Moranor kept a straight expression as she took her time getting up from the bed and putting on her combat shoes, Enrel was quickly putting on her shoes as she hummed a simple tone. Reiki looked at the two elves trying to get their shoes on back and forth as he stood up from the bed and emptied the remaining ice cream in the tub and placed it back in the pouch.
Enrel finished tying her shoelaces, she walked towards the door, while waving her hand, Enrel said. "It was a pleasure meeting you here young majesty, but I still have something to do. I'll be sure to be there at lunch." Enora nodded at Enrel, a smile slowly formed on her face. Enora said. "That's fine." Enora glanced at Reiki who was placing the wooden spoon in the pouch and was staring at Moranor who was taking her time trying on her shoes.
Enora continued. "I was here for something else." Enrel nodded as she walked past her, the moment she set one foot past the door she immediately vanished. Moranor stood up from the bed and placed her hands on her hips, Reiki stood on the opposite side of the bed and walked beside her. Moranor looked at him as she gave him a meaningful look, Reiki shook his head sideways, he said. "Nope, I didn't tell her which room I was staying in."
Moranor let out a scoff, she said. "So you're telling me she just magically appeared here?" Reiki let out a chuckle and said. "Yes, this is her home and she is capable of doing just that." Moranor reached out for his cheek and started pinching and stretching it as far as she could, she turned her head towards Enora who was still standing by the doorway with a smile on her face.
[System: User has received 17 Damage.]
Moranor took a deep breath, with a monotone voice she said. "Young majesty… Is there something you need?" Enora walked as close as an arm's length from the both of them, Moranor was still pinching Reiki's cheek and dragged him behind her back.
[System: User has received 25 Damage.]
The smile on Enora's face widens, she said. "Do I need a reason to see my good friend who I haven't-." Moranor rolled her eyes at her and said. "Enora, be honest, what do you want? There's nothing of value here nor interesting." Enora took a step closer which made Moranor completely hide Reiki behind her back using both her hands, Enora pointed behind her and said. "Sure there is."
Moranor's eyes narrowed, she said. "Young majesty, surely we both know a hu- Reiki is not an object of entertainment." Moranor moved her hands and placed them over his mouth. Reiki thought. What is with this family and placing a hand over my mouth?!
Enora tilted her head sideways as she tried to get a look at Reiki who was behind Moranor's back, she said. "That we can agree on, but I do owe Reiki a conversation that you so rudely interrupted. And besides-." The door was flung open as Melanor walked into the room, she saw her daughter was hiding something behind her back while Enora was staring in Moranor's direction with interest.
Melanor closed the door behind her and walked beside Enora, taking a closer look she saw Moranor was hiding Reiki behind her back with both her hands on his mouth. Reiki was staring at the wall with a bored expression as he waited patiently. Melanor said. "What are you two arguing about again?" Enora turned her head to face Melanor. Enora said. "That's because-." Moranor interrupted her and said. "She's being unreasonable!"
Melanor kept silent as she listened to the two young elves argue. Enora placed a hand on her hip, she said. "I'm being unreasonable?" Moranor took a step forward to intimidate her, she said. "Aren't you always like that!" Enora's eyes narrowed, she crossed her hands which pressed her breast against each other, she said. "Oh really?"
Moranor was about to say something when her mother clapped her hands which made her stop, Melanor said. "Alright, now that you children fought for the day, lunch is being prepared and we need to get a move on." Melanor turned around and walked towards the door, she placed a hand on the doorknob and stopped, without turning her head around Melanor said. "Oh, and dear, make sure to be careful where you put your hands." She twisted the doorknob and walked out of the room.
Moranor had a confused look on her face as her eyes slowly widened in realization, she let go of Reiki as she stared at her left palm and saw some drool. Reiki inhaled a big breath using his mouth, he looked up to Moranor and said. "You heard Melanor-san." Moranor nodded and reached out using her left hand to grab the green tunic Reiki was wearing and wiped off the drool on her palm. Reiki thought. Yep… Like mother, like daughter…
The two of them took a couple of steps yet stopped when they saw Enora was blocking the doorway with the door completely wide open. Enora was whistling a relaxing tune as she had her eyes closed and waited, the corner of Moranor's eye twitched as she clenched her hand into a fist in frustration. Reiki poked Moranor's forearm and said. "Can't you just teleport us?"
