"The Silverline Tavern"- a big sign hanging on the bar's front. The tavern near the end of Misty Market Street was already alive when Sebastian and Reinhardt stepped inside.
The air carried the smell of wine, ale, booze, roasted meat, and damp wool from coats left too long in the fog outside.
The "Foundations of Esoterica" lay hidden within, his coat. Taverns were not where he usually spent his nights; they were loud, unpredictable, full of careless strangers. But Reinhardt had insisted with a smile, and so here he was.
Reinhardt was already at the counter before Sebastian, standing taller than most men around him, his distinctive features and his noble clothes looking impossibly out of place among the stained shirts and patched jackets.
When Sebastian approached, Reinhardt glanced over his shoulder and smirked.
"Finally. I was starting to think you'd left me to drink alone for a second there."
"I nearly turned back after you left for the counter" Sebastian admitted.
"That would've been a shame. I already ordered for us." Reinhardt gestured at the barkeep, who slid two mugs of their most expensive wine considering Reinhardt's attire across the polished counter. "6 Lire each. It's the most expensive wine here-Frostpetal wine. It's not a daylight robbery considering the crowd and mostly you gentlemen."
"Frostpetal wine? I'm not much of a drinker so I don't know much about drinks but that's three times the price of a meal. Six lire for two each basically means one Elar" Sebastian thought inwardly as he was gnawed by the price. His expression of hesitation can be seen on his face.
Reinhardt swirled his own mug, inhaling the sharp, floral scent with obvious delight. "It's made from blossoms that only grow on the northern cliffs. Half of what you're paying for is the danger of plucking them before the frost melts. Nobles love the story, so the price stays high."
"Yes, this noble gentleman is right about all this. Frostpetal wine is expensive for this exact reason", the barkeep said.
"I see. You didn't seem like someone who knows this much about drink. Are you an alcoholic?. Sebastian teased Reinhardt.
"No, definitely not. I only know this as someone who is from a high society. Besides It is only my third time drinking."
Sebastian frowned at the frothing mug. "But, I didn't agree to drink."
"Are you joking? You definitely did when you followed me inside. There's no going back now" Reinhardt picked up both mugs, pushing one into Sebastian's hand. "Besides, it's only wine. You won't die."
Sebastian muttered something inwardly but followed Reinhardt to a table at the corner of the tavern. The tavern was crowded enough that men shifted to make space for them, eyeing Reinhardt's polished coat and silver-thread cuffs with a mixture of suspicion and jealousy.
They had already sat down when a man from a nearby bench leaned over, grinning through crooked teeth. A deck of cards slapped in his palm.
"You two up for a game? Winner takes the pot. The rules are simple."
Reinhardt glanced at him once, then at Sebastian, then back. "And what would we be betting?"
"Coins, of course."
Reinhardt chuckled, low and amused. "Tempting, but no. We've come to talk, not to lose money to your nimble fingers."
Its not like I lack any though.
The man's grin faltered, then returned weaker than before. "Suit yourselves." He moved on to another table.
Sebastian felt a bit annoyed . "Do you always attract gamblers the moment you sit down?"
"Gamblers, thieves, women, priests," Reinhardt said lightly, sipping from his mug. "Something about me just invites trouble. But I've stopped questioning it."
"You seem more and more like a street gambler than an aristocrat or high society person connected to a church".
"It's just my natural trait haha", Reinhardt put up with an excuse.
Sebastian sighed, but a corner of his mouth twitched. He took a careful sip of the Frostpetal Wine. Little bitter, sweet aroma, overall very good but stronger than he expected. Pleasant and warming.
"How is it? Doesn't it taste good?"
"A little bitter yeah but overall good", Sebastian stated.
"Thats probably because you are a first time drinker", Reinhardt gave a smirk drinking his.
Their talk began with family introductions.
Reinhardt leaned back with his mug, the lamplight catching faintly in his eyes. "So, scholar, you've been talking about complex stuffs like books all night. What about your family? Surely they aren't all shelves and parchment."
Sebastian hesitated for a moment, then answered, "My father is an Archbishop of the Church of the Dreaming Goddess. Its located in the middle of Cindrallis. His work keeps him late most nights. My mother manages our home. And my sister—" he allowed the faintest smile, "—has a wit sharp enough to humble me daily."
Reinhardt's brows rose. "An Archbishop's son, then. That explains the posture and the discipline. And here I thought you were just born stern."
"But the Church of Dreaming Architect, isn't it called the Church of Imagination? I once heard that it has a Goddess", Reinhardt thought inwardly.
Sebastian gave him a side glance, unimpressed. "And you? I doubt you spend your evenings in libraries."
Reinhardt smirked, raising his glass. "Hardly. My father is the High Priest himself. He is from the Church of Two Faced God. My family doesn't let me forget it. I'm dragged to ceremonies, dinners, councils, balls… tonight was no exception."
Sebastian blinked observing him more closely. "So we are both sons of the Church. Interesting."
"Two sides of the same coin," Reinhardt replied lightly, though his tone carried a shadow of irony.
Reinhardt listened with a faint smile. When his turn came, he leaned back as though the question amused him.
"My family," he said, "lives in halls lined with portraits of various persons who all look the same. I only have my Father and my maid Lucy to call family. Dinners are mostly empty talks without much humour, its only about official things. It's suffocating sometimes, if you ask me. Rules, etiquette, duty, all wrapped up in polished silverware. Reading books is all I can do to not pass out from boredom."
"What about your mother? No, pardon my rudeness", Sebastian apologised asking.
