Wizards of the Otherworldly Court: Five, Twenty-three, and Twenty-nine Years

Chapter 4.3 Owen's Collection: Reuniting with Owen's Father - Reason for Absence

Azhure: I got college, work, and plain burnout. I guess finishing this story will take a long time.

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"Tell me, Ronald, what would happen if you guys knew what I'm doing?" Joshua asked.

Ronald was a bit startled when Joshua asked him back, putting his foot down. Nevertheless, he gave his answer, "We would cause some changes to your rebellion, for better or worse which would depend on the Guardians and all of our input," without a shred of doubt. "But what is certain is your rather... direct approach wouldn't be well received."

"And that's exactly why," Joshua replied, leaning forward. "I don't want to take the risk of the Court's interference to jeopardize everything."

"His argument is valid," Aqua interjected. "For as long as I became the Fire Guardian, I have seen the Otherworldly Court's track record of handling things to be rather... inconsistent." Clicking to herself, she then exclaimed, "oh, who am I kidding? We fail in missions more than tolerable! Even when we do not, it is usually a bittersweet victory that all of us are unsatisfied with."

Owen could tell; the constant failure to defeat the Green Deity of Geron Yor, the Vengeful Remnants in Kaomagi, the cultists at Qantasia getting the jump on them, the Maneg Beast hunt back in Kaomagi where Alicia got close to dying, and of course, everything that happened in Beohar.

"I will not say I know exactly why this is so, but I do know that this has to do with the fact that we never commit fully to an action," Aqua declared, putting her hands to her waists. "For one, almost every Court Wizard I have sent off to missions barely brings anything other than their person - rarely do I see them bringing even a Catalyst for a particular assignment. And that is not to mention who the Court Wizard I have to send!"

Owen only needed to look at everyone else to know the Fire Guardian was pretty much taking the opportunity to rant about the Otherworldly Court Guardian experience. Well, she's not wrong, unless you're on an operation, you would mostly be assigned to random missions that came out as needed, routine or otherwise.

In a sense, it felt like an adventurer's guild system where random quests that popped out were given to whoever was available. The analogy made more sense when Court Wizards were compensated by commission for every mission rather than a fixed salary.

"We hold back because of guilty conscience from the First Guardians era because our predecessors before that were no different than the cursed dragons," Aqua continued her piece. "Well, the more I explain this to recruited Court Wizards, the more I believe how crippling this sentiment is. Not to make light of 1246, but our half-assed commitment is exactly why it happened!"

"That's... quite a bold statement you made there, Aqua," Ronald said agape. Even Joshua nodded in agreement on how the greater water spirit could bring up such a sensitive topic among Court Wizards.

"Indeed, and I am supposed to be the conservative one," she replied sarcastically. "Please, I am the first to try new things among greater spirits - I am the one who started the blessing culture. You could say this is one of the reasons why I supported Joshua's rebellion."

"...I feel there is more to that," Ronald suspected, bending forward to have his head rest on the back of his hands and his elbows resting on the table.

"I am sure you already know it," Aqua deadpanned, putting her hands down. "But I suppose you children have not," she then said as she looked at the younger Court Wizards. "It was long before I became the Fire Guardian, long before I first encountered you Court Wizards. I could start from the cursed dragons, but we will be here for a long time."

"No, you don't need to go that far," Ronald shook his head.

"Get to the point, Aqua," William, her fellow Guardian, grumbled.