Moranor turned her head to look at a wall, she said. "I… Didn't bother learning how to teleport with people…" Reiki stared at her for a couple of seconds as his gaze wandered to Enora who was still whistling by the doorway. He thought. I could gain something from this… Better yet I could use this opportunity… Reiki walked toward Enora who slowly stopped whistling the closer he got while Moranor watched the two of them with irritation. With a smile on Enora's face, she said. "Good afternoon, Reiki."
Reiki stared at her for a couple of seconds before saying. "Good afternoon…" Moranor walked behind him as she stared at Enora. Enora ignored her glare as she kept her gaze on him, Reiki said. "About continuing our previous conversation, it seems I won't be able to find a way to fit it into my schedule." Enora's eyes widened in surprise while Moranor smirked at her. Enora stared at him strangely, with her eyes narrowed she said. "I know what game you're playing…"
Moranor frowned as a worried expression appeared on her face, Reiki smiled and said. "As expected of young majesty." Enora's eyes turned cold as she waited for him to finish. He continued. "Get me access to the first floor of the public library and I'll be able to make time for you, how does afternoon tea sound? Just an hour or so after lunch."
Enora blinked twice as a confused look suddenly replaced her expression meanwhile Moranor was even more confused as she looked at him oddly, Enora said. "First-floor access to the public library?..." Reiki nodded, Enora continued. "Is… That… It?" Reiki raised an eyebrow, he said. "Is young majesty incapable of doing such a simple thing?" Moranor who was behind him chuckled as she placed a hand over her mouth and immediately faked a cough, Enora ignored Moranor. Enora looked at him oddly as she scratched the side of her head, she said. "We'll continue where we left off if I fulfill your condition?"
Reiki maintained his smile, he said. "Yes, just this simple condition." Enora blinked in confusion, she placed a hand over her mouth. Moranor had a huge smile on her face as she watched the show. Enora said. "You don't want to go to the second floor?" Reiki flashed her a mysterious smile, he said. "I have my method to gain access to it during my short stay…"
His gaze wandered to the doorway, Reiki continued. "Young majesty if you may." Using his hand he made a gesture towards the doorway, Enora nodded as she kept a hand on her mouth as she was thinking in deep thought.
Enora walked inside the room and made way, Reiki walked out of the room with Moranor behind him who had starry eyes and a smirk on her lips. Enora was left in the room alone as she stared at the floor and pondered, a smile slowly crept on her lips, she said. "I was wrong… He's even more interesting the more I learn about him."
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In The Large Hallway
Moranor and Reiki were walking down the corridor, Moranor almost shouted. "That. Was. Amazing!" She turned her head to look at Reiki who was at her right and continued. "It's been forever since I last saw here so confused." Reiki let out a chuckle, he said. "Enough about that, you can always picture it in your head when you have the time. Right now where exactly is the dining room area?"
He looked around the large hallway and saw no end in turns, Moranor pointed in front of them. She said. "Roughly about a minute straight walk down the hall, we take a left and it should be close by then." Reiki stared at the never-ending hallway, he looked up to her and said. "How about you lead the way." Moranor let out a chuckle, she said. "Sure." The two of them passed by a few floating light spheres on the ceiling as they walked down the hall.
Moranor kept her gaze in front of her, and while walking Reiki kept staring at Moranor. She said. "What is it?" He stared at her for a couple of seconds before saying. "What is with Enora-san? Was she always like that?" The two of them slowly stopped walking, Moranor leaned onto a wall as her eyes narrowed. She said. "Why do you ask? Are you interested?"
Reiki shook his head, he said. "Nope, just call it curiosity about how she acted towards me… It looked like she found something to do after a long time." Moranor glared at him as a moment of silence passed, she said. "Is that all?" Reiki rolled his eyes at her as he leaned on the same wall on Moranor's left, he said. "That's all." Moranor's gaze wandered to the ceiling as she saw a sphere of light going around in circles, she placed a hand on her chin. She said. "What do you want to know about her?"
