Blackie lay sprawled on the small round table on the balcony, gracelessly digging into a mountain of food that he had just ordered the Prince to bring, crumbs and scraps scattering as he ate without the slightest concern for
manners.
anwhile, the Prince himself stood leaning against the railing, his attention fixed on the letter the strange beast had handed him monts earlier, his expression slowly softening as he read its contents.
Marlow read the letter slowly, his grip on the parchnt tightening as relief and joy spread across his face.
Knowing that his little sister was safe, and not just safe but thriving, lifted a weight he hadn't even realized he had been carrying.
The news that she had already advanced to a Mana Vortex Magus filled him with pride, and he couldn't help but smile faintly as he imagined how fiercely she must have worked to reach that realm.
Marlow recalled the ti when they were kids and Anna would follow behind him through the palace gardens, carrying a wooden sword and loudly declaring herself the protector of the kingdom.
It had been wildly unladylike behavior, especially for a princess, and their mother would always scold her every single ti she caught Anna charging around in training armor or picking imaginary fights with invisible enemies.
But Anna had never cared.
To have reached the Mana Vortex Rank at such a young age, Marlow thought to himself with a smile.
You truly are amazing!
He continued to read the letter, not realizing that Blackie had already finished the food and was demanding more.
Poor Marlow ignored a mighty Mana Core-level beast, and he didn't even realize it.
As the Prince's eyes moved further down the page, his expression shifted into confusion.
One line made him pause.
It said:
"I can't wait to et Marcus."
His brows furrowed slightly.
Marcus? He wondered.
How does she already know that she has a nephew?
Then another line caught his attention.
"It fills with great pride and honor that Father has beco a Mana Core Magus."
How does she know Father advanced to the Mana Core Rank? Marlow thought with a frown on his face.
Sothing about those lines deeply puzzled him.
He turned to the beast that had delivered the letter, wanting to clear out the confusion. But he found that Blackie was coldly staring at him.
Marlow felt a chill crawl down his spine, and he involuntarily retreated half a step.
"Wh-what?" He stuttered.
"Are you deaf, boy?" Blackie growled. "I said, bring more at!" Marlow was montarily angry. He wasn't used to being talked to like that. But sothing about the beast's aura quickly replaced his anger with subservience. In that mont, he realized that Blackie was far stronger than he had initially thought!
A few minutes later, another plate of copious amounts of food was brought out and kept on the table by Marlow's servants. The prince glanced at the beast digging into the dishes as if it had a bottomless stomach.
He gulped anxiously before asking, "May I... ask you sothing?"
Blackie humd.
"How do you know my sister?" Marlow asked.
The puppy cast a bored gaze at the man, then spat a single word.
"Acquaintance."
"...I see." The prince nodded.
He assud they were more than just acquaintances. Or else, why would a
beast so powerful deliver her ssage to him?
Marlow inhaled deeply, then finally asked what was on his mind.
"How does Anna know about my son? And that our father had advanced to the Mana Core Rank?"
Blackie's ears perked up.
He glanced at Marlow's confusion, studying him intently. He couldn't help but wonder:
How foolish of that girl. I'm sure Adam had told her he visited her family under a disguise.
Blackie chose to avoid this topic entirely and did not bother to explain. If Adam had hidden his identity and chosen to visit the Firebornes, then there was clearly a reason for it. And Blackie believed he knew what it was.
He shifted his attention to the food before him and languidly said, "Don't know.
Ask her."
Marlow was dumbfounded.
Are you serious? He thought incredulously.
He wanted to continue on this topic, but realized that the beast was unwilling
to explain any further. In the end, he helplessly sighed and asked:
"She's truly safe, right?"
"Rest assured," said the puppy without looking up. "She and her friends are in
good health."
He paused for a mont, then casually added, "She wanted to co to Springdale, by the way. But Berger said no. Silly girl, she was so excited about
eting her family that she completely forgot about the dangers lurking in the
dark."
Marlow's lips twitched. He couldn't help but ask in even greater confusion,
"Uh... who is Berger?"
Blackie scoffed, uninterested.
"Don't know. Ask her."
***
Berger and Krummor stood before a fireplace, its hearth cold and dry.
"...and that's the gist of it," the dwarf concluded.
Berger took a few monts to digest that information. In the end, he couldn't
help but deeply sigh, "So that's what happened."
"Yes." Krummor nodded, a bitter smile on his face.
"A promising young lad from our faction sacrificed his life to uncover all that evidence," Berger began. "Two Councilors are dead, a mysterious group has erged, and now even the traitors are divided among themselves."
He deliberated his following words for a few monts, then asked, "Krummor,
has there been any news of Adam lately?"
The dwarf frowned. "The Dark King? No, why?"
"I see." Berger nodded. "It's nothing. Forget I asked." Krummor intently studied his old friend, but chose not to press further. He knew how deeply the gno cared for his disciple - the one the world now
called the Deceitful One.
Suddenly, Berger's expression turned solemn, his eyes gleaming with a cold
light.
"Tell , this..." he began in a low voice.
"During the Battle of Ravenfell all those years ago... who was it that prevented
the reinforcents from reaching Ulier in ti?"
Krummor subconsciously gulped as he witnessed the dark scowl on his old friend's face.
He inhaled deeply before answering truthfully.
"From what I know, the Council was deeply divided on the issue back then. It
was mainly the Diplomats who opposed sending reinforcents, and they were supported at the ti by the Interventionists, the Shadowblades, and the Free
Agents."
"I see," Berger coldly murmured. "Three to go, then."
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