Order of Creation

Chapter 2

While the two of them were lost in their thoughts, the waiter came back with their drinks.

"Thanks Pehil."

Pehil blushed. While he generally disliked adventurers, and none more so than Sylvie, something about her dark elf partner got him really flustered. He didn't know whether it was because they were both elves, or it was something more, but he never could bring himself to acknowledge his feelings.

"Oh, and Pehil, do you mind sending the bill to the adventurer's guild? We have something urgent we need to handle. Tell your boss we'll add the usual on top."

Pehil nodded. Despite everything, Sylvie always settled her bills with the bar. He knew the boss would be okay with it since it was them.

Having settled the issue of the tab, Leyla got to her feet and waited for Sylvie to do the same. Their drinks had been finished as they dealt with the elven waiter, so there was nothing left to do but to head to the Erigal Manor. Though Sylvie was still on the hesitant side, leading to Leyla dragging her to her feet.

"Come on Sylvie, your problems won't solve themselves. No matter how much you wish it would."

Sylvie muttered something under her breath, probably some expletives and excuses. Yet the 5'3" dark elf wouldn't let the 6'5" demi-human drag things out. Dragging her out the pub and down the road, it wasn't an uncommon sight to see Leyla drag Sylvie home, usually after the latter had had too much to drink and had gotten into a bar fight. Normally involving a male adventurer getting to close to Leyla.

"So, where is the boy," the king asked.

"If he's not in his room, he's probably in the courtyard used by the maids."

"Ah, the one his mother loved?"

Elphonse nodded. He was hoping that Albert had at least stepped out of the manor for some fresh air. The three of them headed towards Albert's room on the second floor. Thankfully, everyone who had attended the funeral had already left. He couldn't take any more of the nobles empty platitudes. All he could do was feel sorry for what the boy was going through. But now wasn't the time to think about that.

"Since you've already put in the application, I'm guessing you're both aware of his elemental affinity?"

Lavinia and Elbrim nodded.

"It was Earth, right?"

Elphonse nodded.

"Which means the only thing we should be worried about is his elemental aptitude," Lavinia asked.

Elphonse wasn't so sure about that. Something told him that there was a lot more to Albert's ability that would come out during the aptitude test. Emilia was insistent on having Albert only interact with the commoner side of his family, which of course excluded the entire Erigal family. The only exception to that decision was Sylvie when she and Leyla acted as guards for their trip to the capital. The fact that it happened when Sylvie wasn't available made him very worried. Someone clearly knew the schedule of not only Emilia, but also Sylvie. While it would be easy to keep track of a commoner merchant, keeping track of a high ranking adventurer took significant time and skill. He made a mental note to ask Sylvie if she had noticed anything out of the ordinary during the past few months. Reaching Albert's room, Elphonse knocked twice, with no answer. Being careful not to make a sound, in case the boy was sleeping, he opened the door to the room and peeked in. To his relief, the room was empty, and the hidden passage was open.

"Seems he's gone out to the courtyard."

Beckoning the two royals to enter the room, he headed towards the window that overlooked the courtyard. And just as he had suspected, Albert was outside looking at the flowers, while occasionally talking with the maids that passed through. Just as he suspected, he was more comfortable around commoners than he was the nobles that he was now expected to interact with.