Reiki tapped his foot on the floor, as he stared at a painting on the opposite wall. He said. "Give me a quick rundown." Moranor crossed her arms and said. "Let me think… Enora had everything and more than she wanted and eventually, she got bored with… Everything around her…" Reiki thought. I could already tell that from the short conversation, with how high and mighty she held herself while trying to be aloof… But I need something to take her down a notch...
Moranor pondered for a few seconds, before she could say anything Reiki interrupted her and said. "Is that all?" Moranor turned her head as she suspiciously stared at him, she said. "I thought you were only curious." Reiki placed both his hands behind his head, he said. "I need to know a few things to do something." Moranor blinked, with a questioning tone she said. "What thing?" Reiki turned his head and looked up to her, he said. "Shake her core, turn her world upside down, or better yet prove her wrong."
Moranor stared at him oddly, the two of them maintained eye contact for a moment in silence. Reiki moved his gaze to the floor, he said. "I'm not going to do anything harmful, I just need to know how she thinks when I need to protect myself for her." Moranor had an annoyed expression on her face, she said. "So you just want to know about her." Reiki shrugged his shoulders, he said. "I guess you could stretch it like that-."
[System: User has received 92 Damage.]
[System: The user has Minor Swelling on the right cheek.]
Reiki was staring at the wall as he felt his entire right cheek sting in pain, he poked his cheek and felt some swelling and a minor burn when he touched it. He turned his head and saw Moranor was walking down the hallway, Reiki ran towards her and walked beside Moranor. He said. "I'm guessing that's a no." Moranor ignored him as she started walking even faster.
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Dining Room
There was a long rectangular window on the left side of the table that was letting just enough light to allow you to see what's on top. Elora was sitting on the head of the table with Melanor on right, Melanor looked around the exaggeratedly large room filled with dozens of large showcases filled with different types of plates, teacups, wine glasses, and silverware that each had intricate patterns. Melanor said. "Do you even use any of these? I mean, I know all of these are…"
Elora glared at her, Melanor let out a chuckle as she reached out for Elora's hand, Elora let out a scoff. Melanor continued. "Gifts of some kind." Elora turned her head as she stared out the window with a view above the trees, Melanor interlocked their fingers to which Elora didn't resist. Melanor smiled, staring out the window, Elora said. "The place is already empty as it is, even with all the help and guards around. I needed something to fill my house."
Enrel suddenly appeared on the left side of the table blocking Elora's view of the outside. Enrel was hugging an unopened bottle of wine, she placed it down on the table. Enrel said. "What did I miss?" Her gaze wandered to their hands that were holding, Enrel rolled her eyes and said. "Looks like Melanor reminded something she shouldn't." Walking up to one of the large showcases, Enrel crossed her arms and said. "Last time we used glasses from the beast clan now…" Her gaze wandered to the dozens of showcases, Enrel vanished and appeared at the one that was made with some type of dark wood.
Enrel opened the case and took out three glasses with a highly detailed and elegant design of a leaf embedded in the glass itself, she vanished again and appeared on Elora's left and sat on the opposite side of Melanor.
Melanor turned her head to see Enrel filling three glasses of wine, she said. "Will you ever stop raiding her maje-." Melanor felt her hand that was holding Elora's handgrip tighten for a split second, Melanor inhaled and continued. "Elora's wine cellar?" Enrel passed both of them a full glass of wine each, a smile slowly crept onto her face. She said. "Don't worry, today is the last day." Elora picked the glass of wine with her free hand as she swirled it around and took a whiff of the smell.
Melanor picked her glass using her free hand and stared at the red liquid in the glass, she said. "And why is that?" Enrel took a sip of the wine, she flashed Melanor a smile and took another sip. Melanor shook her head sideways, she said. "I will never understand how you geniuses think." Elora took a sip of wine and said. "What's the special occasion? Since you even picked a five-hundred-year-old wine."
Elora took another sip as Melanor took a small whiff of the wine in her glass, a big smile appeared on Enrel's face. Enrel said. "I'm about to leave my mark on the history of magic, and turn how inscriptions are made upside-down." Enrel drank half of the wine in her glass in one go, she let out a sigh of relief as her face slightly turned a shade red. The mana around her started to rumble and violently move around, Enrel's face slowly turned back to her usual pasty white as she let out a contented sigh.
