“I’m pretty sure his name was Kane. They say he’s the Lionheart reborn.”
“You mean the warriors who fought the Demon Kings?”
“That’s it. Their battle was quite the epic tale, even for something described in the Chronicles. I can see where the urge to attribute the title to someone so talented comes from.”
“Yet he’s not compared to one of the three sages.”
“Their names are far too sacred, and there are still elves in our society who remember the time they walked the Earth. Using the three sages’ names is likely to cause offense.”
“I see...”
In this world, the spirits and elves that were spoken of in fairy tales were real beings, much like Chain. Few of these tales were more famous than those featured in The Spiritual Age. They spoke of the journeys of the Twin Phantoms, Wedge and Chain, as they sought salvation. Their adventures featured the aforementioned sages, as well as a number of supernatural beings. Gown was especially involved in the lives of humans, and so it would indeed be wise to watch what one said.
“That trinket you have there is a relic of that era, isn’t it?” Louise said.
“Yes. Gown entrusted me with it.”
“That’s really something. It’s the steel lantern that summons Tribe, right?” She looked down at it.
“Gown makes frequent use of it in the fairy tales,” her attendant explained. “I’ve heard that anyone who touches Tribe has his soul sucked out.”
“He isn’t that fearsome,” Arcus said. “If he ran into you, you would merely lose consciousness. I cannot say how much harm he would cause if he really wanted to, though.”
“Definitely a safe toy to give to a child,” Louise remarked.
“I hold the same reservations,” replied Arcus. “Gown insisted I have it as thanks, though I made an effort to turn him down... I must admit that it has been a boon to me, however.”
The Rustinell leader laughed. “Well, they do say the Grave Sprite has excellent foresight!”
Meanwhile, the aristocrats were lining up to greet Lord Lazrael and his son without pause. It was a rather rare sight. When it came to these parties, such attention was usually reserved for the hosts or the higher-ranking nobles. The boy’s future must have been bright, what with his vast supply of aether and admirable talents. It was no wonder that the family was receiving interest from both ends of the noble spectrum.
“Very impressive,” Arcus said.
“You should really be in the same position.”
“I shall have to wait until my work on the aethometer is revealed. I don’t deal well with being the center of attention in any case.”
“Maybe not, but it’s your destiny at this point. You’ll have to think hard about who you want to surround yourself with when that time comes. You never know what sort of ulterior motives those who approach you might hold.”
“I shall bear that in mind.”
Just then, a small, middle-aged man in magnificent dress walked up to Kane. The appearance of this man elicited bows from the majority of the nobles around him, including Lazrael. The newcomer seemed to take no self-satisfaction in this, and simply smiled at them all. Arcus had met him earlier at the party.
“That is His Grace, Quorido Zeele, isn’t it?”
“You said you just spoke to him, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Although I was under the impression that he had come alone.”
Now, however, there was a girl with him. She seemed to be the same age as him and Kane, and she was dressed as extravagantly as a flower, like she was on her way to meet a potential suitor.
“She is probably his youngest daughter. It seems the duke wants to introduce her to Lazrael’s son,” the lord said.
This would indeed be a good opportunity to do so. But even then, the line of people looking to greet the family did not dissipate. If they were solely seeking Kane out for his talent, then Lecia deserved to be in a similar position. The Raythefts, however, prided themselves on their vigor and fortitude, and avoided socialization except where necessary. Joshua was no exception when it came to holding fast to such ideals. The differences were likely borne of Lazrael’s fame and the way he spoke to others.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the hall. People were turning to look for the source of the noise, at once rendering Lazrael and his son practically invisible. Louise and Arcus were among them, their attention drawn by the gasps of surprise.
“Wow. I never expected them to be here.”
“Who?”
“They’re right in the middle of that group. It might be tough at your height, but see if you can get a look.”
As Arcus hopped up and down to do just that, the crowd eventually parted, revealing a group of people in peculiar dress. One of them was a familiar face—specifically, the woman at the very front with long, indigo hair. It was Ursula.
“Who are they exactly, My Lady?” he asked, feigning ignorance.
