Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 34: Reese and Rabe 1 of 5 (Part 02)

Odo and Fiola walked down the main street of the city center, leaving the orphanage children who were practicing meditation. With a message to Firkaf and the others that they won't be back in a few days, the two men from Luke's Mansion left with a rest and it became a sign of the end of their stay at the place.

Amongst the traffic of their crowd with light facial expressions, without burdens or gloomy thoughts. Glancing at her master, the blackish-brown woman asked, “Why did you suddenly decide to leave? Isn't that plan just starting tomorrow?”

Odo glanced flatly hearing that. Sighing in a small breath, the young man in black hair replied, “New plans start tomorrow indeed, but do we have no problem if we do not come to prepare the plan? If suddenly we come along it feels strange, loh.”

“Ah, true also.” The Huli Jing looked up slightly, looking at the sky that looked overcast. Looking back at Odo who was walking beside him, he asked, “But ..., still instead of better you say first to Miss Siska?”

“Hmm, Sister Fiola is familiar with Siska, yes ...” Odo glanced flatly, he narrowed his eyes slightly and stared cynically.

“Eh?” Fiola immediately threw a forward look, then said, “Ah ..., she's the one engrossed in it. Somehow it feels like our fate is the same, especially about taking care of wayward children.”

Odo put on a flat expression, trying not to catch the words and pretending not to listen. Switching the conversation to something else, they had a little chat during the journey to the preparation place around the main gate of the city. It felt a little strange for Fiola to talk casually with the young man's statured little boy, a sense like the boundary between subordinates and superiors faded slightly. It was as if a comfortable atmosphere was scattered around them, making the conversation that existed between them more inclined to trivial things to get to know each other more deeply.

Not feeling so long on the way, the two of them finally reached the preparation place near the main gate. It was located a few hundred meters to the south of the gate, quite far from residential areas or civilian traffic. Arriving there Odo saw carts filled with weapons parked neatly, along with several horses prepared. Looking the other way from the place, there were soldiers who were being directed by their commander and also seen some witches who were preparing themselves.

Of the number of people who will follow the extermination plan, they are not more than 20 to 25 people. More than half of them were warriors, some witches, and carriers and were seen by some hunters who had memorized the mountains to help during the plan.

At first glance Odo feels that their numbers are relatively small for a big plan to free Luke's territory from the bandits. But considering that the city warriors could not be brought all over as it could make the city's defenses fragile, the black-haired young man slightly sighed lightly. Actually it is not a matter of the amount he is worried about, but the excitement of preparation needs to be shown to get a big positive view when the plan succeeds later.

Lisiathus Mylta who was preparing with the troops was slightly astonished to see the strange combination of Fiola coming with a young man. The red-haired woman approached Shieal, looked puzzled and asked, “Nona Fiola ..., where is Mr Odo?” At a glance Lisia glanced towards the young man with black hair beside the woman she was talking to.

Fiola pointed towards the man next to him without looking at him, then said, “This is not considered?”

“Eh? Don't joke .... Are you still upset about that incident? Didn't Mr Odo come back last night? Don't joke!”

“He became big on his return ..”

“This is right me, really. My voice is still familiar, isn't it?” said Odo.

Hearing that, Siska's mind came to a halt and made her expression blank as if her soul was floating. He knew the voice of the young man, but seeing the fact that the boy had become such a gentle-looking young man made Lisia completely stupefied. So unreliable, Lisia had looked behind the man because she thought that Odo was behind him and spoke as if the young man had a similar voice.

Of course, the child he sought was not there. Staring cynically, he scanned the young man in black hair closely. Realizing that his face was very similar, Lisia again was wide-eyed her mind completely muddled with confusion.

“A-Does Luke's family have this fast growth ability?! Just incredible! You are not ordinary people!”

Getting such a reaction, Odo glanced flatly at Fiola because the woman was talking unnecessarily. Hitting Fiola's head, Odo said, “Runyam, deh!”

“Ugh! Mr. ..” Fiola turned his head, stuck his tongue out at Odo, then said, “Once I upset Mr. Odo.”

