Rya, Quinus, and their group finally arrive at the bustling dining hall. The Baron, Hajdah, and a swarm of diligent servants are bustling around, ensuring everything is perfect. In addition to that, several other distinguished dwarven nobles are also present. It's quite a sight to behold – this dining hall is one of the rare places where human customs are adopted, featuring tables, chairs, plates, and silverware instead of the traditional dwarven methods of using the floor. Rya and her friends are escorted to their seats by one of the servants.

As the group enters the room, a servant swiftly approaches Rya, gracefully taking her cloak as she strides in with confidence.

The Baron looks up and smiles at the group. "Ah, welcome! So, this is Lady Rya, which the Prince was speaking about? She's lovelier than I imagined." He then turns to Rya. "Pleased to meet you."

'Um?... D-Do I bow or something? I don't know noble etiquette?' Rya hesitated for a moment, then bowed her head slightly, unsure if she was doing it right.

"Oh? Ha ha ha! you don't have to bow to me, Lady Rya. We are equals here. Come! Sit down over here. We have plenty of food and wine!" Baron Zellin said with a smile.

Rya blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed by the gesture, while she overheard Quin and Dalia sharing a quiet laugh about it.

'Laugh it up, you two, because when you get to the table, I'm gonna embarrass the hell out of both of you,' the Dark Elf thought to herself.

The rest of the Minor Nobles couldn't help but notice the enigmatic Dark Elf and their curiosity was piqued. Despite their initial reservations, they were eager to engage in conversation with the Prince, each one hoping to win the favor of the future King of Fiafyr.

Rya could hear Quin talking under his breath when he saw all the noble dwarves hovering around them. "Well, looks like tonight's going to be a long night."

"It's not easy being popular sometimes. Hey, if you like, I can play the world's smallest violin for you?" Rya whispered back to Quin, causing him to shake his head and smirk.

"And second thought, I think that would help a lot," the prince replied, which caused Rya to burst out laughing, much to the surprise of the dwarves around them.

Rya didn't know why that sounded so funny to her in the first place, but she couldn't stop giggling, which caused Quin to laugh along with her. She felt more and more comfortable around Quin as time went on.

The dwarven nobles looked at the duo, wondering what could possibly be so funny. They didn't want to miss an opportunity to bond with the future king, so they began cracking jokes left and right, all of which were met with awkward silence or polite laughter from the rest of the table.

'Wow!... They aren't as afraid of me as I thought. That's good,' Rya thought happily as she sat down in her chair that was pulled out for her by Quin. She gladly accepted it as she sat at the table where all the nobles were while Dalia, Percy, and Sir George moved towards another table that was meant for wealthy guests.

Quin, seeing that Rya was seated, took his own chair and sat down beside her. The rest of the party followed suit.

'Man... I kind of know why some women hate chivalry, but I like it! Hehe! I wonder what else I could get Quin to do?... If he knew I was a guy, though, that would be a different story... Ah, whatever! I'll enjoy it while it lasts.'

Baron Zellin took his seat, and the servants began placing the food and wine in front of the group. There were plates of roasted beef, steaming bowls of potatoes and carrots, fresh greens and fruits, warm rolls, and a variety of other dishes.

Rya glanced at Quin, who flashed her a warm smile. She couldn't help but smile back. She was eager to see what he would do next, but she didn't want to interfere with his official duties.

"So, what's your plan for the next few hours?" Rya asked Quin.

Quinus smirked before he let out a defeated sigh, "I need to entertain the local nobles, sadly... I have to do the usual boring stuff with them before we can enjoy the festival tomorrow."

"Haha. That doesn't sound so bad. How can they be any worse than a horde of goblins," Rya replied with a smirk.

Quinus gave her a sly grin, "Goblins are easy... With them, I can cut them down... These people will give me a headache if I don't keep a calm head."

Rya could relate to dealing with annoying people with her old consulting job. She would deal with clients who would try to sabotage their projects, lie about their financial records, or even refuse to follow simple instructions. This mostly happens when a company's engagement lead brings in their coworkers to give input on their operations, and they don't want change. It's not uncommon for people to resist change, even if it's for the better.

