《Kings, Soldiers and Wizards [Complete]》 1-Prologue Our repetitive story will begin with a very tall and well-dressed woman who was walking hurriedly down a long corridor made of uneven stone walls and floors. While there are many styles of hallways and it''s unclear where the woman is right now, it''s a fact that this particular hallway was filled with wooden doors on its sides, and occasionally windows disrupted the symmetry in the placement of the doors. Through these windows, if one cared to look, an immense forest of black trees with red leaves extended to the horizon, giving the impression that the tall woman was walking through one of the hallways in her house. However, the truth was that the lady was hurrying down the passages of a gigantic castle surrounded by a picturesque and eye-catching forest. Although the majority of doors in this long corridor were closed, some were slightly ajar. If one were to waste time peeking through the openings, they might observe various rooms where several people dressed in plain and drab clothes were working half-heartedly. The lackluster effort these people put into their work would catch anyone''s attention, and it was true that if one were to study their faces closely, they would realize that they all had something in common: pronounced dark circles around lifeless eyes. It seemed that no one had managed to sleep well last night in this castle. The tall woman looked at the lazy servants with disdain, but far from scolding them for their laziness, she chose to ignore the issue. Instead, with increasingly hurried steps, she made her way to the end of the corridor. This corridor led to a staircase descending to the lower floor where the grand reception room of the castle was located. And I emphasize this because when I describe it as a grand room, I''m not exaggerating. This room was disproportionately high and spacious. To the point that one would wonder if the decision to make everything so large in this castle was due to the whim of one of its former owners or if it was some way of marking the status of the castle''s owners. As the tall woman emerged from the corridor, the first thing she did was approach the wooden railing that prevented people from falling to the lower floor, where the disproportionately large doors of this peculiar castle were located. Despite the considerable distance between the first and second floors ¨C one could easily imagine the tragic history that led to the creation of this railing ¨C the tall lady paid little attention to her safety. She imprudently pushed her body against the railing to peer over it, exposing half her body to the void. This allowed her to look down at the lower floor with a predatory gleam in her eyes, as if she were a bird of prey hunting for a rabbit. A somewhat joyless smile formed on the woman''s face as she observed an old man dressed as a butler on the lower floor. He was sitting on a chest, lazily leaning against the gigantic castle door. Surrounding the old man were young muscular men dressed in gray and white, busy bringing heavy chests and piling them around the old man, who was struggling to keep his eyes open. Despite his weariness, the old and shrewd butler noticed the woman''s predatory gaze. He discreetly stood up and began to shout angrily at the men who were arranging the chests: The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªBe careful with the young master''s belongings! Did you not learn anything while growing up as servants in this castle for so long? The last thing we need is for that young man to want to return in the middle of the journey because we broke some of his toys. The bewildered servants halted their work in astonishment and stared at the old butler, unable to comprehend why he suddenly started yelling at them when they were simply following his instructions. Seeing the butler working earnestly caused the woman to soften her expression for a few seconds. However, her look of displeasure quickly returned to her face, as if she had suddenly remembered something unpleasant. Regardless of her noble image, the tall woman waved her hands angrily and shouted down from the railing to the butler: ¡ªMy dear Alfonso, can you explain where the hell the protagonist of this story has disappeared to? Upon hearing the ironic roar of the woman, the butler quickly met her gaze and with an elegant smile, shrewdly ignored her question and instead responded: ¡ªMy lady, I hadn''t realized you were awake so early. As you can see, your third son''s belongings are nearly all ready to be stored in the carriage. We''ll have everything set to leave soon! ¡ªGreat job, Alfonso! It seems you''re always attentive to details!¡ªThe woman shouted with a hint of irony and annoyance on her face. ¡ªBut you''re forgetting a very insignificant detail, dear butler: storing the most important belonging! ¡ªI could swear we''ve brought all the valuable trunks, my lady¡­¡ªAlfonso replied, pretending not to understand the lady''s indirect message, while looking at her with a rather forced expression of bewilderment. ¡ªYou''re forgetting the biggest trunk!¡ªThe woman shouted with anger and a hint of concern. ¡ªWhere the hell is my son, Alfonso? The carriage needs to depart in an hour or it won''t catch up with the main caravan! The lady''s shouts seemed to have no effect on the old butler, who calmly sat back down on the trunk, under the watchful eye of the woman. With an elegant smile, Alfonso responded calmly, as if this problem had already been resolved beforehand: ¡ªThe young master is already in the carriage. As you know, your third son isn''t very fond of farewells. ¡ªThank goodness¡­¡ªThe woman sighed with relief, seemingly quite worried about the matter. However, it would appear that upon receiving the response she was seeking from the butler, the lady was able to calm her nerves. Feeling a bit calmer, the woman gave some final orders to the butler before walking slowly and wearily back down the hallway from which she had appeared: ¡ªFinish arranging the trunks quickly and ensure the carriage moves swiftly to catch up with the caravan heading to the capital. Don''t waste time having my son say goodbye again to the servants or other family members. Apolo has had 23 long years to bid his farewells and he squandered them knowingly. As she watched the woman walk away from the railing, the content and tranquil expression on the butler''s face slowly faded, replaced by an expression filled with concern and impatience. When Alfonso was certain the tall woman wouldn''t be able to hear him, he stared intently at the working servants and whispered urgently: ¡ªNow! Listen to me and stop arranging the trunks for goodness'' sake¡­ The servants, not comprehending the butler''s shift in tone, followed his instructions and looked on in astonishment as beads of sweat began to appear on the butler''s forehead. ¡ªDon''t waste any more time: ¡­ Find the brat!!¡ªAlfonso whispered desperately. E2- Grandfather While all the servants scurried through the castle corridors desperately searching for the young master, two individuals stood locked in a silent gaze within a grand chamber of the castle. One of them in the chamber was young, yet his frame was so thin and withered that he appeared to have just a few days of life left. His hair was as dark as his eyes, and the most remarkable feature of his not-so-handsome face was an unusually pointed nose. Although the boy''s countenance wasn''t charming, the noble attire he wore distinguished his status among the household staff. The young man wore no earrings or pendants, but two uncommon rings adorned his skeletal hands. One of the rings was golden, with an engraving on its surface of a person stretching their arms toward the sky, as if reaching for the sun. The other ring clashed with the young man''s noble clothes; this ring was made of bronze, significantly rusted, and lacked any distinctive inscription. Due to its neglected state, it seemed more like the ring of an unfortunate merchant than one a noble would wear. On the other hand, the other person in the chamber sat upon a grand chair, observing the young man intently. At first glance, it would be hard to identify the person in the chair as human, for they were twice the size of an average person. However, their facial features, body, and demeanor were identical to those of any normal human. The seated man''s hair was sparse and white as snow, indicating his advanced age. Nonetheless, his muscular physique and piercing black eyes made it seem like the old man had many years left, a stark contrast to the image of the moribund young man before him. However, their noble attire and the golden ring, exactly identical to the one worn by the young man before him, indicated that these two individuals engaged in the intense gaze shared a degree of kinship. The two continued staring at each other silently for several minutes, as if unsure of what to say or perhaps knowing but struggling to find the right words in this moment. Finally, after long and uncomfortable minutes, the old man''s patience wore thin, and he broke the silence: ¡ªSo, you''ve come to bid farewell again, Apolo? I thought I said my goodbyes at last night''s party. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡ªI didn''t come to bid farewell...¡ª the moribund young man responded, his voice somewhat raspy, dragging each word as if unaccustomed to speaking much. ¡ªThen why are you here?¡ª the old man asked with a touch of concern. ¡ªShouldn''t you be in the carriage checking your belongings? Remember, the journey to the capital is long, and you won''t be returning anytime soon. If you forget something, you''ll only have regrets. ¡ªGrandfather... I came to talk to you because I don''t want to leave¡ª Apolo replied with some effort, while rubbing the bronze ring in his hand. ¡ªI''m comfortable here; I''m living well. There''s no reason for me to leave this house and endure that long journey. Hearing the young man, the old man slumped in his chair and tiredly ran his hand over his face as he whispered: ¡ªReasons abound, Apolo... Seeing his grandfather''s dejected expression, Apolo persisted with a louder tone, aiming to convince the old man: ¡ªIt doesn''t make any sense for me to go to the capital to live better when I''m perfectly fine here. Why waste so much of my life on a journey when I have everything I need here... However, the old man seemed to ignore what the young man was saying, instead continuing to rub his face with his hand. Feeling ignored, Apolo raised his voice even more and, breaking into tears, said: ¡ªMoreover, you wouldn''t be there in the capital! I''d miss you all terribly. I can''t live without my family''s company. Don''t do this to me, Grandfather, I beg you! ¡ªWe both know that''s a lie, Apolo...¡ª his grandfather commented with a sad smile, watching his grandson kneel on the floor and cry inconsolably. ¡ªBut it''s true! You''re all the family I have!¡ª Apolo shouted, blending his tears with anger as he sensed that this conversation wasn''t going as he had planned. ¡ªHaha, it warms my heart to hear you say you still remember we''re your family, lad...¡ª his grandfather laughingly remarked, shamelessly lacking an ounce of compassion for the sobbing young man on the floor. ¡ªAnd it would warm my heart even more if that were true. But it seems you''re more interested in the woods around the castle than your own family. Upon hearing about the woods, Apolo abruptly stopped crying and immediately felt the urge to hide the hand holding the bronze ring in his pocket. Yet, he quickly regretted concealing his hand as he noticed his grandfather''s two piercing eyes fixed on the pocket where he had hidden his hand. ¡ªYou''ll do well in the capital, Apolo. You''ll be a good mage, a brilliant mage!¡ªthe old man commented, his weariness evident, as though he wasn''t too thrilled about lavishing such praises upon his grandson. ¡ªI''m not interested in leaving, and I don''t need to go to the capital to learn a couple of cheap magic tricks¡ª Apolo retorted angrily, raising one of the fingers on his left hand as a matchstick-sized flame materialized on its tip. ¡ªSee, I can do magic already. I''m already a mage. There''s no reason for me to leave! E3-The Farewell The old man didn''t respond to the young man''s insistence. Instead, he raised his hand in the air, palm facing the ceiling of the room. A fireball the size of a drum started forming above his palm. Once the fireball was large enough to intimidate Apolo, the old man closed his hand, and the fireball vanished into thin air. Looking at his grandson''s cowardice with disdain, the old man shouted angrily, ¡ªAnd still, I don''t even call myself a wizard! You will go to the capital, whether you like it or not, kid. There''s no future for you in this house. Your elder brother will inherit the land and titles, your second brother is already a soldier, and your younger brother was quick enough to become a merchant before you could decide to do it. Now you''re left with only two options: becoming a wizard or a soldier. ¡ªTh-then...¡ªApolo stuttered nervously, as if the next words were the most complex he would ever have to say in his life. ¡ªThen I''d rather be a soldier and receive your training, grandfather. ¡ªHa, ha, ha... You, a soldier? Don''t make me laugh, Apolo!¡ªThe old man yelled amidst laughter. ¡ªYou no longer have the mindset to be a good soldier, let alone a worthy general of our family. Unfortunately for our ancestors, fate led you to throw away the years of training you had in your childhood. But for all that our ancestors take away, they also give, and fortunately, your father handed down to you a great mindset: an excellent mindset to become a wizard. Only traitors and cowards survive in the capital. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡ªI''m not a traitor! It was an accident!¡ªApolo impulsively shouted. ¡ªA very convenient accident...¡ªThe old man commented, eyeing the hand that his cowardly grandson was still hiding in his pocket. ¡ªHow about this proposal, young man? If you want to stay on my lands, you just have to hand over your little treasure to me. Otherwise, you can go to the capital and keep it: a wizard deserves a magic ring, doesn''t he, Apolo? Upon hearing the mention of the ring, a cold sweat began to form on Apolo''s back, and a malicious glint appeared in his eyes, as if he were looking for a way to get rid of the old man who knew his secrets. But no matter how much the young man might think, his grandfather stood nearly three meters tall and was a seasoned soldier with years of experience, so the young man could only accept whatever he commanded. ¡ªThen I''ll go to the capital to become a wizard of the empire...¡ªApolo reluctantly whispered as he turned around and quickly headed for the exit of the room. ¡ªGood luck on your journey, though you might have forgotten: we love you very much, Apolo...¡ªThe old man muttered softly, watching as his grandson''s back rapidly moved away, as if the young man were fleeing from some unknown beast and not his own grandfather. E4-The Journey Ignoring his grandfather''s farewell, Apolo left the hall to make his way to his room, where he had left all the trunks with his belongings. From the look of disgust on his face as he walked, it seemed things hadn''t gone as planned for the young man. According to the young man''s expectations, his grandfather, who always tended to spoil him as his favorite grandson, would do it again this time and thus manage to extend his stay at the family castle for a few more years. Deep down, Apolo knew he would have to leave sooner or later; after all, his grandfather was already old, and his older brother was first in line to the throne of this castle. Once his grandfather passed away, his older brother would seek to assert himself as the new head of the family and force Apolo to leave. The young man wasn''t upset about this, as he had grown up knowing that his older brother would inherit everything. The only thing bothering him was the timing. He desperately needed more time in this castle, but unfortunately, fate had played a cruel trick, and his grandfather had finally obtained the necessary documents for him to go to the capital to become a magician. After leaving the hall, Apolo didn''t take long to encounter a servant who had been looking for him. Without demanding too many explanations, the servant informed Apolo that the trunks had already been loaded onto the carriages. The servant, not wanting to waste time, hurriedly directed Apolo to the castle''s entrance, where two carriages were waiting for him to embark on the journey. ¡ªFinally, you''ve arrived, young sir!¡ª Alfonso exclaimed with a broad smile on his face as he saw the slender young man pass through the castle gates. His worn-out appearance suggested that the matter of not finding Apolo had been bothering him more than it should have¡ªIn the first carriage, your belongings are already packed. Meanwhile, the second carriage is ready for you to embark on your journey comfortably. Without pausing at the butler''s words and completely ignoring his presence, the young man left the castle. He stopped to gaze at the black-barked trees and red leaves of the forests with a certain ache in his heart. After a brief but intense look at his family''s woods and with more doubts than he''d like to admit, Apolo proceeded to enter the second carriage. But before opening the carriage door, he halted and peered through the glass: it seemed someone was waiting for him inside! The person inside the carriage was unusually tall, much like Apolo''s grandfather, causing him to hunch to avoid hitting his head on the roof. Unlike his grandfather, this person had blonde hair and was young, though not as young as Apolo. The person in the carriage wore a rather tattered gray robe, whose fabric did little to hide the lack of cleanliness and sweat stains that spread across its surface. Everything would suggest that the person inside the carriage was a vagabond. However, this "vagabond" had a very fine gold ring on one of his fingers, identical to the one Apolo wore. Therefore, this "vagabond" must have some degree of kinship with Apolo, and indeed, he was none other than Apolo''s second brother. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡ªAren''t you going to get in?¡ª Apolo''s brother asked, uncomfortably gazing at the carriage''s roof that felt too low for him. ¡ªAre you heading to the capital too, Hermes?¡ª Apolo asked as he opened the carriage door. Upon entering, Apolo''s look of disgust only grew. It was unavoidable to ignore the unpleasant odor emanating from his brother''s dirty clothes. Nonetheless, Apolo''s curiosity about the reason for his brother''s visit kept him from complaining and instead, he tried to find a spot to fit into the carriage. This proved to be quite a challenge given his brother''s size. Once Apolo got in, the two carriages began to move without awaiting an order: time was evidently of the essence! ¡ªOf course not! It''s over six months'' carriage ride...¡ª Hermes replied while observing with a hint of fear his younger brother''s skeletal frame¡ª I came to bid you farewell and to have a conversation that I''ve been putting off for far too long. ¡ªIf I recall correctly, we said our goodbyes last night at the party Mom arranged. Don''t you think it''s unnecessary to bid farewell again? It''s only been a few hours. You know, the party ended really late, and I could use some sleep, don''t you think?!¡ª Apolo responded with some annoyance, not bothering to hide how uncomfortable he felt with his brother''s presence so close¡ª Besides, since you''re not heading to the capital, shouldn''t you get off? The carriage is moving quite fast, and at this rate, you''ll have to walk quite a few kilometers if this conversation drags on. ¡ªDo you think I''m concerned about a few kilometers?¡ª Hermes commented with pride¡ª The one starving here is you, little brother. I train like a good soldier: every morning and every night. ¡ªYeah, yeah, it shows... At this rate, you''ll outgrow carriages like this¡ª Apolo remarked, eyeing his brother''s body with a certain envy. He knew the abnormal size of some members of his family was due to a special effect caused by their soldier training. Far from being a negative, it was something to envy. ¡ªThat''s what I hope for...¡ª Hermes murmured with a touch of nostalgia, looking out the carriage window as the castle grew smaller on the horizon¡ª You should worry a bit more about your body. Honestly, I believe you''re wasting away, little brother. And let me tell you, I''m not the only one in the family who thinks that... ¡ªMaybe I am, maybe I''m not...¡ª Apolo responded, inspecting his hands. They had become so skeletal he could hardly recognize them as his own. However, seeing the tarnished bronze ring on his finger dissipated his worries, and a crooked smile appeared on his face¡ªBut for now, I''m alright. I can always eat a bit more when I feel like it. It''s not like the nobles lack food! ¡ªOf course not, little brother...¡ª Hermes commented, still gazing out of the carriage window, watching the trees in the forest surrounding the road pass by¡ªNobles have an abundance of money, an abundance of food, an abundance of women. But that doesn''t mean we have it all. ¡ªDo you really think we''re lacking anything to live better? Personally, I think with money, food, and women, you can live quite well. If you doubt that, just ask our brother Fausto if he''s suffering from any deficiencies¡ªApolo said with a smile, more concerned with observing the ring on his finger than the castle that was getting smaller on the horizon. ¡ªMany nobles lack the sanity to see they''re heading for their own death¡ª Hermes responded uncomfortably, looking through the reflection on the carriage window, noticing the abnormal smile on his brother''s face¡ªThat ring you value more than your own family is only killing you, little brother. Worse yet, you just told me with your own mouth that you know as a noble, you have everything to live well, and yet you look at that ring with such despair as if you were a beggar pleading for stale bread. And the harsh truth is, you don''t need to be privileged to realize that rusty ring won''t grant you anything, but misfortune... and despite that, there you are... gazing at it like a fool... once again... E5-The Ring Upon hearing the word "ring" come out of his brother''s mouth, Apolo snapped out of his trance state and quickly concealed the hand holding the accursed ring in his pocket, as if he feared it might be snatched away at any moment. ¡ªI don''t understand what a simple bronze ring has to do with my health¡ª Apolo commented, looking at his brother suspiciously. His brother, however, continued gazing out the window, seemingly ignoring him, so Apolo could only see his massive back. ¡ªAre you so unwell that you''ve forgotten the family training also enhances my senses?¡ª Hermes questioned with disgust, unable to look away from the reflection of his brother''s withered face provided by the carriage''s window. The young soldier was starting to suspect that if it weren''t for his brawny build, his brother would genuinely be considering how to get rid of him right now. ¡ªIf Grandfather told you the ring was magical, it''s because it''s not that simple, or am I mistaken, little brother? ¡ªThose are mere ramblings of a dying old man!¡ª Apolo retorted angrily, while nervously rubbing the ring hidden in his pocket. ¡ªIf the ring were truly magical, don''t you think Grandfather would have taken it from me? To him, stealing the ring would be as easy as slapping me. ¡ªWhat kind of grandfather would steal from his own grandson?¡ª Hermes asked, with a touch of anger in his voice, as if the scenario his brother presented couldn''t possibly exist in his mind. ¡ªDo you really believe someone in the family would steal from you? ¡ªNo, of course not. I love you all, and you love me¡ª Apolo quickly responded, as if he had realized the terrible mistake he was making by bringing up this delicate topic. ¡ªYou would never steal from your beloved brother, right, Hermes? ¡ªIf you truly believed that, you might stop hiding your hand in your pocket; it''s really quite foolish to try and hide the ring at this point...¡ª Hermes replied begrudgingly, while observing through the reflection how his younger brother''s body kept trembling. Seeing through the reflection that Apolo couldn''t take his hand out of his pocket and could only stare at his back with an increasingly deranged look, Hermes decided it was time to reason with his brother. So, he said calmly: ¡ªThink logically, Apolito. It''s more than evident that the journey to the capital and the documents for you to become a magician are worth more than a magical ring. How many magical objects are there in the empire? Or even more importantly, how many magical objects do we have in our castle? And as a future magician, the emperor will throw magical objects at you to investigate; you''ll end up getting tired of them... ¡ªI suppose...¡ª Apolo whispered, reflecting on his brother''s words. Seeing that Apolo was returning to a more normal state, Hermes continued insisting with his reasoning: ¡ªOur family has raised soldiers for millennia: the grandpa taught his 4 sons the warrior''s path and bid farewell to all four when they died in battle. Do you really think someone with the mentality of the grandpa, head of a prominent noble family known for its warriors, would send one of his grandchildren to become a magician by chance? The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªOf course it wasn''t by chance!¡ªApolo shouted angrily. ¡ªThe old man needed to get rid of me, or why do you think our younger brother became a merchant? ¡ªMerchants can at least have children, idiot!¡ªHermes retorted angrily, as if stating the obvious¡ªMagicians can''t: You''ve just been disinherited, moron! ¡ªAnd what does that have to do with anything? Either way, I was never, and will never be, the heir to the Black Forest throne¡ªApolo responded with disgust, tired of trying to understand what his brother was trying to achieve with all this talk. For the first time since the journey began, Hermes turned around and stared at his brother''s decrepit face. It was then that Hermes realized that his brother''s two black eyes were practically devoid of shine, making his two large dark circles that betrayed his lack of sleep stand out even more. With much sorrow, Hermes explained his point of view: ¡ªAside from grandfather, there are only four measly men left in the family: Fausto is the heir to the Black Forest throne, Homero is the adventurous merchant, and I''m the soldier who upholds the family tradition. There''s a common thread in our three paths, and that''s that all three of us can have children. Therefore, we could inherit the throne in case of an accident. Meanwhile, you''re marching to the capital to be disinherited from the throne: Why would grandfather do something like this in this situation? ¡ªBecause he hates me: He sees me as a threat!¡ªApolo responded quickly, escaping the inquisitive gaze of his older brother to instead look at his hand hidden in his pocket. ¡ªA threat...¡ªHermes whispered, looking at his brother''s narrow arms with pain. It was impossible for someone who couldn''t lift a wooden sword to be a threat. ¡ªYes, a threat: he believes what happened in the forest wasn''t an accident¡ªApolo said, looking back at his brother. ¡ªI didn''t kill Helena, she was my best friend, my childhood love: I''d never harm her. Yet, Grandfather thinks I did it. You heard everything he said in the hall, didn''t you? ¡ªI also believe it was an accident...¡ªHermes commented, his eyes welling up with tears as he looked at his brother''s desperate stare, making the cruel lie more obvious¡ªFinding that ring was a big accident, little brother. It''s all that ring''s fault. ¡ªNo, no, the ring did nothing! The blame lies with Grandfather, for not believing me¡ªApolo replied, shaking his head with a twisted smile forming on his face. ¡ªBut honestly, I''m very glad that at least you believe me. Don''t you think you''re getting too far from the castle, big brother? If we keep talking, I''m afraid you''d have to walk a lot. Looking with a mix of disgust and fear at his brother''s slightly unhinged smile, Hermes tried to ignore it and said as he stuck his hand out of the window, signaling the carriage driver to halt: ¡ªYou''re right, this farewell is dragging on too much. Unfortunately, I still can''t comprehend why Grandfather didn''t take the ring off you, but I hope the old man isn''t mistaken, and once you become a magician, you''ll regain your sanity. As your older brother, I did my best to make you understand that the ring is killing you, but sadly, I can''t do more to help you. Now, all I can do is trust that you''ll realize your problems on your own. Good luck in the capital, Apolo... After saying those words, Hermes got off the carriage and watched as his younger brother immediately signaled the driver to resume the journey, as if fearing Hermes would change his mind and get back in. Following the signal, the carriage continued on its way and slowly faded from Hermes''s view until it disappeared on the horizon. The young soldier watched with concern as his younger brother drifted away from his life toward an uncertain destiny. E6-The Black Forest Far from the carriage where our protagonist was traveling, two kids were playing in the depths of the forest formed by black trees. ¡ªAre you sure it''s around here?¡ª asked a girl with blonde hair and light eyes. Considering her size, one might think she was no older than 11. She was dressed in simple clothes akin to those worn by servants in the castle. Unlike most servants, though, she wore a pair of beautiful diamond earrings and a somewhat rusty bronze ring on her hand. ¡ªYes, I found the big chest here, Helena!¡ª answered a slightly chubby boy, his hair and eyes both black. His age was quite similar to the girl''s, though his face wasn''t as pretty due to a large, pointed nose that marred his otherwise childlike features. He wore a simple, slightly sweaty white robe, remarkably similar to Hermes'', almost too similar to be mere coincidence. ¡ªDo we have to climb the whole hill, Apolo?¡ª Helena asked with some discomfort, making an effort to avoid fallen trees and thorny bushes. ¡ªThis path is getting really tough to navigate, and my legs are starting to ache. ¡ªWell, this path isn''t well-traveled, but it''s worth it: I could see the chest from the top of the hill!¡ª Apolo replied enthusiastically, a hint of nervousness in his voice as he looked back at Helena. ¡ªWe''re almost there, just a few more minutes, and we''ll finally get the treasure we''ve been seeking for almost two years. ¡ªBut how will we open it?¡ª Helena asked with some doubt and nervousness, her gaze fixed on the back of the boy in front of her. ¡ªI doubt... I doubt we''ll be able to open the chest...¡ª Apolo responded awkwardly, as if the question had never crossed his mind before and now it caught him off guard. ¡ªI think we''ll have to take it to the castle and ask Alfonso to open it for us. ¡ªNo!!¡ª Helena shouted loudly, an unusual desperation in her voice for someone her age. Her outburst made Apolo turn around to see what had happened. Noticing Apolo''s gaze, Helena controlled her slightly labored breathing, both from the walk and the shout, then commented a bit more calmly: ¡ªIf we take the chest to the castle, your brothers will keep the treasure that rightfully belongs to you. Besides, I wouldn''t get anything: your brothers would never share a treasure with the daughter of a servant. ¡ªThen we won''t take it to the castle...¡ª Apolo commented quickly, turning around to continue walking, as if he wanted to cut this conversation short. ¡ªDon''t worry, when we get to the spot, we''ll see if we can find a way to open the chest. Watching the boy''s back with some doubt, Helena followed Apolo through the forest until they finally reached the top of the hill, where a cliff lay. With excitement, Apolo ran to the edge of the cliff and pointed downward, where a river could be seen. ¡ªOver here! Under the water of this river, you can see the chest¡ª Apolo said with a smile, pointing down with enthusiasm. Noting Apolo''s excitement, Helena ran to the cliff, reaching the boy, only to be disappointed because she couldn''t see any chest beneath the river''s water. In fact, all she could see was the clear water of the river rushing wildly as it collided with the rocks on the sides of the cliff. ¡ªI don''t see anything! Where''s the chest?¡ª Helena asked, looking at the river intently, paying attention to the details. She immediately noticed that while the river''s waters were crystal clear, and one could see the rocks at its bottom, there wasn''t much else to be seen besides the simple rocks. ¡ªThe chest isn''t attached to the cliff¡ª Apolo commented, taking a step back. ¡ªTry to see where the water doesn''t clash with the rocks. ¡ªWhere the water doesn''t clash with the rocks?¡ª Helena repeated doubtfully, concentrating on the area pointed out by Apolo. While Helena watched the river intently, Apolo took advantage of the loud noise created by the river crashing against the cliff''s walls to mask the sound of his steps. Cautiously, he went to grab a large rock that stood out against the green forest floor, as if that rock hadn''t originally belonged there and had been placed beforehand. ¡ªNo matter how hard I try, I can''t see the chest. Any other hints?¡ª Helena asked with some excitement, looking around the river to find the treasure. ¡ªLet me see... look over here...¡ª Apolo commented somewhat nervously from behind the girl. Hearing Apolo from behind, Helena turned around to see where the boy was indicating, only to find Apolo holding a large rock engulfed in flames in one of his hands. Failing to understand the situation, Helena tried to open her mouth to ask Apolo what he was doing, but before a single word could escape, the boy lunged violently at her. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. *Puff*... The stone engulfed in flames collided with Helena''s open mouth, breaking her teeth and causing her to cringe in pain. The girl desperately tried to react, but before she could manage to do so, Apolo had already lifted the rock again, ready to strike the front of her head, causing her to fall to the ground. Without waiting for Helena to get up, Apolo jumped onto the girl and, with the rock held in both hands, began to hit her head with madness. Feeling her life was in danger, Helena tried to shield her head with one of her arms, but this was quickly broken from the blows inflicted by Apolo. After so much hitting, Helena''s arm was so broken that she couldn''t lift it, leaving her head exposed to the boy''s blows. Seizing the opportunity, Apolo mercilessly raised the stone to deliver the final blow. However, before he could do so, the boy felt a sharp pain coming from his abdomen along with an extreme cold that froze his intestines: Helena had managed to buy enough time to stab Apolo with a dagger she had been hiding! As blood oozed from his abdomen and the coldness of the dagger enveloped him, Apolo understood it was now or never: he couldn''t give Helena enough time to stab him again! Realizing that these might be his last seconds alive, Apolo tightly gripped the flaming stone in his hands. By some magical force, the rock began to grow until the boy no longer had the strength to hold it, and it fell onto Helena. *Crack*... The bucket-sized rock crashed onto Helena''s head, crushing it and causing her lifeless hand to release the dagger''s hilt. Seeing Helena no longer moving, Apolo, his teeth gritted in pain, lifted his shirt to examine the dagger embedded in his abdomen and the blood flowing relentlessly from the wound. Grasping the dire situation of the wound at a glance, Apolo put his hand on the dagger''s hilt, only to realize it was as cold as to burn his hand upon contact, causing him to immediately let go. Only then did Apolo''s adrenaline subside enough for him to notice the dead flesh around the fresh blood in the wound. He instantly understood that the cold he was feeling now was likely due to the dagger freezing him from the inside all this time. Worried and afraid of death, tears welled up in the killer''s eyes as he felt the pain and the cold from his stomach intensify. Understanding the critical situation he was in, Apolo gathered his courage and put his hand on the dagger''s hilt again. *Haaa*... While the young boy cried out in pain as the palms of his hands burned from the cold, he managed to pull the dagger out of his stomach. However, the blood flowing from the boy''s stomach didn''t stop, and the pain he felt only grew with time. With tears of desperation and mucus coming from his pointed nose, Apolo tried to run toward the nearest tree as if his life depended on it. Yet instantly, the boy realized from the waist down his body wasn''t responding correctly, rendering him unable to stand properly. Realizing he had no way of reaching the nearby trees, Apolo cried out in agony as he hit his legs with his hands, as if trying to conjure a miracle that would give them back. However, no matter how hard the boy tried to invoke a miracle, nothing happened, and the cold pain from his stomach was about to steal his consciousness. Finally, Apolo stopped beating his legs and collapsed to the ground in sadness, surrendering to death, knowing everything was lost. From the ground, looking up at the blue sky, Apolo awaited his cruel fate, feeling the pain in his stomach grow increasingly intense. The roaring noise of the stream had long been silenced by the extreme silence brought about by the proximity of death. Gradually, the boy stopped crying, and he closed his eyes as he lost consciousness. However, when the boy''s breaths were numbered, and his death had already been accepted, he felt an intense warmth emanating from his back. Not comprehending the source of the warmth, Apolo stopped looking at the sky and watched as Helena''s blood continued to gush from her crushed head, beginning to stain his back. With puzzlement, Apolo watched Helena''s blood pour from her already unrecognizable face. The vacant gaze in Apolo''s eyes as he looked at the dying girl''s body became increasingly pronounced, as if the boy had completely forgotten everything that had happened a few seconds ago. Without understanding the source of this feeling of strangeness, Apolo stared at the girl''s body as if trying to remember something important he had forgotten, something that had led him to this situation. Yet, for some reason, the boy could no longer recall it. Apolo''s mind, growing ever hazier due to impending death, struggled to solve the riddle in his mind. However, no matter how hard he thought, the boy couldn''t remember how the situation had ended up like this. With no spark in his eyes, Apolo looked at his former and unrecognizable companion in adventures: there was no hatred, violence, sorrow, remorse, or resentment on his face, only an expression of overwhelming consternation, one that screamed for someone to answer how all this had happened! Forcing himself to feel the heat of his friend''s blood soaking his back for one last time, Apolo finally closed his eyes, accepting his fate. Or rather, accepting the fate the ring had proposed to him!
However, the ending of this story is already known to the reader, and as it''s clear, things didn''t turn out as the ring expected. Because it was precisely in the final moments of Apolo''s life that the ring lost its patience, declared victory prematurely, and all its plan was discarded by the simplest creature of this forest. *On, on!*... *On, on!*... The caw of a scavenger bird caused Apolo to open his eyes with madness. As slowly as a turtle, Apolo turned his head to see a bird the size of a fist pecking at Helena''s crushed head. Seeing the bird so close, the boy''s eyes lit up again, he clenched his teeth and held his breath. In Apolo''s mind, time had stopped completely, pain no longer existed, his friend''s corpse had vanished, and even the very forest itself had faded away. All that remained in Apolo''s mind was the bird and his dying body!