In the end, the two of them explained what really happened to Odo and the reason why it could be like that. When she found out that it was just transformation magic and not that Odo's body was so fast, Lisia actually breathed a sigh of relief from a few things. But when he heard the reason Odo had trouble using magic that had not been mastered perfectly and until it was trapped in that form, Lisia's breath seemed to be as tight as it was.

The reason was heavier than he had expected. Because Fiola used his authority to the soldiers to search for Odo last night, indirectly rumors about the highest Shieal spread among the soldiers and the possibility of it spreading more widely until it was heard to other nobles later.

At first, the plan would only use the name Odo Luke as a helper in the extermination plan to support the Mylta City command. But because of Fiola's actions last night, it could be very bad if the name Odo Luke even spread. The reason was simple, it could erase the achievements of the Mylta City government and assume all of it was the result of the piercing of the two important people.

Taking that into consideration, Odo uses transformation magic and asks Lisia to forge the identity of the boy in the form of the young man's black hair. Falsifying here meant that by identity and background, Odo would be recorded under another name in the plan and be considered a hunter hired by the Lisia in the plan.

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In front of the storage warehouse at the preparation site, several people gathered to review the plans they were going to do tomorrow morning. On the table placed outside, a large map is held until it meets the square table. The map is a geographical area of Luke's territory, encompassing the City of Mylta in the south to St. Lacus in the southeast.

Odo, Lisia, Fiola and a Chief Warrior named Itla Lots stood around the table. When looking at the pawns that were divided in two colors on the map, Odo felt a little strange about the position. The red pawns were a sign of the bandit's headquarters, while the blue pawns were Mylta City troops and members of the extermination plan.

The position of the red pawns that are on the map is slightly different from what Odo calculated. According to the information he got from the merchants, the location of the bandits should be around the coming route that was often passed. But what was on the map was different, the red pawns were placed not in the forest but rather close to the city of Vadusi in the southwest and Litista in the south of Luke's territory.

The Head Warrior, Itla Lots, moves the blue pawns according to the route to be taken. While arranging the blue pawns, he said, “According to the hunters, the safest route from the threat of the storm is through the western path of this forest. After arriving at the transit point, we will make a camp and prepare for an attack there.”

Odo noted the explanation, he had estimated the location of the bandit headquarters around the two designated cities. But seeing that the city government had decided to scan around the two places, it confused him a bit. Odo raised some red pawns, then moved them north. The pawn that Odo put right into the Rockfield region which is a mountainous area, close to the Pando Forest that he had been to.

“Oi! Tell me who did you move the pawn at will?!” said the Head Warrior with ferocity.

The man in dark silver armor took off the protective helmet, then placed it on the table. The man's blonde hair was unraveling to the shoulders, staring with his dark blue eyes. Contrary to the combination of blue eyes and straight blonde hair that looks elegant, the thirty-year-old man's face looks sad and like a war veteran.

“Again, you're just a hunter, aren't you?! Just because Miss let you come to this meeting, don't be big on coconuts!”

The man who from the beginning was not happy with the existence of the young man was just looking for reasons to be angry, Odo clearly understood that. Raising the right hand of the red pawn, the black-haired youth stared back flatly. Ilta incubated, the man immediately walked up to Odo and pulled his collar.

“You are ...”

“Ilta, already! He's a trustworthy person!” reprimand Lisia from the other side of the table. He placed both palms on the map, then observed the pawns that Odo had moved.

“But! He's just a hunter! His name is not famous either! What can he do?!”

“Tuan Nigrum is my fiancee! Don't insult him!” Lisia resolute.

The three people near the table were shocked to hear that. Among them, Odo began to panic with the expression even if it was just a lie to make the Head Warrior quiet. Sensing the flat gaze from Fiola, the young man in black hair trembled even more and cold sweat began to pour out.

“Tacto?” The Chief Warrior raised his hand from Odo's collar, then looked at him sharply as he said, “What? Why haven't I heard that?”

“Although uncle is my swordsmanship teacher from childhood, it does not mean I have to tell everything to uncle!”

