As dawn broke through the night, the tranquility was disturbed within a small open courtyard. The doors creaked open, and a small group erged from the entrance. Their footsteps landed on the grass quietly as they neared a particular device laid at the center of the area.
Holding a small oil lamp, A woman with stunning pale blue hair illuminated the way to an old teleportation platform. Lady Klaria softly uttered an incantation to activate the platform, causing a ripple in the mana surrounding them. The crystals on the platform glistened and thrumd with energy, ready to be used.
When he was finished, she turned and t Moulin's inexpressive silver eyes.
"I don't suppose they prepared a welco party for the young master? Tsk, why must the weather be so bitterly chilly?" Tessley remarked with a disgruntled tone, crossing her arms as a frosty breath escaped her lips. The weariness in her expression was evident for all to see.
Moulin and Ordan ignored her complaints. She has been at it since she woke up. Although she was dressed in two layers of clothing, she still felt the biting chill of the air.
"An escort will be waiting on the other side. I suggest you prepare yourself before them." Lady Klaria responded with a hint of amusent in her gaze, fixed upon Tessley.
Tessley only grumbled, trying to keep her comnts to herself.
"Ao..."
Moulin lowered his gaze, checking on the sleepy snow-white fox assessing their surroundings while cradled in his arms. The adorable creature's plush ears hung slightly lower, showcasing a touch of weariness.
A minute later, a new figure graced their presence. High Lord Hercullio strode towards them in solitary splendor, draped in attire both refined and unadorned but exuding a magnetic charm. He is garbed in elegant yet plain black clothes.
Magnetic golden eyes could pierce through one's soul. One would think he was walking through a battlefield. It was as if he strolled through a battlefield, a regal conqueror claiming dominion over lands.
It was a strange sight to see so early in the morning.
The High Lords greeted each other in silence while the two guards voiced their greetings respectfully. Moulin only approached the man in small steps, naturally entering Hadrian's strong arms.
"You didn't sleep well," Hadrian whispered in his ears.
Moulin raised a brow and countered, "And you didn't sleep at all. Stop overworking yourself."
The High Lord paused. Was it that obvious on his face?
"My Lord, it is ti..." Lady Klaria reminded. In her open hand laid a copper coin embellished with the royal family's insignia.
Hadrian nodded and led Moulin toward the teleportation platform.
Initially, Moulin doubted the existence of a functional crystal teleportation platform in Aurona. He believed they might have been destroyed by demons, corrupted, or plundered by Malibreeds. However, Helios demonstrated remarkable resourcefulness by scavenging and preserving valuable artifacts.
Moulin stood before the platform. Snow suddenly jumped down from his arms and hopped onto the platform curiously. The little fox began sniffing the device.
Hadrian suddenly spoke, "How is the gemstone?"
Moulin stilled. His eyes narrowed as he shifted to feel the hard object on his chest. "A bit uncomfortable. Honestly, why did it have to be on my chest, of all places?"
"Is it that uncomfortable?"
"No, It feels like nothing."
It's just... embarrassing. Moulin didn't want to admit.
Hadrian's gaze gradually drifted on the youth's chest, covered with his clothes and cloak. "..."
"I won't let you have a look."
"..."
Hadrian observed as Moulin grumbled for a full minute before he turned silent.
"I didn't get to say my goodbyes." Moulin sighed wistfully.
With a regal deanor, Hadrian bowed slightly, assuring, "I will convey them to the people close to you. Rest assured, your stay will be brief, as promised. It will be alright."
"You will?" Moulin arched an eyebrow and looked away. "You're so busy, you hardly find ti for rest."
Hadrian sighed with a sense of resignation. "I will. Once I conclude matters in Helios. Anticipate my arrival. I will be with you later."
Moulin stared at him for a short while before he averted his gaze and fished sothing from his cloak. He handed a folded letter to Hadrian with a slight smile.
"Give this to my mother, my ssenger."
Amusent danced in those golden eyes. When Hadrian took the letter, he received two pats on his cheek.
"Good boy."
Moulin smiled amusingly. He was really making fun of the man before him.
