Prologue: The Capital (Part 3)

On a hill outside the royal capital, Asa gazed down at the familiar sprawl of buildings below, momentarily lost in a daze. Memories of the countless events that had transpired here flashed through his mind—chaotic, complex, intense—so overwhelming that he couldn't even define the storm of emotions surging within him.

"Alright, this is where we part ways," Yabin's voice snapped him back to reality. "We're heading south from here. Take care, everyone, and farewell until we meet again."

His younger sister, Ayime, bowed to Asa and said, "Thank you, Brother Asa. I was only able to recover this time because of your help, and it's thanks to you that we managed to survive. I will forever remember your kindness..." She hesitated, her face flushing slightly. "If you ever have the chance, please visit us at the Tooth Tower."

"Alright, if I have time. Maybe in about fifty days or so..." Asa smiled bitterly and nodded at the siblings. In truth, he wasn't sure if everything would truly be settled in fifty days. This final task might not be any easier than the ones before.

When Asa returned to Orford earlier, Theodorus had extracted the lingering mind magic from his mind and used it to heal Ayime. However, contrary to Theodorus' expectations, Yabin and Ayime refused to join Orford. Though they had learned the truth of the matter, they steadfastly declined to fight against the Church alongside the orcs and Celestians. They had only reluctantly cooperated during the ambush on the temple knights. Their reasoning for rejecting Theodorus was straightforward and non-negotiable: even if it meant dying at the hands of a cardinal, their grandfather would never permit them to oppose the Church.

Thus, after a brief stay in Orford, the siblings accompanied Asa for a short distance before heading south to the Tooth Tower, a place far removed from the chaos of war—a final haven of peace on the continent.

What the siblings didn't know was that their rejection of Theodorus had brought them dangerously close to death. Theodorus would not have allowed two individuals, unwilling to assist him but privy to critical information, to leave Orford alive. It was only through Asa's discreet persuasion—arguing that they might prove helpful in the future—that the siblings were allowed to depart safely.

They had even offered to assist Asa with his mission in the capital, but he declined. This mission wasn't something that could be resolved through brute force. In fact, involving people unaware of the bigger picture might hinder more than help. He had also turned down Hilton's request to accompany him, instead sending him to Titalia.

"I can guarantee that girl actually likes you. Such a pity—you could've had her in bed. A pure virgin, no less—what a rare treasure. I'd bet anything she'd be willing, as long as you didn't bungle it too badly," Jessica remarked suddenly as she watched the siblings leave. Her words made Asa's back break out in a cold sweat.

"Every word and thought of yours reeks of rot and evil. This darkness and depravity come from the depths of your soul—truly irredeemable," Ruya retorted with a look of utter disgust. To avoid drawing too much attention, she had concealed her pointed elf ears and silver hair under a large hooded hat, applying a salve to give her skin a yellowish tint. Despite her plain traveler's attire, her delicate and refined beauty still shone through, making it impossible for her to completely blend in.

Jessica let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, don't bother with the self-righteous act. You're just trying to hide your own thoughts. Naive little bunny-eared girl. Every time I talk to him about the art of sex, you get so flustered. All you're doing is revealing how repressed you are."

Asa felt a headache coming on. This had been the norm throughout their journey. These two elves couldn't stand each other, and verbal sparring was their most civil form of interaction. At least three or four times, they had come to actual blows.

"It seems Fahma was far too merciful in banishing your kind to the darkness below. You should've been sent to live with sewer rats and cockroaches, exchanging thoughts with maggots about your depraved, wicked—" Ruya paused, her face red with anger, before finally spitting out, "—wicked art."

The dark elf merely chuckled and spat on the ground. "Too bad for you, your precious Fahma never declared sex to be evil. Without that wonderful act, where would you have come from? Don't tell me your mother brought you into this world all by herself. Oh, wait—I heard you crawled out of some weird woods in the Whispering Forest. Perhaps you don't even know who your parents are. How pitiful."

