On the other side of the Grantierran continent, the much awaited meeting unfolded.

  Duke Alexandro Streya, alongside his adoptive son, Jericho Streya Livariel, stood before the Livariel Castle alongside the knights. Paulo, the personal knight of the duke, nearly drew his sword seeing the swirling portal before them.

  “Paulo, you knew it better than anyone else not to provoke that man.”

  “I’m sorry, Your Excellency.” He slid his sword back to its scabbard. “It’s an instinct.”

  When the portal fully expanded, Karel walked out and stretched his hand towards the void. A gloved hand held his hand and a tall womanly figure appeared. As they stood beside each other, another man walked forward, following them.

  “It’s an honor to meet everyone,” Duke Streya greeted. “I am Alexandro Streya and this is Prince Jericho, my protegé.”

  “Karel enticed me in going because your state boasted a long history. As an Immortal, we cherish history and records, you see,” the blond woman replied, then smiled as she slightly bowed to him. “It’s my pleasure to meet you, Duke Streya, Prince Jericho.”

  “The pleasure is ours.”

  “These men alongside me are my nephews. Karel Marles, as you’ve known,” he motioned to the blond, then to the raven-haired man, “and Tybalt Liu.”

  “And you are?”

  “I am Belle Marles, I hold authority over the empire’s vassals and also oversee intercontinental matters like trade and businesses. These men… we share the same responsibilities and authority.”

  They gauged each other as Her Imperial Highness smiled. “Now then, shall we proceed to discuss what future lies ahead of us?”

  “To be honest, we’re skeptical about approaching since the Great Temple of Ena held power and authority over Grantierra. We’re not that afraid of them, per se, it’s just we need to be more careful when dealing with them. They’re hostile towards us and if it angers the Emperor, who knows what might happen.”

  Duke Streya nodded in understanding. “They harbor hostility to people who know what they are really up to.”

  A knowing hum. “So, you discovered something.”

  “I did and I cannot stand it that people are suffering because of them. They should have been helping them, and yet…”

  “Svery and simir inhumane practices are difficult to eradicate. Even force isn’t enough and you’ve witnessed it yourself.”

  Duke Streya gnced at Karel. “Yes, I did.”

  “You might need some pointers then. Karel, introduce to them the service system you and the Emperor had been implementing since.”

  Now, Duke Streya’s eyes widened.

  Karel chuckled at his reaction. “Duke Streya, don’t be surprised that much. I’m still a member of the imperial family.”

  “I told you to stop funting your title everywhere,” Tybalt hissed.

  “Oh no, cousin. I just thought he deserves to know, at least.”

  “Pardon them, Duke Streya. They used to be a lovely bunch and yet they incessantly banter nowadays.”

  “Children are like that, Your Highness.”

  Princess Belle ughed, unrestrained. “Right! You are still children, you two!”

  Karel huffed in annoyance and handed the duke a stack of papers. “I’m still millennia older than you, Duke Streya.”

  “Trade and businesses, advanced technology and a… Gateway?” Prince Jericho asked, confused.

  “Yes, little prince.” Belle smiled warmly. “We Ramayans developed a technology that can help us in our daily lives without relying on magic, as opposed to what you believed.”

  Karel, “When they say we are the most advanced civilization, they are not exaggerating, alright? My house is just as advanced as the imperial castle. Even the other noble houses boasted more than I have.”

  Prince Jericho nodded absentmindedly. “And the Gateway?”

  Karel, “It is a portal possessing dimensional magic which can be used to transport people and goods from one pce to another. So, with a Gateway here, you can travel and transport goods from and to Ramaya, vice versa.”

  “How convenient.”

  “Indeed.” Karel nodded. “Because the empire also has a big bor force like the other vassal states, we developed this for accessibility. As you’ve known, Ramaya is thrice rger than the Grantierran archipego combined together.”

  “It can be misused too.”

  The blond agreed. “I’m already in the process of studying another solution to that. I bet Duke Streya already witnessed it before.”

  “The wooden cylinders with something engraved on them.”

  Karel nodded. “Despite its specific function, it’s not as effective. Especially, when I used the prototypes during that operation, it had risks and I also selected people to be trapped since I know them myself.”

  Prince Jericho replied, “And yet, the Gateway itself is already a big help.”

  “Yes. Allying with us means you have the access to these privileges.”

  “How can you be so sure that you’re not going to invade us in the future?”

