“Sir Falikh, where are we headed right now?” Oliver asked with a flat countenance, seemingly amusing herself with the array of shops in the broad daylight that shines upon the Capital City of the Kerias Kingdom.

“Call me Falkh for now. It’s just a simple matter of removing one letter from my name, you know?” Falikh returned a suggestion to Oliver.

“Sir Falkh, where are we headed right now?” Oliver once again asked.

“We are headed right now to our temporary base here in the Kerias Kingdom. We should be able to operate sufficiently with the people we’ve brought. Besides, we should stick to our original profession, bandits!” Falikh declared to Oliver in a small voice.

“I see, so we parted ways with them so they can arrange things before we directly arrive here at the capital.” Oliver said her thoughts.

“A second night of stay in the Einhart Household would be pushing it too far. We just have to let them know that we are tied with Miss Reysha so we can affirm for our invitation. Later, we will move our dummy carriage for trading out from there in the pretext of we've found lodgings in the capital.” Falikh explained.

“I, more or less, guessed that. I can also feel that even though they let us in as visitors and even had the conversation, they are still wary. In all honesty, the head of the household is quite strong too.” Oliver said as she gazes upon her palm, the hand she used to block Seran’s attack.

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt?” Falikh asked with countenance tinged with a little worry.

“It felt numb after that. Even now, it is still tingling.” Oliver said bluntly.

“We can’t have that. For a someone who will once again rise up as a ruler, we should keep you in an optimal state.” Falikh said as he raised his hand and gently lands it on Oliver’s head which is still covered with her hood.

“Theoretically, if it was Miss Reysha, she would have crushed my hand. How thankful I am that I hadn’t encountered her the same as how you and the others did.” Oliver clenches her palm as she utters those words.

“Sure did. Good thing you’re always missing from the usual spot. Or else, she’d have you running buck naked too and that will reveal a lot about you.” Falikh grins a little as spoke of those words.

“This one’s body isn’t that too desirable though.” Oliver muttered in which her voice doesn’t reach Falikh’s earshot.

The two of them walks side by side amidst the clogging pedestrian. Falikh who is quite familiar with the city’s landscape should be fine if ever he gets separated but, Oliver, on the other hand, should be able to trace Falikh’s scent but with the crowd around them, her nose will be confused.

Oliver knew that and she is no naïve nor fool.

“Hmm…Oliver…” Falikh called out to her in a low tone.

“We cannot proceed smoothly if I do not do these, agree?” Oliver grins with impish demeanor.

Around Falikh and Oliver, people part way like they are purposely avoiding them. It’s to the point that the people are frantically escaping from their presence.

“Really…to use your Authority here…” Falkh only sighs in awe and disbelief.

“It’s the Presence of the Ruler. Didn’t you said that a woman named Princess Meriyal has the same Authority?” Oliver filled Falikh in while inquiring a new notion.

“Yeah, she has quite an aura around her. She is nothing sort of a master schemer like me because she does things for a noble cause. It’s more accurate to say that she has a few screw loose but when it comes down to it, she has a scary intellect befitting of a ruler. She may even be better than you.” Falikh explained while laying down his honest thoughts about Meriyal.

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“She’s an interesting person if you have evaluated her with loose screws. This personage, I’d like to meet her one day when I regain my former glory as the Sovereign.” Oliver said with a faint frown.

“Of course, that’s what we planned after all. We are going to rebuild your kingdom and you will keep the end of your bargain.” Falikh replied as his face slowly falls flat.

“Yeah…” Like Falikh, Oliver fell silent.

They continued walking for a while in peace because of Oliver’s Authority that sends people away from a certain radius around them. They continued this smooth sailing strides until they arrived at one of the city’s central district where there’s a fountain at the center.

However, at that place, something unusual, like the blazing summer was a lie and the place can only send a chill to anyone. This resulted in the whole place being vacated.

Opposite from Falikh and Oliver comes two hooded figures, the same as them.

“Sir Falikh…” Oliver called out in a low voice.