E7-The Birds Holding his breath, Apolo watched as the bird devoured Helena''s corpse: he knew that this bird was his ticket to resurrection, so he couldn''t let it escape; there wouldn''t be another chance like this. The young man watched in silence until what he had been waiting for finally happened. *On, on!*... *On, oooooooooooon!*... The bird''s caw resounded again, and while the bird was cawing, Apolo violently extended his arm, which grew at an abnormal speed, rapidly catching the bird before it flew away in fright. *Crush*... *Crush*... Instantly, the sounds of bones breaking echoed from Apolo''s elongated arm; however, the boy didn''t seem to be in pain. Instead, the smile of a man who had captured his salvation appeared on his young face. *Oooon, oon!*... *On!*... As the bird struggled to free itself from the boy''s grip, the gold ring on Apolo''s hand began to glow. The engraving on the ring started moving as if it had a will of its own. Slowly, the person with arms extended to the sky began to close them until he embraced himself. Subsequently, the gold ring stopped glowing, and the trapped bird''s struggle intensified. Yet, the boy''s confident smile continued to grow as the bird fought more vigorously. *Oo, on, on!*... *On!*... The bird fought and fought, but gradually its squawks grew lower, and its struggle became less violent. Meanwhile, Apolo began to regain his strength. This was the power of the gold ring that only the members of Apolo''s family could use. It was one of the major reasons nearly all family members became soldiers. The ring acted as an amplifier to quickly gain the blessings of their ancestors. In return, their ancestors would heal them by sacrificing another life. However, the short life of a bird wasn''t strong enough to completely heal Apolo, but it would at least help him regain mobility in his legs, allowing him to reach an old tree in the forest. The innate ability of Apolo''s family healed based on the length of the sacrificed animal''s or plant''s life. The life of a decades-old tree was strong enough to completely heal, unlike the nearby grass that couldn''t even heal a scratch. The bird in Apolo''s hand visibly aged until it finally died of old age. Realizing the bird was no longer useful, Apolo cast it aside and mustering strength to cope with the pain, the boy stood up and limped towards the nearest tree. Reaching the tree, he extended his hand, placing his palm against the bark. The ring''s inscription changed again, and the tree''s life force began to be absorbed by the boy. As the tree lost its leaves and its bark cracked, the wound in Apolo''s abdomen began to close, and the cold pain in his belly started to vanish. After a few minutes, Apolo felt his life was no longer in danger and that he was completely healed. With some enthusiasm for having survived, the boy lifted his shirt to observe only a finger-sized scar remained where he had been stabbed. With a triumphant smile, Apolo began to return to his family. However, on the way back to the castle, he felt he had forgotten something. Right then, he remembered he hadn''t come to the cliff alone. Apolo turned around with concern and looked at the path he had been traveling all this time. To his desperation, he saw an innumerable number of trees, black wood and red leaves, stretching before him. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡ªHelena!¡ª Apolo shouted with all his might toward the hilltop where the cliff was. *Hush, hush*... Only the red leaves rustling in the wind responded to the boy. ¡ªIt can''t be, it can''t be...¡ª Apolo whispered in desperation as he held his head. ¡ªI forgot Helena at the cliff. That fool got lost in the forest. Dad''s going to lock me in the castle for a year if I don''t find her! Apolo quickly started running toward the cliff, shouting Helena''s name, hoping his friend would hear him. However, only the forest birds seemed to be attentive to the boy''s cries. After running for a few minutes, Apolo was finally close enough to the cliff to begin hearing the thunderous sound of water crashing against rocks. ¡ªHelena, Helena, are you here?¡ªApolo yelled energetically, trying to make his voice heard over the water''s noise. However, only the sound of water crashing against the cliff walls replied to the boy. Apolo kept getting closer to the cliff until he was finally close enough to the hilltop to see his friend''s body. Helena was gazing at the cliff, sitting on a large rock, unusually black, as if it had been burned by a forest fire long ago. ¡ªHey, Helena! Why the hell didn''t you follow me back?¡ª Apolo yelled in anger, watching his friend ignore him and continue to turn her back to the cliff. ¡ªI was so worried; I thought you were lost. Thank goodness you didn''t decide to come back on your own. I would''ve had to search everywhere for you. Do you know how furious my father would be if I told him I left you stranded in the middle of the forest? However, Helena continued to ignore Apolo, frustrating him. ¡ªDon''t tell me you''re mad at me!¡ª Apolo said with some annoyance at his friend''s silence. ¡ªIt''s not like it''s my fault you didn''t decide to follow me! I thought you were deliberately hiding from me, but after a while, it got really strange not being able to hear your steps anymore. Still, Helena continued to ignore Apolo, making him tired and prompting him to confront her face-to-face. With confident steps, the boy began to approach his friend. When he was a few steps away from Helena''s back, his legs began to slow down until Apolo stopped completely, fearfully gazing at her friend''s back. It wasn''t what he was seeing that frightened the boy, but rather what he was hearing. Helena was repeating the same words over and over. Due to the rushing noise of the water, it was complicated to distinguish, but standing close enough, Apolo heard his friend tirelessly repeat the following words: ¡ªDeo¡­ Echo¡­ Thais¡­ Helena¡­ Deo¡­ Echo¡­ Thais¡­ Helena¡­ Deo¡­ Echo¡­ Thais¡­ Helena¡­ ¡ªDon''t scare me, you idiot! It''s like some bug bit you, and now you''re rambling¡ª Apolo commented with concern about his friend''s abnormal state. The last thing he needed was to have to carry his friend from this cliff to the castle on his back because some animal had bitten her. If that were the case, they wouldn''t make it back before nightfall, and his father would end up punishing him. Despite the boy''s shouts, his friend continued to ignore him while monotonously and soullessly repeating the same four words over and over. ¡ªAre you okay, Helena?¡ª Apolo asked, placing his hand on her shoulder, trying to turn her around to see her face. But it wasn''t necessary for Apolo to try to turn her around because when he touched Helena''s shoulder, her neck began to twist until her eyes locked onto the boy''s black eyes with immense hatred. *Agggggg!*... Apolo cried out in terror as he saw his friend''s face completely deformed, staring at him with intense loathing. E8-The Nightmares *?Agggggg!*... Apolo exclaimed as he suddenly opened his eyes and stared at the carriage''s ceiling. With his breath heavy and sweat on his face, Apolo hastily lifted his shirt, only to find not a single scar on his abdomen. ¡ªIt was just another damn nightmare...¡ª Apolo whispered as he regulated his breathing. This wasn''t the first time the young man had these kinds of nightmares; they always changed yet returned to haunt his nights and disrupt his sleep. No wonder Apolo always had dark circles under his eyes; the truth was, since Helena''s death 12 years ago, he hadn''t slept soundly. ¡ªDid something happen, young sir?¡ª the carriage driver shouted from outside, concerned about the sudden shout. ¡ªNo, nothing happened...¡ª Apolo replied brusquely, more focused on recalling the nightmare''s details than addressing the driver''s worries. ¡ªI''m glad to hear that!¡ª the driver shouted from outside the carriage. ¡ªWe''ll be meeting up with the main caravan in a few minutes. Prepare yourself to reunite with your younger brother. Far from worrying about meeting one of his brothers, Apolo was engrossed in analyzing the nightmare. The truth was that not even Apolo himself remembered exactly how Helena died or how he came into possession of the ring. The only thing he knew for sure, thanks to his family''s reports, was that 12 years ago, Helena went on an adventure with him into the forest, and he was the only one who returned. What happened in the forest remained a mystery to Apolo, and the recurring nightmares changed too much to draw a satisfactory conclusion. For now, Apolo recognized that all the nightmares had four common factors: first, the ring was always initially worn by Helena; second, they always headed toward a cliff; third, Helena somehow repeated the same four words at least once per nightmare; and lastly, the most important detail: Apolo always ended up killing Helena. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it With concern, Apolo looked out the carriage window at the towering column of black trees with red leaves on the sides of the road. This was the Black Forest, named for the fact that most of its trees had black bark. The forest had always been adjacent to Apolo''s family castle, primarily because it was never exploited for economic gain. For Apolo''s family, these trees were sacred, as the family history went: their founder had survived a brutal battle by absorbing the strength of one of these trees. To repay the life-saving favor, the family''s founder had built a castle in the middle of the forest, with the intention that his descendants would protect it for eternity. And so it was, for two millennia the family had existed, and throughout that time, they never broke their promise to protect the forest. However, the most paradoxical aspect of Apolo''s nightmare was that despite growing up his whole life in these woods and his family residing here for two millennia, there was not a single record of a cliff like the one in his nightmares existing in these woods. For 12 long years, Apolo would venture into the forest, seeking the location of his nightmares, attempting to gather clues about what truly transpired on the day Helena never returned to the castle. However, despite his efforts, Apolo could never find the cliff, its surroundings, or any clue that could bring him closer to the ultimate truth he longed for. That was the main reason Apolo never wanted to leave the castle; he knew that once he went to the capital, he would have to relinquish hope of finding the cliff of his dreams. More importantly, he would have to let go of the hope of discovering what really happened on his final adventure with Helena. Yet, apparently, his grandfather''s patience had finally run out, and Apolo''s exploration came to an abrupt end without the satisfying conclusion he yearned to uncover. In Apolo''s mind, the hope that Helena might still be alive had never faded: perhaps, just perhaps, Helena didn''t die in the Black Forest on her last adventure. Maybe she chose to leave the castle and live a life filled with joy, gifting the bronze ring to Apolo as a farewell present. Unfortunately, the harsh reality was that the chances of that being what truly happened on that last day of adventure were minuscule. E9-The Town The two carriages continued to move along the tree-lined path until they finally emerged from the forest. The change in the scenery was dramatic, and the fields of golden wheat filled the view of the young man who observed the landscape with curiosity. Due to his strong resistance to leaving the castle and straying from the forest, this was the first time Apolo had seen the fields where the farmers he had heard so much about worked. And this golden landscape also indicated that Apolo had finally left his own lands, as the surroundings of the forest did not belong to his family; they were the property of another neighboring noble family. After a few more kilometers, the houses within the fields began to grow more abundant, until finally the two carriages reached the village where the neighboring noble family stayed, and also the location where the caravan headed to the capital was situated. The caravan itself was made up of a large number of carriages and people who, for various reasons, had to travel to the capital: among the individuals in the caravan were traders seeking to complete their trade routes, as well as commoners aiming to improve their lives by visiting more prosperous lands. Of course, there were also nobles like Apolo who sought to enhance their political position in society to maintain the accustomed lifestyle. The majority of people in the caravan were men, owing to the cultural traditions of the empire, which demanded that noble titles be carried by male heads of households. Hence, if there were no suitable male heirs, the title was conveniently returned to the emperor or to the noble to whom the title owed direct allegiance. This noble or emperor could then dispose of it as they pleased, such as exchanging it for political power with a powerful noble or pleasing a landless family member. Over time, this tradition of noble inheritance was also incorporated into the lives of commoners, so the few observable women in the caravan were those traveling with their children or those displaced from their lands due to poverty or war. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. However, this noble inheritance tradition didn''t imply that women lacked certain political power and influence in the empire. The best example would be Apolo''s mother, as her family didn''t allow daughters to marry outside the family. Therefore, the men from noble families who married women from her family were strategically sent to forfeit their status as candidates for the noble title or the "throne" of their respective birth families. These strategies were commonly employed in large families to prevent internal wars over inheritance. Another method of disinheriting a family member was the one applied to Apolo: sending the potential candidate to become a mage of the empire. Setting politics aside, the reason these travel caravans were assembled was due to the lengthy journeys and the general insecurity of the territory. While the risk of robbery wasn''t too high, it still existed when traveling alone. However, stealing from as many people as there were in these caravans was an impossible task for a group of bandits. Seeing so many people walking along the dirt streets, Apolo, feeling uneasy, decided for the first time in a long while to take off the bronze ring from his finger and hide it in his pocket. For someone like him, who had been born and raised in a sparsely populated castle, this was the first time he had seen so many people in his life. To be honest, Apolo wasn''t even aware that there were so many people outside his lands. Which wasn''t too surprising, as Apolo''s family castle was merely a grand fortress where his family and servants lived; no one else was allowed to inhabit the forest, and his historically isolationist family never accepted visitors to the castle. Through the carriage window, Apolo observed with curiosity and nervousness as people moved about everywhere. Naturally, the village was more alive than ever due to the arrival of the caravan: all the children were eager to see what curiosities the merchants from distant lands had brought, adult men curiously engaged in conversations with farmers from other lands to exchange advice and learn about peculiarities. Opportunistic mothers sought to marry off their daughters to wealthy merchants, offering them a better life than they would have if they married within the village. E10-Homero The carriage moved slowly down the crowded street until Apolo spotted a familiar face in the caravan of people. He watched as that person stared at the carriage he was traveling in with a certain anticipation. That person was Apolo''s younger brother, Homero. Like most members of his family, his younger brother was easily distinguishable due to being unusually tall compared to other people, towering over them with almost half a body''s height. Adding to his distinctiveness, Apolo''s younger brother was quite heavyset, making him stand out prominently in a crowd. Similar to Apolo, his brother had black hair and black eyes. Both nobles were dressed quite elegantly, but Homero''s attire was particularly opulent and flamboyant, as was the fashion for many merchants in the empire, seemingly, the more colors one''s clothing had, the more ostentatious their wealth appeared. Thus, Homero''s attire was a mishmash of colors. Just like Apolo and all the male members of their family, his younger brother also wore a gold ring with a man with arms raised to the heavens inscribed on it. Seeing his younger brother, Apolo once again placed his hand in his pocket where he had stashed his bronze ring and cautiously put it back on. It would be odd if his brother saw him without the ring, and in Apolo''s mind, no one could be trusted when it came to protecting the ring. Although the reality was that Homero had just returned from a trip that had taken nearly a year, so he probably wouldn''t care about a rusted trinket. ¡ªYoung sir, your brother is outside waiting for you¡ª the carriage driver commented, noticing that Apolo wasn''t getting out to greet his brother. ¡ªTell him to come in...¡ª Apolo responded, eyeing the people around his brother with a lot of suspicion. Upon hearing this, the driver wanted to remind Apolo that his brother was far too big to fit inside this carriage. However, fearing the repercussions from the less friendly member of the family he served, the driver proceeded to follow the instructions to the letter. He stepped down from the driver''s seat to invite Homero into the carriage. With visible displeasure, Homero approached the carriage. And with little regard for etiquette, the giant opened the door with force, almost tearing it off its hinges, only to see his brother huddled in the carriage seat, staring at him intently. ¡ªDamn, you''re even skinnier and shorter than before...¡ª Homero commented with concern, his anger momentarily forgotten as he observed his older brother''s deteriorated state. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡ªAren''t you going to come in?¡ª Apolo asked, observing the people on the street who were curiously watching them. ¡ªAnd it seems you''re dumber than before, too...¡ª Homero muttered as he pinched his belly rolls¡ªDid the lack of good sleep finally mess up your head, or do you really think I can squeeze my gut through this shitty little door? ¡ªI suppose not...¡ª Apolo replied brusquely, ignoring his brother''s insults; he knew him well enough to understand that his brother was always foul-mouthed and didn''t genuinely mean to offend him. ¡ªAren''t you going to come down and hug me?¡ª Homero asked, annoyed¡ªIt''s been over a year since we last saw each other. You could put in a little more effort and be more considerate of your younger brother, don''t you think? Plus, they told me you''re headed to the capital. If that''s the case, we won''t see each other for years. ¡ªI don''t want to go out, there are too many people...¡ª Apolo commented quickly¡ªCan''t we go somewhere more secluded? ¡ªWe could suggest going to the tavern, but that place is even busier¡ª Homero commented, recalling that his brother was quite solitary and didn''t mingle much with the servants since the incident with Helena¡ªHow about we talk in my carriage? Then maybe we can visit the local lord; they''ll surely treat us to a feast. ¡ªI don''t even know what he looks like...¡ª Apolo responded, disgruntled. The last person he wanted to see was the head of the neighboring village. To Apolo, it all boiled down to the idea that the more power someone had, the more likely they were to steal his ring. ¡ªIt doesn''t matter if he doesn''t know us. First and foremost, we''re neighbors, and secondly, he''s just a measly second-rate noble!¡ª Homero replied with unusual confidence. ¡ªI''m not interested in seeing the face of an inconsequential noble. I''ve had enough stress at the farewell party, and I''m a bit tired of formalities¡ªApolo said, seeking a good excuse¡ªHow far is your carriage? ¡ªUnderstandable... My carriage is a few blocks away, next to the tavern, getting everything ready to return to the castle¡ªHomero said, dropping the idea of visiting the local lord¡ªCome on, get off, I''ll show you. I''m sure you''ll be surprised; it''s the finest carriage in the entire empire! It cost me a small fortune, but when you see it, you''ll understand why it was worth spending so many crystals. ¡ªFine, go ahead, I''ll meet you there¡ªApolo grumbled, slamming the carriage door in his brother''s face. ¡ªYou''ve got to be kidding me! How on earth are you gonna make me walk all the way to my carriage alone?¡ª Homero complained with annoyance, struggling to hold back his anger. ¡ªDriver, move on!¡ªApolo yelled coldly from inside the carriage. The driver glanced at Homero''s angry face, who was glaring at Apolo through the carriage window, teeth clenched. Afraid of making a misstep and displeasing the ill-tempered member of the family he served, the servant decided to follow Apolo''s instructions. Ignoring Homero''s frustration, the carriage headed towards the village tavern. E11-Misunderstood
After a few minutes, Apolo could observe his brother''s carriage from the window. Just as the young man expected, Homero''s carriage wasn''t just practically twice as large as his own, but its appearance was much more lavish. It boasted gold statuettes and excessively flashy gems, following the style of clothing Homero wore; that is, a mishmash of bright colors without adhering to any aesthetic sense. Noticing the driver had halted the carriage, Apolo proceeded to peek out the window at the sides of the street where his brother''s carriage was parked. When he noticed there weren''t many people walking in the area, he swiftly opened the door and dashed out with the hand holding the bronze ring hidden in his pocket, as if fearing someone might try to rob him over these few meters. Paying little attention to manners, the young man ignored the guard of his brother''s carriage, who was looking at him suspiciously. He had seen an intruder exit another carriage and approach the one he was guarding. While this picturesque scene unfolded, Homero, who was about to reach his own carriage, observed from a distance with a vindictive smile on his face. He eagerly awaited to see how his carriage guard would respond ¨C he knew the guard wasn''t acquainted with his brother''s identity. And indeed, the most obvious thing happened: as Apolo got a few meters from the carriage, the guard jumped on him, throwing him to the ground. Given Apolo''s poor physical condition, the guard easily subdued him, trapping the only free hand he had. Apolo wouldn''t withdraw the other hand from the safety of his pocket for any reason. Having the miscreant under control, the guard used his body weight to prevent Apolo from escaping his grasp. ¡ªThief! Thief! Call the town guards!¡ªthe carriage guard began shouting angrily, causing the people drinking inside the tavern to become agitated and spill outside to see what was happening. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. On the other hand, Apolo''s driver had long since left the carriage to try to find Homero and stop the rampaging guard. However, the driver found that as all this was happening, Homero, still watching from a distance, couldn''t stop laughing while rolling around on the ground. Seeing how much fun Homero was having, the driver understood that Homero had no intention of helping his older brother by explaining the situation to the guard of the carriage. So, he decided to wait for the town guards to resolve the matter. However, the driver didn''t have to wait for that: Apolo''s gold ring began to shine. Noticing the glow emanating from his brother''s ring, Homero''s laughter abruptly ceased. Fearing what was about to happen, he quickly got up while shouting in desperation: ¡ªStop, you idiot! He''s my best guard. Don''t kill him! The guard, who had been pinning Apolo down with his weight, recognized Homero''s voice. Worried by his words, he looked in despair at the strange glow emitted by the young man''s ring he was holding. Yet, before the figure inscribed on the ring could close his arms to embrace himself, Homero had arrived and forcefully pushed the guard, preventing him from continuing to press his weight against Apolo. Free from the guard''s grip, Apolo managed to stand up, skilled enough not to withdraw the hand hidden in his pocket. He watched cautiously as his brother came to the rescue. Without asking many questions, Apolo ran to his brother''s side, placing his back against Homero''s as he watched with horror as all the people who had come out of the tavern and the town guards surrounded him with unfriendly looks. ¡ªWe''re in deep shit here...¡ªApolo murmured to his brother, exaggerating the situation. He understood that this might be his first and last big battle. ¡ªWhat the hell are you saying...¡ªHomero commented with an ironic smile at his brother''s delirium, recalling with fondness how this was a stance they used to practice during the military training they did as children. However, Homero quickly noticed the gazes of the men surrounding him, and his smile gradually began to fade. Only then did the giant realize that to these strangers, he had helped the thief, not his own carriage guard. E12-The Brothers ¡ªMake way, make way!¡ªSomeone began to shout as they ran through the crowd that had gathered to watch the "thief" being caught. Gradually, the person who had been shouting managed to make their way to the scene. By the sword at his waist and the finely decorated leather armor, Homero discerned that it was the chief of the village guards. Naturally, he had come to resolve the problem causing a commotion outside the tavern. Given that a large caravan of strangers was passing through the village, it was obvious that the guards would be more attentive than usual, and they hadn''t taken long to arrive. ¡ªCan someone explain to me what''s going on here?¡ªThe chief of the guards asked with uncertainty. At first, he thought he just had to apprehend a couple of thieves, but seeing how well-dressed the "thieves" were, it seemed more like a conflict between drunks outside the tavern. ¡ªNothing is happening. Do you see anything abnormal?¡ªHomero said in a haughty tone while showing the gold ring in his hand to the chief of the guards. ¡ªWhat the hell...¡ªThe chief of the guards began to shout angrily upon hearing the disrespectful tone towards authority coming from the plump "drunk." But before he finished his sentence, he saw the inscription on the gold ring on the plump man''s hand. Realizing the grave mistake he had made, the chief of the guards skillfully and without hesitation turned his angry gaze toward the gathered crowd and continued shouting: ¡ª...are you all, prying into the affairs of a noble family! Disperse immediately, or I''ll arrest all of you! Upon hearing the word "noble" the majority of the non-drunk people lowered their heads and tried to escape as quickly as possible to avoid trouble. It was well known among commoners that you should avoid the person who makes or enforces the law when they''re angry. As for the drunks, intimidated by the swords at the guards'' waists, they followed the lead of the majority and went back into the tavern. ¡ªDo you need any more assistance, young sir?¡ªThe chief of the guards asked with a noticeably forced smile. ¡ªNo, as you already said: don''t meddle in our affairs¡ªHomero commented proudly, staring fixedly at the chief of the guards. After saying that, seeing his older brother completely paralyzed by nerves, Homero didn''t wait for the crowd to disperse. He decided to take his hand and push him into their carriage. Once inside the carriage, Homero took care to close the window curtains so no one could eavesdrop on their conversation from outside. Meanwhile, upon seeing the curtains of the carriage closing, Apolo felt secure again and gradually regained his composure. ¡ªWhat the hell just happened?¡ªHomero asked with some fear for his brother''s safety alone in the capital. ¡ªAn attack! That''s what happened, and to top it off, you let the attacker escape: You foolish, fat oaf!¡ªApolo yelled, still agitated¡ªDidn''t you learn anything from strategy class? When you have the enemy cornered, you must act quickly, or their reinforcements might appear! Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡ªHe was the coachman, you idiot! What the hell did you expect me to do?¡ªHomero shouted in annoyance¡ªBy our ancestors, Apolo! You''re no longer in the castle. You can''t act like that in front of commoners. People outside don''t know who you are, and they judge you based on how you appear. We must act like what we are: nobles! You''re the fool who completely forgot his manners class! ¡ª...¡ªApolo wasn''t bothered by his younger brother''s yelling and instead tried to understand where he went wrong. However, in his mind, everything had gone right until they were ambushed. Noticing his older brother''s silence, Homero stopped shouting. He took a moment to breathe and regain his patience. As he waited for some response from his brother, Homero noticed that Apolo was still hiding one of his hands in his pockets. So, with curiosity and an attempt to switch to a more amicable topic of conversation: ¡ªWhat are you keeping in your pocket? Judging by how you protected it during the "attack," my merchant''s instinct tells me it must be something valuable. ¡ªThere''s nothing!¡ªApolo responded instantly, getting nervous again. ¡ªHonestly...¡ªHomero commented, taking a pause¡ª...You''re the worst liar I''ve known in my life. And believe me when I say, Apolo, as a merchant, I''ve met more liars and deceivers than I''d like to. ¡ªIt''s just the bronze ring I always wear...¡ªApolo responded in a low tone, realizing that there was no longer a chance to keep hiding the truth. He reluctantly pulled his hand out of his pocket and put it in a more natural position. ¡ªAh, the Helena ring? No wonder you were guarding it so closely...¡ªHomero commented with a touch of sorrow, remembering that his brother always had that maid around in their childhood. ¡ªMy ring...¡ªApolo corrected absentmindedly¡ªHelena''s gone...unfortunately. ¡ªA truly tragic accident!¡ªHomero commented with sadness¡ªIt always struck me as a great gesture on your part, protecting so dearly the only memory left of her. Unfortunately, I didn''t get to know Helena well. I was very young when she died, so I vaguely remember her face. She must have been a great friend! ¡ªYes, she was the only maid who treated me like a friend and not just "young master"¡ªApolo responded with a tinge of melancholy. ¡ªYou''re lucky. I never knew someone like that in the castle...¡ªHomero said sadly¡ªHowever, during my year of travel, I did meet a great number of people. The world outside is truly vast! In the capital, you''ll surely find friends like Helena, but it''s best to keep your distance from commoners. ¡ªWhy should we keep our distance?¡ªApolo asked in bewilderment. ¡ªBecause you might forget who you are, Apolo...¡ªHomero responded calmly, as if those words weighed heavily on him¡ªDeep down, we''re different from the commoners: our blood isn''t the same. ¡ªIsn''t their blood red too?¡ªApolo commented ironically, not fully understanding his brother''s point. ¡ªHaha...¡ªlaughed Homero, patting his belly as his double chin jiggled¡ª I truly missed you, Apolo. You''re probably the only person in this world who makes me doubt whether your question was serious or just plain irony. Believe me when I say that, of all the people I''ve met during my travels, there''s no one quite like you. ¡ªAnd that''s my curse: I hate standing out, but I always end up standing out...¡ªSighed Apolo wearily. ¡ªHaha, and yet...you wanted to become a mage?¡ªHomero continued laughing while trying to speak normally, although his laughter made it difficult¡ªThose bastards live and die for flattery. *Haha, haha, haha*...Apolo burst into laughter. It had been a long time since he had laughed, so it took quite an effort, and he almost ran out of breath. But he managed to squeeze out the following words: ¡ªYes, I''ve really gotten myself into a big mess. But that''s my luck: everything goes from bad to worse! *Haha, haha, haha *...Homero laughed like a maniac, seeing his brother turning as red as a tomato from laughter, struggling to breathe. E13-The Negative Side ¡ªYour major problem is that you''re only seeing the negative side of things¡ª commented Homero with rosy cheeks from laughing so much ¡ªThink about it from this perspective: now you don''t have to worry about castle affairs or the family''s future. The life of an exile is much freer than that of an heir! ¡ªI suppose you''re right...¡ª responded Apolo thoughtfully. He had never really considered how much work the person in charge of the family actually had. Literally, everyone depended on their management. One mistake, and the future of all their relatives would be compromised. ¡ªOf course I''m right, you fool¡ª Homero commented proudly¡ªo you think I became a merchant as soon as I had the chance? It was to escape the walls of that castle. I didn''t want to become one of the great heroes of our family. I just wanted to enjoy life as a contented chubby man. ¡ªDon''t you want your deeds described in the family''s books?¡ª Apolo asked suspiciously ¡ªYou''re probably the one who abuses our noble title the most. I didn''t even know that unknown guard would respect us so much just for being nobles. ¡ªI''d love that, but our family''s history only remembers those who died in combat...¡ª Homero replied with a touch of sadness, while he pulled the carriage curtain aside to observe the bustling life of people on the streets ¡ªStill, thanks to those who died, I can live so well. I clearly owe them a lot, and I have no intention of ever repaying that debt. Heroes in this empire are becoming scarcer by the day, and these times are full of cowards in the noble families. So, I see no reason not to follow their fine example and join them in their cowardice. Let the fools defend us! For my part, after all my travels, I''ve learned that I prefer to be forgotten by the texts and die with my own joyful memories. Almost reflexively, Apolo also observed the people on the street. They were all moving hurriedly toward some uncertain goal, but judging by their pace, it was clearly something important. Paradoxically, it was entirely irrelevant to him and his brother. Homero noticed that his older brother had gotten lost in his own thoughts, so he broke the awkward silence by saying: ¡ªI''d recommend that you also learn to enjoy the glory given by the fallen, without worrying so much about repaying that debt. After all, with your worn-out physique, it seems that since Helena''s death, you''ve been more concerned about repaying some sort of debt than about living your life. ¡ªIt might be...¡ª commented Apolo, looking at the people outside even more thoughtfully. He was ironically pondering how he had tormented himself for 12 years, trying to decipher what had happened in a single day¡ªAnd the saddest part is that it might be an insignificant debt... ¡ªA nobleman doesn''t need to repay a maid''s debts, Apolo...¡ª Homero said coldly ¡ªAs I told you, if you spend too much time with commoners, you start thinking we''re all the same. We forget our blood is worth much more, and you end up doing foolish things that only condemn you... ¡ªAm I worth more than those people outside?¡ª Apolo asked, more interested in confirmation than in resolving a doubt, e obsessively rubbed the bronze ring in his hand. ¡ªOnly in the right eyes...¡ª Homero commented with a self-mocking smile, while rubbing his round belly with joy ¡ªIt all depends on the eye of the merchant who''s valuing you. That''s why it''s relevant that the most important merchant in these lands continues to consider us as gems. Only then will we truly be gems, not just colored glass. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡ªAnd how do we appear as gems?¡ª Apolo asked, understanding that his brother was referring to the emperor''s opinion. ¡ªIn my case, by being rich and creating wealth wherever I go...¡ª Homero replied, proud to share the wisdom he gained in his travels with his older brother ¡ªFor Hermes, it''s bringing victories through honor. For Fausto, he just has to sit on the throne without doing anything, but pay attention: without doing anything! And in your case, Apolo... Homero paused, trying to come up with a good answer for his brother. But the truth was that there weren''t too many magicians in the empire, so it was very complicated to form an honest opinion about why the emperor esteemed them. ¡ªSuppose you invent some useful things¡ª Homero commented, not entirely satisfied with his answer ¡ªThe more useful, the more they''ll appreciate you. So try to discover what pleases the nobles and solve those problems with useful inventions. On the flip side, the emperor probably dislikes charlatans who waste their wealth and achieve nothing. ¡ªAnd what if I can''t invent anything and displease the emperor?¡ª Apolo asked fearfully. ¡ªThen the emperor will have to deal with it while you squander his money, ha, ha, ha¡ª Homero laughed like a maniac as he rubbed his belly rolls with joy ¡ªThat''s the beauty of standing on the shoulders of our ancestors. ¡ªDo you think so?¡ª Apolo asked fearfully ¡ªOur family has only had four magicians in its history. There aren''t many ancestors to lean on. ¡ªWell, that''s true...¡ª Homero commented, regaining his composure and closing the window curtain again to shield himself from prying eyes¡ªHowever, the emperor''s family owes too much to our deceased to do anything against you. I''d say you should worry more about the other noble families lurking around the capital, especially the second-tier noble families. They''re more likely to abuse your name than to lend a hand when you need it. ¡ªIs the capital unsafe? I don''t want to go to an unsafe place...¡ª Apolo asked, growing more nervous by the moment, instinctively hiding the hand with the ring in his pocket. ¡ªOf course it''s unsafe. It''s a rat''s nest!¡ª Homero whispered, making sure the conversation wouldn''t be overheard by the carriage guard¡ªThe capital is where nobles without a future and full of greed gather. They''re all eager to create their own stories, and those vipers won''t hesitate to sever as many heads as necessary to build their own ladder to glory. Homero observed that his older brother was becoming paranoid again. In this particular case, from his perspective, it was prudent to be paranoid rather than trusting, so he continued to insist: ¡ªRemember this, Apolo. No matter what happens, no matter what they say or give you, you''re completely alone in the capital. In the emperor''s city, you must be your own king, or you''ll be used by the other kings. ¡ªM-maybe I shouldn''t go... to... the c-c-capital...¡ª Apolo stuttered, his hand with the bronze ring trembling uncontrollably ¡ªI could become a farmer! Or even a butler! ¡ªYou can do whatever you want with your life. You''ve already been exiled, and you can even deny your ancestors...¡ª Homero commented with some regret upon hearing the solutions offered by his older brother ¡ªBut remember, only nobles have the right to hold onto what''s theirs. If you refuse your noble status, nothing guarantees someone won''t take whatever they want from you whenever they please. For example, the guards in this village could steal your ring if they wanted, simply because they have more power. ¡ªThe ring is mine and will always be mine!¡ª Apolo shouted with intensity, his face contorting as he imagined the scenario described by his brother. ¡ªIf you want to keep the family ring, then you''ll have to prepare to go to the capital and face its problems with maturity...¡ª Homero responded, somewhat happier to see that his older brother genuinely cherished the symbol of his status ¡ªUnfortunately, that''s the best option you have. Grandfather should have already prepared all the paperwork for you to become a magician, so it should be easy for you to achieve. And once you become one, you''ll be the fifth magician in our family''s history. Regaining his composure, Apolo was thankful that his older brother had confused the rings, and he reminded himself not to shout like a lunatic in front of others. E14-Mateo y Orrin Apolo and Homero continued talking about their lives for a few more hours. On one hand, Homero wanted to make the most of the reunion and farewell with his older brother, while Apolo was curious about the outside world beyond the castle walls. Consequently, the conversation naturally extended well into the evening. Since Apolo''s family had already organized a reception party in honor of Homero for the next day, he reluctantly bid farewell to Apolo and began his journey back to the castle. On the other hand, Apolo met up with some trader friends of his younger brother''s and, following Homero''s instructions, informed them that he would be joining their caravan from now on. As expected, the traders accepted Apolo''s demand, though with a forced politeness, and informed him that the caravan would be departing before nightfall. With little time or desire to explore the village, Apolo decided to settle into his carriage, trusting that his two carriage drivers would naturally handle all the mundane issues that could arise due to his lack of experience and willingness. And indeed, that''s exactly what happened! Fortunately for Apolo''s survival, the drivers had been warned in advance by his mother and were prepared to deal with a myriad of problems from now on. However, for these two drivers, this was practically a unique opportunity: stepping up from mere servants to the butlers of a magician was a massive leap in their career. The first mundane issue that arose for the drivers was managing Apolo''s meals. Both drivers knew this was a sensitive subject, given that their young master hardly ate anything. So, the two drivers gathered at the entrance of a tavern to discuss the first significant challenge in their new lives. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡ªDid you bring the list of things our master eats, Mateo?¡ª asked the belongings carriage driver, an old man with white hair. As his hair color suggested, he had ample experience as a servant and had served Apolo''s family for nearly 60 years. This had earned him the absolute trust of the family''s head, which was why he was given this opportunity. ¡ªYes, father¡ª Mateo replied, showing a little black notebook. Mateo, in contrast, was the driver of the carriage in which Apolo traveled. He was much younger, around 30 years old, with bright blonde hair. ¡ªAlright, try to read out some dishes. Most likely, the tavern keeper, like the majority of commoners, can''t read, so you''ll need to explain it to them¡ª said Orrin, Mateo''s father, with some expectation. In the empire, trades were inherited from father to son, so it was logical for Orrin to ensure his son inherited the important position of becoming a magician''s butler, thereby securing a better future for him. Thus, the old man had made sure his son would be the driver of the carriage in which Apolo traveled. ¡ªCh-chicken s-soup?¡ª Mateo read, somewhat hesitatingly. While his father had taught him to read, he didn''t have many chances to practice. ¡ªVery well, we have more than enough money. Go into the tavern and demand that they cook that dish immediately¡ª Orrin instructed, handing a black card to his son. ¡ª"Demand" it? Shouldn''t I "ask" for it?¡ª Mateo asked hesitantly, while accepting the card, which served as a form of payment. The card only stored the empire''s true currency: "Crystals". These crystals were crystal-like stones similar to gems but with special properties very useful to almost all noble families, making them quite valuable and used as a medium of exchange. Since the crystals were rather large, they weren''t usually used directly, and wealthy individuals used some object to store them, similar to the black card Mateo had just received. ¡ªYes, "demand" it. Remember, we''re operating under the name of a noble family. Anyway, pay the food bill to the innkeeper; that way, we ensure it''s well-prepared¡ª Orrin calmly explained as he walked off to watch over the carriages. E15-The Tavern Watching as his father returned to guard the carriages, Mateo carefully placed the black card in his pocket and proceeded to enter the tavern. Given the large number of people visiting the village, the tavern was packed with patrons. Not a single table was available, and all the stools around the bar had already been occupied. To make matters worse, the tavern wasn''t very big. The majority of the tables with customers were in the back courtyard of the establishment, and inside the tavern, only a few round tables filled with seats could be seen. These tables, although few, were large enough to take up almost the entire space inside. Most people seemed willing to sit with anyone at the table just to receive a well-prepared meal and a drink. As a result, conversations at each table were incredibly diverse and, in most cases, exaggerated. From what Mateo could see, it appeared that the bartender had enlisted his entire family to work in the business. The bartender at the bar was a child no older than 10, and the one serving food inside the tavern was a girl no more than 12. Feeling somewhat embarrassed to have to demand food from a child, Mateo approached the bar, dodging the food on the floor and what appeared to be the vomit of an unfortunate soul. Upon reaching the bar, Mateo found a space between the stools and, when he had the chance, said to the "bartender": ¡ªHey, kid, I need you to prepare a plate of food for me! ¡ªSure, today''s menu includes vegetable broth and beef broth¡ª the child commented, looking at Mateo with happiness. It seemed he was enjoying the feeling of being somewhat more grown-up today. ¡ªThose menus won''t do for me. I need you to make me some chicken soup, young man¡ª Mateo responded with some discomfort. ¡ªThere are too many people. I''m sorry, but we don''t make special dishes for each person¡ª the child said, shaking his head from side to side, exaggerating his refusal. ¡ªTell your father to make an exception. The food isn''t for me; it''s for a nobleman¡ª Mateo commented nervously, seeing how the people at the bar were looking at him not so friendly. ¡ªWe can''t make exceptions. There''s only vegetable and beef broth available¡ª the child replied, shaking his head from side to side ¡ªYou''ll have to make do with that. Mateo, already quite embarrassed about having to complicate a child''s life, mentally prepared himself and set out to try to convince the "bartender." Fortunately, one of the drunks at the bar spoke before him. ¡ªHey, kid. Go tell your father that the food is for a nobleman. You could get in trouble if you don''t. ¡ªBut my dad specifically told me to refuse to cook special dishes¡ª the child replied reluctantly. It seemed he might throw a tantrum if he was contradicted further. ¡ªIt''s for a nobleman! They could throw your father in jail, kid! Go and tell your father!¡ª the drunk shouted, scaring the child. With some fear, the child went to the back of the tavern. He was more inclined to tell his father to kick another drunk out than to mention the matter of food for a nobleman. The back of the tavern was a common and not very large kitchen, featuring a stove, a long table, and a pantry big enough to store what was necessary for cooking. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªDad! There''s another drunk shouting¡ª the child shouted with a fearful look as he entered the back part of the kitchen. The child''s father was stirring a quite large cauldron, and inside it, a mixture of vegetables could be seen. This must have been one of the day''s menu items. Upon hearing his son''s shout and seeing his frightened face, an ugly expression formed on the bartender''s face. Without much ado, he grabbed a meat cleaver and said to his son: ¡ªTell me who''s being a smartass in my tavern. While all this was happening, Mateo waited at the bar with a triumphant look on his face. He was close to fulfilling his first big mission. However, the triumphant expression didn''t last long. It completely faded from his face when he saw the real bartender emerge, looking angry, and more importantly, holding a cleaver as big as a rolling pin in one of his hands. ¡ªWhich one of you is yelling at my son?¡ª the bartender shouted forcefully, causing everyone to stop eating and look toward the bar. Hearing the thunderous shout echoing through the bar, Mateo''s back was drenched in cold sweat. He reminded himself to stay strong: nobody had said being a servant was easy, and no matter what, he had to leave this place with a bowl of chicken soup in his hands. Fortunately, before he could say anything, the drunk spoke up again for him: ¡ªI did, kid. A nobleman is asking for food, and your son was refusing. ¡ªWhat?!¡ª the bartender yelled with even more anger, looking the child up and down. In his heart, he was grateful that a neighbor happened to be eavesdropping on the conversation between the nobleman and his son. Otherwise, things could get complicated for his family. The child looked at the angry expression on his father''s face and knew it was best to pretend to be deaf and look at him with pity until his anger subsided. If not, he''d be severely punished. ¡ªDon''t look at me like that and tell me what I told you a few hours ago!¡ª the bartender commented with displeasure, seeing his son looking at him like a scared puppy. ¡ªY-y-you told me that if I wanted to tend the bar, I had to behave like a responsible adult¡ª the child responded fearfully. ¡ªAnd what kind of responsible adult throws their family in jail?¡ª the bartender shouted angrily¡ªI specifically told you to be smart and cautious, and from what I can see, you''re still not mature enough to tend the bar. Go inside, learn from your mistake, and take care of the broth! ¡ªBut...¡ª the child wanted to retort; he had managed to escape the kitchen with much effort and didn''t want to go back to the cook''s position. However, from the fierce look his father gave him, the child understood it was best to stay quiet and follow his instructions. Seeing the child leave, the expression of anger on the bartender''s face was replaced by one of concern. Fearing what might happen next, he calmly said: ¡ªAside from that, who''s the nobleman we need to attend to? We''ll do it right away! ¡ªI hope so...¡ª Mateo responded in a very low voice, paying more attention to the intimidating cleaver in the bartender''s hand than his worried face. ¡ªYou''ll see. My family has the best cooks in this town. You''ll be satisfied and ask for seconds. As an apology for my son''s mistake, we''ll provide your meal for free. ¡ªI''m just his servant... There''s no need to apologize...¡ª Mateo corrected with red cheeks from embarrassment. Uncomfortable to notice that the people in the bar hadn''t resumed their conversation and were instead still eavesdropping on his conversation with the bartender ¡ªOtherwise, we''ll pay for your effort like everyone else: How much for a whole chicken? ¡ªOne-third¡ª the bartender replied joyfully, seeing he had escaped punishment. ¡ªOne-third of a crystal, right?¡ª Mateo asked uncomfortably. As a servant, everything was logically paid for by Apollo''s steward, and this was the first time he was buying something in his life. He tried to recall what he had learned from the steward before starting the journey. ¡ªYes, one-third of a crystal¡ª the bartender replied patiently. ¡ªWe''ll give you three crystals for a bowl of chicken soup, but let me specify exactly how it should be prepared, and let me observe the process¡ª Mateo said as he pulled out his notebook with the recipes. According to what he had learned from the steward, money had always been insignificant for Apollo''s family. The important thing was to ensure the quality of everything rather than its value. ¡ªNo doubt, we''ll fulfill your request. Come with me to the kitchen!¡ª the bartender replied with a smile so wide that his cheeks hurt. E16-Policy Unaware as he slept in the comfortable carriage, Apolo had begun his long journey to the capital. The journey itself would last a full 6 months, with the caravan crossing numerous towns and cities before finally reaching its much-awaited destination. Each of these towns might or might not be directly controlled by a noble family, and if they were, Apolo, following his younger brother''s instructions, would disembark to greet the respective lords. According to the empire''s classification, the titles of noble families were divided into the following ranks: baronies, counties, and duchies. A barony was led by a baron, who was the ruler of a city, town, or castle. Meanwhile, a county was ruled by a count, who was the ruler of multiple barons, cities, towns, and castles. Lastly, a duchy was ruled by a single duke, who was the ruler of several counts, cities, towns, and castles. While all were kings of their respective realms, they were considered noble families by the empire, for the true ruler of the empire was the emperor, also known as the king of all kings. However, this classification only applied to the main noble families, that is, those who were kings of their territories and therefore swore allegiance solely to the emperor. As one would expect, there were also secondary noble families, those that obeyed the kings and not the emperor. These secondary noble families were often formed when a count, for instance, decided to create a new city and an internal baron title to give to one of his landless sons. Consequently, a new barony would be formed, but this barony wouldn''t obey the emperor, but the count. If the title were to be lost due to lack of heirs, it would return to the count, not the emperor. Another fundamental characteristic of this political system was that only the kings could impose laws, and thus, the secondary families were never considered reigns but rather administrators of the king''s word. In the case of Apolo''s family, the main title was the Black Forest barony. Due to its history, this barony was considered an independent realm. Hence, Apolo''s grandfather obeyed only the emperor and not the surrounding nobles, even though it was just a single castle. Following this explanation, Apolo''s grandfather could be referred to in two ways: as the king of the Black Forest or as the baron of the Black Forest. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Consequently, Apolo''s political status made him a member of one of the main families of the empire. Thus, Apolo only needed to exchange formal greetings with other main families when passing through territories directly controlled by them, and not with the secondary families, as they held a lower status. Throughout the empire, there were only 6 kings who obeyed the emperor. These comprised two baronies, three duchies, and a single county. Thus, apart from the emperor''s family, there were only 6 main noble families that wielded the bulk of the empire''s political, economic, and military power. Naturally, the title of emperor also came with lands and their respective cities, administered by the emperor''s family. Otherwise, no king would obey the emperor, as he would lack military power. Nevertheless, the duchies, counties, and baronies that directly belonged to the imperial family were considered secondary noble families. To sum up, the key difference between main and secondary families lay in who dictated the laws in each territory. The emperor couldn''t impose laws in the main families'' territories or realms. Therefore, the main families only pledged military allegiance, and the truth was that everything the emperor requested from them had to be politically negotiated beforehand. So, the big question arises: Why does the emperor allow the main families to impose their own laws rather than controlling them directly? The answer is as simple as "the emperor doesn''t control the entire world". Thus, external threats still exist, and the emperor has always had to cede power in exchange for loyalty. As for external threats, there are three other "empires" that have vied for world control for millennia, yet none have ever achieved this feat. Regardless, anything external to the empire never concerned Apolo; he would never inherit the Black Forest throne. Just as Homero said, such political matters shouldn''t concern an exile like him. Apolo''s sole "obligation" was to enjoy what he was thanks to his ancestors'' sacrifice: a noble belonging to one of the empire''s main families. E17-The Preparations Gradually, the days passed, and Apolo slowly approached the capital until the promised day finally arrived. The 6-month journey was tough on all the members of the caravan, and while there were no major accidents, 6 months of travel were enough to wear down anyone''s spirit. Apolo, for his part, gradually got used to life outside the castle and the "peculiar" behavior of the commoners. Slowly, the young man began to understand the meaning of his younger brother''s words and tried to learn from others how a true noble should act. After spending a long 6 months learning from life itself, Apolo had some confidence that he could handle the problems that arose in the capital. Another significant point was that Apolo slowly improved his physical condition since he only ate and slept in the carriage, without being so obsessed with exploring the forest. Although, in reality, if you were to compare his body to that of a regular person, no sane person would say Apolo looked healthy. Nightmares continued to torment him at night, highlighting his haggard appearance and lack of enthusiasm. Additionally, the daily meals failed to plump him up enough to hide his bones. To make matters worse, his muscle strength had atrophied due to spending so much time confined in a carriage. But, if we subtract those three fundamental factors of human health, we could deceive ourselves into saying that Apolo was slightly better than before. On the other side of the travel group, Mateo and Orrin were adjusting to their young master''s habits. While initially, the task was quite challenging, over time, the father-and-son duo realized they were quite lucky to have such a sedentary master. After all, Apolo''s routine and problems were always the same: fighting over his food, cleaning his clothes, and being there to listen when he had a panic attack. As per the merchants'' instructions, today was the day they would reach the capital. Orrin began to make the most important preparations. The old servant had been thinking about this day for 6 months, so he had most things prepared well in advance. During a pause taken by the caravan along the way, Orrin got down from the driver''s seat of his carriage with a box in his hand and approached the carriage where Apolo always stayed. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªMy lord, here are the documents for becoming a magician¡ª Orrin commented as he opened the door of Apolo''s carriage and carefully handed him the box. ¡ªPerfect¡ª Apolo responded gruffly, taking the box and quickly closing the carriage door as if fearing the documents inside might come to life and escape on their own. The box was made of wood and wasn''t overly large; about the size of a carry-on suitcase. Upon opening it, Apolo noticed that there were only three rolled-up scrolls and a silver mask inside. The silver mask was rather beautiful and immediately piqued Apolo''s curiosity. It was a half-mask, covering only the upper part of his face, leaving his mouth and nose exposed. As for its appearance, aside from the obvious beauty of the silver metallic color, it was adorned with intertwining leaves, and two red leaves were positioned just below each eye hole. Apolo instantly recognized that the leaves were identical to those of the black trees surrounding the castle, suggesting that someone had designed the mask specifically for him. Without bothering to read the contents of the scrolls, Apolo put on the silver mask and was pleased to find that someone had indeed designed it for him, as it fit perfectly on his head. Curiously, Apolo looked at his reflection in the carriage''s glass to see how the mask looked on him, only to realize with dismay that while the mask was beautiful, it served to accentuate his already prominent and pointed nose. With a touch of sadness, Apolo removed the mask from his face and proceeded to open one of the scrolls in the box to see what was written on it. Upon opening the scroll, Apolo noticed it was a response message to his grandfather. It read as follows:
"Oh, great king of the Black Forest: I am pleased to learn that one of your grandchildren is willing to become a magician for the empire. Naturally, we will make the necessary arrangements to ensure that your grandson''s desire, Apolo of the Black Forest, is fulfilled without major inconveniences. Kindly remind your grandson to deliver the attached card in this letter after completing the registration process at the Ministry of Magic. Sincerely, Dorien of White Town, Minister of Magic"
Apolo read attentively and saw that below the written message on the scroll was a small paper card affixed with wax. Carefully, Apolo peeled it off to examine it closely: the card was a plain piece of paper with nothing written on it, except for the striking drawing of two wide-open eyes on one side. E18-The Secret Document Not comprehending how this card would identify him, Apolo proceeded to carefully put it away and wasted no time in grabbing the next parchment from the box. Even before reading the message, a smile had formed on Apolo''s face upon seeing the wax seal used at the top of the document. The seal was an exact copy of the man with arms outstretched to the heavens inscribed on the family ring and thus symbolized that this was a confidential document for Apolo''s eyes only. Apart from the wax seal, the parchment was currently completely blank, making it look like any ordinary piece of parchment ready to be used at any moment. However, Apolo knew that the concealed content of this document could mean the difference between living in fear of having his ring stolen throughout his life or beginning to live a life of opulence like any great mage in the capital. With trembling fingers due to anticipation, Apolo used the nails of his hand to remove the wax seal placed on the document, revealing a small silver needle hidden underneath. Noticing it, Apolo proceeded to pick up the needle, and with his hands trembling with greed for the hidden information, he pricked his finger where the gold ring was "coincidentally" located, causing a small drop of blood to begin forming in the wound. With extreme delicacy, Apolo allowed the blood to accumulate until the drop was large enough to fall on its own onto the blank document. Contrary to what should happen with any ordinary paper, the blood didn''t stain the document but instead went through it as if it didn''t exist, disappearing from Apolo''s sight. Immediately, red letters like blood began appearing on the document, revealing the hidden content.