"The bonds between noble elves transcend such distinctions—we are a unified whole. You filthy, base creature could never understand the noble culture we've passed down for millennia."

"Can I get a day or two of peace and quiet from you two?" Asa groaned, his headache intensifying. He hadn't anticipated the outcome of these two traveling together, but now he realized he had underestimated the situation. Yet, there seemed to be no solution.

The elder Lloyd had intentionally sent Ruya with Asa to the capital of Einfast to negotiate with Captain Roland and Prime Minister Murak as part of the elves' effort to forge alliances. This move was part of Lloyd's plan to groom Ruya as a leader for their people. For elves accustomed to a secluded existence, interacting with the human world's upper echelons was undoubtedly a challenging but necessary learning experience.

Asa had originally intended to return to the capital alone to handle his affairs but reluctantly brought Ruya at Lloyd's request. He had also hesitated to turn away Jessica, knowing her skills in stealth, reconnaissance, and assassination could be invaluable. He'd expected some friction but assumed it wouldn't be too severe. Now, he realized how wrong he had been.

"Women are always unreasonable creatures... The only thing worse than one loud woman is having two of them," Asa recalled overhearing such sentiments in a tavern as a child. Back then, he had thought they would never apply to him, but now he realized how painfully accurate they were.

"Noble culture? You've just been repressing yourselves too long," Jessica sneered, spitting on the ground. Then, as though she had uncovered a great secret, she smirked and said, "Shall I tell you the real reason you keep picking fights with me? Deep down, you like this man. You secretly want him to ravage you, to dominate your fragile body, to entwine, to collide… But because of your so-called 'noble' repression, you've buried these impulses. And my blunt words keep planting these ideas in your head, stirring up your suppressed desires—just like how his strong, gentle fingers would tease the sensitive tips of your little chest—"

"Shut up!" Asa and Ruya shouted in unison, though Ruya's voice was far louder.

"See? Doesn't it feel like I've hit a nerve?" Jessica laughed sharply, pointing at Ruya, whose face was flushed red despite the disguise. "Gotcha, didn't I?"

"In Fahma's name, I will judge you and send your filthy soul—and mouth—straight to the abyss," Ruya snarled, her face twisting in a mix of anger and shame as she drew her rapier and began chanting a spell.

"This is my third warning: don't draw a weapon on a dark elf," Jessica sneered, pulling out her twin daggers, their edges gleaming with venom. She licked her lips and smirked. "Let me tell you, dismembering surface elves is considered the highest form of art where I come from..."

"Atone for your sins with your life," Ruya charged at Jessica.

Jessica prepared to move but nearly stumbled as she realized the grass underfoot had silently grown as thick as ropes, snaking around her feet like silent serpents, binding her in place.

Ruya's movements were neither swift nor sharp, but striking the immobilized and unbalanced target before her should have been no issue. A cold glint flashed in Jessica's eyes as two blue daggers were hurled from her hands toward Ruya.

Compared to the dark elf, Ruya's combat experience was akin to the gap between a frog and a venomous snake. Although she gained an advantage with her magic, she had no room to dodge the incoming daggers. All she could do was watch as she moved straight toward the deadly, poisoned weapons. Even though elven natural magic was highly effective in healing and detoxifying, if those daggers struck her, she wouldn't have the chance to cast any spells.

However, the two blue daggers didn't pierce Ruya, nor did her sword land on the dark elf. That was because Asa was there.

With one hand, Asa caught Ruya's wrist, and with the other, he deflected the two daggers. He had been prepared for this. In fact, this was the third time he had intervened in the past few days.

Purely in terms of physical ability or skill, it wasn't difficult for him. To Asa, their actions were no more than the squabbling of children. It didn't take much effort to stop them. But he still felt exhausted—truly exhausted. There were moments when he thought he would rather face two Behemoths on Saundfest Mountain than continue traveling with these two women. Fighting Behemoths required effort, determination, battle spirit, and killing intent, but none of those seemed effective when it came to these two.

