Chapter 14: Ep 4 — The Shadows I

Meanwhile...

In the Royal Palace of L'yuziria, a suffocating stillness enveloped the entire chamber, stifling even the faintest whisper of life. Not a single insect dared to break the silence, nor did the birds beyond the palace walls chirp their usual tunes. Within, a gathering of councilors shifted uneasily, their gaze fixated on the flawless floor, their apprehension directed towards the figure seated upon the grandest throne at the head of a lavish table.

Seated there, he tapped his fingers with a measured cadence, his midnight-blue eyes piercing each councilor like a hawk tracking its prey. The atmosphere weighed heavily upon the room, suffused with an ominous aura as if the specter of death itself loomed over every official present. Each understood that broaching the topic at hand was akin to traversing a treacherous minefield, silently pleading for an unforeseen savior to intervene.

"So, you're all suggesting that I shouldn't involve myself with those who have severed ties with us?" The King's tone held a mixture of contemplation and veiled frustration.

A collective shudder ran through the councilors as they heard the King's sigh, for they feared the imminent word that would follow.

"Are you all undermining my authority?!" The King's voice, though spoken softly, carried a weight that pressed down upon them like a palpable force of gravity.

"No, Your Majesty!" they unanimously replied, each one stammering through hurried excuses as panic seized them. They understood their king's dual nature—benevolent to his subjects yet uncompromising with his officials. Death was the penalty for any conspiracy proven to harm his citizens and disrupt the kingdom's peace. In his reign, no shadows could remain hidden.

The word "enough" fell from the king's lips, and it was as though a commanding spell had been cast. Instantly, every voice hushed, and the room once again descended into a formidable silence.

Just then, a knock on the door shattered the stillness, followed by the voice of an old man.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty. Grand Duke Friezz—"

"He's here?!" The butler's announcement was left unfinished as King Stuller eagerly interjected. Like a child anticipating a cherished guest, his excitement was vivid.

The dark atmosphere that had enveloped the room lifted, and it was as if the King was suddenly surrounded by a garden of blossoming flowers bathed in warm, welcoming light. It was evident that he was overjoyed at the news, and everyone else felt relieved and thankful when they heard that the Grand Duke of the North had arrived.

The meeting concluded abruptly, despite numerous matters still on the agenda. The assembled councilors seemed eager to leave, their faces breaking into grateful smiles as they greeted Arwin. They dispersed swiftly, clearly relieved and ready to put off the heavy discussions for another time.

"Arwin! Ah, should I say welcome back?" King Stuller greeted him with joy, clearly delighted to see his friend. "Come, have a seat."

"Greetings, Your Majesty, the guiding light and hero of the Kingdom," Arwin replied, bowing slightly.

"Oh, come on, don't be so formal with me. It's just us; call me by my name," King Stuller said, his voice tinged with sullenness, and his lips pouting slightly.

This King had golden strands of hair that shone like the sun and a pair of eyes with dark blue shades resembling a moonlit night sky, where a faint twinkle of a hundred stars was visible; these were symbols of L'yuziria's blood, proof of his royal lineage. His face held an allure for most, but for Arwin, it oddly triggered irritation. The resemblance between this man and his younger brother, Leonard, was an unmistakable sign of being relatives.

"Your majesty," Arwin stated clearly, refusing the King's suggestions.

"Just Stuller," The King persistently insisted, urging him to use his common name.

"Majesty," Arwin continued.

"Just Stuller—wait, where are you going?"

Arwin couldn't tolerate the King's childish stubbornness and was about to leave, his hand already gripping the doorknob.

"Take your hand off the door," the king's tone rose, but Arwin didn't release his grip.

"Sigh, it's been a while since we saw each other, and yet you never change."

Arwin remained rooted in place, holding onto the doorknob, while King Stuller continued, "My son will turn 7 this year, and my lovely daughter is already 3. It's wonderful to have little versions of my wife running around the palace, calling me 'Dad' all the time."

It was obvious that King Stuller was proudly sharing about his family—no, he was eventually bragging to Arwin. Receiving no response on the topic, he continued, "What about you, Arwin? Are you still searching for your omega? Whoever it is, it's been my long-time wish to bless your marriage—Wait!"

