The whole of Avenhall was quite crowded, opulent, and lively, with the city being decorated by the lovely festive views. As it was only a few days before the 50th birthday of the king, everyone was full of mirth and awaiting the celebration. In the farthest of hills, everyone in the town was putting up silk and lanterns on the streets of their capital, and it was so beautiful that you could not help but admire the decorations.
Three young noblemen sat on the top floor of the city center's most luxurious and crowded tavern. The tavern was named "Caelore" due to its highly strategic location on the most expensive land, offering the best view of all Avenhall.
It was said that to rent a single table at Caelore, visitors had to spend hundreds of silver coins. Not to mention the exorbitant prices of a single plate of food and a pot of tea. Even so, it was no secret that Caelore had the best reputation for the most delicious dishes and the friendliest service among all the taverns in Avenhall. No wonder most of its guests were nobles and wealthy merchants.
The young nobleman in a green robe watched the city streets' hustle and bustle while enjoying a peanut pastry. His face bore a childish grin that didn't match his actual age. He was the true owner of Caelore—Dorian Althamir.
"King Elvarion's birthday celebration this time is truly grand. I heard guests from other kingdoms have already arrived."
"Of course it's grand," the tanned man sitting beside Dorian glanced at the streets with a smirk, "Especially since King Elvarion plans to ally to strengthen his power."
Among the several kingdoms on the continent, Calethra, Sevrine, and Estharen were the strongest and most balanced in power. In recent years, the three kingdoms had decided to make peace and strengthen their ties. Territorial borders had been agreed upon, and military forces had been returned to the capital. The alliance was formed partly through marriage.
Dorian shoved a large piece of pastry into his mouth, then spoke while spraying crumbs, much to the annoyance of the tanned man beside him.
"Sevrine and Calethra sent their princes. Isn't King Elvarion planning a marriage?"
"Exactly," the tanned young man who responded was Tharen Kama, the best warrior of the elite Obsidian military unit. "Estharen has a princess ready to be wed."
The green-robed young man, still busy enjoying his pastry, smirked faintly. Princess Nyssara Elvarion had turned eighteen. For most girls in Estharen, eighteen was the common age for courtship and marriage. Naturally, everyone eagerly awaited the happy news regarding the beloved princess of the king and queen.
"Too bad Princess Nyssara can't compare to my sister-in-law," Dorian muttered with a chuckle.
Tharen glanced across the table and gave a faint nod. Estharen had two princesses, but their treatment was as different as heaven and earth. Of course, the one Dorian referred to as his sister-in-law was Althea Lysithe.
Princess Althea had already reached twenty years of age. In the eyes of others, Althea Lysithe was merely the previous king's daughter, living by the mercy of King Elvarion and Queen Selmira. Though renowned for her beauty, surpassing even that of other royal bloodlines, public opinion of her remained pessimistic.
Dorian turned to tease the young man sitting quietly, unwilling to respond to his conversation with Tharen.
"Cousin, what do you think?"
The black-robed young man remained seated as if he had been the best listener from the start, though his expression was indifferent. His thick brows only furrowed slightly for a moment. His entire demeanor was that of a nobleman with an arrogant yet strikingly handsome aura. He was Cassian Greer.
"Are you both that idle?" Cassian responded to Dorian's teasing with a flat tone, with sarcasm and a hint of mockery.
"Well, Tharen looks extremely idle," Dorian answered with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. "Lately, I've seen him sitting around at Caelore, skipping training. What an undisciplined soldier."
Tharen glared at the green-robed young man beside him and scoffed softly. "How dare you—fine, from now on, don't come looking for me again!"
Dorian laughed heartily. Sometimes, running a business wasn't always smooth. There were moments when envy drove others to cause trouble, even attempting to destroy Caelore. Tharen's skills were indispensable in eliminating. That was why the owner of Caelore remained a mystery, allowing Dorian to roam freely without worry.
"Don't be mad, I was just joking."
Dorian's teasing grin nearly made Tharen kick the table before him. Fortunately, a knock at the door interrupted them before he could.