"Dear nephew: I''m sending this message as I''ve come to accept the fact that my time in this world is coming to an end and the reunion with my dear brother is drawing closer. Therefore, tonight I''ve decided to ponder on what I could leave for our family and how I can encourage more young ones to be like me and embark on the arduous path of a mage on their own initiative. After much reflection and meditation, I concluded that this task would be impossible for me. I based this on the unfortunate fact that the ecosystem in the castle encourages more young boys eager for the world''s recognition and not thoughtful youths brimming with curiosity about the world. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. That''s why I decided to reframe my thoughts for a few weeks. The big question during these solitary nights where illness has been my only trusted companion was how to make these young adventurers turn this city into their own playground of adventures. And that''s why I eagerly await you to receive the fruit of my effort, my final legacy, and my great inheritance. When you open the package, you''ll notice an incredibly unique artifact, created by the only mage in this empire who tried to rival the ingenuity of the White Town and more importantly, an artifact created by your dear uncle. This unparalleled artifact has the unique ability to conceal half a person''s face, so that young adventurers can always escape their troubles without being remembered by their enemies. I hope you enjoy my gift and put effort into protecting the combative spirit that has always distinguished us from all the other kings of this empire. Yours truly, your old uncle, Tea of the Black Forest"
Apolo, nearly tearing up from disappointment, glared angrily at the silver mask in the box. Not only was the artifact not designed exclusively for him, but he thought the mask was some kind of magical artifact, and as he began to read the letter, that idea grew stronger. But due to the irony used at the end of this letter, it seemed like it was just a jest left by one of his ancestors before dying, and considering there had only been 4 mages in his entire family, this inheritance was a tragedy! Nevertheless, his grandfather or someone in the family had taken care to modify the mask so that it fit him perfectly, so there was an unusual effort to make this joke work, creating some doubts in Apolo. E19-The Second Document Having already lost faith, Apolo reluctantly proceeded to open the final document. To his pleasant surprise, this one was also a secret document, so only the seal stamped at the top of the parchment could be seen. Following the same steps as before but with lower expectations, Apolo unlocked the secret document, and a rather peculiar message began to take shape on the page.
"To the fool who''s stuck reading this: Rather than waste my time recounting this crap, the truth is, I''m likely to be killed by the theocrats in a few weeks. So, I ask you to keep your blood in check and not avenge me. Or at least don''t do it in such a stupid way that the king of all idiots ends up reaping the rewards while your kids are getting screwed over... Secondly, and not any less important for that matter, I wanted to take advantage of the profound clarity that comes with nearness to death to offer some advice to the next unfortunate soul idiotic enough to willingly become a wizard. The first piece of advice for our dear black sheep is also a question. Don''t underestimate this advice just because it''s a question. In fact, this question, even without an answer, is more valuable than my own life. So, tell me, young novice: What''s the most valuable thing for a wizard?" This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Apolo was stunned as he read his ancestor''s letter. This document was directly addressed to the current head of the family. However, his ancestor seemed unwilling to spare any insults. On top of that, the document contained extremely sensitive information: the theocracy was one of the "empires" vying for control of the world against the emperor. Even more crucial was the fact that indeed, his family had gone to war against the theocracy a millennium ago. What little Apolo knew about that conflict was that it arose from a diplomatic incident. And according to the contents of this letter, it would seem that his ancestor''s death had ignited the flames of that war. ¡ªDo I actually have to respond to a dead person? ¡ªApolo whispered as he reread the secret document. At the outset, his ancestor had asked him a question, and the text explicitly stated that this was the first piece of advice. So, in principle, there should be a second piece of advice. Moreover, his ancestor hadn''t left a signature at the end of the document, making it quite possible that he was supposed to reply. Although the possibility existed that the document had been censored, meaning Apolo couldn''t read any more of it and would never find out about the other "advice." E20-The Time Reviewing once again that this was the last document from the box, Apolo decided to try his luck. Using his blood as ink and the needle as a pen, he wrote down the first answer that came to his mind:
"Intelligence"
"The correct answer is time: A fool with time usually achieves more than an intelligent person who''s already dead." The text written by Apolo was immediately crossed out, and the correct answer began to be written on the document.
¡ªUsing my answer, impressive...¡ª Apolo murmured, rereading his ancestor''s response. Without waiting for Apolo to finish rereading, the red letters surfaced on the paper again, revealing the secrets of the confidential document:
"Time: everything is time. My friendships were time, my family was time, my love affairs were time, the children I never had but always wanted were time, my enemies were time, my mistakes were time, just as my achievements were time. The prestige I could never earn was time, and currently my life is running out of time. Time isn''t just valuable; time itself is powerful. It''s time that controls the magician, not the magician controlling time. Though I don''t doubt that many magicians will tell you otherwise, and ironically, those very magicians are the ones most afraid of the power of time. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. That''s why I''m making you waste time reading this, so you realize how powerful time can become. In the right hands and at the right moment, time can create lives, as well as destroy them. Time was the great forger of the reigns you now know, as well as the eraser of history for the reigns you''re unaware of. Time produced the greatest magicians in history, and it was also responsible for destroying them at its whim. I can further affirm without fear of being wrong that time could do everything, can do everything, and will do everything, because time is the true and only god of all magicians. You will now understand that time is the most valuable thing in your life. Therefore, it''s also the best gift you can receive. However, never forget that everything that time has given you will also be asked back from you at the end of your life. That''s why you must be cautious and understand when the day comes to cheat time. And today, as I write these words, is the moment for you and me to steal from time."
Apolo''s hands started trembling as he read these words, becoming more and more hypnotized by his ancestor''s teachings, seduced by how powerful time could be. The young man''s excitement was such that, for the first time since Helena''s accident, Apolo managed to forget about the brass ring on his finger, its exact weight, its cold touch, and its imperfect shape. Apolo''s mind could only focus on one thing: The Time. E21-Second advice As Apolo''s mind delved into the infinity of time itself, the parchment didn''t wait, instead it absorbed the written words in blood and caused a new text to begin forming on the confidential document:
"To outwit time, you must heed my advice, which, though seemingly simple, is the essence of my very life. You will become what I never was; you will become what you never thought you could be; you will become what I always aspired to, and you will become what you never dared imagine you could be. You will be me, and I will be you, for time shall never snatch away what it has bestowed upon me. Today is the day you learn from my mistakes, and today is the day we steal from a god. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Remember well, my second advice is the simplest for a commoner and the most complex for a noble, as only the humble can embrace their destiny. You, born noble, must walk with the feet of a commoner throughout your most awaited day. That day you dreamt of relishing your greatest honor must become the day you learn true humiliation. Only then will you have won the real battle: the battle against time. That''s why my second counsel is to be as humble as a commoner when you are accepted as a mage. No matter what happens, do not deny your fate. As for my third advice... (The parchment continued explaining each of its advices)"
E22-The Ring City The day went by as usual, and as Apolo had recently learned: time was about to snatch away a day from his life without him being able to protest. However, time had also granted the young man what he was looking for: as the grand imperial capital''s gates were finally visible on the horizon. The imperial capital was the most important and large city in the entire empire, yet it wasn''t the most populous. The real most populous city in the empire was none other than the capital''s surroundings. The city''s gigantic walls had a more symbolic than practical meaning; they were there to separate two worlds. On one side was the interior of the capital, where power and wealth abounded as far as the eye could see, while on the other side was the city surrounding the capital, full of misery, pain, and suffering. This incredibly densely populated area was known as the ring city, since its interior was naturally hollow and the city developed along the city''s wall. The farther one got from the city gates, the more misery increased, and the lower the degree of investment and control by the authorities. Except for the exception of the six roads leading to each of the six gates in the city wall to the capital. The surroundings of those roads Apolo was advancing through were quite opulent, as a great number of nobles and merchants had invested in that area. In a way, this natural design ended up causing the misery of the ring city to be even more hidden from the eyes of the nobles. Consequently, what Apolo was seeing right now was a city full of life and prosperity, completely removed from what it truly was. The houses in this area were incredibly large and were attached to each other, practically every house had a commercial shop open on the bottom floor, and due to the high foot traffic, it seemed like there wasn''t a single unsuccessful shop on this street. However, the misery could still be seen by keen eyes, as beggars and thieves were not lacking. Although the vast majority of the poor didn''t dare to stay on the path for too long, mainly out of fear of facing the retaliation of a merchant who felt they were affecting their business. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. As mentioned before, the ring city wasn''t Apolo''s destination. However, the majority of the caravan members were aiming for this city, so the caravan had started to disintegrate until only a few well-decorated carriages were still heading towards the gigantic gates of the capital. With curiosity, Apolo looked out of the carriage''s two windows, trying to appreciate as much as he could of this incredibly exotic and eye-catching area. Judging by the number of colors in the people''s clothing on these streets, it would seem that everyone was rich. However, the reality was that due to the large number of merchants in this city, goods that were worth a fortune in other cities cost only a few crystals here. Apolo stared in amazement at the great number of curious objects the merchants were selling, and it was no wonder: the exotic goods on the shelves of these stores would dazzle anyone''s eyes, even more so someone like Apolo who was visiting these lands for the first time. While the young man was exploring, the grand gates of the wall gradually grew larger as the carriage approached, until the walls were so close that they seemed to cover the sky. Being so close, Apolo could see that the imposing walls were decorated with statues all over: some statues dressed as soldiers, others as wizards, and the majority wore noble clothing. Another notable aspect of the statues was that not all had a human appearance, and for example, a few seemed abnormally large, as if they were giants. Apolo knew the statues weren''t created randomly; each represented some illustrious hero in the empire, so the giant statues were likely a dedication from the empire to one of its ancestors. From the carriage''s window, Apolo could see a long line of carriages waiting to enter the capital. When a carriage parked in line, guards quickly appeared to inspect the carriage and ask for documentation to enter. Initially, as Orrin had mentioned, Apolo wasn''t supposed to do anything during the inspection, and his drivers would handle all the paperwork, so the young man decided to close the carriage''s curtains, hoping that the guards'' inspection wouldn''t bother him too much. E23-The Great Gate Finally, the carriage joined the queue, causing two guards to approach the carriage slowly and lazily. It seemed that the guards were already worn out from their long shift and eagerly awaited the sun to set so that this day would finally come to an end. ¡ªDid anything unusual happen? ¡ªOrrin asked, as he saw the two disinterested guards approaching. If he compared them to guards from other cities he had visited, these guards probably had the worst appearance. They must have been the most worn out by their routine. ¡ªNo, fortunately...¡ª the guard commented with a forced smile, trying to mask their fatigue ¡ªBut you''re the last carriage we need to inspect. Our shift will be over soon. ¡ªI see, seems like it''s been a long day...¡ª Orrin commented, gazing at the two guards intently ¡ªBut I''m afraid you''ll have to inspect one more carriage: my lord is finishing a very long journey, and he''s traveling in the carriage behind. It wouldn''t be wise for you two to make us wait for the shift change. My lord might get angry, and believe me when I say you wouldn''t want that to happen. ¡ªI''m sorry, but we don''t make exceptions¡ª one of the guards responded with a somewhat forced but well-practiced smile. It appeared these guards had plenty of experience dealing with nobles. ¡ªYes, you certainly will! ¡ªshouted a guard sitting in a chair beside the massive gates. The man was quite far away, but it seemed all his attention was focused on the two black carriages that had recently joined the queue. Unlike all the other guards working at this gate, this man had white hair and, even more notably, was the only one bearing a scar on his body. The old guard wore a worn leather armor, patched in places, unlike the guards attending to carriages with finely decorated silver armor adorned with rose patterns. This indicated that this old guard was likely the only one at this gate who had truly risked his life at some point to defend something he cherished. The guard struggled to rise with the help of a cane by his side, revealing that he had lost one of his legs long ago. Once standing, the guard at the gate shouted again, glaring with severity as all the guards suddenly straightened upon hearing his voice: ¡ªAnd not only you two will be working beyond your shift: Open "the gate" and bring out the carriages in line! Let the march of the colossi of the Black Forest be heard! Upon hearing the guard with the cane mention opening "the gate", all the guards attending to their posts glared with extreme annoyance at the two black carriages that had just arrived, especially those guards who had finished inspecting their carriages and were preparing to return home. These scoundrels had extended their workday! However, no guard dared to voice their reproach and began to carry out the given orders. Meanwhile, Orrin and Mateo watched as the guards started running the other carriages in the queue to the sides, forming a grand corridor of carriages and revealing the massive gates of the capital city at the end. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. In truth, these gates hardly ever opened, except for when someone important entered or exited the city in a formal manner. Most carriages used secondary gates located just beside the massive gates. This was not only a matter of practicality to save effort by not opening the large gates, but also a way to keep them closed for as long as possible, implying to outsiders that these lands were exclusive. The other significant reason for this practice was to mark status: secondary noble families, carriages with servants, and the like were meant to enter through the smaller gates, while gazing in impotence at the massive wall gates, a reminder that they weren''t truly worthy of entering the imperial capital. Drawing from his experience, Orrin deduced that Apolo''s grandfather had arranged for a formal reception for his grandson. Thus, the head guard must have been informed that two black carriages with red wheels would arrive in the capital around this time. Once most carriages had been moved, it didn''t take long for Orrin to be informed that he should also move, and that only Apolo''s carriage was allowed through the grand gates. Rather than take offense, Orrin watched with pride as the whole spectacle unfolded, and even prouder, he observed his somewhat nervous son, attempting to keep the sweat from showing on his face as he became the center of attention for all the other drivers. As these preparations were underway, passersby in the vicinity noticed the colossal gates slowly opening, revealing a glimpse of the magnificent radiance of the capital. People began to gather on the surrounding streets to witness the formal reception. Finally, the two grand gates were fully open, exposing the interior of the capital. Only grass, trees, and all sorts of exotic plants could be seen, surrounding a path paved with azure tiles resembling the sky. As this happened, the gate guards lined up, forming a corridor for Apolo''s carriage to pass through. Each guard held drums that had been quickly fetched for the occasion. Once everything was set, Mateo noticed his father signaling, and with hundreds of eyes on his carriage, he began to guide it towards the capital. As soon as the carriage started moving, Apolo, who had kept the curtains closed, began to hear the resonating drums from outside. Somewhat surprised, he slightly parted the curtain to observe the source of the familiar sound. It was then that the young noble became aware of the whole spectacle unfolding. Far from liking it, Apolo nervously watched the guards that had formed a procession to receive him. The sound Apolo heard was none other than his family''s anthem, a simple war march played on drums. The march was repetitive and sought to echo the motto of his family:
"Embrace the fallen first, then embrace yourself."
This implied that respecting those who died in battle was most important, followed by self-respect. The carriage gradually approached the capital''s gates, basking in the beautiful reception. A large crowd gathered to see what was happening, making the reception even more memorable. However, the main protagonist of this reception had long closed his curtains and was more concerned reading an old, yellowed scroll obsessively, as if his entire future lay within those few paragraphs. E24-The Imperial Capital
The capital''s gate began to close again as Apolo headed towards his destination, and the onlookers who had stayed to watch the reception dispersed. It was quite late now, so Apolo intended to spend the night in the carriage and head to the Ministry of Magic in the morning with the aim of becoming an imperial wizard. The reason Apolo had to sleep in the carriage was that his family, maintaining their isolationist policy, didn''t own any mansion in the capital or any other major city. However, once he became a wizard for the empire, it would grant him a residence. So, the young man wasn''t overly concerned about it. Besides, he could have stayed at the house of a noble family friendly to his own, but he wasn''t in the mood for all the greetings he would have to exchange if he did that. While Mateo looked for a good place to park the carriage without drawing too much attention, Apolo was gazing out of the window, observing the capital. As far as he could see, the capital wasn''t as bustling as the Ring City. There were few carriages moving about, and people weren''t strolling the streets or its surroundings. Quickly, Apolo noticed there were no shops around; instead, the areas around the bluish streets were occupied by residences. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. These residences weren''t tightly packed like in the Ring City; each house had a considerable green space separating them. Virtually all the houses were multi-story mansions, though now and then Apolo could catch sight of some less common structures seen in ordinary towns, like mansions that resembled castles or tall towers that looked more like fortresses than traditional houses. The decorations of each mansion were unique and unrepeatable, but they all shared a similarity: how much effort they put into their gardens. The gardens were filled with exotic flowers, and many people could be seen working in them. Some gardens even had colorful animals that Apolo had never seen in his life. The young noble could even spot a mansion surrounded by a turquoise lake that had somehow been built to embellish the estate. After a not-so-long journey, Orrin found a street that seemed quiet enough to park the carriages and wait for the day to end normally. Apolo, on the other hand, was already trying to fall asleep by this point. However, his nerves and excitement seemed too great to sleep, so he relentlessly opened his eyes again to read the document written by one of his ancestors. The young man knew that tomorrow would be the big day. Tomorrow, Apolo would have to execute everything in this document flawlessly to obtain the security he so deeply craved.
E25-Changes The night passed, and God took away 12 hours from Apolo, however, this night God hadn''t been generous, only giving back 4 hours of sleep to the young noble who had just woken up with bloodshot eyes due to the terrible night he had endured. Nevertheless, a grin from ear to ear adorned Apolo''s face. Finally, the time had come; now the young man only needed to reach out and steal from time, just as his ancestor had planned, ages ago. So, with the gaze of a champion and the body of a departed soul, Apolo proceeded to open the carriage door, finding the bewildered gazes of Mateo and Orrin, who were discussing other matters while he slept. ¡ªDid you sleep well, young sir?¡ª Orrin asked in surprise, conveniently ignoring Apolo''s decrepit appearance. ¡ªLast night, I didn''t sleep, I survived! However, I''m sure I''ll sleep tomorrow¡ªApolo replied with a smile that didn''t match his current state. ¡ªThat''s the spirit...¡ªOrrin commented with a smile, not really understanding what Apolo said but getting his positive mood ¡ªDo you want us to take you to the Ministry of Magic? You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡ªYes, we must go to the Ministry of Magic right away. However...¡ªApolo replied with some uncertainty, while he stared at Orrin and Mateo sitting in the driver''s seat. ¡ª...¡ªMeanwhile, Mateo and Orrin waited uncomfortably for Apolo to snap out of his thoughts as he gazed at them intently. ¡ªHowever, we''ll do it differently. Today, I''ll drive: show me¡ªApolo concluded with doubts as he attempted to sit in the driver''s seat. Mateo and Orrin looked at Apolo even more surprised, especially Orrin, who struggled not to refuse such a request. From his perspective, it would be terrible for a future wizard to be seen at the Ministry of Magic driving with two servants. It wouldn''t just damage Apolo''s image; it would harm his future reputation and thus his future prospects. Other nobles wouldn''t tolerate such details. ¡ªCan you help me get up?¡ªApolo asked, his face turning red as he continued to try to climb into the driver''s seat. ¡ªYes, yes, of course...¡ªMateo responded, puzzled by the request, but even more puzzled to see that his father wasn''t willing to help Apolo get into the driver''s seat. Immediately, Mateo got down from the carriage to explain the method for Apolo to climb up, while he glanced worriedly at his father, who remained silent in a mournful hush. Perhaps only a servant like him knew that this silence was the purest way a servant could convey their pain when faced with a task they didn''t want to accept. E26-The Driver With some effort, Apolo managed to climb onto the carriage. Once on top, he struggled to fit himself between the two drivers. Initially, only two drivers could be at the front of the carriage at most. After finding a somewhat tight space, Apolo looked with reddened cheeks as the horses cheerfully swished their tails in front of him. In a hushed tone, as if trying not to be heard, Apolo asked: ¡ªSo, what do we do now? How do you drive this thing? ¡ªYou take the reins and shake them to make the horses move forward¡ª Mateo began to explain ¡ªThen you shake them again to stop the horses. ¡ªWhat''s a rein?¡ª Apolo asked, his face as red as a tomato. ¡ªThese cords¡ª Mateo commented, taking two black leather cords tied to a piece of wood protruding from the driver''s seat. ¡ªAnd how do you steer?¡ª Apolo asked in a low voice, uncomfortably holding the cords in Mateo''s hands, making sure they didn''t brush against his bronze ring. ¡ªHow about we do the steering for you?¡ª Mateo asked with some fear that the horses might not understand the command and keep going forward when they were supposed to turn. ¡ªYes, we could steer together. That''s something a servant can do...¡ª Apolo mumbled to himself, completely unaware of whether he was heard by the two people a few inches away. ¡ªDon''t you think it would be more comfortable if we drive for you?¡ª Orrin asked, unable to hold back any longer and breaking his funerary silence ¡ªWhile driving a carriage can be fun, other wizards in the ministry might misinterpret your playfulness and see it as something humiliating. ¡ªHumiliating?! Would they see it as humiliating too, or am I the only fool who thinks this is humiliating?!¡ª Apolo asked as if his life depended on it. Orrin didn''t know how to answer this question without offending his lord. Seeing how serious and demanding Apolo was being at the moment, he ended up saying what his heart truly believed: Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡ª I grew up with your grandfather, lived with your grandfather, and I was always a close friend of your grandfather''s. However, many things had to change in our relationship when he was crowned king of the Black Forest. Nevertheless, we both respected each other, and your grandfather has always helped my son. That''s why I''ve been protecting you like my own son for these long six months. So, I beg you to listen to me and understand that this is a bad idea, my lord. The other nobles and wizards would only use this to humiliate you. ¡ª I''m a genius... ¡ª Apolo muttered, completely ignoring the two carriage drivers and remembering how his ancestor had warned him that this would be the most humiliating day of his life. Apolo didn''t exactly know what his ancestor was asking of him and how it would benefit him, but he knew that the feeling he was experiencing right now was just as the secret document described. So, if he continued like this until he became a wizard, it was very likely that he would inadvertently fulfill the second piece of advice. And this was crucial because the complete document had a total of 5 pieces of advice: all riddles that Apolo had to solve to learn his ancestor''s teachings. The riddle of the first advice had already been solved by Apolo, which was answering the deceased. Now the young noble had to solve the second riddle, and it seemed he was on the right track. ¡ª So, will you let us drive? ¡ª Orrin asked again, not understanding why Apolo had muttered that driving the carriage was starting to seem like a smart idea. ¡ª No, we''ll follow my plans and drive together to the Ministry of Magic¡ª Apolo replied, looking at the horses'' behinds affectionately. ¡ª But, my lord: Many nobles will be offended by this! ¡ª Orrin insisted again, losing his patience. ¡ª And their heads will roll for it! ¡ª Apolo replied with the confidence he had long lost. Mateo watched as his father stopped insisting upon hearing Apolo''s response. Instead, he quietly got off the carriage and headed towards the one holding the belongings. However, this time Orrin''s silence didn''t seem to be one of sorrow. It seemed to be one of approval, accompanied by a slight smile. So, it seemed that Apolo''s confidence had given Orrin a different perspective on the matter. ¡ª Do as you please, for you''re the noble after all... ¡ª Orrin murmured as he walked toward his carriage with more confidence. After all, those in power could do whatever they wanted, and what was the problem if the young man wanted to be the driver: "Mock as much as you want, and don''t stop mocking when your head is rolling on the ground." E27-Reflections At the pace of a tortoise, Apolo was driving the carriage with Mateo''s help, while Orrin had strategically positioned his carriage at the front, thus avoiding the unexpected braking caused by Apolo''s lack of experience. Meanwhile, Mateo''s carriage horses had been following Orrin''s carriage for a long time, so the animals would start noticing senseless commands and would simply choose to ignore Apolo, instead following what the black carriage ahead was doing. The curious thing about this effect caused by the intelligence of the horses was that Apolo began to gain confidence in his driving abilities as he noticed the horses doing "what he asked": following the black carriage towards the Ministry of Magic. ¡ªIndeed, I was born with the gift of knowledge!¡ª exclaimed Apolo proudly as he watched the horses turn a corner without colliding with the tree ahead. ¡ªThere''s no doubt about that: You''re handling the carriage like a pro, sir!¡ª Mateo praised promptly, noticing that Apolo had indicated the signal to increase speed with a tree in front of the horses. ¡ªI don''t understand why nobles see this as unworthy; I''m actually starting to like it¡ª Apolo commented with a smile, feeling the fresh breeze of air hitting his face. ¡ªWe all obey someone, and many nobles who think they''re free actually confine themselves in their own prejudices to avoid other people''s opinions¡ª Mateo commented, enjoying having someone to talk to during the journey. ¡ªOnly a fool would live thinking about others'' opinions¡ª Apolo responded, enjoying the scent of exotic trees planted around the blue streets. ¡ªUnfortunately, fools abound. Just think about the many foolish things some merchants do every day just to make a good impression on someone they might only see once in their lives. If they put all that energy into finding better goods, they would surely make more money. ¡ªYeah, you can''t imagine how much I hated my farewell party. I should''ve left without telling anyone; everyone seemed to ignore me, and supposedly, I was the star of that party. While I hate being in the spotlight, the truth is, for my farewell party, I was expecting to be "the important person of the house." However, no one in the family cared, except my siblings. I should''ve invited them to my room for a drink. What a waste to have spent all my energy on that party...¡ª Apolo said with anger while driving, although seeing the horses'' tails moving happily prevented him from staying angry for long. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡ªYour grandfather appreciates you too. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have organized such a reception and kept it a secret. Not even my father knew they would welcome us by playing his family''s march¡ª Mateo replied with a bitter smile, remembering how nervous he had been yesterday. But now that he was relaxed, he could understand that it had also been a great honor for him. ¡ªDoubt that my grandfather cares for me. He''s only pampering me because I remind him of my father. That reception, just like my farewell party, was a huge waste of...¡ª Apolo replied without hesitation. However, he couldn''t finish the sentence as he lowered his gaze and looked at the bronze ring in his hand, muttering reflectively ¡ª... A huge waste of time. ¡ªIs something wrong, sir?¡ª Mateo asked, noticing the abrupt change in Apolo''s voice, but the young lord was just staring at the bronze ring in his hand, more absorbed in his thoughts than in the journey. ¡ª"My mistakes were time"¡­ Wasted time... Time I won''t be able to get back and, even more importantly: Time that was stolen from me! ¡ª Apolo commented angrily as he took the bronze ring off his finger and held it in his hand. ¡ªBut you learn from mistakes...¡ª Mateo commented, not giving much importance to Apolo''s rambling tantrum. ¡ªHuh? What did you say?¡ª Apolo asked, taking his gaze off the ring to look at Mateo with doubts. ¡ªHaven''t you ever heard the phrase, "Today''s errors, roads of tomorrow?"¡ª Mateo responded with a smile, watching the carriage ahead. ¡ªNo, what does it mean? Where did you hear it? ¡ªIt means your today''s mistakes can become your path to the future or they''ll end up being a big failure in your life. I heard it from a bartender, can''t remember his name. ¡ªDid the bartender also tell you how to prevent your mistakes from becoming a waste of time?¡ª Apolo asked, showing quite an interest in hearing the answer. ¡ªThat''s a good question. Unfortunately, I didn''t ask him that, but I suppose it''s about learning from mistakes to avoid making them again, as the famous saying goes, "Don''t let the wheel get stuck twice in the same rut" ¡ª Mateo responded thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin with his hand. ¡ªA path where you already know the mistakes wouldn''t have time wasted...¡ª Apolo mused, looking back at the ring in his hand with disgust. ¡ªNot just that, but it would be faster too, because if you know where there are no ruts, you can speed up in that area¡ª Mateo said, following his logic as a carriage driver. ¡ª"Stealing from time"...¡ª Apolo murmured, shivering down his spine, as if the first piece of advice his ancestor had given him was crawling up his spine like a cold ice, finally reaching his head, making him understand his ancestor''s last words. E28-The Ministry of Magic Apolo continued "driving" the carriage until they could see the Ministry of Magic on the horizon. The group could see that the ministry wasn''t much different from a set of 4 large castles connected by a grand circular tower in the middle. The structure itself was immensely huge. Nevertheless, Apolo could observe that almost every window of the castle had people moving from one place to another, so this place seemed highly frequented. The large central structure was surrounded by gardens, paths, and several small structures scattered throughout the garden. Among these, Apolo managed to catch sight of some nurseries and what looked like rundown sheds. Just like the interior of the Ministry of Magic, the surrounding gardens were bustling too. The young noble could see people in white and black robes constantly moving from one place to another. As Apolo observed with curiosity, the carriage finally reached the main gate of the grounds surrounding the ministry, and a guard dressed in silver armor came out of his post to see the visitors. ¡ªNice to meet you. Is this the Ministry of Magic?¡ª Apolo asked as he saw the guard approach Orrin''s carriage. ¡ªYes, are you here for the enrollment exam? You''re a bit late, lad¡ª the guard commented with a smile, looking at Apolo''s elegant noble attire and giving a more thorough check to the two black carriages that transported him. ¡ªIs it no longer possible to become a wizard today?¡ª Apolo asked the guard with concern, not at all aware of the procedure for becoming a wizard. ¡ªYour ancestors were lucky; you''re late, but just in time...¡ª the guard responded as he groomed the thick mustache on his face, glancing at the carriage Apolo was in and confirming it was apparently empty ¡ªLet me warn you though: being late has its disadvantages, lad! The wizard conducting the enrollment exam hardens his heart as the day goes on. However, remember to be patient and don''t skip the line. If you do, I assure you passing the exam will be impossible. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡ªThen let''s not waste any more time!¡ª Orrin exclaimed eagerly, feeling guilty for not warning his master about this situation. It was his responsibility as a future steward to be informed about these bureaucratic procedures. However, he couldn''t have foreseen this situation this time since the old servant had never been informed about such an exam''s existence ¡ªWhere in the ministry is the exam held? ¡ªFollow the path and turn when you see a signboard: head to the fourth castle and join the line of aspiring wizards. You''ll be informed of the rest when it''s your turn to be evaluated¡ª the guard said, removing his hand from his mustache and pointing to a tree-lined path behind his post. ¡ªWell, thanks for your advice. Don''t waste my precious time any further and move on!¡ª Apolo commented instinctively, feeling the rush to join the waiting line. ¡ªNo worries. It''s my job to give directions. And by the way, remember to travel inside the carriage, or you might be mistaken for a servant...¡ª the guard replied with a smile hidden by his bushy mustache, as he returned to his post. Ignoring the guard, Orrin hurriedly followed the directions, and the horses in Apolo''s carriage automatically followed. It didn''t take the group long to find themselves in a long line of carriages, waiting to enter the fourth castle. ¡ªHow many people are trying to enroll as wizards today?¡ª Apolo asked angrily, seeing the line stretch all the way to the castle. ¡ªEasily a thousand carriages. Looks like we''ll have to wait a while¡ª Mateo said patiently, accustomed to waiting ¡ªIf you want, sir, you can lie down in the carriage. We''ll wake you when it''s your turn. ¡ªNo, that''s alright. I''ll wait with you guys¡ª Apolo said hurriedly, yawning at the mention of lying down. E29-The Long Wait Time kept passing, and gradually Apolo began to regret his decision to wait in the carriage. It had easily been two hours, yet only a few carriages had moved forward. ¡ªThis must be some cruel joke!¡ªApolo complained as he saw another carriage being called for the person inside to take the test ¡ªAt this rate, we''ll spend an entire week in this damn queue! ¡ªMaybe this is what the guard at the entrance was referring to...¡ªMateo calmly commented. ¡ªWhat did the guard say?¡ªApolo asked, not so accustomed to taking people seriously. He had long forgotten what that inconsequential being had told him. ¡ªIf there''s a magician examining: I doubt they''ll work for an entire week straight¡ªMateo responded ¡ªSo, they''ll lose patience and tell everyone to screw off... If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡ªWhat if they send us back home?¡ªApolo asked, now reluctant to the idea of returning to the castle and enduring another 6-month journey sleeping in a carriage. ¡ªI doubt your grandfather hasn''t made the necessary arrangements: remember yesterday''s reception, my lord¡ªMateo commented while settling into the driver''s seat to take a nap. ¡ªI hope so...¡ªApolo said, feeling somewhat more at ease. Seeing Mateo dozing off, Apolo figured the servants could sleep too while they waited. He decided to stop holding it in and tried to find a comfortable position to relax. But the truth was that sleeping in the driver''s seat was quite uncomfortable. Apolo took quite a while and had to contort his body countless times before finally finding a comfortable position. Enjoying a bit of comfort, Apolo gradually closed his eyes, while he silently pleaded to his ancestors that when he woke up, they would already be calling him for registration. This way, he could become a mage of the empire without any major issues. E30-Im always right Far, far from the carriage where Apolo slept, lay a massive forest of trees with black bark and red leaves. It seemed to be winter, and even though it wasn''t snowing, many animals had begun to change their routines: the large birds had migrated to warmer areas, making it the perfect season for smaller birds to reproduce and raise their young without fear of predators that were hibernating or had migrated elsewhere. Today, a little bird with black and red feathers was busy building a nest with fallen leaves and twigs around the tree where it perched. The bird diligently went up and down from its nest, gradually forming a bed of twigs. When the nest was finally complete, and the bird prepared to lay its eggs, it felt something flying near it. With fear of the unknown, the bird turned its beak to see what was lurking around the nest it had worked so hard on. Unfortunately, the last thing the bird saw was a gray blur flying toward its chest. ¡ªGot it! Got it! Apolo, I got it! See, I could do it! ¡ªA girl with blonde hair and blue eyes celebrated, waving a sling in her hand with joy. ¡ªStop lying, Helena. You''re terrible with the sling¡ªexclaimed a plump boy with black hair and dark eyes, dressed quite elegantly, with a beautiful gold ring shining on one of his fingers. ¡ªIf you don''t believe me, come see my trophy!¡ªHelena said, pointing her hand towards a pile of fallen tree leaves. ¡ªSome leaves?¡ªApolo asked ironically, approaching the mound indicated by the girl. ¡ªNo, idiot, the bird fell in there¡ªsaid Helena, stirring the heap of leaves with the sling. But as she stirred, another object caught her attention. The object didn''t shine much, but its circular shape and green-tinged rust stood out among the red leaves. With excitement, Helena bent down and picked up the object, realizing it was a tarnished bronze ring stained with dirt. ¡ªWhat''s that?¡ªApolo asked with curiosity, getting closer to see his friend''s strange find. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Helena proceeded to clean the mud off the ring with her clothes and slipped it onto her finger, showing it to Apolo as she said: ¡ªLook at the treasure I found. Don''t you think it''s pretty? ¡ªIt''s hideous; it''s just a rusty ring. When we get back to the castle, I''ll give you a better piece of jewelry if you like¡ªApolo responded, seeing how happy Helena seemed with the ring. ¡ªI really like this piece, don''t you think oxidized bronze is charming?¡ªHelena asked with joy, modeling her hands with the ring. ¡ªIt has its charm...¡ªApolo responded, noticing that his friend was genuinely excited about this piece of scrap metal. ¡ªOf course, it has its charm! Its worn condition only indicates it has a great story behind it¡ªHelena commented with excitement, imagining how the ring had ended up in the middle of this forest. ¡ªHow do you think it got here? No one can enter these woods...¡ªApolo commented, also interested in the story of the ring. ¡ªNo idea, but perhaps it belonged to a merchant from the Seas of Deo¡ªHelena replied, letting her imagination run wild. ¡ªBut we''re in a forest. Why would a merchant come into the middle of the forest? Are they planning to trade seeds with the birds?¡ªApolo responded sarcastically. ¡ªMaybe it belonged to Echo, an old druid who wandered aimlessly through the world¡ªHelena commented, looking at her ring with delight. ¡ªDruids? In the Empire? This ring should be like ten thousand years old, and it''s not even fully rusted¡ªApolo exclaimed, looking at the sky and realizing that sunset was approaching ¡ªIt''s getting late; we should start heading back to the castle, or my father will punish me again. After saying that, Apolo started walking without waiting for Helena''s response. The girl noticed her friend was leaving and, before being left alone, decided to run to catch up with Apolo. ¡ªAre you sure this is the right direction? I''d think we''re actually heading in the opposite way¡ªIgnoring the boy''s question, Helena looked at the orange sky with doubts. ¡ªOf course, it''s this way, isn''t it?¡ªApolo asked nervously. In reality, he had strangely forgotten how he had come, but his young mind didn''t want to admit his mistake to his friend. ¡ªI don''t think so. Look at the sky. We''re walking toward the star of the Colossus, but we should be going towards the star of Thais¡ªHelena lifted a branch from the ground, pointing at two tiny dots in the sky, barely visible due to the approaching twilight. ¡ªYou''re right! We almost got lost in the forest, Helena! ¡ªApolo shouted with fear, looking at the two dots in the sky and realizing his error. ¡ªI''m always right...¡ªHelena responded with a mischievous smile, advancing in the direction she had indicated. E1-31- Gift The two kids kept walking through the forest as they worriedly observed how the stars in the sky were growing brighter and brighter. ¡ªIs this really the right direction? I remember we were supposed to follow the star of Thais, but we''re not getting there, and it''s almost dusk already¡ª complained Apolo with some concern. He was more than aware that his father wouldn''t allow him to explore the forest for much longer if he didn''t return home soon. ¡ªI''m sure we''re almost there; I can already hear the sound of the river¡ª replied Helena, running ahead. ¡ªHey, don''t run! It''s getting dark, and you might trip, silly!¡ª shouted Apolo with concern, but Helena seemed not to have heard his warning and continued running ahead. ¡ªDarn it, Helena...¡ª cursed Apolo, starting to run to keep the girl in sight. Apolo chased after his friend through the forest until he too began to hear the thundering sound of water crashing against rocks. Strangely, not recognizing this part of the forest, the boy shouted out loud: ¡ªStop, you fool! You''ll not only slip, but you''re also running in the wrong direction! We haven''t crossed any river during the whole exploration! However, Helena stubbornly ignored Apolo and kept running towards the direction where the sound of water was coming from. Angrily, Apolo pursued Helena, trying to catch the girl to reason with her. Yet, Helena was much more agile than the plump boy, making the task seem impossible. Nevertheless, to Apolo''s surprise, the girl suddenly decided to stop after a few more meters abruptly. ¡ªRealized you were wrong, did you?¡ª Apolo asked, catching his breath and glancing sideways as he saw Helena gazing into nothingness from the top of a nearby hill. ¡ªI never make mistakes!¡ª Helena retorted from the hilltop, pouting as she gazed at the gigantic cliff before her. Apolo walked the remaining distance to reach Helena and noticed the existence of a cliff he had never seen before. ¡ªI was the one who was right, you idiot! It was so simple. We just had to follow the star of the colossus. Why on earth did you think we had to follow the star of some guy named Thai? I don''t even know if there''s a star with that name!¡ª Apolo shouted, realizing that crossing the cliff was impossible. ¡ªDon''t yell at me! It''s not my fault. It''s yours for not figuring it out sooner¡ª Helena complained, trying to maintain the upper hand in the conversation while desperately watching the sun on the horizon, which was almost done setting. ¡ªNo, this is all your fault, and to make matters worse, my father will only make me pay for it!¡ª Apolo shouted angrily, looking at Helena with fury. ¡ªAnd what''s it to me if they decide to punish you? Blame your luck for being born to a father who only knows how to communicate with his fists!¡ª Helena yelled, picking up a branch from the ground and angrily throwing it at Apolo. The branch flew through the air and hit Apolo in the face, scraping his skin and causing warm drops of blood to start flowing from the wound. ¡ªWhat did you say about my father, you damn servant? He was the only one in the family who bothered to give you a home when you arrived at the castle!¡ª Apolo shouted, touching the wound on his face and angrily watching his hand stain with blood. ¡ªIt''s because of your father that I''m a servant! Your father is a sick rapist who took advantage of my mother when he had the chance!¡ª Helena shouted angrily, looking for another branch on the ground and throwing it violently at Apolo. The branch soared through the air and hit Apolo''s belly, causing the boy to fall to the ground clutching his stomach. Without waiting for the boy to get up, Helena ran toward Apolo and launched herself onto him, grabbing both of his hands and pinning him to the ground with her body weight. Helena continued screaming in anguish, tears beginning to fall from her eyes and wetting Apolo''s face: If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡ªWhen I went to tell your father that my mother had committed suicide and he was the only family I had left, he just took me to the middle of the forest to abandon me; hoping I''d starve to death and his problems would vanish among these trees. It was your grandfather who rescued me from here and gave me a second life! Without waiting for Apolo''s reaction, Helena violently squeezed Apolo''s hands, causing an icy chill to spread through the boy''s body. He writhed in pain, screaming desperately: ¡ªStop, Helena, stop! You''re burning my hands, you''re hurting me! But far from feeling like Helena had any intention of stopping, Apolo felt the freezing cold from the girl''s hands intensifying, causing the gold ring on his hand to start glowing. Helena''s cries ceased, and her eyes lit up with flames of hatred as she screamed fiercely at the young boy in agony: ¡ªI, Helena, his daughter, should be a noble, not a servant, but not even that destiny could grant me that sick man! It''s all his fault. I did nothing to deserve this life filled with misfortune! Then, Apolo''s trembling body ceased, and in its place, a gaze filled with hatred sprouted on the young boy''s face. Helena collapsed onto Apolo''s body, beginning to cough up blood. ¡ªYou''ve been a servant in this life. And I assure you, you''ll die like a servant!¡ªApolo shouted with violence, taking advantage of Helena''s weakness to grip the girl''s face with his hands¡ªLearn the difference between our blood, wretched servant! Apolo''s hands burst into flames, causing Helena to scream in pain as her face burned. However, her increasingly skeletal body didn''t have the strength to fight Apolo. Helena screamed and screamed as her hair caught fire, her eyes lost their vision. Nevertheless, Apolo cruelly continued holding the girl''s face in front of him, as if not wanting to forget how Helena''s life was fading away. Helena''s screams grew fainter and fainter until she finally stopped screaming, causing Apolo to throw Helena''s skeletal body aside. Apolo stood up effortlessly, as if this battle had never occurred, feeling full of life, a bit taller and stronger. With a cruel smile, Apolo kicked the lifeless body of Helena, turning it over and revealing a rusty ring on her skeletal hand. Apolo gazed at the ring obsessively. Although the ring was hideous, the rust on it drove the young boy mad. Its beautiful circle seduced Apolo, urging him to wear it, and Apolo obeyed by crouching down to pick it up. But before he could take it, Helena''s lifeless body rose again, grabbing Apolo''s hand. Frozen with fear, the boy stared wide-eyed as Helena''s head began to rise, fixing her gaze on him. White eyes and burnt-red skin filled Apolo''s view, while Helena''s lips, torn by flames, slowly moved as if each word she was about to utter were the most difficult to recite at this moment: ¡ªI... Give... It... To you... Apolo. After uttering those four words, Helena''s body lost strength and crashed to the ground again. This caused Apolo to start crying inconsolably, his tears soaking his friend''s small, skeletal body. ¡ªFour words, and I''ve ruined her life''s work... I''m truly a genius...¡ªsomeone commented from behind Apolo. Startled, the young boy turned around, futilely trying to cover Helena''s body with his own, fearing that the person who had just spoken would judge him for the murder he had just committed. It was then that Apolo noticed a very tall person leaning against a fallen log. This person had black hair and black eyes, dressed in a black tunic with a silver mask obscuring their face. Apolo couldn''t recognize who this person was due to the mask, but we, dear reader, recognize that this mask was identical to the one given to Apolo by one of his ancestors. ¡ªWho are you?¡ªApolo asked, frightened. ¡ªThe one who just gave you those four words...or didn''t I?¡ªthe masked man replied with irony, not wanting to give too many explanations. ¡ªI didn''t mean to do this, I swear!¡ªApolo cried out in desperation, showing the man the ring he had taken from Helena''s hand¡ªIt''s the ring''s fault! Everything''s its fault! ¡ªThen why not throw the ring off the cliff?¡ªthe masked man commented, a disgustingly large smile forming on his face. Dumbfounded, Apolo heard the question posed by the stranger, and he became even more bewildered when he realized he actually didn''t want to throw the ring off the cliff. ¡ªBut this ring caused Helena''s death: I don''t want to let it go!¡ªApolo responded confidently, putting the ring in his pocket. ¡ªBeautiful logic...¡ªexclaimed the man with the mask, his smile growing even larger, now starting to frighten the boy¡ªSo, you want revenge on the ring, but you don''t want it to escape? ¡ªExactly!¡ªApolo said with a smile, gently patting the pocket where he had placed the ring. ¡ªIf that''s what you desire, let me help you...¡ªthe masked man said with a smile, standing up and running toward Apolo. Before the boy could react, the tall man was just a few steps away and, with little effort, shoved Apolo, causing him to roll on the ground and fall off the cliff. *Aaaaaaaah!*... Apolo screamed in despair as he fell off the cliff.
