Breakfast was served by Karel as usual and informed Kani of their next destination—The Dwarven City of Pals.

  Upon their arrival, the guards of the said city immediately granted their entry without further inspections. Kani said nothing but wondered about the authority Karel held.

  “We’re here, master,” the blond whispered as his warm hand on his back pushed him forward.

  Kani gaped in awe, lips parted as he stared at the rge furnace looming before them. His auditory senses heightened once he heard the mallets unforgivingly hammered onto the ores and the rumbling machineries. Everything reverberated in the air, filling the atmosphere of the underground city.

  “An elf!” someone excimed amidst the cacophony. The dwarf skipped towards them in excitement and his voice boomed louder as he saw Karel. “Tall blondie!”

  Karel chuckled at the affectionate call of the nickname. “Hello, it’s been a while!”

  “What do ya have this time?” he excimed again, finally stopping before them.

  “This is Balen, the Chief Bcksmith of Pals and also a partner of the empire when it comes to bcksmithing and metallurgy. Some of our people are learning straight from him.”

  Kani smiled at the excited dwarf as he offered a handshake. “I’m Kani, a merchant from Astadvran.”

  “It’s nice to meet ya!” He turned to Karel. “So, what brings ya here?”

  Karel smiled. “Take a guess.”

  Kani observed his bodyguard’s face, enthralled by the smile he wore while talking to the dwarf.

  Giddily, Balen excimed, “Craft, of course! I know how wild ya ideas sometimes, ddie, but ya know I’d not back down!”

  “Right! It’s the chief bcksmith that we’re talking about after all!” Karel chuckled. “I want you to make a ring that could withstand magic and, at the same time, be capable of absorbing or storing magic. Worry not about the funds!”

  Balen now hummed in contemption. “Store magic in it? What kind?”

  “Dimension.”

  The uniquely shaped diamond pupils of the dwarves’ eyes dited, widening at the realization and ughed. “A storage ring!”

  “Yes, but I’d rather call it a spatial ring.”

  Balen bumped his own fists together, excited about the upcoming project. “I’ll work on it! I’ll send the finished product once it’s done!”

  “Don’t worry about contacting me. Kani and I will be traveling around so I’ll just come and get it myself.”

  “A’ight! Ya have my word, tall blondie!” Balen turned to Kani, still beaming. “And our elf here, do ya want something made for ya?”

  He shook his head. “Um, no… not really.”

  “A gift from me!”

  Kani sputtered, shying away. “Seeing the massive dwarven city is enough for me.”

  Karel nudged his side and smiled. “Indulge the little man, alright?”

  “Yeah! A simple one will do!”

  Kani chuckled awkwardly. “I’m clueless.”

  “Why not decide it yourself, Balen? You’re good with gifts.”

  Balen ughed. He gifted the blond the sword he currently used. “A’ight, it’s a surprise! See ya by then, Karel and Kani!”

  Balen then returned to his post and Kani chuckled. “For a man half my height, he surely has more energy than me.”

  “They are passionate beings. Give them ores and they will turn it into the most beautiful pieces of art.”

  “I can imagine.” Kani smiled and looked at the burning furnace again.

  Karel urged them to return when the brunet broke the silence between them. “I should have known that you’ve always been an artisan, like Elder Orazio.”

  “My mother saw my potential and secretly indulged me. My father definitely knew about it but chose to do nothing about it.”

  “Maybe because they saw how you loved it, how happy you were doing it.”

  He chuckled. “I think so.”

  With the continuing pursuit of knowledge, technology and arts in the empire, Ramayans often learned a skill or two; the passionate ones often had three or more due to their longer lifespans.

  Karel learned carpentry and appraisal skills while Tybalt learned botany for reasons none of them knew. Rainel, the reigning emperor, collected weapons and was currently interested in metallurgy—the reason why the empire allied themselves with the dwarven city.

  Reiwen, on the other hand, pyed as an actress in theater pys and a lot of Ramayans idolized her during her time. While Elise, the youngest among them, loved pying instruments and created various paintings.

  Kani huffed, realizing how skilled the cousins were. “How I wish I could do more.”

  “But, you can do more,” the blond nonchantly replied.

  “More? What do you mean?”

  “I can teach you magic.”

  Kani scrunched his nose. “Ramayan magic and Elven magic have different foundations.”

  “That’s true, but I can teach you a little trick. You can also harness elements from nature instead of using your affinity.”

  Kani stopped on his tracks and incredulously looked at him. “Many tried doing that but ended in failure.”

  Karel smiled brightly. “Trust me, Master.”

  Kani scoffed, turning away.

  How can I even say ‘no’ to that smile?

  During their stay in Ramaya, Kani learned more about trading and commerce from Elder Orazio and Madam Sanjana. With the sudden education given to him, Karel attended to his imperial duties while he left him to the elders’ capable hands. On other days, however, Karel trained him in using magic as he initially suggested.

  True to his words, Kani excelled in Elven magic. While he chanted most of the complex spells, he easily casted anything below the Tetracaster level.

