When they had lunch and Ylre suggested leaving town early so they wouldn't run into Nielle, Rue didn't object. They bought bread, a few small dishes for the journey and went to the gate leading out of the city.

"I think he understood what I said. I explained to him normally that we have nothing to do with it.” Rue said after a moment.

"He didn't look like someone who would understand an explanation... and you don't look like someone who beats people up for disagreements. So it's better to leave if you don't want to solve things violently," Ylre pointed out.

"I don't want to...things can be solved by words," he said.

"If everyone shared this opinion, yes, but Rinsel is a military country," Ylre clarified, "They act first, ask questions later...if at all."

"If it's their kind of culture, then it's not their fault...all the less reason to treat them violently. It wasn't the most appropriate way you reacted back then.” Rue scolded him in a way that sounded more educational than angry.

Ylre was silent for a moment before continuing, "I won't let him attack us wrongfully, he has no right."

"He didn't behave politely, but he didn't attack. Next time, act hostile only in self-defense, don't encourage conflicts.” Rue said as if to teach Ylre, even though he had only known him for a while.

However, Ylre did not get upset and instead of objections, he gently nodded: "I'll try."

Pleased that Ylre understood, Rue smiled softly, “You seem the most reasonable person I've met here yet,” he complimented.

Ylre laughed with pleasure: "It doesn't sound like a compliment in a bunch of idiots."

"Idiots?" Rue didn't understand, seeing all the locals more like the descendants of people he'd seen once, who were just learning to live, who were too young to know how to behave. People who didn't know and it was his job to guide them on the right path, though not everyone was listening. Rue saw humans as children and his own nation as their guardians, even though they hadn't functioned that way for many years. However, he didn't think anything would change on that principle...regardless, in what time he lives.

They walked slowly through the streets of the city until they reached the gate, where they were suddenly stopped by a pair of guards: "Stop, town is closed," they said.

"Closed?" Rue was surprised, "I went here yesterday."

"There has been a murder, the city is closed until it is solved," the guard explained.

"We have nothing to do with the murder," Rue objected calmly.

"No one will pass... I say, the whole city is closed until further notice, go back." he commanded.

"We have nowhere to go, we don't live in the city...we were just passing through," Rue explained slowly.

"Find a place in the inn," the guard said, "a few days won't ruin you."

As he tried to argue and continue the negotiation, other guards joined the conversation: "Any problem?"

"Nothing new...they want to leave the city," he sighed.

The guard looked at them casually: "What don't you understand? The city is closed, get lost!" He raised his voice and moved his palm to the sword.

"Don't you find it inappropriate to yell at innocent people?" Rue asked with a soft smile, "If you can't let us go, call someone who can." he declared.

The guard laughed amusedly, "Prince Nielle gave the order."

"I spoke with the prince recently, we made it clear that we are not suspects," he said.

The guard frowned slightly and looked at his colleague. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before backing up and asking him something. Subsequently, they called several guards from behind and after one of them handed the first a bound paper, they carefully examined it. They then looked at the couple in front of them and after chatting for a while they approached again.

"You will come with us," one said.

“Where?” Rue asked.

“You are suspected of murder.” They slowly surrounded them, catching the attention of a few passers-by, who quickly turned back on their way, knowing full well that they mustn't get involved in arresting people in the city, especially when Nielle's people were doing it.

"We are suspected?" Rue didn't understand the nonsense.

"Are you going voluntarily?"

"We didn't do anything," he said, but the guards drew their swords in a second and pointed them in their direction.

Rue just blinked slightly as he didn't understand why they wouldn't let things be explained and listen. However he still didn't lose his patience and looked at Ylre, “Strange people.” He sighed.

Ylre looked at him, "You don't want to be locked up, do you?"

"Locked up?" he looked at the guards with swords and asked, "Where would we go?" Rue wondered.

"Take a guess." one said.

"To the dungeon...Prince Nielle needs to interrogate you," another explained.

It took a moment for Rue to imagine, “Your country is really...unfair.” He said, gently extending his fingers towards the sentinel's blade pointed in his direction.

The sudden lunge forward made Rue flinch slightly, "Once you are proven innocent, the prince will release you," he declared.

After Rue gently lowered his hands, he said, "I'm not going to the dungeon," he smiled, "It would be best if you let us through." he clarified.

