My gaze drifted toward it before I could stop myself. Ink lines traced the old roads, and forest passes inside the horrifying place. Several small markers showed ruined forts, abandoned supply routes, places the kingdom had lost one piece at a time. Theo noticed. ''Thought that might grab you.''
He crossed the room and pulled the stopper from the decanter with a soft pop. ''Would you like some whiskey? It's the good southern stuff.''
I nodded, prompting him to pour two glasses and hand one to me before dropping into a worn leather chair with a grunt. I took a slow sip, and it burned pleasantly down my throat. Theo watched me for a moment in silence, swirling his drink. Then he leaned forward slightly. ''My wife can taste magic in the air like a coming storm.''
The Count tapped a finger against his temple. ''Me? I read people.''
Theo's eyes locked onto mine. ''And you, Prince.''
He let the words hang for a second. ''Are either the best thing that's happened to this kingdom in a generation.''
His gaze flicked briefly to the map of Bleakmarch behind me. ''Or the worst mistake Verona has made in a hundred years.''
I didn't look away. ''Those two things aren't mutually exclusive.''
For a moment, he stared at me. Then a slow grin spread across his face. ''Thank Ahriman,'' he said softly, leaning back again. ''I like you already.''
He took another sip of his whiskey. ''But liking you isn't the same as trusting you.''
Seconds later, the grin faded into something more thoughtful. ''My daughter believes in you, and that means I have to take you seriously.''
The older man's gaze shifted again toward the map. Then back to me. ''So tell me something honestly, Prince.''
The room got very quiet suddenly. ''When the time comes.''
He gestured lightly toward Bleakmarch. ''Are you the kind of man who saves realms? Or the kind who devours them?''
''Both,'' I answered honestly. ''Verona is surrounded by wolves testing our borders. We need a strong leader to hold them back. Taking Bleakmarch would give me the strength and the leverage to stand against powerful rivals.''
When I finished speaking, Theo's dark eyes gleamed. He leaned forward, wearing the widest smile I had seen from him yet, like a man choosing to believe something he still doubted. ''Then I will aid you however I can. The king ordered no reinforcements, but I'll help you recruit more troops for the Ninth.''
I was happy, yet there was something in the older man's eyes he wasn't saying, and I didn't press. We kept drinking as I ran through my plans for the Bleakmarch invasion. By the time fatigue crept in, the Count was already astonished, eagerly offering to introduce me to the scouts I would need for the legion.
By the time I arrived back at my room for the night, I was tired and tipsy. When I stepped inside, I spotted someone from the corner of my eye. This caused me to react instantly; my claws appeared as I let out a low growl, but a powerful wave of mana put a stop to my attack.
''I am not here to harm you, prince,'' Elyndra's voice echoed from the darkness. ''I just wanted to see the real you.''
I calmed down at her words, and she stepped out of the shadows. ''I don't want to risk my daughter on a fool's errand, but these powers are unique.''
Her gaze was locked onto my claws, then she glanced up, smiling. ''I can see there's something between you two, and she'll be safe. If you ever need anything, the Witch of the West will be there for you.''
I was shocked at the turn of events, but nodded as I dismissed my claws. ''Thank you, Countess. I don't have many allies, especially since most Verona nobles dislike me thanks to my past.''
''A past doesn't make who you are,'' the older Elf responded. ''Especially when the soul changes so dramatically.''
My eyebrow rose in curiosity, and it clearly showed. Elyndra explained. ''We've met a few times over the years. I'm friends with your Mother, Queen Seraphina.''
''Oh,'' I muttered.
''Now, I must warn you,'' she revealed, a serious expression crossing her face. ''The man leading the scouts, my husband has mentioned, is very crude and doesn't follow orders well.''
I was curious once again, prompting me to question. ''What's his name and where did the Pathfinders come from?''
''Southern Aldoria,'' she answered. ''And Darius Nymor.''
''I know they are scouts, but Theo didn't mention anything about spies?''
''That they also do and are good at it,'' Elyndra revealed. ''But Darius is a greedy Human who looks for riches and glory.''
I laughed at her words before nodding. ''Yes, like most people. They care about coin. That's where Bleakmarch becomes useful, its mines and other riches will help me pay the soldiers and rebuild the western border, which will soon be mine.''
Elyndra gave me a small smile before reaching into her pocket. She produced a ring and slid it onto my finger. The moment it settled in place, a rush of mana surged into my body, linking me to the gift. She explained, stepping back. ''This is a storage ring from the Hawthorne Company. And yes, I know you have history with that family, but it will be useful.''
Hearing that, anger bubbled up inside me. Lingering emotions from the old prince, it seems. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and smiled at the older woman. ''Thank you for the gift, Countess.''
''You're welcome, Your Highness,'' she replied, a happy expression crossing her face. ''Now I will leave you to rest and arrange the meeting between you and Darius.''
I nodded as Elyndra vanished in a burst of mana, leaving me alone. That's when I realised I wasn't. Lily materialised from a nearby shadow and bowed. ''My prince, Garrick, Asmara and Sahara have returned to the fort after the recruitment drive.''
''What of Selene?''
''Still out.''
''Alright,'' I said, taking a seat as the beautiful maid threw a heart at me.
