It took us several days, but we stopped at a village along the way and found a merchants' caravan heading for the capital. With the promise of protection, we hitched a ride and rode the rest of our journey to Solara.

The guard duty was laughably chill, and the most dangerous thing was a random pack of birds that ran through camp and disturbed the cook. It was easy to chase away the strange birds back into the forest.

Once we were a day away, Eodyne forced me off the relaxing floor of the wagon we were in and took me into the woods for more running practice. Sereza joined, so I wasn't alone in my misery.

Though, as I later found out, she was built for stamina a lot more than I was. Still, I got to cheat with Áine till I was called out and forced to share her healing.

It was all in good fun, and Sereza actually learned from Eodyne during the hours-long exercise. By the end, we returned to the caravan and did an hour of guard duty before we settled for the night.

Come morning, we repeated the exercise early and continued till we neared the city gates. With the capital being so close, we skipped lunch in favour of entering the city where the merchants could get real food in the comfort of their own homes.

I thanked Áine and returned her to my soulspace. Looking up, I stared at the massive white gates and took it in. The city was beautiful from afar. I saw a grand kingdom sitting upon a mountain and couldn't help but stare. I had expected something amazing, but not what I saw.

Helio was a big city; it wasn't beautiful, but it had the allure of being well-organized. Solara, though? It looked like I had truly stepped into a fantasy world.

The city was enormous. It expanded for miles, and I couldn't keep my eyes away from the towering castle on top of the mountain. It looked like where I'd find an ancient wizard king and his infinite armies.

Below, on the street level view, it was a lively city filled with action. You could see people of all shapes and colours. In the far corner, a band of bird beastkin were using skills to play instruments while casting illusions. On the left, a waiter casually used a fire manipulation skill to light all the candles on the table.

Everything here is enchanting. I've stepped into a fairytale.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Seraza prodded.

"Sure is. There is nothing like this where I'm from."

"Where's that?"

"I'll tell you someday."

She rolled her eyes, and I shrugged half-apologetically. I might reveal my origins to her one day, but that was not today.

"Alright, we can stop here. At the gate, show your badges, and you'll be fine. Cyrus, don't react when the guard goes to scan you. It's a safety precaution, nothing more. Since it only checks for active mind mana, it will reveal nothing else," Eodyne explained.

"What happens if you are found having a mental skill?"

My thoughts went to Teddy and his passive. He said it was fine, but I was curious as to how they'd react. Surely, some of the adventurers or people had mental skills. The entire branch of magic seemed far too useful to ignore. Even the ban felt excessive if I thought the upper echelon followed the same scrutiny and rules the common folk did.

"If you are an adventurer, they'd call the guild representative to verify your status sheet. If you were a normal person, like a merchant or traveller? You'd be taken to the side, asked some questions, and then proceed from there."

"Alrighty, then. Are we waiting here or rejoining the caravan?"

"Let's relax for now. Our protection detail ended the moment the city came into view because no one officially hired us to escort the caravan."

I didn't have to be told twice. I summoned my chair and relaxed. In truth, I wasn't exhausted. My new passive skill was putting in the work, but I wanted to keep up appearances. If Eodyne discovered she could push me even further, I'd soon find myself crawling through the city gates, hands bloodstained and raw.

I like being able to use my legs.

___________________________________________________

"Reason for entry?" the guardsman asked.

Much like the guards in Helios, they wore metal armor. However, their armor was obviously of higher quality than that of the Helios guards. Instead of basic plate, they had engravings etched into the top right shoulder and breastplate.

I even saw a two-line enchantment on the shaft of the guard's spear.

"Returning home. No longer than a three-week stay," Teddy replied.

The guard maintained a neutral look and waited till his partner brought out a small metal box. "Will you submit for scanning?"

Teddy agreed and let the other guard approach. The man pressed down his thumb, pinky, and ring finger to activate the small device. It gave off a low thrum and rose into the air before sending out a small, grey ray of light.

It circled Teddy from head to toe, scanning every inch of his body. When finished, it let out a low chime and returned to the guardsman's palm.

The first guardsman frowned. "You have a mind skill. Do you mind stating it, adventurer?"

Teddy didn't verbally respond, but the guardsman got a far-away look one got from looking at a system prompt. When his eyes regained focus, he nodded once and stepped to the side. "You may enter. Do not cause trouble, nor bring it with you. Welcome to Solara." He pivoted to face Celanae, who was next in line. "Next!"

Like that, we all got in line and waited our turn. There was a brief pause when Sereza stepped up, and I saw her shoulders drop when the guardsman started asking questions.

Not liking this.

Nothing came of it, though, because they let her through about a minute later.

Eventually, it was my turn to get scanned, and I walked forward. The guardsman's eyes widened as he saw me and then glanced to where Sereza stood.

Sereza said nothing, so he turned and properly faced me. "Reason for entering?"

"I'm with the group ahead of me. Planning to stay for the same duration," I replied.

