"Well, my dear wife is entirely correct," I smiled, finally letting the easy banter fade. "Shall we discuss the pressing matters at hand?"
"At your command, Your Majesty," Gabriel chuckled.
"First of all, these three individuals are a lot intriguing me," I said, turning my gaze toward Eleanor. "Are they the specific people I requested you to find, Eleanor?"
Eleanor nodded gracefully.
"Your Majesty, please allow me to introduce the esteemed Scholar and Elder, Theron Vale," she began, gesturing first to the frail-looking old man.
"He certainly looks the part of a scholar."
In essence, a true 'Scholar' was someone officially recognized by the Athenaeum of Light, a sanctuary where researchers, historians, and truth-seekers endlessly gathered to study the deepest, most profound secrets of existence.