E1-32-Ordinary Life *Aaaaaaaah!*... Apolo cried out in desperation, watching as Mateo looked at him curiously. ¡ªAnother nightmare, my lord? ¡ªMateo asked, already accustomed to Apolo''s shouts upon waking up. ¡ªThey always look so real...¡ªApolo complained as he rubbed his face with his shirt and yawned¡ª... What time is it?... *yawn*... How much longer until we''re done with this procedure? ¡ªNot too much longer, the line is moving faster and faster¡ªMateo commented, pointing with his hand to show that there were still hundreds of carriages to reach the castle¡ªNow they''re letting people in groups, it seems the examiners got tired of working individually. ¡ªIt''s already night, did I sleep a lot? ¡ªApolo asked, not hiding his displeasure at realizing he would still have to wait. ¡ªYou slept for over 14 hours, so yes, I''d say you slept quite a bit¡ªMateo commented, observing with satisfaction as another group of carriages was called to approach the castle. ¡ªI slept for 14 hours?! ¡ªApolo exclaimed like a madman. Immediately, the young noble proceeded to stand on the driver''s seat, opening his arms to the sky and proclaiming to the world: ¡ªThank you, ancestors, for blessing me! I''ll be the best magician this family has ever seen: I swear it on my life! ¡ªSeems like sleeping was really a struggle...¡ªMurmured Mateo under his breath, realizing Apolo''s eyes had lost their characteristic dark circles, and his face looked healthier than ever. ¡ªI wouldn''t celebrate too much, my lord¡ªCommented Orrin from the street. ¡ªWhy wouldn''t I celebrate such an achievement? ¡ªApolo asked, watching as Orrin fed his carriage horses. Orrin continued feeding the horses calmly. For the animals, too, it was annoying to make so little progress and spend so much time in a queue, so Orrin knew it was best to attend to them with care. While this was happening, he explained his point of view calmly: ¡ªWe''ve been waiting for over 16 hours, but behind all this, there''s a magician who has been examining candidates for over 16 hours straight. And to make matters worse, we''re almost last in line. Can you imagine what mood he''ll be in when we finally get there? ¡ªWith my ancestors on my side, why should I fear? ¡ªApolo said with a big smile. It seemed his mood had completely changed after a good sleep¡ªEven if it''s the emperor''s own son overseeing this bureaucratic procedure, I''ll convince him to grant me the magician''s position. I won''t waste my time going back to the castle, and I have an oath to fulfill! ¡ªI''m glad you''re so superstitious, young sir. If the exam only assesses confidence, you''ll surely pass¡ªCommented Mateo, secretly hoping that his ancestors would lend a hand to Apolo. He knew that if the evaluator had a high noble rank, things could get complicated since Apolo couldn''t flaunt his main "virtue": his noble blood. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡ªI haven''t slept this much since I was a child. Clearly, it must mean something...¡ªApolo commented as he sat back down and watched curiously as Orrin fed the horses ¡ªCan I feed them? ¡ªNo, the horses don''t know you; they''ll bite your hand¡ªMateo commented with concern, knowing his father was about to fall into an embarrassing silence again. ¡ªAnd how do I make them know me? ¡ªApolo asked, a little disappointed with the refusal. ¡ªFeed them...¡ªOrrin commented in a low voice. ¡ªOh, well, that''s quite paradoxical...¡ªApolo said, noticing the dilemma. ¡ªNot so much, just use special gloves until the horse stops biting you¡ªMateo replied calmly ¡ªIf you want, we could teach you to tame a horse when you become a magician and get your residence. ¡ªNo, that''s fine. We have plenty of time now, so we could try right now¡ªApolo replied, reminding himself to act like a servant for the rest of the day ¡ªI''ll feed the horse, and if it bites me, I''ll just take the life of a tree from this garden discreetly. There''s no danger for someone with as noble blood as mine. ¡ªOf course, that''s how members of your family should handle warhorses¡ªOrrin commented with a broad smile on his face¡ªI''ll show you how to approach to avoid making the horse angrier. Apolo looked at the ground from the driver''s seat and realized he was quite high up, so with a red face and in a very low voice, he muttered: ¡ªHelp me down... With much embarrassment, Apolo allowed Orrin to catch him as he jumped down hesitantly from the driver''s seat. The young lord was aware that if his brothers saw him afraid to jump from less than a meter high, they''d probably be rolling on the floor laughing. Nonetheless, Apolo filled his mind with the glory bestowed upon him by following his ancestor''s advice and tried to mask his embarrassment with it. ¡ªSo, how do I approach this noble creature?¡ªApolo asked, blushing. ¡ªDon''t forget that the horses are likely to try to bite you¡ªMateo reminded with concern. He remembered Apolo giving nonsensical orders to the horses while driving, and the reality was that horses could be even more resentful than humans¡ªThese horses haven''t been tamed, so they can''t be ridden. They''re only good for pulling carriages, so they''re not very friendly to humans. ¡ªHold out the apple and slowly put it in front of its mouth¡ªOrrin said calmly¡ªDon''t get the bucket of food too close, or the horse will try to yank the bucket out of your hands, and remember they''re somewhat annoyed from waiting. ¡ªI''ve always been liked by animals when I explored the forest, so I''m sure I have a knack with creatures¡ªApolo said, confidently taking an apple from the bucket and approaching one of the horses. On the other hand, the horse observed as the no-good who kept confusing it with his nonsensical orders approached with an apple in his hand. However, the horse didn''t panic; with patience, it waited for its chance for revenge. Mateo watched with suspicion as one of his horses was acting more docilely than usual. Initially, this horse wouldn''t let a stranger get so close without showing its teeth as a warning. So, Mateo wanted to warn Apolo of the abnormal situation, but the young lord seemed so confident that he might actually possess a natural gift with animals. Apolo slowly approached with the apple, trying not to agitate the creature. Seeing that the horse seemed to invite him by gently moving its head, Apolo understood that he had gained the animal''s trust while driving. Therefore, he decided to approach and give the horse the apple. To the surprise of the two drivers, the horse gently ate the apple from Apolo''s hand and moved its head from side to side as if asking for another. ¡ªImpressive! ¡ªOrrin exclaimed, clapping exaggeratedly, as if this were the greatest achievement in his young lord''s life. ¡ªYour noble blood really shows, sir¡ªPraised Mateo, realizing from his father''s applause that now was the time to boost the lord''s confidence. ¡ªNaturally...¡ªApolo responded with a satisfied smile as he went to get another apple and held it out to the delightful creature¡ªHere you go, little horse. Hope you like it. E1-33-The Little Horse Apolo approached the horse with an apple, and the horse naturally took the apple, allowing the young man to get close enough to stroke the horse''s soft neck fur. It was right at that moment of distraction, when Apolo was petting the creature, that the little horse released the apple and violently grabbed the young man''s clothes with its mouth. With force, the horse shook its body and threw Apolo beneath its legs. ¡ªDarn it...¡ªcursed the young man, realizing the dangerous situation he was in. Without wasting time, he tried to get up to move away from the horse''s legs. But his speed was not as fast as the stallion''s, which had already positioned itself to deliver a kick. *Crush*...The horse''s kick sent Apolo''s skeletal body flying through the air, making him roll on the ground. ¡ªSir!¡ªcried Mateo and Orrin, realizing the severity of the situation. A horse''s kick could easily kill a person, and there were many instances of individuals being fatally injured by upsetting these noble creatures. *Ahggg!*...Apolo bit his lips and tried to endure the pain, not wanting the onlookers to notice what had just happened. Unfortunately, the boredom of waiting and the loud cry of the servants worked against the young noble''s plan. It didn''t take long for several people to rush over and try to help Apolo. ¡ªOrrin, disperse the curious onlookers, and Mateo, help me drag him to a tree. He got hit in the leg¡ªordered Apolo, observing the bones sticking out from his right leg. ¡ªDo what the sir says!¡ªOrrin ordered, seeing his son frozen as blood was oozing from Apolo''s leg as if from a fountain. ¡ªHow the hell is a tree supposed to fix this?!¡ªexclaimed Mateo, looking at his father as if he were crazy ¡ªThe lad will be crippled for life because of us! We''re going to get killed, Dad! ¡ªShut your mouth and follow the damn order, Mateo!¡ªshouted Orrin authoritatively as he moved to disperse the people approaching to help Apolo. With all the doubts in the world, Mateo lifted Apolo and carried him to the nearest tree, more due to the inertia fueled by the hysteria of the situation than his own logical judgment. Without wasting time, Apolo grabbed the tree and felt uncomfortable with about 50 people watching him. The gold ring on the young noble''s hand began to glow, and as the inscription finished changing, the tree Apolo was touching began to wither away. Meanwhile, the bones in his leg retracted beneath the skin as if they had a will of their own, and the wounds began to close on their own. While this grotesque scene unfolded on his leg, Apolo completely ignored it. Instead, he blushed like a tomato and looked at all the eyes around him. The embarrassment he was feeling right now had reached the highest point in his life, and Apolo eventually exploded. ¡ªHaven''t you ever seen what a real magician can do¡ªApolo yelled with his face red as he got up. He glanced sideways as the beautiful tree in the Ministry of Magic''s garden turned into a dry stump. Seeing the strange scene, most of the aspiring wizards wavered in uncertainty. On one hand, it was unthinkable that someone would injure themselves with their own horse at this moment. On the other hand, it was a good idea to do so to showcase such magical ability. So, for most of the curious crowd, which by this point was everyone in the queue, Apolo was either a genius or just an attention-seeking idiot putting on this whole show. With his face still red and his gaze fixed on the ground, Apolo approached the carriage. Meanwhile, Mateo, somewhat stunned to witness the strange ability of Apolo''s family for the first time, had rushed to the carriage to open the door for the young noble, noting the blush on his face. ¡ªWhat are you doing? Come help me get to my seat!¡ªcommented Apolo, observing his servant open the carriage door and noticing how everyone else was looking at him strangely. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡ªDon''t you think it''s better to wait until the crowd disperses?¡ªMateo asked, seeing his father still futilely trying to get the people to stop gawking at the young lord. ¡ªNo, of course not. This is my struggle: this is my battle¡ªApolo motivated himself as he approached the driver''s seat and tried to get in on his own. His weak body, however, wouldn''t cooperate ¡ªYou''ll see... all these idiots, they''ll see what I''m capable of... Ignoring Apolo''s request for help, Mateo remained frozen as he watched Apolo try to climb into the driver''s seat on his own. It wasn''t out of morbid fascination with watching a useless noble, but rather due to the intense life shining in his master''s face. During the six long months that Mateo had served Apolo, this was the first time he had seen him so serious. Every time the young man stumbled and fell to the ground after failing to achieve his goal of getting into the seat, he would rise again. And no matter the laughter that could already be heard from some carriages in the line, Apolo persisted in his attempts. He tried to climb again, only to fail and fall, but his eyes continued to sparkle. There was something strange about this scene. While others couldn''t see that strangeness and only laughed at Apolo''s futility, Mateo, who knew the young man well enough, could sense the anomaly unfolding before his eyes. Apolo, a perpetually pampered noble, was trying for the first time in his life to achieve something on his own, even if he was cruelly failing. He seemed unable to escape his fate. Yet, the young man didn''t give up. He kept trying because climbing onto that simple seat had become a profound matter in his life. As for Mateo, he could only watch as an observer. He knew the situation was as silly as it sounded, but for the servant, this situation had a special quality, something that couldn''t be described in simple words. It was the mystique created by someone who didn''t give up and fought against the world. It was the mystique of the eternal incompetent trying to surpass himself. It was the young man maturing and learning to accept his flaws in order to overcome them. Faced with such mystique, Mateo stood frozen, silently wishing that, for this one time, Apolo could actually achieve his goal of getting onto the seat. That''s when Mateo heard a familiar voice, interrupting his thoughts: ¡ªHe lacks the strength. Lean on the bar, swing your body agilely, and I''m sure you''ll manage it, young sir. Mateo looked at his father; he was standing there, tall and steady like an oak, his hand on his back as if awaiting a great miracle. It was as if he was witnessing over 60 years of service as a servant to Apolo''s family passing before his eyes. In the face of such a scene, a shiver ran up Mateo''s spine. He understood what his father was experiencing at this moment better than anyone in the world. His father, an old servant fueled by the pride of serving a noble family all his life, was watching as hundreds of people laughed behind his lord''s back. Yet, his own back was upright to the sky, straighter than ever, seemingly enduring all that humiliation to uphold his honorable promise to Apolo''s grandfather. And then the miracle happened. Following Orrin''s advice, Apolo took the bar and, shifting his body forward, managed to get one of his legs into the seat. Unfortunately, he didn''t succeed in getting the second leg in, and the fall seemed inevitable. However, extracting every last bit of strength from his skeletal body, Apolo managed to exert enough force with his hands to compensate for the mistake and land inside the carriage. Finally, Apolo didn''t need anyone else''s help. Despite the significant "achievement," Orrin listened with sadness as everyone laughed from behind his back. Nevertheless, his face was as resolute as his back, refusing to show even a hint of weakness. The family he served was one of warriors, and if Apolo couldn''t defend his own pride, then it was his duty as a servant to carry the pride of the Black Forest colossi. However, the complexion of the old servant couldn''t hold up against what was about to happen: *Plaf, plaf, plaf *...Amidst the laughter of the others, Mateo''s applause rang in the air, breaking the harmony of the laughter. Immediately, Orrin looked at his son with concern. Initially, he thought his son, as inexperienced as ever, was ironically applauding Apolo''s "achievement." However, to the old servant''s surprise, his son was crying with a wide smile on his face as he clapped for Apolo as if his achievement was his own. Seeing this scene, the old man''s face began to soak with tears, just like his son''s, because for the first time since he taught his son the trade of a servant, the old man could see Mateo enjoying the profession he had gifted him. For the first time, the old man felt that his role as a father had borne fruit and that his son was finally starting to enjoy the life that he had worked so hard and sweated to provide. As if a great stone in Orrin''s heart had been released, the old man began to cry heart-wrenchingly as he knelt on the ground. Orrin knew better than anyone that the life of a servant was not the life of the nobles, but it was a dignified life, full of pride, and above all, it was the best life he could give to his son. So, nothing made him happier than seeing his own son happy with the life that he had worked so hard and sweated to give him. E4-34-The Exam Apolo observed with satisfaction as his servant applauded his achievement. However, his smile didn''t last long, as the laughter from the other carriages became too evident to him when he stopped concentrating on trying to get into the carriage. Despite this and to the fortune of Apolo and all the pretenders aspiring to become wizards, the guards started indicating that all the pretenders should enter the castle for examination. Apparently, Apolo''s mishap had caused the magician responsible for evaluating the inscription to finally lose patience and decide to finish this process once and for all. Astounded by the new instructions given by the guards, Apolo looked on, not hiding his disgust, as the pretenders began to disembark from their respective carriages and walk towards the castle. Since the line of carriages was far from short, it was impossible to get closer by driving, so there was no alternative but to walk. After witnessing this scene unfolding before his eyes, Apolo didn''t hold back his insults and complained aloud: ¡ªCouldn''t any of the guards inform me that we had to enter the castle before I attempted to get into the driver''s seat? Are they so incompetent or do they just hate me for being a noble? ¡ªClearly, it''s both, my lord¡ª Orrin replied, also annoyed. It was quite evident that the reason the order hadn''t been given earlier was to mock his master ¡ªWhen we reach the gate, we will complain as appropriate. ¡ªNo, no, what''s done is done, and punishing these guards won''t restore my honor. But if they ask us to pay to replace the tree I just destroyed, we''ll tell them that for offending me, they won''t receive a single crystal from us¡ª Apolo responded with a smile on his face. He now had a perfect excuse to get rid of that "minor" problem. ¡ªAs you wish, my lord¡ª Orrin responded, not entirely pleased with the idea of trading honor for money. ¡ªBesides, help me get down. I have a procedure to finish!¡ª Apolo exclaimed eagerly. The journey had been too long, and he had finally arrived at the moment he had been waiting for during the last six long months. Apolo stepped out of the carriage, caught by Mateo, and ignoring the laughter of the other participants, he walked toward the castle gate accompanied by his servants. When they reached the castle, a guard approached to receive them. Like almost all the guards, he was dressed in a silver armor that seemed designed to focus more on aesthetics than defense. The guard''s blonde hair was well-kept, and he had a finely curled mustache on his face. His good looks suggested that aesthetics were quite important in his life. ¡ªPleased to meet you, young aspiring magician!¡ªthe guard greeted energetically as Apolo approached, his voice full of enthusiasm even though he had been working for more than 16 hours straight. ¡ªLikewise...¡ªApolo responded, a bit surprised to see such a fancy guard attending the reception of the fourth castle of the Ministry of Magic. The guard looked Apolo up and down and then shifted his attention to the two servants accompanying him, all the while using his fingers to curl his mustache constantly, as if it were a nervous tic. Patiently, Apolo waited for the guard to give instructions, but he had fallen silent, twirling his mustache as if he had forgotten what he was supposed to say and was buying time to remember it. ¡ªWhere is my lord supposed to be evaluated?¡ªOrrin asked, noticing that the guard had frozen, not wanting Apolo to make the magician wait any longer. The guard only smiled sensually at the question and commented in a particularly elegant tone of voice: ¡ªGiven the large number of magician aspirants this year, the evaluations will change. Therefore, aspirants will have to take a written and an oral test with the evaluating magician. To take the written test, you should head to room 8A on the first floor of the castle. Follow the directions we''ve provided, and you should have no problems finding it. Other than that, only the aspirants are allowed to enter the castle. Without hesitation, Apolo entered the castle, bidding his servants a quick farewell. Almost running, the young man walked through the corridors, somewhat fearful that the gate guard would remember that he was the one who had destroyed a tree in the garden a few minutes ago. As he ventured further into the castle, the noble youth noticed paper signs affixed to the walls of the corridors. Judging by how poorly some of these signs were written, it seemed that the guards had been forced to improvise them and hadn''t had time to replace the illegible ones. Nevertheless, the number of directions was abundant, and Apolo quickly reached a large room filled with people waiting to be examined. The first thing he noticed was that the room seemed to have been improvised, given the irregular arrangement of chairs and tables: it seemed like they had just grabbed furniture from the surrounding rooms and put them together in this large hall. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Seeing that the hall was overflowing with aspirants, Apolo quickly looked for a seat to sit on, but to his dissatisfaction, he realized that all the seats had been taken. He waited for the guards to notice the problem and bring in some benches for those who couldn''t sit. However, Apolo''s naivety worked against him, as the first and only guard who entered the hall full of aspirants had a box full of papers and some pencils in his hands. Ignoring the complaints of the aspirants and receiving daring insults, the guard smiled mischievously at each aspirant as he handed them a pencil and some papers. ¡ªWhere am I supposed to fill out this paper?¡ªApolo exclaimed, not hiding his disgusted look, as he received the pencil and papers from the guard. ¡ªOn the floor, or wait until another aspirant finishes and take their seat¡ªthe guard said in a very loud voice, seemingly aiming for everyone in the room to hear, breaking the deathly silence ¡ªRemember, you only have 10 minutes to submit the exam. ¡ªBut you bunch of incompetents, do you even know who I am?!¡ªApolo shouted angrily upon hearing such a response from a nobody. ¡ªNo, precisely that''s why we asked for your name on the exam¡ªthe guard replied with a mischievous smile, while proceeding to ignore Apolo''s angry glare and continued handing out papers and pencils to the other aspirants. Feeling offended, Apolo looked at the questions and, to his incredible surprise, discovered that he indeed had to fill in his name on this paper, which meant the guard hadn''t been lying. Upon realizing this fact, Apolo glanced at the rest of the participants and found that no one was as surprised as he was by the question of their identities. It seemed that these people already knew the contents of the form beforehand, so he assumed he had just made a fool of himself by not knowing the obvious. With his face as red as a tomato, Apolo watched as the other candidates who hadn''t managed to secure a desk sat down on the floor awkwardly, ready to complete the form. It appeared that waiting wasn''t as good an idea as he initially thought. Following suit, Apolo sat down on the floor and read the questions on the paper with seriousness:
"First point: Remember to indicate your name and origin. Second point: Remember to indicate how many times you attempted this exam. Third point: Define what a ''bismuth'' is and how you would use it to design a spell (provide an explanation, not an example). Fourth point: Explain how you would determine the need for an additive to perform a spell without using a ''Memo'' (only give an example, don''t elaborate). Fifth point: Ask your ancestors for luck in the exam (don''t write it)."
Apolo reread the paper in his hands for two minutes, not understanding why anyone would ask him these questions and what they had to do with his daily life. Truth be told, this was the first time the young noble had ever seen an exam in his life, so he didn''t quite grasp what was happening. Despite this, Apolo remembered he had only ten minutes, and he had already lost two, so he figured he should hurry and fill out the first two points, which seemed to be the most important on the "registration form." After completing those points, Apolo tried to imagine what a ''bismuth'' was, but he had never heard that word in his life. So he decided to ask a boy who was sitting on the floor next to him, noticing that from the number of words the boy had written on the paper, it seemed he knew the correct answer. ¡ªExcuse me, what''s a ''bismuth''? ¡ªApolo asked, leaning in to try to read what was written on the other person''s paper. ¡ª...¡ªThe red-haired and freckled boy, who couldn''t have been more than 15 years old, looked around the classroom and realized there wasn''t a single guard watching them. So, he decided to respond in a low voice: ¡ªYou should know... ¡ªShould I know? ¡ªRepeated Apolo aloud, startling the red-haired boy. ¡ªYes, you should¡ªThe boy replied in a hushed tone, looking at Apolo with annoyance, as if trying to signal him to be quiet. In his mind, if this guy kept asking for the answer, they might nullify his exam too. ¡ªDoes everyone here know what a ''bismuth'' is, then?¡ª Apolo yelled, feeling offended for not knowing something apparently common. Everyone in the room stared at him like he was crazy. However, some desperate souls also realized that there wasn''t a single guard in the room, and the guard who had handed out the exams had disappeared without a trace a while ago. So, a sweaty-faced, disheveled man shouted back: ¡ªHonestly, I don''t know. Could you tell me? I beg you, I need to pass this time. Otherwise, I won''t be able to pay off my debt, and they''ll sell my family''s house. Please, I beg you, I have kids to protect! Hearing the man''s desperation, Apolo gave an inquisitive look to the red-haired boy next to him, as if it were his responsibility to shout the answer to everyone in the room. However, the boy wasn''t intimidated by Apolo''s look and chose to ignore these desperate idiots, continuing to reread his exam. Seeing the unusual denial, Apolo boldly reached out to snatch the paper from the red-haired boy, and to the astonished gaze of everyone else being examined, he proceeded to read the boy''s exam aloud: ¡ªApparently, according to young Yovel from White Town, a ''bismuth'' is an instrument used to measure the potency of a spell: how much requirement it has, not to be confused with how strong it is. From 20B or 20,000 bis, additives need to be used to make the spell work. So, it''s essential to use it when initiating an experiment to determine how many additives are needed. As for the fourth point, as already explained: I could employ a bismuth, though they are expensive, so magicians use memos at the cost of losing some precision and consuming extra additives. Apolo returned the exam to the boy, who continued to stare at him in bewilderment, as if what had just happened was incomprehensible to him. With even more disbelief, the boy observed that everyone in the room had long stopped looking at the idiot dictating the answers and instead stared with concern at their own answers. Some even began to frantically cross out what they had written on their sheets and started writing what Apolo had dictated, making slight alterations so that it wouldn''t be obvious that they were copying. Meanwhile, Apolo watched as everyone wrote desperately and realized there wasn''t much time to waste. So, he transcribed Yovel''s answer verbatim, while the boy trembled, realizing that all the applicants were putting a response similar to his in their exams. E35-The magician Looking at the four questions answered on his sheets, Apolo stood up. Under the watchful gaze of the still-dazed boy, he left the classroom to hand his answers over to the guard who had given him the exam. Making his way through tables, chairs, and other candidates on the floor, Apolo managed to reach the doors of the grand hall. However, just before he exited, he felt as though someone was staring intensely at his back. Instinctively, Apolo turned around and noticed the stout guy who had shouted for help looking suspiciously at him from a nearby bench near the exit. ¡ªGood luck, kid¡ª the stout guy murmured, covering his mouth with his exam paper. ¡ªThanks...¡ª Apolo replied, puzzled by why the guy was covering his mouth while speaking. ¡ªIf you pass, I hope you''ll celebrate heartily from outside...¡ª the stout guy muttered, batting his eyelashes at Apolo. ¡ªSure, I''m looking forward to becoming a mage...¡ª Apolo responded, not quite understanding what the guy meant by "pass." Noticing that the stout guy had returned his focus to his exam paper, Apolo pushed open one of the doors of the hall. To his surprise, the guard who had given out the exams was leaning against the wall beside the doors, absentmindedly combing his sparse beard hairs as if contemplating something deeply. ¡ªCompleted my form already!¡ª Apolo exclaimed energetically, placing the solved exam paper on the guard''s chest. The guard seemed to be lost in thought. Feeling the papers hit his armor, the guard smiled happily at Apolo, taking the young man''s exam paper. After an unusually long few seconds for Apolo, the guard''s smile disappeared, and he shouted with delight: ¡ªOh! You''re finished already, lad? ¡ªI suppose so. What''s next?¡ª Apolo replied, still startled by the sudden shout. It appeared that after more than 16 hours of continuous work, the guard had been sleepwalking with his eyes open. ¡ªOh, so impatient! Don''t you want to review the exam? I just got back from the bathroom, and there are still 4 minutes left¡ª the guard said, looking at Apolo''s answers curiously ¡ªYou know, from the evil grin on the mage''s face when he told me the answers for this exam, it seemed like no one could possibly answer these questions correctly. But it looks like you''re a genius, lad. ¡ªEvidently¡ª Apolo replied, quite pleased to receive a compliment from a stranger ¡ªCan I proceed to the second part of the registration now? ¡ªOf course, your exam is perfect. These are exactly the same words the mage told me. You''re more than approved!¡ª the guard exclaimed with enthusiasm, smiling brightly at Apolo and patting his shoulders in satisfaction ¡ªThe oral exam takes place on the second floor, in room 4B. Follow the instructions, and good luck, young man. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Understanding that this stage was completed, Apolo climbed the castle stairs and followed the directions on the posters on the walls to find room 4B. Upon finding it, he entered without knocking, taking in the interior: room 4B was much smaller than the previous hall, containing only an elderly mage sleeping at a desk. The mage had hair as white as snow and a long white beard that served as a pillow on the desk. Otherwise, the mage was dressed in a long black tunic, which was the traditional attire of the empire''s mages. Apolo approached the sleeping elder and, without much politeness, shouted to wake him: ¡ªExcuse me! I finished the previous stage, and they told me to come here! The mage slowly opened his eyes to see Apolo staring at him with impatience, seemingly seeking something from him and not having much patience to wait. ¡ªDid you pass, brat? ¡ª the mage asked, his face full of surprise. ¡ªFinished the previous stage, and they told me to come here¡ªApolo repeated, a little impatient to finish the process and become a mage. ¡ªHo, ho, ho, you seem to be a genius...¡ª the mage chuckled strangely, pleased to find someone talented enough to answer his questions ¡ªWhat''s your name, lad? ¡ªApolo from the Black Forests. ¡ªLooks like your siblings were stealing your food. You''re a rather malnourished colossus, ha, ha, ha...¡ª the mage continued laughing, while his old hand thumped against the desk. Feeling offended, Apolo wanted to defend himself, but before he could say what he was thinking, the mage uttered the words he had longed to hear during his six long months of travel, causing Apolo to just smile like a fool. ¡ªWell, the oral phase is approved, Apolo. If you were able to answer that it''s "bismuth," you clearly have enough experience to become a mage. No need to waste time with irrelevant questions. So: Congratulations on becoming an empire mage, lad! Upon saying those words, the old mage raised his palm, and fireworks began flooding the room. Then he pulled a card from his sleeve and handed it to Apolo, saying: ¡ªHere you go, lad. Deliver this on the third floor, room 1C. Apolo looked at the card the mage was giving him with some puzzlement. It was quite small and had two large eyes drawn on it, exactly like the card the minister of magic had given him in a letter. However, before he could ask why the two cards were the same, the mage, eager to get back to sleep, had risen to push him out the door. Irritated by the shoving, Apolo left the room of his own accord. He stared in astonishment as nearly a hundred people he had filled out the "form" with stood outside the room, queuing to get in. As the crowd noticed him leaving, almost a hundred pairs of eyes fixated on the card Apolo still held in his hand. Amidst the crowd''s bewilderment, disbelieving that Apolo had passed the oral phase, the same stout guy who had looked desperate during the written stage emerged from the back of the line to approach Apolo. Without asking, the stout guy enveloped Apolo in a tight hug, laughing jubilantly: ¡ªHa, ha, ha! I''m so glad you''ve become a mage, my brother from another life. You''re a good person: I''ll never forget it! Ha, ha, ha. Without waiting to see Apolo''s annoyed expression due to the sudden hug from a stranger, the stout guy brazenly barged into the room where the mage was conducting the exams, bypassing the entire line. Immediately, the people in line reacted, noticing the line-jumping individual. They began to complain and shout loudly. Feeling quite uncomfortable with the stout guy''s sweat now on his body, Apolo continued his journey, ignoring the furious people in line, and headed directly to the third floor of the castle, hoping to finally complete the "procedure". E36- The Great Destiny The third floor of the fourth castle wasn''t a highly trafficked area, so very few people could be seen walking the halls, and there were practically no guards. However, the directions were still on the walls, so it wasn''t too complicated for Apolo to find Room 1C. Without knocking and maintaining his manners, Apolo entered the room and observed a magician inside looking at him curiously from behind his desk. The magician had long red hair and a bushy red beard covering the lower half of his freckled face. And like all magicians, he was easily recognizable by the black robe he wore. Seeing that Apolo had no intention of introducing himself, the magician gestured for him to approach and sit in the chair in front of his desk. The young noble understood the signal and, while curiously examining the room, took a seat in front of the magician. Unlike the other rooms in the castle where improvisation shone, this room was carefully decorated. Shelves lined all the walls, each filled with books and unfamiliar objects to Apolo. On one side of the room stood the most striking piece of furniture: a completely white wooden desk, carefully positioned so that the magician using it could face everyone entering the room. The only illumination in the room came from a large fireplace against the wall, emitting an unsettling green fire that offered little comfort. ¡ªDo you have the card?¡ª the magician asked Apolo with hostility. Without saying a word, Apolo took out one of the cards he had in his pocket and handed it to the magician in front of him. The magician received the card and examined it carefully before tucking it into one of his pockets. ¡ªWhat a surprise that you''ve passed all the stages at this hour. Old Hefesto''s interest in the examinees tends to wane over time¡ª the magician commented cheerfully as he played with his beard, completely changing his attitude toward the young man in front of him ¡ªMay I know the name of such a genius? ¡ªApolo of the Black Forests¡ª Apolo responded somewhat brusquely, mesmerized by how well-groomed the man''s beard was. ¡ªSo, it''s the young colossus!¡ª the magician exclaimed with a smile hidden by his beard¡ªPleased to meet you, Apolo. I am Dorien of White Town: the Minister of Magic in the empire. Hearing the surname and the position, Apolo straightened his back, knowing that his future depended on this person. He knew well that the person in front of him had more status than him due to his diplomatic position. Like him, Dorien belonged to another family of major nobles, in this case, the White Town family. Similar to Apolo''s family, the main title of the White Town family was a barony directly dependent on the emperor. Thus, the head of this family could also be called the king of White Town. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Traditionally, the White Town family had an isolationist stance like Apolo''s, and this similarity historically led the two families to have a good relationship. However, there was a significant difference between the two families, and that was their specialization. While Apolo''s family members were born with the potential to become excellent soldiers, the people of White Town wielded their diplomatic power in the empire through their skilled magicians. ¡ªYour grandfather informed me that you would come. Too bad you arrived on a rough day¡ª Dorien said while continuing to play with his beard as if it were a tic. ¡ªToday is the general exams for the commoners and second-class nobles, so the castle might be a bit crowded. I hope it hasn''t bothered you. ¡ªIt surprised me that so many people want to be magicians¡ª Apolo commented, knowing this was a one-way ticket to being disinherited. ¡ªThe dream of many commoners is to become a magician; after all, it only requires talent to pass the exam¡ª Dorien explained with a smile hidden by his beard. ¡ªThough it''s not exactly easy to pass the exam as a commoner. Few manage to learn to read, and even fewer are willing to pay to take the exam. As for noble magicians, the reality is that most come driven by their misfortune at birth. That''s why I was so surprised when your grandfather told me you wanted to be a magician. ¡ªUh... I mean, yes, I always wanted to be a magician. Magic always seemed curious to me¡ª Apolo nervously replied, remembering that he told his grandfather he wanted to be a magician only to buy himself time to continue exploring the forest. Currently, his main motivation to become a magician wasn''t exactly pure: his primary aspiration as a magician was to achieve the financial and political stability the title bestowed. ¡ªSo, you''re curious about magic. That''s a great virtue, Apolo...¡ª Dorien said thoughtfully, slowly rising from his desk and proceeding to one of the shelves on the walls¡ªI wish more people from your family had that curiosity for magic... Dorien searched the shelf for a leather-bound book, somewhat weathered and lacking a visible title or description anywhere. Slowly, the magician returned to his desk and opened a wooden box he had already prepared on top of it. Apolo could see that the box contained a cauldron, vials of powders, and dried plants that were unfamiliar to him. ¡ªYou look somewhat lost by your gaze¡ª Dorien commented, noticing the curiosity in Apolo''s eyes as he proceeded to pick up the cauldron and place it over the fireplace fire in the room ¡ªDid your family not explain what the Hades Test is? ¡ªI don''t know what that is¡ª Apolo responded curtly, watching as the magician poured some liquid into the cauldron. ¡ªIt''s a test that identifies your primary magical attribute¡ª Dorien explained as he added a bit of black powder to the cauldron and mixed it carefully. ¡ªIf I''m not mistaken, my primary attribute is fire, like most members of my family¡ª Apolo replied with some uncertainty. ¡ªThe attribute has nothing to do with blood; it depends on how you grew up...¡ª Dorien said as he continued to add powders of various colors to the cauldron ¡ªOr rather, with what you grew up around. For example, if you grew up surrounded by fire or with an obsession for fire, then your destiny is to be a magician who specializes in fire. ¡ªMy destiny?¡ª Apolo replied, feeling a shiver down his spine. His ancestor''s second piece of advice emphasized that he should embrace his destiny; perhaps he was referring to this test rather than literally acting as a servant. E37-Side effect ¡ªYour destiny, your preferences, your life: this test indicates which energy contaminated you the most as a child¡ªDorien commented calmly, focused on his task¡ªHowever, it''s not absolute: you don''t necessarily have to follow the test; it''s simply a tradition in our empire to identify up to three main attributes of a magician during their initiation ceremony. ¡ªIs the side effect of this test that you can''t have children?¡ªApolo deduced, recalling a crucial point as to why there were no nobles seeking to become magicians. ¡ªI doubt it''s a side effect; there are many interests at play...¡ªDorien mused reflectively¡ªBut you''re right, Apolo, taking the test will make you infertile for the rest of your life... ¡ªIs it worth it?¡ªApolo commented, not quite pleased with the consequences. Nevertheless, he had accepted them a long time ago; there was no turning back at this point, and he couldn''t lead the life he sought without the sponsorship of the empire. ¡ªNo, it''s not worth it!¡ªDorien shouted forcefully, startling the young man¡ªAnd it''s even mandatory... Unwilling to speak, Apolo watched as the cauldron in the fireplace began emitting a bluish mist, gradually filling the room until it covered half of the young man''s body. That''s when Dorien dipped a wooden ladle into the cauldron and removed three small black stones. Carefully, the magician took a pair of metal tongs and poured each of the stones into vials of water he had prepared beforehand. Upon entering the water, the black stones began to dissolve as if they were ice, until they vanished from Apolo''s sight. With the three vials now prepared, Dorien proceeded to seal them with corks and carried them to the desk where Apolo waited with anticipation and curiosity. Seating himself at the desk, the magician opened the black book he had fetched earlier, and to Apolo''s surprise, the interior of the book was filled with blank pages with nothing written on them. However, Dorien was flipping through them as if searching for a particular page, even though they all looked identical. Then, one of the blank pages changed color, transforming into a bluish sheet like the mist enveloping the room, causing the magician to stop at that page. As if he had found what he was looking for, Dorien took one of the vials and poured its contents onto the paper. The bluish paper dampened as expected, and yet nothing apparently strange had occurred. ¡ªWell, tell me what you read, lad¡ªDorien requested as he handed the book to Apolo. Apolo wanted to comment that the bluish page was blank, but when he tried to warn Dorien, he noticed that the notebook page was changing, and finely written words began to fill the bluish sheet: If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
"Few know my secrets..."
¡ª"Few know my secrets?"¡ªApolo read, not understanding what this phrase meant. ¡ªOh, look, and what symbol formed?¡ªDorien asked, looking at Apolo suspiciously. ¡ªThere''s no symbol: only that phrase is written¡ªApolo replied as he focused on the bluish page and noticed a drawing beginning to form on the paper¡ªWait, there is a symbol: it''s a little bird. ¡ªWell, that''s interesting and quite unusual for someone from your family...¡ªDorien murmured reflectively while stroking his beard. ¡ªWhat does it mean?¡ªApolo asked eagerly. ¡ªIt means your primary attribute is one of the great sins of mankind...¡ªDorien explained, looking at the young man before him curiously, trying to imagine what kind of story led this young man to defy his family''s tradition and seek to become a magician instead¡ªThe sin of greed: "few know what you desire so much, Apolo"... ¡ªIt makes sense... I think... I didn''t know that greed could be an attribute...¡ªApolo commented reflectively, trying to accept this destiny and understand it, just as his ancestor had told him. ¡ªVery few do know...¡ªDorien murmured with quite a bit of concern. He then got up to retrieve a book from the wall shelves; it didn''t take him long to find it and return. Apolo watched as Dorien opened an old book with leather covers and yellowed pages. From the content of the book, the young man immediately realized it was a registry. Dorien flipped through the registry until he found the page he was looking for, then carefully began to read it. ¡ªDeo from White Town, Eco from the Red Marshes, Thais from The Valley, and Helena from Small Village. It seems that the empire has only had four magicians whose primary attribute is greed. Considering that these records date back over 2000 years, I would say there are very, very few magicians like this. You should disregard this test and search for a more common attribute among your fellow magicians. What do you decide? Do we try another test, or do you stick with this option? ¡ªDeo... Eco... Thais... Helena...¡ªApolo muttered, so baffled to hear these four names in real life that he began to look at Dorien with suspicion, thinking this could be another strange nightmare. However, the fact that Helena wasn''t here and wasn''t in the forest only made it more unsettling. ¡ªShall we retake the test?¡ªDorien insisted upon noticing Apolo murmuring to himself. ¡ªNo, it''s okay. I accept my destiny as the fifth magician of greed...¡ªApolo replied, somewhat uncomfortable with the discovery, understanding that it was impossible for all this to be a coincidence. ¡ªIt''s a bad idea; you should retake the test¡ªDorien recommended with a concerned tone ¡ªThere''s very little material, very little research. It''s highly likely you''d be starting from scratch with this attribute. ¡ªBut it''s my destiny...¡ªApolo said, not quite understanding what Dorien was getting at. ¡ªPartly, but destiny constantly changes. That''s why the test isn''t absolute...¡ªDorien responded calmly, trying to enlighten the young future magician ¡ªThe test can only offer a guiding path: it doesn''t define us as people. It indicates something you would naturally want to investigate, something you grew up around. It''s not like there''s really such a thing as a fire or water magician; it''s just people who researched those specific topics until they became experts in the field. ¡ªSo, what is a greed magician?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the records in Dorien''s hand and seeing the four names from his dreams actually written in the registry. E38-The Minister of Magic ¡ªNothing more and nothing less than a mage studying how greed affects magic¡ª Dorien explained, flipping through the pages of the record in search of a specific page¡ªThe attributes are a simple classification marked by the mage Hades. He divided the fields of magical research into several areas, including human sins. ¡ªSo, could I become a duck mage, then leave this room and privately study ducks, thus becoming a duck mage?¡ª Apolo asked, realizing the futility of this classification system ¡ªI don''t get it... ¡ªYes, of course, you could be a duck mage¡ª Dorien replied seriously, continuing to search the record. ¡ªHuh?¡ª Apolo exclaimed, almost spitting blood, not expecting the Minister of Magic to confirm such a statement. ¡ªIt''s your life, and you can research whatever you want, young man¡ª Dorien replied with a grin beneath his beard. He seemed to be enjoying the conversation as he searched obsessively through the record¡ªThe empire pays for achievements and discoveries, so investigate whatever you want with your annual budget. As long as you contribute something that nobody discovered before, they''ll pay you for that patent. Even discovering things about ducks. So you might end up becoming Apolo: the Archmage of Ducks. ¡ªBy my ancestors! Then why did I take this test?¡ª Apolo shouted, realizing that he had supposedly just sacrificed his fertility to read a cursed book only to find out about his own interests. ¡ªBecause according to the emperor, it''s mandatory...¡ª Dorien murmured with an even more pronounced grin beneath his beard¡ªOh, look what I found! The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Apolo saw Dorien holding a record with four names written in its columns. The title of the record was "Reign of the Black Forest" ¡ªAre those my ancestors?¡ª Apolo asked, recognizing some of the names written in the record. ¡ªIndeed, young lad!¡ª Dorien replied as he read the record''s page¡ªTea of the Black Forest: a great memory mage, Cosmo of the Black Forest: a fire mage, Damen of the Black Forest, Eudor of the Black Forest. ¡ªWhy are there two mages from my family without attributes?¡ª Apolo asked as he watched Dorien add "Apolo of the Black Forest" to the list and proceeded to close the record. ¡ªBecause they didn''t achieve anything or make any discoveries in their lives¡ª Dorien explained as he got up to put the record away¡ªSo, if you want to become Apolo, the great mage of ducks, you better start studying ducks seriously. Dorien put the record away and sat back down at his desk, saying: ¡ªOther than that, you''re already a mage and registered as an empire mage. You can go and research whatever your heart tells you, becoming the great mage of all ducks, or you can take the other two tests to see what your secondary attributes are and research based on what Hades believes is your destiny. ¡ªFor now, I''ll research ducks¡ª Apolo replied somewhat uncomfortable, not entirely sure if his ancestor''s second piece of advice made any sense. He rejected the idea of wasting his life on a strange sentence written in a cursed book and a poorly drawn illustration. ¡ªI look forward to great achievements, Apolo. I''ve always been curious about ducks...¡ª Dorien commented with a wide grin beneath his long red beard ¡ªBesides, you can head to the first floor of this castle, room 5A, and collect the funds for your first year of research. Don''t waste them and use them wisely: Remember, they''re only given once a year! Upon learning that he would finally receive the long-awaited money, Apolo shot out of the room without caring about his manners. It seemed the young man was genuinely interested in this aspect of the mage world. Dorien smiled at Apolo''s impatience to receive his first funding, reminiscing his first time in this office with nostalgia. However, his smile, hidden beneath his beard, died suddenly when he saw that Apolo had already left his office. E39-Brothers Once Dorien began hearing the knocks on the door and the celebrations in the hallways outside his office, he realized that it was likely another wizard, so he deduced that Apolo wouldn''t be entering unexpectedly. Ignoring the person knocking on the door for attention, Dorien rose from his seat and made his way to the shelf where he had stored the ledger. Without much searching, he picked up the little book and carried it back to his desk. ¡ªGosh, what a racket this young man is causing outside!¡ª Dorian smiled with joy, thinking that Apolo had brought all his servants into the castle to celebrate his enrollment as a wizard. Trying to ignore the celebrations outside, Dorien sat at his desk and wasted no time in opening the ledger. Immediately, the wizard started searching for a particular page as if impatience for an answer was taking hold of him. He flipped through the pages eagerly until his celestial blue eyes suddenly lit up. He had found what he was looking for! ¡ªLet''s see the tales of these poor devils...¡ª Dorian murmured with a curiosity-filled smile on his face as he looked at a page in the ledger titled:
"Magicians of Greed."