Lady Klaria watched the scene unfold in complete silence, partly due to her astonishnt rendering her speechless. The pair bantered like a married couple. She had never seen soone treat Hadrian so intimately before. When she glanced at the two guards, Ordan remained composed, and Tessley rely shrugged. They were already used to it.
Moulin was escorted on the platform, and Lady Klaria was the last one to step inside the boundary. The youth took Snow into his arms, chiding him to behave. Before Lady Klaria could drop the coin, Moulin took one last look at Hadrian. The youth's gaze was impossible to look away.
Hadrian revealed a reassuring smile. And it was the last thing Moulin saw before the coin in Lady Klaria's hand dropped.
Whoosh!
The significant shift of energy in the air passed throughout Moulin's body. His vision turned white, and his heartbeat quickened. He felt the mana caress his skin. It felt numb.
Lord Hadrian Hercullio watched the four people disappear in a flash of light on the platform. The silver-eyed youth's figure vanished before his eyes in re seconds. When the air finally stabilized, the lord expressionlessly turned his gaze.
He sensed soone hurriedly entering the courtyard. When the person reached the entrance, he was gasping and out of breath. Hadrian recognized him as the Fraunces Family's Head Seer, Colahn.
When Colahn lifted his head and saw that the platform was already empty, his face fell, and he leaned against the door helplessly. "Your Excellency..."
"They already left." Hadrian nodded and proceeded to walk past him, exiting the courtyard.
Colahn closed his eyes and spoke between breaths. "Lord Dontae... The young master's father... has awakened..."
Hadrian's steps paused.
...
The mont the light vanished and his vision gradually restored, Moulin slowly opened his eyes. He sensed foreign mana envelop him.
He was standing on an identical teleportation platform but one that was significantly neater. The crystal sparkled beautifully.
"Greetings, guests."
Moulin and the others heard a welcoming voice. Their eyes fell upon a large group of people waiting below the steps of the teleportation platform. So Moulin recognized as seers and mages with their familiar neat uniforms and the mana surrounding them.
Two people stood at the head of the group, facing Moulin's party.
One, a lofty figure of mature age, possessing striking, well-defined features. His hair was a deep midnight black, and his eyes radiated a golden brilliance akin to a hidden treasure illuminated by the sun. Despite the luxurious layers of clothing adorned with green jewels, one could discern his robust physique.
The unmistakable Royal Family Crest of Auronia embellished a brooch pinning his cloak over his left shoulder, revealing his regal identity.
Moulin sensed slyness within the depths of those gilded eyes. His pupils weren't much richer and brighter than Hadrian's. Insignificant.
So this was the man who stole their base? The man who wanted him shipped away?
The other individual was a lady draped in a white hood. Gold adorned the edges of her sleeves and hood, presenting a captivating appearance akin to a celestial being descended from the heavens. Straight pale pink hair fell over her shoulders, slipping from within the hood.
"A Dilean?" Moulin inferred. A term denoting the priestesses and priests of Aurona.
"Your Highness..." Lady Klaria stepped forward and bowed. Moulin silently followed the gesture along with Tessley and Ordan.
The man smiled and nodded.
Sure enough, he really was the crown prince.
When the four people descended the steps, Moulin observed his surroundings, taking in the expanse of a chamber adorned with plain brick walls and a dod ceiling. Perhaps this was a secret transportation area? Moulin hadn't really familiarized himself with the map of the Leonile Guild.
The mont the four finally stood before the Crown Prince and his entourage, Lady Klaria began the introductions. "Your Majesty, may I present Moulin, the youngest mber of the esteed Fraunces Nobility and a rare pure Maeruthan. Accompanying him are his guardians, Sir Ordan and Lady Tessley."
"Ah, so this is our kind's weakness..." Prince Archaen scanned the silver-eyed maeruthan from head to toe. Intrigued filled him.
His scrutiny was so profound that Moulin sensed a shiver down his spine. Moreover, he found the tone in the prince's voice unsettling.
"You are indeed a remarkable sight, young Lord Moulin. A captivating specin, just as the descriptions foretold. I look forward to understanding more why lord Hercullio treasures you so much." The prince graced him with a smile, concealing his true intentions from discerning eyes.
