Nolan's curiosity grew. Although the name wasn't mentioned, it was clear that Melody was deliberately leaving it out.
"But will Uncle Antares be attending the reception?" Melody asked, her tone changing slightly.
Nolan shook his head slowly.
"Dad is still secluded in the Arathen Church Hall. I don't think he'll be coming."
Melody sighed softly. Her expression seemed sincere.
"I heard that Uncle Antares's health is deteriorating. I hope he's taking care of himself."
Before Nolan could respond, Melody grabbed Selena's arm and dragged her toward the noble clothing store.
"Hey—!" Selena tried to struggle, but it was futile.
Nolan could only sigh. He knew that for Melody, noble standards weren't just about taste; they were the unwritten rules for anyone who wanted to be near her—and near him.
Some time later, they returned to the Death God Guild.
The sight always gave Nolan an indescribable feeling.
The Death God Guild was a major guild not affiliated with the Governing Council or the Aurora Association. It was a force in its own right. It was more influential than any other major guild, even surpassing the four noble guilds.
Night had fallen completely.
The main courtyard of the Guild Castle was bathed in the light of the full moon. The expansive lake reflected a silvery sheen, creating a beautiful yet desolate and oppressive ambiance.
All of the Death God Guild members had gathered and lined up in orderly rows.
Although they all wore dragon badges, their robes were different colors—blue, black, and purple—signifying their respective affiliations and roles.
Nolan stood at the forefront.
As crown prince, he wore a white robe over his black attire. To his left, Selena and Julian wore blue robes, joining the other members wearing the same color.
Blue.
Blue symbolizes the power of the Star Pillar and the authority of Antares Caelthorn, their father.
On the right, the Sentinel members wore purple robes. Melody stood at the forefront. Purple symbolized the power of the Moon Pillar, which was held by Maven Caelthorn. Meanwhile, the Sentinels in the center wore black robes edged with yellow lines forming a sun-like symbol. Black symbolizes the power of the Black Sun Pillar, which is held and controlled by Vincent Caelthorn.
The three major Pillars form the core of the Death God Guild: the Sun Pillar, the Moon Pillar, and the Star Pillar.
At the forefront stood a man dressed in glamorous purple with a transparent hood covering his head. He was Maven Caelthorn, the older brother of Nolan's father, known as the prince of glamour.
Seeing that his father was not present at the reception, Nolan concluded that Antares was still in exile and being represented by Maven. Nevertheless, the reception was an insult to Catherine, who currently ruled the Kingdom of Arathen with the Council of Lords in her favor.
The castle's main courtyard was quiet at night. A gust of wind blew through Nolan's long, white hair while the lake before him rippled gently. He looked up and gazed at the beautiful moonlight. Suddenly, however, a vortex of black mixed with deep purple appeared, seeming to swallow the moonlight. It looked as if the sun had absorbed all the moonlight, creating a dark sun.
The clear sky turned a deep purple. A portal opened in the sky, completely obscuring the moonlight. Two black, scaly dragons known as the Heaven-Defying Dragons escaped from within, followed by a man with long, flowing black hair that reached down to his waist. He wore a flowing black robe with a collar shaped like dragon scales.
He stepped onto an invisible path in the sky, and with each step, cracks like broken glass appeared.
From the right, members of the Moon Pillars dressed in purple robes bowed their heads, one hand placed on their chest in salute.
"Welcome, Master Vincent. The Moon Alliance will always be loyal to you."
After the Moon Pillars saluted, the Sun and Star Pillars—led by Nolan—bowed their heads with their hands crossed. Nolan himself only bowed briefly as a sign of respect for his uncle, the older brother of his father, before raising his head again. The others remained bowed, including Maven, Nolan's uncle.
"Maven pays his respects to Master Vincent," he said, his head still bowed.
Two Heaven-Defying Dragons slithered through the air like snakes. Their long bodies, covered in sharp, protruding scales, circled the ranks of people with glowing eyes and terrifying faces, as if to intimidate the entire audience.
When one of the dragons passed him with its piercing gaze, Nolan felt no real fear. For some reason, his heart remained calm. The dragon simply passed by, then glared coldly at the other ranks, making Julian nearly fall backward before quickly bowing again. Selena also bowed her head.
Vincent, still in the air, slowly floated down and approached Maven.
"Maven, you don't have to be so stiff with me," Vincent said in a relaxed tone.
His previous presence had been domineering, exuding absolute power and authority. However, he seemed much more relaxed towards the remaining family members, especially his siblings. He waved his hand gently, signaling his two Legendary Magic Beasts to stop intimidating them.
