Their brisk conversation ended in no time as neither of them bothered to exchange meaningless courtesies in between. The reason being is that they had neither the reason to gain favor from each other, nor they anticipated a continuous social interaction between them.

Rising from his seat, Akil pulled the hood of his robe over his face. The loosely hung hood casted a shadow and concealed his face in complete darkness.

“Let me ask you a personal question. Are the rumors about the lark tree true or exaggerated?”

“…It is true indeed.”

“Then I guess His Holiness has made a big mistake.”

Akil left the room with a delightful grin on his face. Kasser gazed with a questionable eye at the door closing behind Akil. He sensed an unmistakable hostility against Sang-je in the tone of Akil’s voice.

It was no secret that the Anika chosen as the king’s bride by Sang-je are of those with low Ramita grades. No way the kings hadn’t noticed this. However, they veiled their displeasure to not offend Sang-je as they needed his permission to marry Anika.

Still, it is considered a serious blow to their pride, since the revered kings have only had what’s regarded as the best. What’s worse is that their marriage with Anika almost never works out for them.

No king in their right mind would wish for his marriage to fail from the start. In fact, although it wouldn’t be as much as the effort the king of Slan Kingdom had put into his marriage, the kings must have tried in their own best ways to save their marriage before giving up altogether. Therefore, it was perfectly understandable for them to resent Sang-je for their failed marriages.

‘I really need that travel pass.’

Kasser had the notion to further appeal to Concord King should he decline.

As he was after all, making provisions for the worst that could happen on the day he leaves the Holy City. He was indeed planning to meet the Dark King, Ferrard, at the earliest date possible to request a travel pass from his kingdom as well.

Apart from the two kingdoms in the south of the Holy City, the return route to the Hashi Kingdom involved traveling across either the northwest kingdom ruled by the Dark King, the northeast kingdom ruled by the Concord King or the Slan Kingdom in the north.

The fastest route to Hashi Kingdom was doubtless the the Slan Kingdom. Therefore, he could just head back the way he came should nothing hinder him from leaving the Holy City.

Kasser had no intention of playing into the hands of Sang-je should he hatch a shady scheme to detain them, as Kasser was resolved to never leave the Holy City without his wife.

Even after the Concord King took his leave, Kasser remained seated at the table. There was still a person he needed to meet. Just when he thought it was about time, there came a knock from the other side of the door.

Soon, another man in black robe entered through the open door. As soon as he stepped into the room, the man pulled his hood back and bowed before Kasser.

He was a warrior who returned to report back upon accomplishing the mission he received from his king. Quickly, he went up to Kasser and started to give a thptigh report of his investigation.

“They seem to be living in a village located in the suburb of the south Holy City. During the day, they would go out to various areas of the Holy City and earn money by reading people’s fortunes before returning to the village late at night.”

It was Kasser’s order to tail after the sorcerer, who had come to visit Eugene two days ago, in secret. He first thought that the money-blinded grandson had brought the sorcerer all the way to the Holy City. But it turns out that the sorcerer was residing in the Holy City all along.

He gave out further orders to make a secret investigation into the sorcerer as there seemed to be some link between the old sorcerer, who indeed has remarkable knowledge, and the ancient tribe that he had heard from Aldrit.

“As you ordered, I’ve only observed them from a distance without making any direct contact with anyone. However, I’ve somehow felt as if I was being watched the whole time throughout the investigation.”

“Being watched? By whom do you mean?”

“I’ve not seen who it was. But there’s a man, who seems to be the chief of the village, recording the number of people twice daily, once each in the morning and night.”

Clearly, there was something unusual about recording the number of people coming in and out twice in a day. In fact, the act of recording implies that the numbers are taken to make a report.

“If there’s indeed a watchdog, he may try to make contact one of these days. Take extra caution as you observe them. It wouldn’t be necessary to take excessive measures to go after the watchdog even if he shows himself.” Kasser said as he gave the warrior a new order.

“As you will, Your Majesty.”

***

Flora attended the monthly tea party as she always did before. It’s been roughly three whole years since the gathering first started. And out of a total of seven members, Flora was the one and only Anika among all still.

In truth, this was a tea party modeled on a renowned gathering which is being held on the same date as theirs. The members have indeed started with a great ambition to turn this into a much influential social gathering that would last for a hundred years, just like the one they modeled after.

There was a time in the past where Flora and the other six, whom she had acquainted with in different gatherings, happened to gather around for the first time. And that was when the renowned gathering of seven noble ladies was first mentioned between them. And since they happened to be a group of seven, they decided on impulse in forming a new gathering of their own. Despite it being an impromptu start, they gathered around regularly during the last three years.

Flora especially favored this tea party out of all the other gatherings she regularly attended. In fact, every member apart from Flora were the daughters from a famed family of wealth. And just by socializing with them was enough to make Flora feel like she has become a person of importance.

However, Flora couldn’t quite seem to focus on the gathering today.

‘Why haven’t I had my lucid dream yet?’