Dorian searched through his desk drawers, opening several as if he couldn''t exactly remember where he had put what he was looking for. However, the gleaming eyes of the wizard soon gave away that he had found what he needed. From one of the drawers filled with miscellaneous objects, Dorian retrieved a black quill. Initially, the quill''s appearance was quite ordinary, but anyone observant enough would notice that the quill was slowly contorting on its own as if it were alive. On the ledger''s page, only the four magicians'' names were visible. However, when Dorian waved his hand over the ledger, the page went completely blank as if it had never been used. Seeing the blank page, the wizard took the black quill from his desk, dipped it in ink, and wrote slowly: "Ledger, ledger, I''m a curious wizard seeking details: Could you help me?" Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Instantly, the ledger''s page filled again, but now another column of information appeared beside the column with the names. ¡ª Deo from White Town: murdered in White Town, Echo from the Red Swamps: murdered in the Red Swamps, Thais from the Valley: murdered in the valley, and Helena from Small Village: murdered in the Black Forest¡ªDorian murmured calmly, but his calm demeanor started to fade as he realized there was a significant problem in these records, and worry began to fill his face. ¡ªAll were murdered. It would be strange if it were a coincidence...¡ª Dorian muttered to himself as he searched for a possible answer ¡ªHelena, an acolyte who managed to become a magician. All the others died where they were born, except for her. More importantly, why did greed lead her to the lonely Black Forest, and how did this magician become associated with Apolo to corrupt that boy''s destiny? With more questions than answers, Dorian searched his desk drawers again until he pulled out a rolled-up parchment that looked somewhat ordinary compared to the strange objects filling these drawers. The wizard proceeded to unroll the parchment and read its contents carefully, as if trying to find information between the lines of text.
"Dear Minister of Magic, Today I received a letter from the king of the Black Forest, requesting my assistance in helping one of his grandchildren become a wizard. At first, I was pleased with the news that another of these brutes was finally being enticed onto the civilized path of magic. However, as I continued to read the letter, much to my chagrin, the situation is not as straightforward as it seems. Apparently, the young prospective wizard is under the curse of a magical object: a peculiar little bronze ring capable of inducing obsession to the extent that the young man forgets to eat regularly and is prone to losing his sanity easily. The situation has become so dire that the rest of his family fears for the young man''s life. Given that the ring has corrupted the mind of the aspiring wizard, the king of the Black Forest knows that he cannot remove it without killing him. As a result, he has decided to push him into becoming a wizard and pass the problem into my hands, or rather, into your hands! Therefore, I implore you to resolve this issue and prevent the young man from perishing. The last thing I need in my busy life is for these barbarians to think we can''t handle a mere magical object. Sincerely, The King of White Town"
E40-The Minister ¡ª"Sincerely, The King of White Town", will this grand idiot remember that I am his one and only brother...¡ªDorian cursed with a disgusted expression on his face, hidden beneath his long beard¡ªGoodness gracious, every time I read one of his letters, I lose a year of my life! How can anyone be so stubborn in this world?... Dorian tried to calm his anger and reread the letter again, recalling the unusual bronze ring on Apollo''s hand. With his vast experience, the mage immediately assumed a couple of possible scenarios about how the bronze ring ended up in Apollo''s hands. He got up from his chair and walked quickly to a shelf filled with books, trying not to lose his thoughts. After a few seconds of searching, the mage pulled out a thick old book, its color obscured by the thick layer of dust it had gathered, clearly showing how rarely consulted this book had been. Yet, one could just make out the title of the book despite the dust, which read:
"Historical Compilation of Ceremonies for Grand and Minor Magical Achievements in the Empire"
Determined not to dust up his desk, Dorian opened the book standing up, only to be dismayed that the inside was even worse off than the outside. Some pages appeared to have been nibbled by insects, and the amount of dust was no less than on the exterior. To add to his troubles, as the mage turned the pages in search of the one he sought, he noticed that many small bugs were using the book as a nesting ground. So, he turned those pages quickly, preventing the insects from escaping the book and falling into his long beard. Finally, the mage''s eyes lit up once more: the sought-after page had been found! Dusting it off with the sleeve of his black robe, the mage began to read its contents slowly, seeking answers to his questions.
"The mage Helena from a Small Village, under the sponsorship of the great Emperor Patricio and her master, the great mage Nemo from the Flat Plains, managed to astound all members of the Mage Council by completing the creation of a magical object capable of charming everyone present. This creation was called the Greed Ring and earned Helena from the Small Village the honorary title of the Greed Mage, making her the fourth mage in the empire to receive this honor. During the rule of the great Emperor Patricio, the mage Helena from the Small Village managed to surprise the Council for a second and final time when she successfully carried out a mind transfusion following the method of the Archmage Minos from White Town with one of her acolytes. Such genius deserved the honorary title of Archmage; however, much to everyone''s dismay, the transfusion ended in failure, resulting in the merging of Helena''s and her acolyte''s minds. This incident is known as Minos''s Curse." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
¡ªEmperor Patricio... This seems to have happened about three decades ago...¡ªDorian murmured, rereading the text reflectively¡ªGuess Helena ended up losing her head... I''m happy for her acolyte, at least she got some revenge. Dorian closed the book and began pacing in circles around his desk, ignoring the persistent knocking coming from some unfortunate soul on the other side of the door. Until finally, Dorian''s eyes began to sparkle again, looking at the documents on his desk with joy: he had found the answers! ¡ªSo, either Helena or her acolyte ended up in the Black Forest, where they met Apollo and tried to attack him. Given Helena''s origins, she couldn''t possibly know that a mage would never kill a colossus in the middle of a forest, even if back then Apollo was a brat who couldn''t go to the bathroom on his own. So, it was Helena or her acolyte who ended up dying. However, the mage made sure to curse the boy who killed her using her ring. And now the big question: How do we fix this? It was then, with the last big question posed, that Dorian''s smile began to fade, and his eyes ceased to sparkle. ¡ªThere were only four measly Greed Mages in the entire empire. How am I supposed to solve this?¡ª Dorian complained, realizing the magnitude of the problem: at most, there were four moderately serious investigations that attempted to explain the relationship between human greed and magic. Trying to solve the problem was almost like asking him to become the empire''s fifth Greed Mage. ¡ªWell, if we consider that all the Greed Mages ended up mysteriously killed...¡ªDorian murmured, trying to find an excuse not to worry about not having a single solution in his head¡ªGuess the best way to accomplish my mission is precisely by doing nothing. Yes, that''s it! If I do nothing, the boy won''t be killed and he''ll become a mage of ducks, a mage of ducks with a ring that makes him a little cuckoo. But seriously, who in their right mind wants to become a mage... With a smile on his face for having arrived at a ludicrous solution that saved him years of research in a little-explored field, Dorian continued to ignore the now weary knocking on the door and proceeded to his desk. Taking out a regular quill, a new inkwell, and a blank parchment, the mage wrote with a rather odd smile:
"Dear King of White Town: The problem with the young colossus has been resolved, and it turns out it was just a simple magic ring. Just as we thought, only those barbarians could get into so much trouble over such a cheap trinket. As for the other matter, I am pleased to inform you that young Apollo has become a mage normally and seems very interested in researching the empire''s ducks. Yours, your beloved B-R-O-T-H-E-R."
E41-Party Apolo stepped out of the Ministry of Magic''s office with a grin from ear to ear. The young man had not only become a wizard, but he was also about to receive a hefty sum of money falling from the sky. This had him happier than ever. Exiting the office, Apolo noticed a long line of people waiting to get in. There were easily 60 people in line, suggesting that almost all the aspiring wizards were getting approved by the wizard Hefesto in the oral round. At the front of the line was the red-haired boy, arguing with the chubby, sweaty man who had hugged Apolo a while ago. ¡ªLook who''s emerged! ¡ªThe chubby man shouted, paying no attention as the clever red-haired boy darted to knock on the Ministry of Magic''s office door, trying to secure his spot in line this time¡ªOur Hero: The cleverest and wisest wizard of all! The only wizard who cared for the commoners and the abused in this cruel system! *Plaf, Plaf, Plaf *....Thunderous applause echoed throughout the line, and the castle''s hallways became livelier than ever. It didn''t take long for a grace-filled man to forget all his manners and shout from the depths of his jubilant heart. Gradually, everyone caught the contagious joy of the moment and began celebrating boisterously the success they had achieved. Unable to contain himself, tears of happiness streaming down his face, the chubby man ran toward Apolo desperately, as if he were not just a malnourished nobleman but the very hero who had returned triumphantly from a long and bitter war. Without asking, the chubby man proceeded to lift Apolo into the air, causing some aspiring wizards to join his frenzied celebration. Tonight, sanity and etiquette had been entirely forgotten within the castle; there existed only a group of men and young folks blinded by success. They were humans lost in the darkness of a cruel and heartless system who had finally found the words of enlightenment at the right moment and in the right place. In the minds of these exultant human beings, there was room only to praise the young man who had changed their lives forever. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. For his part, the central figure of this story observed the unfolding scene before him with bewilderment, completely unaware that he had indeed changed these people''s lives forever. However, Apolo was frozen by a sight he had never believed could happen to him in his lifetime. While he didn''t understand why these men were so joyous, what the young man did comprehend was how his heart was finally feeling the same as the heroes in his family had felt upon returning victoriously to the castle. Unbeknownst to him until now, the young nobleman could immediately sense in his heart that these were the looks he wanted to receive. These overwhelming applause he had never heard before, these his soul had been unfamiliar with yet needed. These cries of jubilation and overly exaggerated exclamations were causing Apolo to grin like a fool as he looked down the length of the castle corridor each time he was thrown into the air, as if not wanting any part of this moment to be forgotten from his memory. And what was most curious of all was that, no matter how wildly the young man entertained the idea, he still couldn''t grasp why these people were so happy with him. Nevertheless, his solitary heart was feeling more alive than ever at this moment. In Apolo''s mind, perhaps this was due to having endured a 6-month journey in a carriage, or maybe it was for having become a wizard, or perhaps it was simply because he had followed his ancestor''s advice and had been acting like the commoners all day. The truth was, all of that mattered little to the young man, because the only thing resounding in Apolo''s dizzy mind after being lifted into the air so many times were the words of his ancestors: "You will become what you never thought you could be". And so it had been. Apolo had become a hero. Finally, he had become the central figure in his own "celebration". E42-Finz After a good while celebrating with the crowd, Apolo was finally released by the crowd after receiving no less than a thousand praises each. Right now, our novice wizard was searching for where the 5A classroom was on the first floor of the castle. Fortunately, the only floors crowded with people were the first two floors of the castle, so Apolo was able to follow the signs and find the room quickly. Upon entering the classroom, Apolo observed that it was as large as the one where he had taken the written test. However, this room didn''t seem to have been improvised. The sides of the room were lined with desks where people were reading and writing documents. Other workers were sending rolled scrolls through strange tubes placed on their desks. Judging by the attire of those in the room, they didn''t seem to be wizards; they appeared to be bureaucratic employees of the ministry. The desks in the room were arranged in a way that formed a long aisle leading to the end of the room where a single large desk stood. A wizard sat in a chair behind the desk, waiting to be attended to by the employee at the large desk. Unlike the wizard in the traditional all-black robe, the person working at the large desk was wearing a colorful shirt and pants. Their attire was much more elegant than that of the other bureaucratic employees working in the room. It was clear that this person was the most important employee in the room. As soon as Apolo entered, a guard interrupted his walk and approached to speak to him: ¡ªExcuse me, may I have your name? ¡ªApolo of the Black Forest. ¡ªAh, so it''s you: Congratulations on passing the exam!¡ªThe guard congratulated, verifying that Apolo''s name was indeed written on the list he held in his hand. ¡ªTo receive your first imperial sponsorship, you need to go to the last desk in the room and complete some forms. ¡ªThank you for the directions!¡ªApolo expressed his gratitude, his eyes shining as he realized that after a few more steps, he would finally receive the best part of being a wizard: the crystals! The young man walked eagerly down the aisle formed by the desks and sat down beside a chair next to the wizard who was currently waiting. All the while, he felt the attentive gaze of the man attending the large desk. ¡ªPleased to meet you, Apolo, isn''t it?¡ªasked the elegantly dressed man, who apparently had been expecting Apolo''s arrival¡ªMy name is Finz of the Sorrowful Puddles, and I''m in charge of managing the sponsorships that every wizard in the empire receives. ¡ªYes, that''s me: I''m here for my crystals!¡ªApolo impatiently replied. ¡ªThe Emperor''s crystals, you mean¡­¡ªcorrected the wizard sitting next to Apolo. He adjusted the large glasses on his face¡ªPleased to meet you, Apolo. I''m Wizard Marcos of the Valley. It''s been a while since I heard such a commotion inside the ministry. Could you tell me how many candidates passed the exam? ¡ªOut of the one-thousand applicants, only two had passed the exam half an hour ago¡ªanswered Finz, enunciating each word in a somewhat obsessive manner ¡ªAnd in this past half hour, more than seventy-seven candidates have passed. I''m afraid the quota of five-hundred wizards was exceeded twelve minutes ago, and now we have a slight surplus. Not so slight. Not at all slight. ¡ªHa, ha, ha, did old Hefesto forget to take his pills or what happened?¡ªMarcos laughed as he rapped his hand on the desk, paying no mind to the uncomfortable look of the employee seeing objects on the desk move and get displaced from their original positions¡ªWhat were you asked in the written part, Apolo? Stolen story; please report. ¡ªMy name and where I come from¡­¡ªApolo answered, trying to remember the important part of the "application form". ¡ªPlease stop hitting the table, if you would¡­ Otherwise, Apolo is from the Black Forest and doesn''t need to take the exam¡ªcorrected Finz, modulating obsessively without consulting a single piece of paper. It seemed like all the information was stored somewhere in his head¡ªThe written question was approved by the council of wizards like any written question given during the registration exams. It centered around answering what a "bismuth" is. As for the oral exam, it''s a private and personal instance between Archmage Hefesto and the candidate, so there are no records of the questions asked. ¡ªAnd how is it that 77 people and counting know what bismuth is?¡ªMarcos asked, abruptly stopping his smile and nervously adjusting his glasses on his face¡ªThere are only 5 bismuths in the whole empire, and we use them solely for calibrating major projects. It makes no sense that there''s a single candidate who could answer that question, and it''s completely unacceptable that there are more than 77 correct responses. ¡ªMaybe someone mentioned the topic before the exam started, and by chance, they asked everyone about it...¡ªFinz replied, searching for a possible solution to such an anomaly. He knew the situation wasn''t that simple. If there were more mages than the established maximum limit, that indicated the magic budget in the empire should increase. Otherwise, all mages would see their share of the pie reduced, and that meant he would have to deal with disgruntled mages every day ¡ªAnyway, what''s inexplicable is that Hefesto approved all the candidates in the oral round. He''s the strictest mage in evaluations throughout the empire. ¡ªDo you even know who the inventor of bismuth was?¡ªMarcos commented, as if it were a quite common question, energetically adjusting his glasses¡ªIt''s a little-known rumor that Hefesto always hated that no one could answer that question. But it''s ''logical'' after all; almost no one worked with bismuth, and except for me, I only know two mages who know how to use them, one of them being Hefesto himself. ¡ªWhy does it bother him that no one knows who created bismuth?¡ªFinz asked¡ªIf they''re so rare, it''s pretty normal that no one knows. ¡ªNo! That''s the problem: even though they''re rare, bismuth is an incredibly revolutionary invention¡ªMarcos commented with pride¡ªMages have been using memos for over four thousand years to measure aggregate consumption, and no one managed to improve memo accuracy until bismuth was invented. ¡ªDid you exaggerate a bit with the timeline? Four thousand years mean it was used before the empire existed¡ªApolo asked, quite interested in the conversation. ¡ªAs long as there have been humans, there have been mages, so there are even older inventions than memos¡ªMarcos responded joyfully¡ªAlthough you''ve just joined this world, with time you''ll discover that significant mage inventions are measured in decades. While it''s normal to never see them, bismuth is one of the greatest inventions in the entire empire. ¡ªSo why does nobody know what bismuth is?¡ªApolo asked. If it was as important as Marcos had said, even if it was expensive, the invention should be known. ¡ªPrecisely: everyone should know what bismuth is!¡ªMarcos exclaimed, moving his glasses up and down, a glint of passion in his eyes¡ªAnd even more importantly, everyone should acknowledge this great achievement by its creator while he''s still alive. While seeing such a significant achievement in the magical world is rare, it''s even rarer to come across the inventor of such an invention. ¡ªDid you create it?¡ªApolo asked, trying to understand why this mage felt so passionate about bismuth. ¡ªOf course not, its creator always remained anonymous: until today!¡ªMarcos responded as he adjusted his glasses with his hands, as if indicating that what he was about to reveal was an impressive deduction. ¡ªUntil today?¡ªFinz asked, more interested in letting the mage''s imagination run wild than in knowing the answer. ¡ªExactly, until today: because I''ve just discovered who invented them!¡ªMarcos exclaimed dramatically, adjusting his glasses on his face again. ¡ªDid Hefesto invent them?¡ªApolo asked, remembering how happy the old mage was upon finding out he had completely filled out the "form". ¡ªLooks like you''re a genius, Apolo!¡ªMarcos exclaimed unironically, smiling and giving Finz a knowing look¡ªTell me, who benefits the most if all these mages pass the exam? E43-The Archmage Hefesto ¡ªThe traders...¡ªFinz replied instantly, not even thinking twice, while he looked cheerfully at Marcos, enjoying his ramblings. ¡ªHa, ha, ha, it''s so evident that your mind is too rigid and only thinks about money, my dear Finz¡ªMarcos commented with a grin from ear to ear as the glasses on his face continued to tremble as if they had a life of their own¡ªThat''s why you''re wrong: The real winner tonight is Hefesto! ¡ª...¡ªFinz''s smile suddenly froze, and a shiver ran down his spine as if what he was contemplating were impossible, but everything pointed to it happening for real¡ªIt was him... ¡ªOf course it was him!!¡ªMarcos shouted like a maniac, his glasses flying up to the ceiling and then falling back onto his eyes. This caused all the workers in the room to stop their tasks and look curiously at what was happening at their boss''s desk¡ªHe manipulated the entire exam from the shadows, being cautious enough so that none of the members of the wizard council would notice his manipulation. He thus ensured that almost a fifth of the magic associates in the magic ministry would remember for their entire lives what a bismuth is and remember him as the jolly old man who allowed them to pass the exam: Hefesto himself was the one who gave the correct answers! ¡ªI can''t believe it...¡ªApolo murmured, pretending disbelief, while a mischievous smile formed on his face and he began laughing in his mind like a villain at these two idiots who didn''t know he was the one responsible for giving the answers to everyone. It might sound like a joke, but just now the young noble realized that he had apparently taken the path of the commoners by mistake. And that, in reality, he could have abused his status as a noble to become a magician; however, that ended up not being necessary, as Apolo was clever enough to figure out how to "pass" the form, finally understanding that he could also "fail" himself. But as the understanding of this new paradigm where one could actually "fail" the form developed and grew in Apolo''s mind, a large number of red lights flashed in the young man''s mind, and a fleeting thought crossed his mind at the speed of lightning, causing his back to straighten and cold sweat like ice to stain his noble body. Immediately, the mischievous smile froze on the young magician''s face and turned into the smile of an idiot. Then, while continuing to smile like a fool at nothing in particular, Apolo completely forgot about the two people who were still talking beside him. The world had suddenly stopped for the young noble, and in that world, there was only a dying body sitting in a chair in front of the multitude of thoughts passing through the young man''s mind right now. Because now that this new paradigm had emerged in Apolo''s understanding, he began to grasp all the nefarious implications this scenario could bring to his life. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡ªNot even a day at this ministry, and they already used me...¡ªApolo thought internally while still smiling like an idiot at the man at the desk who was currently talking to him. However, the young man didn''t understand any of his words, as his mind was only functioning to process a single fact at the moment, and that was how he had been used by this magician. To Hefesto''s misfortune, he completely underestimated the existence of someone paranoid enough in this castle to uncover the hidden plot of the registration exam. However, that lunatic existed, and his name was Apolo! In Apolo''s mind, there was a large pot filled with ingredients mixing. These ingredients in question were the events strange enough to catch Apolo''s attention: Firstly, the fact that none of the guards told him he could skip the line. Secondly, there was the oddity that all the guards he had crossed paths with that day were exceptionally handsome and elegant. Furthermore, by some strange coincidence, they all had the habit of adjusting their beards constantly and seemed to get lost in their thoughts more than necessary. Thirdly, the guards created an environment favorable enough for all the applicants to end up copying from each other. But all this was only the first level of the hidden plot of the magic exams. Then there was the second level: the fact that they conveniently placed the only person who knew the answer right in front of him: a boy from White Town, who clearly was in the same situation as him and shouldn''t have been taking this exam. The boy knew the answers in advance, probably thanks to the guards'' help, and Apolo was the fool who would give the answers to the others since Hefesto somehow found out about his lack of common knowledge. This clearly implied that he had been investigating him for a long time. However, this was only the second level of the plot because there was still a much more concerning third level in Apolo''s mind, and it was also the reason he couldn''t stop smiling like an idiot. Because of all the possible coincidences, it turned out that the two most important members of this plan were high-status nobles. So, at first glance, one might think that it would be more complicated for them to lose their heads when the truth of what happened tonight was revealed. But the great reality was that Apolo and the redhead boy had not only mocked a procedure imposed by the magic ministry itself but, even more relevant, the two nobles had just stolen the treasury of the imperial family and all the magicians of the empire! So, when the truth was known, Apolo and the red-haired boy would be more than condemned. However, at the same time, if the truth were known, the magic ministry would clearly invalidate the magician titles granted in this exam. Thus, the great third level of Hefesto''s hidden plot was the fact that the two nobles who participated in the plot belonged precisely to families politically allied with the family of the current Minister of Magic. Consequently, Hefesto could force the Minister of Magic to turn a blind eye so that the two "guilty" young nobles wouldn''t lose their heads for robbing the Emperor''s treasuries. Hefesto had earned the reputation of an obsessive disapprover long ago to secure the position of the registration exam coordinator. He patiently waited for all these coincidences to happen so he could steal the spots from the magic association and give them to people who would be useful to him, or rather, people who would remember his greatest invention for their entire lives. E44-The Budget While Apolo continued staring into nothingness, Finz and Marcos kept arguing about the matter until they both noticed the abnormal state of the young wizard. ¡ªSomething wrong, Apolo?¡ªMarcos asked, giving the young man''s shoulder a slight push. ¡ªHuh?... No, it''s nothing¡ªApolo replied, wiping the sweat from his face with the sleeve of his shirt¡ªI''m just a bit anxious about receiving my sponsorship. ¡ªI see. Well, look on the bright side: at least they''ll grant it to you today¡ªFinz chimed in, trying to ease Apolo''s tension. Meanwhile, he continued debating with the other two wizards. In reality, the rest of the employees in the room were verifying and checking documents to ensure everything was in order. Their main duty was to buy time and address queries. ¡ªI guess some new wizards might run out of funds if they don''t approve a budget expansion¡ªMarcos said with a sad expression¡ªDo you think they''ll approve it? ¡ªNo, they won''t. If they put Hefesto in the exams, it''s because the higher-ups don''t want new wizards¡ªFinz replied with concern, slightly nervous about the big task looming ahead¡ªThe council will probably investigate what happened in the exam and why there are so many passers. They''ll find some excuse to invalidate the exam. ¡ªMost likely. We''ll see what happens. Hefesto has many friends in the council¡ªMarcos responded, adjusting his glasses up and down¡ªI''d say it''s fortunate that the elections are far off; otherwise, I''d tell you it''s impossible for Hefesto to get away with it. ¡ªElections?¡ªApolo asked, not understanding what Marcos meant. After his "discoveries," he was quite interested in this conversation. ¡ªCouncil seats are filled once a decade: they replace those who''ve passed away¡ªFinz explained slowly¡ªAll registered magicians in the empire get to choose the replacements, and that''s called "elections". Anyway, there are 8 years left, so you shouldn''t worry about it now. ¡ªAnd who''s in charge of checking if anything strange happened in the exam?¡ªApolo asked, not as discreetly as he''d like. ¡ªThe highest authority managing magic in the empire: Dorien, the Minister of Magic¡ªFinz replied, glancing at an employee at the desks who signaled for him to come over¡ªExcuse me, I need to handle something. Your sponsorship will be ready in a few more minutes, Apolo. And as for your matter, Marcos, your presentation before the council has been scheduled for next week. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Upon hearing that the Minister of Magic was responsible for verifying the situation, Apolo''s expression improved slightly. It was likely that they would annul some exams for trivial reasons and avoid mentioning that everyone had cheated in the exam because of him. Or at least, Apolo thought the Minister wouldn''t immediately try to expose him, and if he did, Apolo had already planned a good way to keep his head intact. ¡ªGreat, then I''ll leave now¡ªMarcos commented upon learning his issue had been resolved¡ªGood luck, Apolo. Remember not to squander all your crystals. After all, the only way for a novice magician to increase their personal budget is by discovering something interesting, and believe me, that''s super costly. The other option is to work, but as a noble magician, I''d recommend you steer clear of that option. The pay will be too meager. Try to specialize in something that can lead you to a truly profitable job, assuming your initial research consumes a lot of crystals. ¡ªWell, thanks for the advice¡ªApolo responded automatically. Truthfully, in his mind, he was debating whether or not to approach the Minister of Magic after receiving the money to "fix" the problem with the enrollment exam. He didn''t know Hefesto personally, and now that he knew he had been used, it was best to throw the old man under the bus if necessary. As Marcos left the room and Apolo pondered his next move, Finz finished resolving the issue and returned with a not-so-large chest to the desk where Apolo was waiting. ¡ªAlright, here''s your initial sponsorship¡ªFinz commented, sitting at the desk and opening the chest. Inside the chest was a black card, two scrolls, a red book, and a silver badge. Finz began taking the items from the chest and placing them on the desk, indicating each item to Apolo: ¡ªSince you''re a member of one of the major families, and specifically a member of the Black Forest family, the empire will grant you property. In this scroll, you have an imperial decree to purchase any house for sale in the capital. The second document is a copy indicating that you''re a magician of this empire. It''s mostly useless, but keep it just in case. Next is this silver badge; it''s your identification as a magician for internal matters at the ministry. Keep it safe and don''t lose it. The last item that requires explanation is this red book; it''s a simple directory of merchants and where to find them. It''s essentially advertising, but it will be useful. As for your funds, they''re deposited on the card: 2,500 crystals for being a magician, plus 5,000 crystals for your noble blood. So, you have a total of 7,500 annual crystals. Don''t squander them, and remember that everything is more expensive for magicians. After finishing the explanation, Finz put the items back in the chest and handed it to Apolo. The young magician quickly snatched the chest from Finz''s hand, almost as if he feared he would put it away again. And without saying goodbye, Apolo rose from his seat and hurried to the exit. Meanwhile, Finz watched the scene with a rather forced smile, showing how accustomed he was to working with eccentric individuals. E45-Adventure Club Apolo exited the room and found himself facing the usual line of aspiring wizards. However, the current applicants weren''t as happy as before. Instead, their faces showed deep concern. They were all sweating, and the sweat on their brows was quite visible. Initially, one might think they had partied too much and were now tired, but that wouldn''t explain why their expressions were so downcast. Noticing the people in the line''s state, the young noble completely ignored the sad faces of most of the people he had been celebrating with not long ago. Instead, he continued walking toward his destination. However, when he had passed halfway through the line, a familiar face emerged from the line to stop him. It was none other than the chubby man, although his eyes no longer gleamed as they did during the examination. It seemed something had broken within him. ¡ªSomething happened?¡ªApolo asked, more out of curiosity about the reason he was being halted than out of pity for the lifeless eyes in the chubby man''s face. ¡ªOf course something happened. Given the unusual number of passing students, they''ve just initiated an investigation. Not even ten minutes have passed, and a few have already confessed everything that happened. Apparently, there are going to be penalties!¡ªExclaimed the chubby man, his usual cheerful tone gone. It truly seemed that something had died within him during the few minutes that Apolo was securing his sponsorship. ¡ªThat''s why they''ve stopped us at this stage, and they''re not granting sponsorships anymore until they figure out what to do with us. ¡ªI see...¡ªCommented Apolo, not particularly worried and showing no empathy whatsoever. It appeared that the young man truly trusted the plan he had in mind to get away with this¡ªAnything else you want to tell me? I''m a bit in a hurry. ¡ªYes, actually, I stopped you to return this¡ªResponded the chubby man, stretching out his hand and opening his palm, revealing a rusted bronze ring ¡ªYou dropped it during the celebration. Seeing the ring, Apolo quickly let go of the chest he had in his hand, causing everything inside it to fall to the ground. Not caring about his other belongings, the young wizard reached out and retrieved the bronze ring. With the ring securely in his hand, Apolo looked at the chubby man in front of him and the rest of the people in line with suspicion, as if fearing that he hadn''t actually dropped it but that it had been stolen from him. Meanwhile, the people in line stared at Apolo''s contorted face with abnormality, not quite understanding what had just happened to him. ¡ªLooks like it''s very important to you...¡ªNoted the chubby man, seeing that Apolo didn''t seem concerned about the things on the ground and instead was rubbing the ring in his hand. ¡ªHuh?... Yes, yes, it''s a valuable memento from someone who''s no longer here¡ªApolo quickly responded, regaining his composure and noticing the gazes in the crowd. He forced a smile to try to conceal the issue. ¡ªOh, good thing I found it on the floor. Unfortunately, I no longer have anyone in this world. Becoming a wizard was my last dream¡ªthe chubby man responded, looking at Apolo with empathy. ¡ªDidn''t you have children?¡ªYovel asked from the queue, approaching the conversation. The boy''s face was so gaunt that it seemed he had turned into a teenager in just a few minutes. There were still two distinct lines visible in his reddened eyes, suggesting he had been crying not too long ago. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡ªHad... They died from the blue plague four years ago. They were around your age¡ªthe chubby man said with a listless smile ¡ªThe truth is, they don''t allow people with children to enroll, but I was desperate for answers, so I had to try to gain someone''s sympathy somehow. ¡ªThat''s sad...¡ªsaid the boy, looking as Apolo stared at him strangely. He then asked¡ªIs something wrong? ¡ªYes, I was actually looking for you¡ªApolo said. In his plans, this boy now had to do half the work. ¡ªYou were looking for me?¡ªYovel asked, looking at the young man who had caused all this trouble with anger. ¡ªIndeed, because to prevent my head from being chopped off, I need you, and you need me¡ªApolo replied with a sinister smile. ¡ªWhy would I need you: you''re the very first they''re going to chop the head off!¡ªThe boy shouted angrily. ¡ªIt wouldn''t be the first time...¡ªMurmured Apolo, placing his gold ring in front of the boy''s face. ¡ªAre you from the Black Forest?...¡ªThe boy asked, looking at the inscription on the gold ring. Now he understood why this person was so calm. It wasn''t so easy to punish someone if they were a noble of high status. But even so, today''s events had been a disaster, so there were no guarantees that he could be as calm as this young man was. ¡ªYes, and if you want to get out of this mess, you need me...¡ªApolo commented while slowly putting the bronze ring back on his finger, making sure it fit securely and wouldn''t fall off onto the ground by mistake. ¡ªWhat''s your plan?¡ªYovel asked, looking at Apolo with suspicion. ¡ªIt''s a secret for now. Will you help me or not?¡ªApolo calmly replied, enjoying the sensation of closing and opening his hand with the bronze ring on. ¡ªI don''t see why I would help you: your situation is a hundred times worse than mine!¡ªYovel responded confidently in his decision. Ignoring the boy in front of him and focusing on how the bronze ring looked in his hand, Apolo spoke in a colder tone than usual: ¡ªMy blood is worth more than yours; otherwise, you wouldn''t have cried so much. My brother is the future king of the Black Forest, and my grandfather is dying. Do you think the emperor would order me to be killed right now? All I want is revenge and to keep my position as a wizard. On the other hand, your family is so extensive that I''m sure you don''t even know the face of the king of White Town. ¡ªSo... how... do we... do this...¡ªThe boy mumbled through tears, struggling to hold back his tears to appear more mature in front of this jerk. However, he wasn''t succeeding. The truth was that the red-haired boy knew more than anyone else that what Apolo was saying was true. His family would be more than willing to hang him to not displease the emperor and thus secure their position in the Ministry of Magic''s leadership. ¡ªPerfect! You''ll see how easily we solve everything. However, there are many people listening to our conversation. Let''s find an empty room¡ªApolo exclaimed with absolute confidence in his plan. He picked up the things that had fallen from his chest, obsessively ensuring that not a single object was left on the floor. ¡ªWait, can I help you?¡ªThe chubby man said, his eyes once again shining as if a beacon of hope had reappeared to illuminate the complicated path he had ahead¡ªI''m not a noble, so they''ll most likely kill me. Please, I beg you, no matter what needs to be done, I''ll help, and in return, save my behind! ¡ªYou really don''t mind what we have to do?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the chubby man. This person had returned his precious ring, so he was willing to help him. ¡ªWhatever it takes!¡ªExclaimed the chubby man, his eyes shining brightly, and a grin from ear to ear. ¡ªAlright, then you''re part of my adventure club. Let''s find an empty room, and I''ll explain my plan. We don''t have much time, so let''s be quick!¡ªApolo replied with a confident smile, entirely uncharacteristic of him. Maybe it was due to a good night''s sleep or maybe it was becoming a wizard, but the truth was that in these moments when the certainty of his future was at stake, the young noble felt more alive than ever. E46-Fight of magicians. *Knock, knock, knock*... Dorien raised his head and looked wearily at his door being knocked again. Never since becoming a minister had he had to attend to so many people. But ever since the "incident" during the evaluations for aspiring magicians, the minister had been dealing with countless problems. At first, Dorien had to enroll almost twenty people before realizing that something was wrong with the exam. As a result, he stopped enrolling and focused on trying to figure out what had happened. Obviously, it didn''t take much effort for the Minister of Magic to uncover the truth. The people who came to report the culprit weren''t exactly few. The major challenge was how to handle the situation to avoid getting entangled in the problem. After all, the main culprit of this scandal was a somewhat "delicate" character. ¡ªCome in!¡ªDorien exclaimed, rubbing his forehead wearily. Upon hearing the command, the door opened, revealing a nervous-looking red-haired boy. ¡ªDid something happen, Yovel?¡ªDorien asked, looking at the boy at the door, although he technically didn''t know him. He was a distant relative. ¡ªYes, yes...¡ªYovel replied, entering the room hurriedly and closing the door immediately behind him, as if he feared someone else would enter. Without stating the exact reason for his visit, the boy approached the Minister of Magic and stared at him behind his desk. ¡ªIs something the matter, young man? You seem a bit nervous. Don''t stress too much. The investigations have just begun¡ªDorien said, although the truth was that the investigations had already concluded. At this moment, he was more concerned about what punishments to mete out to appease the emperor when he found out about the matter. And the boy before him was a good pawn to mollify the emperor''s anger. ¡ªYes, yes...¡ªYovel repeated, quite nervously, staring intently at Dorien. In Apolo''s mind, using him right now was the best idea because the Minister of Magic would be more lenient with a relative. But the truth was, the boy knew his family had no heart when it came to magic-related matters. So, Apolo''s idea was futile. Nevertheless, the boy was desperate, as he knew his family well enough to anticipate how the Minister of Magic would handle this issue. ¡ªIf you don''t have anything to say, you can leave. Don''t be so nervous about the investigation results, lad¡ªDorien commented with a tired smile, worn out by the day''s challenges. Though in his mind, he had already decided whose head he would present to the emperor to quell the matter. ¡ªWe...we have a proposition...¡ªthe boy stammered nervously. Seeing the smile on the minister''s face, he knew that this fake smile was the worst possible sign. ¡ªI don''t understand you, kid. You might as well not bother me. I''m a bit tired after dealing with all these problems¡ªDorien responded, gesturing to the door. He was quite fatigued and really wanted to rest. Seeing his relative pointing at the door, Yovel suddenly felt like crying. However, he held back his tears, staying strong and sticking to the plan upon which his life depended: ¡ª50% for each magician, the favor of an archmage, and the six responsible for everything going wrong. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡ª50% for each magician?¡ªDorien asked, looking the boy up and down, reassessing his perception of him. ¡ªWe''ll give you 50% of the annual sponsorship fee from each magician who "didn''t" cheat¡ªYovel responded quickly. ¡ªOh, I see...¡ªDorien murmured, completely reevaluating his perception of this boy. Clearly, someone like him was quite useful to his family, especially considering his young age¡ªAnd how do you plan to convince the rest of the "magicians"? ¡ªI already did. Out of the 89 who passed, nearly 60 agreed...¡ªYovel answered quickly¡ªI have a list of those who declined. Apparently, they were the ones who cheated and exchanged answers among themselves. Whereas we passed the exam fairly. Do you accept? ¡ªAnd the favor of the archmage?¡ªDorien asked, pretending not to care about the boy''s idea by playing with his beard, even though he was genuinely intrigued by the conversation. ¡ªHefesto is to blame for everything, so naturally, he''ll owe you a few favors if you let some of his "approved" ones pass¡ªYovel responded, trying to sound casual, while deeply concealing the nerves he was feeling at the moment¡ªWe''ve identified the four guards who helped him, so we can gather evidence to blackmail him. ¡ªI see, I see...¡ªDorien murmured, still playing with his beard. While his mind was screaming at him to ask the boy how he figured out that Hefesto was to blame for everything, he himself had taken time to realize why Hefesto wanted this to happen. He wasn''t even aware that some guards had helped. Suppressing his doubts about the matter, the Minister of Magic asked the final important question in the deal: ¡ªAnd the six responsible for everything going wrong? The boy looked the Minister of Magic straight in the eyes and, with the confidence he had gained as the conversation progressed, said: ¡ªI''ll give you six names, and if any of these six names ceases to be a magician or has their sponsorship revoked, our entire deal falls apart, and you''re left with nothing but the emperor''s anger. Think about it. Do you want all the applicants cheating, showing that your exam was rubbish, or do you want a few cheaters in a strict and noble test? We''re in the same boat, Dorien, and if we sink, we sink together. Immediately, Dorien stopped playing with his beard and looked the boy in the eyes seriously. In his wildest dreams, he couldn''t imagine that a youngster who didn''t even have a single whisker on his chin could concoct such a bribe. Nevertheless, someone had chosen him to speak, and that someone had to be one of the six names mentioned. Trying to uncover who the mastermind behind this "rescue" was, Dorien commented: ¡ªAlright, I accept. What are the six names? ¡ªPut the list of magicians who cheated in front of me, and I''ll read it. If I see any of these six names, I''ll cross them out¡ªYovel responded with more confidence. ¡ªMmmmmmmmmmm...¡ªDorien murmured thoughtfully for a few overly long seconds for Yovel. Finally, Dorien grabbed a parchment from one of his desk drawers, took a registry containing the list of magicians'' exam registrations. Randomly, the Minister of Magic began to jot down the names from the list onto the blank parchment. When the list of names was long enough to satisfy the Minister of Magic, he handed it to the boy, saying: ¡ªYou have a promising future as a magician, Yovel. I hope you''ll always remember our family motto, no matter how far you go as a magician. ¡ª"Don''t tarnish the town"¡ªYovel murmured reflectively as he took the parchment and began to read it carefully, noting that around 70 people were listed on it ¡ªAlright, the six important ones will remain magicians. ¡ªOh, fortune seems to be smiling upon you...¡ªDorien commented with a rather broad smile, looking at the boy¡ªAlright, we have a deal. Go and get my crystals. I''ll send the guards to fetch our "culprits". It''s better if they don''t talk too much, or they might "tarnish" us. Upon hearing that everything was settled, the boy''s eyes lit up, and a triumphant smile formed on his face as he headed for the door to leave. Meanwhile, Dorien looked contemplatively as the boy''s back left his office, while in his mind, he hoped against all odds that those six mysterious names didn''t actually exist and that the boy was indeed the sole mastermind behind this rescue operation. E47-Wizards Way *Tock, tock, tock*... ¡ªBusy!¡ª Apolo and the chubby man shouted simultaneously, looking towards the only door in the room. Paying no heed to their response, the door swung open and a red-haired boy walked into the room. The room he had just entered was none other than one of the castle''s bathrooms. While meant for personal use, it was disproportionately large, easily fitting five people. Luxuriously appointed, the bathroom had a mirror, some statues, decorative paintings, and the main fixture was a lavishly decorated marble toilet. However, the most crucial feature of this bathroom, and the reason the group had chosen it as a "private" spot, was that it was located on the castle''s top floor, making it rarely frequented. ¡ªDeal?!¡ª Apolo and the chubby man shouted in unison, as if their lives depended on it. ¡ªYes, but as I was coming here, I saw guards heading to the first floor of the castle¡ª Yovel replied nervously. From the tone of the conversation, things seemed to be going well, but he wasn''t entirely sure. ¡ªBe clear, kid! Is there a deal or not?¡ª the chubby man demanded, grabbing the boy''s shoulders and shaking him. ¡ªYes, yes, Dorien agreed¡ª Yovel quickly answered, trying to free himself from the desperate grip¡ªThey must''ve gone to get the unlucky ones. ¡ªHope so¡­¡ª the chubby man exclaimed, wiping sweat from his forehead with his shirt sleeves. ¡ªHope so too¡­¡ª Apolo replied, looking out of the bathroom''s lone window. ¡ªCome see this... The chubby man and the boy approached the window with curiosity. The window was slightly high, so Yovel had to stand on tiptoe to see what was happening outside. From the castle window, they could see over fifty silver-armored guards in the courtyard, escorting a line of almost a hundred people. By their faces and appearances, the group recognized them as the mage applicants who had recently taken the exam. The group couldn''t understand why they were lining up until the person at the front of the line was pushed by two guards toward a rather large tree with yellowish wood and sky-blue leaves. Hanging from its branches were fruits resembling violet balls that looked quite appetizing. However, the tree''s beauty was marred by the irregularities in its bark, which made it look like the tree was covered in tumors, giving it a sickly appearance, as if the entire surface of the tree was filled with growths underneath the bark. Finally, the two guards positioned themselves close enough to the tree for the mage applicant to touch its bark. One of the guards pulled a fruit from a leather pouch. Meanwhile, the other guard had forced the applicant to kneel and was now using both hands to pry the person''s mouth open. Immediately, the guard shoved the tree''s fruit into the applicant''s mouth, making them bite into it. Stolen story; please report. Once the guards confirmed that the applicant had bitten the fruit, they let the person go and moved on to the next in line, seemingly unconcerned about anyone running away. The applicant continued to eat the violet fruit with an obsessive fervor, as if it were the most delicious thing they''d ever tasted. After finishing it, they crazily eyed the other fruits at the top of the tree. Using the bark''s tumors for grip, the applicant tried to climb up and get more. But just when they were halfway up, the applicant stopped moving and froze, hugging the tree as if they were glued to it. Indeed, they had realized in horror that half of their body had been absorbed by the tree''s bark. Help! the applicant screamed in desperation as they saw half of their body merging with the massive tree. However, the guards ignored the desperate cries, focusing instead on ensuring no one escaped the line. ¡ªWhat savagery¡­¡ª the chubby man muttered, horror-stricken by the scene¡ªI don''t understand why they don''t just cut their throats or hang them. Why make them suffer like this? That person didn''t even die; they''ll be stuck there until they die, it looks like. ¡ªIt''s a Sun Tree, an ancient guardian of the Silver Fields family...