Arwin's feet had already carried him to the threshold of the council chamber. "Your Majesty, is this the reason you called us here?"

"Not beating around the bush, are we?" King Stuller gestured for Arwin to take a seat. "What about Leonard? Where is he?"

Arwin settled at the far end of the long table and replied, "He's in Wisteria's Garden."

A smile graced King Stuller's face. It was an expression that didn't convey good news but rather a bittersweet mix of pity, sadness, and a touch of relief, reflecting that Leonard hadn't forgotten. "He always did love visiting the Empress's beloved garden, didn't he?"

"Your Majesty, you didn't invite us here just to inquire about our well-being, did you?" Arwin asked, eager to steer the conversation toward the purpose of the meeting, and emphasizing why he chose to remain in the first place.

King Stuller let out a resigned sigh; his friend was as stern as ever. "Alright, news has reached me that you have a young guest with peculiar eyes on your estate."

The lights flickered all of a sudden, and the atmosphere turned solemn. If it weren't for King Stuller's light-based abilities, he might have felt the sudden temperature drop, gradually freezing the table that separated them. "Did Heishu report this to you?"

The king's lips curled slightly in contemplation, a hint of intrigue crossing his features. "Calm down, my friend. You know Heishu acts as my vigilant eyes and perceptive ears. Does that child belong to 'that' race?"

This time, Arwin maintained an unwavering gaze on the King, his eyes piercing and stern, a silent warning in his expression: 'Don't even think of harming the child.'

In the brief pause that followed, a tapping sound came to life.

King Stuller had a habit of tapping the table to express his sentiments; whether it was delight, exasperation, or anger, you could discern it from the beat and cadence of the sound.

"I see, it's been a decade since the leader of their race severed ties with the outside world following the 'Maruan' disaster, and yet," King Stuller responded, his focus still locked on Arwin. The table, once gripped by frost, slowly began to thaw beneath the gentle, warming glow of light. "Why has this child found refuge with you?"

This time, the tapping quickened in rhythm.

Fierce winds began to swirl, sending loose papers and lightweight objects spiraling in the tumultuous currents. Both men emanated an intimidating presence, yet neither displayed any fear nor backed down.

"The Ashura people were under the protection of the L'yuziria Kingdom's first and only Empress. Your Majesty, who would dare to harm them?" Arwin spoke composedly.

"Oh, you already know I have some people in mind, huh?"

In an instant, the violent winds were cleaved in two and began to slowly dissipate. The cause of this interruption became clear as twin kids, a boy and a girl, stood solemnly beside King Stuller. "Silverfrost, you are not permitted to attack His Majesty," they stated in unison, their voices devoid of emotion and their demeanor like that of mechanical dolls, issuing a warning to Arwin.

It was clear that they would take action against him should he attempt to cast another spell. These two figures, appearing as 12-year-old children, were the guardians of the royal palace. Their appearances belied their true age, for they had been in existence for more than 600 years, much older than the L'Yuziria Kingdom itself.

"Gil, Lyn, you misunderstood. Arwin and I are simply engaged in a deep conversation, isn't that right, my friend?"

"If you say so, Your Majesty," Arwin replied in agreement.

The tension subsided, and everything returned to its usual state, including the objects that had been suspended in the air.

"See, this is our typical exchange of words. Could you step aside for now?"

The guardians understood that these two often clashed because the King enjoyed teasing Arwin. It was his way of prodding Arwin to use his magical abilities and gauging the difference in their powers. Nonetheless, it was the innate duty of the Royal Palace Guardians to protect the wearer of L'Yuziria's crown.

At first, the two guardians were hesitant to leave. However, with the King's reassuring smile, they decided to position themselves near the door, allowing just enough space for their conversation. They were well aware of their king's playful disposition when it came to his closest friends, and they worried he might provoke Arwin once more. Despite their significant age gap, in terms of how they interacted, they appeared to be of a similar age.

"Now, care to elaborate?" The King asked as he looked at Arwin.

After awhile...

"Ah. The child and his twin are the sole survivors of Ashura for the time being. By the grace of the goddess, they were fortunate enough to encounter you."