"You have the last chance to come with us voluntarily," the guard shouted, after which the circle around them narrowed again. Rue and Ylre only slightly approached each other.

"I'll get rid of them," Ylre promised.

"Didn't you listen to me?" Rue asked, "Only in self-defense, people should only use violence in self-defense."

Ylre just nodded, "As you say."

When the guards saw that the two suspects didn´t seem like going with them voluntarily, they didn´t hesitate any longer and stepped forward. Several swords approached their bodies, Ylre didn't move from his spot while Rue took a step back, gaining distance from the two swords that were rapidly approaching him.

When the blades came close enough to almost touch him, Rue lightly moved his hand up and simply blocked the two swords' lunges. His palm scraped against the flat sides of the metal, causing the guards to stop in surprise. But that was a mistake, because Rue didn´t hesitate and with a sharp lunge knocked the sword out of the hand of one of the guards. The weapon landed in his palm, and before the other guard could recover, he disarmed him too with a powerful swing.

A gentle gust of air from behind forced him to react, whereupon he sharply blocked an attack coming from behind his back and sent the guard to the other two with one well-aimed lunge.

The pair of men was only falling to the ground in confusion when a third guard rammed into them. They all lay there in surprise for a moment and when they tried to get up, Rue was already standing over them. He aimed his sword n their direction, and although there were only one blade, no one of them dare to move.

"When someone tells you he´s innocent, listen...don't attack," he advised and quickly hit all three in a sequence of blows with the blunt side, knocking them out.

He wanted to take care of the remaining attackers, but when he looked behind him, he saw only a pile of bloody bodies on the ground at Ylre's feet. Ylre threw his blade at one of the guards and looked at Rue who sighed deeply.

Ylre declared inocently, "Self-defense," raising his hands as if giving an explanation.

"You didn't kill them, didn´t you?" Rue asked, walking up to the guards.

"I didn't," he declared, "but we should go before the new group arrives."

After making sure they were all alive, Rue nodded and headed out through the gate. As soon as they left the city, reached the river, and gradually passed to the forest from which he actually got here, he finally asked:

"Do we know where we are going?" he wondered.

"I know, don't worry," Ylre nodded, "but it often happens that I come across a place where I stay for a while unplanned, sometimes I turn in a direction I've never been and come back to the original path later. So when we wander somewhere, our journey will be longer if you don't mind." he clarified.

"It sounds tempting, I want to travel," he smiled, "but I hope they won't follow us...we didn't do anything." he sighed.

"When they show up, I'll take care of them," Ylre promised.

"Ylre." he admonished him.

"In self-defense," Ylre smiled.

"But who would kill people in the capital?" Rue didn´t understand the reason for the violence.

"Someone who got pissed off," Ylre said, "if you want, I can at least have a sword made in the nearest town."

"No need, I don't like to carry weapons," he admitted.

"I know, I'll buy it for myself, let's have at least one," he said automatically.

Rue stopped in surprise: "You know?" he didn't understand, "How do you know?"

Ylre blinked slightly as he didn't realize what he just said, "Oh...it's just," he hesitated, "I just figured...you look like you have good fighting skills, but you don't carry a sword, I thought you probably wouldn't like it or something." he blurted out.

"Ah," Rue smiled calmly, "I used to have a sword...I loved it, I still do. However, I rarely took it with me on trips, since I couldn't use it here anyway. So even now I don't want to carry any sword. It's just a habit from a time when people would be terrified if I did. However, I always had someone to protect me when needed." he clarified, not knowing how strange the explanation sounded.

Ylre stared at him for a moment before asking, "Where is he now?" he asked.

Rue thought for a while before he said, "I don't know...unpleasant things happened to him because of me. He was almost killed and I honestly don't even know where he ended up. I hope he doesn't remember me," he said.

"Why shouldn't he remember you?” Ylre asked.

"I always acted like I was raising him and leading him to good things, teaching him the rules and everything he needed...but in the end I was the one who broke the most important rules," he explained.

Ylre objected: "The rules are not always right."

"Some of them are...when they are created by someone who is clearly not wrong," he clarified, "but it was my fault we got into trouble...my problems were his problems...he got himself involved wrongly and he didn't end well...I don't know how he lives, but he must hate me." he said.