Odo glanced flatly. Seeing the expressions that the men saw when they heard Lisia's words, at first glance the young man understood what the possibility would be if the plan continued in the condition of their relationship as such. Taking a light breath, Odo resignedly entered into the charade that the red-haired woman made.

Facing the Head Warrior, Odo placed his right palm onto his left chest and slightly lowered his head respectfully. “Sorry I didn't introduce myself well. My name is Nigrum,” Odo said in a respectful tone. Standing up straight and shaking hands, he said, “Maybe this is embarrassing, but my noble surname is very low. I'm nothing compared to you, Mr. Lots.”

The Warrior Chief was surprised, as far as a hunter did not have such manners. The man quickly believed that the young man was not from a lowly family, but still a sense of dislike was seen from his expression. Shaking Odo's hand, he said, “Are you really Miss' fiancee?”

“Yes, our father set us up since childhood. You know, noble families are often like that. I also just found out a month ago it turned out we were betrothed .... Suddenly my father kicked me from home and said to achieve the feat with Miss Lisiathus.”

The man did not feel anything odd about the words. Clasping tightly onto Odo's hand, the man said, “Hmm, so apparently.” The man stopped shaking hands with the young man. As Odo returned to face the map, Fiola and Lisia looked surprised because the young man was lying naturally and casually composed the very logical words.

“What's up, Miss Fiola? Miss Lisiathus?” ask Odo.

Understand that if you have to get into the play, Fiola as Shieal at the venue said, “Uhm, Mr Nigrum, so why did you suddenly move the pawn that Lord Coconut Soldier had placed? I heard this plan has been set by Miss Lisia, and what they are doing now is just re-explaining it to us...”

The young man faced the table, then pointed at one of the red pawns and said, “Do you guys not think the possibility of this plan leaking into the bandits?”

Lisia flinched hearing that, the woman who had just looked towards the pawn moved started to raise her face. Confused, he asked, “Why do you think that way? This plan is only known by a few people, should the information be maintained .... Do you doubt my army?”

The Head Warrior lifted the pawn that Odo had moved, then returned it to its original place. “It's true! Leaking information is impossible! Our mouth is not that bucket!” he said firmly.

“How long have you guys been planning this?” asked Odo, the young man stared flatly at Lisia. The friendly-looking face exuded a sharp aura, showing no gentle nature at all and inversely proportional to the face.

“Newly about two months ago,” Lisia said. Staring a little scared, he explained, “Actually we want to immediately start his plan right at the beginning of the new year with a form of shock attack. But since there was that incident on the dock, we postponed it to avoid unnecessary suspicion from other nobles.”

“Two months ..., that time is enough to make the information leak,” stressed Odo. Looking back at the map and observing the pawns that had been returned to the starting position, the young man slightly sighed and said, “Nona Lisiathus knows, as far as a person's mouth is concerned, they will speak and it could be slipped .... Well, that doesn't mean I doubt the loyalties of Miss's troops, but it's talking about possibilities. Moreover, isn't there a lot of people who could potentially leak such information?”

“Many?” Lisia slightly stared in wonder.

Pointing his index finger at chest height, the young man said, “Yes, a lot. For example, a witch from the City of Miquator you hired, a hunter, or even a merchant who questioned what Miss bought things for in bulk ...”.

“It was just your delusion!” said the Head Warrior. “Hah! Is that why you got kicked out of your family! Because you're a coward and keep thinking like that! If they know, we'll fight! They're just bandits! Nobles from under the rule of Lord Dart do not deserve to behave like that!” said the Head Warrior.

That word is logical. How powerful the bandits were, they were just a bunch of people who would not be able to win against the trained forces, let alone from Luke's territory. But that's not the case, it's not the kind of thing Odo is worried about. Glancing flat at Fiola, he gave a gesture to say the information.

“What about Native Overhoul on their side?” ask Fiola. Shieal with the form of the little girl stared intently, then said again, “Master Warrior Head should already know their potential strength is very dangerous. One of them is equivalent to a dozen witches .... If coupled with strong martial skills, it is very fatal for our group to lung directly into the nest of enemies who are ready to ambush.”