"Well, I feel for you, Quin... I'll keep an eye on the others while you're doing that. I'm surprised that so many nobles are here to see you. I thought we didn't want your uncle to find out we're here," Rya replied, glancing around the room.

"Yeah... Well, the important thing is that Baron Zellin sent a messenger to my parents, and now that we are in the Baron's castle, I feel a little better. If anyone attacks, then at least we won't die in his backyard, so to speak," Quin said in a hushed tone.

"So we can stay here without problems, no questions asked? That sounds amazing," Rya said, letting out a sigh of relief.

Quin smiled, "Yeah, it's nice having a place to stay, and the Baron has a sizeable garrison, so if we need any more soldiers, he can provide some support."

"Damn! Are we going to war already? I prefer not to put our lives in danger every single day... It's not a healthy lifestyle, man," Rya replied. She was worried that they'd have to face Alaric Revelia way sooner than she would have hoped, but she was in a fantasy world now, and she might have to get used to this type of life where wars break out from nowhere.

Quin chuckled and sort of nodded, "Yeah, wouldn't we all? Too bad we don't live on a planet that doesn't have magic, monsters, or other weird races, like demons and vampires... But we are stuck here on Tertius."

Quinus mentioned this while staring longingly at Rya's azure eyes as if he had found the person he had been looking for for a long time. She didn't know what he was getting at, but she had a feeling he was hinting at something, or maybe he was trying to flirt with her to mess with her. Either way, Rya shook it off as harmless, but she wasn't entirely sure how to react.

'T-That was weirdly specific... Quin's weird sometimes?' Rya thought to herself. She was about to say something, but a noble dwarf walked over and interrupted her train of thought.

"Prince Quinus! It's been so long! You've grown up into such a fine young man!" the Dwarf said with a polite bow.

"Well, I'm on the clock," Quinus whispers to Rya before turning his attention to the Dwarf, who is wearing a gaudy outfit made from lavish silk and has a fur coat draped over his shoulders. His beard is neatly braided, and his hair is trimmed short, giving him a more dignified appearance than the other dwarves in the room.

"Hello, Lord Garlon... It's good to see you again," Quin said, putting on the best smile that he could muster.

Lord Garlon, a dwarven advisor to the Baron, was a skilled merchant who traversed great distances to meet and trade with diverse races across the world. He usually represented the Baron in political affairs and helped secure lucrative deals on his behalf. Lord Garlon was always on the lookout for new opportunities to enrich himself, and the Baron was his primary client.

Rya couldn't shake the feeling of unease as she noticed the intense and unsettling gaze of Lord Garlon fixed upon her. She tried her best to ignore him, but it was hard not to notice his constant leering.

"Well, hello there. And who is this lovely creature beside you, Prince Quinus? A potential wife, perhaps? I would think the Prime Minister would lose his head if he found out... Can I be the one to tell him? That would be hilarious." Lord Garlon asked in a condescending tone.

Rya blushed a deep red when she heard those words. She quickly averted her gaze from Lord Garlon. 'W-What is with this guy?... Wait?... No one knows that I was a man... A-And Quin is a good friend!... He helped me with my Mana Lust because he cares about me, so this asshole shouldn't say that about us!' Rya thought as her cheeks flared up with anger, but images of Quin going down on her flooded her mind, and all she could do was close her eyes and shake her head vigorously to get rid of those images.

"N-No, Lord Garlon. She's a friend of mine. She's not a potential future wife... Unfortunately..." Quinus said while mumbling the latter half.

Rya's ears perked up, and her head snapped in Quin's direction. She could see a light pink blush form on the Prince's face.

'Is he blushing? Did I hear that right? No way, I must be imagining things. He's just a good friend, nothing more.'

Lord Garlon noticed the change in Rya's expression, and he realized what was going on. She was afraid of falling for a human and needed time to come to terms with her feelings. He smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Ah, I see... It's easy to mistake friendship for something else. I apologize for my assumptions," he said in a smooth tone.

'Huh!? Why is he smirking like that? What's so funny?!' Rya thought as her brow furrowed.

