Late Afternoon - Mid Spring : Kingdom of Kaelallan

- Michael Cotorel ~

After running a few errands around town and getting lunch at the tavern, I was finally on my way back to the market.

I felt refreshed and although not totally at peace with how things turned out, my anxiety had settled enough for me to be able to deal with it. -I need to go to that speech though…-

Although unlikely, I was hoping the king would announce some sort of conflict I could earn some reputation back with. -It couldn't hurt to attend though…-

Continuing to idly think about my plans for the future, I arrived at the smithy before I knew it.

*Clang* *Clang* "So where are you staying?" Udall's voice could be heard as I walked into the reception area.

-Who’s he talking to?-

As if to answer my question, another, instantly recognizable voice responded. "Up north, remember? I gained the favor of the lord up there."

"Ah right... Oh, welcome back, Michael!" Udall was the first to notice me.

Lightly pushing aside the cloth doorway, I immediately locked eyes with Maria. "It's been a while, Maria. You're even more beautiful than I remember." My voice was soft and warm, but it seemed to go straight over her head.

"Well of course! We, women, get better looking with age." She gave a familiar youthful smile as she glanced over at Mollie.

“Haha…” -That's not what I was talking about…- "In any case, it's good to see you doing well, Maria."

Finally reading the atmosphere, Maria got up and gave me an unexpected hug. "Likewise… I heard about the whole situation with the king from Udall, I'm glad you're alright."

I wasn't too sure how to react but decided to just enjoy the moment. "It was thanks to someone else that everything worked out... I couldn't even sense the assassins in the room..."

Maria gave me a shocked look as she started pulling away. "Someone better with aura than you? Who could that be?"

"Ah.. it's a black-haired demihuman.. ‘kid’..."

Seeing my awkwardness, Maria got curious. "Oh, a kid strong enough to make you scared? I'd like to meet him."

Although sure that wasn't a good idea, I assumed she wouldn't do anything stupid. "Well you might see him during the speech, but I doubt you'll be able to talk to him."

Maria gave a slightly bothered look. "And what makes you say that?"

"Well I think he has more authority than the king, and to make things worse, he is strong enough that if he wished to destroy the entire capital, no one could stop him."

She looked a bit surprised before seemingly brushing off my warning. "Then I'll just have a talk with the king."

Her confidence seemed to get on Udall's nerves. "You can't do that here Maria. This isn't that tiny city you're living in, it's the royal capital. The king isn't someone you can just talk to."

"Hmph, well see about that."

Although it took a bit longer to notice, I couldn't help but feel like her old, beautiful confidence had turned to arrogance. -Just what happened to her…-

We ended up talking there for several more minutes before finally getting ready to leave for the king's speech with everyone in a good mood.

