The journey back from the Tower of Stars was far quieter than the one that had brought Lucien there.
A royal escort guided him through the palace grounds, but neither side felt the need to speak.
Snow continued falling gently over the capital.
While the city remained illuminated beneath countless lanterns, creating a sea of golden lights beneath the night sky.
Ordinarily, Lucien would have appreciated the view.
Tonight, however, his thoughts were elsewhere.
The Great Tear, demonic invasions,Supre Mage Council and hidden factions observing Elarion.
The possibility that the next invasion might arrive sooner than expected.
Each revelation carried enough weight to occupy a man’s thoughts for weeks.
Yet none of them dominated his mind.
Instead, one particular topic kept returning.
His mother.
For years, he had investigated her death.
Missing records,contradictory testimonies.
Witnesses who rembered nothing.
Officials who preferred silence.
Every path eventually vanished into darkness.
But tonight had changed sothing.
For the first ti, soone with genuine authority had openly acknowledged what Lucien had long suspected.
Her death had not been an accident.
Nor had it been simple noble politics.
Soone had benefited from it.
And soone had wanted her gone.
And according to the Guardian, there were records.
Evidence,Nas.
The possibility alone was enough to keep sleep far away.
By the ti Lucien returned to the estate assigned to him in the capital, the night had grown late.
Most servants had already retired.
The building itself remained quiet.
Only a handful of lamps still burned.
As expected, Gandalf remained awake.
The old mage sat near a fireplace reading a book.
Without even looking up, he spoke.
"You were gone longer than expected."
Lucien removed his coat.
"The conversation took ti."
Gandalf nodded.
"I assud as much."
The old mage finally closed his book.
For several monts he studied Lucien.
Then a knowing smile appeared.
"It was important."
Lucien simply nodded.
Gandalf’s expression beca thoughtful.
"Interesting."
The old mage leaned back slightly.
"It seems the Guardian rarely wastes his ti."
Silence followed.
Eventually Gandalf spoke again.
"Will this eting change anything?"
Lucien stared into the flas dancing within the fireplace.
For several monts he considered the question.
Then answered honestly.
"Possibly everything."
That response imdiately drew Gandalf’s full attention.
The old mage’s eyes narrowed slightly.
For a mont he remained silent.
Then he asked quietly,
"Everything?"
Lucien nodded.
Gandalf carefully observed him.
Years of experience had taught him how to read people.
More importantly, years spent serving alongside Lucien had taught him how to read this particular young lord.
The old mage’s gaze sharpened.
Then he asked a question that caught Lucien slightly off guard.
"Is it about the Great Tear?"
A brief pause followed.
Then Gandalf added:
"Or your mother?"
The room beca completely silent.
Only the crackling fire remained.
Lucien slowly looked toward him.
Gandalf held his gaze.
The old mage imdiately understood.
His expression softened slightly.
"So it is your mother."
Lucien looked back toward the flas.
For years he had pursued fragnts of truth.
For years every trail had vanished into darkness.
Tonight was the first ti soone had acknowledged that his suspicions might be correct.
That alone changed everything.
Gandalf sighed quietly.
"The Guardian told you sothing."
Lucien nodded once.
"Not enough."
His voice remained calm.
"But more than I had before."
The old mage sat quietly for several monts.
Then a faint smile appeared.
"That is still progress."
Lucien didn’t disagree.
Gandalf closed his book completely.
Then rested it on the table beside him.
"Whatever answers you find..."
His voice beca softer.
"...make sure they are answers you truly wish to know."
The warning wasn’t dramatic.
Nor was it mysterious.
It ca from experience.
From a man who had lived long enough to understand that truth was not always comforting.
Lucien remained silent.
Eventually Gandalf rose from his chair.
The old mage stretched slightly.
Then looked toward him one final ti.
"The Guardian wouldn’t involve himself unless he considered the matter important."
His smile returned.
"Which ans your life is about to beco considerably more complicated."
For the first ti that evening, a faint smile appeared on Lucien’s face.
Gandalf imdiately pointed at him.
"There."
"I knew you could still smile."
Lucien imdiately regretted it.
The old mage looked entirely too pleased with himself.
Then, still chuckling quietly, Gandalf retired for the night.
Before going he added "if you take action against your enemies make sure you are fast enough or the council might intervene."
Leaving Lucien alone with the fire.
And with thoughts that would keep him awake long after midnight.
The conversation ended there.
Both n returned to their thoughts.
Eventually Lucien retired to his room.
Unfortunately, sleep proved elusive.
Hours passed.
Several tis he attempted to rest.
Several tis he found his thoughts returning to the sa subjects.
The invasion,summit,mother and Guardian’s offer.
Most of all, he kept analyzing the old mage himself.
That part troubled him.
Not because he distrusted the Guardian.
Quite the opposite.
The old mage had been honest.
There had been no threats.
rely an offer.
And sohow that made the situation even more difficult.
Because the Guardian genuinely seed to believe everything he had said.
He genuinely believed Elarion could influence the future.