¡ª Apolo murmured, observing the scene before him without an ounce of pity, more interested in counting the number of applicants in line and noting how many were not selected. ¡ªAnd what does that mean?¡ª the chubby man asked, still not understanding. ¡ªThe emperor''s family hails from the Silver Fields¡­¡ª Yovel commented, staring at the scene in bewilderment. Truthfully, this punishment wasn''t very violent, but it was impactful, a slow torture leading to death¡ªHence, the Minister of Magic is showing that the punishment is for offending the emperor, not for cheating. It''s a mere detail. A significant detail to keep themselves "clean." ¡ªStop paying attention to the idiot screaming, and check my count: Are there 74 condemned?¡ª Apolo said with a cold tone and a grin stretching from ear to ear. ¡ªOne... Two... Three...¡ª the chubby man murmured slowly, completely ignoring the condemned person''s screams. He began to cry louder and louder as he realized that his life had been miraculously spared. ¡ª74... Out of 89... We did it...¡ª the boy murmured, unblinking as he watched the person screaming in agony against the tree''s bark. ¡ª72... 73... 74... Guys, your father is finally a mage...¡ª the chubby man sobbed uncontrollably, listening to the desperate pleas of the condemned people in line. Without a doubt, this had been the most shocking day in the chubby man''s life, and if it hadn''t been for his children''s blessings, he would have undoubtedly ended up in that line. ¡ªWe''re not just mages now; we''ve also just won 1250 crystals¡ª Apolo remarked triumphantly, no longer looking out the window as he walked towards the bathroom door¡ªLet''s go get the ticket to the fortunate magical world that survived: There''s a bribe to pay! Yovel, meanwhile, regarded Apolo''s back as if he were a lunatic, unable to comprehend how he could be so calm or, worse yet, so pleased with this situation. The boy remembered perfectly well how this lucky idiot''s plan had been to kill Hefesto and present his head on a platter to the Minister of Magic. Yovel had been the one to convince him that killing an archmage was asking for trouble, and to make matters worse, the chubby man, who was now sobbing on the floor, had masterminded the plan that ended up saving their asses. Even more sadly, it had been his own idea to increase the number of untouchable names to get a share of the bribe. Apolo had literally just informed them of something that by now was blatantly obvious to the two of them: the culprit for the exam''s failure was the one conducting it. And yet, there he went out the door, the young noble who in his own head saw himself as the mastermind behind the great magic examination swindle. E48-Dead The chubby one, the kid, and the noble proceeded to gather the bribes as the process of awarding the sponsorships resumed normally. As the screams outside grew louder as more applicants received their verdicts, the crystal collection process was smoother than the group initially expected. And it wasn''t surprising; all the magicians paying the bribe looked at the three in charge of collecting the money as the heroes who negotiated their new lives. Once the bribe was paid, the adventure group disbanded without farewells. Apolo took the first opportunity to leave the castle and return to his carriage, where Mateo and Orrin awaited him with worried expressions. ¡ªGlad nothing happened to you, my lord¡ª Orrin commented worriedly, trying to ignore the cries of lament echoing across the Ministry of Magic''s courtyard¡ªCan you tell us why they condemned almost all the applicants to death? Upon hearing the question, Apolo turned around and looked at the massive tree filled with stuck applicants screaming in agony. From the ground, the tree''s immense size was even more remarkable, and despite that, the entire line of applicants hadn''t been condemned yet, so it seemed the guards would need another tree. Looking at the scene, Apolo coldly responded: ¡ªIsn''t it obvious? I told you that those who laughed at me would end up dead, and that''s exactly what happened. With my ancestors on my side, nothing can go wrong today. I learned a valuable lesson today: if you act like a commoner, you''re treated like one. But if you act like a noble, you receive noble treatment. And most importantly, if you act like a winner, life turns you into one. Today, I beat those wretches at the magicians'' game. Mateo''s posture straightened more than ever upon hearing such a declaration. His mind couldn''t process that Apolo was truly responsible for the deaths of everyone who had laughed at him. Yet, his eyes told him that there was indeed a line of nearly a hundred people marching to their death, and his ears reminded Mateo that the agonized screams of the condemned were more real than his lord''s words. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Apolo, for his part, kept staring at the tree in the distance. Up until this moment, the young man hadn''t fully grasped the meaning of his ancestor''s second piece of advice and why he should act like a commoner that day. Nevertheless, it was because Apolo followed that advice that all of this had happened. So, in his mind, he tried to uncover the great significance of this tragic outcome, even though he couldn''t quite reach it. ¡ªI''m glad you''ve become a magician. What are the next directions?¡ªOrrin asked, looking at his lord''s back with pride. Despite the question, Apolo continued looking at the tree, trying to contemplate his ancestor''s words. As he struggled to make sense of them, Apolo was on the verge of giving up. It was then that he remembered one of his servants had been offering good advice lately, so he asked: ¡ªWhat do you think destiny is? ¡ªMmmm¡­ the fruit of one''s labor¡ª Orrin responded, noticing the abnormal state of the young noble. ¡ªCould be¡­ And what about you, Mateo?¡ªApolo inquired. ¡ªA good excuse, for the good and the bad¡ªMateo replied¡ªI don''t think it matters too much. ¡ªYou know what, though? I think each person arrives at their own answer about what destiny is as they grow up¡ªOrrin added, looking at the tree in the distance. ¡ªThe important thing is that this answer nurtures us, not condemns us: I doubt these aspirants'' destiny was to die like this. And yet, they forced that destiny upon themselves by insulting you and your ancestors... ¡ªMaybe the idea was for me to open my eyes and see from a different perspective¡­ maybe it was just about accepting the Hades text... I don''t know...¡ªApolo mumbled thoughtfully as he opened the chest where his new magician acquisitions were kept and retrieved the red book. With the book in hand, Apolo closed the chest again and approached Orrin to hand over the book. ¡ªTake this, find where they sell properties in the capital¡ªApolo ordered as he headed toward his carriage¡ªTake me to the best real estate agency in the empire: it''s time for me to finally have my own house! Without saying anything else, Apolo entered his carriage and closed the curtains, seeking to deeply contemplate everything that had happened that day and starting to plan his new life as a magician. E49-The Tips
At this moment, Apolo was heading to the empire''s main property store, which was a bit far away. There weren''t any significant stores in the capital, and the particular store he was going to was on one of the main streets of the Ring City. To make matters worse, one had to access that street through the gate farthest from the location of the Ministry of Magic. As a result, Apolo had to cross the entire capital to reach the store, which easily translated to a four-day carriage journey. However, the young man wasn''t in a hurry. The other new wizards had much less budget than him, and most likely, they wouldn''t be able to buy the house Apolo owned. His house was the most expensive one available since he "bought" it with a decree from the emperor. As the journey unfolded, Apolo seized the chance to read the red book he had been given. As mentioned before, it was essentially a simple calendar filled with stores that a wizard might need: essentially, it was advertising. Yet, it was useful advertising for someone like Apolo, who had no clue where to find the stores or what things a wizard should buy. After finishing the book full of advertisements, Apolo had many doubts about how to allocate his budget. Luckily, he recalled that one of his ancestors had mentioned something about the topic in his legacy. Therefore, Apolo took out the secret document and carefully reviewed the last three pieces of advice:
"¡­ (Start of the letter) Regarding my third piece of advice: once you become a wizard and accept your destiny, the next big step in your life is to discover that from now on, you are completely free: free to squander your wealth or free to make it count. This is why the first major advice I''m giving you to prevent you from destroying your wealth is to use your first crystals in the smartest investment you can make: getting competent servants! The best servant for a wizard is their own disciples: your acolytes. However, you won''t be able to have acolytes under your command until you achieve at least one magical feat and thus gain enough reputation for someone to be willing to become your acolyte. Since the best option isn''t available, you must go for the second best: ''Gururis''. Although the name of this creature might sound strange to you since our family traditionally never used them as servants, the truth is that they are somewhat docile and strange creatures that many noble families use as servants. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. To buy them, you need to go to a beast breeding place and ask if they have them. You must buy one old and two newborns. Remember to never buy more than that balanced amount, or they''ll kill each other. The old gururi must have served another wizard before. These creatures live almost three hundred years, so they''re likely to be sold second-hand. I warn you that these creatures are expensive: quite expensive, still, buy them! The rest of the crystals, which could be few or many depending on the goodwill of the current emperor. You should use it for two things: furnish your house completely with plenty of sparkle and nonsense, so the gururis will live content and won''t kill you while you sleep. And last but not least, you should go buy the clothing that a true wizard would wear: always wear it and don''t let the old gururi see you without it, or it will get depressed and won''t talk to your two young gururis. That''s crucial for them to learn from the old one. With whatever money you have left, don''t buy a single magical artifact or research equipment. Instead, spend it to have the best and most ostentatious garden in the entire imperial capital. This way, you''ll have the favor of your neighbors, which is quite important: you don''t live in a castle in the middle of the forest anymore! My fourth piece of advice is probably the most interesting to you at this moment, just after reading this document. You still haven''t learned to appreciate my other pieces of advice. The fourth piece of advice is the true utility of the magical mask of Tias, the great memory mage of our family. The mask is, in fact, the legacy of one of the great mages of the empire. Even though you probably don''t yet understand the meaning of that honorary title, the truth is that Tais gave you a rather complex mask, and I''m not sure if it has more secrets. As Tais pointed out in his legacy, the primary function of the mask is to allow you to escape from problems. Therefore, if you wear the mask and kill a guard in front of a hundred other guards, none of those guards who witnessed the murder will remember who killed the guard, even if they saw you do it a second ago. However, they''ll see you with a knife covered in blood and may deduce the murder. So you throw away the knife, and they won''t remember that you had it, but the guards will see you near a corpse and may deduce the murder. Then you start running, and they won''t remember you were near the corpse, but seeing you running, they may deduce the murder. Therefore, you decide to enter a store and blend into the crowd: Congratulations, you''ve escaped! The mask is useful but requires quite a bit of practice to learn how to use it. Lastly, there''s my fifth great piece of advice... (and the letter continued)"
E50-Real Estate Stores The carriage made its way through the azure streets of the capital, as the young noble obsessively read the third piece of advice. This one wasn''t as enigmatic as the other four, which made him suspect that there might be another hidden clue among its lines. Nevertheless, everything seemed to indicate that the third advice was merely a prioritization of how to spend his budget. This paranoia stemmed from the fact that his ancestor''s first letter had hidden the mysterious secrets of the magical mask quite well between its lines. Also, his second ancestor had been equally unclear with some of his advice, bordering on the enigmatic. Therefore, Apolo had concluded that in the world of magic, mages tended to dole out information in dribs and drabs, wrapped in riddles. This made understanding the true message they intended to convey quite complicated. The reason behind this was uncertain to the young man, and his main idea was that it was a simple quirk born out of the long years of solitude a mage had to face. As usual, time never stood still, and when the young man tried to remember how much longer he had, he realized he was already at his destination. Apolo''s carriage was now on one of the main streets of the ring city, facing a shop that easily occupied the space of four regular stores on this street. It showcased its leadership and economic power. All the shops around this gigantic establishment were selling exactly the same products: lands, properties, castles, and various buildings. Based on the signs of the neighboring stores that Apolo could read, it seemed you could buy a house practically anywhere, not limiting themselves to working exclusively in the capital and its vicinity. The grand store itself didn''t have an eye-catching appearance from the outside; it looked like a traditional red-brick house. The most noteworthy aspect of the store was its size, and the only thing that stood out was a large sign placed at the front of the establishment, reading:
"Properties of the Deep Mines Reign"
From the sign''s title, one could deduce that this store belonged to one of the main noble families, in this case, the Deep Mines family. They were one of the most powerful families in the empire, holding a duchy as their main title. Their power primarily stemmed from controlling a significant portion of the empire''s crystal extraction. Their economic might was even greater than that of the emperor. So, it could be said that this family was one of the pillars holding up the entire empire''s economy. Furthermore, their nobles were known for their lack of military tradition and their recognized use of mercenaries in wars. This had resulted in a strained relationship with Apolo''s family. However, the strained relationship between the families didn''t concern young Apolo. He knew that ultimately, this was a family with a commercial tradition, so if you had money, you would be well-served regardless of your lineage. Despite this, Apolo had already planned a couple of things to make the negotiation faster and more comfortable for him. Thus, when the carriage finished parking, the young noble didn''t step out but instead observed from the window as Orrin got down and entered the store. After a few minutes, Orrin returned with a man dressed as a flamboyant merchant, wearing colorful and attention-grabbing clothes. The most notable thing about his attire was an unusual black crystal necklace around his neck. The man had quite pale skin, and his eyes were entirely black, with no visible pupils. His nails were quite long, adorned with intricate colors and patterns. His hair was as white as snow, despite his appearance not suggesting he was older than 40. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Orrin hurriedly opened the carriage, revealing Apolo ready to disembark and greet the stranger. ¡ªPleasure to meet you, Apolo of the Black Forest¡ª the merchant commented with a smile. Although the surprised expression on his face at seeing Apolo''s undernourished body for the first time wasn''t fully concealed. After all, rumors about giants weren''t few, and this boy looked preadolescent due to his malnutrition¡ªI''m Dar¨ªo of the Deep Mines. Would you like to move somewhere more comfortable to talk? ¡ªYes, let''s go inside¡ª Apolo said, glancing around the streets with suspicion. The last thing he needed was for a thief to steal his belongings and vanish into the depths of this immense city. After confirming no one was around, Apolo took his chest of important things, refusing to trust the carriage''s security, and entered the store with Dar¨ªo. Upon entering the store, Apolo noticed that it resembled an ordinary mansion, with its main room being a vast reception hall dominated by a large staircase in the middle, leading to the upper rooms. However, unlike domestic houses, a receptionist stood between the door and the staircase. Dar¨ªo led Apolo up the stairs and into one of the second-floor rooms. The room contained only two armchairs and a table. Immediately after they sat down, an employee entered the room with some drinks and almanacs. ¡ªWhat kind of machinery are you looking to have us build?¡ª Dar¨ªo asked, handing the almanacs to Apolo¡ªAnd in which frontier castle will they be needed? Apolo immediately noticed that all the items in the almanac were machinery and war artifacts designed for fortresses. This made him realize that Dar¨ªo had misinterpreted the reason for his visit. ¡ªI''m a new mage, I''m only looking for a house in the capital¡ª Apolo responded, correcting the issue. Upon hearing the request, the maid took the almanac handed by Apolo and went to get another. Meanwhile, Dar¨ªo commented: ¡ªOh, that explains quite a bit. Truth is, I''ve never had someone from your family looking for a house in the capital. What''s your budget? ¡ªI suppose the most expensive one¡ª Apolo replied, taking out the emperor''s decree and handing it to Dar¨ªo. ¡ªMmm...¡ª Dar¨ªo took the document and read it over a few times before breaking into a rather abrupt smile¡ªHaha, we should try to convince more people from your family to move to the capital. Looks like the emperor got used to pampering them. It''s been a while since we saw this decree, since we gave a house to one of his children. ¡ªPay what he owes us...¡ª Apolo said coldly. ¡ª. If you only knew the cost of hiring a decent mercenary...¡ª Dar¨ªo replied with a quite pronounced grin¡ªI wish we had generals who just wanted a couple of heads as war rewards, but the emperor is the emperor exactly because of his alliances and connections. As Dar¨ªo said this, the employee returned and handed an almanac to Apolo. The young mage noticed that it contained numerous properties; the price of the cheapest house was over 50,000 crystals. This raised a question in the young man''s mind, and he asked: ¡ªHow do new mages afford to buy a house? Dar¨ªo took a sip of the drink the employee had brought and responded calmly: ¡ªThey don''t buy it; they live in the third castle of the Ministry of Magic until they save enough. It usually takes them a few years if they''re diligent with their work. The other option is to live in the Ring City. There''s a neighborhood full of mages within the Ring City, and not exactly novice mages: some of these mages are quite important and belong to the upper echelons of the Ministry of Magic. Not everyone likes living surrounded by nobles and far from all amenities. ¡ªI suppose, it took me almost four days of travel to get here...¡ª Apolo commented, noting the slight issue. However, he didn''t want to waste his free house, so he continued browsing the almanac, trying to find the right one. ¡ªThere are only two houses I would recommend, and they''re both at the end of the almanac¡ª Dar¨ªo said, noticing that Apolo hadn''t found a house he liked. The young noble followed the advice and found that the two most expensive houses were indeed at the back of the almanac. E51-Landlord Apolo carefully examined the two available houses. Both houses cost the same and were practically impossible to afford. Their descriptions seemed to suggest that the appealing factors justifying the value of each house were different. On one hand, the first house was a little mansion, not overly spacious but perfectly situated right in the heart of the imperial capital, which was one of the most expensive areas in the city. On the other hand, the second house was actually an estate. It featured an incredibly large mansion and had the most extensive land on the whole calendar. Additionally, it boasted its own lake and other secondary buildings scattered around the estate. However, its location was terrible, situated right against the side of the great wall. It was super far from the city center, and to make matters worse, the city gates weren''t located in that area, leaving it quite isolated. ¡ªI''ll go with the bigger one¡ª Apolo decided, pointing at the estate. He hadn''t planned on leaving the house much and didn''t want to deal with neighbors who were too significant, so it was better not to live in the center. ¡ªAs a mage, connections are crucial. Wouldn''t it be a better idea to live in the center?¡ª Dar¨ªo suggested. Since both houses cost practically the same, his recommendation seemed quite genuine. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡ªNo, it''s fine¡ª Apolo replied, searching for a good excuse¡ªI like spacious places. I''ve gotten used to castle life. ¡ªAs you wish, it''s your decision¡ª Dar¨ªo said with a smile, signaling the employee to bring the papers¡ªThe house is unfurnished, and we only handle major constructions. However, we can give you some contacts to solve the problem. ¡ªNo, it''s alright. I''ll sort it out on my own¡ª Apolo replied. Truthfully, given the mansion''s size, he didn''t think he''d have the money to furnish the whole place if he chose a too expensive store. He had to figure out an economical way to furnish it. ¡ªAs you decide. Also, remember that if you''re not pleased with the house, you have a month to exchange it for another one¡ª Dar¨ªo reminded him. Given the distances, the seller didn''t expect all customers to visit every house before making a purchase, so he offered a guarantee. While Dar¨ªo was saying that, the employee returned with a set of papers that seemed to be the estate documents. Apolo reviewed them and read them carefully. After confirming that everything was in order, he proceeded to sign them, and the young nobleman had finally become the owner of his own land. With joy, Apolo left the store and prepared to continue his journey while making a commitment to fulfill the third piece of advice given by his ancestor. E52-The 8 months Slowly but surely, time was stealing the days of Apolo''s life, while gradually allowing the young man to progress with the goals he had set for himself. This was how eight long months passed. Today, the young man found himself reviewing one of the rooms in his mansion, ensuring that the furniture he had purchased had some kind of "purpose". Much of the mansion had been furnished, a task that had cost the young man almost 7000 crystals, and to top it off, the harsh reality was that all the furniture was second-hand. Thus, the lack of a unique style was evident throughout the mansion, giving it the appearance of a mishmash of "unbroken" and aesthetically "nice" yet not so easily compatible furniture. Despite this, aesthetics mattered little to the young wizard. What was important was that the creatures he was about to acquire felt that the house was furnished to prevent them from killing him while he slept. Consequently, Apolo spared no expense in filling each room with furniture to make the mansion feel as "alive" as possible. But, of course, a problem emerged, or else the young man wouldn''t have spent eight months of his life furnishing his house. The not-so-comical reality was that the relatively straightforward task had turned into one of the greatest odysseys the empire had seen throughout its history. Being a rather paranoid young noble, Apolo not only aimed to complete the task but had, in fact, completely exaggerated it! Apolo''s main bedroom not only had one bed but four entirely different ones. And to make matters more interesting, he didn''t have just one wardrobe, but five of them, each filled with used clothing that was practically unwearable for Apolo, yet they filled the space, giving the furniture a purpose. The young noble had even bought second-hand women''s clothing, just so that when the creature opened every miserable piece of furniture in the mansion, they would find something intriguing that would justify the existence of said furniture. As a result, Apolo''s mansion had turned into the house of a compulsive furniture hoarder. It didn''t matter what the function of the furniture was or how mundane it seemed. The important thing was that it was in his house, and like a guardian angel, that piece of furniture would protect him from the strange creatures he had to acquire at all costs. The mansion had ultimately transformed into a complete maze. If one visited any of the multiple rooms in the mansion, it wasn''t uncommon to encounter a bed or a rusted stove. No one would ever understand why these things ended up there. Yet, in Apolo''s mind, everything had to serve some purpose for the creatures. Therefore, that bed needed to have its respective blankets, pillows, and let''s not forget the faded plush toys on top of them. And, of course, there had to be various miscellaneous items under the bed, such as old pots and aesthetically unusable flowerpots. However, the corruption of Apolo''s original idea wasn''t as abrupt as one might imagine. During the first month, the young noble had grown desperate trying to create a beautiful and appealing mansion. But those dreams shattered as he realized that money wasn''t infinite and the mansion was far too large. As a result, Apolo grew tired and began distorting his sense of aesthetics to fit his economic situation. Only a select few rooms that had been furnished during the first month retained a certain noble aesthetic. By the second month, the sense of aesthetics had entirely disappeared from Apolo''s mind. The only thing that mattered was furnishing each room and following a certain logic. Thus, it became common to find a living room with wooden, stone, and metal furniture mixed together. There was no longer any need to adhere to a specific pattern; the crucial thing was that the creatures understood that it was a living room, not that it was beautiful. Despite this, the task of completing the mansion seemed titanic and impossible. So, the harsh reality was that after the third month, Apolo had thrown all sense out the window. Everything could be found in this mansion, even things one couldn''t imagine. From toilets serving as cabinets to kitchens filled with used books serving as reading rooms, Apolo''s mansion had become a house of an obsessive furniture accumulator. It didn''t matter what the furniture was; there just had to be furniture, and lots of it. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. And finally, as expected when the task continued to make little progress, by the fourth month, things began to approach the limits of madness. Apart from the scattered structures, the mansion had a total of four floors, including an attic, a dungeon, two adjacent houses, and a basement. Across all these floors and corners, there were 1555 rooms, all varying in size and hidden in various places throughout the mansion and its two adjacent houses, which had formerly served to accommodate servants and guests, as Apolo had learned from his two servants. Filling this bizarre number of rooms would have been impossible had it not been for the fact that, by the fourth month, madness started to consume Apolo. He issued a purchasing order that resonated across the poor neighborhoods of the ring city:
"No matter what junk you bring, if it''s in ''good condition'' and housed in a piece of furniture, I''ll buy it!"
Rumors immediately began to spread throughout the Ring City. People were literally selling any nonsense: unmatched shoes, detached buttons, and as long as they weren''t broken, the nobleman would buy them. Apolo started to notice a certain progress in his mission, but despite that, he couldn''t yet see the final result he was after. By the sixth month, and realizing that he hadn''t been able to complete the task even with that order, Apolo''s ideals began to distort. He started buying furniture that nobody wanted for various reasons. From supposedly cursed objects to furniture where someone had been murdered, everything was fair game. Starting from the sixth month, anything was acceptable, including furniture that had clearly been stolen. After such moves, the rumors gradually spread throughout the capital:
"Carriages filled with ''junk'' were entering the capital from all the gates every day, heading towards a particular estate, where a nobleman was accumulating it compulsively as if it were crystals".
Of course, seeing those carriages prompted the guards to investigate. After all, it wasn''t so easy for the guards to digest the sight of a carriage filled with used and blood-stained clothes fresh from the morgue being transported along the noble roads of the capital. Noticing the guards'' interest in his affairs, Apolo didn''t step back. He used the full weight of his noble status as he had never done before and managed to defend his "junk", causing the guards to turn a blind eye to his carriages. The imperial capital''s families, however, looked on with disgust as one of the largest houses in the whole capital accumulated piece after piece of junk without showing any restraint. What had begun as a way to follow his ancestor''s advice had, after eight long months of fulfilling this titanic task, turned completely into an obsession. In Apolo''s mind, only one thought echoed incessantly day and night, as if it were a grand order upon which his life depended: "No matter what happens, the ''junk'' must keep flowing. The flow of ''junk'' must never stop". And so it happened. ¡ªSir, sir!¡ªOrrin shouted loudly, trying to locate Apolo, which wasn''t an easy task: it was quite easy to get lost in this maze of forgotten things. ¡ªYes! What''s happening?!¡ªApolo shouted while obsessively adjusting a plush toy in front of a miniature table surrounded by other plush toys. ¡ªSir, sir!¡ªOrrin shouted loudly again, apparently not hearing the young man. ¡ªOver here!¡ªApolo shouted to the four winds, causing his voice to reverberate through the mansion and one of the dolls on the table to fall to the floor¡ªOh, shit: No! Princess Lorena must be looking at Mr. Giraffe, or else Mr. Bear will find out about her secret plot, and the cookie empire will not fall into his hands. ¡ªSir¡­¡ªOrrin murmured, opening the door slightly, listening to Apolo''s conversation and looking at him with a certain concern. The truth was, Orrin knew well that Apolo wasn''t the same. On one hand, his mind had become so obsessive about filling the rooms that, at times, it bordered on madness, worrying the servant. But on the other hand, Apolo''s body was better than ever before. At this point, the young man stood at over two meters tall, and his body was completely toned, surprising anyone who had known him before. The strange fact was that Apolo''s obsession with moving furniture around the house to fill the rooms had provided him with a good reason to start eating again and resume the military training he had abandoned at the age of eighteen. It created the paradoxical scene of seeing Apolo, who was less sane but healthier than ever before, simultaneously. The fact that Apolo had finally acquired the body that a colossus of the Black Forest deserved was warmly welcomed by Orrin, who even supported him every day, reminding him to train and being extremely careful about his military diet. Orrin''s only concern was Apolo''s motivation. It was incomprehensible to him that the only thing Apolo needed to overcome the depression he had lived with throughout his childhood was furniture, lots of furniture: endless furniture! E53-The goods But despite this noticeable "improvement", Orrin found it hard to overlook his lord''s unstable state. After all, it''s not as if the memory of a giant over two meters tall playing with dolls could be easily erased from the old man''s mind. What''s worse, Orrin knew that scenes like these were the most "normal" ones. The significant difference between the skeletal Apolo and the giant was that the skeletal one had occasional paranoid outbursts, which he quickly regretted and actively sought to hide. These, all things considered, were normal for a young man so weak and fragile, thrust into a new life far from his family and everything he knew. On the other hand, the giant Apolo lived in a state of little sanity, which at times became dangerous for others. However, Apolo wasn''t aware of others'' gazes and didn''t try to conceal these issues. And that''s where Orrin realized the great difference between a sane man and a mad one: the sane one is aware he''s mad, while the mad one doesn''t doubt his sanity. ¡ªIs something the matter, Orrin?¡ªApolo asked, not stopping the arrangement of the dolls on the table; they all had to be perfectly placed. ¡ªYes, other carriages with "goods" have arrived¡ªOrrin replied, looking at Apolo with concern. ¡ªWhat splendid news! Have you paid them and they''re arranging the goods?¡ªApolo asked, pausing the doll arrangement and standing up to inspect these new acquisitions. ¡ªNo, my lord, this time I recommend that we don''t accept these pieces of furniture...¡ªOrrin responded, imploring the young noble to regain some sanity and listen to him. This time, the "merchants" who had come to their mansion had gone too far. ¡ªOh, Orrin, always so concerned about aesthetics and noble manners...¡ªApolo exclaimed with a certain sadness as he left the room and headed to the mansion''s entrance¡ªYou should let yourself go a bit by your human instincts: let others say what they want; my ancestors will curse them, and they''ll die mysteriously. Just like that guard who wouldn''t accept our bribe, remember how he mysteriously appeared inside a closet in our mansion? The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡ªThe smell reminds me of it every day, sir¡ªOrrin responded with distaste as he followed his lord''s back toward the entrance¡ªI urge you once again to bury that body. ¡ªOf course, we won''t do that: that cadaver is part of the grand story these room''s furniture seek to narrate!¡ªApolo exclaimed with a rather cheerful smile. In his mind, this was one of the mansion''s best rooms. ¡ªBut that cadaver is attracting rats and vermin from beyond the walls¡ªOrrin quickly retorted. ¡ªMore story! More mysterious secrets and more life!¡ªApolo exclaimed, even happier. ¡ªIf they were pets, it would be fine, but there''s been a blue plague epidemic afflicting the Ring City for over a decade...¡ªOrrin said with concern. The only thing missing from this mansion was becoming a rat''s nest. ¡ªWell, a little bit of plague. I feel sorry for you, Orrin¡ªApolo murmured, not caring about the topic at all¡ªIf you get sick, we''ll give you a proper funeral in the cemetery, as befits the great steward of this mansion. ¡ªYes, I only ask that you don''t store me in one of the pieces of furniture¡ªOrrin commented seriously, realizing the problem: there were only a few diseases that could kill Apolo, but for him and his son, the story was entirely different¡ªAt the very least, we could hire more servants to attend to the "dangerous" furniture, don''t you think? If you keep accepting all sorts of furniture, I fear that sooner or later your poor servants will suffer the consequences. ¡ªSure, hire as many people as you need and replace those who kick the bucket. You''re the steward of this mansion; don''t ask me those things: Just do them!¡ªApolo responded, not giving a damn about the health of his servants, looking at the mansion''s entrance door with joy, full of anticipation for the new shipment of furniture. Now the two were in the grand main hall, also the most perfect room in the mansion since it was the first to be furnished. If one didn''t go to the farthest corridors, it would seem like a beautiful house due to this grand hall. All the decorations were wooden, and the furniture was finer than the others. Two large symmetrical statues guarded the stairs'' ascent, and a large blue carpet descended from the stairs to the main door. ¡ªLet''s see what wonderful things our new friends brought us¡ªApolo commented, opening the door with some haste due to the pleasant anticipation. E54-The Offer The main door of the mansion swung wide open, courtesy of Apollo, revealing a long line of carriages queuing up from the blue cobblestone path that extended from the entrance of the estate to the mansion doors. The blue path was adorned with a multitude of incredibly colorful and ancient trees around it. Yet, the beauty of the trees was overshadowed by the neglected state of the estate''s courtyard. Overgrown grass invaded the grounds, reaching knee-high. For the moment, Apollo''s budget wasn''t expansive enough to worry about the courtyard''s condition. Upon reaching the mansion doors, one could spot a large tree with yellow bark and blue leaves, placed right at the entrance, creating a grand circle. This tree was identical to the one used for condemning wizarding hopefuls at the Ministry of Magic. Like all the trees on the estate, it was quite old. ¡ªGosh darn, look at that line of carriages. Ain''t that a sight to behold?¡ªApollo exclaimed with excitement, clutching his head in amazement at the sight of so many carriages¡ªThese folks really outdid themselves! ¡ªNo! We can''t accept them!¡ªOrrin yelled, sticking to his point. ¡ªWhy on Earth wouldn''t I accept them? It''d be downright impolite to send them back home after they''ve gone to such lengths¡ªApollo responded firmly. ¡ªMy lord, I implore you to verify the contents of the carriages!¡ªOrrin shouted, not backing down. To him, accepting the proposal from these "traders" was sheer madness. Apollo noticed his butler''s agitated state, so he approached the first carriage in line and looked at its driver, asking: ¡ªBoy, how many crystals are you asking for these goods? This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Apollo surveyed the carriage and noticed they were covered with sheets, which was customary. It was part of the arrangement he had with the guards: all goods entered under wraps, hidden from prying eyes. What caught Apollo''s attention, though, was the bulging shape of the sheets on the carriages. He realized that nearly all of the carriages were overflowing with goods, which wasn''t a common sight. ¡ªWe gave the butler the offer letter. We''re just drivers, noble sir¡ªthe driver explained with a protocol nod from inside the carriage. ¡ªSomething don''t smell right about this, Orrin!¡ªApollo squeaked with a higher pitch than usual. Seeing the perfectly executed nod from the driver and the mention of a written offer, he knew these weren''t your regular traders. Their awareness of protocols was a bad sign. These goods might be too expensive! ¡ªThank the ancestors, you woke up...¡ªOrrin muttered with a smile, looking at the young noble''s worried expression¡ªWe need to send them back: The offer they made is an insult! ¡ªWe''ll see...¡ªApollo muttered, giving a threatening glance to the carriage drivers¡ªWhere''s the offer? ¡ªHere you go, my lord! Just give the order, and I''ll send them back¡ªOrrin replied, pulling a rolled parchment from his pocket and handing it to Apollo. Apollo took the rolled parchment and, after one last painful look at the long line of carriages seemingly brimming with furniture, he proceeded to unroll the parchment and read its contents:
"Dear Magician, Apollo of the Black Forest: I have heard of your tireless skill in accumulating various goods for your magical research. According to reports from merchants in the inner of Ring City, it seems any object can be useful to you, as long as it''s in acceptable condition, regardless of its origin or age. That''s why I dare make you the following proposal: If you accept the entirety of the content sent in the carriages, we will grant you a total of 1000 magic crystals. Upon accepting, you''ll be responsible for disposing of the contents at your discretion. I hope these goods aid your magical research and kindly understand that accepting them would be doing a great service to the empire. The carriage driver can provide further information and make the payment. Yours Truly, Minister of Urban Affairs, Macario of the Deep Mines"
E55-The Coffins
Apolo reread the message with particular attention, hardly believing what he was reading: this was the first time the young noble had come across something like receiving crystals in exchange for goods, and the most astonishing part was the person who had signed the offer. But there were the words, written and true: The Minister of Urban Affairs was actually willing to give away crystals! ¡ªShould we decline it?¡ªOrrin asked, noticing that his lord had been rereading that letter for a full ten minutes, under the awkward gaze of all the drivers. ¡ªAre they bribing us?¡ªApolo muttered skeptically, then hesitantly approached the driver of the first carriage, eyeing him with suspicion¡ªDo you have the crystals, lad? ¡ªYes, will you accept the minister''s offer?¡ªthe driver asked, producing a black card from his pocket. ¡ªDepends, what do they want in exchange for this "gift"?¡ªApolo replied with uncertainty, distrusting the minister of urban affairs'' goodwill in sending these "presents". ¡ªI didn''t read the letter, but I''m not aware of any bribe, noble sir¡ªthe driver replied somewhat nervously. ¡ªThe problem is the content of the carriages, my lord!¡ªOrrin yelled, his anger evident. ¡ªAre they broken things? I was very clear that we don''t accept rubbish!¡ªApolo exclaimed, annoyed. After all, bits of wood and pieces of rusty metal wouldn''t satisfy the creatures. There had to be a story, something that would move them! At least that''s what the young man thought. ¡ªIn principle, it could be said that they''re not, noble sir. Although their condition isn''t the best, you should check for yourself: according to the minister, this is quite similar to some of the things you''ve already purchased¡ªthe driver responded quickly, fearing the gaze of the towering young man in front of him. ¡ªWe''ll see...¡ªApolo muttered, approaching the driver''s carriage to lift the blankets that concealed the goods inside. Just as the driver had said, the condition of the goods wasn''t exactly new, but it was still discernible that they were several coffins piled one on top of the other. They were quite diverse, and most of them were quite nice-looking. With curiosity, Apolo opened one of the coffins to find the bones of a person dressed quite finely. Due to the lack of odor and flesh on the bones, it seemed this person had died quite a long time ago. It even seemed that someone had taken the trouble to arrange the bones in a presentable manner, as there was an unusual lack of dust inside the coffin. ¡ªWe can''t accept the dead. They were resting peacefully, and these brutes dug them up: They''re ancestors of someone else, my lord!¡ªOrrin energetically said, quite angry at the idea of these corpses being dug up. It seemed to be a significant taboo to do so. ¡ªWhy did they dig up the ancestors of other people? Don''t common folk fear the wrath of the dead?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the long line of carriages thoughtfully. He cared quite little about offending all these deceased individuals, as he trusted that his own ancestors would be more powerful and could shield him from their anger. The driver looked at the young man in front of him as if trying to convince him with his gaze, then explained the context of the situation: ¡ªDue to an expansion in one of the cemeteries of the Ring City: considering the number of people who died from the blue plague in recent years, more space is needed. An underground area is being constructed, and to finish the work, the buried coffins need to be moved. Given that opting for cremation is costly, the minister thought it was better to "donate" them for his magical research. ¡ªI had no idea the empire was carrying out works in the Ring City...¡ªApolo commented as he examined the carriage. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡ªOf course they do. It would be impossible for so many people to live there if they solely relied on themselves¡ªthe driver responded¡ªWhat''s true is that unfortunately, the budget doesn''t cover all areas of the Ring City. ¡ªAre these all the carriages, or are there more?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the long line of carriages that extended to the door of his lodgings. ¡ªActually, all these carriages don''t even make up half of what''s needed to be removed. However, the cemetery guardian is opposing this measure¡ªthe driver replied, seeming quite well-informed on the matter¡ªSo, we could only work in the oldest part of the cemetery, where hardly anyone visits these deceased. ¡ªOh, what a problem...¡ªApolo said, looking at the long line of carriages reflectively for a few seconds¡ª Do all the coffins look like this? I''ve been dealing with second-hand artifacts for quite some time, and everything indicates to me that these coffins in the carriage were pre-cleaned to make it easier to seal the deal. ¡ªNo, we would never dare to deceive you, noble sir¡ªthe driver responded quickly, becoming quite nervous¡ªI''m afraid these are the best coffins. Those that belonged to the middle class have less elaborate coffins, and the lower class ones were buried in mass graves, so we only brought their bones. ¡ªMy lord, this is a bad idea: the dead will bring us bad luck!¡ªOrrin said, concerned by how calmly Apolo was reacting to the situation. ¡ªBones... they technically tell a story... Yes, they do tell something¡ªApolo muttered aloud, looking at the bones in the open coffin, ignoring his butler''s warnings. ¡ªAnd the tombstones? Are those here too? ¡ªYes, we brought everything that had to be removed for the construction¡ªthe driver replied, pleading for this person to accept the offer and relieve him of the problem of returning with the dead. Apolo glanced at the coffins in the carriages one last time and cheerfully ordered: ¡ªWell, we could assist the ministry: these coffins are certainly useful for my magical research, and we need crystals. Orrin, have the drivers take the coffins to the dungeon, and then have the servants start arranging them. ¡ªBut, sir: I assure you that these are the ancestors of other people!¡ªOrrin shouted, angry with the order, unable to tolerate it. ¡ªOrrin, that''s precisely why we''re helping them!¡ªApolo exclaimed with a smile, grabbing him by the shoulder and turning him to point at the long line of carriages¡ªAll these people lived in the shadows of the capital''s wall and are finally able to rest in this beautiful land. It''s our duty to host them on our land, like the good people we are. ¡ªSir, I would never doubt your good will to give these departed a glorious rest. But why is it us who must take on this task?¡ªOrrin asked, not backing down from his stance¡ªIt''s well-known that meddling with the deceased of others brings trouble. ¡ªAnd it''s even better-known that messing with the wrong living people brings even bigger troubles!¡ªApolo exclaimed, smiling at the driver of the carriage ahead of the whole line, the one in charge of brokering the deal¡ªWho have we offended the most with our long and strenuous task, dear Orrin? Precisely the Minister of Urban Affairs. And if I''m going to accept this bribe, it''s precisely to have him tightly by the... well, you know where. Isn''t that a good idea, my friend, the driver? ¡ª...¡ªThe driver looked back, clearly this conversation was being eagerly listened to by the rest of the drivers, so it was wisest to feign ignorance and ignore the noble''s question. ¡ªYou see, old butler: our new friend''s silence indicates that I''m not completely mistaken¡ªApolo said with an even broader smile as he patted Orrin''s back¡ªNow, go and ensure that these new acquisitions are carefully stored in the dungeons, and have the gravestones placed where the sun never reaches. We need to add some pitiful decoration to that part of the garden. Apolo''s lodgings were located on one of the ends of the capital. As a result, one side of his lodgings had the immense walls of the capital as a wall: it was so tall that a portion of his place never received any sunlight at any time of the day, and as there was no sun, not many plants could grow. Consequently, that area of the place was full of strange weeds. However, that area wasn''t completely useless, as there was a wooden cabin in ruins and other structures that had been eroded by the passage of time. But it was certainly the most unsightly part of his place. Nevertheless, the previous owner had placed a lake right between that part of the place and the mansion, attempting to mark a difference between the two terrains. ¡ªI will fulfill your orders, sir¡ªOrrin responded, tired of arguing, praying to his ancestors to protect him from the anger of the deceased. ¡ªI''m pleased to hear that¡ªApolo responded, reentering the mansion without intending to deal with the details and problems that his butler and the driver would have to handle.