A soldier dressed in black stepped inside, diverting the attention of the three young men. The man gave them a slight bow before placing a wooden box in front of Cassian Greer.
"Sir, the item you requested has arrived."
The word "item" piqued the curiosity of both Tharen and Dorian, who frowned in unison.
Cassian picked up the small wooden box on the table and opened it. Inside was a delicate white rose-shaped hairpin. Both Dorian and Tharen leaned in to look, instantly stunned. With just a glance, they recognized that it was carved from a rare crystal, worth thousands of gold coins, and something that could never be found within Estharen's borders.
"Celestial Crystal?" Dorian asked in awe and curiosity. "Are you planning to give this to my sister-in-law?"
Silently, Tharen also waited for his friend's answer. Unfortunately, Cassian had no intention of replying. It simply closed the box, tucking it into the inner pocket of his coat. With a slight wave of his hand, the black-clad soldier bowed and left the room.
"How long are you going to stay behind the scenes?" Dorian began fanning the flames, adding fuel to the fire. "What if another man steals my sister-in-law? Or if another prince cuts in line?"
Cassian smirked. "Kill them. Problem solved."
Upon hearing Cassian's casual reply, Dorian nearly spat out his lapple—Estharen's signature apple cider. His jaw dropped in disbelief. How could someone treat human life as carelessly as slaughtering a chicken?
The corner of Tharen's lips twitched as he suppressed a laugh. Knowing Cassian's sky-high arrogance all too well, he wasn't bothered. After all, the young man truly had the strength and capability. If he wanted to kill, he would kill. It would entirely be the other party's misfortune for daring to interfere with what was his.
"By the way, are you attending His Majesty's birthday banquet?" Tharen changed the subject.
Cassian nodded, finishing his drink in one gulp. His gaze drifted to the streets below, flickering toward a dark alley corner, before he stood up, stretching his back from side to side.
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Dorian asked in surprise.
"I'm just going for a quick walk," Cassian replied casually, then turned to Tharen. "You go back and watch the soldiers practicing archery."
Tharen merely nodded and watched Cassian's back as he disappeared. He followed Cassian's earlier gaze toward the street below. The silhouette had already blended into the crowd. Still, as an elite soldier, he had vision twice as sharp as most.
"Why is he in such a rush?" Dorian asked curiously.
"I don't know," Tharen replied indifferently, then added, "Maybe he's out looking for a scapegoat to kill for daring to admire beauty."
Dorian immediately spat his apple tea back into his cup.
The sun hung overhead as three girls casually mingled on the capital's streets. Strolling past various stalls and shops while occasionally glancing around, Noma and Tyra followed cautiously behind Althea.
It wasn't the first time their mistress had snuck out of the palace. Although they were used to it and she seemed comfortable dressed as a commoner, the two maids still displayed wariness and awkwardness.
"Your Highness, we really should return to the palace now," Noma whispered anxiously.
Walking on the other side, Tyra nodded in agreement upon hearing Noma's whisper. "What Noma said is right. You've finished your errands. We should return at once."
From behind the veil covering half her face, Althea only smiled, her bright eyes shining. Even though she was dressed like any ordinary market girl, her refined appearance and graceful aura still caught the attention of men. Unfortunately, Althea didn't care in the slightest. Besides, Neris—the secret guard she had discovered two years ago—possessed above-average martial skills.
"Let's enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Capital a little longer," Althea answered reassuringly, continuing to walk lightly.
The two maids could only sigh, already used to their mistress's stubbornness. They walked on either side of her, shielding her from the curious glances of passersby. As they passed several stalls and reached the end of the street, Noma and Tyra frowned at the sight of a young man approaching from the opposite direction. He was handsome and looked somewhat familiar.
As the distance closed and they recognized the young man as General Cassian Greer, Althea abruptly stopped. They hadn't interacted much, as Cassian was usually stationed at the military camp. Strangely, they often bumped into each other outside the palace whenever she snuck out for important or secret matters. Althea herself found it odd—Cassian Greer roamed the capital as if it were his backyard.
"Didn't expect to run into a princess who seems to be sneaking out of the palace," he said.
…