Chapter 6: Princess Sharifa
Fardedju City
After his first day at the basic rune crafting, he learned so much that the books did not provide.
Rune is the foundation of magic in the world, each character have different effects and when combined they create more complex effect, however, random combination of it will unlikely result in something. Ever since the dawn of its discovery humans have not yet discovered their true potential.
Runes are discovered from nature, embedded on horns of beasts, a leaf of a tree, or even on the skin of some beast but there is a problem. It was random and may not appear on every horn, leaf, skin, etc.
Base on all that discovered so far, humans created almost all the combinations of runes, but they found very few working combinations. This combination were now used in some weapons and devices but there are no complicated one that amazed Pedro so far.
"The Egyptian people seem to focus and eager on discovering what are the other runes, but not the present available." Pedro said to himself as he walked towards the temple. But he was distracted by someone's' voice.
"Sekani?". The deep voice called his name, and he was alerted; specially he noticed the people increased by the day spying on him. He did not mind at first but it was getting annoying, and he was worried now.
When he turned around, an adult man that seemed to be a military man base on the black stripes in the Usekh. "Hello sir, do you need something?" Pedro said with humble words and calmed himself, but he was still cautious.
"Hahaha, Good. Please follow me." The man was cordial but there is something that bothered Pedro. They then proceed to a corner with fewer people.
"Boy, it seems to me that you do not fear me. You are quite confident, I suppose. Haha haha." The man laughed after saying something odd. "I am officer Heh, and I would like to give you this letter. Read it without anyone knowing, also before I walk out." Heh gave him a scroll of some kind and then got closer to Pedro to whisper.
"Leave here before this year ends." After saying that Heh walked out like it was nothing and vanished in the crowd.
Pedro continued onward and thought it was the end but someone was following him. His heart was pounding and felt something was about to happen.
"Eeek." He was grabbed, and he tumbled purposely to make it seem he freaked out. "What do you want?" Pedro was now kneeling on the ground with his dagger. And the people was alerted, and some few people that noticed got out immediately from the area.
"Hey, hey, hey. Don't misunderstand, I am here for business." The man who was on a robe and hood immediately put down his hood and shown his face with an awkward smile.
Pedro felt something was wrong but his act was effective and it was time for him to cooperate. It was just a warning that he would surely make a commotion to defend himself. And it was taken as is.
"I am a priest sent by Ma-nefer. My name is not of your concern, can we talk somewhere else?" The man awkwardly scratched his head as he looked around. Pedro nodded but still not complacent.
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In a shade below a tree, the two of them talked while there are people passing the area was quite isolated and it was difficult for someone to hear them.
"10% of the income will be yours." The priest said after explaining the situation. They wanted to bribe Pedro and edit the final reports then the remainder of the goods will be sold outside, and they will all profit. It was actually a huge offer considering the volume of trade in the city. But Pedro was reluctant.
"What happens, If I refuse." Pedro asked seriously to the priest.
"I am just a messenger, but base on my masters attitude. You will be fortunate, if you can escape alive in this city." It was a blatant warning, and a very serious threat, but he says it as if it was a normal situation.
"Can you give me at least this year to decide? I will fortify my status first inside the system for my own protection, at least." Pedro said casually, but he acted sincere and actually thought of the warning that guy Heh said.
"I could not decide that but I can surely pass the message to them, I will not just promise it will be honored though." The priest said as he nodded like they were friends already.
He safely got back to his quarters in the temple after doing his chores. He was reading the letter, and he knitted his brows, he did not forget to burn the letter and proceed to rest in his bed. "Damn this, It seems where ever you go the world truly was very harsh and scheming." He said with worry.
He was offered to spy on some people under the command of the pharaoh's representative in the city, but he was also given choice not to do it and warned him that it was dangerous. They seem to be good people and even the guy Heh warned him also of something about to happen next year.
"I still have time, but it would be too dangerous if I stay till the end." He pondered late in the evening but his body could not take it, and he slept.
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Inside the academy Pedro was concentrating on the table, using his soul energy to form something from the materials. "Good, but what are these, and it's use?" The old teacher was curious of what Pedro was making, so he approached.
"Professor, this is nothing, I am just curious and formed it randomly." Pedro answered casually and smile, and the professor just nodded then left.