"I don't think he hates you," Ylre argued, "If you raised him, he should be indebted to you for everything you've done…if he doesn't appreciate it, he doesn't even deserve to live." he clarified.

"Of course he deserves it...at least more than I do...I don't know why Luck didn't understand," he said, "but luckily he's alive."

"How do you know he's alive?" Ylre wondered.

"I know," he gently gripped his chest and added, "if not, I would feel...he has my luck...I know my luck doesn't look like much, but when it's working normally...it really is...really intense," he smiled, "he's the only one who can draw from it now...he's definitely alive, my luck isn´t something that anyone can oppose," he added, "I hope he's happier than he was then...I hope Luck is on his side." he clarified.

Ylre listened to him for a moment before declaring, "I think you're still incredibly lucky...you met me," he said.

Rue´s soft laughter was interrupted by his words, "True," he smiled, "I'm glad we met...I thought lucky coincidences wouldn't happen to me anymore, but it did." he pointed out.

Ylre smiled softly and said, "You know what else is a lucky coincidence?"

"What?" Rue wondered, looking at Ylre who nodded ahead of them to a brighter part of the path. It led from behind the trees to a small meadow before continuing further into the forest. Several horses stood by the path, grazing on the grass while behind them stood a man cleaning the cart.

"I see a cart with apples," Ylre smiled, "I think he could show us around if we ask. Maybe he'll even sell us a few apples." he said.

"Apples?" Rue cheered and added to his step, as if he wasn't that interested in the possibility of transportation.

"You see, a lucky coincidence," Ylre smiled and followed him.

***

When Nielle was done with Shane, he went to find Iuwin, who was waiting in his chamber. Lacrisan sat calmly on the sofa opposite the bed and when he saw the prince in the doorway, he slowly got up.

Nielle smiled softly, "Don't look at me as if you expected me to leave him in a famine for a month...I didn't, I have to find out what his goal is," he clarified and sat down on the couch while Iuwin looked at him from above.

"I let him get away as you wanted," he said.

"I know...but I didn't tell you to do that so soon and to leave, if I'm not mistaken...even my men didn't expect you to disappear afterwards...you didn't behave in the most appropriate way," he clarified.

Iuwin objected: "He wanted to go, I let him go, but you didn't have to destroy him right away...you could just ask the people in the businesses he went to, you didn't have to punish him, he´s not here of his own free will, he works for Lacris," he clarified.

"Aren't you always on Loui's side? You didn't stick up for the Lacrisans for long." Nielle laughed.

"Prince Louise said that I should only help you because the king required it...he has no interest in sharing in the credit you will get for solving the case," he explained, but Nielle didn't let him talk.

"When did I wonder what Louis's plans were? Let him mind his reign, I don't need your help...normally he would have advised me to leave you in the palace, he would have absolutely no involvement and the fact that you actually went with me only shows that he is interested in the case with the new Lacrisan. " he explained.

"He just doesn't want you to destroy him right away in case Lacris gets mad," he clarified.

"I didn't destroy him...I just tamed him," Nielle laughed.

"Anyway-" Iuwine started, but Nielle take a step towards him and lightly touch his white uniform, temporarily silencing him.

Nielle only lightly moved his hands over the hem of the fabric higher up to his neck, roughly pulling Iuwin closer. Iuwin didn't fight back, just stared into Nielle's black irises and remained silent. Nielle smiled softly. He looked at him for a moment before gently brushing Iuwin's chest:

"Anyway... you have the day off, you can't be running around with such a dirty uniform, can you? Get it cleaned up...come back when it´s done." he patted his shoulder and backed away from him gently. Iuwin let out a deep sigh.

"If you treated the Lacrisans more politely, your life would be easier," he said and walked out of the room.

Nielle laughed with pleasure: "If I were more polite to the Lacrisans, I wouldn't even be alive," he remarked.

When he was finally alone in the room, he went to the desk. He took out a key from his pocket and used it to open one of the drawers. He took out a box, used the second key to open the second drawer, where he found the third key. When he finally opened the box and looked at several other keys before selecting one. He closed the drawer and got to the bed. He took out a box from under it, which he opened and finally saw several precious stones. He looked at them for a moment before reaching for one.