Quinus noticed Rya frown, but it looked more like pouting, and he had to hold back a chuckle.

'She looks so cute when she's angry,' the prince thought.

"It's an honest mistake... Luckily, she's a very trusted friend... One, I would sacrifice my life for her without hesitation," Quinus said in a solemn voice.

'W-Well... That's nice, but I wouldn't ask you to do that, Quin,' Rya thought while looking away from him.

Lord Garlon's eyes widened in surprise at Quinus's proclamation, and then he nodded approvingly.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Well... If that's how much you trust her, then she's earned my trust as well, Prince Quinus. I hope she proves worthy of such a high regard," Lord Garlon said.

Quin smiled, "She will."

"Good. Now, I was hoping to get down to some business. Would you care to discuss some matters regarding trade agreements with the dwarven nations?" Lord Garlon asked politely.

Quinus nodded, "Of course... I'm all ears."

As the intricate conversation unfolded, Rya struggled to grasp the unfamiliar places and topics Garlon was discussing. Feeling adrift in the sea of new information, she decided to redirect her attention to the captivating sights and sounds of the dining room.

As Garlon continued to talk to the Prince, Rya's keen elven senses caught the murmurs and laughter of the other nobles. It was clear that something was afoot, and Rya intended to find out what.

"What's so funny?" Rya asked one of the nobles while they were giggling.

"Oh, it's nothing." They replied in a hushed voice.

"You know I can hear you, right?" Rya replied

They looked nervous as a few of their friends came over to clear up the confusion.

"Lady Rya... We're not laughing at you. It's just... Your appearance... It's... I mean, you are the first Dark Elf we have ever seen. Not many know what your race looks like, so we were curious and intrigued," one of the dwarves said.

'This again? I have a feeling this is going to be a common occurrence for me, isn't it... Well, at least they aren't challenging me like last time.' Rya thought to herself as she heard footsteps coming from her right side.

"Ahem!" Hajdah cleared his throat, trying to get Rya's attention.

"Hmm? Oh, it's you. Are you coming to challenge me again? Mister?..." Rya asked the familiar Dwarven Mage, struggling to recall his name. Quinus brought up his name before coming to the dining hall, but she didn't care to remember it.

The Guild Master grimaced, but he couldn't blame her for forgetting his name after everything he had done to her. He was quick to reply, "My name is Master Hajdah, Lady Rya. I-I came here to apologize." He stutters out.

"Apologize? For what?" Rya asked with skepticism in her voice.

Hajdah lowers his gaze, a hint of shame flickering across his face.

"I shouldn't have questioned you when you first arrived in the palace. I apologize for forcing you to the challenge," Hajdah said shyly.

Rya's brow raised with surprise. She wasn't expecting an apology from Hajdah, especially not so soon. She looked at him closely and saw that he was being sincere, and it hit her why he was apologizing.

'OH!?! Quin must have been pissed... Hmm? Maybe I can use this to my advantage. Yeah! I got this!' Rya thought to herself before letting out a sigh, "Well, I might be able to accept your apology if you can do something for me?" she asked coyly while giving him a cold stare.

Hajdah appeared uneasy, wondering what the Dark Elf's intentions were.

"I-If it is within my power, I'll see if I can do it, my lady." He said with a bow.

'OH HO!... Okay, keep your cool, Ryan. Don't scare him away too soon now,' Rya thought to herself as she gave a fake smile, "So, you're part of the Mages Guild, correct?"

"Yes, my Lady. I am the Head Mage of the Guild," Hajdah said proudly.

'Head Mage? This is perfect... Maybe he can help me out.' Rya thought before giving a smirk, "Do you think that you could let me learn some of your spells? I'm new in the ways of the Arcane... I want to help Quinus defeat his enemies, but I can't do that unless I can learn more magic." Rya was determined to uncover a way to acquire more power for herself and Quinus.

Hajdah was surprised by her request. He didn't expect her to want anything from him besides an apology.

"You want me to teach you how to use magic?... I-I mean, I'd be happy to teach you one of my spells, but first, I need to know which element you're attuned to. Are you aligned with earth, fire, ice, or wind?" Hajdah asked.

