The next morning, Cage and Taylor were in their carriage with them.
Hans smiled at them. "Young Master and Mistress, shall we head out?"
Adara found it funny how he was blatantly ignoring the two people in the corner of their carriage. They had told him about the situation beforehand and was taking Cale's order of 'ignore them' very seriously.
"Yes, let's go," Cale said, casually giving the command.
It would take two hours for them to get to the entrance of the Capital. They were going to stay in the Thornwin Estate in the Capital, and for that Adara was glad. She did not want to see the house she stayed in 8 years ago.
On and Hong kept glancing over to Cage and Taylor, who were sitting across from them, and simply climbed over Adara. On was sitting on her shoulder while Hong was trying to climb on her head.
"No, Hong, you can't go on my head," Adara mumbled to the red kitten, pulling him off as he tried to sit on her head. "We're going to arrive in the Capital soon, I can't have my hair looking like a bird's nest." Hong looked up at her with big, sad eyes, and Adara sighed. "You can sit on my shoulder," she gave in. Hong was overjoyed.
Taylor hid the small smile that was forming. "Young Master Cale and Young Mistress Adara," he started, gaining their attention, "what do you know about this Royal Event?"
Adara inspected him for a moment. He was definitely better off than Cage, who was struggling greatly with her hangover. It was impossible to tell if he was better off than them since they both had Vitality of the Heart to help with their headaches. She was surprised yesterday when she noticed the weak-looking noble in front of her had a stronger alcohol tolerance than Cale— a full-blooded human who was the closest to her level of tolerance out of everyone she knew— but it was expected that Cage was weaker than them. She seemed like the type of person who loved to drink even though they were a lightweight.
Her eyes narrowed. He is overjoyed at the chance of getting his legs back, even more so when he realised he can get back to his previous glory. He is especially happy when he heard that they don't have to go through the Temple in order to get in the Capital quietly. She did not like the Temple very much. But, he is so gentle and amiable. His personality is nothing but ethical, how the fuck did he not lose his position of Successor earlier?
But just as much as she was inspecting him, he was inspecting her. The last time she was in the Capital, she disappeared for four years. When he was still in the Successor's Position, he had been invited to a banquet. By Louise Thornwin. The current Countess of the Thornwin Family. The letter didn't specify, but everyone who was invited immediately knew that they wanted to announce Mikhail Thornwin as the Successor. He remembered how Adara had made an entrance. The doors opened at the beginning of Count Devon Thornwin's speech, interrupting him. A girl was in the doorway, she looked 14-15. Her skin was glowing and she looked exceedingly healthy, her skin was smooth without a single blemish and her features looked like they were sculpted from porcelain. She had a haunting grin on her lips, the scars on her face prominent in the light of the room. He remembered wondering what a Southerner was doing at this banquet since it was clear that she was not invited.
"My apologies," she had said, bowing deep, the grin not leaving her face. "My invitation must've gotten lost in the wind. I wouldn't dare not attend such a—," —she had made a big motion of looking around the room before settling on her family who were standing on the opposite side of the room— "well-thought-out banquet."
It had taken Count Devon Thornwin to mutter her name in disbelief for the nobles to realise that this was the Missing Daughter of the Thornwin Family.
And now, as he stared at the same Missing Daughter, only now 18, not 14, he couldn't help but wonder if his entrance would be as satisfactory as hers had surely been.
The Missing Daughter herself had brought him out of his thoughts. "Not much. Just that we are to celebrate the 50th birthday of the King. And meet with the Crown Prince at an event he invited us all to. I've never been to the Palace but it isn't my first time in the Capital." The back of Adara's head felt cold and Cage's frown intensified.
Cale briefly looked at her, but seeing no change in her expression at the mention of the Capital, answered the question himself. "This is also my first time going to the Palace. I have only been to a North-Eastern Nobles Meeting a few years ago."
Taylor smiled at them. He had not brought this up just to start a conversation, he wanted to tell the two a piece of information just to pay back his debt a little more. "I see. The Event this time is to celebrate the 50th birthday of His Royal Highness, our current King."
