"What do you mean, you're getting married!" Olivia felt alarmed by her friend's statement, and she struggled to process what he was saying. "Marriage? Like actually getting married?"
Bruno snorted and flicked her on the head. "A lot has happened. I really have been busy, so calling or getting time to hang out has been harder than you think. I mentioned that they treated me poorly since I was a commoner. Well, after I showed them why I was placed into this guild and how strong I was, they finally decided to give me an actual chance, and I got to impress some higher-ups in the guild."
"Wow. That's amazing."
She always knew that Bruno was strong. When it came to being a fast learner, he was the best. He could continually rapidly improve, and thanks to the Old Bird's Flapping Wings, a technique that Rosco taught him, Bruno was able to cheat in battle and recover that impressive strength if he lost it. That was one of the many reasons he was a fighter most people couldn't deal with. Old Bird's Flapping Wings was just a cheat move, one that she wasn't able to learn, which annoyed her greatly, even if Polymorph did work as a weaker version in a way.
"So, you showed them how strong you are, but what does that have to do with you getting married?" Olivia asked.
Bruno let out an awkward laugh. "Well, they still don't like commoners. This guild is filled with spoiled rich kids who grew up and got control of the world. They naturally want to surround themselves with other spoiled rich kids."
Olivia nodded, following along. "You're not rich, though? Are they making you marry someone so your overall position rises?"
"That's my best guess." Bruno hummed. "They didn't say officially, but I think the thought of having a country bumpkin like me in their ranks is making them look bad, so they want to bump me up on the social pecking order to where I reach an acceptable level. Father also went on and on about how it's an honor and a sacred rite or something; I didn't fully pay attention since I was in shock." He chuckled.
Olivia's frown grew as she listened to his words. "Sacred rite? They're taking marriage pretty seriously, aren't they?" Then again, she never saw the appeal of marriage. She did like people and liked the thought of being with someone for the rest of her life, but she was also greedy and didn't want just one person. "Wait, who are you even marrying anyway?"
"I have no idea!"
"What?" Olivia nearly fell back as Bruno revealed his ignorance happily. "What do you mean you have no idea?"
"I mean, I have no idea." Bruno folded his arms and shrugged. "They haven't told me her name or what she looks like. The others also don't seem to know. I think Father is the only one, since he's the head of the guild and the one who is setting it up. His vice captain, Tori, might know as well. I asked her who it was, and she just laughed at me and walked away… I hope the one they want me to marry isn't some bad person they're pawning off on me."
"This feels wrong," Olivia muttered. "It also feels shady. Can't you say no or refuse? Being forced into a marriage is already wrong, but marrying someone you don't even know? That's like so many red flags."
"I did bring up how I wasn't comfortable with the process," Bruno admitted. "They told me it was for the good of the guild, and I needed to do this if I wanted to stay as a member of the Shining Sentinels."
"They'd kick you out if you refused?" They wanted him to marry into nobility because he was strong and worthy, but if he refused, they'd simply throw him away? That didn't seem very fair.
"They didn't say they'd kicked me out, but they implied it." Bruno let out a weak sigh. "If I'm being honest, I actually debated leaving this guild. They're not evil, but they're all out of touch. They don't understand how people who aren't nobles work. Less than one percent of the kingdom is actually made up of nobility, with the other ninety-nine percent being commoners who are struggling to get by."
"So why did you decide to stay? You said you debated it, but you're still here and working your ass off from what I saw."
Bruno's hands slowly balled into a tight fist, and the image of his father came to his mind. "I'll work with anyone, even people I don't like, and I'll do anything, even something I don't like, all so I get my chance at revenge. Love them or hate them, everyone has to agree, the Shining Sentinels are the strongest guild around, and through them, I have the greatest chance to cultivate my power and find the bastard that hurt so many innocent people."
Olivia felt her mouth go dry as she listened to his speech. She was the same in a way. She was still going to work with Maya, regardless of the consequences, because through Maya, she could grow stronger, and strength was what was needed. She had to grow.
She desperately wanted to tell Bruno about Maya. She trusted her friend, but she knew that wouldn't be possible. The thought of that hand on her heart caused her to keep her mouth sealed shut. Luckily, Bruno didn't seem to notice the turmoil going through her head as he kept talking.
"Besides," Bruno cracked a grin. "It really isn't all bad. I don't want it to seem like every member of this guild is twisted or the typical 'all nobles are evil' trope. There are several good people, and many of them do their best to help everyone. I was shocked to learn that Lady Tori gives millions of Bells every year to refugee camps and orphanages. Even someone like her has a heart, I guess."
"That's nice. I used to look up to Tori, but… Well, it's good to know even she has her good side, I guess."
Bruno gave another nod. "I'd like for things to be better as well. I want to rise through the ranks of this guild and show them that it isn't your status that matters. I want to help make a change. I know how the common people think because I was part of the common people. The Knights are heroes. We're tools meant to serve the citizens of the kingdom. Bit by bit, I want to fix the twisted cogs in this machine."