"I'm telling you, either you get rid of her, or I'll go to the capital alone. I absolutely can't bear traveling with her anymore," Ruya glared at Asa, her eyes not only filled with anger but glistening with tears. "And I can't stand you siding with her either."

"Listen to me..." Asa's face showed a strained expression. In truth, he had no idea what to say. He could almost hear his brain groaning under the strain of trying to think. Convincing women seemed ten times harder than planning how to kill two Behemoths or assassinate the Archbishop of Aescher. If there were a mental spell to enhance flexibility of thought, he would gladly endure another round of the Archbishop's mind-shattering psychic assault.

Perhaps it was a crisis-driven flash of inspiration, but a thought suddenly struck him. Asa immediately said, "You can't be so reckless. Think of the mission Elder Lloyd entrusted to you, of the grand plan for the elves. You know you can't accomplish this on your own. Jessica is essential to the success of this mission. Are you really going to risk the fate of the entire elven race over some petty emotions?"

Ruya froze at his words, rendered speechless. Asa secretly breathed a sigh of relief. For Ruya, her sense of duty outweighed anything else. But the strained expression on her face and her tear-filled eyes made it clear this wasn't a truly foolproof solution. Asa softened his tone, adding, "Don't worry. I promise there won't be any more arguments. Jessica won't say anything inappropriate again."

"I'm not making any promises," the dark elf said, breaking free from the vines binding her.

"Could you do me a favor, please?" Asa glared at her, but his tone was all resignation.

"Fine, I'll help you. But remember, you owe me a favor for this." Jessica raised her eyebrows, looking as smug as if she had just won a battle.

"Alright," Asa sighed helplessly and took Ruya's hand, heading in the direction of the capital. Ruya struggled but couldn't pull free.

In the room of Jarvis, the newly arrived Cardinal at the Magic Academy:

Even if the academy wasn't entirely pleased with the Cardinal's presence, they still had to do things properly. The room prepared for him was luxurious and splendid, with furnishings as fine as those in any high-ranking official's quarters.

However, it wasn't the Cardinal who sat in the chair behind the desk but rather an elderly priest.

This old priest was ordinary in both dress and appearance, the kind of figure often seen around the Magic Academy. Yet, he sat on the chair meant only for the Cardinal as though it were his personal stool, entirely at ease. Meanwhile, the strikingly handsome and dignified Cardinal stood humbly beside him, holding a teapot and pouring a cup of plain water for the old priest. "Sir, please have some water," he said.

"Water? I'm not a fish. Why are you giving me so much water? No tea?" The old priest rolled his eyes.

"I feared you might worry that tea could mask the taste of poison, so I chose plain water for its simplicity and transparency," the Cardinal replied with a bright, confident smile.

"Relax. First, I trust your courage—you wouldn't dare poison me. Second, even if you dared, I doubt you could find a poison potent enough to fool me. And third, even if you could, I'd still have enough time to turn you into a pile of rotting flesh before the poison takes effect." The old priest waved dismissively. "Strong tea, light on the sugar."

"Yes, sir," the Cardinal said with a wry smile. He retrieved tea leaves from the desk drawer, personally brewed a pot, and poured the old priest a cup.

The old priest took a sip, smacked his lips, and frowned. "Terrible. You're not even a tenth as good at making tea as your teacher."

"Apologies, sir. My teacher never taught me this skill…" The Cardinal shook his head with a bitter smile.

"That's understandable. She taught you the entirety of True Meditation and magical techniques; where would she find the time to teach you trivialities like tea-making?" The old priest's eyes lingered on the Cardinal's face for a moment before he asked, "But I still find it odd she took a disciple at all. Why did she take you as her student? It can't just be because you're a pretty face, can it? She had plenty of admirers back in the day—must be tired of them by now."