After finishing the basics, Pedro passed the first test and choose forging first. It was the process of injecting the soul energy into an object and deform it, making objects of your own accord. It was perfect for Pedro in making his first device.
But he was being labeled in the academy as an 'odd ball'. Instead of making weapons and useful device, he made random objects that they don't understand and don't even know what it's purpose. They left him alone and besides it was his money and the objects he made will be his but still they could not understand him.
After the class, he regularly bought more materials and the shop owners knew of him well. Pedro requests weird materials but the shop owners did not mind; they gain and that was all that matters.
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Inside his quarters many objects are scattered in his table, all the forged objects he finished in the academy was all brought also here.
"It's amazing that other materials have limit while being forged." He blurted to himself as he was holding a brittle glass, it has already cracks and could not be reforged anymore after several reforging.
Materials like glass, wood and others materials have limit, but metals, and other precious materials have more durability but of course the harder the material the more soul energy it needs to reforge.
"Alright, I am almost finish." The object in the center of the table was like a crude microscope, but it was not finished yet, he needed to; learn about rune carving, apply some rune combinations for it to be finished. And he was excited because he just passed the test in forging and was now able to proceed to rune carving.
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"Ma-nefer, how was the boy doing? Did he decide already about the offer?" They gathered their usual secret meeting and their topic was Pedro.
"It's fine, he has promised to decide after this year and there is no indication that he was preparing for escape, and besides the scouts reported that he has no special abilities and has very weak Soul Energy base on his test in the rune crafting academy.
"Good, and how about the capital?" An officer asked Ma-nefer.
"The Pharaoh seemed to surrender the thought of fighting us and made the decision to just adjust the system, but even with that, we can easily move inside without obstacle." Ma-nefer said trusting his father who is leading the monopoly of power in the entire trading system in the south. They were also confident of their power and not afraid of any retaliation from the Pharaoh.
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After a few days, it was finally the first day of the month and his first day of rune carving lessons. Excited and lively he walked towards the academy.
Quite excited Pedro was now on his way towards the Academy ready for his first day of rune carving but the road seemed to be lively. "Is there an event or something?" Pedro pondered and look towards the crowded area.
"Wow, is that the princess?" Pedro heard a man talking to his companion while looking at the small parade of beasts. The young woman that was inside a small room covered in thin veil on top of a huge elephant like beast with dragon scales could not be seen properly because of the veil.
"Hello sir, whose princess is coming?" Pedro asked the two guys in front of him out of curiosity.
"Did you live under a rock or something? That is Princess the first princess Sharifa of Walami tribe." The guy sneered interrupting his concentration to the parade. Royalties seldom venture out, and even if it was not a royalty of Egypt it was still a prominent person that they can see.
Pedro knitted his brows, and ignored them. It was not his concern, so he proceeds to the academy. But the mood inside the academy was different, the princess will actually visit the rune carving academy and join the classes.
"There she is." One of the students blurted, they can now see what a royalty from the Walami tribe looked like. They are curious, but they don't expect too much from them, after all the tribes are looked down by most Egyptians and label them as savages. While in fact it was false, Pedro experience it himself how lively and family oriented the Walami are, and he can see the curiosity within them.
The young woman around 18 years old and was actually beautiful, base on the reactions of the students; the princess was beautiful. She had black long hair covered in headdress, which is rare in Egypt because some shave all their hair to avoid lice, and part of hygiene. She wore a long secured by a bead strap, and a bead belt. It was very revealing considering there seems to be no under garments which is not usually used in Egypt.
"Everyone, this is princess Sharifa. She already knew how to forge and is taking her carving lesson to become a master carver. She will be joining the lessons. Take good care of her." The princess gave a slight bow but with much emotion in her face.
"Odd ball, guide the princess next to you and teach him the rules later." The professor teasingly smiled while instructing Pedro and it made him startled. Out of all the students he was the one chosen. He just awkwardly laughed and guided the princess then the lesson started.
The professor gave the lesson normally without a glitch but some students was checking the princess from time to time.
Aside from nodding from his explanation, and showing the campus. The first day ended without a word from the princess, but Pedro knew that she was listening carefully and seems curious. The only concern he has was why did the princess was sent here, is it really just to study or something else, and he was also in a dilemma knowing that there will be a major situation about to happen.
He could not sleep well that night and was thinking the situation over and over again. After all he has feelings for the tribe which are honest and lively people.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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