"I had a similar way of thinking," Olivia admitted. "And if Ash is anything like how he used to be, I bet he'll have the same goals." She let out a snort. "Bit by bit. Think we can all do it?"
"It won't be easy. It'll take years of leading by example, but…" Bruno's grin grew, and he gave her a thumbs-up. "I truly believe this kingdom can be saved. A kingdom for its people. A system that helps them. A group of Knights that will be the heroes who always save the day."
It was a childish dream.
Wanting everything to simply be better and to fix all the obvious surface problems. Such issues were not ones that could be solved with power or done in an effortless manner. In fact, one wouldn't be wrong if they were to claim that it was impossible, nothing but a fairy tale. The perfect kingdom didn't exist.
That's the nice thing about dreams, though. They're easy to have and easy to strive toward. They give someone a purpose.
And sometimes, they make amazing stories.
The two of them stayed there, and even more time passed. The moon hung well above in the sky, casting them in a silver light, but they didn't care. They just talked and held onto each other, spending time that they might not have later.
Unknown to either Bruno or Olivia, something was about to occur.
"Jeez, they're taking forever." Back near the entrance, where Pock had teleported them in, Pretty Face looked extremely bored and kept tapping her foot down.
"Give her some time." Ken's arms remained folded, and she leaned against a tree. "That guy is pretty important to her, from what I understand."
"That was really nice of you, giving her time alone with her friend!" Pock said cheerfully, giving Ken a thumbs-up.
"I have my moments," Ken smirked, before her gaze returned to Pretty Face. "So, you've been a Knight for a while, right? After all, you're an important member of the Shining Sentinels guild."
"So what if I am?" Pretty Face raised an eyebrow. "Want my autograph?"
Ken shook her head. "No. I did have a question, though."
"Yes?"
"Evelyn Lunar. Know anything about her?"
Pretty Face's face turned into a nasty look. "That spoiled bitch. Haru, don't get me started. She was always so stuck up and acted like she was better than everyone. Anytime we worked together, she always got all the attention, and the king favored her constantly, even giving her her own guild. Of course, she didn't even pick a good name. Hydra Storm? So ugly sounding, right? Then, somehow, she was promoted to a special position working directly under the king. I hope she goes bald from stress!"
"So, I take it you don't like her either?" Ken snorted.
"What gave it away?" Pretty Face gave a slight smirk. "Wait, why were you asking?"
"Nothing." Ken lied as easily as she breathed. "Just gossiping." Her thoughts drifted back to Sieg. "Just thinking…"
***
Meanwhile…
"Captain Laerton," Father rested in his chair and gave a soft smirk to the woman before him. He snapped his fingers, and Tori raised a cup of tea to his lips, allowing him to drink from it. When he was done, he let out a satisfied sigh. "What brings you here?"
Laerton's foul mood only grew as she gazed at the man. It took her nearly four hours to get this meeting with him, as the man kept refusing to see her, claiming he was busy. After he ran out of excuses, he was finally forced to let her in.
The room was just as bad as she remembered.
Father's personal office was on the top floor of the tree castle. It was an extravagant place, with walls forged of ivory and shelves of books that cost more than some houses. Expensive paintings hung on the walls, a bearskin rug lay on the floor, and Father himself was seated behind a desk, wearing silken robes that could feed a family of five for years.
It was such a flaunting of money and so obnoxious that it actually became almost silly.
At the end of the day, it was still important to remember that this man, despite how goofy he might seem to be in this moment, was the strongest captain alive and the greatest male Arcane Knight currently available.
Standing next to Father was his vice captain, Tori. The other Helios member looked as annoyed as Laerton did, as she was being treated like a servant, following Father's orders to the letter.
"Cut the crap, Father." Laerton casually pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. That caused Father's smile to fade, and he wrinkled his nose as she blew a puff of smoke his way. "You know damn well why I'm here."
Father rubbed his chin. "Have you come to announce how worthless your guild is and beg for my protection? I'm honored, but I'm afraid I'm also busy right now."
"You're such an asshole." Laerton rolled her eyes. "The Enforcer Games." She blew another puff of smoke his way. "Why the hell did you put Phoenix Flight down as one of the participants?"
Father let out a small chuckle. "Well, you know how it goes. Every few years, when the Enforcer Games come around, we have to pick two guilds to participate in that dungeon. We wouldn't want it to grow unstable and unleash a grave threat, would we?"
Dungeons were random. They could be a mismatch of floors and areas, and they always appeared at different points in space and time. There was, however, one dungeon known to have a pattern that could be understood. Every four years, a dungeon known as the Enforcer Games would appear.
This dungeon always appeared in the same spot, at the same time, and was always the same number of floors, which were also all the same each time. This dungeon was the only one like that as far as everyone knew, and it didn't just appear in Esteria.
