Back to main Character:

“Yo, it has been quite some time.”(Me)

Sepp looked like he would engage into a fight with someone at any moment. He took a sloppy fighting stance and looked at the window.

“What’s with that fighting stance? Why so tense?”(Me)

It was already night and even my eyes were a little bit troubled by the darkness. Perhaps he didn’t realise who was standing before him. I used light magic to light up the room a little bit.

“It’s m…”(Me)

“Ah… Dodge!”(Sepp)

A spear of light thrown at me surprised me. I didn’t predict he would attack and I could barely dodge it.

“What was that for?”(Me)

“I’m sorry, I thought you are an enemy and you’d attack me with light magic.”(Sepp)

“Seriously why are you so tense?”(Me)

He looked at me for a second.

“Big brother. Is this a sarcastic question?”(Sepp)

“No seriously. You even threw a light spear at me. I could have died from that if I didn’t dodge in time.”(Me)

The room went silent for a moment and Sepp looked like he was waiting for something.

“Sigh. Well, an unknown enemy was able to destroy the south gate, without anyone knowing how. The king and everyone else leaves me behind in this huge villa and then my window, which should be the same way as before, closed, is open when I return to my room.”(Sepp)

“Hmm. The gate was destroyed? And why do say the king?”(Me)

“Why are you so surprised? Weren’t you the culprit?”(Sepp)

Sepp looked worried.

“I placed some runes around the city yesterday, but I don’t remember going to the south gate.”(Me)

“Then who is the culprit. That ominous feeling of someone stalking and following me today wasn’t just my presumption perhaps that was really an enemy.”(Sepp)

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“No that was actually me.”(Me)

“Huh?”(Sepp)

“When I thought about a young court magician, I could only think of you, so I tried to meet with you. To my surprise, it was already hard enough to even see you from that crowd, so I followed you all the way, until I knew where you were staying until your departure. I planned to sneak in at night and talk with you.”(Me)

“Why did you place runes in the first place then?”(Sepp)

“Good question. I wanted to be prepared if someone saw me. I wanted a safe escape route and some decoys.”(Me)

“Now that I think about it. How were you even able to enter? The window was closed.”(Sepp)

“I opened it with a new magic, which I created.”(Me)

“A new kind of magic?”(Sepp)

“Yes it’s easier to show you.”(Me)

I concentrated some of my mana and activated my new magic.

“I don’t see anything.”(Sepp)

“Look closer.”(Me)

“Ah! Your shadow is moving.”(Sepp)

I smiled at him.

“That’s right. I can move my shadow around as I please. It can through objects and can even open up a window. I call it [Shadow move]”(Me)

I closed the window using my shadow to demonstrate how it works.

“That’s so cool. You have to teach me someday.”(Sepp)

Even when he tried to hide his discomfort behind his excitement, I was still able to see through it.

“Sure. But for now, let’s forget about that and this whole commotion. I am finally able to see you again.”(Me)

He looked up at me.

“You are right. I don’t know why I am overreacting like this.”(Sepp)

“Alright. Now that you calmed down, tell me what happened. How did you end up being the human king’s pet?”(Me)

It took him half an hour to finish the whole story. I was quite surprised about what he went through, while I didn’t see him. Lucky him, the ocean liked him.

“Your decision to serve the human king was a really good one. This will come in handy for me now.”(Me)

“Why? I thought you only wanted to spread your influence.”(Sepp)

“Due to some unforeseen events, there will be a tournament soon. Did you hear about it?”(Me)

“I remember the king saying something about that.”(Sepp)

“Could you stop referring to the human king as your king in front of me please? It feels somewhat weird for me. Just use his first name that will be sufficient.”(Me)

Sepp was confused. I couldn’t be mad at him, I was confused myself, but it didn’t feel right hearing my underling having another king. I somewhat felt my pride hurt.

“If you insist on it. Arthur said something about it.”(Sepp)

“Thank you.”(Me)

“But what does that have to do with your plan?”(Sepp)

“Well, I plan on making an appearance as the nightmare there.”(Me)

Sepp made a stupefied expression. I had the feeling that my words didn’t quite reach him.

“I plan on attending that tournament as the nightmare.”(Me)

“I already understood you. Then again, I don’t understand it. Why would you do something like that?”(Sepp)

“You don’t need to know that. Just deliver this letter to your king and acknowledge me as the nightmare at the tournament.”(Me)

I gave him a letter I prepared beforehand. I wrote something about how I will watch the tournament. Just saying, I am coming won’t help much though, so I threw out a bait by also telling him that I plan on forming a peace treaty with the human continent.

“I still don’t understand, but if I can be of some help to your plan, I will gladly do as you say.”(Sepp)

“It’s not like I don’t want to tell you. I just think it is unnecessary. As long as you stay with the human king, what was his name again?”(Me)

“Arthur.”(Sepp)

“Arthur right. As long as you stay with him, you will know and we will meet again at the tournament.”(Me)

“Wait, are you telling me, you’ll leave now?”(Sepp)

“Well, is there anything else you want to talk about?”(Me)

Sepp thought for a moment than he made a sad face.

“No.”(Sepp)

“That Arthur guy will come back soon and I have no reason to stay.”(Me)

“It’s just. It has been long since we saw each other, I didn’t think you’d leave so soon.”(Sepp)

“Haha. Don’t worry. We’ll see each other soon.”(Me)

I opened the window again and was about to leave. I stopped when I remembered that I forgot something.

“Ah Sepp.”(Me)

“Yes?”(Sepp)

“Give that letter to Arthur when you return to the capital.”(Me)

“Why?”(Sepp)

“If you give it to him tomorrow, he’ll know that I am staying in Sonya city and it would make everything a lot more complicated for me.”(Me)

He nodded.

“Good. I’ll be going now.”(Me)

“See you at the tournament.”(Sepp)

I jumped out of the window and supported myself with magic in order to land safely. Before I left, I waved one last time.

“Let’s meet again soon.”(Me)