Chapter 13
[Embercrown 17th (8/17), Year 1356 of the Arcane Calendar]
| 7:00 AM |
-
-
[ Valco city, Castle ]
In Aldric's study, Veyron stood tall before his father. "Father, we're almost ready for tonight's banquet and ballroom," he said clearly.
"The decorations are up, the food is set, and the musicians are ready."
Aldric's sharp eyes didn't blink.
"Make sure the guest rooms are spotless. Tell the head butler it's important. Anyone who messes up will be fired."
Veyron's jaw tightened. He felt uneasy. Father can be so harsh, he thought, smiling a little inside.
Laughing inwardly, I thought about how Kyzen's bold move must have brought it back. He was proud of his nephew's request to punish the servants, but also worried.
"What about those three servants?" Aldric asked, his voice sharp.
Veyron looked down, unable to meet his father's eyes. Anger grew inside him, and his spiritual release sparked, making the air feel heavy. Papers on Aldric's desk shook. Veyron quickly calmed himself, squeezing his fists. "Sorry, Father, I lost control."
Aldric nodded once, his face hard to read, but his hand tightened on his chair.
Veyron pressed his lips together and went on, his voice full of disgust. "Those three and others did terrible things—blackmail, stealing, even hurting people. We only found out by talking to the servants alone. The victims had no proof and were too scared to speak up." His fists tightened more, angry at the mistakes made.
"I wanted to follow Kyzen's idea to stop those servants from working again, but their crimes are worse," Veyron said firmly. "They'll go to prison, and their punishment will make sure they can't work as servants. But to respect Kyzen, I asked him this morning to write a letter in our family's name to the Servants' Association to ban them for good."
Aldric leaned back, his face softening a bit. "Good job, Veyron. Go rest. Kyzen thinks like a leader." His eyes showed a hint of pride. "In my grandfather's time, I'd have had them killed in public. Kyzen did well to scare them by cutting his hand."
Veyron's forehead started sweating. Thank the gods we had a healer nearby, he thought. Without one, Kyzen's cut would've caused trouble with the city guards. He bowed. "Thank you, Father. I'll go now."
He walked to the heavy wooden door, closing it quietly behind him. In the empty hallway, he let out a big breath. "Whew. Father can be really scary sometimes."
-
-
-
[ Valco city, Castle, Kyzen room]| 5:00 AM |
In the peacefully silent room, sitting in a wooden armchair placed in front of the open window, letting the breeze flow through my hair, the moon hung in the starry night sky.
My eyes closed, I concentrated my veyl flow, making sure not to make my right arm veins self-destruct.
"stage 1"
My control over Veyl flow the first time around was comparable to a child using it recklessly.
Woosh...
But now, after repeated practice, I'm at a level for a novice mage, thanks to this body already being trained to naturally accept the energy flow.
My growth is insane fast, but I won't be able to go beyond what Kyzen was already capable of doing.
After that, it's up to me to grow stronger. Gathering the energy in my fingers and palm, I started getting better at controlling the speed of the flow.
Normal people by the age of 16, who just trained themselves to maintain veyl flow from a young age, could slow down the flow to such a speed that one might think it stopped, obviously I was not normal. Ah fuck it.
"stage 2"
This stage was simple; I just had to find the entrance to the labyrinth of circuits.
"stage 3"
-
Fail.
The average time of the attempts I've made so far was about 25 seconds.
Woosh...
The burst of air released into the air silence once again filled the room.
pursing my lips "again."
stage-1 pass
stage-2 pass
stage-3 fail
Woosh...
"Again."
stage-1 pass
stage-2 pass
stage-3 fail
woosh...
"Again."
stage-1 pass
stage-2 pass
stage-3 fail
woosh...
"Again."
stage-2 pass
stage-3 fail
woosh...
"Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."Again."
-
failfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfailfail
Woosh...
hahahahah... hahaa... hahahahahaha
I got up and started banging the wooden table beside me with my right hand. Thanks to the glove, I couldn't feel much pain, but not being able to succeed even with a simple task like this was more painful.
Bang bang...
"If I can't even do this, how can I have a chance at finding a way home?"
"Why! I shouted.
Looking through the window, the sky outside was already bright.
Looking at the pocket watch placed on the table, it read: 8:30 am.
I told Charles to wake me at nine this morning since I was exhausted from yesterday's sparring. My muscles ached as I walked to my bed and flopped onto it, my back sinking into the soft mattress.
I stretched my arms and legs, feeling the tension ease.
