A few minutes passed and Kani exited the walk-in closet while fiddling with the cuffs.

  “It suits you,” Karel remarked seeing him and earned a beaming smile from Kani.

  “Really?” He looked at himself in front of the mirror again nearby.

  He chanted a lot of ‘Oh Queen Mother Raise’ in his mind while observing Kani in his clothes. Swallowing the lump in his throat and trying to suppress whatever stirred in his gut, he offered, “We can also arrange your hair in a high ponytail. Or a braid?”

  “I’d like a braid.”

  Kani then sat in front of the vanity and Karel began braiding his hair.

  In the midst of their comfortable silence, a shout came from the door, “Karel! I know you’re in there!”

  Kani looked at him through the mirror and Karel said, “That’s my cousin Tybalt. He will knock some more and enter when I don’t respond.”

  Loud, rapid knocks followed then the voice spoke: “You really don’t answer, huh? I’m coming in!”

  Upon his entry, he immediately noticed the two men before the vanity. Tybalt raised an amused eyebrow noticing the elven man.

  “Hello, Tybalt. What’s up?”

  “I heard you returned to the Marles and not the castle so I visited.” He gnced at the brunet. “Care to introduce us?”

  “He’s Kani, a merchant from Astadvran.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you, Sir Tybalt.”

  Tybalt then elegantly bowed. “I’m Tybalt Liu. I’m also pleased to make your acquaintance.”

  Kani widened his eyes and looked at Karel who only smiled at him. He turned to Tybalt. “Liu? Aren’t they the reigning imperials now?”

  “Yes. The Emperor is our younger cousin.”

  “I see. Karel is a Marles, is he reted to you too?”

  Karel chuckled. “You’re really a curious one, Kani.”

  Tybalt squinted his eyes at their exchange but answered anyway, “Karel is my older cousin but he’s not from the main family.”

  “It’s finished, Kani. Take a look.”

  While Kani examined Karel’s work, the blond gred at Tybalt and the raven-haired man smiled knowingly.

  Tybalt gnced at the brunet. “It seems like you’re doing fine though but you rarely have someone over.”

  He shrugged. “I have a deal with Kani and here we are.”

  “And the deal is?” Tybalt prodded.

  Karel sighed. “He asked me to be his bodyguard and he will travel with me throughout Grantierra.”

  Tybalt ughed which made Kani and Karel inquisitively look at each other.

  I told you, Karel mouthed and Kani chuckled quietly to himself.

  “This is truly a change of pace, Karel!” Yet, the gre Tybalt sent thereafter was even seen by Kani but the tter dared not say anything.

  “I don’t go back on my words, Tybalt.”

  “I know,” he replied. “I will be away for a mission. I’ll see you again sometime in the future.”

  Tybalt exited the room and only then Kani asked, “Is there something wrong? He gred at you, right?”

  “Ignore him.” Karel huffed and motioned him to follow. “Well, let’s go. We still have a city to visit.”

  “Are we there yet?”

  Karel tightened his grip on Kani’s hand but said nothing. Every time they teleported using his magic, Karel always reminded the brunet to firmly close his eyes whenever they traverse the void.

  “Karel?”

  “We’re near.”

  “We should have used the Gateway.”

  “Next time,” he replied and swiped the air, revealing someone else’s home. “Come, we’re here.”

  When the guards saw the portal and the familiar man emerging from it, they saluted and beckoned them to enter the residence.

  Kani opened his eyes, shielding it from the bright light and looked around. “This is…”

  When they passed the covered pathway to the main hall, a soft voice said, “You should have told me you’d come sooner, Karel.”

  A man of tall stature stood in the hall and warmly welcomed them. “Master Kani, it’s good to see you again.”

  He beamed, recognizing the older man before him. “Likewise, Elder Orazio.”

  “Just as I thought. You’re both acquainted.”

  The elder smiled at them and motioned them to enter the premises. “Master Liafor introduced Kani to me before.”

  Karel shot him a questioning look but Kani looked away. In the end, they followed the Elder quietly towards the inner part of his residence.

  Elder Orazio shared the luncheon with them and was pleased to know about Kani’s pns for the future. As his benefactor and mentor, the elder looked forward to his future aspirations.

  After bidding their farewells, they went to the city. Karel hid his chuckles when he noticed the other man excitedly reacted to everything he saw. The way the light sparkled in his eyes reminded him of his younger cousins. Even the smile he now wore blinded him.

  I don’t mind indulging you a little more.

  Upon exiting the carriage, everyone noticed Karel. They saluted him and he always responded with ‘drop the formalities’. Pairs of eyes lingered on their figures until they arrived at the rgest warehouse.

  “If it isn’t my favorite elf!” excimed the woman near the door as he saw Kani.

  “It’s been a while, Madam Sanjana!” Kani also greeted and offered a friendly hug to the older woman.

