Supreme Magus

Chapter 1280 - Test Drive (Part 4)

”Welcome home, young master. Itʼs always a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e having you here.” Hilya said.

Lark was about to burst into outrage when he noticed that the head chef had actually obeyed his orders. She was talking with Aran, not Lith, offering to both him and Leria sweets from her cart.

The stress almost gave him a stroke, especially when he noticed how the guards looked at him, expecting the Count to scold Hilya and ruin the happiness of the children.

Stuck between a rock and a hard head, Lark could only suck it up and endure.

”Lady Ernas, to what do I owe this unexpected p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e?” He knew Friya from the Court and he hoped that her presence along with Tistaʼs would keep the male staff from remembering anything about those events.

Judging from their sudden blank stares, the plan seemed to work.

”I helped Lith in making this wonder of magic and decided to join them for this joy ride. I must say that it goes beyond my wildest expectations. Iʼm even considering to gift one to my mother.” She replied to the Countʼs bow with a small curtsy.

The more Lark learned about the DoLorean, the less he cared for his alleged parenthood. His love for anything even remotely magical was the reason why he and Lith had crossed paths in the first place.

Standing in front of a piece that even the famous Royal Forgemaster Orion Ernas considered worthy of his wife, made Larkʼs monocle pop out of his eye socket in surprise.

He had no idea that Friya spoke only on her own behalf nor that her request would probably go against the law in the matter of a few hours.

”What does it do, exactly?” He asked without taking a single step away from the car as he studied it inside and out.

Hilya inwardly griped at her masterʼs lack of etiquette, forcing his guests to stand outside despite the chilly wind of the upcoming winter and without offering them any refreshment.

She had filled her cart to the brim with still-warm pastries and hot tea expecting to serve it in the Tea Room, not in the middle of the honor guard. Little did she know that after flying that way, everyone enjoyed the feeling of solid ground under their feet.

”Iʼm sorry to interrupt Your Grace, but Your tea is getting cold. Maybe you should continue the conversation inside the house.” Hilya had positioned herself so that when she tilted her head pointing at the house, it would also point at the kids.

She hoped that the Count would put two and two together and cease his shenanigans.

”I think you are right, Hilya.” Lark said with the pained voice of a man forced to say goodbye to his true love.

Then, he looked at the sun and calculated how much time was left before sunset.

”I know that itʼs really rude of me, but I would love to have a ride until thereʼs still some light to enjoy the scenery. Care to join us?” He asked.

The a.d.u.l.ts shuddered, the kids were too busy stuffing their faces with sweets, and Zekell preferred to enjoy a hospitality worthy of the Royals. He never followed the Verhens to official events and, for a mere country blacksmith, it was a unique opportunity to receive undeserved attentions.

”In this case, Iʼd better leave this here.” Lith took out from his pocket dimension a black sphere the size of an orange covered in red runes.

”What is that?” Lark asked.

”Itʼs a Home Stone.” Friya said. ”It works in couples, allowing to extend the range of dimensional magic and to reduce its requirements by creating a beacon that contains a specific set of coordinates.”

Lark nodded, pretending to have understood her words and so did the others.

”Itʼs another of the reasons why I needed Friyaʼs help.” Lith said. ”My understanding of dimensional magic allows me to craft one with fixed coordinates, while this baby can lead to a different destination according to the circ.u.mstances.”

The Stone in Lithʼs hands pulsed with a red light as the runes on its surface changed. The process was akin to that of Lithʼs army amulet when he shared his position, but in this case, the Stone would just store the information.

Once the light disappeared, Lith used earth magic to bury the Home Stone without ruining Larkʼs perfect lawn.

”It mustnʼt be removed until our return.” Lith said to the Count who ordered the guards to leave the place and Hilya to take care of his guests until his return.

”Where is Pontus? This is supposed to be his job.” Lark said.

”The last time I saw him, he was having a meeting with your healer, Your Grace.” Hilya replied.

”I donʼt care about gossip, Hilya. He can date whoever he wants as long he doesnʼt do it during working hours.” The Count was both flabbergasted and mistaken about his butlerʼs uncharacteristic lack of ethics.

”I believe their relationship is strictly professional, Your Grace.” She said.

”Does he need help?” Friya asked.

”According to mage Ophyn, Pontus is just a bit tired and ill-suited for running, Your Ladyship, but Iʼm certain he could use a second opinion.” The head chef gave her a deep bow.

Lark, instead, didnʼt hear a word of it and jumped straight on the driverʼs seat.

”Are you sure you donʼt want to experience it as a passenger first?” Lith asked.

”Isnʼt it safe?”

”Of course. I made it for non-mages so safety was my first priority.” Lith replied.

”Then I can just trust your work and enjoy myself. What do I have to do?” Lark asked while pulling and turning the steering wheel to no avail.

After a brief explanation about the commands, the Count imprinted the car and had it bolt off the lawn, pulling the speed lever straight from zero to three.

”Donʼt you need your monocle to see?” Lithʼs guts went up and down along with the DoLorean when Lark made it jump above the metal gate of his mansion without even giving the guards the time to open it for them.

”Nonsense. Sight is for the weak. Either a vehicle itʼs safe or it isnʼt.” The Count brought the car back on the road laughing heartily like a child. Given his age, he sounded more like a madman, but Lith had no time to notice such trivial things.

He was too focused on being ready to take the wheel the moment something went wrong. The Count never decelerated and took turns so sharp that he almost hit road signs more than once.

ʼIʼm glad we made the controls so responsive, yet Lark is really pushing them to their limits.ʼ Solus thought as she watched the DoLorean jump or dodge other vehicles according to the noblemanʼs whims.

Lark never slowed down so each one of his maneuvers brought them centimeters away from a crash.

”Look, thatʼs Viscount Drath!” The Count pointed at a gold-painted luxurious stagecoach that floated in mid-air and pulled by six magnificent white stallions.

”You have no idea how much he likes to flaunt that useless thing. Sure, its enchantments prevent any bumps even when the horses gallop at their full speed, but I donʼt think itʼs worth spending one-tenth of your annuities.”