"No you don't need to, it's ok…Actually my mother passed away when I was child. My father loved her so much that he didn't marry anyone after her which most high society men usually do. I only remember her beautiful face with red hairs similar to mine from that one memory of her which I have left." He said with a sorrowful look in his eyes. But he quickly cheered up after another sip of Frostpetal Wine.
Reinhardt glanced at Sebastian , curiosity flashing. "By the way… those red eyes and that white hair of yours. They are a rare pairing. I don't think I've ever seen anyone like this in Cindrallis. What's the story behind them?"
Sebastian looked down. "That's a secret. It's connected to "that incident" but I think I should leave this story for some other time".
"I understand. I'll be waiting to hear that story…And this hair and eyes of yours actually looks good by the way, kind of like angels of from mythical stories", Reinhardt said with a smile.
Sebastian quickly responded. "These things aren't like a blessing which most people tend to think. I faced plenty because of it—mockery, suspicion. Maybe it's my fault or not. My family has the same features as mine. And like you said, sometimes I just wonder if I'm even human at all"
Reinhardt shook his head firmly. "Bullsh*t! You're definitely a human. And more than that—you're good looking, you'll get ladies easily. At least to me, dear friend."
"Friend, heh", Sebastian gave a small and surprised smirk unable to help himself.
"Anyways enough with this emotionally depressing talk", Reinhardt said cheering up the mood.
"That "Dear Friend" just now really sounded very offensive for some reason…Are you perhaps interested in men? asked Sebastian with peculiar expression.
"No scholar, definitely not. I like beautiful and cherished women, you can ask my maid if you have any suspicions…please do not embarrass me anymore", Reinhardt denied with a hand-waving gesture and absolute honesty.
"And yet you wear that fancy velvet dress in a tavern," Sebastian said dryly.
Reinhardt's grin widened. "I didn't even plan all this. Who knew that I would run away from the middle of a ball gathering?…"
Sebastian shook his head with another sip.
It was Reinhardt who steered the conversation into darker waters. He set his mug down, eyes narrowing slightly. "You've heard the rumours, haven't you? About the city."
Sebastian paused. "What rumours?"
"The fog," Reinhardt said softly. "People vanish in it. Corpses appear with no marks. Animals refuse food, or behave as though their minds have slipped elsewhere. And men too—walking, but not aware of the surroundings ."
The words stirred something in Sebastian's memory. The man who had stumbled into him yesterday. He was pale, trembling and his were eyes blank. And Mr. Halden at the grocery store muttering about his cows refusing food and milk getting tasteless .
His fingers tightened on the mug.
"You've seen something," Reinhardt guessed.
Sebastian hesitated. "A running man yesterday. He looked gloomy and pale, as though something had left him behind or something horrifying was chasing after him. And Mr Halden's cow—sick, strange, nothing natural about it."
Reinhardt tilted his head. "Then it's not rumor after all. That's useful to know."
Sebastian stared at him. "Useful? People and animals are getting more and more strange! You think that's useful?"
"Not pleasant," Reinhardt corrected calmly, "but useful. Rumors are just like smoke. Smoke only generates from fire. Better to know that the fire is real than to wander blind."
Sebastian shook his head. "You treat this too lightly."
"Do I?" Reinhardt leaned back while smile tugging at his lips. "Or do I treat it the only way that keeps me sane? If you stare too long into the shadow, they'll eventually swallow you whole. It is better to your humours once in a while."
"You sound like a fool."
"A dignified fool, I hope." Reinhardt raised his mug in a mock toast. "Tell me, Sebastian—do you ever laugh? Or only when you stumble on a forgotten library?"
Sebastian groaned rubbing his temple. "Some of us don't mistake wine for wisdom."
"Quite the sharp tongue you have there," Reinhardt said with a grin. "Keep that up and people will think you're a priest."
"That's rich, coming from a noble who dresses for a ball while drinking with peasants."
Reinhardt laughed, loud enough to turn heads at nearby tables. His laughter was unguarded yet beneath it Sebastian caught glimpses of something else. A calm gravity in his eyes, a stillness in the way he moved once the laughter faded.
He was like a carefree brat a dignified gentleman, like a fool drunkard yet a serious judge. A jester and a lord at once.
It was as if he had two faces or two truths. Perhaps both are real or perhaps neither.
The night wore on. They spoke of their families again, of duties and studies, of rumors and fears. Reinhardt teased and Sebastian annoyed but gradually they found themselves oddly at ease.
When the mugs were nearly empty and the noise of the tavern had softened to a dull hum, Reinhardt leaned forward. "We'll meet again in a week, in that book shop. After we've deciphered that so called "weird" book. Then we'll discuss about what secrets we've discovered from it"
Sebastian thought of rejecting the idea but he nodded eventually.
Suddenly Reinhardt let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, how careless of me," he said. "I just realized—I never introduced myself. So let me do it properly…" He rose from his seat in a graceful manner with one hand resting against his chest as he bowed slightly. Every motion seemed refined and practiced. "My name is Reinhardt Van Astraellis. I am the son of the high priest Sir Aldric Van Astraellis, from the Church of Two Faced God in Norham county. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance mr scholar."
Sebastian blinked as he e was caught off guard for a moment. Then after a brief pause he stood up as well and mirrored the gesture. Though his movements a little stiff in comparison.
"I am Sebastian Stormvale. A student of
the Crown University of Cindrallis." he replied gracefully. His voice was steady yet cautious.
After introducing each other they made their way to the bar counter. Reinhardt laid down 1 Elar with an easy hand and the barkeep nodded while sliding their payment away without a word.
With that, the two stepped out into the night.
At the door, they parted ways. Sebastian heading towards his home on the Redfern Street and Reinhardt towards the palace district where his carriage was at the ball.