It was a silver ring into which the required type of stone could be inserted, in this case a large black gem. It was a piece he had owned all his life and usually carried with him. Lately, however, he had gotten used to wearing the black stone on his body, as he had a sufficient supply of luck from the Lacrisans. However, since he was now able to torture his new Lacrisan by using it, he intended to wear it for a while. He put a ring with a large black stone on his hand and calmly looked at it. He could feel his bad luck getting into the gem that couldn't seem to get enough.

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Common stones were for one or two uses. They filled themselves with luck or bad luck. The black ones subsequently burst, or when they were of better quality, they were able to fill one more time before bursting. However, this black stone was rare, only exceptional pieces were produced for members of the royal family.

The king was very sensitive to it, he always carried his with him, as if he was paranoid that something would happen to him if he took it off his finger. However, his youngest son found it easier to charge his luck from the Lacrisans than to rely on some special stone to prevent his bad luck to hurt him.

However, when he had it on his finger for some time, he had to admit that it was quite a good and fresh feeling. Therefore, he smiled gently, closed the box and hid it back under the bed. He then left the room towards the dining room.

He intended to eat first, then go to his new Lacrisan and continue his duties in his company. He couldn't wait for his new toy to finally behave properly.

***

When Shane calmed down more or less and went with the guard to the room for the Lacrisans, he felt like sleeping the rest of the day. And seeing no reason not to, he immediately ignored his roommate's questions and went to bed. When everyone realized that he wasn't in the mood and that Nille probably had to take care of him more than usual, they let him take a nap. Shane was given a moment to gather his strength. He didn't feel like he was having a mental breakdown anymore, he was quite fine, just incredibly exhausted.

When he fell asleep, he wasn't woken by the calls of others for lunch, and even when the door to the room opened, he didn't register anything. He slept, and to his delight he dreamed nothing at all.

However, his peace only lasted until someone pulled the blanket off him. Exhausted, Shane opened his eyelids and tried to feel the sheets that had covered him until now, but he couldn't. So he just closed his eyes again and tried to fall asleep again. However, when someone subsequently threw a blanket over him and covered him all over, he recovered again. He peeked out from under the covers and looked at Nielle, who was talking to him the whole time, but Shane was ignoring him.

He blinked gently and listened to what the bastard wanted: "Get up, we have a lot of work," he informed.

Shane stared at him for a moment, taking in his eager expression, and after deciding that he didn't feel like going anywhere, he pulled the blanket back over himself and closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep. Nielle let out a deep sigh and tried to pull the blanket off of him, but Shane held it tight again.

"Get up," Nielle finally snatched it from him violently and threw the blanket aside, "don't expect me to consider your injury just because you're a newbie...get up or I'll use something you won't like." he clarified.

Shane looked at him indifferently and after a moment of consideration, he sighed deeply. He slowly sat up and yawned softly, how exhausted he was. Rinsel's lack of luck was one thing, but wearing a disgusting collar that could make him feel as if all luck had been drained from him at any time according to its owner's wishes didn't help at all. Having experience with it, he knew that the best way to recover was sleep. And since this idiot hadn't given him one, Shane knew he couldn't count on him being able to go to work today.

"You see, just like that, " Nielle said and walked out of the room.

Shane followed him slowly. They walked out into the hallway, then down the stairs, and as they moved to the floor facing the exit, Nielle said, “You look better than I expected.” He laughed.

Shane ignored him. He walked slowly on, wondering if tonight would be enough for him to recharge or if he would be knocked out longer. His whole body ached, whether it was from the things the prince had done to his ass and muscles or from self-inflicted injuries. He didn't feel like talking with him anyway.

"And you finally know how to keep quiet properly," Nielle was amused, but when Shane still didn't answer, he pointed out, "I said that re-education is my hobby."

Lacrisan walked behind the prince, still ignoring his bullshit. He turned off for a moment and when Niella stopped after a while, he did the same and slowly looked at him.

"Maybe I cut out your tongue in the torture chamber." he laughed.

Shane looked at him. He stared at him for a moment before a sudden disgust filled him, with which he declared, "Animal."

"What?" Nielle didn't understand.

"We don't talk to animals in Lacris," Shane clarified.

Nielle just raised his eyebrows in shock and said after a while, "Me?" he laughed, "You are all animals in Lacris, but you call me one?" he had fun.