Without warning, a thunderous crash resonated throughout the room as the King slammed his hand onto the table, his veins bulging, causing the table to pathetically crumble into pieces. "Killing my subjects wasn't enough; now they're abducting children?!" This time, the window's glass shattered under the weight of his intensifying rage.

Arwin, who remained seated, appeared unperturbed by the unfolding events and inquired, "Your Majesty, who are they?"

A purple decagram-shaped light emerged beneath them, and the objects that had been pulverized began to slowly restore themselves to their original state, like a jigsaw puzzle being meticulously pieced together. The two guardians were casting a restorative spell.

As it was a commonplace event, the two high-ranking individuals remained unfazed and continued their conversation.

"Ten years ago, after Ashura IX chose to isolate the Ashura village from the outside world, I ensured that the location he selected was enveloped by a protective barrier to shield them from external threats."

"It's a place that no one can enter or exit except for their own race, and their location is meticulously concealed... unless the three new archmages betrayed me," the King explained.

"So the new tower owners are indeed entangled in this," Arwin concluded, aligning his understanding with the King's explanation.

"A high chance, yes, but I'm still uncertain about which of the three. The Black Cranes are currently conducting a covert investigation," the King clarified. He added, "Did the child mention anything about the appearance of the attackers who killed his parents?"

"If Naz doesn't wish to disclose that information, I have no right to push further," Arwin responded.

When Nazari and he set foot in Ashura Village, Arwin immediately sensed something unusual about the place. The entire village seemed devoid of universal mana, with no trace to be found. This prompted him to initiate an investigation of the area alongside Leonard. However, their investigation only produced a few leads, one of which appeared to be linked to the New Tower Masters.

The King chuckled lightly in response. "That's just like you, never changing... So, Naz is the name of the child." An amused smile reappeared on his face. "It seems that the child shared everything with you except for that detail. It appears he's a bit selfish, heh~ wanting to hunt his prey personally. Quite interesting..."

His fingers tapped even faster, akin to a racehorse's pace. "Arwin, if it's alright, may I meet the child?"

Arwin's brows twitched noticeably, showing his clear disapproval of the idea.

The King merely wanted to ask Nazari about the incident, but now he seemed highly amused at the notion that Arwin was overly sensitive when it came to the child. It was as if his friend... He shook his head and pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

'This man is always so protective,' he mused. Now he found himself increasingly curious about the child and how he had managed to breach the Grand Duke's supposedly impenetrable wall, given that he was just a stranger.

"Arwin," the air grew serious as he addressed his friend, clutching his hand tightly, forming a determined fist. "We can't afford to waste time; we must swiftly find the mastermind behind this and rescue those children... I pledge that they will bear suffering tenfold greater than their race has endured. In the name of L'yuziria, I make this vow."

"When you do that, ensure the children's safety first, Your Majesty. That's our top priority," Arwin replied with utmost seriousness.

The king smiled in response, his demeanor maintaining an air of solemnity. "Arwin, it's not just because of the child that I summoned you here; two months ago, Gil and Lyn detected an 'Ancient Dragon."

Arwin's usual composure faltered, his eyes widening. It was a rare sight for someone as stoic as him.

"Yes, it clicked about the dragon you mentioned. It appears it wasn't an ordinary dragon. This monster, known for bringing only disaster, has awakened after a five-century of being sealed. It seems the hard-fought peace is about to come to an end."

The room descended into another deep silence. The King's penetrating gaze bore into the Grand Duke, his eyes aflame with resolute determination, leaving no margin for triviality. "Arwin Friezz Silverfrost, you must protect the kingdom, no, the entire continent, at all costs, as the strongest Archmage blessed by the Goddess."

Arwin stood up and inclined his body. "I have received your command, Your Majesty."

Suddenly, in this grave atmosphere, the two guardians collapsed to the floor, gripping their chests in agony. Their bodies were drenched in sweat as they struggled for breath. The two gentlemen hurried to their sides, inquiring about the cause of their distress. Amidst their suffering, the two guardians broke into hysterical laughter, their faces oddly gleaming.

"Ha, haha, hahaha... he's here; he's finally here. Our long-awaited master!"