A grin spread across my face as I remembered nearly smashing my laptop screen after losing a game back on Earth. Haha,this is nothing compared to the rage of dropping a rank.
Losing hurts—whether it's a game, an art contest, or a street fight.
It's normal, but I have to remember the wins too.
And in this too I will... I will win too.
I looked at the glove on my right hand, its faint runes glowing softly. "I'll master this glove," I promised myself, clenching my fist.
-
-
-
After a short nap, I did my usual morning routine with Anna and Charles and got ready. Today, I wore one of the two fancy outfits that Chloe's mother had gifted to me. Anna, my maid, brought them to me with a note to wear one for the morning gathering and the other for the evening ball.
Walking down Valco Castle's wide hallway, I saw new faces—guests staying in rooms nearby. I gave a quick nod or wave to some as I passed.
"Excuse me, young man," a soft voice called from behind.
I turned to see a man in his mid-40s, smiling politely. "Do you know the way to the morning breakfast area? I heard it's close to the gardens, but I'm lost," he said, chuckling at himself.
"Sure, I'm heading there too," I replied. As we walked, I explained how to find the ballroom for the evening. We made small talk about the castle's size. Curious, I asked, "Are you here alone, sir?"
"No, my daughter's with me and," he said, his smile fading. "My wife passed on to her next life." His eyes held both warmth and sadness.
"I'm sorry for your loss," I said quietly, feeling bad for him.
He nodded, and we kept walking, with me leading the way. I stayed quiet, sensing the mood shift. The silence felt awkward, so I glanced to the side—and froze. No footsteps. No one was there.
The man was gone.
I turned back, searching the hallway, but found no trace of him. Maybe he went another way, I thought, frowning my brows.
I forgot to ask his name.
-
-
-
The castle's garden sparkled with dewy grass, buzzing with guests chatting, laughing, and eating breakfast served by bustling staff. Musicians played lively tunes on flutes, violins, and harps, filling the air with cheer. But in one corner, chaos reigned.
"Brother, I want cake! Where's the cake? GIVE ME CAKE!" A tiny terror named Tina, with pigtails bouncing, chomped hard on Liam's arm. His long black hair swung wildly as he yelped, "Ow! Tina, stop!"
"No cake now, you gremlin!" Liam groaned, prying her off. "It's morning! Cakes will only be served! after the ball tonight, after the cake cutting. Quit biting me!" He rubbed his arm, red teeth marks glaring back.
Tina pouted, crossing her arms. "Hmph!"
Liam sighed, slumping onto a bench. Then his eyes widened. "Wait—where's Leo?!" He shot up, panic flooding his face, scanning the crowd like a hawk. Aunt's gonna skin me alive, he thought, sweat dripping. He darted between guests, nearly knocking over a tray of juice.
"Leo! Where are you, kid?!"
Chomp!
Tina bit his leg this time, clinging like a rabid puppy. "CAKE!" she shrieked, her voice piercing the music. Guests turned, some giggling, others horrified.
Liam's face twisted, torn between pain and despair. "Tina, I swear—!" He hobbled, dragging her along, looking ready to fling himself into the nearest fountain.
I strolled up, barely holding back a laugh. "Having fun, Liam?" I teased. He looked like he was plotting his death.
Beside me, a little boy held my hand, blinking up innocently. I'd found him wandering near the rose bushes on my way here. Liam's jaw dropped, relief washing over him.
"Leo! Oh, thank the Gods!"You gotta watch him better, Liam," I said, grinning. "He was near the performers."
Chomp!
Tina struck again, sinking her teeth into Liam's other arm. His veins bulged, eyes blazing as he pointed at her. "Kyzen, control this demon!" he snapped, shaking his arm to no avail.
I snorted, sitting beside him and scooping Tina into my lap. She looked up, eyes big. "Brother Kyzen!" she squealed, hugging me with her tiny arms. "Brother Liam won't give me cake!" Her lip wobbled, tears threatening.
I patted her head gently. "Listen, Tina, if you wait till tonight, I'll give you my cake too. One piece or two? Which is better?"
Tina scrunched her face, thinking hard like she was solving a puzzle. "Two," she said finally, nodding with a serious frown, as if she'd just made a royal decree.
"Good girl," I said, ruffling her hair.
Liam slumped on a bench, his face a mix of relief and pure exhaustion. He rubbed the angry red bite marks from Tina's tiny teeth. "Kyzen, I appreciate your help ," he groaned, looking like he'd just survived a battle.
"But if that gremlin bites me again, I'm so stealing her cake. All of it."