Shane just gently raised his fingers to his neck, which he felt constricted by something, "Such things...no one but a disgusting animal would use. At first I thought you wouldn't live up to your reputation and people exaggerate, but I was wrong. You're not even human... you can make a deal with people, talk... but I have nothing more to say to you. You're just a disgusting animal…no Prince. In Lacris at least princes behave befitting their status, but you have nothing of human behavior.” he stated in disgust.

Nielle looked at him for a moment before laughing with pleasure: "I only treat you as your kind deserves. You're really stupid if you didn't realize it sooner, Lacrisan," he took a step towards him and raised his hand contentedly to touch his cheek, "but don't think it will change anything. Whether you're going to talk to me or not, whether you're going to be submissive or not, we're going to spend every night together...seeing the difference in your politeness compared to the moments in bed makes me want to play with you more often.” He laughed.

Shane simply pulled his palm away from his cheek and gave him an irritated glare, “You're going to regret it,” he stated.

Nielle gently lifted the corners and declared contentedly: "I don't regret anything," he clarified and stepped forward after a while.

Nielle hadn't expected Shane to treat him with such rudeness after begging for mercy in the dungeon a few hours earlier. However, to his own surprise, it didn't bother him, on the contrary. He felt considerable interest and amusement at his unusual approach. The only thing that Shane evoked in him was the need to subdue him more intensively.

When the Lacrisans came to him, most were tame, some realizing they were supposed to obey after their first night with him. However, he didn't have to deal with obedience for long with anyone, and he didn't have to put a collar on anyone to make them listen. Shane's new behavior was an interesting twist to Nielle's life, and he was going to really have fun until he tame him.

Shane, on the other hand, was determined to ignore him and focus on his task, after which he intended to pay Nielle back and teach him to regret his inhuman behavior. However, he was currently at a disadvantage, so he just followed the prince out of the palace in silence.

They went to the part between the inner and middle walls, where people close to the royal family lived. He was surprised at how close the house he was with Iuwin was today. After Nielle stopped in front of the house, they only waited a moment after knocking before Elyan peeked out.

"Good afternoon," he didn't sound enthusiastic, “normal doctors would kick you out for waiting for the results on the day of the exam." he declared.

Niella laughed softly, "And since when are you a normal doctor?" he asked and entered.

Elyan let him through, followed by Shane, and when they were all inside, he closed the door. He went with them to the room where the distraught guys were lying, with Brelle standing next to them. He was holding a bloody doctor's knife in one hand, a sheaf of papers in the other, as if examining where to make the cut.

"Brelle," Nielle walked up to him, "are you messing with Elyan again?" he noted.

"Nielle...hi," Brelle smiled and put the knife down, "it's fascinating...you always see something new...you don't even know what you're missing." he pointed out.

"If I gave up on everything like you and went to devote myself to my hobbies that won't bring anything to the king, he would probably disinherit me," he declared and looked at the papers his brother was holding, "what did you find out?"

"What did he find out?" laughed Elyan, who walked into the room and displeasedly took Brelle's papers, "I guess I found out, didn't I? Stupid kids." he noted.

"Elyan," Brelle frowned.

"Please accept my apology, I'm not expressing myself...stupid grown-up kids," he didn't take his eyes off the papers.

Nielle chuckled softly at how this doctor was the only one who could talk with princes like that. He even had a special kind of relationship with the king, but surprisingly no one found it strange.

"If it wasn't you, I'd have you flogged for such bullshit," Nielle remarked.

"Give it a try...I wonder which of your executioners will touch me," Elyan remarked, turning over a sheet of paper before stating, "we haven't completed the full search, but I investigated the method of killing first, so you're in luck," he said and passed to the guys on the table, “guess what killed them?” he looked at Nielle.

"Elyan, don't," Brelle sighed.

"Why? I haven't even eaten because of him yet," the doctor said, raising his eyebrows as he waited for Nielle to answer.

“I'd say decapitation, but since you ask, there's going to be something else…like the black spots on their necks…lack of luck.” Nielle had known since he'd had the men brought here.

"Right," Elyan wasn't surprised that Nielle guessed correctly, "if he didn't cut their heads off, the lack of luck would have killed them anyway...I haven't studied everything yet, but it looks like their hearts stopped and then they were decapitated...probably at the same time....fascinating, though." he remarked dispassionately.

