Natalie, Harak and Retang returned to the inn with a cheery overall vibe to them. They sold off nearly all of their loot netting their party with a sizable amount of coin. What they didn't expect was the serious air that floated around the room when they entered it.

Varmoot looked indifferent, as he always did. Eliza's smile was nowhere to be found and Tarik's expression showed them that there was something going on.

"Hey there everyone, we have come bearing great news! We sold off everything and by my estimates we have enough coins to leave this place, right this instant!" Natalie broke the silence through giving them the good news. She hoped that it would be enough to make Eliza smile.

"Great work guys." Eliza forced a smile. "We have news for you as well…"

"One of the nobles that heavily influences this area gave us this invitation." Tarik handed the letter to Natalie, her face darkened as she read the letter.

"How do they know? We…we disguised her. I cast a spell to turn your hair brown. I don't understand." Natalie was wracking her mind for answers. Harak let her grab onto his arm, her nails dug through his skin though this process did manage to calm her down.

"Blake Vloslag… I didn't know his family name before we went here." Eliza placed her head on her palm as she began to explain. "Prince Mars often exchanges letters with him, One of the fourth prince's closest friends."

"He knows what I look like and I think he saw through your spell due to his familiarity with me." Eliza was aware of the talents of nobles when it came to magic but Blake was a special case. "He's a brilliant strategist with the ability to observe the battlefield from the safety of his own home, they say that he has eyes and ears everywhere brought about by his weak constitution."

"I recognize him, he specializes in detection and observation based magic. I expected someone like him to be in the capital." Natalie has spoken to him before. "A pervert who loves to listen in on the conversations of others."

"I believe that he's been watching us since we first set foot in this city." Varmoot added.

"Then should we just run? We've done most of the things that we came here for." Harak suggested.

"No… I don't think we could do that. We'll be branded as criminals if we do so." Natalie quickly shot down the idea. "That is a last resort… According to this letter he's willing to bargain. We have to go to his little get-together."

"I'm forced to, though the invitation is only for Natalie and I." Eliza waved the letter around. "The rest of us should be able to find the closest exit, if all else fails I'm willing to run."

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The group planned their next course of action through dinner. The plan was simple, since they only invited two people. Natalie and Eliza will be the only ones attending. The rest will be on standby outside of the venue in case things escalate, ready to escape at a moment's notice.

The following day, the group went on a bit of a shopping spree. Buying horses, traveling gear and supplies for the journey ahead.

Blake Vloslag is not a happy go lucky sort of individual, most who have met the noble would call him calm and a bit intimidating. Unlike the over the top parties that one would expect from a noble, he held small intimate banquets that invite only a select few. With the war going on his only guests that evening were the officials that served their city.

At only 17 years of age, Blake stood at a height of 6 foot 2 though his weak constitution has made him a "noncombatant" his magic and use of it make him a prominent figure even when compared to those at the capital. He sported a black suit with a red tie, the lean and handsome noble was a looker that most women would fawn over with just a glance.

Eliza and Natalie were dressed for the occasion. Eliza dyed her hair black, she was also wearing glasses and her dress was a shade of light blue. While Natalie wore a black dress that hugged her figure, the 20 year old spellcaster had eyes that screamed that she did not like being in the party.

Toasts were exchanged and the food was high quality, but what the two of them were waiting for soon came. Blake asked to speak with them privately, taking the two ladies up to a more secluded area.

"What do you want from me, Blake?" Eliza stared daggers into the man. The man was a powerful tactician, but to a martial artist at her caliber at that distance she could kill him without even batting an eye. She had the ability to summon swords, even without her equipment on hand she could make one on the fly.

"Oh please, I wouldn't invite you here if my goal was to rat you out." The noble scoffed at the killing intent that she sent towards him. "If anything, I'm here to help you."

"Help her? In what way?" Natalie asked, she placed her left hand onto Eliza's shoulder to try and calm her down.

"Your goal is to escape his clutches correct?"

"Uhuh." Eliza answered, while she has calmed down aura still coated her right hand.

"Then so be it, that son of a rat is to be wed to my elder sister. With you out of the picture, he will be forced to agree to the proposal." The implications were there, a political marriage to the royal family is bound to give the Vloslags more pull when it comes to certain decisions. It was a win for both parties if Blake aided her.

"I'm here to tell you about this." The noble moved towards her and placed his hand right next to her left shoulder. From her skin came a blue glow, markings similar to that of a tattoo began to appear. It was in the shape of a rose.

"It's a mark, one that he can eventually use to track your location." Blake rolled his eyes. "It cannot be undone with magic, his personal skill [Runes of Markluzia] is nothing to scoff at… it is better if he thinks that you're dead but that is not your reality at this moment."

"What I'm trying to say is that he knows that you're alive."

Eliza came into the situation fully ready to run for her life, she came out of it with extremely relevant information. There was a timer in her head, one that urged her to move forward. Eliza's party was out of Lumostib, the moment the sun came up the next morning.