The two Heaven-Defying Dragons appeared to understand the command. Their long bodies slithered through the air and reentered the dark purple portal, which slowly closed behind them. Moonlight reappeared, illuminating the night sky that had been engulfed in darkness.
"Yes, Brother," Maven said, his demeanor softening.
Vincent then glanced at the rest of the Guild.
"You should return to the castle."
The Guild members all nodded in unison. Vincent's gaze fell on Nolan and Melody.
"Nolan, Melody, You come with me. I have something to discuss with you."
He then turned to Maven. "You, too."
Shortly after, the group dispersed. Nolan found himself standing alone in the empty courtyard—his two friends had returned to the dormitory. Melody seemed to understand Vincent's intentions, but Nolan had no idea what they were talking about.
"Of course. How about we discuss it in the Moon Garden?" Maven suggested.
Vincent nodded curtly.
Nolan didn't ask any questions; he simply followed the small group as they turned toward the lake instead of the castle. A large boat had been prepared at the water's edge. They boarded one by one, with Nolan being the last.
The boat resembled a standard-sized ship, but it was clearly powered by technology and required no captain. Maven gently stroked the purple crystal embedded in the boat's tip. The crystal lit up and the boat slowly moved across the calm surface of the lake.
As the boat moved, Nolan's gaze fell on a gazebo in the distance. The beautiful, serene structure was surrounded by rows of neatly arranged plants that beautified the Moon Garden area. The sight reminded Nolan of the miniature Moon Garden at Maven's residence in Moon City.
The boat pulled into a small dock. The small group stepped into a large gazebo overlooking the calm lake. Inside the gazebo, two large, elegant chairs faced each other and the water's surface, reflecting the moonlight.
Vincent and Maven sat in the chairs. Nolan took a medium-sized chair on the left, positioned slightly away from his two uncles.
Melody, on the other hand, stood out. She wore a rather daring outfit yet still exuded the elegance of a noblewoman. She pushed a small cart filled with crystal glasses and two bottles of fine wine.
She opened one of the bottles, poured wine into a glass, and handed it to Maven and Vincent first. Then she poured herself a glass and passed the last one to Nolan.
"Even though you're only sixteen, there's no harm in being a little naughty," she said with a wink.
Nolan simply rolled his eyes. He averted his gaze, choosing to focus on the calm lake rather than respond to the beautiful yet annoying woman before him.
She didn't seem bothered by his coldness at all. Instead, she seemed engrossed in conversation with a girl with jet-black hair sitting beside her. Nolan recognized her—he'd seen her before at Melody's shop in Dominiq City. If he remembered correctly, her name was Narcissa.
Despite their large age difference, the two women seemed very close, chatting casually as if there were no distance between them.
However, Nolan's attention slowly shifted. He was no longer looking at the lake view, but rather at Vincent and Maven's conversation. Without realizing it, his hearing had become much sharper.
"You've been in seclusion for so long, brother," Maven said, raising his wine glass. "I've been missing my wine-drinking companion. Besides, I purposely transformed the side area of the guild grounds into a moon garden."
Vincent swayed the glass in his hand, observing the color of the wine, and then took a slow whiff.
"During my absence, you managed the Guild very well," he said dryly. "I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said there's no one like you when it comes to managing the Guild and its business."
Maven smiled faintly. "I'm flattered by your praise, Brother."
He then sighed softly. "It's a shame Antares is still in seclusion at the Arathen Church Hall. His health doesn't allow him to leave. It's been a long time since the three Caelthorn brothers have been together."
Maven raised his glass slightly higher. Vincent responded, and their glasses clinked softly, producing a clear, crystalline sound amid the silence of the Moon Garden.
"Because we're of the same mind," Vincent concluded.
"Besides, I heard you caused quite a stir in the Palace Hall. Of course, Catherine didn't expect you to return from seclusion," Maven said, taking a sip of his wine. He continued casually, "You've been busy lately, Brother. Since coming out of seclusion, you haven't returned to lead the Guild."
"I left exile for a reason," Vincent replied. "I never expected Hades to reappear, even though he was badly injured. I couldn't just relax. Moreover, from what I've heard, Catherine has been increasingly out of control in her leadership of Arathen, even since Antares was in exile."
Maven sighed softly. "I've met Antares. Someone is assisting Hades—someone capable of deceiving the Horoscope. What still seems odd is that Hades could just appear in the Kaffal region."