“Falkh.” Falikh replied.

“Sir Falkh, those two…no, the one who is in the lead, she is also using something same like an authority. With the bounded territory of our Authority clashes, people vacating the area due to ingrained fear will leave in a hurry.” Oliver explained as she reaches out to her fan inside her pocket.

On the other side of the team…

“Derill, stand back. No, go further back. These two are onto something.” Alef said as she also takes a readied stance.

“Eh?” Derill with a dumbfounded face uttered.

“This nonexistence magic…could it be?” Alef inwardly thought.

The two pairs kept walking towards each other until they are onto each other’s nose. Both of the pairs stops several steps away.

Both of the pairs fell into a silence as each stares at each other and feel each other’s wariness until Falikh made the first move.

“Good day.” Falikh greeted with a smile as he takes off his hood.

“……” Alef did the same as she takes off her own hood but instead of any greeting, she only glared at Falikh.

“This woman…she is mother’s attendant! What is she doing here?” Falikh immediately recognized the identity of the woman in front of him.

“Was…Genesis son always have brown hair?” Alef thought as she curiously stares at Falikh.

“What are you doing here, Sir Falikh?” Alef greeted with a bow and curtsy.

“Oh? Identifying me immediately like that, only a few people know how to determine me by my nonexistent magic alone. You, what are you up to?” Falikh said with a grin.

“Crap! So he is in a disguise! I could have pulled through this if I really remembered how he looks like. Also, the one beside him…this one also unleashes an aura equal or even greater than me…” Alef panics inwardly while her countenance began trickling with sweat.

“Miss Alef, I think we should really hurry.” Derill, the man who is standing beside Alef, said with an impatient countenance.

“Alef? Isn’t your name Maria?” Falikh once again asked as he peers deeper into Alef’s eyes.

Alef’s face started becoming a little pale. She glared at Derill momentarily to make him shut up but the man himself is quite oblivious of the situation.

“Miss Alef, Lady Genesis really needs the supplement and medicines, right? We should go—Bufooh!” Derill opened his damn mouth again that Alef unconsciously threw a light jab at his abdomen.

“No…this is…” Alef was drowned by her nervousness that she cannot think of a way to explain her way out.

“So, Genesis is nearby?” Oliver said as she drew her fan out. As she unfolded it, it made a clanking sound.

“Who are yo--! Don’t tell me…this weaponry…” Alef’s face further falls into panic as she immediately notices the identity of the woman beside Falikh.

“It seems that you do not possess a scent belonging to humans. This putrid scent…you are from the Dragon race, right?” Oliver said as she pointed the fan at her.

“A dragon race…So, what were you doing with my mother?” Falikh followed a question with his eyes tinged with a glare.

“Why is the…late Sovereign of the Maelous Kingdom here? Why is she together with Falikh?! This is bad! Chased by the Mesola Kingdom and encounter with these people, just how are we running low in luck?!” Alef started walking backward as she keeps wary of the two.

“Do not worry, Maria or whatever you are called now. I shall not start a skirmish here. You too, Olivia, stand down. Our goal is not the downfall of anyone.” Falikh called out.

With his words alone, Oliver withdrew his weapon and returned her countenance to flat one.

“Starting a fight here would attract a lot of attention. I am really curious about what’s happening on mother’s side but we cannot risk letting this plan fall apart. That is as it may, knowing that mother is nearby is a valuable information already so I shall let this pass.” Falikh assessed the situation.

“Are you saying you will let us go?” Alef asked while still keeping her guard up.

“…Deliver those medicines to my mother. She is not good with summer and she tends to sleep shorter than usual. Be sure to keep her feet soaked in a basin filled with ice if she ever feels light headed. As for her lack of sleep, let her take a nap after six in the afternoon. She’ll fall asleep immediately at night if you don’t feed her any carbohydrates. That’s all.” Falikh said in succession.

“Y-Yeah…well then…” Alef made another bow frantically and immediately drag Derill with her.

After that encounter, Falikh and Oliver continued their walk in silence.