A pristine, white carriage stopped before Mosky Inn, its appearance garnering the attention of those both inside and outside the pub.
Engraved in front of the carriage was the emblem of the Zacriya's royal family. In the shape of a shield, the emblem consisted of interweaving coils of red and gold imprints, emphasizing the single feather at its centre.
The doors to the carriage swung open, and a gentleman, dressed in a black tailcoat, stepped out. He groomed the side of his greyed hair and pressed his hand to his chest with a bow.
"Sir Edris. His Highness has sent this carriage for your convenience. We shall head to the Royal Palace now, if you are ready." His gaze fell upon the golden-haired boy beside the traveller. "If Sir Celio is a part of your party, he is free to join as well."
Edris didn't refuse the Crown Prince's offer as he stepped into the carriage. Settling down, he tilted his head towards Celio, who remained outside with a look of hesitancy. Edris sighed softly as he leaned back in the cushioned seat.
"Are you not getting on?"
At his prompting, the boy parted his lips, then shook his head with a grin as he jumped into the carriage. "I am!"
The ride went smoothly, since other vehicles and people automatically moved aside at the sight of the royal carriage. After a few twists and turns, they soon arrived at the palace.
As Edris and Celio stepped to the ground, they were greeted by two escorts. They led the guests through the grand entrance gates, past the extravagant hallways.
Like a curious child, Celio spun his head left and right, observing his surroundings as he trailed after Edris, who responded to the escort's pleasantries with a gentle smile.
He didn't know how long they'd been walking, but after strolling through several hallways, they reached what looked like the main chamber of the palace.
At the end of the elegant space was an indoor garden enclosed by a layer of glass. The glass walls encompassed the greenhouse in an orb-like structure, glistening under the sunlight. Even the supporting pillars were transparent, giving the place a refined, almost mystical appearance.
In the centre was none other than Dolan Zacriya. Amidst the greenhouse scattered with guards, Crown Prince was having afternoon tea all by himself.
Nolmes's afternoon sunlight seeped through the glass panes, underlining his defined appearance. The Crown Prince had a small face, most of which was framed by his shoulder-length hair. This gave him a striking yet elegant aura as he lifted his gaze to admire the greenery around him.
A bright smile appeared on his face at the arrival of the dark-haired man, which grew even brighter after noticing the beast tamer beside him. Dolan placed his ceramic on the table and made his way to the two.
"I didn't know you were friends." His gaze shifted between the two, pleasantly surprised.
Before Edris could reply, the boy beside him immediately shook his head. Lowering onto one knee and placing his right hand over his heart, he formally greeted the Crown Prince before speaking up.
"I'm still working on it!" Celio's bright voice echoed around the room.
"Talented people must attract each other." Dolan laughed gleefully as he gestured to the two to have a seat.
In private meetings with the Crown Prince, the common formality was what Celio had done. Unlike the golden-haired boy, however, Edris merely responded by placing a hand over his heart with a simple bow.
It wasn't that he didn't know about the etiquettes. In fact, Edris was familiar with all types of customs due to his travels throughout the years.
He just wasn't a fan of nobles.
After all, who would be when they lived their lives nowhere near the sophisticated yet restricted lifestyle of those in the upper-class society?
"Four o'clock. Just in time for tea." Dolan acknowledged Edris's simple greeting with nonchalance. Placing a hand on his shoulder, the Crown Prince gave a quick gesture to the guards as they led the two guests to the ceramic table.
Typically, afternoon tea among the nobles took place between two to five, with four o'clock as the optimal.
Various refreshment platters, including savones, pastries and scones, were set on the table. After the three sat down, three servants, each holding a silver tea tray hurried over.
Clear, pink liquid poured from the teapot and filled the cup almost to the rim.
"With milk, sugar or lemon?" asked the servant behind Edris.
Having witnessed the exchange earlier between the traveller and the Crown Prince, the servant's tone contained a hint of disapproval, probably from the former's lack of etiquette towards the star of the Zacriya Kingdom.
Edris paid no attention to the servant's discontent. His focus was on the bowl of sugar cubes across the table.
