Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 6] Ch. 4 Strawberry Surprise

Sebas

After we return to the hotel I'm beginning to wonder if starting a Hotel chain was really wise. There is an elevator that uses gravity magic to function. There is a shop that sells swimsuits and other beach related clothes and since they are all from Cherub's garden it only hits home that I've been competing with my sister in the fashion business.

I started the hotel business as a spur of the moment decision when I met a merchant who had some good business sense but no investors. When I chatted with him, he said he wanted to run a large inn by the ocean but had no means and only partial ideas. So I invested in him. Now he had seven hotels all over Brillivor, so Boss Tir and I were reaping a lot of benefits from the deal. I've made her so bloody rich it's laughable.

Minerva was paying for our room out of her pocket, but I'm sure if I wanted to, I could get my own room but that was more trouble than it was worth since it would probably require kicking someone else out.

Our room has a fairly large living space complete with furniture. On either side of the room were smaller rooms. One was a bathroom complete with plumbing and the other was a bedroom with two large beds. It's very rustic and nice although I'm guessing anyone coming in here other than me would find it fairly modern.

The way magic and technology have been developing in this world is very peculiar and it messes with my modern sensibilities. There are no outlets or plugs and most devices are self-reliant or can be operated by the most-simple of magical commands. I have plans somewhere for powering an entire building off a dungeon core.

It would treat the building like a dungeon and all the lights and certain functions could be safely powered by it. I say safe, and the lights would be fine, but there was the risk of spawning demon beasts. I haven't figured out the exact method for spawning or prevent the summoning of demon beasts. As soon as figure out the theory I could create technological revolution... and start the apocalypse. The best case scenario is to spawn friendly or benevolent Demon Beasts. I also need to fine tune the method for creating dungeons. Naturally occurring dungeons were peculiar and after studying them for so long I've only been able to figure a precious few things out, especially since meeting my vampire familiar.

At the end of the day, the whole thing was just one of the many ideas that I had in a stack somewhere. It was one of those projects that I wish I could pass on to someone to develop. Imagine what I could do if I sat down and just became a researcher with an entire team of magus behind me.

... Well depending on who you talk to, it's probably better not to.

In the morning I let Minerva know I'm going to be doing my own research I assigned her the task of staying with Cedric(and through extension Angela) and out of trouble(And keeping Angela out of trouble). I left early in the morning to get as far away from her as possible.

My freaking honor won't let me just ditch her completely, so I do have to go out and do something. Good thing I already know what the sorcery class it up to. I know, but Hyde doesn't. "Not yet".

That's what yesterday was about with the whole pick up scene. To build up credibility for autonomous actions without having to explain myself too much if we run into each other and I'm acting funny.

I left the hotel with some casual clothes I had picked out for Hyde's persona. I chose clothes that would essentially make me look like a well-dressed delinquent with dark clothes. I got a wife-beater type shirt and an overshirt with white fur around the collar of the shirt. It helps make up for the cold feeling I get around my neck now that I can no longer wear my scarf. I even have a black leather cord necklace with the silver pendent with the symbol of a warlock.

Warlocks are unique for their position as mercenary war mages. So to advertise themselves they wear the symbol of the warlock which can have a variety of meanings. Fundamentally the symbol of the Warlock is a raven and a crow. And based on their positioning it can mean different things. If they are facing away from each other it means the Warlock has allies that watch his back and that they either work in a group of warlocks or has subordinates. They are the wrong people to cross and usually only do larger contracts. Mine had a Raven circling a crow. That meant I was well-rounded in my skill sets. My Raven was also white, which said that I was able to act on my own and probably would if given the chance.

It was the same as the Grand Magus, which I always found ironic since she was the leader of the Magus. But I suppose that meant she kept her work as a Warlock and as Magus separate.

*

While killing time I decide to walk into a couple stores to see if I could get some ideas. I discover through casual observation that there is a large festival at the end of the week with the Hearthroam students in mind. It's one of those parties that is sponsored by a bunch of the local businesses to cash in on the tourists. There is supposed to be tons of food, games, a ball, and fireworks.

There are so many events I'm going to have to avoid with Minerva. More and more flags have been appearing and for some reason I seem to be growing more conscious of them. Now there is a festival.

I decided to grab something to eat and come to a stall that has some fresh baked bread over a grill. I hand the old man a couple of copper pieces and have him spread some strawberry jam on it. I ate it while walking through the crowd and quite enjoyed the simple flavor of the strawberry toast.

There were more than just students around and I took in all the people young and old. I've grown a lot more used to seeing the human and demi-human populations mixing. But even as observant as I've been able to become, I still didn't see the Catgirl that ran right into me.

Crash.

We toppled end over end and all I could thing about was that I lost my strawberry toast.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" I growled. I noticed the brown ears flicking from my belly and when she pushed herself up one hand was very precariously placed right on my crotch. My instincts from fending off Lilith crashed my better sense and I grabbed the unfortunate hand and used it as flipped the poor soul over my head into a cart full of hay. "BAKA!" I screamed for some reason.

After I regained my senses, I pulled myself to my feet and brushed myself off and approached the cart. "If you don't watch where you are going someone is going to get hurt!" I grouse as I pull a fistful of hay away from the perpetrators face.

"I'm sorry, Nyah. Usually I'm really good about these kinds of things." Said a familiar voice and the familiar yellow eyes of my childhood friend greeted me as she popped out of the hay.

Julie!

** ** **

A/N

Ahoy, This is one of those chapters that I'm able to post now that had time to sit down and write. 

Thanks for sticking around, I'm trying to get caught up so I start posting regularly again. 

And may the winds of fortune ever fill your sails. 

-The Captain.