"It is an entertaining festival for the citizens," Cale admitted. And Adara flinched.
Festival, she thought with distaste. The last time she had been with a large group of people, it was at her brother's banquet. Brother, she thought suddenly. I wonder what he is doing right now. I need to call Sadie. She sighed. I told her I'd call when I arrive in the Capital. I'll just call her after dinner. She wasn't exactly looking forward to the Festival, for the reason that there would be a bunch of people, but also since the Terror Incident was coming up, and her mind was riddled with calculations of things going wrong.
Hearing her sigh, but completely misunderstanding it, Taylor smiled. Cale did not include them when he was speaking of the citizens and Adara sighed at the thought of it. "Sounds like it is not a festival for Young Master Cale and Young Mistress Adara?"
The Plaza Terror Incident is going to happen, she thought. One small mistake, one bomb not found, and someone dies. How can we possibly enjoy a festival when the weight of countless deaths is on our shoulders? "Not at all," Adara responded. "But I suppose it isn't a festival for you either, Young Master Taylor."
Taylor smiled at them again, and so did Cage. "I am considering it to be my last obstacle before I can celebrate," he said.
At that moment, did Adara finally realise how Taylor, a gentle and amiable man with an ethical personality, was able to be in front of Venion. He was a risk-taker.
"Young Master Cale and Young Mistress Adara," Taylor started, looking at them closely.
"Yes?" they asked.
He is not smiling anymore, Adara noted. What does he want to tell us? I doubt he started this conversation to pass the time.
Taylor's face was serious, and his eyes were directed towards them intensely. "Be careful of His Highness, the Crown Prince. Although I may have been pushed aside, I still have ways of getting information from inside the Marquis's Estate. Although this 50th Birthday Celebration for the King was planned from the beginning, the act of calling all of the Nobles together was something that the Crown Prince suggested."
While Cale and Adara, being children of Counts, did not have the same level of information a Marquis might have, they had something better. So they already guessed the Crown Prince had something to do with the calling of all the Nobles.
But Taylor had more information about the Crown Prince he wanted to share. "I'm not sure how I should describe the Crown Prince to you—," he trailed off, looking for a good word.
Cale came to his rescue. "He is someone with a glib tongue," he said bluntly.
"Ah, yes!" Taylor almost immediately agreed. But then, realising exactly what he was agreeing to, paled. "Uh, I mean—." He tried taking it back, but it was already too late since Adara already had a rough smile on her lips in amusement, and he had to admit it was true. "Yes. You are right. You two already know about it, then."
Adara shrugged. "It is information anybody can easily find out." She had done a bunch of research the first time she had gotten an invitation from the Crown Prince, she was sure she shouldn't have been able to get a personal invitation from the Crown Prince Alberu Crossman. But she, upon learning the information about the glib tongue, suddenly wondering what exactly the purpose of the invitation was, decided not to go.
"Of course," Taylor agreed, smiling on the inside. You underestimate yourself, Taylor thought. Judging by her choice of words, she had conducted the research herself. It is not something anyone can easily find out. On a Marquis's level, it is still a bit hard to find concrete evidence, it is the Royal Family, after all."But this is the first time I've heard anyone be so blunt about it like you two, Young Master Cale and Young Mistress Adara."
Now knowing much more detailed information, Adara was happy with the decision she made when she first got the invitation letter. The glib tongue of the Crown Prince, she thought, with only slight distaste.
According to Cale and in turn the Novel, the Crown Prince was very good at complimenting people. He was also good at praising people in public for their deeds and giving them recognition. Making them think highly of him, and then using them.
He was so good in fact, none of the people being used had any idea they were being used. It was a smart thing, a manipulation tactic Adara often used. It was handier than the cheaper method, though the cheaper method worked faster. The cheaper method was to tell the other person what to think of them, while it might work in the moment, if you overused it, it ends up useless. What the Crown Prince was doing instead, was giving them a reason to trust him by doing all sorts of stunts while they were present so they viewed him in good light.
