The same day, late at night, on the road close to the capital…

The carriage continues onward along the well-maintained highway. A partial moon is out, making the night less pitch-black. The carriage is silent after a long, time-biding session of inconsequential chatting, and everyone is weary from the long travel, with the exception of Straf.

Cycelia is once again looking outside the window with a slight frown, deeply thinking about something. With his arms crossed and his ankle on his knee, Straf glances at her. Grimacing a little in silence, his brows rise a little.

「…Are you feeling alright, Lia? You've been quiet the whole time.」

He asks, and her green eyes meet his, surprised that he's without a warning talking to her.

「Huh?- Ah… I'm… I'm just a little tired. Don't worry…」

Cycelia quietly replies, smiling at Straf.

「Hmm… You sure? Alright then… You ought to get some good sleep when we're back. An inn in the sticks doesn't cut it. Those palace beds are something else entirely.」

Straf shrugs, and idly looks at the carriage ceiling again.

「Yes… Be sure to rest too, Straf.」

Cycelia nods her head, and returns her gloomy eyes to the window.

「Yeah, that's the plan… I've got a lot of things to do tomorrow. I need to figure some stuff out, sort some of the Ministry things out, check how things are at the bank- Ah.」

He shrugs again, and starts listing his agenda for tomorrow. His eyes abruptly widen, and he snaps his fingers.

「I've got it!」

Straf exclaims with a satisfied grin.

「What?」

Cycelia turns her face to him again, blinking in confusion. The rest of the carriage also looks at Straf, anticipating his next words.

「I've figured out how to increase the security at the bank, and get rid of some shit I don't need!」

Straf declares, grinning smugly at Cycelia, pointing his finger at her.

「Ahh… That's… Pretty impressive, Straf.」

She nods her head with a polite smile, and turns her face back to the window.

「I know, right? I've been thinking about this for a while… What exactly stops someone from just teleporting in and stealing all my shit? And then I thought-」

「The fact that you can count the people who can teleport like that on your fingers?」

Will asks with a sardonic tone and a slanted mouth, adjusting his glasses.

「Tsk. More of your fucking magic nerd shit. How many lockers were you pushed into at the Academy?」

Straf clicks his tongue and replies, disdainfully sneering at Will.

「I didn't go to the Academy. I'm self-taught.」

Will explains, glaring at Straf.

「What? Really? That's really impressive.」

Cycelia chimes in, looking at Will with her brows raised.

「Ah- No… Really, that's like the minimum requirement for a mage…」

Her sudden praise makes Will lose his impetus, and his eyes abashedly drift downward. He adjusts his glasses as he downplays his achievements, hanging his head low.

「Why didn't you go? Is there a high fee?」

Cycelia asks, tilting her head.

「No… It's free, but they're very selective about their students. It's also far away, and I couldn't leave Greaves and Alicia alone. I'm sure I'd be looked down upon if I went there as a child…」

Will adjusts his glasses, and explains.

「I see… I made a promise to Albus that I will attend the Academy, it was some years back…」

Cycelia nods, and her eyes fill with sadness. They drift to the window again as she speaks.

「Your late court mage, your highness?…」

Will asks, looking straight at her.

「Yes… It's not like I was opposed to it, but I didn't give it much consideration. I've spent a lot of my time reading pointless things and just idling away. It makes me angry, now that I think about it. I should have listened to Albus more.」

Without turning her face away from the window, she nods. Immediately after her explanation, she covertly bites her lip in frustration.

「We all have our regrets, your highness. There's no sense dwelling on them. It's important to learn from your mistakes, but to make them is just human.」

「Hmpf.」

Will says, adjusting his glasses, and Lily disdainfully scoffs the next second without saying anything. Will and Cycelia glance at her, before looking at each other.

「Yes… Perhaps it is as you say.」

Knock knock.

Cycelia nods, and a loud knocking comes from the front of the carriage.

「Your highness! The city is in sight!」

The mustached driver's muffled voice calls out.

「Ah! Finally!」

Cycelia exclaims, and Greaves yawns loudly in response.

