The carriage moved slowly down the crowded street until Apolo spotted a familiar face in the caravan of people. He watched as that person stared at the carriage he was traveling in with a certain anticipation.

That person was Apolo's younger brother, Homero. Like most members of his family, his younger brother was easily distinguishable due to being unusually tall compared to other people, towering over them with almost half a body's height. Adding to his distinctiveness, Apolo's younger brother was quite heavyset, making him stand out prominently in a crowd. Similar to Apolo, his brother had black hair and black eyes. Both nobles were dressed quite elegantly, but Homero's attire was particularly opulent and flamboyant, as was the fashion for many merchants in the empire, seemingly, the more colors one's clothing had, the more ostentatious their wealth appeared. Thus, Homero's attire was a mishmash of colors. Just like Apolo and all the male members of their family, his younger brother also wore a gold ring with a man with arms raised to the heavens inscribed on it.

Seeing his younger brother, Apolo once again placed his hand in his pocket where he had stashed his bronze ring and cautiously put it back on. It would be odd if his brother saw him without the ring, and in Apolo's mind, no one could be trusted when it came to protecting the ring. Although the reality was that Homero had just returned from a trip that had taken nearly a year, so he probably wouldn't care about a rusted trinket.

—Young sir, your brother is outside waiting for you— the carriage driver commented, noticing that Apolo wasn't getting out to greet his brother.

—Tell him to come in...— Apolo responded, eyeing the people around his brother with a lot of suspicion.

Upon hearing this, the driver wanted to remind Apolo that his brother was far too big to fit inside this carriage. However, fearing the repercussions from the less friendly member of the family he served, the driver proceeded to follow the instructions to the letter. He stepped down from the driver's seat to invite Homero into the carriage.

With visible displeasure, Homero approached the carriage. And with little regard for etiquette, the giant opened the door with force, almost tearing it off its hinges, only to see his brother huddled in the carriage seat, staring at him intently.

—Damn, you're even skinnier and shorter than before...— Homero commented with concern, his anger momentarily forgotten as he observed his older brother's deteriorated state.

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—Aren't you going to come in?— Apolo asked, observing the people on the street who were curiously watching them.

—And it seems you're dumber than before, too...— Homero muttered as he pinched his belly rolls—Did the lack of good sleep finally mess up your head, or do you really think I can squeeze my gut through this shitty little door?

—I suppose not...— Apolo replied brusquely, ignoring his brother's insults; he knew him well enough to understand that his brother was always foul-mouthed and didn't genuinely mean to offend him.

—Aren't you going to come down and hug me?— Homero asked, annoyed—It's been over a year since we last saw each other. You could put in a little more effort and be more considerate of your younger brother, don't you think? Plus, they told me you're headed to the capital. If that's the case, we won't see each other for years.

—I don't want to go out, there are too many people...— Apolo commented quickly—Can't we go somewhere more secluded?

—We could suggest going to the tavern, but that place is even busier— Homero commented, recalling that his brother was quite solitary and didn't mingle much with the servants since the incident with Helena—How about we talk in my carriage? Then maybe we can visit the local lord; they'll surely treat us to a feast.

—I don't even know what he looks like...— Apolo responded, disgruntled. The last person he wanted to see was the head of the neighboring village. To Apolo, it all boiled down to the idea that the more power someone had, the more likely they were to steal his ring.

—It doesn't matter if he doesn't know us. First and foremost, we're neighbors, and secondly, he's just a measly second-rate noble!— Homero replied with unusual confidence.

—I'm not interested in seeing the face of an inconsequential noble. I've had enough stress at the farewell party, and I'm a bit tired of formalities—Apolo said, seeking a good excuse—How far is your carriage?

—Understandable... My carriage is a few blocks away, next to the tavern, getting everything ready to return to the castle—Homero said, dropping the idea of visiting the local lord—Come on, get off, I'll show you. I'm sure you'll be surprised; it's the finest carriage in the entire empire! It cost me a small fortune, but when you see it, you'll understand why it was worth spending so many crystals.

—Fine, go ahead, I'll meet you there—Apolo grumbled, slamming the carriage door in his brother's face.

—You've got to be kidding me! How on earth are you gonna make me walk all the way to my carriage alone?— Homero complained with annoyance, struggling to hold back his anger.

—Driver, move on!—Apolo yelled coldly from inside the carriage.

The driver glanced at Homero's angry face, who was glaring at Apolo through the carriage window, teeth clenched. Afraid of making a misstep and displeasing the ill-tempered member of the family he served, the servant decided to follow Apolo's instructions. Ignoring Homero's frustration, the carriage headed towards the village tavern.