One of the people he used was none other than Choi Han. He lifted Choi Han up as his close friend and a future hero. Adara understood it, she would have used Choi Han like that too if she had the need to. Choi Han, a commoner and an innocent person, thought it was a good thing the Crown Prince treated him so closely. But both Adara and Kim Rok Soo were able to tell that he was using him for his benefit.
But I cannot say anything about that, I also use people, for my own benefit. I use them all to stabilise my position as Count.¹ But the Crown Prince... he uses them for the right reasons. Her eyes narrowed as she stared outside. He did not use the people for his own benefit or to gain more power. He used these people for the Kingdom and the Citizens. He used them to make the Nation greater. In fact, it might be a bit too much to call it using people. He uses it for the better of the Kingdom. Adara's eyes clouded for a quick second. Will the disposal of a Dark Elf be seen as for the good of the Kingdom? We are hated on the whole continent, from the North to the South. She thought that all those invitations were to see if she was a Dark Elf or not. If she was, then— she calculated the possibilities— the chance was high that His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Alberu Crossman, would dispose of her by morning.
[¹]: Again, Adara being an unreliable narrator. Yes, she is using those people, yes, she is manipulating them, and yes, she is doing it all to become Count. But her brother— who I've renamed from 'Randall' to 'Mikhail' a few chapters ago— is unfit to rule the County as stated in Chapter 5. The Family and Territory would quite literally go to ruin if he were to be put in charge and the process of ruin would only speed up due to the war coming up in 2 years. She cares about the County and the people living in it, and she does not want it to go to ruin. More on that topic, however, will be revealed in later chapters.
The Crown Prince used his glib tongue and strategic thinking to analyse the people around him and find out what would make them help him. He figured that Choi Han and Rosalyn were the most listened to in the grand scheme of things and gave them a sad reason that they were unable to say no to.
Of course, even such sly and scheming people as the Crown Prince had weaknesses. One of those weaknesses was people similar to him. The other— Having lived his life as the Crown Prince and the King currently favouring the third prince, it was quite obvious that Nobles would try to gain favour with him by sweet-talking him. Cale's strategy will be to keep him as far away as possible. I can't do that, he will find every opportunity to interact with me seeing as he has been trying to get into contact for 4 years now. Her thoughts drifted, calculating the possibilities. One who has to constantly calculate the hidden meanings behind every word will be glad when someone who plainly states their intentions comes along. Like Taylor, he visibly relaxed when we said we'd be revealing everything to Venion if it were to be convenient for us. One might even look for an excuse to believe someone will say the brutal truth all the time. I cannot plainly reveal all of my intentions. But I am good at acting like I am saying the brutal truth. She could say stuff nobody would dream of saying to the Crown Prince was it not the truth.
Taylor fake-coughed, gaining the two Trashes' attention. "Ahem, anyways, Young Master Cale and Young Mistress Adara, His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has a glib tongue, as you already know, it is tiring to get involved with such a person."
Cale answered back without a care in the world. "You do not have to worry. We plan on being as quiet as possible before returning home. I do not like being flashy."
Silence enveloped the room.
Adara raised an eyebrow. What's wrong with what he said?
The kittens, On and Hong— who were still on Adara's shoulders—, Cage— who was still struggling with her hangover—, and Taylor were all staring at both Cale and Adara.
"Why are you staring at us like that?" Adara asked.
Taylor opened his mouth. "Will it really be possible to— no— never mind." And he closed it back.
Cage's answer was simple. "Nothing."
Both of them were looking anywhere but at Adara and Cale.
Cale frowned. "Even if we do end up being dragged in, the thing that Young Master Taylor and Priestess-nim are thinking about will not happen." He was smiling at this point. His classic viscously sly smile. He truly looked like a villain, and not a minor one. "I also have a very glib tongue."
Just as she predicted, Cale was trying to make the Crown Prince stay away from him by acting in the same way. It was his wariness of people like him that would make the Crown Prince stay away, and Cale was counting on it.
Taylor turned to look at Adara. "And you, Young Mistress Adara? Do you also have a very glib tongue?"