He genuinely believed industrial production might change the balance of power.
And most concerning of all—
He genuinely believed Lucien mattered.
By dawn, Lucien had reached a conclusion.
Regardless of personal feelings, refusing the offer made little sense.
The summit offered opportunities impossible to ignore.
Access to the Supre Mage Council.
Access to information.
Access to individuals capable of shaping the continent.
And perhaps most importantly—
Access to the truth.
His decision was made.
The following morning arrived quickly.
After a simple breakfast, Lucien once again made his way toward the Tower of Stars.
The sa royal guard waited near the entrance.
The sa ancient corridors greeted him.
The sa seemingly endless staircase stretched upward.
This ti, however, the journey felt different.
Yesterday he had climbed seeking answers.
Today he climbed carrying a decision.
Eventually he reached the summit.
The old wooden door stood exactly where it had before.
Lucien knocked.
A familiar voice responded.
"Enter."
The room remained unchanged. Sa books,maps and scrolls
And nearthe fireplace.
sat the Royal Guardian.
A cup of tea rested comfortably in his hands.
Without looking up from his book, he spoke.
"You decided."
Lucien entered.
The old mage finally looked up.
His expression remained calm.
As though he already knew the answer.
Perhaps he did.
Lucien stopped before the table.
Then spoke.
"Yes."
The Guardian waited.
"I’ll attend the summit."
For several monts the old mage simply observed him.
Then a satisfied smile appeared.
"Excellent."
The Guardian closed his book.
"I expected that answer."
Lucien sat down.
The old mage poured another cup of tea.
Then pushed it across the table.
"Good."
He took a sip from his own cup.
"The Council will be... interesting."
Sothing about the way he said that word made Lucien suspicious.
The Guardian noticed imdiately.
His smile widened slightly.
"That expression is appropriate."
The old mage seed genuinely amused.
For a while they discussed practical matters.
Dates.
Travel arrangents.
Expected attendees.
Nothing particularly surprising.
Eventually the conversation appeared finished.
Lucien rose from his chair.
The Guardian remained seated.
For a brief mont neither spoke.
Then the old mage suddenly rembered sothing.
"Oh."
Lucien paused.
The Guardian looked up.
"One more thing."
Sothing in his tone imdiately attracted attention.
Lucien waited.
The old mage smiled.
"Co back tomorrow."
Lucien raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
The Guardian’s expression beca unexpectedly amused.
"I think it is ti you t little Elena properly."
For perhaps the first ti during their entire series of conversations, Lucien genuinely looked surprised.
The Guardian imdiately noticed.
His smile widened.
"Good."
"It would be disappointing if that announcent failed to surprise you."
Lucien stared at him.
The old mage seed entirely too entertained.
After several monts he finally continued.
"Considering the two of you are technically engaged."
The room beca very quiet.
Lucien remained motionless.
The Guardian laughed.
Just enough to reveal how amusing he found the situation.
"I take it nobody inford you."
Lucien said nothing.
Which answered the question perfectly.
The old mage shook his head.
"Remarkable."
His amusent only increased.
"Royal politics truly are inefficient."
Eventually he placed his teacup aside.
His expression softened slightly.
"The arrangent was established years ago."
"When both of you were children."
The Guardian shrugged.
"Neither of you had much say in the matter."
That wasn’t surprising.
Noble marriages rarely involved personal choice.
The old mage leaned back comfortably.
Then a thoughtful expression appeared.
"Fortunately, Elena has very strong opinions."
For so reason, that statent sounded vaguely dangerous.
The Guardian seed to realize it.
A brief silence followed.
Then he sighed.
"You should probably worry a little."
Lucien stared at him.
The old mage laughed again.
"She has spent months hearing stories about you."
That imdiately explained several things.
The Guardian continued.
"Factories."
"Warhounds."
"Machine guns."
"Elarion."
His smile beca helpless.
"I fear her curiosity has beco sowhat excessive."
The image of the Royal Guardian describing a princess as a problem was strangely amusing.
The old mage rubbed his forehead.
"Asking questions."
"Demanding reports."
"Arguing with tutors."
His expression suggested this had beco a recurring issue.
Then he looked directly at Lucien.
"eting her will solve several problems."
The Guardian paused.
Then added:
"Or create new ones."
That didn’t sound particularly reassuring.
The old mage clearly agreed.
For several monts he appeared lost in thought.
Then he sighed.
"Yes."
"Definitely create new ones."
Lucien remained silent.
The Guardian pointed toward the door.
"Tomorrow."
"Co here after breakfast."
His smile returned.
"I believe the two of you have much to discuss."
As Lucien left the Tower of Stars, he couldn’t help but notice sothing unusual.
Throughout their conversations, the Royal Guardian had discussed demonic invasions, continental politics, ancient conspiracies, and world-ending threats without the slightest concern.
Yet sohow—
ntioning Princess Elena had made him look significantly more nervous.
That realization followed Lucien all the way back to the estate.
And for the first ti since arriving in the capital, he found himself genuinely curious about what tomorrow would bring.
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