I grinned, holding back a laugh as Tina bounced nearby, still chanting "Cake!" under her breath.
Just then, our little sister Sarah, the last sibling, who'd come for Chloe's birthday, strolled up, her arms full of pastries.
Liam and I shot her matching thumbs-ups, then bolted like we'd planned it. "She's all yours!" I called, dumping Tina's chaos on her. Tina immediately latched onto her leg, yelling for cake. Yeah, we're not responsible, I thought, snickering.
I waved at Liam and headed off to explore the garden.
This world has many new, different species of flowers. I told him I wanted to check out the nature.
His pointed ears twitched as the flutes kicked up. Guess he got that from his mom, I thought. Or maybe it's an elf thing.
Wait—crap, can that be considered being racist?
I wandered deeper into the garden, the air thick with sweet smells and glowing petals. roses sparkled like tiny stars, and vines twisted like they had a mind of their own. My grin faded as I realized I'd gone too far. No people, no music—just me and a maze of flowers.
I froze, a nervous smile creeping up. I'm lost.
"C'mon, memories, help me out!" I muttered, pacing. I tried digging into Kyzen's old thoughts—this body's gotta know the castle, right? Nothing.
"No way! This idiot never came to the gardens?!" I facepalmed so hard it echoed. Come on, man, you stayed here!
Wandering through the gardens, I could tell I was nearing the gathering as the faint sound of flutes and harps drifted through the air.
Unlike the pop rock music from Earth, I usually enjoyw, this melody was delicate and pretty nice for a change, a soft hum of strings and woodwinds that grew clearer only as I drew closer.
The garden's maze-like layout, with its twisting hedges and shimmering blossoms, still had me trapped wandering.
Who the hell designed this?
Petals glowed faintly under the morning sun, their sweet fragrance mingling with the crisp scent of the fresh grass.
Turning a corner, I froze.
There, in a white marble Victorian tea gazebo, sat a girl who seemed to belong to the garden itself. Her black, layered bob-cut hair covered her face like a curtain, catching the light. She wore a sleek black dress that hugged her form, mirroring the dark colour of her hair. Her skin was pale like a porcelain doll.
She turned her face a bit, allowing me to get a peek at her face.
Her eyes, sharp and dark, flickered with quiet intensity, like a still lake hiding depths beneath.
unknowingly, a smile came across my face. She'spretty
Walking up to the gazebo. I could see her face more clearly. Holy crap, she's pretty.
I waved my hand at her, making my presence known to her, though I guess she could already tell I was there.
She ignored me and continued eating her cookies on the plate.
I don't recall cookies being served at breakfast. I thought, eyeing her plate and raising my voice slightly. "Hello?"
She kept ignoring me. Guess I might seem like a flirt, haha. Even though I didn't even come here to flirt with her, I just wanted to ask for directions.
I scratched my head, I recalled a promise I made to myself—the most important one: I will not fall in love. The love I meant was a connection I could keep shallow enough to bear cutting when the time comes to leave.
I don't know why, but I have this feeling—an instinct one i can't explain, that somewhere in the future, there's a way for me to return home. Maybe I'm just fooling myself into believing it, but I'll continue playing as a fool as long as it keeps my hope alive.
It might sound foolish, but it was proof of my resolve to return home. Besides, anyone who loves me would likely be drawn to my appearance, and this body isn't mine.
Imagining someone I might love gazing at a face that doesn't belong to me is hard to stomach.
just like how I found her cute without even knowing her.
Affection often hinges on a person's appearance as one factor, and that's the truth. But looks don't have to dominate the picture—they simply play a part.
My mood grew gloomy. Neither of us spoke—granted, she hadn't said a word once. I almost forgot she was there till-
She pushed he plate of cookies towards me, eat one and leave, don't think I'll be nice if you start acting sad.
damn, she's got an attitude, but I wasn't in the mood to retort
Thank you, I took one.
Crunch...
Hmm, the texture's nice—wait, oh shit.
Cough, cough. Water, I need water.
"What the hell! Why is it so salty?" I sputtered.
Damn!
I turned to the girl, who looked pissed. She yanked the plate of cookies away from me and turned her back, angrily munching.
How the hell is she eating those? Seriously, how?
I decided to leave and stepped out of the gazebo, but—
"Wait!" she shouted just as I was about to exit.
I glanced back as she murmured something I couldn't catch.
"Can you speak a bit louder?" I asked.
Then I made out her words: "I gave you my cookie, so now help me get out of this garden."
In other words, she was lost too.