The Most Valuable Resource

I swallowed hard at his response. But the Patriarch continued,

"Since I cannot grant your first request, I offer you the right to a second. My weapon and Luminus's are out of the question, unless you're willing to take the risk." The Patriarch's voice was a mix of vigor and solemnity.

"This is your last chance," Luminus added.

My hands were slightly trembling, but I kept my composure. I took a deep breath and, with the firmest voice I could muster, gave my answer. "I want the Patriarch to owe me a favor."

The very thought of asking for that seemed bold, but something deep inside told me it was the best choice. This wasn't a simple or impulsive demand. It was a strategy. I barely understood this world, and even with the knowledge I had, it might not be enough. There was no point in asking for something now; it was better to save this request for a time when I truly needed it.

Luminus raised an eyebrow, his face clearly puzzled. He couldn't grasp what I meant.

"A favor?" Luminus murmured, shaking his head in mild disbelief.

"Hmm..." I said, tilting my head slightly, still trying to organize my thoughts.

"Actually, I think it would be better if I said a specific request. Yes, a request, one that, when the time is right, the Patriarch will grant me a wish."

These words, spoken now in a calmer tone, seemed more coherent. I wasn't asking for something immediate or easy. I was asking for the Patriarch to do something for me when the time came.

"You're smarter than you look," the Patriarch said with a slight smile, as if he were pleased.

Luminus, on the other hand, was still completely baffled. He looked at the Patriarch with a perplexed expression. "I don't understand, Father," he said, the confusion evident in his voice.

"He could have asked for wealth, elixirs, artifacts, magical weapons, knowledge, or even for you to teach him directly… an endless array of things!"

"Precisely," the Patriarch said after a brief pause. "Because there were so many options, he chose the simplest yet most valuable of them all."

"Which one?" Luminus quickly asked. I could see he didn't understand my reasoning—something the Patriarch, while not fully grasping, at least understood the essence of.

The Patriarch leaned back into his seat with an unshakable calm. "Time," he said, as if it were the most obvious conclusion. "Time is the most precious gift one can offer. And your little brother knows that."

Having made his point, the Patriarch let out a sigh and spoke more casually. "To put it simply, he doesn't know what he wants and has asked for time to think."

'He read me like a book.' The Patriarch saw straight through me. He understood perfectly that I hadn't yet decided what to ask for, and that I had made my request as a way to buy time—time to figure out what I truly wanted, so I could come back later and claim my "gift."

"As a man of my word, I accept your request," the Patriarch declared, his voice solemn. "But be careful. Don't think to use this as an excuse to try to claim my axe." His eyes flared with an intense, fiery menace, like a flickering flame threatening to consume everything in its path.

Cold sweat broke out on my skin as his words sank in. This was a man who did not go back on his word; if he said he would do something, he would see it through.

'The Dracknum family is far more terrifying than they seem.'

......

Fifteen days had passed since we left the capital of Allythéon, Aethera. Our journey had already taken us through a variety of regions, each more fascinating and mysterious than the last. Now, deep in the Dracknum State, the capital of the Archduchy was still several days away, but the journey was nearing its end.

The pace of travel was extraordinary, unbound by the usual limitations. Under normal circumstances, this same journey would have taken around four weeks, but the Dracknum family was far from ordinary. 

The horses pulling our carriages were hybrids—war beasts infused with demonic traits. Their massive, muscular frames struck the ground with thunderous force, their stamina and speed so remarkable that we only stopped for human rest. This allowed us to progress far faster than I had imagined.

'We're almost there,' I thought, watching the landscape stretch out before me. Still as breathtaking as ever, it had become familiar over time. Each passing kilometer weighed heavier on my body, and although the journey's end was in sight, my anxiety grew with every day.

Over the last fifteen days, I had grown accustomed to acting as Alexander. Each new dawn plunged me deeper into his mind and habits, as fragments of his memories and knowledge surfaced more frequently. It wasn't easy to maintain the demeanor of a high noble, but gradually, it began to feel more natural. Every new sight or conversation triggered another puzzle piece to fall into place. Leopold had not lied when he said the process was far from complete.

But without a doubt, the greatest challenge was sharing the same carriage with the Patriarch and Luminus. Their constant vigilance created an almost tangible tension. The Patriarch, with his overwhelming presence, and Luminus, who always seemed to calculate everyone's every move, made any attempt at relaxation or lightheartedness nearly impossible.

Vanessa, on the other hand, had avoided any contact with me since the beginning. Alexander and Vanessa had never had a good relationship. Vanessa's mother despised Alexander's mother and made sure to instill that resentment in her daughter. Vanessa maintained a calculated distance, and her words, when directed at me, were brief and formal. Of course, this courtesy was only in the Patriarch's presence; under normal circumstances, she wouldn't hesitate to openly criticize and mock me.