"It's fascinating," Brelle sounded more enthusiastic. He ran his fingers gently along the black lines on one of the guys's necks and said, "It looks like something is drained them of luck." he pointed out.

"That's why I had them brought...do you know something that drains luck?" Nielle wondered.

Elyan just chuckled softly before saying, “You'll find plenty of things in the books, but nothing you could find in the capital city…in any of our countries, actually,” he said.

"Elyan...I don't think it's best to say misleading things to Nielle," Brelle said, "It'll have another explanation."

"Don't worry, he asked if I know something, not what I think it might be...I know a lot of such things, but I say that he will not find them in our countries," he clarified.

“I see, everyone but me knows that there is something like that, so kindly initiate me so that I can resolve the case," Nielle said.

"It won't do you any good, Nielle," Brelle said.

"I'll judge it myself," Nielle said and looked at Elyan, who led him to the desk next to him.

"We've been studying it for the last hour, but the most likely version will be one of these weapons, but like I said, the knowledge won't do you any good...and I'm nowhere near done," he said.

Nielle looked at the bundle of nicely illustrated swords that would surely take a long time to make, “Nice designs.” He examined the outlined surface of the blades.

"However...you won't find them anywhere and no one will make them for you," Elyan pointed out.

"What kind of weapon is this? What group owns them?" he asked. Since he was used to working with catching criminal groups, whether from Lacris, Rinsel, Equil, or any of the noble or church groups, it wasn't unusual for them to have specific types of swords.

"They owned," Elyan corrected his note, stating, "Last seen two hundred years ago, no record since then, and I doubt they'd show up in the capital and randomly kill two guys." he declared.

"Two hundred years ago?" Nielle, who was not much into history asked.

"Infeys, Nielle," Brelle sighed and walked over to them, "why didn't you ever listen in history class? Besides, it's the most interesting part of all the books."

,,Why? Have I ever used anything from history lessons at work?" he laughed.

"If you had listened, you would have today...I hope you at least know who the Infeys are," Brelle sighed.

"Of course I know... the church has them as the main source of faith," Nielle knew the basics, "the highest Infeys are said to be the guardians of the source of luck and the rest serve them... something like that. People believe in them, even though they have never seen them." he pointed out.

"You're not completely ignorant," Elyan commented.

Nielle looked at him amused and laughed lightly: "Are you provoking me on purpose? Brelle, must he still have stupid comments?” he looked at his brother.

Brelle just sighed, "Everyone is stupid to him, there's no point in listening to him," he remarked, "Anyway, the Infeys are the only ones who owned swords like this." he clarified.

"The only ones?" Nielle didn't know.

Elyan clarified: "When you listened at least a little, two hundred years ago our countries didn´t exist, there was only one. Every person was essentially an Equilan. Then something went wrong, in one part of the territory the luck is almost gone, in another there is more of it than elsewhere...Rinsel was born, Lacris was born...are you catching up?” he looked at Nielle.

"I'm really going to have you whipped," Nielle said irritably.

Elyan conjured up a strange half-smile that would send shivers down normal people's spines, before Brelle disgruntledly took the dangerous-looking knife from his palm.

"Don't make fun of him, Elyan...even a child knows the basics," Brelle sighed and put the knife on the table.

"I'm deeply sorry, I'm hungry," Elyan commented not very convincingly, "anyway, two hundred years ago, the Infeys were watching over us...it was a group of people from the land of Infey...don't worry, you're exceptionally not the only one who doesn't know, where it is, no one knows," he declared, and before Nielle could react, he continued, "they came to the surface at regular intervals and blessed people, controlled the world, controlled order, kept an eye on the fair distribution of luck... or so it is said...actually it was only the nobility who were lucky enough to be born near the source of luck. Immortal, strong, respected...like the physical embodiment of luck...people worshiped them and couldn't wait for their arrival..." he chattered, but Nielle cut him off.

"What does it have to do with the case, I don't hear anything relevant in that long introduction," he said.

Elyan nodded, "I just felt like you missed your basics class," he admitted, "I'll get to the point...so these Infeys carried these beautiful swords," he said, "so they could justly assassinate you if you didn't suit them...sorry, punish for something you didn't do," he sneered.

"For the fact that they lived two hundred years ago, you sound like you don't like them very much," he remarked, "one would think you knew them." he laughed.

