The arrival of the Alliance envoy was treated no differently than an important dignitary who’d come on an incognito visit. Within minutes, everyone seemed to know, but aside from a pair of overseers, no one acted any differently than usual. There were no parades, no official processions… in fact, the higher the status of the local nobles, the more they made it a point to remain as far away from her as possible. Only leeches and the servant classes were there to gawk.

According to Dallion’s butler, the envoy had an open invitation to the capital as well as the imperial palace. Yet from all the places she could go to, she had chosen to visit him. As much as Dallion was pleased by the fact, he also felt the same embarrassment a teenager would upon being taken from school by their parents.

Officially, no one made a big deal about it. However, Dallion could sense the emotions of curiosity and envy emanating from people of the neighborhood, not to mention he could hear the comments of their item guardians miles away.

“That’ll be all,” Eury said, a quarter of her snakes focusing on Dallion. One of the overseers behind her opened his mouth to make a comment, but was immediately interrupted. “Thank you,” she added in a harder tone, not even bothering to turn around.

The message was immediately understood as both overseers vanished into the realm of the city.

“Nice trick,” Dallion smiled.

“We’re honored by your visit, envoy.” Taem quickly stepped to the side of the door, following the proper etiquette for such occasions. “Is there anything you require?”

“Just to see an old friend.” Eury’s expression remained unchanged.

Dallion made an attempt to read her emotions, but the blocking items she was wearing prevented that.

“Of course, my lady. I will see to it that dinner is prepared.” The servant bowed again, then stepped outside and moved away, all the time facing the gorgon. Only when he was well on the street did he turn to the side.

Taking her cue, the gorgon entered the mansion and closed the door.

“Catchy place,” she noted.

“Vihrogon built it. It started a small fashion trend that—”

Before he could finish, he was captured in a passionate embrace. The speed wasn’t so impressive that Dallion didn’t see it, but this time he had nothing against it.

I really talk too much, he thought as the two finally found themselves alone and together after all that time. In terms of the real world, not even a year had passed. In true time, the number was dozens, but even then, it felt a lot longer.

The lock of the door triggered, as the area guardian knew exactly what was about to follow. Right now, the spark that had emerged all that time ago when they first met in Nerosal blossomed again. In this instant, they weren’t nobles. It didn’t matter that they were members of different world powers, not what the imperial family or the emperor had to say; they were just Dallion and Eury—two lovers that were star-crossed no more.

Instinctively, Dallion put on his own blocking ring. Some things required absolute privacy.

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It was only hours later that he took it off again. By then, Taem had made several attempts to enter the mansion, along with the dinner he had promised. Getting the hint, the servant had thrown the miniature feast—which in terms of the imperial city meant giving it to one Bar and some of the other family leeches.

Only when the outer door was unlocked again, he ventured back in with a new apéritif. Naturally, he found Dallion and the envoy in the dining room. And, of course, everyone pretended nothing had happened.

“Your apéritif, envoy and young master,” he said, bowing in turn. “I wasn’t sure what you would prefer, so I took the initiative to get some gorgon spirit.”

The drink was transparent, and to Dallion’s surprise didn’t reek of alcohol. The actual presence was subtle, perfect for someone with high perception. Something told him that it was also suited to someone with high strength and endurance as well.

“Commendable,” Euryale said in a tone that would rival that of Duchess Elazni.

Taem approached and poured her a glass. The moment he turned towards Dallion, though, the baron gestured that he’d pass.

“Is it to your liking, envoy?”

“Yes, it actually is.”

“In that case, I’ll start bringing dinner.” The man left the room.

“Quite a skill find.” Several clusters of snakes turned towards Dallion.

“He should be. He was sent by the duchess to keep an eye on me in Nerosal.”

The slight quiver of the snakes suggested that was news to the gorgon.

“Long story. Why are you here? I doubt it was just to see me.”

“I got your letter. Why shouldn’t I drop by?” A smile emerged on her face. “But you’re right. There’s more. I’m here to see the emperor. Things have taken a bad turn.”

I knew it. “The Azures are active again.”

“That’s precisely it. They aren’t.”

“Hmm?”

“After Tamin’s show of power, a third of their cities were destroyed. The rest charged on an all-or-nothing attack against us. In some cases, they even took some territory, pushing us back. While countries had to be buffered to give us a chance to organize.”

That was the polar opposite of what was going on in the empire. Dallion knew there was still fighting going on, and that some of the provinces had lost more than they would like to claim. To have entire stretches of land be turned into a buffer zone, though…

“When? I’ve only been here for about a week.”

“War on the front moved fast. Armies are made entirely of awakened. There’s been cities that swapped sides three times in a day.”

The intensity of combat. Dallion still remembered how it felt in the heat of battle, when five minutes would seem like eternity. Since he’d made his own home, though, it took five times as much just to go and say hello to members of his own newly found family.

Why didn’t they go for my mother? The question suddenly hit his mind. The explanation was that she hadn’t distinguished herself enough to be of interest—and more importantly, of use—to Elazni. If true, then the old village chief had done her a favor, of sorts, by sealing her awakening powers. Yet, why hadn’t anyone gone to her once her powers had been unsealed?

“The Alliance launched a massive attack two days ago,” Euryale continued. “We breached their defenses in minutes, then reached one of their stronghold cities in the coastal mountains.”

“It turned out to be a trap?”

“No.” Euryale’s snakes shuffled. “There was no one there.”

Dallion didn’t immediately respond. His instinct was to say that was a good thing. Yet, he could tell by her reaction that there was more to it.

“I had several wings keep watch on the place. Mages too. None of them saw anything worth mentioning.”

“There are lots of spells and artifacts that could do that. And that’s only if they didn’t use a tube domain.” He paused. Was that why she was here? “You’ve come to ask for me?”

“I thought it would be appropriate. Unlike the rest, I know what you’ve done and what you’re really capable of.”

“Like the good old times?”