  A loud explosion rattled them inside the barrier and Karel looked ahead without blinking his eyes, disbelief evident on his face. “This means… you’re a Pentacaster.”

  Kani wheezed as he kept himself upright. “That’s what I managed to achieve back then…”

  Karel assisted him. “Then, your mother?”

  He clutched onto his own arms, still out of breath. “Heptacaster.”

  “Oh Queen Mother Raise,” Karel muttered in astonishment.

  According to what he learned from his aunt who once visited the Elven Kingdom of Beiyul, the lowest ranked Casters1 Casters are the ranking system of magic by the elves. The higher the number, the stronger magical power an elf wields. I.e. Tricasters are the lowest ranks and a nonacaster was the highest known and recorded rank in elven history. among the High2 High Elves are the first group of elves who settled in Beiyul during its establishment. They were created by the Goddess of Life and were entrusted to the Goddess Keoki to become caretakers of the forests., Blood3Blood Elves are the results of an experiment done by one desperate elf during the Great Immortal War. They were made as weapons that could manipute blood. While lesser in numbers compared to the other elves, they’re under strict supervision due to their destructive powers. and Dark4Dark Elves, alongside the Blood Elves, were also results of an experiment. Like the blood elves, they’re lesser in numbers and most of them are currently in service to the Elven King. Due to their special constitution and capability to wield forbidden magic, they were often sent to the Ize Region for purification. Elves were tetracasters; Wood5 Wood Elves were created second following the High Elves. They are mostly warriors who can’t wield magic due to their special physical constitution. They mostly work as patrol knights in the forests. Elves stood at the lowest ranks as Tricasters since most of them excelled as martial fighters instead.

  Pentacasters like Kani had the highest numbers and the Heptacasters were only countable by hand. Sometimes, even within a generation, there’s only one or none at all.

  “I believe she’s one of the strongest during her time, and I looked up to her because of it.”

  Karel smiled, feeling a bit proud. “And you actually have the potential to be like her.”

  “Really?” Kani huffed and finally sat down on the grass. “My paternal grandfather was also a High Elf. From what I’ve known, he’s at least a Pentacaster.”

  Karel silently gaped, realizing Kani held more elven genes than a human’s.

  “Still, even Heptacasters are rare and the rarest among us was Her Royal Highness Khloris.”

  “I’ve heard about her. A prominent figure in the royal bloodline and wielded high and ancient elven magic had made her a Nonacaster.” His voice turned softer. “It’s a pity she perished after her affair with a Ramayan unfolded.”

  Kani tilted his head upwards, looking at the gray skies solemnly. “A pitiful woman—my mother often said that about her. Because of her love for a Ramayan, she chose that immortal over her kin and that love ended tragically.”

  “Was it a forbidden love?”

  He shrugged. “It might be. Because of her death, the king remained unmarried, still mourning his grandaunt and unable to accept her death.”

  “The topic is making you more emotional.” Karel offered his hand to him. “Come, we shall take a rest.”

  Kani held onto his hand as the blond pulled him up. He looked at those crimson eyes and said, “You knew all this time that I’m capable of wielding magic.”

  “I’m a magical being, you said it yourself. Of course, I knew.” Karel opened the door towards his mansion. “But, you’re not talking about it and I dared not ask.”

  He smiled fondly. “Thank you, Karel. I really appreciate everything you do for me.”

  They arrived in the great hall and Karel saluted him. “Anything for you, Master.”

  The trip to Ramaya sted for a month and a half then they immediately set out for Astadvran once Karel finished his duties. Kani, however, never asked about Karel’s work and the tter vaguely implied that he worked for the imperials. Whatever he held his jurisdiction upon, Kani dared not ask despite the curiosity gnawing in him.

  They stood on the deck, the ship now departing for Astadvran. Kani looked towards the setting sun behind them, reminded that now he would return to his abode with someone; the trustworthy gentleman he had ever met—Karel.

  “I look forward to the next years with you, Karel.”

  The blond followed to where he looked, mencholy repcing his stoic expression. “Look forward to it, Master.”

  “Good morning, El,” the maids greeted and he nodded in return. Despite his aloof attitude with the other servants, they still greeted and initiated conversations with him.

  His employment undeniably changed the estate’s affairs—no one could ever deny that. It might have been a questionable decision of the master beforehand, but now, it only greatly affected them. Positively, many had said.

  Cashile now closely attended to the household matters more alongside the head maid due to his reduced workload. He might not admit it aloud but he also found Karel a knowledgeable and capable man. Their businesses improved their marketing strategies and the wage system garnered new employees.

  “Master truly has a good eye for people,” he muttered to himself as he signed the st paperwork for the day.

  Still, many of them still wondered about the two men’s retionship after all these years.

  “Now that you’ve mentioned it,” one of the maids prompted just as Cashile walked by them. “How many years has it been since El joined us?”

  “Six years, I think,” answered the other maid.

  “Wow, it’s been so long.”

  She chuckled. “Right?”

  Ah, it’s already been six years.