It was great to walk through town as a group for the first time in years, but deep down I could shake off this odd feeling of premonition.

- ~~~ -

In an isolated building in the slums, a meeting was being held between several men in black robes.

"So what did the higher-ups say?"

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"They said to finish off any of Shir’s subordinates if any were left and to wait for the king's response."

"So we need to attend that boring speech huh…"

"Sadly. They said ‘the treat should have arrived’ though… Whatever that means."

"Why are they so damn vague about that project?"

"No idea, it's really annoying though. They just keep saying it's an 'untouchable power'. They're starting to sound like those ‘messengers of god’ people."

"Do you think they could have roped 'him' in?"

The man gave the other a dumb look. "The Tower is influential but nowhere near enough to rope that freak in…"

The others in the room nodded in agreement.

"So what's the plan after hearing the king's response?"

"They said to only move if 'they' move."

"Who are ‘they’? Why are the higher-ups trying to be so mysterious."

"No idea, they said that we will just know if they make a move."

All the guys in the room looked dumbfounded.

"It's their orders, we just have to follow them... even if they seem stupid."

There was a short silence before one of the leaders spoke up. "Haah, I'm starting to wish I was put in the intelligence division now…"

An awkward silence followed as the man next to him gave him a stupid look. "You ARE in the intelligence division, dumbass."

- Vasilias ~

"Uuuwaah." With a big yawn and stretch, I finally woke up from my nap. -My goodness I slept well…- As I relaxed again, I was immediately entrapped in the wonderful comfort of the cushion.

"Humph…" With a little stretch as well, Ilios hopped up and started licking my face.

"Haha, yes, yes, I love you too buddy." I ended up laying there and rubbing his head for a bit before finally getting up and stretching again.

-Well, now what. It's probably been a few days.-

Looking around, it became abundantly clear that no one was in the shelter beside me.

Near the lift though, I saw a small table with a note and a metallic blue metal card with a golden crest on it.

The note read:

'Sarah told me about your ID. Whenever you wake up, feel free to go to the guild to activate this one. I talked to Oliver and got it made by some good blacksmiths. The crest on it is one specific to Kaelallan royalty and will allow you to be treated like foreign royalty wherever you go. Even I don't have one so take care of it and try not to melt it again!

I've been taking care of the royal family while you slept but hurry up a little, I have a hunch you'll be needed soon.

Anyways, go ahead and get a new ID and get back to your commission! Dragons must stick to their word!

-Love Father'

A warm smile appeared on my face as I tucked away the small card.

-Well, I guess it's time to get a new ID.- Quickly transforming to my humanoid form as Ilios got smaller, we started making our way to the guild.

Unlike how it had been in the past, things went much smoother this time. As I walked out of the palace, I got a lot of bowed heads, be it knights, maids, or butlers. -I guess Oliver’s word has started to spread.-

Continuing out of the palace and across town, it only took a moment for me to get to the guild. -It's pretty empty today, isn't it?-

No one other than a single receptionist was in the room.

She quickly sat up straight once she saw me. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"I need to get a new ID." I tossed up my old one on the counter. "This one melted."

The receptionist paused to look at it in disbelief for a moment before replying. "So... you just want a new ID card?"

"Well, I have the card, I just need it initialized." Not really thinking about it, I casually set the card on the counter.

The receptionist just froze in place and stared at it with wide eyes. "Ah.. yes.. one moment please, sir..." Her voice was a bit shaky as she ran into the back and brought a muscular dwarven man up to the desk.

-His aura is actually not bad...-

"What's the situation? Someone wants a royal ID? We can't do th-.." His voice was cut short as he finally noticed the card on the counter. It only took a split second for his whole demeanor to change. "Oh, I'm very sorry sir, please wait one moment while I verify and initialize it for you.”

Nervously reaching up and pulling it off the desk, he examined the card and set it in a different artifact on the desk.

A short moment later a green light lit up and the card popped out.

Quickly examining it again, he carefully set it back on the desk and pushed it towards me.

"Thank you." -That was nice and easy…- "So how much do I pay?" I casually tapped my thumb on my ID and noticed it was the same balance that I had before.

"Oh no sir, I couldn't dare charge someone of your majesty for something so simple." He spoke incredibly formally.

I couldn't help but feel shocked. -I guess I was wrong to assume dwarves were all going to be unmannered blacksmiths…- "You didn't need to do that, but thank you."

With a short exchange of farewells, I made my way out of the guild but couldn't help but read the announcement board. -So Oliver is giving a speech soon?- Figuring I should attend it, I set a change of course for the central plaza with Ilios in tow.

- Voddog Orebane ~

"Why were you so overly polite to him? He was just a kid." The newbie receptionist looked a little troubled.

*Bonk* "You'll really lose your job if you call people like him 'just a kid'." -A royal ID for someone who isn't in the royal family and someone with that suffocating of an aura... That must be ‘him’.-

The newbie receptionist rubbed her head where I bonked her, simply assuming that the kid was someone she needed to treat like a noble and not quite understanding the gravity of the situation.

"Haah… Thank goodness I didn't leave for the speech yet." My head unknowingly fell into my hand as I walked back into my office. -I should probably get going…-