Not long after Saul left Bluewater City, Lord Maken was finally freed from the aftermath and cleanup work.
He collapsed into his ornate armchair in exhaustion, but suddenly sat up straight as if something had struck him.
âRight, where is Lord Saulâs friend staying again?â
His personal steward immediately stepped forward and bowed. âAt No. 16, Shrimp Street, Lord.â
âSend two teamsâone to clear out my little garden villa on East Street, the other to invite Lord Saulâs friend from Shrimp Street to move in. Be courteous. Lord Saul might return to visit his friend.â
However, when the steward personally led a team to help Sander move, they were flatly rejected. Sander only said that he was also leaving Bluewater City, which left the steward with a sense of regret.
Sander had acquired a sturdy glass tank, intending to bring his sister, Mido, with him to the city of Caugust.
Only there would he have a chance to earn more money to support her, and perhaps encounter Lord Saul again.
But just as he finished packing and stepped out the door, he suddenly noticed that Mido didnât seem quite right. She kept rolling around inside the newly purchased fish tank.
âMido, whatâs wrong?â Sander immediately picked up the tank, inspecting it from every angle.
Yet before the human-faced fish could say anything, a knock suddenly came at the door.
Knock knock knock knock, knock.
The rhythm of the knocking was a little strange.
Holding the tank, Sander stared blankly toward the door.
He remembered clearly that the gate to his courtyard was lockedâhow could someone knock directly on his front door?
And that rhythmâŠ
Knock knock knock knock, knock!
There it was again. No mistake!
A deeply buried memory surged from the depths of his mind. Fear crept across Sanderâs face.
Then the knock came a third time.
As if accepting his fate, Sander set the tank down and walked to the door, opening it.
Standing outside were three people, one of whomâthough visibly agedâhe recognized instantly.
Instinctively, Sander stepped forward to block the view of the little fish inside. âYou⊠you⊠Iâve been hiding all these yearsâwhy are you still trying to hunt me down?â
Sander knew full well that he and Mido had only escaped back then because those people hadnât truly meant to kill them.
Otherwise, how could ordinary people possibly escape a wizardâs pursuit?
Heâd thought that by hiding his identity on another continent and living a low-profile, impoverished life, he could spend the rest of his days in peace.
But they had come anyway.
Had reaching out to a wizard for his sisterâs sake alerted his stepmother?
âYouâre mistaken,â the elderly man, the only one Sander recognized, spoke gently. âHis Majesty Arxys passed away from illness three months ago, and none of his children inherited the Evernight bloodline. Weâve come to escort you back to hold your coronation, Prince Alisandra.â
Sanderâno, Alisandraâstood frozen as his mouth slowly fell open.
Middle-aged, suddenly inheriting a vast fortune⊠is there a way to wake up even later into this kind of dream?
Ten minutes later, still somewhat dazed, Alisandra stepped out of the narrow little house, tightly clutching the fish tank that held his sister, and boarded a black, solemn, and majestic carriage.
The carriage wasnât pulled by horses, but by two tall male centaurs.
Their upper bodies were clad in armor, while their sleek, glossy horse halves glistened beneath.
Centaurs surpassed ordinary men in strength, constitution, speed, and agility.
But their flaw was their wild natureâthey were hard to tame. Only true wizards could truly command them.
Of the three who had come to fetch Alisandra, the other two besides the old man were both First-Rank official wizards.
Just before boarding the carriage, Alisandra noticed that the Lord of Bluewater City was standing nearby, seemingly trying to approach him for a word.
But Alisandra merely shook his head, refusing the approach.
Watching the black, majestic carriage pulled by centaurs depart, Lord Maken felt as though his entire worldview had been shattered.
The wizard friend he had known for years turned out not to be a mere apprentice, but a true wizard who hadnât hesitated for a second to kill.
Bluewater City, which hadnât seen a wizard for ages, had suddenly become the battleground of three of them.
Two had diedâone of them even a Second-Rank wizard.
Having finally seen off the victorious one with utmost respect, he had thought to gain favor with Saulâs friend, Sander. But who wouldâve thought that the man he believed had been rescued turned out to be a noble taken away in full display by two wizards.
âWhat good fortune has Bluewater City ever done to deserve this?â
His steward beside him let out a sigh.
âWhen you sent people to invite Mr. Sander to a better residence, he was so grateful⊠Yet now, with his new status, he wonât even speak a word to us.â The steward, who had served Lord Maken for many years, dared to speak so plainly.
Lord Maken thought quietly for a moment, then suddenly shook his head. âLet this matter end here. Instruct everyone not to gossip. Do not mention the reason we invited Mr. Sander to move, and certainly do not speak of his connection to the wizard.â
The steward froze, not fully understanding, but nodded nonetheless.
âIâve always sent others to contact Mr. Sander. This was the first time I met him myself. He didnât seem arrogantânot the type to reject me out of pride.â Lord Maken turned his gaze toward the old, dilapidated house where Sander had lived.
The only thing between us was Saul. Could it be that he didnât let me speak because he didnât want Saul mentioned? Perhaps being taken away isnât as good a thing as it seemsâŠ
In the end, Lord Maken decided to pretend he knew nothingâbetter safe than sorry.
At that moment, the black carriage pulled by centaurs had already left Bluewater City and was headed for the coast.
It seemed they planned to set sail.
The human-faced fish, which Sander had been tightly clutching, was now in the hands of one of the wizards.
Upon inspection, they quickly realized it was a fish containing a human soul. But they didnât object to Sander keeping such a strange creatureâin fact, they promised to examine it for anything that might harm him, and if it proved safe, they would even help him take proper care of it to ensure it didnât die easily.
Halfway through the journey, the elderly man suddenly turned his head with a kind and gentle smile. âPrince AlisandraâŠâ
Sander still wasnât used to the name he had discarded for over a decade. âPlease, just call me Sander.â
âIf that is your wish. Then, Lord Sander, do you still remember the silver pocket watch that Evernight VII once gave you?â
Sanderâs eyelid twitched. He pursed his lips, and a trace of embarrassment showed on his face.
âIâm sorry⊠Not long after I arrived in Stat, I had to sell most of my valuables just to surviveâŠâ
The old man twitched at the corners of his mouth, but quickly composed himself. âItâs not your fault, Lord Sander. Never mind. For centuries, Evernight failed to unlock the Wildland Compass. Perhaps it was never meant for the Evernight Empire after all.â
Sander bowed his head again in quiet awkwardness, still looking apologetic and humble.
âŠ
On the opposite end of the same highway traveled by that black carriage, Saulâs own slightly smaller two-passenger carriage was rolling along cheerfully.
While checking his personal belongings, Saul suddenly noticed that the diary in his mind had flipped open on its own.
Lunar Calendar, Year 317, June 8th, Clear Skies
Your good deed has been met with a kind reward.
The world is strange like that sometimes.
Can good people actually receive good fortune?
But are you truly a good person?
Perhaps only the Chaos Domain can reveal the true colors of your soulâŠ
After all, the key just so happens to be in your hands~
(End of Chapter)
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