  Noticing the familiar figure of the blond a few paces away, the woman asked, “Why are you with Sir Karel?”

  Kani awkwardly chuckled. “You see, we have some kind of agreement and he agreed to take me here.”

  “Really?” Sanjana asked, eyeing the blond suspiciously.

  “What is it now, Sanjana?” Karel asked and walked closer. “You should be thankful that I’d be bringing him here every year starting now.”

  “Every year?” Kani echoed, confused.

  “We agreed on that, yes?” and the blond tilted his head sideways.

  “But, we—”

  “That’s good to hear, right?” Sanjana excimed instead, happy at the thought that she’d see Kani often. “It’s not always that I get to interact with another immortal, you see. If only I could let you stay here, I would do so!”

  “For someone as fragile as Kani, I doubt he will survive here in Ramaya,” Karel offhandedly commented.

  Sanjana gred at him. “I can protect him!”

  Kani noticed them exchanging sharp words and gres.

  “You know… I can’t stay, Madam Sanjana.” Kani interrupted. “I have my own home in the south. I can just visit every year like Karel said.”

  “You really call him Karel, huh? Just Karel?”

  He chuckled awkwardly. “He doesn’t mind?”

  Sanjana harrumphed. “He doesn’t mind. Sure.”

  Karel huffed. “Sanjana, I leave him here for a few hours. I need to talk to Elder Orazio.”

  “But, you didn’t—”

  “It’s fine, Sir Karel. Leave him to me!”

  “Karel, wait!” Kani approached him worriedly, asking in a whisper, “Are you alright?”

  “I am. I just need to attend to some matters. Indulge Sanjana.”

  “Karel…”

  “I’ll be right back for dinner. Learn from Sanjana, she will teach you what you want to know.” He turned to the woman. “Sanjana?”

  Sanjana smiled brightly and saluted him. “Yes, Sir Karel. I’ll follow your orders!”

  A familiar stride of steps stomped onto the floorboards and Elder Orazio looked up. He saw Karel heaving deep breaths as he held onto the door sill of his study.

  “Oh? You returned?”

  “I’m sorry about this, Elder.”

  He chuckled. “Think nothing of it, Kelzo. To even hide who you are from the man, I know it breaks your heart.”

  He filed and sat ungracefully on the nearby cushion. “I didn’t want this in the first pce.”

  “And yet, here you are now.”

  “Aren’t you curious?”

  The elder hummed in agreement. “I am, but will you tell me the details if I ask you?”

  “You’re also like a parent to me, Elder.”

  “I know, child,” and he smiled knowingly.

  Karel then quietly stared down at his hands.

  Orazio, while an Elder of the Asoka Cn and one of the best artificers of the empire, he’s also the mentor of Karel when it came to craftsmanship. He studied under him for a time under the orders of his mother. During their recovery from the Ramayan Civil War, he studied again under the Elder’s tutege to also help in the progression of technology in the empire.

  The service system gradually repced the svery system, the Gateways and other small yet useful items were mostly ideas and concepts of Kelzo and his younger cousins for the empire. And yet, he’s the only one who pushed them through. Elder Orazio supported him throughout the process, after all, a mentor would always guide his apprentice.

  Now, even with the current situation, the Elder would gdly listen to his woes.

  After contempting, Karel finally gave in.

  True to his words, half an hour before dinner, Karel arrived at Madam Sanjana’s home.

  “I really don’t mind you eating with us, but it looks like Sir Karel has pns for you two to eat somewhere,” Sanjana remarked and smiled knowingly at Karel.

  Kani peeked at his face. “Are you?”

  “Yes. We can visit the best restaurant in the city.”

  “That’s…”

  Sanjana chuckled. “We can share the meal next time, Kani! I’ll see you!”

  “Thank you, Sanjana.”

  She ughed aloud, clearly amused by what’s happening. “To think Sir Karel is thanking me over some trivial matters, I’m truly honored! Next time, be sure to also visit me, huh?”

  “I will remember.”

  “That’s more like it!” Madam Sanjana replied before bidding them goodbye.

  They arrived back in Karel’s mansion after dinner and Kani unceremoniously sat down on the bed. He huffed and compined, “I am a Louvika with elven blood, and while that’s true, I still have a hard time keeping up with you.”

  Karel chuckled. “Just rest, master. Regain your energy and we will visit another city tomorrow.”

  He id his torso on the bed, and noticed Karel’s soft look on his face. Kani reached out his hand and they csped them together.

  “I can heal you with magic.”

  “No,” he whined, “I might get used to it.”

  Kani remained in his uncomfortable position and looked at the sheets, pondering to himself. His breaths now evened but his thoughts still in disarray.

  He felt the squeeze on his hand and looked at Karel.