56-Fixing problems A few days passed, and by this time, the drivers had finished loading all the furniture onto their carriages with the help of Apolo''s servants. As a result, the drivers had departed. However, the task wasn''t entirely completed yet because the servants hadn''t finished arranging the furniture inside the mansion. Currently, several people were in the courtyard of the estate, transporting the coffins. As this was happening, Apolo had just woken up, and like every morning, the nobleman proceeded to change. While doing so, Apolo looked out of the windows of his room and saw that finally, the carriages and the annoyed people had left. So, the young nobleman decided to approach the courtyard to check the state of his new possessions. Upon reaching the courtyard, Apolo could see the servants working on the coffins, while Mateo "supervised" the work from a distance. He was sitting on a crate, having breakfast with a white drink resembling milk. ¡ªWere the conditions of all the coffin crates acceptable? If not, we might as well toss the bodies into the lake¡ª Apolo asked without a hint of mercy for the deceased. ¡ªFor the broken crates, we plan to replace them with other pieces of furniture from the house¡ª Mateo explained, looking at the men working in the distance. He had no intention of getting closer to help with moving the deceased¡ªWe''ll do the same with the carriages full of bones: we''ll find a place in the dungeon where we can store them. As for the broken crates, we plan to sell the wood in the Ring City as fuel. Winter is approaching, and wood fetches a good price. ¡ªYes, do that, Mateo. Your idea is better¡ª Apolo replied, remembering that the crates would end up floating, causing more problems with his neighbors¡ªAs for everything else, I need you to find someone in the capital willing to help me with a minor issue involving someone. ¡ªLike the matter of the guard who always prevented our furniture from entering?¡ª Mateo asked, somewhat worried. He turned around to look at Apolo with seriousness. ¡ªYou''re quick, Mateo!¡ª Apolo exclaimed with a smile¡ªYes, make sure the guardian of the southern cemetery in the Ring City is taken care of. I won''t pay more than 100 crystals for his head. ¡ªBut why do we have to kill him? I didn''t even know there was such a cemetery¡ª Mateo asked uncomfortably. This was the worst type of task he could be assigned. While he only had to manage the hiring, the mere faces of the people he had to negotiate the deal with ruined his day. ¡ªBased on what Orrin learned from the drivers: these coffins and bones come from that cemetery¡ª Apolo began to explain¡ªAnd from what I''ve been told, the cemetery guardian was preventing the construction work from progressing, indirectly hindering me from receiving another deal as good as the one we got. A thousand crystals and historically significant furniture, I won''t turn down that heaven-sent gift from a stranger whose head will cost me less than 100 crystals. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. ¡ªBut we don''t know the cemetery guardian. He might have a family, a wife, and even children. Do you know what happens to people without...? ¡ª Mateo tried to say, attempting to convince Apolo. However, the young noble blatantly placed a finger on his lips to interrupt and continued with his idea: ¡ªAnd while we''re at it, we mess up the Ministry of Urban Affairs even more. That serves me well: I want that idiot drowning in his own mess, not sniffing around mine. ¡ªAs you wish...¡ª Mateo responded begrudgingly, swatting away the finger from his mouth. ¡ªDon''t be so concerned about the life of that nobody, Mateo. We''re just playing the magicians'' game¡ª Apolo replied with a cruel smile¡ªAnd as long as we keep winning, we''ll learn a bit more about magic. In the end, life is fair for people like us who fight for our goals, and even though they seem ridiculous now, they''ll eventually pay off! And on that day, we''ll look at this mountain of corpses and broken crates as the little treasures they always were. ¡ªYou''re a very wise man, my lord¡ª Mateo automatically praised, as if it were a prepared response rather than a sincere compliment. In reality, he was more concerned about the matters he had to attend to later. ¡ªAnyway, was anything unusual found among the possessions?¡ª Apolo asked curiously. He always found this part of buying lots of goods entertaining. ¡ªWe haven''t finished checking all the coffins. This batch was quite large. The coffins we verified don''t seem to have anything interesting, and if there''s something valuable, it''s probably in the pockets of the new servants¡ª Mateo replied without hiding the fact that it wasn''t uncommon for the new servants to get cheeky and steal some items from the property from time to time¡ªWe should do something about this issue: they don''t even bother hiding it anymore, sir! ¡ªNo, no, it''s alright. It motivates them to work harder: what''s important to them often isn''t to me. As long as they don''t steal any furniture from the already furnished rooms, everything''s fine¡ª Apolo said with a cheerful smile as he watched the servants working in the distance. Mateo looked at the calm smile on the young noble''s face with a fair bit of fear. He knew this wouldn''t end well and it was only a matter of time before Apolo''s patience ran out. However, Mateo couldn''t do anything to warn the new servants, and for now, he simply reminded them to never even enter the rooms that the young noble had furnished himself. He had been raised since birth and was positioned to be the next head butler of this family. Therefore, Mateo would never think of stealing from himself; after all, the reality was that the possessions of a noble were the possessions of their butler, especially for a lord as lazy as Apolo. Mateo knew that if his father wanted to, it wouldn''t be complicated for him to steal from Apolo. However, his father would rather die than do that, and it wasn''t just a matter of honor: a butler''s life was incredibly simple compared to that of the common folk. They had access to all the resources of a family, and all they had to do was fulfill the orders or, more accurately, hire people to fulfill those orders for them. E57-Passage of Time One peaceful week passed in the imperial capital, and today our protagonist had just woken up in his room surrounded by exotic beds and furniture. It was probably one of the ugliest rooms in the whole house, yet in this room, each piece of furniture held a great story under Apolo''s not-so-reliable judgment. So, it was the room where the young man felt the safest, countering the dangerous instincts of the creatures he planned to acquire. Lazily, Apolo yawned and looked out of the room''s window at the morning sun illuminating the capital''s lands. ¡ªAnother night, another good dream. Clearly, all this effort is blessing my ancestors¡ª Apolo murmured with a smile on his face. Since becoming a wizard, he had been sleeping abnormally well: like any normal person would. This was giving him more energy and much more happiness. For someone like him who had been used to functioning on a quarter-charge, now that his battery was fully charged, Apolo felt as if the sun was smiling at him from the sky every day, and the birds in the courtyard trees were singing their songs just for him. After stretching, Apolo proceeded to dress in his usual attire, as he hadn''t yet bought the clothing that magicians in the empire wore. With automated movements, as if repeating the same routine every morning, Apolo left his room to head for the mansion''s entrance, where he walked to the guest reception room. There, Apolo found Orrin sitting in an armchair, watching the fireplace burn while enjoying a snack and some nibbles. The guest reception room, like the mansion''s entrance, was one of the first rooms to be furnished, so it was very well decorated. Both the carpets and the wooden furniture in the guest reception room harmoniously complemented each other and gave an impression far removed from the actual state of the mansion. Consequently, it became one of the favorite rooms of Mateo, Orrin, and the rest of the servants. ¡ªFeeling cold?¡ª Apolo asked, seeing a lit fireplace in the mansion for the first time. ¡ªWe''re almost in winter, I''m glad you don''t feel cold. That means you''re getting healthier each day¡ª Orrin commented with a smile, inviting Apolo to have breakfast with him¡ªAren''t you pleased with how much better you look? ¡ªWell¡­ yeah¡­ It''s not like I enjoyed being a skeletal rat¡ª Apolo complained as he sat beside his butler and prepared the same drink as him¡ªBut it was really hard for me to train with so little motivation. Coming to the capital really seems to have been a great decision in my life. ¡ªAs you say every morning, your ancestors are blessing you!¡ª Orrin responded with a joyful smile, as if all these achievements were due to his work, which was quite true. Without his help, Apolo would have starved long ago¡ªThat''s why I was so worried about disturbing the departed. The warnings of the wise are not few: one must not meddle with the dead, especially those from other families! ¡ªI''m afraid they''re not just rumors or the ramblings of the elderly¡­¡ª Apolo murmured, looking at the stove with concern¡ªBut we had no choice. The scrap has to keep flowing to my mansion, and not fulfilling a request from the Minister of Urban Affairs would mean trouble. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡ªDo you believe so? I don''t think people will dare to mess with your family so easily¡ª Orrin remarked, looking at Apolo''s imposing size with pride. He finally felt like he was working for a true colossus of the Black Forest. Apolo didn''t reply and took his time to sip his drink from his cup while he watched the flames of the fireplace move hypnotically. Hypnotized by their dance, Apolo muttered something he had never dared to say to anyone before, yet he had carried it in his heart all along: ¡ªMy dear butler, isn''t it evident that we''re in decline... ¡ªWhat?!¡ª Orrin exclaimed, unable to believe what he had just heard. Apolo looked at his two large hands holding the tiny tea cup. Whenever he saw his hands, he couldn''t recognize them. The truth was, since he was young, he had never been able to fully accept that this body belonged to him. Yet, there was his lifelong companion: the gold ring, reminding him that these hands were indeed his. However, something was missing: his usual bronze ring had long since stopped fitting him and was now hanging on a pendant around his neck. Feeling the touch of the bronze ring on his chest, Apolo reflexively murmured: ¡ªThere are only two soldiers left in the great castle, one dying and the other inexperienced. A merchant who long ago lost the family''s spirit, and a future leader more wrapped up in his own pleasures than the impending reality on the horizon. Meanwhile, away from the great castle, there''s a young man gazing into a fireplace while enjoying his breakfast. This young man is probably the only one sane enough to understand that he''s the only member of his family who can witness the indomitable power of time... As he stared into the fire, the young nobleman became more and more entranced by its flames. However, his own thoughts snapped him out of the trance, and he looked at the worried expression on his butler''s face. Apolo smiled ruefully and commented with an ironic tone: ¡ªMy dear butler, isn''t it evident that the time of the colossi of the Black Forest is coming to an end? God has already marked our expiration date, and I fear that it will be when the entire world realizes, just like I do, how foolish the future king of the Black Forest truly is. Our downfall is just a matter of time... ¡ªJust like you were able to change thanks to the blessing of your ancestors, your brother will change when he''s crowned king: I''m sure of it, my lord!¡ª Orrin exclaimed confidently. He had already witnessed the miracle with Apolo, so the old man had complete faith that things would resolve themselves in the best possible way. ¡ªThat''s what I believed too, until the ancestors blessed me. Then I realized that I was the fortunate one born into this. I don''t believe in coincidences: everything has to have a reason, and such fortune must come with a cost¡ª Apolo replied, sounding somewhat concerned¡ªIf my ancestors helped me, it has to be for a reason. There has to be some purpose that I can''t grasp right now. However, the only certain thing for now is that my older brother will likely end up causing some trouble that might end up killing us all. I doubt it''s a coincidence that Homero became a merchant as soon as he had the chance. He probably knew it already and sought a good way to escape the imminent problem on the horizon. ¡ªAnd if there were really a problem that would lead to the death of your family, what would you do, my lord?¡ª Orrin asked with doubts. ¡ªNothing, I wouldn''t do anything¡­¡ª Apolo responded, changing his worried expression to a joyful smile in a second, unsettling his butler¡ªI''m the only disinherited heir to the throne. That''s no longer my problem. I can only pray that the ancestors protect me when that time comes. As Apolo answered that question, the two men turned around, noticing that Mateo had woken up and that the servant had arrived to report something that had just happened in the mansion: ¡ªThere''s a long line of carriages waiting at the door, my lord. ¡ªOh, what joyful news I''ve just heard: perfect for starting a pleasant winter!¡ª Apolo responded, downing the drink in his cup in one gulp, then immediately getting up and rushing to the mansion''s entrance. E58-Caravana Apolo swiftly emerged from the mansion and observed a long line of carriages. This time, the line was so long that it extended into the street in front of his estate. With immense joy, Apolo approached the first carriage driver in the procession and asked while singing: ¡ªPleased to meet you, young sir, pleased to meet you, lad, what brings you to my lands, young one? ¡ª...¡ªThe young driver didn''t respond, instead he looked bewilderedly at Apolo, somewhat uncomfortable being attended to by a noble singing¡ªUh... well... yes, I''ve come to deliver these goods... ¡ªOh, well, you seem quite new at this, lad¡ªApolo said, noting the young man''s inexperience from just a few words coming out of his mouth. Generally, the lead driver of the caravan was somewhat important and experienced, used to dealing with these situations. ¡ªNo, I mean, yes. I''m new to this... It''s my first time negotiating: I''m sorry¡ªthe young driver commented, not hiding his nervousness, and he looked somewhat worried at Apolo''s abnormally large body¡ªI have this message for you. I was only told to give it to the mansion''s owner and that he would understand everything after reading the message. I hope you can understand a bit; it''s my first time working for a noble, and I didn''t mean to offend you. I swear! ¡ªYes, yes, no problem at all. As long as the message''s content matches what I have in mind, you don''t need to worry so much about your safety, lad¡ªApolo replied, making the young driver even more nervous. He took the message from the young man''s hand and unrolled it to read:
"Dear Magician, Apolo of the Black Forest: From the Ministry of Urban Affairs, we would like to make another substantial donation to your magical research. Therefore, we are delighted to donate ''all'' the contents of the caravan sent to your property for your investigation. From my personal fortune, I would also like to add 2000 crystals; you will find them attached to this letter beneath the ministry''s seal. I hope that the sent objects and crystals will be useful to you. Never forget that the empire will remember all the assistance your research is providing to its citizens. Sincerely, Minister of Urban Affairs, Macario of Deep Mines"
After finishing reading the message, Apolo used his nails to remove the wax seal at the top of the parchment, revealing a small black coin. The young noble put the coin in his pocket and curiously looked at the long caravan. He noticed that all the drivers were young and practically dressed in rags, quite different from the drivers sent by the minister the last time. ¡ªLad, by any chance, are you from the inner neighborhoods of the Ring City?¡ªApolo asked while lifting the sheets that concealed the contents of the carriage, revealing a large number of coffins stacked on top of each other. With just one glance, Apolo noticed that these coffins seemed much newer than the ones from the previous delivery, and he also sensed a faint unpleasant odor constantly emanating from inside. ¡ªYes, yes, I''m from there. How did you find out?¡ªThe young man exclaimed, quite happy that the noble knew his place of origin. ¡ªIntuition, simple intuition...¡ªApolo responded while checking the young man''s patched clothing again. As he answered, Apolo proceeded to open one of the coffins to see the contents inside. However, before he finished opening the coffin, a horrendous smell came out, and a few insects fled from inside. Sensing the putrid odor, Apolo changed his mind, pinched his nose, and closed the coffin again. ¡ªWhere did you get these coffins? Judging by their condition, it''s too obvious that they were never buried¡ªApolo asked, noticing the anomaly. Not only were they in excellent condition, but some coffins even showcased the shine of their wood. The lack of decay was quite noticeable. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡ªYes, some of us had to unearth them, and others had to take them out of some vaults¡ªthe driver responded. ¡ªYou work at the cemetery construction site?!¡ªApolo asked, astonished by the information. ¡ªYes, sure, I was taught to drive not long ago, and since I was the best at it, they let me go first¡ªthe young man proudly replied. ¡ªImpressive, lad¡ªApolo strangely praised with a cheerful smile. Deep down, he just wanted to gather information from the young driver¡ªNow tell me, why did you take some coffins out of their vaults? Wasn''t the purpose to make space for the construction? ¡ªUh... I don''t know... The new cemetery warden just told us they needed a bit more space and instructed us to take some coffins out of their vaults¡ªthe young man replied, not entirely sure how to answer the question. ¡ªWell, so they changed the cemetery warden?¡ªApolo asked, showing some surprise¡ªWhat''s this new warden like? Did he let you remove all the coffins from the construction without any issues? ¡ªHe''s an old... special man¡ªthe young driver quickly corrected himself upon realizing his insult. ¡ªSo the new warden isn''t a good boss. Well, that happens sometimes. What matters is that he pays at the end of the day¡ªApolo commented with the demeanor of a reliable old man¡ªBy the way, do you know if there will be another shipment like this? ¡ªYes, I can''t complain about that. The pay is good and on time¡ªthe young driver honestly exclaimed¡ªIn theory, these are all the coffins from the construction, but maybe the old man will decide to keep taking coffins out of some vaults. I really hope this is the only transfer we have to make to the capital. ¡ªWhy? Isn''t the capital beautiful? Don''t you enjoy visiting it?¡ªApolo asked, trying to get more information. There was something he didn''t like about this request. It was already strange enough that the lead driver was changed, and even more peculiar that the workers from the construction site were the ones sending the coffins. ¡ªYes, yes, I mean, it''s very nice. But the guards treated us with awful disdain. They directly beat one of the guys to death with clubs just because he coughed a bit while they inspected the carriage¡ªthe young man commented without hiding any detail¡ªI really hope we can return without any problems. We were quite scared seeing so much hatred from the guards toward us. ¡ªThey killed him for coughing?!¡ªApolo exclaimed incredulously at the words he was hearing. But noticing the despondent looks on the faces of the other drivers who eavesdropped on their conversation, it seemed that the young man wasn''t lying. ¡ªYes, they beat him to death. That''s why we couldn''t bring his carriage, and it''s still held at the city''s entrance¡ªthe young driver responded with sadness¡ªPoor Manuel had just become a father and joined the construction site at only 14 years old. But those heartless guards destroyed his life and that of his family. ¡ªBy my ancestors, who becomes a father at 14?¡ªApolo asked incredulously, shocked that something like that could happen. At that age, he could barely understand a bit about the topic, and he was more interested in exploring the forest than even thinking about having a family. Meanwhile, Orrin, who had been attentively listening to the conversation between his lord and the driver, approached and whispered some things to Apolo. Apolo nodded as if understanding his idea, and then he said to the driver: ¡ªI can see that your journey here was complicated, but you managed to arrive: Congratulations! Our servants will prepare something delicious for you to eat while you leave the coffins near the dungeon. You''ll see if you''re lucky for coming here; you''ll get to experience eating like a noble! ¡ªThank you, noble sir, thank you very much¡ªthe driver responded with a smile, joining the gratitude expressed by the other drivers who were eavesdropping on the conversation. ¡ªNo, thank you for bringing these coffins. They are truly important for my magical research¡ªApolo replied, turning around to look at Orrin¡ªMake sure my word is fulfilled; have the servants start transporting the coffins: we have a dungeon to fill! Then send some servants to retrieve the carriage that was retained at the capital''s entrance. After saying that, Apolo proceeded to reenter the mansion to continue arranging its "infinite" rooms. Meanwhile, Mateo, who had been listening to the conversation from a distance, wanted to approach the driver to show him how to access the dungeon, but he was abruptly interrupted by his father: ¡ªTake some servants and prepare a hearty meal for the drivers. I''ll take care of getting the coffins into the dungeon. ¡ªIt''s a bit chilly out here. Wouldn''t it be better for you to stay inside the mansion?¡ªMateo responded, somewhat worried. Waiting outside at his age wasn''t the best idea. ¡ªDon''t worry about me; take care of the food¡ªOrrin replied curtly. E59-Timoteo As usual, time continued to pass by normally, but unfortunately for our protagonist, Apolo was interrupted by Mateo''s shouts before he could fully focus on the task he had just begun. ¡ªSir, sir! Where are you?!¡ªMateo shouted through the mansion''s hallways, trying to locate the young magician. ¡ª...¡ªApolo heard the shouts, but he ignored them and kept folding the old clothes, preparing them to be stored. ¡ªSir, sir!¡ªMateo continued yelling, each time louder. ¡ªWhy the heck do they always need me? What the heck am I keeping them for? Isn''t it so they can take care of my problems? Why do I have to deal with their problems?...¡ªApolo complained under his breath as he continued folding the old clothes. ¡ªCan you hear me? Sir!¡ªMateo shouted from quite close to the room. ¡ªHere! Damn it, I''m here!¡ªApolo yelled angrily, causing his shout to echo through the mansion''s walls. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Mateo heard the shout and rushed toward the room where Apolo was. Without knocking, he entered and saw the young nobleman standing over a child''s bed, folding a stack of children''s clothes. ¡ªCan''t you see I''m organizing Timoteo''s room?¡ªApolo complained upon seeing his servant''s face. ¡ªWho''s Timoteo?¡ªMateo asked in bewilderment. ¡ªMy boy...¡ªApolo responded, pointing to one corner of the room. Out of habit, Mateo followed the gesture and found a pile of a child''s bones inside a wooden box. ¡ªYou''re looking a bit thin, Timoteo¡ªMateo said with irony, looking at the box in the room with a sad smile. ¡ªHe''ll look better once I put him back together¡ªApolo replied, looking at the child''s room with pride. He had really made it look nice¡ªAnyway, why were you calling me? ¡ªA problem came up while they were arranging the coffins, and now the servants refuse to keep storing the coffins in the dungeon¡ªMateo replied hurriedly. ¡ªWhat do you mean these lazy bums don''t want to work?!¡ªApolo shouted angrily, almost deafening Mateo. ¡ªYou should see the situation for yourself, my lord...¡ªMateo said softly, trying to calm the young nobleman. ¡ªFine, let''s see why these bunch of useless idiots won''t work...¡ªApolo responded, leaving the clothes he had been folding on the bed and storming towards the exit in anger. E60-Blue Plague Apolo followed Mateo to the outer entrance of the dungeon. This wasn''t the only entrance, but it was the best one for moving heavy furniture inside, making it a convenient spot for the carriage drivers to place the coffins. Once the drivers finished their task, it would be easy for the servants to carry the coffins further in. An improvised ramp had even been built with planks to simplify things. Upon arrival, Apolo immediately noticed the drivers unloading coffins from their carriages, while his servants watched from a distance. ¡ªCan someone tell me what the hell is going on here?¡ª Apolo barked authoritatively. ¡ªWe don''t want to die, that''s what''s happening!¡ª one of the servants retorted angrily. Hearing the insolent response from one of his servants, Apolo clenched his fist tightly and forced a smile on his face as he muttered to himself: ¡ªNo, Apolito, no, if you do that, we''ll waste a lot of time finding new servants. Hearing his lord''s muttering, Mateo quickly explained the situation before things escalated. He knew well that this wasn''t the emaciated Apolo from before. Now, Apolo was a two-meter mini-giant who had been trained as a war machine since birth. He could easily end up killing all the servants if he lost his temper, so it was better not to anger him too much. ¡ªThe servants are afraid to carry the bodies into the dungeon, my lord. ¡ªBut they did this no more than a day ago, and they''ve been transporting bodies for over a week¡ª Apolo said, anger in his eyes as if they were a bunch of lazybones¡ªWhy the hell did they decide to stop now? Mateo approached Apolo and whispered in his ear: ¡ªMany of these bodies show symptoms of dying from the blue plague. ¡ªOh!... What a mess... What a small... big detail... I mean problem...¡ª Apolo murmured slowly, losing his anger and looking concernedly at the working drivers. Apolo walked over to the young head driver he had spoken to not long ago. Currently, the young man was sitting on a coffin, eating the food his servants had prepared for him. Apparently, the driver had finished emptying his carriage, and he was taking a break. ¡ªYoung man, can you explain to my servants why they shouldn''t fear the corpses?¡ª Apolo said with the smile of a loving grandfather. ¡ªOf course, for you, anything, sir. And we could use some extra hands to lower the coffins, by the way¡ª the young man said, standing up to approach the servants¡ªThe blue plague victims don''t spread the disease; it dies with the victim. The real culprits for spreading the disease are the rats in the city. ¡ªI don''t believe you for a damn second, kid¡ª one of the servants replied. ¡ªListen, why would someone who you''ve seen with your own eyes carrying bodies just a few minutes ago lie to you?¡ª Apolo asked, looking at the servant who had just spoken as if he were an idiot. ¡ªWell, he''s right, the boy probably isn''t intentionally lying to us...¡ª the servant replied, looking at the drivers with pity¡ªBut I''m sure what the drivers are doing is a mistake; they were deceived by the people who hired them. These things happen to desperate fools for a few crystals. ¡ªThese youngsters were hired by a minister under the emperor''s command!¡ª Apolo shouted, waving his hands angrily¡ªThey weren''t hired by some fourth-rate mercenary or a drunken bartender. Do you think the emperor would send his own people to die by deceit in such a cruel way? ¡ªI don''t know...¡ª the servant said doubtfully. ¡ªI''m telling you myself that you can''t catch the blue plague by touching a corpse. It''s common knowledge!¡ª Apolo yelled angrily¡ªDon''t you believe your lord''s word? This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡ªI... This... It''s just that it''s my life, sir! I have kids to feed; please understand my concerns!¡ª the servant responded, sweat beginning to stain his face. He watched as the rest of the servants fell silent, leaving him as the scapegoat. ¡ªAlright, it''s understandable that as a father you''d want to take care of yourself...¡ª Apolo said calmly, making the servant even more nervous¡ªIf you were to catch the blue plague, it would be a tragedy for your family. Surely your kids would have to work in some ignoble job just to survive. And what about your wife? She''d be forced to prostitute herself in the city''s alleys, only to die at the hands of some wretched drunkard. Not to mention what would happen to your younger kids. They''d probably be abandoned to starve in the city streets by their older siblings, just so those older ones could increase their own share of food and survive their brutal childhood. Dying of the blue plague would truly be a great tragedy, but your lord is fully aware of all that. That''s why I''m telling you that you should calm down and believe me. I''d never make you suffer such a tragedy. So, repeat after me: "The blue plague doesn''t spread from the dead". ¡ªThe... The b-b-blue plague... doesn''t sp-spread...from the d-dead ¡ªThe servant stuttered, clearly unconvinced by Apolo''s words. Cold sweat, like ice, started to stain his back as he looked around for support. Yet, the other servants avoided his gaze as if he carried the plague himself. ¡ªAlright then, go arrange that beechwood c-c-coffin¡ª Apolo said with a kindly smile, pointing to a coffin in one of the carriages. ¡ªTh-this... I... I can''t, sir: I just c-c-can''t do it! Don''t force me, please, I beg you for my children''s sake! My wife''s pregnant, and if I got infected now, nobody could bring food to my family!¡ª The servant cried out desperately. Tears welled up in his eyes as he looked at his fellow workers, his expression pleading for their help. However, the other servants cruelly ignored him as if he were a ghost. ¡ªCalm down, calm down. I''d never force you into anything...¡ª Apolo reassured, stepping closer to the servant until he was right in front of him. He lowered his head to look the servant squarely in the eyes and gently patted his shoulder as if he were a child¡ªBut it seems you didn''t understand a thing I''ve been saying. So, I''ll demonstrate it myself. In my family, things are done by setting an example, and as Grandpa used to say, "A general has to lead the army from the front". After saying that, Apolo turned around and grabbed the first coffin he came across. With a single swipe, he sent the lid of the coffin flying, astonishing everyone present with his inhuman strength. Inside the coffin, there lay the body of a girl, as if sleeping on a bed of petals as red as blood. The girl was finely dressed in a white dress embroidered with pink petals. Despite her charming attire, what stood out most were the large, incredibly beautiful blue circles around her eyes, and her extremely pale skin that accentuated the bluish hue of her lips. This beauty concealed the cruel fate the girl had endured; these were the symptoms of having been tormented by the blue plague for a long time, ultimately succumbing to death. The girl''s corpse showed no signs of decomposition, making it seem as if she had died no more than a week ago. Apolo could even smell the perfume released by the rose petals that her family had used to fill the coffin alongside her. Without the slightest bit of respect, Apolo grabbed the girl''s corpse by her hair and lifted half of her body to face the servants. ¡ªAlright, girl, repeat after me: "The blue plague isn''t spread by the dead"¡ª Apolo said with a wide grin. Immediately, he took the girl''s head from her jaw and began moving her mouth while changing his voice to a more feminine tone and said: ¡ª"The blue plague isn''t spread by the dead", I died because of those wicked rats. So, listen to my friend Apolito and take me to rest in the comfortable dungeon. Ignoring the dumbfounded looks of everyone present, Apolo casually dropped the girl''s corpse into the coffin. With confident steps, emanating his aura of authority, the young nobleman approached until he was right in front of the servant he had been talking to. Then, he lowered his head to fix the unbelieving eyes of the servant and said authoritatively: ¡ªSo, what do you think now? Do you believe me now that the blue plague isn''t spread by the dead? You and everyone else had better do your job right. Otherwise, just wait until the drivers finish their work. Leave with them and find yourselves another damn job! With that, Apolo turned around and went back to Mateo''s side, silently observing as the servants slowly began to help lower the coffins from the carriages. When Apolo finally realized that all the servants were working again, the young nobleman resumed his walk to the mansion to continue his tasks. Meanwhile, Mateo looked on conspiratorially as his father remained silent throughout the young nobleman''s speech. He watched passively from a distance as all the servants under his charge worked. He couldn''t help but marvel at how straight his father stood, as firm as an oak and as serious as the deceased the servants were moving. He stood still, showing not even a hint of doubt or remorse. However, Mateo was finding it increasingly difficult to keep himself from telling these people the harsh truth: Apolo was the only one who didn''t care about catching the blue plague in this mansion! E61-Routine In a hurry and eager to finish the task, Apolo headed toward the room where he had been working just a few minutes ago. Upon arrival, the young nobleman saw the pile of clothes on the bed and began folding them once again. Meanwhile, Apolo wandered in his mind about his future projects and the possible designs he could create for the countless rooms that still needed furnishing. Before he knew it, he had completed the task, which took very little time since Apolo had become an expert at folding clothes, as it was one of the easiest things to buy secondhand and was very useful for filling furniture. After finishing his task, Apolo left the room and returned with a jar containing thick white liquid. Taking the box with the child''s bones, he began removing the bones one by one, arranging them on the bed to reconstruct the child like a puzzle. ¡ªYou''ll see how comfortable you''ll rest in this room, Timoteo...¡ª Apolo whispered with a smile as the bones on the bed started forming the skeleton of a child. When he finished the task, he proceeded to open the jar of white liquid and, using an old cloth, applied the liquid to the bones, sticking them together. After completing the delicate process of connecting the bones, Apolo brought his palm close, almost touching the bones. Then, his palm began to emit a faint fire, which caused the thick white liquid to turn yellowish and solidify. The task continued for hours until finally, the skeleton of a child sat on the bed, looking at the door as if the child were waiting to see who was about to enter the room. ¡ªPerfect, Timoteo feels someone knocking at the door and wakes up to see who it is...¡ª Apolo murmured, trying to recall the story of this room in his mind¡ªBut he realizes he imagined the noise, and there was no one knocking on the door. However, while all this was happening, someone was observing Timoteo attentively from the adjacent room. Apolo approached one of the wooden walls in the room where a painting of a clown hung, staring fixedly at the bed where the child lay. Carefully, he touched the paint of the clown''s eyes, creating a pair of holes by pressing his fingers onto the eyes of the clown in the painting. ¡ªAlright, all that''s left is to make holes in the wall and furnish the clown''s room¡ª Apolo said with joy, realizing that he could finally use the things he had bought from the bankrupt circus owner by following some "logic". After making sure everything was in order one last time, Apolo left the room and hurried to the mansion''s door, observing that the line of carriages was still so long that it reached the entrance of his estate. Ignoring the curious glances from the carriage drivers, Apolo followed a path of blue tiles that surrounded his mansion and went to the back. Then, he walked among the dead roses and weeds in the backyard of the mansion, reminding himself that he would eventually have to spend some money to hire gardeners. At the moment, the yard was so neglected that the grass and weeds reached Apolo''s knees. After a few minutes of walking, Apolo saw a small wooden cabin around some trees and with a view of the lake. He walked along the path hidden by the weeds, appreciating the animals that lived in this part of his estate: most of them were birds and insects, which were quite beautiful and rare. It was probably because some neighbors brought these animals to their respective estates, but they ended up moving to live near his lake. Apolo entered the wooden cabin, revealing a single large room inside, decorated with an array of training equipment, showing that the cabin was actually the mansion''s gym. He walked to a closet in one of the corners of the room, undressed, stored his clothes in the closet, and took out a gray-yellowish training tunic. It wasn''t particularly comfortable, and it definitely couldn''t be called aesthetically pleasing. But out of habit, Apolo couldn''t train without a tunic on, so he always put it on for his exercise routine. Now dressed in his training clothes, he approached some dumbbells lying on the floor and started lifting them as usual. The dumbbells weren''t particularly large, and they didn''t seem to weigh more than 5 kg, so it seemed quite ridiculous that someone with Apolo''s physique was using them for exercise. However, the two circles on the sides of the dumbbell were filled with small holes filled with gray stones, setting it apart from a regular dumbbell. Apolo noticed the dumbbell didn''t weigh anything and looked around the room for a bucket, which was filled with finger-sized transparent crystals. He dipped his hand into the bucket, pulled out a handful of crystals, and then casually dropped them on the floor next to the dumbbell. After that, he lifted the dumbbell and, pushing one of the gray stones with his finger, managed to make the stone come out of the hole and fall to the ground, revealing that the stone was actually a crystal that had lost its transparency and turned grayish. He continued loading all the crystals into the dumbbell until he finally replaced them all. With the preparations complete, Apolo started lifting the dumbbell with effort, as if he were genuinely struggling even though the dumbbell didn''t look intimidating at all. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Not much time passed, and as is typical during intense exercise, sweat began to appear on Apolo''s body, staining his clothes. However, what was strange was that a dense white mist began to emanate from the transparent crystals, completely filling the room and obscuring the young nobleman''s body. Apolo started breathing heavily, as if it were difficult to continue exercising and breathe in the white mist at the same time. Nevertheless, he didn''t stop and slowly, the veins all over his body began to stand out, his skin turned red, and his eyes reddened as if he were pushing himself to the limit while also loading up on anabolic substances. He continued training intensely, performing various exercises with the dumbbell, until something unexpected happened for the nobleman: *Cough, cough, cough...* Apolo began to cough violently and had to stop exercising, covering his hand with his mouth. He tried to stop coughing, but he realized it was impossible, prompting him to leave the room and breathe fresh air outside. Breathing without the mist and feeling the cool winter air filling his lungs, Apolo finally managed to regain control and stop coughing. But away from the mist, he realized the major problem. ¡ªWhat a nuisance...¡ª Apolo muttered angrily, staring at his hand, which had been covering his mouth and was now covered in blood¡ªIt makes no sense that I''d get infected so easily... However, logic mattered little because the evidence was undeniable, and Apolo had coughed up blood. Nevertheless, the young man was more dismayed than scared; he knew that fixing the problem was easy since he was all too familiar with the Blue Plague. Even though his true childhood interest had been exploring the forest, the reality was that his family still compelled him to participate in military lessons, as was the case for all the future "soldiers" in the family. As a result, Apolo had learned about diseases that could be seen during a siege or in a military camp. Among them, a fairly common disease in the empire was the Blue Plague, and he knew that it could be contracted through contact with the living or the dead. One couldn''t burn the body of someone who had died from the Blue Plague, and the only way to deal with the problem was to bury all those who were infected. In truth, the Blue Plague was caused by the spores of a fungus that grew in the empire. These spores were carried by various animals or humans who had eaten an infected creature or had come into close contact with a creature in an advanced state of decay due to the disease. Gradually, the spores grew within the host until they killed the infected, thus creating a promising ecosystem for the fungus to grow and reproduce: corpses. However, Apolo knew that his body was naturally quite resistant, so in theory, a mere case of Blue Plague should never infect him. Nonetheless, the evidence was clear, and there was no other reason for him to cough up blood. Reflecting on this and noticing that evening was approaching, Apolo decided to return to the mansion and devise a plan to solve the issue. Eventually, night fell, and to the surprise of Orrin and Mateo, Apolo wasn''t interested in eating that day. This had been normal in the past, but since the young man had become a mage, such occurrences had ceased. Truthfully, the nobleman remained in his room to avoid potentially infecting the only servants who were vital for his plans to proceed smoothly. However, the truth was that Apolo was, as always, exaggerating things. The disease had just infected his body, and although his exercise routine accelerated the development process, Blue Plague only became contagious when it reached its final stage of development and the host could hardly move from the bed. So, the disease wasn''t as contagious as it seemed: as long as one avoided touching corpses or people close to becoming one and took care not to eat contaminated food, the disease wouldn''t affect them. Thus, Blue Plague was quite easy for nobles to avoid. The same couldn''t be said for commoners, whose economic situation sometimes forced them to buy dubious food. Hours passed, and as sweet slumber claimed everyone present in the mansion, Apolo rose. Using his finger as a makeshift candle, he reached the closet, removed his pajamas, and grabbed a black hooded cloak from it. He put on the peculiar attire and, taking the silver mask he had prepared on his desk, mentally prepared himself to leave his room. With delicate and noiseless steps, Apolo left his room and headed to the mansion''s exit. Some carriages were still in the process of unloading, which puzzled Apolo, but he put on the silver mask given by his ancestor and, not minding the curious looks, dashed out of the mansion. The truth was that all the drivers were sleeping inside the mansion, but Apolo was unaware of this fact, and the night was too dark to see it with his own eyes. He ran at a visually stunning speed and exited the estate in a matter of minutes. Then, following the streets'' paths, Apolo continued running until he felt far enough from his mansion that nobody would suspect him or recognize him. Feeling adequately distanced from the estate, Apolo vaulted over the wire fence that marked the limits of an unfortunate nobleman''s property. With slow steps, he made his way toward one of the trees in the estate''s yard. Concealing the gold ring with his other hand, Apolo placed his hand on the bark, and in a matter of minutes, the tree''s life began to wither. The truth was that Apolo could have used any of the trees along the way. However, those trees needed to be replaced by the minister of urban affairs, while these were private, and the research capabilities of these nobles weren''t the same as those of the minister, who clearly knew their origin. Another option was to use one of his own trees, but Apolo was in no way willing to ruin his already withered garden. Hence, the young nobleman had decided to go through all this trouble to ruin some unfortunate stranger''s life. Finally, the tree died, and Apolo felt more alive than ever. Just to be safe, though, he took the life of another tree before proceeding to return home to sleep. On the way, Apolo reflected on how eventful this day had been in his otherwise peaceful life as a mage. He complained from time to time and smiled during certain stretches of his internal monologue, which seemed remarkably interesting: so much so that the wicked author decided to ignore it and make his readers'' lives a bit more bitter. E62-Fausto Far, very far from the capital of the empire, there stood a grand castle in the midst of a dense forest of black trees with red leaves. However, the beauty of the castle was hardly visible as it was hidden in the deep darkness of the night. Inside this castle, there were countless rooms, but one of these rooms was particularly "alive" on this dark night. Lights of various colors could be seen from the windows of this room, changing in rhythm with a catchy tune. The volume of the music was so loud that it resonated through all the castle walls. This particular room was filled with floating crystals throughout, changing colors to follow a song that emanated from within each crystal. Meanwhile, on the floor of the grand room, there were hundreds of naked people eating, dancing, drinking, and reveling in grotesque ways without a hint of shame. Laid out on the room''s floor were large circular tables covered with delicate embroidered tablecloths adorned with red roses. These tables were scattered throughout the room, each holding the most exquisite delicacies accompanied by the most delightful beverages one could imagine. However, these delights were barely visible due to the ceaseless play of lights that entertained the participants of this party. Nonetheless, the party seemed to have a significant issue. In one corner of the room, a crystal floated in the air, seemingly malfunctioning. It emitted no sound and floated, emitting an unsettling and unrelenting red glow. Beneath this crystal was a particularly large round table, yet despite its size, only one young man sat at it. He was quite muscular with black hair and black eyes. However, the most notable feature of his face was his large, hooked nose, which seemed to overshadow any natural beauty he might have had. Like the rest of the participants in this bizarre party, the solitary young man was completely naked, showing no hint of embarrassment as he drank from a jug while watching everyone else having fun. The young man mechanically took his jug, emptied it, refilled it, took his jug, emptied it, and refilled it again: relentlessly and without wasting a second on any movement other than those that seemed vital to him. Slowly, the bottles began to pile up on the floor, and under the seductive effects of alcohol, the young man''s vision started to distort. In his eyes, the people around him grew increasingly strange: their faces became blurrier, their bodies more grotesque, and their actions more abnormal. From people shamelessly brawling in the midst of the party to men tearing the arms off unfortunate drunks who had passed out, delighting in devouring them, the depravity was absolute. The young man even witnessed people defecating on each other''s food and then forcing others to eat it. Everything was corrupting while the young man silently drank, his mechanical actions becoming more conscious as the silent crystal above his head emitted a continuous high-pitched sound that grew more dominant in his ears as the bottles emptied. Time passed, and gradually, the bottles on the large round table dwindled. The young man in his trance ignored them, continuing to pour himself whatever was in front of him. Suddenly, all the lights in the room synchronized, changing to the same disturbing, unrelenting red glow that illuminated the young man''s table. However, the world maintained its pace, the music hadn''t stopped, and everyone continued their grotesque routines. Yet, at one of the tables in the corner opposite from the solitary young man, there was someone who noticed his loneliness and decided to approach, navigating through all the tables in the room. This person was as tall and large as the young man drinking. He had black hair and light eyes. However, his face was hidden behind a silver mask, making it impossible to discern his identity. Like everyone else in the room, the man was naked, but a noticeable gold ring adorned one of his fingers, displaying his status. The young man, without any hurry, continued to walk while observing the people at each table, as if ensuring everyone was "enjoying" themselves. Despite this, the other people at the party seemed to fear him and sought to avoid his gaze, trying not to draw his attention. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Finally, the person in question reached the table of the young man drinking and sat down beside him, saying confidently: ¡ªWhat''s up, Apolito? Feeling a bit uncomfortable, aren''t you? Don''t you like the party I''ve arranged? Hearing the familiar voice, Apolo snapped out of his trance and looked suspiciously at the masked man''s smile, whispering quietly: ¡ªWhat the hell are we celebrating, Fausto? ¡ªHahaha, man, you''re so drunk, bro!¡ª Fausto exclaimed with laughter, pounding the table so hard it got dented. After calming down, he grabbed one of the bottles from the table and asked¡ªDid this crap make you forget that we''re celebrating your big day? ¡ªI suppose so...¡ª Apolo responded, quite dazed, looking around the room, realizing he couldn''t remember how he had ended up in this room, let alone why the hell everyone was naked at this weird party. ¡ªWhat a shitty drink you bought, you bunch of incompetents!¡ªFausto yelled angrily, hurling the bottle in his hand with violence. The bottle shot out like a bullet and smashed into the head of a person dancing in the middle of the room. Instantly, the man collapsed lifeless to the floor as his blood began to spurt from his head, staining the others dancing around him. Yet, the music didn''t stop, and all the people around the corpse continued dancing as if nothing happened, completely ignoring the dead man. ¡ªYour sense of humor is as healthy as ever...