“What is so scary about Native Overhoul? They are only people with a flawed Magic Core and can only use one magic only, right?”

“Please keep up the greeting, Uncle,” reprimand Lisia. Staring sharply, he said, “Uncle knows that the late brother of Mr. Dart is Native Overhoul, right? Uncle also knows the terrible ability he has, ‘kan?”

“He's an exception! Mr Griad from the Luke family!”

“Hmm, no need to worry,” said Odo without looking at the man. The young man stared straight at the map, unblinking and his eyes as if glaring out looking at what he was looking at very seriously. Seeing that, the Head Warrior gave a slight goosebump and felt that something was wrong with the young man.

“But may I give you a suggestion, Mr. Iitla Lots,” Odo said as he turned to look at the man. Putting on an expressionless face and with a blank look, he asked, “If your dear Lord lives your subordinates, instead of better planning it carefully?”

“Me-What do you have plans for!?”

“Hmm, I assure you in this plan we will not be attacked from behind or ambushed. Yes, that's all I guarantee .... Using it or not, it's up ..”

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After the talk and a review of the plan, the blonde-haired man immediately went to his army to inform him of the change of plans. He left in a hurry, with a surprised face as if what Odo described in his plan made the man panic.

Still standing near the table, Odo rolled up his shirt sleeves and examined the black bracelet that looked cramped on his right arm. He had a flat expression, his eyes darkened and seemed to be thinking about something. Aware of the young man's expression, Lisia felt it was right that he was Odo Luke.

In a soft tone the woman said, “Sorry, Mr. Odo .... Please don't think badly of uncle Ilta. He's actually a good person, it's just that his protective nature to me is a bit too...”

Odo raised his face hearing those words. Staring lightly and smiling, he replied, “I know, really. She's like family to Miss, isn't she?”

Nodding lightly, he smiled faintly and said, “Hmm, he already I consider family. Mr Od—”

“Nigrum,” Odo correction.

“By the way, is it okay to make such a lie?” ask Odo.

Both Lisia's eyebrows briefly lifted. Smiling seductively, he asked, “Soal engagement?”

“Ya ..”.

“I don't mind if you're really engaged to you, kok.”

Hearing those words, Fiola directly looked at Odo without a sound. Sharply, it exuded a sharp aura that made the young man glimmered. At a glance, he said, “Honey, for some reason I can't take it.”

Smiling faintly, in a joking tone the woman said, “Well, am I rejected? Kejam~ If I may know, why?”

Raising both shoulders simultaneously, the young man said, “Layaknya the nobles in general, unwittingly I already have a fiancee beyond my will.”

“Lying again like that? Basic, you this ...” Lisia stared happily and really thought it was a joke. Understand that the woman thinks so, Odo just smiled thinly and did not explain further.

Turning around and about to get out of place, Lisia said, “Then, I say goodbye. Uncle can indeed explain the plan to the soldiers, but for hunters and witches is my part.”

“Wait a minute, Miss Lisiathus!”

Lisia came to a halt, turned her head and asked, “Hmm, what's up?”

“The witches are from Miquator, ‘right? How do I hire them?”

At first glance Lisia felt astonished as to what the young man asked like that. Slightly staring flatly, he said, “Ah, you don't know, huh? Miquator provides services such as Guild, loh. They used to take jobs and send witches to neighboring lands. Well, even though the ones I hired were actually people who came from this city and were studying in that magic city, hell.”

“Lesson?” ask Odo confused.

“Hmm, they studied in the magic academy. For the cost of education the students there used to do tasks like this.”

“Hmm, so there is such a thing, yes.” Putting his right hand to the front of his mouth, the young man slightly lowered his head and took a close look at the information he got.

“If Master, do you not want to learn magic there?”

Odo took a small glance, then replied, “Well, later if the time is right.”

“Ah, true also ...” Lisia smiled as she recalled that Odo was still very young. Back turning around, he got up from the spot and said, “Then, I say goodbye first.”

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When Lisia was gone and near the table with the big map it was just the two of them, Fiola immediately approached Odo with a less than happy mood. Staring sharply from the side, the black-brown woman said, “Please don't make such a lie, you know that this is now the position of—”

“I know,” cut Odo. Looking towards Fiola, he said, “Now I am the candidate, right? I understand that ...”