"Well, I know a few dark earth spells, and I seem to be able to interact with water when I use my mana. I can do things like move water around but not much else," Rya explains.

"That's odd. You can use two elements at once?... I only know of one mage in all the kingdom that can do that, and that's Grand Master Fennic, Head Mage of the Fiafyr Kingdom," Hajdah said with curiosity, lacing his voice.

'Really? So, using more than one element is rare as well? Maybe my abilities are linked to the fact that I'm a Dark Elf... Whatever, if I'm going to survive in this world, then I need to learn how to use more spells," Rya thought to herself.

Rya shrugged, "Well, I'm not going to complain. I just want to learn more spells, so can you help me out?"

Hajdah hesitated, wondering whether or not he should do this, but he ultimately relented, "I don't see why not?... But we should start with the basics so I can get a better understanding of your skill level. What element are you most comfortable with?" he asked as he combed his fingers through his long white beard.

"Dark Earth Magic. I feel I understand that one the best... What's the element do you cast, Hajdah?" She asked the old dwarf.

"I'm a fire mage, so I won't be able to help you one-on-one... And my Earth Mage doesn't know anything about Dark Earth magic, sadly... So, it would be easiest for us to teach you about water magic right now. It's Mystic Laika's specialty. She is one of my best water mages in the guild. I'll bring her to the palace as soon as possible, Lady Rya," Hajdah answers her question.

Rya was pleasantly surprised by the Dwarf's response. He didn't appear bothered by her request and was willing to teach her whatever spell she wished to learn.

"Thank you, Hajdah! You have no idea how grateful I am," Rya said while smiling.

"No problem at all, my lady... And maybe we can look inside our library to find out what Dark Earth spells are available. But it's tough to find due to most of the books and tomes being written in dead tongues, and it's really difficult to read." Hajdah answered.

"Dead languages? That's unfortunate. But I would be happy to learn a few spells even if I can't read them. Do you know anyone who could help me translate the texts into... Um... Common?" Rya asks, hopeful that there might be someone in the city who could read the language.

"We don't know of any... Maybe someone from the High Elven Kingdoms might know, but they haven't visited the Agon continent in decades, so that's unlikely," Hajdah answers, rubbing his beard while thinking.

'Well, beggars can't be choosers, I guess. As long as I can learn a few spells from Laika, then I should be okay. I wonder what type of water spells there are...' Rya thought, but before she could ask, Hajdah spoke up.

"I hate to be rude, Lady Rya... But the Baron seems like he wants to speak with me... Is there anything else you wish for me to help you with?" Hajdah asked while bowing low.

"Huh? I think I do, but it's not urgent, and I don't want to keep you from the Baron. So, yeah. Thank you again, Hajdah. I appreciate it," Rya said.

"Very well... I'll make sure to grab Laika for you as soon as she becomes available... And the pleasure is all mine, Lady Rya. Have a good evening," Hajdah said as he bowed again and walked off toward the Baron.

After the Dwarven Guild Master left, Rya turned around and saw that Quinus and Garlon had finished their conversation. The noble dwarf was walking off with a satisfied look on his face while Quinus leaned back in his seat with a weary expression.

"Quin? Is everything alright? Did something happen?" Rya asked in concern.

"Yeah... It's a lot of busy work, but it's important, nonetheless," Quin replies with a tired smile.

Rya smiled at him, "Don't they know that you killed a dungeon core and need some time off?" she teased.

Quin chuckles, "I doubt that will deter them. But I'm not too concerned about myself, I'll survive... Unless they deprive me of food... On that note, I should grab a bite before another noble barges in and expects my undivided attention."

"Count me in! I'm feeling pretty hungry, too." Rya said as she started eating a bowl of stew, not waiting for Quin.

He raises an eyebrow and begins eating his own stew, enjoying the flavorful broth. But by the fifth bite, he noticed three more noble dwarves were standing to his left, waiting for his attention.

"My Prince! We have an urgent matter to discuss with you!" they said in unison.

Quin sighed and put his spoon down. He looks at them and gives them his full attention.

