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"What do you mean?" Reinhold replied hoarsely, struggling to speak due to the dryness in his throat. His whole face felt swollen.

Armagus snorted loudly, glaring down at Reinhold with disdain before replying, "Your blood is rejecting the mana you've gathered inside of it. You should've never tried something, especially when you don't know shit about what you're doing."

Reinhard winced at the harshness and accuracy of his words.

"Your bloodline rejects magic and destroys any bit of it inside you. Furthermore, individuals over the age of 20 are no longer capable of forming a "mana heart." He paused briefly before stating, "That's why I warned you against practicing magic. Such a reckless act."

Reinhold felt ashamed of himself and hung his head in shame, staring at the ground. He knew that the old man was right.

Armagus walked over to Reinhold's side and knelt down to examine his body closely. He lightly pressed a finger against Reinhold's chest, tracing intricate patterns on his skin while murmuring softly under his breath. After several minutes passed, he withdrew his hand from Reinhold's body.

Reinhold looked up curiously. He wanted nothing more than to get answers to his many questions, but before any words could escape his lips, Armagus spoke again.

"Don't ever do such a stupid thing as that again, foolish boy. It hasn't been long since your return, and already, you bastard, are planning to blow up the entire royal palace."

"What do you mean?"

"I sensed your massive amount of mana in the castle and rushed here immediately." He said, shaking his head. "If you continue for a little more, you will turn into a giant bomb."

Reinhold's eyes widened in shock as the reality of what he had done struck him hard.

"You must learn to control yourself better, or else..." Armagus spoke as he slowly stood up. "Not only are you already the king, but you're also more than 100 years old. Stop acting impulsively like when you were younger. You're lucky your body didn't suffer that much."

Reinhold smiled sheepishly, running a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. Finally, after several seconds, the words came out.

"Well...lucky you are here." he murmured softly.

Armagus laughed out loud, slapping Reinhold's shoulder playfully. "Indeed, I am always here, as someone insists I am." Suddenly, the old man's face turned serious. "Unlike someone who always relied on me but didn't even say a word after returning from his conquest." His eyes flashed dangerously.

Reinhold flinched involuntarily and gulped nervously at the old man's sudden change in demeanor.

"Well... Like...I really want to visit you too, you know..." Reinhold stammered nervously, trying to explain his actions. "But... it's not that easy. There are a lot of things going on right now, and I have so much work to do.

"So your job is to wreak havoc and find a way to blow up this fortress?" The old man raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"N..n..not like that. Because the weather is suddenly so beautiful today, I'm quite eager to practice and learn." He quickly denied Armagus's claim.

"Really? So what about every other day?"

"Ummm...the same..."

"Hoho, you are really honest, aren't you, boy?" The old man laughed mockingly, shaking his head in amusement.

Although Armagus's words were a bit harsh and sarcastic, Reinhold felt extremely comfortable and assured. It was as if Reinhold was a child again. The old man's presence alone brought back so many memories from the past. He missed this feeling of warmth.

"Anyway," the old man said, changing the subject abruptly. "Let's return inside and rest. You need to heal your wounds, and I need to take care of this mess." Armagus gestured towards the devastation that Reinhold's failed attempts at magic had caused.

Reinhold, on the other hand, had a slight hesitation flash through his mind. "Actually, I'm planning to go hunting and then sleep in the forest."

"There's no fucking forest down here in the south. Are you planning to travel all the way north to hunt?" Armagus widened his eyes in confusion. But suddenly, his eyes glinted sharply as he realized Reinhold's true intentions. "Wait, are you still avoiding her?"

Reinhold scratched his cheek, smiling sheepishly while nodding.

"Really? After all these years?" The old man sighed helplessly. He shook his head in exasperation, wondering if there was a reason behind these actions. But suddenly, he smirked mischievously. "Oh, whatever. So why don't you and I go have a pint at my favorite tavern?"

"Huh?" Reinhold looked puzzled. He hadn't expected such an offer. "Are you serious?"

Armagus shrugged indifferently before answering casually, "Yeah, why not? I'm getting bored staying cooped up here, anyway. Plus, we need some quality time together. Besides...there's something important I want to discuss with you."

The last sentence made Reinhold's interest spike instantly. What was so important that the usually aloof Armagus wanted to share with him? He couldn't help but wonder what the old man was planning.

"Sure," Reinhold said eagerly, excited to spend some time with Armagus. But most of all, he did not have to face that woman. "Let's go."

"Alright," The old man nodded happily before adding, "Just don't cause any ruckus in there. You know how much trouble you bring wherever you go?"