"Frion tea is best when taken with lemon." Dolan gently stirred his cup of tea, before placing the spoon back onto the saucer. "It's a classic in Nolmes."
Edris's grey eyes flickered, lingering on the sugar bowl for another second before he swiftly removed his gaze. He nodded at the Crown Prince's words with a smile.
"Then I shall take upon Your Highness's recommendation."
"With milk, sugar or lemon?" Another servant moved behind Celio, who flinched at her presence.
"I'll settle with plain, please," he quickly responded.
Sitting across the table, Dolan creased his brows as he observed the dark-haired traveller. After a few seconds of silence, he couldn't help but ask in concern, "Are you okay?"
Compared to the match day just over a week ago, Edris's appearance shifted rather drastically.
His eyes held their usual calmness, but the rest of his complexion had paled considerably. In just a week, Edris's tan, malted skin had turned to a peachy beige. His facial features, having lost their natural flush, left his face with an aura of solemnity.
Even when they shook hands on the day of the finals, Dolan noticed that his fingers had been icy cold despite just having gone through an intense battle.
"I'm fine, Your Highness. Thank you for asking," Edris replied with the typical formula.
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He didn't think much of the question, as he was aware of his own physical changes. Naturally, they were due to his loss of sensitivity to temperatures. The aftermath of using the Sacrificial Hourglass resulted in his body making several adjustments to adapt to his condition.
One of the adjustments, Edris noticed, was his reduced sensitivity to sunlight. The blood inside him also flowed differently; he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was different, but it had resulted in his suddenly pale complexion.
Other than the few changes, he felt as healthy as ever.
While Edris inwardly observed his conditions, the youth beside him fell silent at the Crown Prince's words. Celio immediately stole a glance at Edris, only to realize the latter's sickly state.
Celio's mind flashed back to the match day when he lost control over his powers. At that time, Edris had pushed him away in the purple storm and withstood the pressuring forces himself. His injuries must have been from then.
"I'm sorry…" He turned to Edris, his youthful features squeezed together into a pained look.
The latter, who had been engaged in his own thoughts, blinked at the sudden apology.
"I'm perfectly healthy, though?" Edris responded honestly.
Seeing the dark-haired man reply, then his pale face, Celio guilt only tripled as he bit the inside of his cheeks. A second later, he lifted his head and stared at Edris with eyes full of determination.
"I will repay you no matter what," Celio said.
— …Heh.
Ace, who had been quiet until now, let out a snicker. Even though it was a short reaction, that didn't stop Edris from feeling offended.
Crown Prince Dolan examined the two silently, an amused glint glossed over his blood-dyed pupils.
"It's a shame that you're unwilling to consider joining our factions," he said. "Truly a shame that we're losing such a talented individual."
"There are many more talented ones in the Zacriya Kingdom." Edris merely smiled. "It would truly be a shame if the kingdom had wasted their resources and opportunities on a traveller like me."
Raising the steaming teacup to his lips, Edris purposely blew lightly on the surface before taking a sip. Under the intrigued gaze of the Crown Prince and Celio, he placed the cup back onto the table before meeting their eyes.
"I'm only here to settle down for a peaceful life."
The corner of his lips curled slightly as Dolan lifted his eyebrows, intrigued.
Before becoming the Crown Prince, Dolan had his own experiences interacting with travellers, some from neighbouring kingdoms such as Adalan and Wendimore, and others even from parts of the Western Continent.
Unlike the majority of others, the dark-haired man across from him showed no signs of nervousness despite meeting him for the first time.
A bleak countenance, without the slightest ripple of emotion, as if everything in the world stood equal in his eyes. The traveller's hungerless gaze matched his words; they were fitting for someone who sought nothing but peace and serenity.
Dolan didn't believe in those eyes.
At first glance, there was nothing wrong with Edris's statement. But he couldn't help but wonder:
Why would someone like him attend a tournament about combat if he wanted peace?
The more he spoke with the mysterious traveller, the greater his interest in him grew.
Why is he looking at me like that?
Under the blatant scrutiny of the Crown Prince, Edris took another casual sip of his frion tea to hide his annoyance. His previous statement was nothing but the truth.