Moulin only smiled back. Indistinct murmurs reached Moulin's ears, yet the young man remained composed despite the intense scrutiny.
Following that, Lady Klaria presented the lady standing alongside the Crown Prince. "May I introduce my sister, Celeste Markope. The High Dilean, a purifier and a highly esteed seer."
Sister? Moulin blinked.
"We welco you to Falowright...," spoke Lady Celeste with a composed tone devoid of any emotion.
Falowright? Is that the stronghold's new na?
It was when the lady lifted her head that Moulin grasped her features clearly. She exuded a transcended beauty, carrying an aura of seclusion and elegance like a rose within a layer of permafrost. Her eyes bore a faint resemblance to Klaria's, albeit lighter and bluer. And on her forehead was adorned with a golden teardrop mark on her forehead.
When Moulin assessed the two sisters, the aspect that truly caught his attention was the hue of their hair. Blush pink and blue? The colors were truly charming. It reminded him of candies.
Moulin's thoughts were interrupted when Lady Celeste spoke, "If it does not bother the young lord. Shall we proceed to transfer you to the domain?"
The youth stilled.
What?
Snow's ears perked up. The little snow-white fox in the youth's arms growled.
Klaria furrowed her brows and smiled. "I think that would be unwise."
The following mont, Sir Ordan spoke up, saying, "My master must catch up with so sleep. Let us ensure his comfort first and discuss this upon the arrival of Lord Hercullio. May we be provided a comfortable room?"
Celeste paused. She glanced at Moulin and her sister, then nodded. Her deanor remained flawless, displaying no signs of imperfection.
Prince Archaen watched the exchange and chuckled, "Indeed, we have readied the most exquisite chambers for our esteed guests. Please, follow along."
While Moulin and the others followed the prince and his entourage, the youth could not help but glance at Lady Celeste.
The walk was not too long. Only brief enough to allow Moulin and his group a glance at the interior structure of the stronghold. Indeed, it was redecorated and such. Moulin could sense Tessley's growing rage from behind him. He could empathize with her concerns. The Imperial family had invested considerable effort in removing traces of the Leonile guild's presence from the stronghold.
It was undoubtedly unsettling.
Upon reaching the suite, the Crown Prince dismissed Celeste and his group. Klaria also departed to chat with her sister, ntioning her intention to return at a later ti.
The youth walked around the receiving room, glancing at every fine detail. It was luxurious, befitting a king perhaps. The room looked as though it was bathed in gold. Moulin walked towards the windows, silently gazing at the lush forest beyond the window panes. However, his attention was secretly focused on the tall man approaching him.
It seems the prince wanted so privacy between him and Moulin.
"Moulin, is it?" Prince Archaen tilted his head with a smile.
"Yes, Your Highness..."
"Hmm..." The Prince stood an arm's length by the youth's side. His eyes glanced at the youth occasionally.
The young man's hair was as white as the moon's skin. His silver eyes were sharp and captivating. When he would cast his gaze on soone, they would bask in his attention. Prince Archaen was never a man who lacked beauties wherever he went. He had seen countless kinds of beauty from n and won alike.
But it seems Lord Hercullio found a truly rare one. The young man's features were one in a million. But it seems that's not all there is... Even his soul was desired by a God. It was a bit laughable. Such was the cost of beauty...
"I know it will be hard for you to adjust, Moulin. But you have made a wise decision to depend on us for your safety. Our citizens are unaware of your presence, and we intend to keep it that way. It's in everyone's best interest."
Moulin nodded, "I understand. Thank you, Your Highness."
The prince smiled faintly before he turned around and excused himself. "A war is not easy to win. There will always be sacrifices."
The sound of the door closing echoed within the room.
...
Tessley, who sat on the sofa, narrowed her eyes. "Honestly..."
She grumbled a bit and even kicked the golden leg of the glass table to test its strength. This was not pure gold, was it?
Sir Ordan sighed and glanced at the young man who had not moved an inch before the window. He couldn't see Moulin's expression.
The youth was like an untouchable gem, imprisoned in a heavily fortified vault. He looked breathtaking yet lonely.
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