"Hmph! Who do you think you are talking to?!" Reinhold replied indignantly, feigning offense at the insult but secretly happy to hear such words. He missed this kind of interaction.

The two men chuckled quietly together as they walked away from the training ground towards the castle gate. At this time, the sun is gradually going down, allowing the moon to come out and illuminate everything with its dim light.

As they reached the palace gates, Armagus stopped walking suddenly and turned back around to look at Reinhold.

"By the way..." The old man paused momentarily before continuing. "Would you like a 'disguise' to be more comfortable away from the eyes?" he asked with a grin on his face.

"Disguise?" Reinhold raised his eyebrows. He didn't understand what Armagus meant.

"Well, you are the king, after all. If the citizens see their king like this, they may not be very fond of the current ruler, right?" He explained calmly.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Oh, right..." Reinhold nodded in understanding. Although he did not want a disguise, it might affect his relationship with the people, which is something he definitely did not want to lose. "Okay...then."

With that said, Armagus lightly tapped his staff against Reinhold's head, chanting a few incantations under his breath. The next moment, a white mist completely enveloped Reinhold, engulfing him entirely.

After several seconds passed, the mist dissipated, revealing a completely different appearance of Reinhold. Instead of his usual handsome and mature features, he now had a nerdy look. His hair was short and neat. His skin tone darkened considerably, and his facial muscles seemed less pronounced. He even looked slightly thinner, although his height remained unchanged.

He also wore a simple gray shirt paired with black pants and shoes.

Reinhold examined himself in astonishment.

"What is this? This is too much!" He complained loudly while examining his new attire.

Armagus laughed heartily as he patted him on the shoulder. "You still look quite retarded, but never mind; no one will notice. Let's go now, shall we?"

The pair exited the palace and entered the city street.

As the sky darkened, the streets filled with people rushing to get home after a long day. The lamplighter made its rounds, casting warm pools of light in the growing darkness. Shopkeepers began to close up for the night, turning their "open" signs to "closed." In the distance, some screams echoed through the city, followed by the excited barking of dogs. Hooves and wheels rattled on cobblestones as carriages and horses navigated their way through the crowded streets. Despite all the activity, a sense of peace hung in the air as the day came to an end.

They strolled through the busy streets leisurely, enjoying each other's company and chatting casually.

"How was the war with those red orcs?" The old man asked, glancing sideways at Reinhold.

Reinhold frowned slightly at the mention of that topic. He hated remembering it. It reminded him of his failures. "Well, we won, but it was not easy at all. Those red bastards are really tough to deal with, especially this time."

The old man listened patiently, waiting for Reinhold to finish before commenting, "Hmmmm...interesting. But how come the news about the war reaching us so slowly?" He raised his eyebrow in question.

"Probably because we were fighting in the dessert. Sending out messages requires more time and resources. Furthermore, this war has been going on for too long, so it seems like everyone's interest has gradually cooled, and it seems like a failure already."

Armagus furrowed his brow, eyes narrowing in deep thought as he listened to Reinhold's explanation.

Eventually, he nodded and responded, "That explains things. But why didn't you ask me for help?"

Reinhold stopped walking, turning to face Armagus with a surprised expression. "Why would I ask for your assistance? You are needed here more than in those barren deserts."

Armagus let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. "You may be strong in battle, but you lack finesse when it comes to dealing with tactics and strategy. It's time to start using your mind instead of relying solely on your physical prowess. Your strength doesn't matter that much anymore if it can't save everything."

Reinhold remained silent, staring at the ground beneath their feet.

'It seems my confidence in my own strength has blinded me.' Although it hurt to admit it, the old man was right. His physical abilities had improved greatly over the centuries, but they could not compensate for his lack of wisdom in many matters in his life.

After several seconds passed, Armagus spoke again.

"Don't forget that the blood you are so proud of not only gives you physical strength, it also gives you wisdom. You can live to be three-hundred-years old, but your mind can still be inferior to that of a common noble. Don't turn it into an obstacle for yourself, but take full advantage of it." He advised wisely.

'Take advantage? But...how?' Reinhold wondered inwardly, unsure of what exactly was required of him to achieve such a goal. However, before he could ask anything further, Armagus interrupted his train of thought.

"Anyway, I guess it's time to move on." He said it with an amused smile on his face.

"Where to?" Reinhold inquired curiously, wondering where the two of them were headed.

"My favorite tavern." He replied simply, shrugging nonchalantly as if it wasn't a big deal. "The Den of Lust."

Reinhold raised his brows questioningly. "Den of lust? You serious?" He asked disbelievably.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's a pretty lame name, but don't let its name obscure this precious gem in the midst of the city. Aside from that, the owner happens to be a very good friend of mine."