Fiola only fell silent to get such an answer. Sighing slightly, he turned towards the table and saw what the young man was observing. “By the way, does it matter, Mr Odo?” Fiola pointed to one of the red pawns, feeling awkward with the position that the young man had placed.

“What's the reason?” Odo looked at the pawn with a flat look.

“It ... he said the place of the existing bandit group Native Overhoul, loh. You were with the Warrior Chief's explanation earlier, weren't you?”

A moment of silence felt. Odo tried to digest the word. Sighing lightly, he asked, “Hmm, it is indeed there. Is Mommy Fiola afraid of something like that?”

At first glance putting on a dislike face, Fiola fell silent. Staring at Odo from the side, he said, “Not scared, just anxious.”

“Axiety?” Odo glanced at the small, feeling a little astonished by the words.

“Native Power Overhoul does not matter to me, it's just that they turn off. In contrast to witches, their power tends to be centralized ..”

Odo understood that word. The Native Overhouls were people who were born with magic talent but had abnormalities in their Magic Core as time went by or it could have indeed become like that from birth. The power possessed by such people tends to give up like a supernatural power, difficult to explain in the field of magic or logically.

“Yes, that's true too,” said Odo in a slightly lazy tone. “Their power is like a weapon that has been completely mastered by its users, in contrast to the magicians who tend to have variety and not centralized power.”

“Not it ...”

“Hmm?” Odo looked confused.

“The dangerous thing about Native Overhoul is not just that. They tend to have very sharp instincts and are almost like a sixth sense. Do you know that your father's Big Brother is also a Native Overhoul?”

“Ya, sure. I also know his strength.”

“Said every time he swung a sword on the battlefield, it was a sign that someone had fallen at that moment .... But that's not the case, the mentally dangerous Native Overhoul of them.”

Getting a serious look and sayings like that, Odo felt that there was something strange about Fiola's worry that seemed excessive. Odo did know the strength of the Native Overhouls was incredible, but it was nothing more than a single type of attack that could be used in several ways.

“What is their mentality why?” ask Odo confused.

Gazing at the pawn on the map, the Huli Jing looked a little grim as if recalling something bad. Slightly glancing at Odo, he said, “Removing Luke's late Eldest Son, the Native Overhouls tend to have no loyalty. They can easily sacrifice colleagues and act inhumanely, worse yet they consider it logical.”

Odo was really the first time he heard that. The information he knew from the people with mutated Magic Intents was too minimal, there was no record of clearly discussing them. Slightly throwing away his gaze, Odo thought, “If it is not wrong there is also a book that says that their nature is no different from monsters.”

“There is something like that,” said Fiola after reading Odo's mind. “I have also seen people like them several times and their nature is like that .... Did you know that Imania is also Native Overhoul?”

“Mbak Imania? Yes ..., I know.” Odo was slightly astonished as Fiola suddenly discussed one of the Shieal. Staring lightly, he said, “If it is not wrong, its power makes the blood evaporate into powder to control others.”

“Do you know why it became like that? I mean, until I can't talk like that ..”

Odo's left eyebrow was slightly raised, then he said, “To my knowledge, it was because of an incident before Mbak Imania became Shieal. More I don't know, anyway.”

“Voice cut by Mr. Dart.”

“A ...!! Cut?” Odo was really surprised. Although he knew that the background of Imania was quite dark among the Shieal, but he did not have time to think that it was true that what made the woman mute was her father.

“Imania used to be the son of one of the nobles in this Luke Region,” Fiola explained. Staring sharply at Odo, he said, “But as his strength began to rise as a child, he unconsciously began to caress his entire family with such power. You know, the powder that came out of his blood was a fungus. A kind of mushroom powder that contaminates the host. I don't know the details, but as a symbol of the queen, Imania can freely regulate people who are contaminated, whether it be consciously or not.”

“Fungi .., yes.”