“The Heoga Tribe. We don’t have much to do with Westerners like them, but there’s no mistaking those outfits.” Louise grinned down at him. “Like the look of her, do you?”
“I’m curious.”
“Well, there’s no denying her beauty. And I guess you are at that age.”
“That’s not why I’m curious...” Arcus protested.
She laughed, ruffling his hair. “There’s no shame in it! None of the other men look ashamed.”
Louise was right though; Ursula drew the stares of countless men, Lainur nobility and foreign dignitaries alike.
“I think I heard somewhere that the tribe is supposed to be at war right now...” he said.
Now that the Heoga Tribe had made contact with him, Arcus was naturally more aware of them than before. Having looked into them, he had discovered that they were embroiled in a skirmish with a foreign nation.
Louise’s attendant confirmed this. “Yes, I think they are currently tied up with the Kingdom of Doneas, which lies to the northeast.”
“Doneas?”
“A nation that excels in aetheric technology,” Louise explained. “Though not to the same extent as Lainur. They don’t have as much national power either. They like to throw their weight around with their neighbors, thanks to their ‘long-standing history.’ I heard they recently had the nerve to claim the tribe was settling on their land.”
Her attendant nodded. “So often the main cause of any cross-national conflict.”
“You’re not wrong.” Louise grinned. “It makes for an easy pretext when you wanna invade someone.”
Said conflict must have been one of the struggles that Ursula had alluded to.
“Wait a moment. You said that Doneas focuses on aetherics, much as Lainur does, yes?” Arcus asked.
“Indeed. The events of tonight are likely to draw their hostility further,” the lord replied.
“Is that perhaps one of the reasons why the tribe has a presence here?”
“It might be, yes. A closer relationship with Lainur might act as a deterrent. Doneas may decide to pick their fights elsewhere if they suspect the tribe has the kingdom’s support.”
“How shrewd of them.”
“It is likely the very same shrewdness that has allowed them to survive this long.”
Arcus suddenly sensed Ursula’s eyes on him. He fretted about how he was supposed to respond if she tried to talk to him, but she seemed to pick up on his discomfort.
Before the moment had passed, a sudden presence had Arcus standing up straight, goose bumps spreading over his skin. He had never experienced fretfulness like this before, and he certainly shouldn’t have been experiencing it at what was supposed to be a celebration. And yet a cold sweat ran down his body with no end in sight. He felt like a small, helpless animal. When he turned his head slowly toward the source of the presence, he saw a single woman approaching him.
Meifa Darnénes.
She must have finished greeting the other guests. She had a sizable troupe of attendants in tow. Her eyes were ice-cold; Arcus could not meet them. Her very gaze on him seemed to lock his limbs in place. Tremors ran up his spine. Pins and needles numbed his fingertips. The tapping of her heels drew near, and then stopped right beside him. Then he heard Louise’s voice.
“Hello, Ms. Darnénes.”
It is unwise to lock gazes with a one-eyed snake.
“What an honor to meet the Lady of the National Razor.”
He who is taken in by violet will only find it decays into darkness.
“You felt it worth your time to come speak to me, Iron Rose?”
Petrifying Gaze of Iron.
“I heard you left the Empire fleeing with its tail between its legs. It wouldn’t do for me to shun my enemy’s enemy.”
Monster of Barloo.
“Well, I appreciate it. There’s some excellent liquor here if you’d like a drink.”
The massive spirit that will devour the world.
“Oh, I would never turn down a drink so graciously offered.”
They seemed rather familiar with one another, the words they exchanged casual. Arcus’s spine still felt like a rod of ice, and, regardless of the power dynamic between their positions, he was surprised how easily Louise could speak with such a monster.
I don’t get it...
He hadn’t felt like this when he’d first met Meifa at the Magician’s Guild. So why was he so utterly terrified? A string of unfamiliar words ran through his head, and his fear had him bound hand and foot.
Was it because they hadn’t properly spoken at their first encounter? Was it because Chain had made contact with him now? It was all so sudden, like he had developed a sixth sense.