  Princess Belle chuckled. “I see you’ve nurtured this young man well, Duke Streya. He’s always asking the right questions. He’s bound to be a good leader.”

  “Thank you for the compliments, Your Highness.”

  “You see, little prince, we’ve already seen war and fought in it. I would never want to experience another one again if I could. It’s very ugly, and… horrible.”

  Prince Jericho swallowed visibly.

  “But, with the Gateway here, some Ramayans might visit. That’s for sure. They will stay for some time but they will also return to the empire because, like I said, they like living in the comfort of their homes. Some of us even live in seclusion.”

  “We’ve only known the immortals to be legends until centuries ago.”

  The Ramayans turned silent and looked at each other.

  Tybalt broke the momentary silence, “I’ve got nothing against what religion you believe in but sometimes you need to see the ugly side of it to also see the truth.”

  The older woman shot him a gre. “Tybalt.”

  “Sometimes, those whom you deemed atrocious are actually the people who understood you better, and those people you’ve known for long turned out to be the atrocious ones instead. The irony, really.”

  “Going against the temple will leave you vulnerable,” Karel added. “I told them this is an opportunity and it would both benefit us if we signed a treaty.”

  Through Stavros, Ramaya would be able to trade with Izma, the Grantierran capital of commerce. They won’t let go of such an opportunity.

  The father and son discussed among themselves as the other party looked at each other inquisitively.

  Duke Streya asked, putting down the papers on the table after their short deliberation, “Do you have anything against the temple?”

  Her Imperial Highness hummed. “Nothing, to be honest. Karel might have some grievances against them though.”

  Karel scowled. “They’re a bunch of fools and hypocrites. They don’t live what they preach.”

  Tybalt huffed. “It’s not as if you travel as you’ve said before you left for Grantierra.”

  Karel harrumphed. “Oh c’mon, no personal business here!”

  Laughter erupted as they continued bantering.

  “Just know this, Duke Streya, if war broke out in the empire, and like the other vassal states, you will be unaffected. You still have your own sovereignty and are only allied with us.” Her Imperial Highness also put down the papers on the table. “Every transaction must be transparent between the states and if there are ever accidental problems, they would be solved. However, causing harm to anyone or anything with intent, execution awaits them. Simple rules to be followed, right?”

  Prince Jericho leaned back. “They said Ramayans are scary. I cannot see it now.”

  Her Highness ughed. “We are but we can also be kind to anyone.”

  Tybalt procured his pen out of thin air and remarked, “Now then, shall we wrap this up?”

  “Tybalt.”

  “I’m already hungry, aunt. I also want to try their dishes.”

  Her Imperial Highness shook her head fondly.

  After the treaty was signed and publicized the next day, the Stavovrian officials held a little feast inside the Livariel Castle attended by the nobles, diplomatic guests from Astadvran and the Ramayan Imperials. The Stavrovian nobles reluctantly presented themselves to Princess Belle and Prince Tybalt whenever Duke Streya called for them.

  As for Karel, he conversed with Prince Jericho alongside Kani.

  “I’ve known Master Kani through the Minister of Trade but we have yet to talk for this long.”

  Kani chuckled. “That’s right.”

  “It must have been really a good thing to have everyone meet like this then,” Karel remarked, then sipped on his gss.

  He let the two other men conversed with each other while he observed the festive hall. No familiar faces except for the Padin he encountered during the monsters’ subjugation in Astadvran.

  According to Kani, while a Padin, he’s also a prince and usually sent outside the kingdom for diplomatic matters.

  Once they shared eye contact, Karel smiled at him. The Astadvrani Prince bid farewell to the people flocking around him and made his way to the blond.

  “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Your Highness,” he greeted tensely.

  “It’s indeed a pleasure. You seemed annoyed by the nobles around you so I motioned you over.”

  “You…”

  “Hm?” Karel tilted his head sideways.

  “You…” The prince heaved a deep breath and held tightly onto the gss cup. “You have the same voice as the Ramayan during the subjugation…”

  “Ah, that was indeed me.”

  “I…”

  “Think nothing of it. I merely helped since I was looking for something and I thought I’d find it there.”

  “My father was looking for you.”

  “Should I pay him a visit one time? It’s usually Tybalt who cooperates with Astadvran though.”

  “Tybalt?”

  Karel pointed at the raven-haired man beside the blond woman. “You should have seen him once, unless he hasn’t visited this lifetime. We usually renew the contracts and treaties with our allies every 30 years.”