Melanor rolled her eyes at her, she said. "I would imagine acquiring all the benefits without doing any of the hard work feels amazing, even more so, that Reiki practically slapped it onto your face while you were begging for it." Elora, who was about to take a sip of wine, stopped and said. "Now there's something to picture in your head." Elora took a sip while Melanor let out a chuckle. Melanor said. "Banter and games aside, you are going to set aside some resources for the boy right?"
Enrel placed the glass on the table, she spread her arms and said. "Of course I was! Girls, you know me so well, it wounds me to see how low my image is to you two." Melanor rolled her eyes at Enrel. Melanor said. "Coming from someone who was just given a chance to soar through the sky by a ten-year-old does not help."
Enrel placed her left hand on her chin while she picked the wine glass up with her right, she said. "I was thinking about setting aside maybe twenty percent for him." Elora's eyes narrowed, Melanor frowned and said. "Twenty percent? He's going to give you an opportunity that most researchers would die for, does all the work and in exchange, you'll give him a measly twenty percent?" Enrel took a sip of wine, she said. "He's young, by the time he needs money I'll be kind enough to give him what piled up when he turns eighteen. By then he'll be rolling in it."
Melanor frowned became more prominent, she said. "Knowing you, you would've blown through it in a day." Enrel let out a giggle, she said. "It's fine, isn't it? In the end, the boy is still human. I'm already being nice by doing this." Melanor's eyes narrowed as she glared at Enrel, Elora placed her glass down as she glared at her. Elora tapped on the table, she said. "Fine… Since it's come to this."
Eora let go of Melanor's hand and clapped as a black-cloaked elf appeared behind her chair she was sitting on, Elora cleared her throat by coughing and said. "Starting today, all researchers' profits are sent to the treasury to be reviewed. Failure to comply would result in confiscation of property, resources, and coins." The cloak-wearing elf vanished as the glass Enrel was holding almost slipped past her hand, with a stiff smile on her face Enrel said. "Your majesty surely this is too much for a single boy?"
Elora flashed her a smile, she said. "Enora has grown quite fond of him." Before anyone could say anything a door was opened as Enora walked in, she said. "Good afternoon, mom, Enrel, Melanor." Enora walked towards the empty seat beside Melanor and sat down, her gaze wandered to the wine bottle. Enora's eyes brightened up as a big smile appeared on her face, she said. "Five hundred-year-old sunflower wine!?"
She rummaged through her pockets and pulled out a pouch, Enora placed a hand in her pouch and pulled out a tall glass of wine. Elora passed Melanor the bottle to which she passed it to Enora, she poured herself a glass and placed the bottle down. Enora swirled the wine around in the glass and took a small whiff, she said. "What's the occasion?" As she took a sip. A smirk appeared on Melanor's face as she stared at Enrel who was staring blankly into her glass of wine. Melanor said. "Enrel will give her speech about her new theory on the topic of inscriptions."
Elora smirked as she took her time sipping on her glass of wine. Enora's eyes narrowed as placed her glass down and scratched her cheek, she said. "Really?!..." She turned her head to stare at Enrel who was holding her glass of wine with both hands. Elora placed her wine glass down and with a smile on her face, she said. "You've recently had a chat with the creator." Enora's eyes widened, she said. "Reiki!?"
The sound of two pairs of footsteps coming from the door that was left open by Enora, Moranor walked in with her arms crossed with Reiki behind her. Reiki's right cheek started to look better as the swelling started to go down but you can still see a very faint outline of Moranor's palm. An odd look appeared on both Elora's and Melanor's faces while Enora was confused for a second before it turned into one of joy.
The two of them walked closer to the table, Melanor faked a cough and said. "Reiki… Is everything alright?..." Moranor and Reiki stood at the opposite end of the table, Moranor stared out the window. Reiki let out a chuckle and said. "Yep, never been better." Elora stared at him weirdly while Melanor was staring at her daughter trying to read her expression.
Enora placed a hand over her chin and stared at the ceiling, a smile slowly crept onto her face as she nodded. Moranor scoffed as she walked towards the empty seat next to Enrel. Enora cleared her throat and with a sweet smile on her face, she said. "Why don't you sit next to me?"