「Yeah, finally. I dread the idea I might set my foot on a boat. Who knows what chapter I'd get off on.」

Straf scoffs, shaking his head with a sardonic smirk.

「Ah… Straf, I just realized! Since you killed the kraken, we might be able to use the port for trade now!」

Cycelia says with her hands on her pleasantly shocked face.

「Huh? You mean you weren't already doing that?」

Straf furrows his brows towards Cycelia.

「No! The kraken threatened anything that was bigger than a small fishing boat! This is a big deal! A huge one, Straf! It completely flew out of my mind at the time! I need to inform Sir Vinis! This puts us in an incredibly favorable position!」

She excitedly shouts, clutching her fists with her emerald-green eyes open wide.

「Why? No, I mean… I know why, but what's the specifics?」

Straf asks, looking into her excited eyes.

「We'll be able to buy exotic goods from distant kingdoms, and sell ours, Straf! It's nearly impossible to buy anything from the Eastern Kingdoms without a massive price increase from the tariffs!」

「Because it goes through other kingdoms, I assume?」

Straf says, rubbing his chin. Cycelia nods her head with fervor in response.

「Exactly! And with a sea route, we'll be able to skip most of them! I've heard they have really cool swords! I want to see one! I read that they can cut through other swords!-」

Cycelia exclaims, and Straf starts chuckling, covering his face with his hand.

「…What are you laughing about, Straf?」

She asks, tilting her head. Straf waves his free hand at her, still covering his chuckling face.

「Ahh… No, nothing. Go on…」

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

He calms down, and says with an amused sigh, grinning heavily.

「Well, anyhow… The common citizen will be able to buy distant goods at affordable prices now, and we'll be able to sell ours, too. Without enriching greedy kings by their tariffs at the cost of merchants.」

Cycelia shrugs her shoulders, and tries to take a look ahead of the carriage through the window.

「Hmm… This gives me a few ideas, though. I might be busier than I thought this week. Whatever.」

Straf shrugs as well, and the carriage grows silent once more. A few minutes later, the capital's walls come into view from the windows. As it continues onward into the city, a bright, blue-tinted, powerful light floods the carriage.

「Was that?…」

Will straightens out of his lazy, tired slump in his seat, and looks at the door. Another light approaches from the front of the carriage, slightly off to the side.

Lily takes cover behind Straf, warily watching the light that shines in through the window, then quickly disappears behind the carriage.

「Ah, the lamps are working!」

Cycelia exclaims with a smile, looking outside the window. The streets are now bright. The sparse handful of people still out on the streets are no longer carrying torches or lamps, and the city is no longer wrapped in a cloak of darkness.

「…They're not those accursed lamps, are they?」

Lily asks, scowling a little.

「They shouldn't be… I ordered the steward to replace the old ones with magic lamps. Doesn't this look beautiful in a way, Straf? The vampire lamps were so harsh on the eyes.」

Cycelia asks, smiling as the carriage passes by another pair of streetlights.

「Eh… I've seen these before.」

Straf shrugs his shoulders, looking outside the window completely unimpressed.

「Straf, don't act like there's no difference between these and the vampire lamps! If not for the fact they're safe to vampires, I would have replaced the old ones with the new ones long ago!…」

She exclaims, and pouts a little.

「And if not for the cost…」

Cycelia quietly adds, innocuously smiling the other way. The carriage makes it past the palace gate, and rolls to a stop. The driver jumps down, and opens the door. Everyone slowly, lazily floods out of the carriage. Most everyone stretches out as soon as they jump out, except Lily.

「Well… I'm heading to my room. Spending the whole day in the carriage is pretty hard on my back.」

Lian announces, taking her spear from the driver. She stops after a few steps, smiling at Will over her shoulder as he waits for the driver to hand him his backpack.

「…Could I bother you for a massage, Will?」

She asks, with the corner of her mouth smugly upturned.

「Wha-!?」

His jaw drops, and his face quickly turns read as thoughts race in his mind.

「S- Stop joking like that, Lian…」

Will regains his composure, and adjusts his glasses with his head hanging down, refusing to maintain eye contact with her.