''I thought you'd need something to eat, young master,'' she said, taking me by surprise.
My eyebrow shot up in curiosity. ''I thought you hated me, and now you're helping?''
''Well, I still do,'' Lily revealed without breaking eye contact. ''But it's clear you're not the same, and it's become too much effort to continue hating you when you've shown this clear change. So I thought I'd keep my eye on you to see if this is a mask or the real you now.''
I laughed but nodded. ''Alright, do you want to join me for some ale? I'm thirsty, and seeing Elyndra appear from the dark put me on edge.''
The older woman giggled. ''Yes, she's a powerful Elf, and they're hard to pinpoint, fickle beings with long lifespans.''
''How does that work? I was going to read about it during training, but fell asleep.''
Lily looked amused but vanished, and reappeared a couple of minutes later, holding a pitcher of ale; she motioned toward a nearby table. ''Take a seat, young master.''
Without waiting, I stood and made my way toward the table, eating the heart the brunette had given me. I could feel the mana being drawn into my well, the steady pull already making me feel better. Damn, this is getting addictive.
Once I sat down, Lily began to explain. ''First Circle only increases human lifespans by a few decades, keeping us looking like we're in our early twenties.''
She filled a cup and slid it toward me. ''Then there's the Second, which adds a bit more. But when you reach the Third, that's when humans begin living into the hundreds. Look at Sahara and Selene. They're forty-nine and forty-seven, but you'd never guess it.''
Lily leaned back in her chair and lifted her cup, taking a slow sip. The firelight danced across the rim of the mug, and for a moment she studied me as if weighing how much I should know. ''Of course,'' she said, setting it down. ''That's only for humans. Every race walks a different path when it comes to mana and time.''
I drank from the one she gave me. The warmth spread through my chest, mixing with the steady pull of mana into my well. ''Elves,'' Lily continued, swirling the drink in her mug. ''Barely notice the early circles. Their lives are already long, so the first few only sharpen their senses and strengthen their bodies. But once they climb higher… centuries begin to stack like seasons.''
The brunette gestured vaguely across the room. ''Dwarves are different. Mana thickens their bodies rather than lengthens their years. They can live two hundred years without ever touching the circles, but their real strength comes from endurance. A Third Circle dwarf can outlast most.''
I raised an eyebrow, taking another drink. ''And Demi-Humans?'' I asked.
Lily smirked slightly. ''They burn brighter,'' she said. ''Mana pushes their instincts. Makes them faster and stronger, but also reckless. Some live long lives, others spend themselves too quickly chasing strength.''
She reached for the bottle again and refilled both of our cups. ''Then there are the rarer races,'' she added, sliding the drink back toward me. ''That doesn't follow the same rules as the rest of us. Mana doesn't just extend their lives, it's part of what they are.''
I leaned back in my chair, letting the warmth of the drink settle as the mana continued to gather inside me. ''So the circles change more than just lifespan.''
Lily nodded once. ''They change what you become.''
She lifted her cup again with a faint smile. ''And you've only just started climbing.''
''That I have,'' I replied.
Following that, we drank in a quiet, almost peaceful silence. Still, I didn't miss the studying glances she kept sending my way. I chose to ignore them, focusing instead on the slow burn of the alcohol as I continued to drink.
After a couple of hours, Lily finally stood. ''I'll let you sleep, young master.''
She turned toward the door, but paused before leaving. ''If I find out this new you is nothing more than a ploy,'' she warned. ''I will leave and never look back, no matter that my mother is in Varanthal.''
I nodded. ''I'll show you how different I am.''
Seconda later, the brunette left the room, and the moment the door closed, I collapsed onto my bed, my chest heavy with the surge of emotion filling me. I forced myself to breathe slowly and began to meditate, drawing in mana and guiding it carefully into my Mana Well.
Again and again, I cycled the energy, pushing its limits, striving to break through and reach the High First Circle.
***
(Lily's POV)
''That young man will change your life, girl,'' my mother's voice echoed through the Mana Device I had retrieved when I returned to my room.
''He is the one who will change Verona,'' the older woman continued, her tone calm but firm. ''Lily, release the hate, as I told you before. Stay by his side, and witness how he transforms Aldoria.''
''How do you know all this, Mother?'' I asked, suspicion twisting in my chest.
The dark-haired figure of my mother shimmered, solidifying into a Mana Projection. ''Why do you think the Verona Family didn't wipe out ours when your father betrayed King Ragnar?''
''You're friends with the Witch?'' I muttered, frowning, irritation bubbling up.
Part of me knew my father was in the wrong, but hate has a way of clouding reason. My mother brought me back to reality. ''That's one of the reasons.''
''What else?'' I asked. ''Is it your magic?''
''Not… quite,'' she admitted, her eyes distant. ''My other gift allows me glimpses of the future. And that is where I saw the Third Prince, leading an assault on Verona's long-time enemies: the Carthara Kingdom.''
''How? They've repelled every invasion Verona has launched,'' I asked, disbelief tightening my voice.
''I'm only telling you what I've seen,'' she replied with a weary sigh. ''Just watch closely… and if he ever reverts to his old ways, run, as I previously suggested.''
We continued our conversation, and after a long pause, I resolved to give the Third Prince one final chance, one last opportunity to prove he could become a better man.