His eyes twitched, and I saw a subtle frown peek at the corners of his mouth. Thankfully, he said nothing as the other guardsman approached with the scanning device.

I remained motionless as the device powered up and initiated its scan. At first, things were normal. It sent out a ray of grey light that washed over my body. Gradually, the light formed a ring that spiraled upward, starting from my toes.

The device started acting weird once it scanned my head. It rotated once, then twice, and finally, after five rotations, made a sharp chime sound that morphed into a series of sputtering low dings.

When it dropped into the surprised guardsman's palm, there was a moment of silence before the two guards had both weapons aimed at my throat.

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I felt tempted to find out who would win: my claws or their blades. Although my anger wanted me to rip out their throats, I reigned it in and gave the alert guardsmen an impassive stare.

"Explain yourself!"

I just knew something stupid was going to happen.

The others approached, and the guards yelled for them to stop. Before I looked away, I saw Isaac slip into Teddy's shadow before anyone noticed.

At least there's a backup plan.

I looked the first guardsman in the eye. "And what is the problem?"

"What did you do to the scanner?"

His tone was hostile, and the blade he had raised to my neck made it very tempting to cut loose.

"I did nothing. Scan again."

He nodded to the other guard, and he activated the device. Except when the device approached me, it vibrated before returning to the guard's hand without having scanned me.

"Quit the games. If you would prefer not to submit to the scan, we can have a talk at the guardhouse. Do not mess with the device."

It wasn't exactly a screaming demand, but I disliked the tone of his voice.

I was saved from saying something stupid when Teddy walked up. "Is there a problem?"

"Stay out of this. Your friend is tampering with the scanning device."

I felt mana subtly activate around the guard's pocket, and I leaned into the spear blade. The metal cut into my neck, and I let the blood drip down my throat. "Whatever it is you activated, I'd prefer this idiocy ends." I pulled away and stood with my arms crossed. "I'm not doing anything to the device. It might be my passive skill."

The guardsman stared at the pink coating his blade in shock before regaining his composure. He readjusted his grip on his spear and squared his shoulders. "Send me your skill info."

I glanced to Teddy, who sighed and dropped his head. He held up a hand between the guard and me. "Wait a moment."

"Step aside, th-"

Teddy made a metal pin appear in his hand. I couldn't see the front of the pin because it faced away from me.

Whatever it was, the guard dropped his spear and straightened up. His head lowered into a stiff bow, and the guard next to him followed suit.

"My apologies, sir Lightcrest. Forgive us for the misunderstanding."

Teddy made the pin disappear. "Raise your heads." He waited till both guards were looking at him before he continued. "Keep my entrance a secret. Neither me nor my friends were here."

"Yes, sir!"

I followed Teddy into the city while glancing back at the guards. The first guard left his weapon on the ground and waited till I was officially through the gate's frame before he reached down to grab it.

He never turned his head to watch us leave and then resumed questioning the caravan people behind us as if nothing happened.

I turned to Teddy and gave him a curious look as he hopped onto Arturous. He sighed again and shook his head. "I don't like mentioning my status. Nor do I like abusing it in that way. But there are perks of being a noble. And we couldn't afford for them to start questioning who you are, Cyrus."

"I suppose not. Though, I think you guys have a weird expectation of things."

Isaac stuck his head out of Arturous's shadow, revealing only his neck and face. "You're joking, right? Your god almost killed us just because he was angry. And it wasn't even directed at us!"

I tried to retort, but Celanae threw a rag and a flask of water at me, causing me to stumble. "Clean up. I understand Áine can heal whatever damage you receive, but we're in civilization now. Walking around with blood dripping down your shirt is not acceptable."

I held up both hands. "Fine, fine. Calm down."

I actually forgot that I was bleeding. Huh.

I quickly summoned Áine and hid her in my cloak as she healed me. I had ruined the shirt, but now we were in the capital. Finally, I could meet Teddy's tailor friend.

After wiping away as much blood as possible, I shrugged at the pink-stained shirt.

At least it's not crimson.

Much to Celanae's annoyance, we continued our way through the city road. Surprisingly, Sereza stayed with us the entire time. I thought she would have left by now, but she said nothing as we continued our trek through the city.

I wanted to ask her why she looked uncertain, but she seemed deep in thought, and it wasn't my business. Instead, I let the city ambiance grab my attention and enjoyed the sights.

There were a lot of buildings using simple enchantments, and the citizens treated them as if they were perfectly normal. Which, in hindsight, it most likely was.

As we ascended, the crowd began to thin out. The attire of those around us grew more elaborate, indicating we were moving through a distinct part of the city.

I saw cloaks in bright colours and some made of silky-looking fur. It was funny seeing the peacockery on display. It all felt like the people here were trying too hard.

"It's because they are," Sereza said as she stared at a particular brightly dressed fellow wearing what looked like two hats. "These people aren't the true rich, so they substitute the lack of money and power by pretending to be more important than they really are."