「What a shame, I'll have to do it myself, then…」

Lian lets out an amused scoff, and continues for the palace door, leaving Will behind practically steaming. Lily approaches Straf, also keeping her eyes low on the floor.

「…Is this it, then, Straf?」

She delivers a vague question, causing Straf to tilt his head. He shrugs however, extrapolating her meaning.

「The beach outing? Yeah, I suppose this concludes it. Hope you weren't disappointed. I might have been collecting cliches, but I still wanted you to have fun.」

Straf shrugs with his hands, and places them in his pockets.

「…It was acceptable.」

She bluntly replies, without looking at Straf for even a second. She doesn't leave, nor lift her eyes up to Straf, which causes him to tilt his head again.

「…What's up, Lily? If you have something to say, say it.」

Straf verbally prods the little vampire, and she finally lifts her crimson eyes up to his, appearing almost a little wistful with her lips a light pout.

「It's over, just like that? One day?」

Lily asks, nearly sounding angered.

「What, you wanted one stretching over multiple? I mean, those exist, but…」

Straf looks up at the dark sky, thinking for a second, then shrugs as his eyes return back to hers.

「I gotta keep the pace snappy, Lily. We can't have slice of life steal the focus, y'know? There's stuff to do…」

He says, and looks aside towards the palace gate. What was once an ominous dark street, is now a wide, welcoming, well-lit road. His lips move a little side to side as he grimaces, thinking a little more. His eyes return to Lily.

「And besides, all good things come to an end, Lily. The bad ones too, I guess, but there's gotta be a high point and a low-」

「I know that!…」

Lowering her head, Lily says with a raised voice, though not quite shouting. Straf tilts his head out of surprise once again.

「You do?… Oh, yeah, I guess you do have a library…」

Straf asks with furrowed brows, then glances up as he thinks.

「…I know that. I know that too well… But…」

Lily adds, clenching her teeth, baring her fangs a little.

「Hm?」

Straf humms, looking down at Lily.

「Nothing. Forget it. Goodnight, Straf.」

Lily brusquely replies, and bids Straf farewell while rapidly walking away towards the palace gate.

「Hm? Yeah, see you tomorrow, Lily.」

Straf returns the farewell, albeit with his brows furrowed in confusion at her uncharacteristically curt response and rushed departure. Just as she's about to enter the streetlight's glow, she stops.

She cautiously stretches her clawed finger out towards the light, slowly, and quickly dips her fingers in it, retracting it nearly the same instant. She then does it again, slower. Then, she slowly places her whole hand in the light, and rotates it a little.

Seemingly satisfied with the lamp's effect, or lack thereof, she nonchalantly continues onward, walking past and outside the gate. Straf shrugs at her strange behavior, and approaches Cycelia that's waiting for him, with her hands clasped low.

「Is Lily alright?…」

Cycelia asks, and looks towards the gate. Lily has long since disappeared behind one of the buildings.

「Yeah, I guess. Cut her some slack, she didn't ask「Are we there yet?」even once the whole way. She must be tired. Mentally, I mean. That must have taken some effort.」

Straf scoffs, grinning a little at Cycelia.

「Well, if you say so… Are you heading to bed, then?」

She asks, tilting her head as her emerald eyes blink at his.

「Yup, that's the plan, at least.」

With his hands in his pockets, Straf shrugs.

「Would you like to come upstairs with me, then?」

Cycelia asks, partially turning towards the palace door.

「Sure, let's go… Ahhh, man, I'm tired. Mentally tired. The beds here are a blessing.」

He shrugs once more with a little grimace, and walks with Cycelia towards the palace.

「Ehehehe… Well, I wouldn't go as far as call them a blessing, but…」

She giggles softly, covering her mouth with a half-open fist.

「No, seriously, why do you think water torture works? You deprive someone of sleep long enough, and some organization will get upset about it.」

Straf says, looking at Cycelia as they walk side by side. She tilts her head in confusion.

「…Water torture?」

She asks, her brows furrowed heavily.

「I don't think we have enough time for me to explain, but I can try…」

Straf says, shrugging his shoulders as they walk into the palace…