It was true that he wanted peace—for himself.
But how was he supposed to be at peace if he didn't have money?
Seeing that the traveller was unfazed by his gaze, Dolan redirected his attention to the boy beside him, whose intense eyes were fixed on a butterfly on a garden vine.
"Sir Celio, are you interested in joining one of our factions?" Dolan asked with a dazzling smile fitting for the kingdom's future leader.
Celio first snuck a glance at the dark-haired man beside him, and after seeing Edris's reactionless expression, he turned back to the Crown Prince with a polite shake of the head.
"I am beyond honoured for this valuable opportunity. However, I'm afraid I must respectfully decline. I believe it's unfitting for me, a mere finalist, to receive this bonus which is only meant for the tournament's winner." He discreetly cast his gaze to his left. "And also, I am set on following my Master on the path of self-improvement. I believe I still have a long way to go."
Why bring me into this?
Sighing inwardly, Edris pushed down his conscience-stricken mind and took a bite out of a blueberry scone. He noticed Celio's expectant stares from the corner of his eye and turned to the boy with a gentle smile.
Despite the boy's naivety, Edris couldn't help but be impressed at his handling of the situation. Although very young, he spoke in a dignified and respectful manner, an apparent result of years of involvement with the upper society.
A very useful skill.
As Edris smiled in satisfaction at his newly gained asset, Celio took his smile as a look of approval and grinned back brightly.
Dolan, observing the interaction between the traveller and the beast tamer, let out a dramatic sigh.
"Two rejections in a row." He frowned, throwing a biscuit into his mouth. Although the action was considered "unnobly" for his position, he paid no mind to the astounded looks of the servants and leaned forward on the table. "Both of you would at least attend my upcoming banquet. Give the Crown Prince some face, will you?"
"Your Highness!" One of the servants gasped at his bold words, but immediately recoiled after meeting Dolan's eyes.
"Of course, Your Highness." Edris smiled, and Celio chimed in with an affirmative nod.
Dolan's eyes sparkled in satisfaction. He heaved backwards on the armchair and snapped his fingers.
"Now for the main course."
Following his swift action, a knight disappeared into the distance, only to emerge moments later with a cart. As he pushed the cart forward, Edris made out three silhouettes that laid on the top of the golden surface, covered up by a red quilt.
Those were the three reward options.
Eyes brightening considerably, Edris put on an neutral face as he tried to hide his emerging smile.
With a lift of his finger, Dolan activated his mana channel, and the red quilt floated off the cart, revealing the items before them.
On the left was a slim sword, brimming with a bluish glow; in the middle lay a treasure chest engraved with the royal family's emblem; and lastly, a thick book blinded with markings, wrapped in a chain-like seal.
"You have three options," he stated, signalling the cart closer. He pointed to the glistening sword on the left. "First is Evos Gladius, a category three sacred artifact. It's an artisan-ranked mana enchantment sword that sharply raises the user's technical skills. Perfect for Awakeneds who are swordsmen."
Sneaking a glance at the traveller's reaction, Dolan continued on.
"In the chest are 150 000 gold yones, in the form of gold bars. You have the option to collect the physical monetary value, or you can request conversion to items with equal values. This does not include sacred artifacts. But of course, most of them are worth more than that, anyway.
"Your last option is the Harkness Notebook. This item is said to comprise centuries of knowledge accumulated by the Harkness family. The grand mage, Verity Harkness, sealed the notebook to prevent just anyone from receiving its powers. Many mages and other Awakeneds have attempted to unseal the item, but as you can see, none have led to success.
"Now then, which will be your decision?"
Although Dolan had given a brief explanation of each option, most of his words were subconsciously filtered out by Edris as the traveller gazed intently at one item on the cart.
The bars of gold were calling out to him.
At the bare richness glowing before his eyes, Edris didn't even bother to consider the other two alternatives.
As he was about to state his final choice, a deep voice sounded in his head, forcing back the response that was halfway up his throat.
— That notebook…
Ace's usual stoic voice was coated with a tinge of disbelief, and Edris immediately sensed an ominous foreboding.
— I've seen it somewhere.