Valora took a deep breath as the carriage came to a halt. She looked at me across the carriage.

"Ready?" I asked as Tikki faded out of visibility.

"Ready," she confirmed and she seemed to change. She took on a calm and slightly cold expression before the door of the horseless carriage opened and stairs folded down.

I quickly moved to get out before offering her my hand. Valora took my hand and I helped her onto the ground.

Letting go, she proceeded to ignore me and walked towards the stairs up to the main gate. And it was a gate, nothing that large could be called a door.

I trailed along.

Wow, this place was massive. Mansion was not enough, this was a castle. As in the French aristocrat level of things.

A pair of guards holding staves stood by each side of the gate, wearing breastplates and helmets, both polished over dark uniforms. Next to the right one stood an older man in what I could only describe was a mix of a dark suit and a robe.

As we got closer, he bowed deeply, followed by the guards going to attention, "Lady Valora, welcome home. I hope your journey was uneventful?"

"It was fine, Corin," she said, "Where are my parents?"

"I believe they are in the study, My Lady."

Valora nodded and walked towards the doors, the guards quickly moving to open them in turn, "This is Taz," she said, motioning in my general direction, "Ready a guest room, he will be tutoring me this summer. Taz, come."

"Of course, My Lady," Corin said, bowing again as she walked past him but I didn’t miss him eyeing me as I followed her, but not after I gave him a small bow in turn.

Inside I got another surprise. It seemed like two dozen people were lined up at each side of the massive entrance hall. Maids, cooks, butlers.

Valora ignored them all, heading towards the stairs without breaking step, leaving me to quickly follow.

Damn, how rich were these people!? This carpet may be softer than my mattress! The walls were covered with expensive looking art. I could see statues I would have normally seen in a museum on Earth, and one of those bigger ones at that!

Valora led the way, not even glancing in my direction until she led the way to a door and she walked inside.

Inside were five people.

Two were guards standing to each side of the room. Each wearing the same black uniform with shiny steel looking breastplates and full face helmets, carrying staves.

The third was an older gentleman, wearing brown robes and with a long white beard and even longer white hair. If that dude isn’t a wizard scholar, I’ll eat my shoes. He was standing by the table, turning the pages of a large tome.

As we entered, he turned in our direction and bowed as the guards came to attention, "Lady Valora, welcome home."

"Thank you, Hiren," she said, actually looking in his direction for a second before turning her attention to the last two people in the room.

I could have picked her father out from any crowd. He was bald but with a short beard, just starting to grey. His skin was as dark as Valora’s, but what really stood out was his eyes.

Just as grey and pale as hers, they stood out sharply as he looked up towards us. He was wearing comfortable looking grey robes and his eyes flicked in my direction for a second before turning his attention to his daughter as he stood up, closing his book. "Valora," he said, his voice deep, "I hope your journey was not too troubling."

"It was not, father," she said and walked up to him, "It is good to see you again."

"You as well, daughter."

Valora’s mother walked up to them both with a smile. Valora must have gotten her hair color from her, it was just as thick, long and jet black as her daughters but she wasn’t as dark in general as her husband or daughter, "Valora. I hope you’re staying all summer. How was Strixhaven?"

"Mother," Valora greeted her with a small smile, "Two months at the very least, but we should return to school with plenty of time in case there are delays."

She nodded, "Of course," she said and then looked in my direction, "And who is your companion?"

Valora looked towards me, "This is Taz. He is one of the top students and he has agreed to assist in tutoring me as well as giving me someone on my level of skill to practice with."

I bowed to them, "Lord and Lady Gerand, I thank you for your hospitality."

"Very well," Lord Gerand said and raised one hand, snapping his fingers.

The door opened and a man in a dark uniform walked inside, "My Lord?" he asked.

"Karel, please show Taz to one of the guest rooms and make sure he gets situated."

Karel bowed, "Of course, My Lord," he said and then gave me a much smaller bow, motioning towards the door, "Sir."

I gave the Lord and Lady another bow before I left, Karel closing the doors behind us before motioning towards the right, "This way, if you please."

What followed was a trek through the castle, or estate as Valora had called it, down one floor and towards a different wing.

Finally Karel stopped by a ornamented oak door and opened it, leading as he motioned me inside.

"Your room, sir," he said.

Bloody hell.

It was massive, you could have played tennis in here. The floor seemed to be marble, the walls of some sort of rich wood and covered with art. There were several large windows overlooking the grounds.

The bed was even larger than I had expected and covered with a rich red cloth. Not only that, but it had those bed hangers you saw in historical dramas, whatever they were called. The cloth things around the bed. And it looked as large as my old dorm back at Strixhaven.

That was just one piece of furniture as well. There was a table large enough for eight people, expensive looking chairs and a couch facing a large fireplace.

"Thank you, Karel," I said, "This will do nicely."

"Your things will be delivered to you. Please refrain from wandering the estates without an escort," Karel said, "The grounds can be confusing for those unused to it," he said before he motioned towards a rope that hung next to a door, "You may summon a servant with this."

"I understand, thank you."

Giving me one more bow, he closed the door behind him as he left, leaving me alone.

Feeling about as out of place as a whale in a desert, I slowly walked into the middle of the room as I looked around. I... I don’t think anything I’d ever owned had cost more than any single object in this room.

I was afraid I’d scratch a chair and accidentally end up in debt for life.

Tikki didn’t seem to care, the celestial was back in visibility, stretched out fully relaxed on the bed. Still not any larger than a housecat, she seemed to enjoy the luxury.

"Tikki," I said after a moment, "What have I gotten myself into?"

She didn’t answer, not even opening her eyes. The fox simply relaxed, tails slowly wagging.