  “That’s news to me.”

  “But, aren’t you the eldest son?”

  The prince sighed and drank from his gss. “I was, until I possessed divine powers and my second brother became the crown prince.”

  Karel nodded in understanding. “You should be grateful, you know. It’s hard to be a prince, especially the next-in-line.”

  He scoffed. “You talk as if you’ve experienced it.”

  “I didn’t but I served the former crown princess.”

  “Former?”

  “Yes. She died during the Ramayan Civil War.”

  The prince nodded absentmindedly. “I haven’t heard of any civil war in Ramaya though?”

  “Oh, that was 4,000 years ago.”

  The prince blinked his eyes, then stared at him in astonishment.

  “By the way, what’s your name?”

  Once out of his stupor, he saluted, “I am Gueridd Llycester van Astadvran.”

  Karel returned the gesture. “Karel Marles.”

  With determined eyes, he blurted, “I hope we can have a friendly spar one time.”

  Karel only chuckled, definitely amused by his words.

  The small feast eventually ended an hour before midnight as the guests finally bade their goodbyes.

  Karel cheerily shooed his aunt and Tybalt off to his portal while he remained in Stavros much to the duke and prince’s confusion.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I have matters to attend here so I stayed.”

  Duke Streya crossed his arms on his chest. “If you say so.”

  Prince Jericho, “Where are you staying?”

  “I’m staying with Master Kani at the moment. So,” he bowed to the two, “goodnight, gentlemen.”

  The uncle and nephew only looked at each other.

  “So, you’re actually acquainted with the duke?” Kani asked when he felt Karel’s presence inside their leased room.

  Karel hummed while taking his coat off. “Well, yeah, I guess.”

  “And what do you think of the Astadvrani Prince?”

  Karel removed his boots and plopped down on the bed. “He’s a silent one, aloof but blunt. A little headstrong but can be easily annoyed.”

  “I see.” Kani remained seated then snatched the gss of wine on the table. “The blond woman you’re accompanying a while back…”

  “That’s our aunt. She’s Duke Marles first degree cousin.”

  “Really? She does look like your age though.”

  “Indeed. But, she’s definitely millennia older than us.”

  “A woman with grace and regality. She’s definitely imposing and just by the look in her eyes, you know she won’t tolerate bullshit.”

  Karel chuckled at his words. “That’s right. She can actually screw you over ten times. No one angers her, not even her younger brother, or my father back then.”

  He hummed, tapping the gss. “Right.”

  “How’s the talk with Prince Jericho, by the way?”

  Kani leaned back, hair loose enough to sway with his movements. “I can continue my business in Stavros despite what happened.” Amber eyes gnced at him. “The change you brought them… I hope it’s a good thing.”

  “Ramayans attract chaos, sure, but we don’t wish chaos upon someone when they also have goodwill towards us.”

  Kani hummed knowingly. “You are petty… to some extent.”

  Karel chuckled, rolling to his side to face the master sitting by the table. “Am I?”

  “You are.” He slightly tilted the gss, looking at the wine in it. “Little things even anger you. What sort of temperament is that?”

  “And you become more talkative when you’re drunk.”

  He smmed the gss cup onto the table. “I’m not drunk!”

  The blond ughed more. “Drunk people say that a lot.”

  “Are you using my words against me now?”

  “But, Master,” Karel grinned mischievously, “you are indeed drunk.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “Not.”

  “Drunk.”

  “Sober.”

  “Arguing with me is going nowhere.”

  “I could go anywhere with you.”

  Karel chuckled, giddy about hearing those words, “Master is really drunk.”

  “I’m not!”

  “What do you like about Ramaya most?”

  “You…” Kani widened his eyes and looked at Karel. “You… What kind of question is that?”

  He slightly squinted at him. “Oh, I thought you liked me.”

  The brunet fondly smiled. “Of course, I like you.”

  Karel grinned, then ughed when he saw Kani’s horrified expression next. “I know you really like me, Master.”

  Kani’s face flushed into a deeper crimson as he panicked on what to do. He averted his gaze elsewhere, then put more wine on his gss before chugging it down.

  “Yes, I must have consumed more than I should have.” He went to the other side of the bed, settled himself under the bnkets and closed his eyes. “I am going to sleep now. Goodnight.”

  Karel’s ughter echoed in the room, clearly amused by the brunet’s actions.