Rya chuckled and said, "Go get 'em, tiger," making Quin smirk as he waved the next noble dwarf over.

***

The night went on like this for Rya and the group as Quinus dealt with noble after noble. They were asking him for many requests. Some were simple requests, others were complex, and Quinus was having trouble deciding how to respond to each one. He didn't know what the best way to address each request would be. At the same time, a good portion of the nobles were willing to help the prince in any way possible after he stopped the Tomb of the Horde from destroying the city. They were offering money and other resources to rebuild the city walls. At one point, Quinus yearned to depart, but he found himself constantly ensnared by other nobles detaining him.

'Haha! Oh, looks like he needs my help to get him out of this mess.' Rya thought to herself while getting up from her seat. She then made her way over to Quin.

"Prince Quinus? There's someone here who wants to speak with you," Rya said as she pointed to the door leading out of the dining room.

Quinus glanced toward the doorway, but it was empty. However, he quickly grasped Rya's intentions, and a smile spread across his face.

"Well, I apologize for leaving, but I have some business I need to attend to, Sir Jevon," Quinus said to the nobleman standing next to him.

"Oh! No problem, Your Highness. I'm sure we can continue our conversation later," Jevon replied.

The Dwarven Lord bowed to Quinus as the Prince walked to the doorway with Rya by his side.

"You are a lifesaver," Quin whispered to Rya while they made their getaway.

"Yeah, I could tell you were in a bit of distress. How could I not come in to rescue you?" Rya laughed.

"Laugh it up now because one of these days, I'm going to rescue you, and then I will have turned the tables on you," he joked.

"I'd love to see that day. But honestly, I don't think you could make it up to me after everything I've done," Rya laughs.

"I like a good challenge. And if I do manage to win, you'll reward me, right?" His words were accompanied by a warm, flirtatious smile.

'Oh, he's getting flirty again. It's so weird that it doesn't bug me when he does this. If anyone else tried, I'd smack them, but with him, I find it fun. Well, whatever. Might as well play along.' Rya thought as she smirked back at him.

"Alright, so let me hear it. What is your plan? I'll let you know if you're close to earning my favor." Rya said, trying not to laugh at Quinus' shocked expression.

He swiftly regained his composure and beamed with a wide, confident smile.

"Well, if you do something that gets you in trouble, I'll just have to come in and save you. Then, I'll demand something reasonable from you as a reward for rescuing you," He said, giving her a mischievous grin.

Rya snorts and giggles, "How very noble of you," she replies, rolling her eyes.

"What can I say? I'm a prince. It's what we do best."

They both laughed.

"Haha. Well, to be honest, it's easier said than done with you, Rya... You got a lot of guts, girl. But still, thank you for all the saves," Quinus said while looking at Rya.

"Well, thank you for noticing... Anyway, I'm feeling it, and I'm ready to crash for the night," Rya told Quinus.

"Alright, I'll escort you to your room then," Quin replied with a nod.

Rya's face lit up with a smile as she shook her head, clearly amused.

'He can be too protective sometimes. Whatever, I'm not sure where my room is anyway, so let him act like a gentleman for once.' She thought to herself while following Quinus' lead.

Upon arriving at their destination, Rya steps into her spacious room, which dwarfs the one they had occupied at the inn. The room is adorned with exquisite linens, adding an elegant touch to the decor.

"Much more spacious. This will do nicely." Rya said out loud to herself while getting ready for bed.

"Hey, Rya... Just remember that this door goes to the shared study that has the desk and round table. My room is on the other end if you need anything, okay?" Quin informs her.

"Yes, I got it. Goodnight, Quin," Rya said before waving goodbye and closing the door.

As everything was finally arranged, Rya sank into the embrace of the plush mattress. Exhausted from the long journey, she anticipated that slumber would swiftly envelop her. The moment Rya gently shut her eyes, she succumbed to a peaceful and deep sleep.

Outside Rya's room in the hallway, Quinus sighed and then headed back toward his own bedroom. All things considered, he was pretty pleased with how well the dinner went. He managed to get everyone on his side, and hopefully, he could get Rya to open up more to him in the future.