She smiled in the same way, mirroring the viciously sly smile. "Oh, you could say that."
Cage, who seemed to be feeling better now, made eye contact with the both of them. "I think this look suits you two very well, Young Master Cale and Young Mistress Adara. You look very evil."
Both Adara and Cale shrugged. "It is better than looking like a good person."
Adara noted that Cage had nodded her head as if she was confirming something. But she did not care to try and calculate what was going through her head. Instead, she pushed aside the curtains on the window and looked outside. They were close to the Capital. They were near the Noble's Entrance, which was different from the gate the commoners used, it would allow them to get through much faster.
"The Capital really is different," Cale said, looking out the other window.
"Mhm," she agreed, observing every detail on the outside, there were many different sculptures on the large wall surrounding the Capital. She only stared at them. She could remember being so excited when travelling to the Capital 8 years ago, she remembered the different sculptures on the wall, and she remembered having to sneak out of the commoner's gate. As more thoughts filled her head about what happened 8 years ago, a sudden cold chill on the back of her neck pulled her out of her thoughts, making Cage frown.
Taylor nodded his head. "The Roan Kingdom is the Kingdom of Boulders."
And not just because we are the Western Continent's greatest source of marble and granite, Adara thought. There were truly a lot of boulder-related stories in the Ancient Books she had, especially around the area of the Roan Kingdom from even before the Kingdom came into existence.
If you went up North, there were a lot of mountain peaks made of granite, especially the North-West and Western areas contained a lot of granite. That was why it was also called the Land of Boulders.
"If you look through the Ancient Stories, there are many boulder-related stories, even before the Roan Kingdom existed," Taylor spoke. "One of them says that this land had a boulder-like guardian. Young Mistress Adara most likely knows this story," he said with a smile towards her.
Oh, how could I forget, they went through my bookshelves. Her eyes darkened only slightly. They better not have touched my book on the Breck Kingdom's Royal Family. Her mind ran with calculations. It is unlikely. Taylor only cares about the Ancient Stories, anything that could help find hope for an Ancient Power, he does not care for the Royal Family of a foreign Kingdom. "I do know it. I read it in a book."
"Would you like to say the story then?" he asked with a smile.
Adara shook her head. "No. I'd like to hear how you interpreted it."
He smiled again. "Well, there was a guardian that could protect everything from any kind of attack. When darkness descended on the continent, this guardian was the one to stand in the front against it."
When the darkness descended, she thought, her thoughts wandering. There were many myths about the End of the Ancient Times. They were all in stories from all over the Continent. Adara had specifically learned the Mogoru Empire's language to be able to read the many books she purchased from the Empire. Some of the books said that the End of the Ancient Times came when darkness descended and some heroes managed to defeat this darkness— that they blamed on the Dark Elves because they used Dead Mana—, others said that it ended because people were jealous of each other and greedy for their power. Some even said that a god was so angry that it destroyed all living beings. How all the living beings came to exist today after they were all destroyed was never explained. Ironically, the one Taylor was talking about was the one that intrigued her the most. Because it was the most heroic.
Cage turned to her friend. "Taylor, you seem to like that story?"
Taylor nodded and smiled at the question. "Yes, I do."
Adara tore her eyes away from the outside and instead turned to Taylor. He had always had a fragile body, even before he was paralysed. She remembered thinking he was weak.
Taylor patted his knees and continued to speak. "The Guardian is said to have stood firmly in place, like a boulder, even after everything in his body became broken. That was how he was able to protect the people and the land of the North-Eastern area of the Western Continent, which is covered in boulders."
There were a ton of theories and variations about how the darkness descended onto the Continent, some blamed the Black Mages, others the Necromancers, but most blamed the Dark Elves. They had the Darkness Affinity, but unlike the Necromancers were not in constant pain because of it. Regardless of how it came, there were also a bunch of variations on how the Darkness was defeated. There were countless myths that included the tales of the heroes that fought against it. Except, the tale that Taylor was talking about was solely focused on protecting. Taylor considered such an individual a hero, she realised.
