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[color=f7941d]"Ah yes, Ersand'Enise!"[/color] exclaimed Count István, as if finally recalling something obscure. [color=a187be][i]Yeah, Ersand Enise: that totally unremarkable place that's only the literal center of magic for the entire world,[/i][/color] Rikard thought to himself. He pretended to have dropped something just so he could lean away and roll his eyes grandly. Lujza caught them and grinned. Rikard couldn't help but smile back. [color=f7941d]"I remember my time there,"[/color] the count was going on, [color=f7941d]"They used to call me 'The Ace', haha!"[/color]

[color=8dc73f]"Riki!"[/color] scolded the boy's mother from a few seats away. She was clucking with the other hens over there, or that's how Uncle Miklós would say it. [color=8dc73f]"Riki, stop feeding the dog."[/color] 

[color=a187be]"I wasn't,"[/color] the preteen answered sullenly, but then there was a glare from his father. [color=a187be]"Well, maybe a bit,"[/color] he falsely admitted, just to be done with it. [color=a187be]"Sorry."[/color] He cast his eyes down. Sure enough, there was Büdös, staring up at him with big eyes. Now he actually [i]wanted[/i] to feed the old hound. [color=000000]"He's well-fed enough already, Oruf knows,"[/color] said father. Rikard turned his eyes back to the table and [i]endured.[/i] At least the food was good. They'd pulled out all of the stops for the Count's visit, even varnishing the wood floors and hiring a few of the tenants to play the role of full-time servants, temporarily. They'd even gotten Márta, the miller's wife, to help with the food.

[color=f7941d]"So, Rikard,"[/color] inquired the count, [color=f7941d]"How do you feel, being student at Ersand'Enise?"[/color]

The youth blinked. [color=a187be][i]What a stupid question.[/i] "I guess I'll tell you when I get there."[/color] He shrugged, managing to keep [i]most[/i] of the mockery from his tone. For a moment, the table fell silent. A couple pairs of eyes slid towards Count István or Rikard, in anticipatory horror. Then, the fat man burst out in a laugh. [color=f7941d]"Hah!"[/color] he barked, [color=f7941d]"Hahaaa! Truly spoken."[/color] He skewered another chunk of pheasant with his fork. [color=f7941d]"Trust you me, lad. It's like no place else, and I was happy to help out with the transportation."[/color] He shook his head. [color=f7941d]"Our very own local prodigy."[/color][color=a187be] - [i]Here it comes,[/i][/color] thought the boy - [color=f7941d]"Though I'd expect nothing less from the line of the paradigm himself, Esziram rest him."[/color] [color=a187be][i]And there it goes.[/i][/color] István made the sign of the Pentad. Rikard managed to mimic the gesture. He'd have rather been practicing his most recent new spell down behind the old stables where he'd set up a testing range, or in the village proper with Oszkár, Pál, and Zsazsa. However, this was a small price to pay, he'd been reminding himself, for the brand new robes the count had paid for, and for the passage chartered on a rather nice galleon. He'd been to the city and met with the tailor, and they'd been of a mind on the design. He looked, for the first time, a [i]real[/i] thaumaturge and had been trying to balance his desire to wear the coolest clothes ever with the necessity of not wearing them out and arriving to the academy in threadbare robes. 

Rikard schooled himself to act the part of the young gentleman for the remainder of the luncheon, for he owed the count that much, in truth. The adults continued to talk for long afterwards, resting their hands on their big bellies and discussing matters of business and state. He would not have to worry about those, he was glad. He would be a Zeno. He'd already decided it. Magic would be his purpose and he wouldn't have to worry much about people. Before long, he, Lujza, and Vendel had been allowed to wander off. [color=ed145b]"Okay, but lightning's too fast to sense,"[/color] the lone girl among them was insisting, [color=ed145b]"So I don't see how you could [i]shape[/i] or [i]guide[/i] it."[/color]

[color=a187be]"Well yeah,"[/color] Rikard admitted. People had told him this before. He understood the sense behind it even if it didn't match his experiences. He could guide it just fine. [color=a187be]"You just need to set up charges first,"[/color] he explained, covering for himself. [color=a187be]"and then it's all planning and reflexes."[/color]

[color=fff200]"Or you're just the chosen one,"[/color] Vendel teased. [color=ed145b]"The saviour of his people!"[/color] Lujza giggled. [color=a187be]"Hugo fuckin' Hunghorasz himself,"[/color] Rikard concluded, knowing where this was headed. 

[color=fff200]"All hail!"[/color]

[color=ed145b]"Praise be!"[/color]

[color=fff200]"Finally, he accepts his destiny."[/color]

[color=a187be]"You guys can stop anytime now,"[/color] Rikard groaned.

[color=ed145b]"As you command, Paradigm."[/color]

He shot out a tiny spark of electricity and zapped her for the comment. Lujza yelped and shot a playful glare his way. [color=fff200]"Don't you fuckin' [i]dare[/i]!"[/color] Vendel warned but, soon, he too was running. [color=a187be][i]One last day,[/i][/color] Rikard knew, with his brother and sister, with his friends. Then, tomorrow, as the morning dew still lay on the grass and Ipti gave way to Szun, a coach would pick him up and he'd be headed into Peskor. It'd be scarce more than a week and he'd be in Ersand'Enise. 
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