Oddly enough, my moments of peace came only at night, when the caravan was blanketed in silence. It was then, and only then, that I could truly rest, even if just for a few fleeting hours.

During the day, the servants, guards, and even Albert seemed to always be watching. And then there was César, who appeared regularly—either to tease Luminus or to strike up conversations with me and the Patriarch. His jokes were often lackluster, but I had to admit his stories were captivating.

Despite the tension, I managed to establish some semblance of a routine. The Patriarch allowed me to read, something I was immensely grateful for—not just as a way to pass the time, but also because Alexander, in his essence, had been an avid reader. Going too long without a book would have felt unnatural.

The words on the pages became an escape from the relentless pressure hanging over me. I lost myself in the stories, lessons, and teachings within those texts. They were, in some ways, the only moments where I could truly feel like myself—the only times when it felt as though Alexander and I had always been the same person.

I glanced out the carriage window again. The view was striking: vast green plains that seemed to stretch endlessly into the horizon. We passed small villages and distant towns, their silhouettes etched against the landscape. Workers gathered to watch the caravan roll by, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and reverence. A part of me felt content in the face of such boundless scenery.

The sun was beginning to set when I finally set my book aside and leaned back, the gentle rocking of the carriage granting me a rare moment of tranquility. I turned my gaze once more to the window, watching the warm hues of the sunset paint the sky in shades of orange and pink, blending seamlessly into the horizon.

The countryside stretched out endlessly, with fields of grapes and golden grains swaying gently in the breeze. The distant sound of trotting horses mixed with the soft creaking of the carriage's wooden frame. It was a tranquil scene, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts still churning in my mind. But, for a fleeting moment, I managed to set my worries aside and simply... breathe.

A faint crack, followed by the subtle shift of the carriage's movement, broke my focus. The carriage came to an abrupt halt, and before I could ask what was happening, an unsettling feeling crawled down my spine—an instinctive sense that something was about to change. A bad premonition.

Luminus opened the carriage door with a fluid motion. His tall, commanding figure stood silhouetted in the amber light of the setting sun as he stepped onto the footrest. The soft breeze ruffled his silver hair, and his gaze locked onto something in the distance before he finally spoke.

"Very well. From here, we part ways," he said, his voice steady and resolute. His words seemed to drop into the surrounding silence like stones into still water.

The tension thickened as he continued. "César, you will go with the others to the state capital," Luminus instructed, gesturing toward the road ahead. His voice carried its usual clarity and authority.

"I will accompany the Patriarch, and we will Accompany Alexander." He paused briefly, his piercing eyes turning to me with an intensity that sent a wave of unease through my chest.

'Wait,' I thought to myself. 'Accompany me where?' The question burned in my mind, but I knew there was no room to voice it. Whatever this was, my path had already been decided.

César, who appeared unsurprised by the announcement, let out a sigh—equal parts resignation and his usual dry humor.

"What a shame I won't be going with you," he said, his tone light and tinged with playful sarcasm as he dismounted the carriage he had been riding in. "Too bad I have a duty to fulfill."

He turned slightly, mounting a horse with the practiced ease of a seasoned warrior. The beast, with its fiery eyes and imposing stature, seemed a fitting match for its rider. César and the other horsemen began positioning themselves at the front of the caravan, the vanguard forming in an orderly line.

I was still trying to make sense of the situation when César rode past the window of my carriage. His eyes met mine for the briefest of moments, and then, with the faintest curve of his lips into a knowing smile, he mouthed a silent phrase.

"Good luck," he said without a sound.

In the next moment, César moved away, already taking his position on horseback as the caravan led by him surged forward. The other riders, servants, and carriages followed, leaving us behind. A strange sensation of unease settled over me, creeping in with a weight I couldn't shake.

Chills ran down my spine, and for a brief moment, I found myself frozen, caught by the overwhelming sense that something monumental was drawing near.

The carriage I was in now took a different path, veering onto a route that led into more mountainous and secluded terrain. The once gentle and open landscapes transformed into something far more imposing—towering rock formations and dense forests flanking the road. Even the atmosphere shifted. The air grew cooler, the vegetation thicker, and an oppressive silence seemed to hang over us, broken only by the rhythmic creaking of the carriage wheels.

On one side of the road, massive stones began to appear, etched with symbols and runes that glowed faintly under the fading light. They were unmistakable markers of the Dracknum family's domain.

"We've arrived," the Patriarch's deep voice broke the silence. His eyes, which had been closed moments before, now opened, and a faint smile played on his lips.

As I caught sight of his expression, one single word echoed in my mind—one that countless scholars had likely used before me.

'Shit.'