"Such an existence cannot survive in the present day. That is why I like this myth so much."
"But you don't seem to believe it?" Cage asked.
Taylor nodded again. "It is very rare to see someone injure himself so severely to protect something."
"I agree," Cale said.
"Mhm," Adara responded again. She couldn't help but agree. Those who sacrifice themselves for others... Her eyes turned to the outside again. Will only be cut a thousand times.
"But this is my first time hearing about this specific story," Cale mentioned. He had read about all sorts of legends and myths that were important to the plot up until Volume 5 of The Birth of a Hero, but this was his first time hearing about the boulder guardian of the Roan Kingdom.
He does not know the story? But surely Young Mistress Adara must have told him about it? But, with the amount of books she had on the Ancient Times I doubt she could have told him about all of them. Taylor smiled. "It is probably because it is not that popular. I only found it because Young Mistress Adara had the book. I told Cage about it as well."
Adara lowered the curtain, taking a round pendant from her waistcoat pocket and throwing it towards Taylor, giving him little time to prepare to catch it. Thankfully he caught it. "Get ready."
Taylor and Cage nodded, holding each other's hands with the pendant in the middle of both of their hands. Adara could feel the mana fluctuations as the magic device started to operate.
Cale let out a sigh, grabbing two bottles from the corner of the carriage and handing one to Adara. She took a big gulp, making her face flush.
A moment later, the carriage stopped. Adara could hear Vice Captain Hilsman's voice as well as the Capital's Guard's.
Hilsman knocked on their door. "Young Master and Mistress, the Capital's Guard wishes to verify the occupants."
Cale kicked the carriage door open with a bang. Adara following close behind. They both had bottles in their hand, and flushed faces. Cale's a bright scarlet, and hers a deep carmine.
Cale looked towards the Capital Guard. "Go ahead."
The inside of the carriage was full of the smell of alcohol, both of their faces were extremely flushed, and the stench made it very clear they had been drinking since last night.
Although the Festival was still a week away, many Nobles had already passed by this gate. It was because they wanted to properly enjoy the Capital before attending the Festival. However, the two guards, who had to look into every carriage for a cursory look, had never seen such a sight before.
Vice Captain Hilsman smiled at the guards. "Our Young Master and Mistress cure their hangovers by drinking more alcohol. They are two people who have reached the apex of overcoming a hangover."
Adara watched the anxious guard and the Vice Captain who was trying to praise them as much as possible with amusement. Cale, however, looked at the scene with annoyance. This is tiring, he thought. "Can't you hurry up?"
Adara shot him a look. She actually wanted to see how their interaction would continue. Cale only smiled at her.
The two guards quickly looked through the carriage, which was full of empty alcohol bottles. "Everything looks fine," he said hurriedly.
Cale and Adara got back into the carriage, Vice Captain Hilsman slowly closed the door while the guard welcomed them. "Welcome to the Capital."
The door closed and the carriage started to move again, this time through the gate.
Adara grabbed an empty glass and poured some alcohol into it. "Did you hear?" She raised the glass to where she could hear that Taylor was. "They're welcoming you to the Capital."
Taylor, who was suddenly not invisible, laughed as he handed her the pendant back and took the glass. He swirled the wine around before taking a sip. "It has been a while since I've been welcomed."
~~~
[F̶u̶n̶ Fact]: The Thornwin Family is known for two things— well, maybe three. The first one is their wealth. Everyone knows the wealth of the Thornwin Family, they know it's on par with the wealth of the Henituses. The second one, which is actually the third, is their eldest daughter, Adara Thornwin, known for being part of the famous North-East-Trash Duo. The third thing is their affiliations with poison. To the public's knowledge, they only study the poisonous plants from the Forest of Darkness. To the Nobles, the Royal Family, the children directly under the succession position, and the assassin guilds they make backhanded deals with knowledge, they also recreate certain poisons and make new ones by selectively cross-breeding poisons using different factors from different plants. What nobody knows, however, not even the servants from the Thornwin territory, except for a select few in administration and the Thornwins, of course, is they also create antidotes.