Reinholds shrugged in response. He had never been inside such an establishment before.

"Let's go!" Armagus shouted excitedly, grabbing hold of Reinhold's arm and pulling him along.

They continued walking down the street until they arrived in front of a large building. Its exterior resembled that of a typical bar. A wooden sign hung above the door, displaying the name "DEN OF LUST" in big letters, written in fancy script. There were no windows outside, so it was impossible to see inside.

"Here we are." The old man announced, then pushed open the door and entered the building. Reinhold followed after him cautiously, unsure of himself.

A bell chimed as they entered, signaling their presence to the bartenders working behind the counter and waitresses serving customers at the tables. The place was packed with people, most of whom looked like soldiers. Some were laughing loudly, drinking heavily, dancing wildly, and generally acting drunkenly. As fights broke out between groups of men, resulting in a lot of yelling and cursing.

Several of the women were sitting at the bar, sipping glasses of wine and watching the commotion unfold around them. One woman, in particular, caught Reinhold's attention. She stood tall in a revealing dress, exposing much of her ample bosom and thighs as she leaned forward, talking to another girl beside her. Her blonde curls framed her beautiful face perfectly.

She noticed their entry and immediately turned her head, locking eyes with the newcomers. She grinned mischievously, sending goosebumps throughout Reinhold's entire body before breaking contact. He swallowed hard, attempting to compose himself, but the allure of the beautiful lady stirred a warmth deep within him.

'This is gonna be interesting.' he thought, shaking away his thoughts as he followed the old man to one of the booths.

As soon as they sat down, the woman who impressed Reinhold quickly approached them. Her movements were fluid and natural, almost graceful in nature, reminding him of water. She smiled brightly as she neared their table, causing him to blush slightly.

Armagus chuckled, amused by this scene.

"You look as handsome as ever, Armagus. Now you drag a student along to become a drunkard?" She asked politely.

Armagus laughed loudly, slapping Reinhold's shoulder lightly while responding, "He needs to loosen up a bit. And besides, he's my disciple."

Her gaze settled on Reinhold, her eyes gleaming mischievously, as if she held a secret he was unaware of. Reinhold felt a chill run up his spine as she continued speaking.

"I see." She replied simply. She then turned to face Armagus and asked sweetly, "And the same order as usual?"

"Yup," Armagus replied without missing a beat, grinning widely. "And make sure it has extra ale, too." He added playfully.

"Got it." She winked at both of them and sauntered away towards a group of rowdy patrons.

The two watched the woman as she moved effortlessly through the crowd, weaving in and out of the various tables until she reached the bar counter. Then she disappeared inside a room, probably going into the kitchen area to prepare the drinks.

"How can you enjoy the food while they fight like this?" Reinhold asked as the sound of fists meeting bones resounded through the tavern.

Armagus shrugged indifferently, taking a casual sip of water to wet his throat before responding. "I just love the atmosphere. Aside from that, these guys are quite entertaining." He waved off Reinhold's concern casually.

Suddenly, the sound of glass crashing to the floor startled both of them. They turned to face the direction where it came from just in time to see a bold, burly man standing over another guy, holding him down on the floor. The man's face was bloody as he struggled to escape from the other's grasp. Blood dripped onto the ground beneath him. Another person nearby tried desperately to intervene but was pushed away harshly.

"Hey! Break it up, you assholes!" A short-haired waitress yelled angrily, rushing aggressively at the brawlers.

But everyone else ignored her. Instead, they cheered loudly, egging on the fight as they chanted, "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!" over and over again.

"Damn it! Why don't you idiots stop fighting already!" She let out a furious scream, glaring angrily at the crowd surrounding them.

The noise level increased exponentially as everyone started shouting insults at the two men.

'Should I intervene and stop them?' Reinhold wondered inwardly, debating whether or not he should step in; however, Armagus spoke before he could decide.

"Don't bother. Sit and watch." He said, waving a hand dismissively.

As soon as he finished speaking, the short-haired waitress took a stance and turned around to deliver a powerful kick straight to the bald man's face. The kick was so strong that the bald man flew far out the door; his nose was crushed and constricted, and blood flowed out continuously.

The waitress remained in that position for a few seconds, her oversized short skirt now revealing her black lingerie, clinging tightly to her firm and white thighs. But what attracted others' eyes were the knives lying neatly and discreetly on her thighs.

"Now, who else wants to fight?" She shouted angrily with a cold glare, looking intimidatingly at the rest of the patrons.

Suddenly Armagus slammed the table and stood up. "I can take her! ... But not in a fight." He then turned to look at Reinhold affectionately and winked: "Welcome to the headquarters of the Sisterhood of Fallen Maiden."