Stone Mage: Revenge of the Villain System

Donna missed her friends now that summer vacation has arrived.....

And surprisingly, he brother also expressed that same thing.

"Father, I would like to be allowed to travel to Scirocco to visit the Phoenix Mountain with a friend." He said plainly.

"For what reason?" Duke Taevas ate the sloppily-made soup Mavretri gave him. "..... Needs more salt."

Mavretri shook his head. "Your physician told me that you could not have more salt or it will make you unwell again, Your Grace."

Duke Taevas slammed his fist on the table. "Damn physicians. I'm already approaching death's door as I slowly age, can't I at least enjoy my soup with more salt before I do?"

He turned back to Ronin. "Scirocco is very far away from here, about three weeks travel just to get there. You need a valid reason to convince me."

"I miss my friend." Ronin answered without a hint of 'missing' someone at all.

Duke Taevas knew that he did this on purpose, so he would ask more questions.

"And this friend..... Who exactly is it?"

Ronin grinned. "Would you allow me to go if it was someone wealthy who may give us a few 'gifts'?"

Duke Taevas gritted his teeth. "What do you take me for, a beggar desperate for any alms on the streets? Money is nothing, if I wanted money I could have simply asked some from your grandparents there."

"And why didn't you?" Ronin sneered. "All these years, and yet none of the family Asuli have ever visited here.... Not even at your wife and son's funeral. Not a single letter from them either."

"If you did not remind me of them, Father, I would have simply assumed they were already dead. Yet you make it sound like they are still alive, and therefore, we could ask some help from them for our monetary problems."

Ronin clapped his hand. "Ah! That is a good idea, how about I visit them and send them your regards as I travel to Scirocco?"

Duke Taevas gritted his teeth.

"You will not go to them, and you are not allowed to visit this friend of yours either."

Ronin just shrugged. "Alright then. How about you allow us to continue doing our little part-time job for the time-being?"

"What job?" Their father narrowed his fuzzy white eyebrows.

"Oh, Donna did not tell you?" Ronin raised an eyebrow.

Donna scoffed. "I thought I would tell him once the money I earned was enough, Brother."

Duke Taevas' eyebrows furrowed deeper. "Even you are included? I thought I told you to focus on your studies and becoming a Knight."

" Well, we do it in the Week's End, anyway." Ronin told him." It's to gain more volunteers in my research, and also some coins from the bet. It's a very good venture, and all Don ever needs is his strength as a Hero Mage."

Duke Taevas became more alarmed at this 'venture' the more Ronin spoke.

"What is it, boy? Do not speak in circles."

Ronon grinned, emphasizing every syllable.

"Busking."

Duke Taevas' spoon cluttered on the floor.

Mavretri picked it up nervously and handed a new one for him. "Your Grace, your temper....."

Duke Taevas did not heed to this concerns and pushed the bowl aside, grabbing Ronin by the collar!

"You... You made my child do something as embarrassing as that!? Selling her talent for a few coins on the street!?"

He was yelling so close to his face that his some of his spit flew on Ronin's face, but he only wore that shit-eating grin.

"What's the matter, Father? Busking is a legitimate business, and works well for the desperate. Why would you be so riled up by such an innocent thing?"

Duke Taevas cursed. (So he knows! This daemon of a child!)

Donna stood up and grab her father's wrist, wearing a scowl. "Unhand him, Father. Why are you getting mad when we are doing this to help you!? Have you gone senile!?"

"Not like this!" Duke Taevas retorted. "Think of your reputation, Donna! To use your powers bestowed by the gods to do some parlor tricks..... It's more demeaning than becoming a street vendor!"

An image flashed in Duke Taevas mind of a little boy selling something in a basket in the rain.

Ronin quickly grasped into this memory before Duke Taevas can subdue it. He had noticed that this father of theirs have this strange ability to subdue certain memories and make them fall into the deepest pits of his mind, locked away and forgotten.

But this one escaped from the vents, and Ronin latched on to it.

"Blue corn for the Festival of Gods! Blue corn to bring more blessings!" The boy yelled in his tiny, high-pitched voice.

He was standing in the rain without an umbrella or parasol, with the people and carriages just passing him by.

He was a Commoner, with a Titanium Heartstone.

Suddenly, another noble boy passed him by and placed him under the shade of his parasol.

"Muld, why are you still selling blue corn in this rain? You might get sick."

"Young master Asuli! W-What are you doing here?" The boy called Muld blinked at this person with eyes full of amazement.

Young Master Asuli have a Corundum Heartstone, a Medium-grade Heartstone.

Ronin knew that Corundum have many types and was usually not that valuable on its own.....

But when mixed with other minerals such as iron or...

"Come back with me to the manor and get some rest. You have worked all day in the farm and now in the streets." He said, smiling.

Muld frowned. "But the Festival of Gods is nearby, it's the perfect time to sell them."

The young master sighed and took something from his pockets.

"Here. I'll buy all of them for you." He said, handing a bag of coins. "Then we can pray to Vesuvius together to guide me in my Triannum test."

Muld's eyes shone at the gold pieces. "Thank you, Young Master! Er.... Even though this blue corn belongs to your family anyway."

"Haha, just call me Taevas. We're of the same age, no need for formalities."

And he took the trusting boy's hand and shared the umbrella under the rain....

Just like when Ronin shared an umbrella with Cermin as an 'act of kindness' that was nothing more but thinly veiled manipulation.