"Though I work excessively, I don't think I look two hundred years old, Prince Nielle," Elyan commented, "I just don't like nobility in general, as you know."

"I didn't notice," Nielle remarked ironically.

"Elyan...how about we don't fight today?" Brelle suggested.

"I didn't mean you," he looked at Brelle, "at least you try to learn useful things." he said.

Brelle smiled softly.

“So the Infeys possessed swords that could drain luck.” Nielle thought.

"Not all of them...only the highest guards used to be armed...as you should know from history lessons...or from books where everything I'm saying is written in detail," he remarked.

"I don't know...go on. Are they stored somewhere or is there a place where they were seen?” Nielle wanted to know the essential information.

"Nowhere...not only has no one seen them, no one other than their owners can use them, so I say we should focus on another explanation," he clarified.

Nielle disagreed, "I don't think so...usually the first thing that comes to mind is the right one...couldn't some Infey have wandered in here and murdered them anyway?" he suggested.

Elyan laughed, "Prince Nielle, for all the respect I try to show you, the Infeys wouldn´t show themselves among humans."

"Why not?" he didn't understand.

"They haven't shown up in two hundred years, plus some of the people would have noticed them...they're not a normal species that would blend in with the crowd," he clarified.

"About time they came out, isn't it?" Nielle said, "And there are a lot of weird people in town." he noted.

"Nielle, you don't understand," Brelle interjected, "according to history, you can't help but notice them...special things happen around them, their luck is really...special...besides, their life is guarding the source of luck, they wouldn't come out to us." he said.

"If there are any at all," Nielle said.

"At the source of luck," Elyan said.

"I didn't hear that there was a source of luck somewhere on the map," Nielle laughed.

“It's not…they're it´s guards, no one knows where it is.” Brelle handed Nielle the books.

Nielle looked at him: "I don't plan to read historical writings about some country that may not even exist. As far as I know, this is church bullshit. Brelle, I didn't think you were into church." he said.

"I'm not...but I believe that Infeys guard luck," he said.

"Alright... so some Infey murdered two employees of the arcade... and I'm supposed to tell the king what explanation?" he laughed, "Sorry father, the murderer is some Infey, whom no one has seen, but according to the weapon used, it will be probably one of them...I can't catch him because I don't know if there is any at all," he declared, "he'll be excited."

“Nielle, I'm not saying Infey did it…don't you have any normal suspects?” Brelle wondered.

“I have, but neither of them seemed to be Infey,” he laughed, though he didn't know what their kind even looked like.

"And who are they?" Elyan wondered.

"One seemed to have more bad luck than luck...I met him yesterday after he became a suspect in a theft he didn't commit...and today he became a suspect in a murder," he said, "I don't think he is the perpetrator," he noted, "the other one who looks like a murderer was more brazen, I wanted to get him locked up, but something happened and I didn't make it...they didn't look like they had a similar sword...neither one was armed." he knew.

"They didn't have to," Elyan said as there was a loud banging on the door. With a deep sigh, he went to open it and after spotting a pair of guards, he called out to Nielle.

Nielle walked to the door and asked, "What's going on?"

"Your Highness, we heard you are at Elyan...there is a problem at the gate...the two suspects you ordered to detain have gotten out...our men are injured and no one knows where they have gone."

Nielle gave him an irritated look before heaving a deep sigh, “What were their weapons?” he wondered.

"What?" the guard didn´t understand.

"Swords, what kind of swords did they have?" he asked.

"Normal swords, sir...they were taken by the guards during the fight," he clarified.

Nielle looked at Elyan, "See...normal."

" Sir, what are the next steps?" the guard asked.

"How many did they kill?" Nielle wondered.

"Nobody, sir...they are just wounded, some just unconscious," he said.

Nielle raised his eyebrows slightly and laughed: “Suspect of murder...no one was killed...interesting...could I be wrong? Unusual.” he said to himself. When someone committed a murdered, he usually didn't bother to leave the people who attacked him alive.

"Sir..." the guard hesitated.

"Was it really the couple I had described?" Nielle wondered.

"Yes, sir…red hair, blue eyes, and a burgundy uniform…black hair, gold eyes, and a black and gold uniform…it was them, sir."

Nielle nodded, "Send instructions to the guys in the nearest town to be ready for them," he said and after the guards understood and walked away, he re-entered Elyan's house.