The Cardinal could only shake his head bitterly. The man who was always seen as wise, commanding, and perfect by others seemed to have no other expression in front of this old man but a pained smile.

The old priest casually remarked, "I hear she's been detained by the guild. Perhaps she's using you as her disciple to act as her agent outside. Am I right?"

The Cardinal didn't answer directly. Instead, he said, "Before I came here, my teacher specifically instructed me to visit you and pay my respects. That's why, as soon as I got settled, I invited you here without delay."

"Hmm, sounds like something bandits would do to curry favor with local lords—asking me not to meddle in your affairs, I suppose. That must be why you dared to come here alone," the old priest said, nodding. "Out of respect for her, I won't make things difficult for you. I assume the guild doesn't know about your master-disciple relationship with her?"

"No, sir. You are as perceptive as ever," the Cardinal replied.

"Juggling work for your teacher, tasks for the guild, and responsibilities as a rising star in the Church—you young people certainly keep busy these days. Much more industrious than in my time. So, what are you planning to do here?"

The Cardinal hesitated before replying, "I must ask for your forgiveness, sir, as I cannot disclose my plans… These matters pertain to the grand designs of Dehya Valley."

"Grand designs? Hah! The Dehya Valley is a cesspool of corruption these days. If I were still involved, I'd kick out all those greedy rats. But I've long since severed ties with them," the old priest said with a sigh, as if recalling something unpleasant. "Oh well, none of it concerns me anymore."

"Not at all, sir. Your influence in the Dehya Valley remains irreplaceable," the Cardinal said respectfully.

The old priest gave a faint smirk. "The guild elders were too scared to come themselves and sent you instead, thinking I wouldn't harm a junior like you. Did they believe I'd break my oath sworn under the Black Star? Their cowardice betrays a guilty conscience. Am I wrong?"

The Cardinal bowed low and remained silent.

"That's enough. Let's leave it at that." The old priest rose from his chair and dusted off his robe. "Since I've declared my disassociation from the Dehya Valley and promised to stay out of their way, and since you're her disciple, I won't interfere with whatever you're doing here, as long as you don't cross my line."

The Cardinal cautiously asked, "Does that include the turmoil surrounding Einfast's succession—the royal family and…?"

The old priest impatiently waved his hand. "Let Ronis worry about that. To me, it's none of my business."

The Cardinal smiled faintly, clearly relieved. He then ventured to ask, "Sir, may I ask what your 'line' is?"

The old priest paused, thought for a moment, then shook his head. "That… I don't know for now. But when you cross it, you'll find out."

Evidently unprepared for such an answer, the Cardinal's bitter smile deepened, nearly swallowing any trace of mirth.

The capital was built in concentric layers around the royal palace. The outermost and largest ring housed the commoners, where life resembled that of any other city.

Asa led Ruya and Jessica to the entrance of a tavern. Before taking any action in the capital, they needed a place to stay and gather intelligence. Taverns in the commoner district, often frequented by both civilians and royal guards, were ideal for such purposes.

Just as they approached the tavern door, a figure was suddenly thrown out, followed by bottles, cups, and plates. The sounds of a brawl echoed from within.

Fights in such places were nothing unusual, but Asa was startled when he recognized the person who had been tossed out—a captain of the royal guard, judging by his uniform. While some might dare provoke the royal guards, such individuals typically wouldn't be found brawling in a tavern.

The captain spat out a bloodied wad that included two teeth, glaring at the tavern as though he wanted to charge back in. After a moment's hesitation, however, he turned and fled.

Asa hesitated at the entrance but decided to lead the two elves inside. His face was still hidden by the mask given to him by Sandru, and Ruya and Jessica's disguises weren't conspicuous. As long as they avoided drawing attention, they should be fine.

But as soon as he stepped inside and saw the scene, Asa turned to leave. It was too late.

The female knight who had just knocked down several royal guards spotted the trio, her eyes lighting up as she shouted, "Stop right there!"