"Not surprised, but I hear a little heat in your voice. Is there a story there?" I replied.

"No. Not really. But I became an adventurer so I could get away from people like this."

"It's disgraceful. They should all wear more black." Isaac butt in.

"I agree," Eodyne added.

The rest of the party stared at the two members, who stood out like a sore thumb, wearing black clothes and leather.

"Right... Eh, I like the colours. Once I get some clothes made from that tailor, I'll finally have something other than grey and black to wear."

Sereza chuckled and then stopped as we were about to pass through a metal gate leading to an upward, spiraling road. "This is my stop. I'm sure my father already knows I've arrived. He always does."

I stopped and summoned my trickster's bag. "Some snacks for the road?"

She smiled and reached in. Her haul came to one popcorn ball, a bag of unbranded chocolate bonbons, and a pack of gum.

"Not a bad haul. Careful with the gum; make sure not to swallow it."

"Gum? Never heard of it before." She stored the candy in a pouch inside her jacket and offered a hand. I clasped her wrist, and she stepped away. "I'll send a letter when I secure the meeting. You still want to meet the others?"

"Hells yeah. Take care."

She gave a tight smile and walked off. I watched her go until she disappeared into the small crowd, chatting before a large stall.

Good luck with daddy dearest. I hope he's not an arse.

A part of me felt concerned about the fellow felkin, but it wasn't my business to meddle. Besides, she was a big girl who could handle herself.

Shaking off the mental baggage, we continued. It took us nearly an hour before we reached the supposed final gate. At this point, we were well above the city and on one of the cliffs leading up to the castle on top of the mountain. The air was clear, and you could see for miles on end.

The vista took my breath away.

I took a moment to enjoy the awe. But then the elation faded--leaving me feeling strangely hollow.

Frowning, I tried to shake off the odd feeling. Turning to the group, I forced a smile,

"So, which mansion is yours?"

Teddy patted Arturous's side and pointed to the brightest house on the far side beside the cliff's edge. In bright blue and white, it contrasted with the other houses covered in white and gold.

Isaac slid over and placed a hand next to his mouth as he leaned in for a whisper. "Be prepared. His parents are nothing like Teddy. Don't be surprised at their touchiness; they reaaaally like to hug."

He slid away and stared at the house with a shudder.

Oookay...

Teddy dismounted Arturous and headed towards the house. While Igas and Celanae trailed behind with upright postures and smiles, Eodyne and Isaac marched as if heading to their doom.

My curiosity about Mr. and Mrs. Lightcrest grew.

Teddy placed his hand on the metal gate, and I felt mana activate around the fence structure before it swung open with a soft chime.

The initial chime gave way to a cascade of notes, growing louder and harmonizing into a full song.

As soon as everyone stepped inside the fence, a foreboding chime sounded as the gate slammed shut.

Teddy dropped into a defensive stance as Arturous raised his head to unleash a deep growl.

Celanae and Igas laughed while Edoyne and Isaac sunk lower as they stood.

A strange surge of mana pulsed in front of us, followed by a blinding flash of light.

Something heavy crashed into the ground near Arturous, and a roar escaped the bear's throat.

The spots in my eyes faded away, and I paused to watch as a smiling couple embraced Teddy and his soulbond in a hug.

A giant bear should not be lifted in the air and spun around like a puppy. What's happening?

The man and woman pair put them down and came together as they held each other.

"My boy, handsome as always!" the woman exclaimed.

Arturous licked the man's legs, keeping one of the man's hands busy rubbing his head while his left arm wrapped around the woman's hip.

They wore plain, simple clothing, but blindfolds covered both of their eyes.

The man sported a black cloth strip across his eyes, and the woman had a gold plate masking hers. Yet, despite their apparent "blindness," they keenly followed everyone's movements.

"I'm happy to see you, my boy!" The man turned to where Isaac and Eodyne were skulking before turning to me.

I felt a subtle probe of mana poke at my skin, but I ignored it. For some reason, that made the man smiler wider.

"Honey, dear. The others must be feeling so left out." The woman said the sentence with a smile that never left her face.

"Ah, you are right, dear. Let us fix that right away!"

Igas and Celanae held out their arms, received hugs, got lifted and spun around, and then found themselves gently placed next to Teddy and Arturous. Then, the couple began stalking toward the hesitant team members.

"Isaac!"

"Eodyne!"

Isaac's foot began to sink into the ground. However, with a simple raise of her finger, the woman illuminated the earth with a white light, casting soft gold hues that made the soil gleam brilliantly.

The woman wagged her finger. "Nephew! Don't be silly."

Isaac remained stone-cold as the duo lifted him and Eodyne into the air.

Once finished, they crazy pair placed their hands on their hips in perfect sync. And then they turned towards me.

"A new friend? Well, welcome to our home!" The woman declared.

They turned towards each other and grinned before snapping their heads my way.

It seems I've underestimated the weirdness. I'm so sorry, Isaac.