"Where did we end up?" he asked.

"Nielle," Brelle looked at the door, "He said golden eyes? Who had golden eyes? One of them?" he didn't understand.

Nielle nodded, "Really rare, I've never seen nothing like that...they were...beautiful," he remarked, "even for Lacrisan."

"Lacrisians don't have golden eyes, Prince Nielle," Elyan commented, sitting down at his desk as if unsure.

Nielle sighed deeply: "I know...but this one had."

"Then it wasn't Lacrisan," Elyan said.

"What was he like, Nielle?" Brelle wondered excitedly, as if he had just discovered that Nielle had seen a rare species of lion.

"What? Normal...he had black hair, some yellow streaks, or orange, I don't know...golden eyes, he looked really rich, he wears expensive fabrics, better than us." he laughed.

"How did he behave?" Brelle's eyes shone with interest.

“I don't know.” Nielle didn't mean to say that he felt a special kind of respect for him, as if he was his superior.

“Like you're the kid who needs to listen to him to find the right path?” Elyan asked.

Nielle looked at him in surprise: "How do you know?"

"You met Infey...congratulations, you can have it engraved on a stone, when he sees him in a hundred years, maybe he will remember you," he remarked.

"I feel like someone should really show you where your place is, Elyan," Nielle growled.

"Where would it be? In the study. That's why I know everything you all should know. But it's good that you're not reading, at least I have a job," he said.

"Did he really see Infey?" Brelle cheered.

"It seems so...I don't know the reason for their visit, but when it's obvious, I won't object...he met the golden-eyed Infey, and the killer will be probably the one next to him."

"Why not him?" Nielle didn't understand.

“Only the highest Infeys have golden eyes… and only their guardians carry swords… haven't you been listening?” Elyan sighed.

Nielle thought, "So I was right," he smiled, "and he allowed himself to lie that he had nothing to do with it," he laughed, "wait till i catch you, you red-hair bastard."

"I don't advise you to follow them," Elyan said.

"Why?" Nielle didn't understand.

"The Infeys are not someone you can lock in a dungeon...if you piss off the highest, you piss off luck...if you piss off luck..." he didn't answer.

"You think the one with the golden eyes is the highest, don't you? He didn't piss me off, only the other one did," he explained.

"You can be glad you're alive when you pissed him off," Elyan clarified.

"Nielle, Elyan is right...they live for hundreds of years, we are nothing more than children to them," Brelle explained.

"I've never met them, I don't see why I should be afraid of them when I've never heard of any Infey going out...he's a murderer, I lock up murderers, don't I?” he stated and started to leave before Elyan stopped him and stated.

“Prince Nielle,” Elyan didn't sound too enthusiastic, “I will explain it to you in other way…if the king finds out that he is Infey, the whole country will be turned upside down.” he declared.

Nielle thought, "True, I forgot, luck," he accepted, "Greedy, he'll want to find out where the source of luck is...though I don't think there is one at all." he declared.

"It doesn't matter if it is... the books say it is... and the king is a person who seizes such a chance," he clarified.

"True," Nielle accepted, "I only want an assassin...the king would want an interrogation for other purposes." he didn´t feel like starting something that could disturb the peace in the country and his peaceful life.

"Nielle...don't make them enemies," Brelle advised.

Nielle accepted: "Don't worry...I don't mean to," he said and walked out without a word.

Elyan and Brelle looked after him as if they wanted to say something more, but neither of them had anything to say. Nielle, who had just discovered who the murderer was, knew that he couldn´t immediately show him as the perpetrator to the king. Actually, even if he catches him, he couldn't do that in case the story with Infeys was really true, so he knew that he would have to improvise and come up with something else.

As he walked back to the palace, he didn't even realize that Shane was standing by his side the whole time and was just listening with surprise to the whole situation, which he couldn't absorb. He heard about the Infeys, he heard about the whole history, but he didn't see these tales as something real. That's why he couldn't just believe that they were seen. However, it didn't matter because his mission wasn't related to anything like that and he wasn't going to be swayed from his original plans just because of something that could change the course of the countries.

Because Shane didn't care about countries, he didn't care if Rinsel, Lacris killed each other for domination. He was just following the instructions of the person he worked for. Nothing more.