It cycled through the nations in an order. It would appear in Mordheim and then one year later would appear in Esteria. Another year later, it would appear in Rossum, and then, lastly, in Gallenth. After it appeared in Gallenth, it would then go back to Mordheim, and the cycle would restart.
Since it always took a year for it to travel, this meant it would appear in each land every four years. It was last seen in Mordheim, so the next land it would jump to is Esteria. Another strange fact about the dungeon was that the order in which it was traveling was the reverse order of when the nations were all founded.
Mordheim was the last great nation to be created and was the first to gain this dungeon. Esteria was built after Rossum but before Mordheim, and of course, Gallenth was the first great nation ever created and was the final one on the cycle.
This dungeon was also famous for another reason. This was the dungeon that the Lord of Threads entered and became lost on the other side. People thought he would have returned quickly since the dungeon cycles through the world each year, and yet when it did shift, he was nowhere to be seen and remained lost for countless years until he just walked out of a different dungeon one day.
The Enforcers Games was a dungeon that held a lot of mystery behind it, and in one month, when it appeared, Phoenix Flight would be tasked with entering it.
"Why did you put my guild down?" Laerton demanded again.
Father raised a palm as if to tell her to hush. "Two guilds always have to be selected. We picked Pantheon and you. My guild, Umbra Mortis, and the Mourning Stars are simply far too busy to play those silly games."
"What about Oak Watchers? Or the Wandering Coin, or even Hydra Storm? One of them can do it."
"Ah. They said they didn't want to."
"You bastard!" Laerton's teeth ground together. "This isn't the first time you've fucked with me, either. You kept my two recruits away and refused to let Ken and Sieg join when they should have."
Father chuckled at her rage. "Relax. Sieg Hawker was being punished for running away. We had to teleport him back to the arena. It's his fault that he wasn't able to join your guild when he should have. As for Ken… Anyway, back to the topic of the Enforcer Games, I hear you and Pantheon have gotten close. It'll do you both some good."
"That isn't the point." Laerton gave him an annoyed look. "The Enforcer Games aren't something I'm interested in."
"Come now, won't it be a good way to test your recruits?" Father asked, his lips curving upwards. "I'm sure you want to know which squad has the better newbies. Think about how good it would feel if your guild came out on top. Of course, that won't happen; after all, Pantheon is an actual guild, unlike yours, but still."
Laerton's eye twitched. "Are you even able to say a single nice thing?"
"To those who are worthy."
"You're the worst." Laerton clicked her tongue.
"An impossibility, considering you exist." Father clicked his tongue back at her. "Look, if you don't wish to compete in the Enforcer Games, then simply get one of the other guilds to take your place, though you might make Myth a bit sad. He was looking forward to seeing you there."
"I doubt he said that." Laerton went to stand up and let out a sigh. "Whatever. I'll go demand Gorgon takes my place and-" Laerton suddenly let out a hiss of pain and raised her arm up. The sleeve dropped down, revealing a thin red bracelet that was wrapped around her wrist. The fabric glowed, and steam began to rise off of it. "Shit. Are you kidding me? Not good." Laerton's eyes widened as she stared at it.
"What? What is it?" Father suddenly grew serious, and Tori stared at the magical object with wide eyes. "What's the situation?"
Laerton bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. "A precaution."
"A precaution? What do you mean?" Father demanded.
"After they attacked him and showed that they wanted him to die, I felt that they might try to attack him once again. Because of that, when he wasn't looking, I slipped a mana thread into his outfit and had Clause sew it in. I put a simple enchantment and vow into it. Should the mana of the being that tore his heart out brush that thread, it'll alert me."
"Wait." Tori's eyes widened. "The one who was attacked was the second coming of the E- I mean, it was Davi Hawker, right?" Her metal creaked as she balled her hands into a fist. "Are you saying he's being attacked again?"
"That's right." Laerton nodded. "That same bastard." She glared at Father. "Get off your ass. We have to go save my recruit."
Father let out a sigh and rubbed his temple. "Working with Phoenix Flight. How sad. Oh well." He then smiled. "At least I'll be able to take the glory when I murder the fuckers who harmed my kingdom. Alright, Laer, let's go save your precious recruit."
***
Meanwhile…
"I thought you'd be taller."
Davi winced and weakly stared up as the tip of a sword pressed into his neck, drawing a line of blood that ran down his throat. He was on his knees, his armor torn to bits, and his body banged up.
Standing in front of him, holding the sword, was a man with snow-white hair and gentle purple eyes. The main character finally came face-to-face with Davi Hawker.
Adam's lips curved up into a smile, and his fingers twitched on the handle of his sword. "Davi Hawker?" He let out a soft hum and reached down with his other hand, cupping Davi's cheek. His thumb brushed out, rubbing the nasty scar over his eye. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Adam Hawker."