tell the story once. After they took their seats, Arthur recounted his conversation with Edward.

He left out any information about his mother's death as that information could be dangerous for them to hear. Arthur even included his father's final comments and confessed that he had been a third circle mage for about two years now.

The three people, or better yet, two people and one ghost, were the people Arthur trusted most in this world. Senna for obvious reasons, as she had essentially raised him and Foster because he was the closest thing to a friend that Arthur had.

Whatever decision he made, they would be affected in some way, so he felt it was time to open up to them a bit.

"You were a third circle at eleven!?" Foster exclaimed as his facial expression distorted.

"What will you do?" Senna asked with a voice of concern.

"HAHAHA! You get them, Agelia! Show the Ollerin trash whose boss!" Kyren bellowed out deafening laughter, recounting the events that led up to the war.

Arthur wanted to remind Kyren that it was the second prince of Sparnia, his own country, who killed him and that his sense of nationalism was pointless now that he was dead, but he held his tongue.

"I don't know. My father seems to believe he is helping me, but the Helaguast region may be even more dangerous than trying to hide from Duke Yor." Arthur explained.

"Why does Duke Yor still want you dead? If you've already been disinherited, doesn't that mean he won? Why do your life and death matter?" Foster asked curiously.

"Heh... Must be nice to be so stupid." Kyren mocked as he shook his head at Foster.

"The fact that my father can buy an earldom in a secret exchange with the emperor should answer that for you. He likely wants to root out any problems before they have a chance to grow.

"Since if I had enough support, I could attempt to reclaim my title as the rightful heir to the Revan territory. The real question is, why is he so interested in this territory, and why doesn't that concern my father?" Arthur replied.

"The Revan territory controls two of the fourteen aether crystal mines within the empire. Perhaps Duke Yor is after them?" Senna asked.

"It's possible..." Arthur muttered as he mulled over the idea.

The idea that Duke Yor wanted to kill him over a couple of mines irked him for some reason. It was a perfectly good reason to kill someone, as far as reasons go, but it felt so mundane in a world of swords and magic that it bothered him. Whatever the reason, it didn't change his situation, and he only had eight days to make a decision.

"I'll follow you no matter what you decide, young master." Senna declared.

"You shouldn't. This is a perfect opportunity to go out and finally live for yourself. You've done more than enough for me. I can't ask any more of you. Besides, if I follow my father's plan, I'll be going to war, and I can't bring a powerless woman along with me." Arthur rebutted.