Odo understands the concept. There are several types of mushroom plants that use hosts from plants or animals as living media, and the concept of the power of Immania tends to be that way. Given when Imania had used the power directly, Odo felt that the power would be very dangerous if used to its full potential. But even so he did not consider that Immania was a bad person.

“Hmm, that was terrible,” Fiola said as he recalled the incident when he first met the individual named Imania. “When Mr. Dart was with Mrs and I checked the castle where she lived, it was already very severe .... The spread has reached the surrounding villages. Even ..., the Madam was controlled to the point of attacking your father. Well, even if it was only for a moment and the Madam could escape her control, but the power of Imania was indeed terrifying to be able to control a witch like the Madam. That's why, as a precaution the girl was muted.”

Staring flat at Fiola, with mixed feelings Odo said, “Not that there is no problem, Mbak Imania also looks not like a bad person, loh.”

Fiola smiled faintly hearing that, his expression looking dislike Odo's words because the boy did not know the reality of the nature of the woman who could not talk. Staring with a look of flat eyes, the Huli Jing said, “Because it's not the bad guys, it's what makes them terrible. They do bad things without knowing what they are doing bad. The Native Overhouls had no loyalty, they lied easily, and even betrayed without guilt. Their common sense diverges.”

That look made Odo tremble slightly. Seeing that Fiola was eager to convey the view that the Native Overhouls were indeed dangerous, Odo tried to accept it and said, “Hmm, more or less I understand.”

“Really?”

“Iya ..” Looking back at the map on the table, the boy switched the conversation by asking, “By the way, is Miss Fiola not getting ready? We're gonna fight, loh.”

“Bet ready?” Fiola was confused. Understand that the preparation in question is for the plan to be carried out, he said, “Ah, I am a type of magic user without a catalyst. After all, my Mana control level has reached stage four and stage three I have mastered.”

Odo was a little troubled by the words, feeling defeated in some ways. “Phase four .... If not wrong, it's a special stage after freelancing control, right?” ask the young man.

“Iya ..” Smiling slightly as he looked at Odo from the side, Fiola said, “From stage one it is a change of Mana form, stage two change of Mana nature, and stage three freelance control, respectively, stage four is special and has different variations on each individual. If sir, development to what stage?”

Odo really feels disturbed to get the question, in the mind comes the feeling like being asked the results of the report card by parents in a previous life. Glancing with a little annoyance, he said, “Phase two, it was still not smoothly combined with stage one. Stage three is only limited to 10 meters, if more than that can only be aura scattering without being controlled.”

“Oh, great, dong,” praise Fiola. “At your age now, you can already reach that stage. The mind that he says is an expert in Mana control takes longer, loh.”

Odo just smiled stiffly got the flattery. He felt like he was pitied, despite knowing Fiola said so with the intention of truly sincerely praising him. Sighing lightly, the young man slightly remembered that he had not taught the stages of Mana control to the orphanage children.

Mana Control itself is a method that can be used between Magic and Battle Art, more inclined to a technique. Mana Control is divided into several stages which include, Shape Change, Nature Change, Freelance Control, and Special Stage. Although it is divided by level, but that does not mean that the top tier is stronger than the level below it. Mana control depends on deepening mastery.

An example of that is Luke's Dart which centers on the first stage, namely the Shape Change to create a weapon of solidified Mana. As for the second and third stages, it was more likely to be learned by the witches. People who reach the advanced stage after stage three are very rare because it tends to take a very long time. That stage is called the Special Stage because it must give a unique trait to the Mana in the body.

Although Odo said it had only reached stage three and had not mastered it at all, but in fact he had unknowingly reached the advanced stage because of the Black Dragon Magic Core within him. The form of the special magic of Hariq Iliah is the result.

Odo himself did not go too deep into such methods, preferring to use a structure in using Mana rather than directly accessing it and controlling it. The reason for doing so was very simple, Odo preferred to use structured and orderly magic rather than Mana manipulation which tended to be like an art that had no fixed reference.

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Author's Note:

Why late?

Do you know what happened on August 11? Understand because I have a lot of fun too.

Tired of preparation of chopping head balphegor:v

And maybe in the future there's a little late again. August was busy. Not busy, but there are many more activities.