  “If your father introduced you to Elder Orazio before…”

  Kani frowned and sat back up. “He’s not in his addled state then.”

  “Addled?” Karel echoed, puzzled. “Does that mean…”

  Kani hung his head low, csping tighter on his hand.

  “I tried, you know. That’s why I’m well-versed in High Elven Magic.” He snapped his fingers and three magic circles appeared. With its green color, it could only be healing. It hovered above his palm as he continued his words, “In the end, he’s beyond saving. I…”

  Karel held onto his trembling hands. “I will protect you from them. I promised you.”

  “Thank you, Karel,” replied sullenly, trying not to sniffle.

  “Go and rest. I will leave a gss of water on the side table for you.”

  “Young master, Duke Marles is waiting downstairs,” said the maid once he returned upstairs.

  “Get the aged wine from the pantry and prepare the table in the gss room. I’ll be there in a moment.”

  “Yes, young master.”

  Karel put the gss of water as he told Kani and observed the brunet for a few seconds. He brushed his hand through the long tresses and solemnly smiled to himself.

  He left the room quietly, seeing he’s fast asleep and changed into his dress shirt when he arrived in his room.

  “I was told you came home and brought someone over. Just as I was about to call you, you both left,” Duke Marles remarked as soon as he stepped into the gss room.

  Karel chuckled and served the wine. “I’m sorry about that, uncle.”

  He received the gss and asked, “And your companion?”

  “Retired for the night.”

  He hummed. “So soon?”

  “He gets tired easily. Maybe I should train him?”

  Duke Marles chuckled. “A Louvika might be leagues stronger than a human but they are still weaker than us. Go easy on him, yes?”

  “I will,” Karel answered and sipped on his gss too.

  The comfortable silence went on until—

  “Kelzo, if I won’t be able to have an heir, I will have you inherit the dukedom.”

  “Uncle, I am—”

  “Your father was next in line after me and I don’t have an heir.” He leaned back and worriedly looked at Karel. “I really don’t feel well these days, you see. Work may be strenuous but I know it’s something else.”

  “Uncle, I cannot handle this dukedom especially with this,” pointing on his neck, on the choker neckce, “on my person.”

  The duke held his forehead, leaning his head on the back of the sofa. Right, that shackle…

  “I am fine with the current authority I have. I can save people in my own way without worrying about the—”

  “Kelzo,” he grumbled, “you are not suited for bloodbath.”

  He frowned. “I fought in the civil war like you.”

  “And I saw how you nearly crumbled that even your other uncle was so worried about you. How can we ever face your father if something happened to you?”

  “I am fine, uncle. I cannot die yet.”

  “Kelzo, please. Settle down elsewhere and be happy.”

  “Then, please produce an heir for them to inherit the dukedom. We cannot let this crumble just because I handled it.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not easy.”

  Karel huffed. “You’re not dying yet, alright? Just try and produce an heir and the other cn members will do their duty. I will visit the child whenever I can and guide him. I will do anything but accepting the rank of a duke is not one of them.”

  “You really are your father’s son,” Duke Marles remarked and shook his head. “If not for your mother, he would have flown to the ends of Trojka seeking out adventure.”

  The duke downed the cup and looked outside.

  At this point, the Marles were currently at the brink of being returned to the imperial authority. While a legitimate heir, Karel dared not touch the dukedom’s affairs if possible.

  He touched his neck, feeling the leather choker on it.

  Why did I do it?

  The Ramayan Civil War took countless lives.

  His paternal cousins who fought alongside him perished in the same war and now the dukedom was left with no heirs. Producing a Ramayan out of power may be the best option now knowing even his uncle had no lover since the war ended. He just held onto the ducal position for millennia because he’s the next in line after the death of their oldest brother, the former duke.

  Uncle can still hold onto it for a few centuries. Maybe then, he’d be able to produce an heir.

  “I can hear what you are thinking, child.”

  “It’s your responsibility, uncle. I can help whenever I can, I only promised you that and not to inherit the dukedom itself.”

  The duke sighed, resigned to his fate. “I understand, Kelzo.” He stood up. “Stay for a little while and rest here. Visit some pces with your guest, he might also need it like you.”

  Karel looked at his uncle’s figure receding from his sight.

  As expected, he knew our setup.

  Karel walked the empty, cold corridors of his home and ascended the stairs. He took his time, pondering about a lot of things regarding his status and the dukedom.

  About to turn at the corner, he saw the guest room’s door. He approached stealthily, opening the door enough for him to enter.

  He stood beside the rge bed then knelt by the bedside, staring at the serene sleeping face of the brunet and let a knuckle brush over his exposed cheek.

  Despite the touch, Kani never stirred awake and his even breaths assured Karel he won’t wake up anytime soon.

  “Settle down?” he asked himself quietly.

  If anything, not that one.