¡ª Apolo commented with an ironic smile, pouring himself another drink¡ªSo, why are we "celebrating," and even more importantly, why are we naked? ¡ªWe''re celebrating that you finally did it: after over a year, you finally managed to finish furnishing your house!¡ª Fausto shouted with a grin, causing everyone in the room to stop what they were doing and celebrate Apolo''s achievement, as if they could hear the conversation between the two brothers despite the loud music that was playing throughout the hall. ¡ªOh, right, I had forgotten, it truly is a reason to celebrate¡ª Apolo responded with a grin from ear to ear as he calmly sipped his drink. Now, the drink inside seemed much tastier than before¡ªBut why are we naked? ¡ªYou asked for it, you drunkard!¡ª Fausto shouted while rocking in his seat and taking a direct swig from a bottle he had taken from Apolo''s table¡ªRemember: "Wizards dress like wizards, and now that I''m finally about to achieve something in the world of wizards, it''s better that I dress like a wizard". But you never bought the black robe, so you ended up naked while drinking alone, and since it''s your grand party, we all just went along with it. ¡ªI would swear I''m not so drunk as to forget that I stripped in front of all of you¡ª Apolo commented, somewhat stunned by his older brother''s statements. ¡ªYou can imagine anything, kid: this party is your "world". What matters is that you''re happy and enjoy your achievement!¡ª Fausto exclaimed, smiling, and looked inquisitively at how everyone was having fun at the party. However, Fausto''s watchful eyes noticed there was a depressed little bird who apparently wasn''t singing with the rest of the flock. Upon realizing that someone wasn''t having fun, Fausto''s smile distorted, and a look of disgust appeared on his face. He commented to his younger brother: ¡ªHey, Apolito, remember when I taught you the arrow trick? ¡ªHuh?... Hahaha, of course! I remember how we spent winters scorching the servants'' butts¡ª Apolo laughed cheerfully as he refilled his jug. ¡ªDo you feel like playing again, little brother?¡ª Fausto asked, looking at Apolo with a knowing smile. ¡ªHere? In the middle of the party?¡ª Apolo asked, glancing at the rest of the people who were grotesquely enjoying themselves with a bit of embarrassment. ¡ªBut of course, right here. This is your party, and in it, you''re the king!¡ª Fausto responded enthusiastically, pointing to everyone present with the bottle in his hand¡ªIn this castle, you can make whatever you imagine come true: anything. Just ask for it, and I''ll make it happen! After all, you''re my little brother! ¡ªWell... uh... How about... What if... What if we play the arrow game?¡ª Apolo asked, pondering, but truth be told, he couldn''t come up with any good ideas for having fun at his party. He was always "working" on his own goals, so he never took time to enjoy other things with other people, and he didn''t really know how to have fun at a party. So, the young noble ended up suggesting the idea that his older brother recommended. E63-The target ¡ªThat''s the spirit!¡ªexclaimed Fausto with a grin upon hearing his brother''s proposal. Immediately after, Fausto stopped swinging and rose from his seat. Pointing in the direction of the person not having fun, the noble shouted to the world: ¡ªSo let my brother''s word be fulfilled, bring forth the target! As if mystically understood, among all the possible people, the servants coordinated to pick a specific person from the pointed direction and led them to a wall where someone had conveniently placed four shackles. The servants pressed the person against the wall and secured each of their limbs with the shackles, preventing their escape from the game. ¡ªNever seen that servant before...¡ªApolo murmured, somewhat disturbed by his elder brother''s idea. The captured girl, like the rest of the servants, was naked. From her appearance, the young woman seemed to be about Apolo''s age, though much shorter and malnourished compared to him. Her hair was a bright blonde, and her eyes were as clear as the ocean. Yet, the most striking feature about the girl was not her beauty, but the trinket she wore on her finger: a tarnished bronze ring that immediately caught Apolo''s attention. ¡ªYou don''t know Helena? She''s Deo''s daughter¡ªFausto said as he returned to his seat and started rocking, grabbing another bottle from the table for a sip. ¡ªHelena... No, that name doesn''t ring a bell...¡ªApolo replied, trying to recall, but it seemed odd to him to see a new face in the castle. After all, he grew up within these walls, and he more or less knew the faces of everyone who lived here. ¡ªWell, that''s normal; after all, you spent more time in the forest than in the castle, right?¡ªFausto commented with a smile, watching Helena struggle futilely against the shackles that held her¡ªIf you had spent more time with us, you''d surely know her. She''s a great woman, though unfortunately, she''s about to marry Eco. ¡ªWith that fool? Poor girl, what a terrible choice of a husband...¡ªApolo said, looking at the tied woman with a sense of odd acceptance, as if something unusual was happening. ¡ªHelena never got to choose anything in her life...¡ªFausto commented, looking at the captive girl with an unusual pity, a stark contrast to his attitude a moment ago¡ªWell, there was a day when she did have a choice, but unfortunately, she chose to trust the wrong person. ¡ªI guess you''d have to be an idiot to trust Eco...¡ªApolo said, observing as Helena stopped struggling and instead began shouting at the two of them. However, the room was large, and the music was too loud for him to hear her words. ¡ªThat''s life. If she hadn''t followed Eco, she wouldn''t be pregnant now. But there are mistakes that condemn us all¡ªFausto said with sadness as he took a sip. The music in the room anomalously matched the emotions of the masked noble, becoming more melancholic¡ªAt least she''s very happy to have a child with Eco. They''ve even agreed on a name for their child. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡ªApolo...¡ªApolo murmured absentmindedly, looking at Helena''s bulging belly. Clearly, she was several months pregnant, and it seemed that in a few more months, the baby would be ready to be born. ¡ªApolo? I''d swear Helena doesn''t like you enough to name her child after you...¡ªFausto replied, taking a deep swig from his drink. He then looked at his brother more seriously than usual, his voice slightly distorted from the strong drink: ¡ªWhy do you think the baby would be named Apolo? Can''t you think of another lovely name for a baby? If you were the father, what would you name your child? Apolo pondered the response for nearly a full minute, but truth be told, no other name came to his mind, and naming his child after himself didn''t seem like a bad idea. However, just as he was about to repeat his name, another beautiful name popped into his mind, and it seemed like a good idea to name his child that way. ¡ªI''d name him Thais...¡ªApolo replied. Yet, as he uttered his response, he started to look distressed at all the naked people in the room. He realized that a significant problem had just emerged: he had mentioned the four names that were always present in his dreams, and this couldn''t possibly be reality, could it? ¡ªSeems like you did know Helena, and you simply forgot about her...¡ªFausto commented with a cruel smile as he watched Helena shouting desperately from a distance. It seemed her agony was feeding his pleasure¡ªOr at least, you know the name of her future child. ¡ªYes, I had forgotten about her...¡ªApolo murmured, looking at his brother with the silver mask on his face. Everything was perfect, even his grotesque attitude. Yet, Apolo had already realized that everything was also fake¡ªFor some reason I can''t fathom, it''s becoming easier for me to forget about Helena... ¡ªBut not about her ring...¡ªFausto murmured, shifting his gaze from the girl to Apolo''s bewildered expression. ¡ªNo...¡ªApolo murmured, looking at his elder brother''s face with bewilderment. For some reason, he had felt a few moments ago that this person was not his brother, even though his appearance suggested he was just hallucinating¡ªNo, you''re mistaken. The significance of the ring has also faded with time. ¡ªAnd what has replaced it?¡ªFausto asked with curiosity, staring intently at the young man seated next to him. ¡ªHuh?... I don''t know... I''ve never asked myself that question. I guess the mansion...¡ªApolo responded reflexively, trying to imagine an answer that would satisfy him as well¡ªThe rooms, the furniture, and above all, their stories... ¡ªBut you''ve finished the house, Apolito...¡ªFausto said, taking a deep swig from his bottle, ignoring the expression on Apolo''s face upon hearing that response. ¡ªYes, it''s finished... Everything ends... Time takes everything away...¡ªApolo answered in a daze, looking at his older brother''s half-visible face, trying to comprehend why he had dreamt of the brother with whom he had the worst relationship right at this moment. It couldn''t be a coincidence; it must mean something! ¡ªIt''s finished, but now what comes next?...¡ªFausto asked, throwing his bottle to the ground, shattering it into a thousand pieces. He then suddenly stood up and shouted energetically with a smile: ¡ªWhat comes next is to continue our game! Each of us has three tries, and the one who hits the target most wins the bronze ring as a prize! E64-For the ring... ¡ªFor the ring...¡ªApolo repeated, watching as Helena looked at her older brother as if he were insane. He wondered if he should play along or try to wake up. The truth was, this was the first lucid dream Apolo had in his life. Perhaps his ancestors were blessing him with some kind of hidden message. So, the young man decided to go along with his older brother and asked: ¡ªDo you start, or do I? ¡ªYou go first since this is your party, then I''ll go, then you: we''ll take turns¡ª Fausto replied, excited about the idea of playing with his younger brother. ¡ªAs you wish, although it''s been a while since I''ve done this kind of nonsense, so I doubt I''ll be any good...¡ª Apolo commented as he stretched his hand, pointing at Helena with one of his fingers. Immediately, the tip of his finger caught fire and formed a little ball the size of a paper ball, ready to be shot like a blowgun dart. Then, the ball shot out, creating a beam of light like an arrow, heading towards Helena. She tried to move, but the shackles prevented her, and she was hit directly in the leg. She winced at the impact but didn''t cry or show any expression of pain. After all, the lucky little ball had hurt her less than a pinch. ¡ªHaha, what rubbish was that? You didn''t even leave a burn mark¡ª Fausto laughed cruelly. ¡ªBut I hit the target!¡ª Apolo exclaimed with pride. ¡ªSure, sure, now, what does the jury say?¡ª Fausto asked, looking at the other members of the party. *Boo, boo, boo*...The boos from the audience filled the room. It seemed people were quite unhappy with the spectacle. ¡ªYou hear that? You have to put more effort into winning the crowd. We''re adults now and play this game as adults¡ª Fausto commented, stretching his hand and pointing at Helena with one of his fingers. After a few seconds, a tiny fireball formed in front of his finger. However, instead of launching it right away, Fausto let the fireball distort until it became a cone. When everything was ready, Fausto looked at his brother and, without aiming, fired, saying: ¡ªLet me show you how to win this game. As soon as he finished saying those words, the cone of fire shot out, forming a beam of light like an arrow, and hit Helena squarely in the arm. ¡ªAaargh!¡ª Helena cried out in intense pain as she watched blood pouring from her arm. *Plaff, plaff, plaff*...The people in the room started applauding frantically as they watched Helena writhing in pain. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡ª...¡ª Apolo fell silent as his brother gave him a look indicating it was his turn. Observing that conspiratorial look on his older brother''s face, Apolo immediately recalled that he had participated in a not-so-different game with his older brother once in his childhood: though, on that occasion, it involved only two straw mannequins. So, the dream he was experiencing right now must be a distorted memory of that day, mixed with the memory of his farewell party organized by his relatives before he departed for the capital. The problem for the young noble was that he still didn''t understand why he was remembering this event, and his curiosity compelled him to play along with the game''s rules. Making a decision, Apolo raised his hand, and a fireball began to form in his open palm. The ball grew to the size of a tennis ball, wobbling as if it were showing signs that it couldn''t be held in Apolo''s palm for much longer. That''s when he decided to launch the ball at Helena. *Flush*...The ball shot through the air and hit Helena''s round belly squarely. *Blurghhhh*...Helena writhed in pain, clutching her stomach, and began vomiting, splattering the floor and evoking disgust from the onlookers. *Boo, boo*...The crowd booed, repulsed by the sight of the girl vomiting. ¡ªBut what kind of messed-up logic is this?¡ª Apolo complained, receiving negative shouts from the crowd and realizing he was losing the game. ¡ªThere are different ways, my friend. Look, learn from your older brother how to win this game¡ª Fausto commented with a smile, stretching his hand and forming a fireball of the same size Apolo had thrown earlier in his palm. Then, the fireball began to spin and flatten until it resembled a plate. *Fush*... The fire plate shot out, illuminating the entire room and hitting Helena''s arm squarely. *AAAA*.... Helena screamed, collapsing from the pain as she felt one of her arms detached from her body. The detached arm grotesquely hung in the air, held by the shackle, while Helena''s unconscious body dangled from her remaining hand. *Plaff, plaff, plaff*...The crowd applauded excitedly as they watched the girl''s blood spill onto the floor. ¡ªDisgusting...¡ª Apolo murmured, watching the gruesome scene from a distance. It was then that he realized he felt no pity for the girl hanging on the wall: just a complete lack of empathy that failed to move his soul. ¡ªWeren''t you super close friends when you were young?¡ª Fausto asked, looking at his brother curiously, apparently more interested in eavesdropping on his younger brother''s thoughts. ¡ªHuh?... Yeah, we were friends, I think...¡ª Apolo commented, looking at his "friend" now unconscious on the wall, bleeding out, without feeling a shred of sympathy. ¡ªYou think, or you thought? Shouldn''t it be easy to distinguish a friend?¡ª Fausto asked, sitting back in his chair, showing more interest in the conversation than in continuing the game. ¡ªNo, it''s hard. I don''t have friends, so it''s complicated to compare¡ª Apolo replied, noticing the music had become loud again and the colorful glass shards had switched colors from the monotonous red they were during Fausto''s turn. Even the rest of the party participants resumed their routine of "fun", almost as if they had received an order, completely ignoring the conversation between him and his older brother or the game''s continuity. ¡ªYou''re my friend, Apolito. That''s why we play together, right? Or am I mistaken?¡ª Fausto asked, grabbing another bottle from the table and swaying again. ¡ªWe''re siblings, not friends...¡ª Apolo replied firmly. ¡ªHaha, that''s your opinion, and I couldn''t care less about your opinion on this matter¡ª Fausto laughed as he took a sip from the bottle in his hand¡ªAs I told you, you''re my friend. So, you have friends! The problem is that for you, I''m not your friend, and no one is. However, that''s just your perspective, not the "reality" of life. E65-Cliff ¡ª"That''s just my perspective, not the "reality" of life?"¡ªApolo repeated, his brother had emphasized that phrase, or at least that''s how he felt, yet the young noble couldn''t grasp the idea behind it. ¡ªExactly, you always see things wrong, Apolito¡ªFausto mentioned with a smile as the music in the room became particularly lively, causing the crystals to flicker so much that it was difficult to see each other''s faces. ¡ªAlways?!¡ªApolo exclaimed, somewhat annoyed by this notion. ¡ªYes, always. If you had seen things as they are, you wouldn''t have ended up like this, right, young man?¡ªFausto replied with a rougher voice than usual as he rocked in his chair. The lights in the room began to flicker so much that it seemed like Fausto was moving in slow motion. However, Apolo could clearly see how his brother''s smile was growing bigger and making him uncomfortable. ¡ªIs it wrong to end up like this? I''m more than happy with my life¡ªApolo responded proudly, almost shouting, as the music was starting to get so loud that it was becoming difficult for the two brothers to continue their conversation. ¡ª...¡ªFausto moved his lips in response, but the music was so loud that even being almost next to him, Apolo couldn''t hear what his older brother was saying. So, he could only see how his brother''s lips moved in slow motion. ¡ªI didn''t hear you! What did you say?!¡ªApolo yelled in frustration over the music and lights. ¡ª...¡ªFausto repeated what he said, but Apolo couldn''t hear it. ¡ªWhat?!¡ªApolo shouted, leaning in closer to his brother''s ear, trying to hear what he was saying. ¡ªWe need to continue the game; it''s your last turn...¡ªFausto commented as Apolo watched his older brother slowly point with his bottle in a direction. Apolo understood what his brother said and looked in the direction he pointed. The lights were so uncomfortable that it was quite challenging to see Helena''s unconscious body on one of the walls. Nevertheless, Apolo made the effort to identify the young lady''s body because he assumed the only way to comprehend what his ancestors meant by this bizarre dream was to finish this peculiar game. Apolo raised both hands, and a fireball the size of a wheel began to form in his palms. The young man felt the skin on his palms tear and start to bleed, but he didn''t mind; he knew none of this was real. *Whoosh*...The fireball shot through the air towards Helena. However, the young noble was more focused on fighting the pain than on looking at the result of his attempt, as his hands had disappeared completely, leaving only two burned stumps in their place. It seemed the young man had gone too far with the size of the fireball, and his body couldn''t withstand its launch. Despite the young man''s sacrifice, unfortunately, the fireball flew with dizzying speed and hit the ceiling above Helena, causing the ceiling to shatter and some debris to fall on the partygoers, crushing them to death. Fortunately or unfortunately, none of the debris fell on Helena, so Apolo had failed! *Boo, boo, boo*...Struggling with the pain, Apolo looked in anger as all the people in the room began to laugh and mock him wildly. Some participants even rolled on the floor laughing, not caring at all about the people trapped under the debris, while others began to throw food and bottles in the direction of the young noble, showing their disapproval of his failed attempt. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡ª...¡ª Fausto moved his mouth to speak, but Apolo could only see it moving in slow motion due to the flashing lights. Without getting up from his seat and raising just one hand in the air, a fireball twice the size of the one Apolo had created formed in front of Fausto''s palm. However, Fausto didn''t shoot the fireball; instead, it transformed until it took the shape of a ring. *Whoosh! *...The ring shot in the direction of Helena''s chest. Apolo watched as, in a few blinks, the fire ring reached Helena''s body and immediately split it in half, causing one half of her body to fall to the floor while the other half hung from his only remaining hand. *Clap, clap, clap*...Thunderous applause filled the room, accompanied by joyful cheers. Everything indicated that the audience had finally chosen their favorite champion. Amidst the applause, Fausto stopped swinging and, as if walking in slow motion, approached the severed arm of Helena hanging on the wall. Apolo watched as his older brother removed the game''s prize: the bronze ring from Helena''s severed arm and then returned triumphantly to the table amid praise and applause. ¡ªCongratulations, you won!¡ª Apolo said, leaning towards his brother''s ear, somewhat perplexed because the loud music and suffocating lights showed no signs of diminishing; according to his initial idea, this was the moment he should be able to talk to his brother again to understand this dream. ¡ªThanks, take it, it''s no use to me, this piece of junk¡ª Fausto replied, tossing the bronze ring to his younger brother. ¡ªYou''re giving it to me?¡ª Apolo asked, dazed, as he instinctively tried to catch the bronze ring in the air to feel its weight, shape, texture, and flaws. Everything seemed as real and perfect as always with the ring. However, his stumps only flailed in the air, and the ring fell directly onto the table, reminding the young man that he had just lost his hands trying to win the game. ¡ªYes, it''s your celebration after all; I had to give you something, didn''t I?¡ª Fausto asked with a smile on his face as he watched Apolo staring at the ring on the table, more interested in the ring than in what he had said. ¡ªSince it''s your gift, I''ll keep it safe¡ª Apolo said, trying to put the ring in his pocket. The young man began to drag the ring with his stumps to the side of the table, intending to drop it into his pocket. Then Apolo remembered the small but crucial detail: he was naked, and there were no pockets. So the ring fell directly to the floor. ¡ªYou seem quite drunk...¡ª Fausto exclaimed, watching the scene with an increasingly wider smile. With some embarrassment for trying to put the ring in an imaginary pocket, Apolo tried to pick it up with his feet. However, he immediately realized that the ring was too small to be caught by his gigantic toe fingers. Noticing there was no other way, Apolo awkwardly crouched on the floor and picked up the ring with his mouth. When he finally managed to grab it and tried to stand up again, he uncomfortably turned around to see his older brother watching him with a smile from behind. Without saying a word and unexpectedly, his older brother kicked Apolo''s butt and made him roll under the tablecloth. Apolo wanted to ask his older brother what the hell he had just done, but then he remembered he had the ring in his mouth, and if he spoke, the ring would fall. So he struggled to keep the ring in his mouth as he stumbled. However, when the young man crossed under the tablecloth, he realized that the table was actually floating in the air, as there was a huge hole beneath it. The young noble instinctively wanted to ask his older brother for help, but at the same time, he refused to let go of the ring in his mouth. This indecision caused Apolo to fall through the dark hole. Apolo fell for what seemed like an eternity, unable to see anything: the edges of the hole, his own body, nothing. All he could feel was the noise of the music on the surface becoming more distant as he delved deeper into this bottomless pit. Then, after an eternity had passed, Apolo felt that the music, almost imperceptible from the surface, began to be replaced by the thunderous noise of rocks crashing into the water. Feeling that familiar noise, Apolo shivered, realizing that he had ended up in this situation countless times before, and it always ended the same way: Dying miserably crushed by the sharp rocks at the bottom of the cliff. E66-Awakening *Phew*... Apolo snapped open his two eyes and stared at the wooden ceiling in his room. More bewildered than scared, the young man touched the ring hanging from a necklace on his chest, reminding himself that he was now in the real world. ¡ªThese dreams are getting weirder and weirder...¡ª Apolo mumbled, gazing at the ceiling of his room while he ran his fingers over the rusty surface of the ring. This time, the experience of being aware in his own dream had left the young noble stunned: in his dream, everything had been too real, the bodies, the geometries, the places, the pain, the touch, the taste, and even the smells. ¡ªThere was no forest, and yet somehow I managed to find the cliff...¡ª Apolo muttered reflectively without getting out of bed. Turning his head, the young man could see through the window of his room that the sun had just risen on the horizon, so technically, he was still sleeping well, although the bizarre dream had started his day on the wrong foot. ¡ªThe four names still linger... sometimes... Rarely¡ª Apolo murmured, pondering the small, significant details in his strange experience and the other dreams he had been having since becoming a wizard. Looking around his room with tiredness, Apolo saw the wardrobe in the distance; his laziness made it seem incredibly far in his mind, so he didn''t want to leave the comfort of his bed to make so much effort. ¡ªHelena still has her ring, but this time, it''s the first time I didn''t kill her... or maybe I did, and she died from the blow to the stomach, who knows, being unconscious, it''s impossible to know when she actually died...¡ª Apolo mumbled without changing his expression. It was too early to take the matter seriously, and pondering was a good excuse not to get out of bed¡ªDamn, it''s an important detail not to know the truth... The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Rubbing his face with his hands, Apolo tried to lift his torso but lazily fell back on the mattress. Then, the noble turned while hugging his pillow, attempting to go back to sleep. But then he saw the silver mask on the desk and muttered: ¡ªI think the mask symbolizes that I''m pleasing my ancestors, but why was it being worn by Fausto? Usually, Homero wears it, which makes sense since he was one of my childhood playmates and training partners. On the other hand, my relationship with Fausto is terrible; we''re nearly 15 years apart in age, so it''s logical that we have practically nothing in common. Besides, he''s the only one of my brothers who actually went to war and came back completely shattered, poor guy... Well, fortunate, really: he wasn''t supposed to inherit the throne, but then all the uncles and cousins died, and fate practically handed him the throne. *Yawn*...Apolo yawned, turning again to gaze at the ceiling of his room. In his mind, he knew he couldn''t stay in bed forever, even though that''s what he wished for right now. ¡ªNow that I think about it, I''m usually a child in my dreams, but not this time... why? Maybe I''m getting old, and now I consider myself an adult, or maybe it''s because I always wanted Fausto to treat me like an adult and not like "Apolito"... but who knows the truth... A few minutes passed until Apolo finally managed to stretch and summon the strength to get out of bed and change. There was no time to waste today; the young man reminded himself, today was the first day when Apolo could finally enjoy his fully furnished mansion! E67-One year and four months It took a total of one year and four months for Apolo to finally finish furnishing his house, spending practically all the crystals he had obtained from his first sponsorship as a magician. The task was monumental because he had to furnish each of the 1555 rooms in the mansion with an interesting and appealing theme. However, with money available, anything was possible, and as long as money wasn''t scarce, the task could progress. The real problem arose when crystals started running low, as unfortunately, Apolo found it impossible to complete the task using only the sponsorship he had received. But thanks to the Ministry of Urban Affairs showing great interest in Apolo''s "research", the young noble managed to obtain some crystals to expand his budget by accepting various furniture items that for some reason, no one else wanted. For instance, when he solved the minor issue in the city''s cemeteries dealing with the deceased from the blue plague epidemic that had been spreading for the past few decades in the Ring City. Sadly, his dungeon had become overcrowded with contaminated coffins, creating a rather unhealthy work environment for his servants. But in the noble''s mind, these were mere details easily solved: Luckily, the Ring City never lacked people desperate for "easy" crystals! This was what happened during the first ten months, when there were still proposals with the Minister of Urban Affairs, who had noticed that Apolo didn''t mind filling his mansion with infected corpses, thus solving a rather serious problem for the empire with a very limited budget. In this way, the young noble managed to finish filling the rooms in the dungeon and a large part of the basement. The truth was that as the months passed, Apolo became increasingly specialized in the field of "scrap" collecting, making it easier for him to obtain various types of furniture almost for free. And this specialization began to bear fruit from the first year of work in the mansion, inspiring Apolo to come up with great ideas that led to significant progress in his first major task. For example, he started taking furniture from houses that needed to be demolished due to the passage of time or "buying" furniture from a deceased person with no heirs who had left their house abandoned in the Ring City for a long time. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. These ideas allowed him to save his already scarce crystals for the first two months of the year. But Apolo flatly refused to use the sponsorship money for the second year, mainly because he was close to furnishing all the rooms. If he spent the second-year budget, he would end up with a furnished house but without the money to buy the expensive creatures, which was ultimately the reason he had spent so much on furnishing the house. Therefore, Apolo had never gone to collect the second sponsorship until today. Instead, he found an incredibly good and cheap alternative to fill the house; unfortunately, he had discovered it too late, and that alternative was none other than: theft! While the young man had long accepted buying stolen furniture, it was only in the last two months that he had started organizing a group of thugs to steal what he specifically wanted. The modus operandi was quite complicated: first, the rogues had to find an old and not very active house, then gather information about the person living in that house. If that person met the condition of being an old person without children, then that was reason enough to mark them as interesting. Next, the thugs would enter the house and make the old person disappear. Then, an official-looking document would appear, attesting that the house had been inherited by a nobleman named Apolo from the Black Forest. With this scheme, Apolo had taken over no fewer than 100 houses in the last two months. The big secret for all of this to work were two major factors: money and connections. Money came from selling the houses, or rather, the precious furniture they held, and connections came from the only ministry responsible for managing the houses in the Ring City: the Ministry of Urban Affairs. However, the minister was not involved in this scheme; Apolo only operated in the poor neighborhoods of the Ring City and didn''t need someone as important, so only two people knew about this maneuver: one was the recently deceased from the blue plague, Narciso from the Red Seas, a young and unfortunate scribe who worked at the ministry, and the other person in charge was the recently disappeared Antonio from Distant Towns, a property seller from the main fourth street. The rest of the participants were the thugs, although they didn''t know the complete scheme, and at this point in the plan, Apolo had kindly given them a new life away from crime by getting them jobs at the Ministry of Urban Affairs as assistants in the construction of the revamped cemeteries in the Ring City, which apparently always needed new personnel. E68-Trip to the ministry After having an extremely strange dream, Apolo found himself leaving his room, walking through the long corridors of the mansion, trying to stretch, and heading towards the mansion''s front door where Mateo was waiting. ¡ª*Uaaah*... is everything ready?¡ªApolo asked as he yawned, looking at his faithful servant, who seemed a bit sleepy. ¡ªYes, breakfast is already in the carriage; we can leave whenever you''re ready¡ªMateo replied, opening the mansion''s door for the young man. ¡ªLet''s hurry; the Ministry of Magic is far, and I want to arrive today¡ªApolo said as he walked toward his usual carriage but realized there was a slight problem: the carriage was too small for him to fit into. ¡ª...¡ªMateo remained silent, noticing the issue: there was no other carriage for transporting people; there were only carriages for transporting objects. Apolo had hardly left his house this year, and everything was managed by messengers, so he only now realized that this carriage had become unusable. ¡ªWell, I''ll sit in the driver''s seat, and you drive. Before we go, tell Orrin to buy another carriage; I want it ready for when we return¡ªApolo said, taking the breakfast tray from inside the carriage and placing it on the driver''s seat. Now that he stood over two meters tall, it seemed foolish to him to get into this seat. ¡ªAs you wish!¡ªMateo exclaimed, rushing back into the mansion to inform another servant of Apolo''s order. After a few minutes, he returned and saw Apolo having his breakfast in the driver''s seat. ¡ªAre we leaving?¡ªApolo asked impatiently as he devoured a whole fruit in a few bites. ¡ªYes, we are. The journey will take a few hours, so it''s best to leave early¡ªMateo replied, climbing into the carriage and taking the reins to start the journey. The journey itself took almost 20 hours if one traveled at a reasonable speed because the Ministry of Magic was in the center of the capital, like all important buildings. Apolo''s mansion was located right next to the capital''s wall, so the distance was quite considerable. However, when the purpose of the trip is to collect your "pay", you always do it with a smile, and this was no exception. As the hours passed and the carriage approached its destination, Apolo enjoyed the view from the driver''s seat and looked around the neighbors'' gardens for ideas to decorate his own. The truth was, Apolo had never spent part of his budget on the garden, so it looked quite neglected. By his own rule, he had decided not to place any furniture in the yard, except in the most inaccessible part of the house where the sun never reached, and the lack of decorations was bothering him. Time consumed Apolo''s thoughts, and before he knew it, it was getting dark. Feeling impatient as he noticed the passing of time, he asked the universal question that any traveler embarks on a journey: This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡ªAre we there yet? ¡ªNo, we''re in the center now; you can already see some important structures¡ªMateo replied, pointing to a large tower in the distance. ¡ªI hope we arrive on time; I just need them to tell me it''s closed when we get to the gate¡ªApolo said, sounding somewhat nervous. ¡ªMost likely that will happen, but I think there are some dormitories for wizards at the Ministry, so you won''t have to sleep in the carriage¡ªMateo replied, looking at the stars beginning to appear in the sky. ¡ªHow do you know that?¡ªApolo asked with curiosity. He had learned that when he bought his house, but he didn''t understand how his servant had found out. ¡ªNegotiating with people from the Ring City, I learned quite a few things about the capital and its surroundings¡ªMateo replied happily¡ªOnce we bought a couple of carriages from an acolyte; he was apparently moving into the house of the wizard who taught him. Maybe one day we''ll have acolytes sleeping in the mansion. Do you plan to take on some soon? ¡ªI can''t teach anyone; I don''t know much myself yet...¡ªApolo replied, remembering that he had devoted more time to his house than to magic. But according to his ancestor, that was the correct order of priorities, at least that''s what Apolo believed. ¡ªAccording to the acolyte I talked to, novice wizards learn from books in the Ministry''s library¡ªMateo commented. ¡ªYes, I know, but I''m not in a hurry either. The day will come when I''ll come to fetch some books, but for now, I just need the money¡ªApolo replied calmly, apparently having thought about this matter extensively. ¡ªWhenever you like, you''re not obligated to do so. Most noble wizards don''t work like commoners¡ªMateo commented, reminding Apolo that there was always another option. ¡ªYes... but it''s very boring; I have to keep myself entertained, or I wouldn''t know what to do with my valuable time¡ªApolo responded thoughtfully. There was always the option to throw all his plans to the wind and live a life of luxury, sponging off the Emperor. But that was too monotonous and senseless for the young man¡ªAlthough the truth is, a year ago, I would have accepted that proposal. At the beginning of the journey, I was really scared of coming to the capital and becoming a wizard... ¡ªScared? You?¡ªMateo commented, incredulous. He had always assumed that the reason the young noble never left the carriage was arrogance, and even hearing these words directly from Apolo''s mouth, he still believed that it was arrogance. ¡ªHa, ha, ha, yeah, kind of weird, isn''t it?...¡ªApolo laughed, realizing that someone would really have to put a lot of effort into killing him¡ªBut I was young and inexperienced, a boy fresh out of home facing a world that was too big and full of unknown things. Anyone would be scared in those circumstances. ¡ªI guess...¡ªMateo commented, holding back a question in his heart, but not for long¡ªBut don''t you think your fear disappeared very quickly? As soon as we set foot in the capital, you had almost a hundred people who mocked you killed. ¡ªEh?... Well... actually, yes... Don''t you think it''s strange?¡ªApolo asked, noticing the problem. It was quite evident when someone told you, but realizing that detail by yourself was quite complicated¡ªThe only thing I can think of is that I felt blessed by my ancestors, and that''s why I lost my fear of the unknown. But the truth is, that''s not much different from a miracle. Why do you think I lost my fear of the capital and the unknown? ¡ªIf you''re not sure yourself, my lord, it''s not like I can answer that...¡ªMateo murmured in a low but still audible voice. E69-C茅sar Finally, the carriage arrived at its destination, revealing the imposing four castles with their immense towers in the middle in the distance. But, as Mateo suspected, they were likely to arrive too late, and on a regular day like this, it seemed that the bureaucratic staff wasn''t working at this late hour. Therefore, Apolo decided to try sleeping in the ministry''s dormitories. Mainly because the other options were spending the whole night in the driver''s seat or attempting to fit inside the carriage, and both of these choices were far too uncomfortable for his liking. After asking the guard at the ministry''s gate for directions, the carriage headed towards the third castle of the Ministry of Magic, following the signs along the blue-tinted path. After a few seconds, Apolo arrived at the gate, and a guard proceeded to greet him. ¡ªPleasure, what brings you here at this late hour?¡ª inquired the guard as he inspected the interior of the carriage and noticed it was empty. ¡ªTo sleep¡ª Apolo gruffly replied. ¡ªOnly wizards are allowed into this castle. Are you a wizard?¡ª the guard asked, ceasing his investigation to extend his hand towards Apolo. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡ªYes, I''m a noble wizard. I won''t pay a bribe to a nobody!¡ª Apolo complained, looking at the guard''s outstretched hand with disdain. ¡ªNo, I''m not seeking a bribe. You seem new here. I''m asking for the silver badge that identifies you as a wizard¡ª the guard quickly responded, appearing somewhat intimidated by the young man who resembled a walking wardrobe. ¡ªAh...¡ª Apolo proceeded to search his pockets until he found the wizard identification badge. Without wasting time, he handed it to the guard. The guard examined the badge carefully. It was the size of a large coin, with one side featuring the face of a person with only a very small nose and unusually large ears, this person was the one who footed the bill, the current emperor of the empire: Caesar of Silver Fields, son of the former emperor Patricius of Silver Fields. On the other side of the badge, there was an inscribed pointed hat, indicating that Apolo was a wizard. Lastly, on the badge''s edges, taking advantage of its width, the name "Apolo of Black Forest" was inscribed. ¡ªEverything''s in order. Furthermore, you need to go to Room 1A and find a set of keys. As I mentioned before, only wizards are allowed in this castle, so the driver must wait outside¡ª the guard commented, sitting back down on an improvised chair made from two boxes he seemingly had pilfered from inside the castle. ¡ªYou can get inside the carriage to sleep, Mateo¡ª Apolo said as he descended from the carriage and entered the castle. ¡ªHave a good night, sir!¡ª Mateo shouted as he pulled his carriage away from the gate and parked it in an area where he could leave it overnight. E70-Tobias the Magician Following the scattered directions within the castle, Apolo managed to find room 1A. Truth be told, the first thing the young man felt upon entering this room was that everything was too minimalist for his taste. There were few pieces of furniture, and for some strange reason, it was irritating him more than it should have. The room had only a couple of rather comfortable chairs and a desk, where a person was working. There were no paintings, statues, potted plants, or used mattresses, and these small absences were making Apolo''s hands tremble nervously, as if begging to let him "spruce up" this "lifeless" room. ¡ªPleasure to meet you, I''m Tobias of Dark Sea¡ªgreeted the person working behind the desk. ¡ª...¡ªApolo remained silent as he tried to sit in one of the chairs, only to realize that the chair was tiny. ¡ªOh, what an inconvenience, it seems you''re too big...¡ªTobias said with a cheerful smile. ¡ªI suppose we could make this chair a little bigger...¡ªApolo commented, not with a very cheerful smile, already quite irritated by the disruption of his monotonous routine. The young man proceeded to grab the two armrests of the chair, and with little effort, Apolo managed to tear them off and then toss them to the side of the room. Having "enlarged" the chair by magic, Apolo sat down and stared at the bewildered look on the person working behind the desk, waiting for them to continue their procedure. ¡ª...¡ªTobias looked at the two armrests on the floor in bewilderment and then at the ridiculously seated giant in the chair, barely holding back laughter that could easily end his life. The worker commented: ¡ªLet''s just ignore what just happened, shall we? Are you seeking asylum for one night or an extended stay? This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡ªOne night...¡ªApolo answered gruffly, more interested in looking at the oddities on the worker''s desk than at his face. It seemed this desk did have a story, as it was filled with crystal balls containing amusing figurines. ¡ªBy the way, what do these crystal balls mean?¡ªApolo asked, unable to contain his curiosity about the topic.
¡ªOh, so you like them?¡ªTobias commented with a smile as he searched through the logbook¡ªActually, like all the workers in this castle, I''m a wizard, and these little balls are one of my big projects. Their purpose is to be able to store items that require certain conditions. ¡ªIt seems you''re almost done with the project...¡ªApolo commented, noticing that the balls contained various figurines inside. However, he was more surprised by the fact that there were mages interested in other jobs. ¡ªNo, the most complicated part isn''t storing things; it''s making them come out the way they were stored¡ªTobias said with some annoyance¡ªIn addition to the crystals, very few objects can withstand being compressed and then returned to their original dimensions without significant damage. ¡ªI see. Why did you seek this job? Wouldn''t it be better to focus on your research?¡ªApolo asked the question that had been on his mind. ¡ªPartly for the crystals and partly for the contacts¡ªTobias replied with a smile¡ªThe job doesn''t take much time and generally allows you to meet all the new mages in the empire; it''s quite good. ¡ªOh, I see. Yes, I suppose almost all mages pass through here at some point¡ªApolo said, somewhat intrigued by the idea of this mage. ¡ªWell, here are your keys. What''s your name?¡ªTobias asked as he prepared to record in the register. ¡ªApolo of the Black Forest¡ªanswered the young man. ¡ªTake the keys, remember to return them before you leave in the morning. If you wish to extend your stay, just let me know, and I''ll arrange it¡ªTobias commented as he proceeded to take a set of keys from one of the drawers in his desk and handed them to Apolo¡ªThe room is 4D, follow the directions, and you''ll find it. As usual, Apolo took the keys and left the room without saying goodbye, leaving Tobias bewildered as he looked at the two broken chairs in his room, wondering how he should resolve this matter. E71-Magicians Bedroom Without delay, Apolo quickly found the room assigned to him. At this point, the young man had grasped that the first letter of the room always indicated the floor in alphabetical order, and the room numbers were in ascending numerical order. So, it was quite straightforward to find the rooms within the ministry''s castles. Upon entering the room, Apolo noticed it was quite compact but had everything needed for a night''s stay and a few extras, like a desk and a chair. However, for Apolo''s taste, the room lacked distinctive elements; there wasn''t a single decoration. Everything in the room seemed to have a utilitarian purpose, and it lacked personality entirely. Despite this and the discomfort of sleeping in a different bed than usual, the young man managed to fall asleep, eagerly awaiting to see what he would experience in his dreams tonight. Time passed, and when Apolo opened his eyes, it was already daytime. Apolo, with annoyance, looked at the stones on the ceiling of his room. The dream had been just as bizarre as the last time, but this time, the young man never realized he was dreaming until he woke up. Without allowing laziness to set in, Apolo leaped out of bed and looked out of the castle window, seeing that the sun had already risen. He cursed upon realizing it was nearly midday. ¡ªI was hoping for another lucid dream; I still don''t understand what my ancestors meant, and I wasted so much time sleeping... Without further delay, Apolo left the room and encountered a large number of wizards in black robes moving through the hallways. During the night, the castle was silent, but during the day, it was bustling with activity. In reality, there were no more than ten people in the hallway at the moment, but they appeared to be more due to the narrowness of the third castle''s corridors compared to the one where Apolo had enrolled. ¡ªEh? A new face. Nice to meet you. What''s your name?¡ªOne of the wizards in the hallway asked, causing the others to stop and look curiously at the towering stranger. ¡ª...¡ªApolo completely ignored the wizard who had greeted him and hurriedly continued walking toward the castle''s exit, bumping shoulders with the wizard who was blocking his path, causing the poor wizard to fall to the ground. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡ªHey, you jerk, don''t push in the hallways!¡ªThe fallen wizard shouted. Apolo turned around and stared intensely at the wizard on the floor and the other nine wizards in the hallway, as if contemplating throwing them all out the window. ¡ªI mean... these corridors are very cramped, so be careful...¡ªThe wizard on the floor commented, eyeing Apolo''s height with some fear. ¡ª...¡ªApolo ignored what the wizard said and continued walking. The wizards in front of him stepped aside as if they were afraid of angering a person who could be more important than they initially thought, or worse, someone who was less sane than they initially thought. All the wizards living in this castle knew that some ministry wizards were so lost in their research that they often ignored real-life problems. Such wizards could be incredibly dangerous when they got angry because they didn''t process the consequences of causing trouble for others. A person who didn''t know limits was generally someone who ended up crashing headlong into a wall. The problem wasn''t that the person would split their head open in the process; the problem was getting caught in the middle and getting hurt by such an idiot. ¡ªWho the hell was that?¡ªThe wizard who had just picked himself up from the floor asked, noting that Apolo was already descending the stairs. ¡ªApolo, a great guy, but he seemed to be in a hurry...¡ªOne of the wizards in the hallway commented while helping the fallen wizard to his feet. ¡ªA great guy?!¡ªThe incredulous wizard exclaimed. ¡ªHe may not have the best manners, but alongside the fat one and the dwarf, they saved the hides of half the people living in this castle¡ªThe wizard with a smile recalled their enrollment. ¡ªSo he''s a friend of the fat one. I''m surprised he''s so careless...¡ªThe wizard said. He had been a wizard for a few years, so he had only heard rumors about what happened the day they sent almost all the applicants to be killed. The majority of survivors didn''t talk much about it, making it difficult to find out what had really happened. ¡ªWell, as far as I know, the fat one was the only commoner in that group, so he''s probably the most friendly. You know the dwarf, he screams to the heavens that he''s from White Town on every occasion he finds¡ªThe other wizard replied, watching the staircase where Apolo had disappeared with some consternation¡ªBut now that we''re wizards, nobility titles matter less and less. After the recent changes, everything depends on your contacts and, more importantly, your own determination. E72-Bad day After leaving the castle, Apolo searched for the carriage guarded by his loyal servant, Mateo, until he finally found the man feeding the horses under some trees on the road. ¡ªCan we go get my crystals?¡ªApolo asked impatiently as he climbed into the carriage. ¡ªWhy the rush? Don''t you know that those in a hurry get nowhere?¡ªMateo responded, refusing the request and focusing on the horses eating their apples¡ªWhen the horses finish eating, we''ll go get the annual budget... ¡ªI hope the emperor is a bit more generous with this year''s sponsorship...¡ªApolo murmured, reclining in the driver''s seat, gazing at the trees along the road to quell his impatience. Mateo fed the horses without any hurry, and after a few minutes, they finished eating. The driver got into the carriage without wasting any more time and headed to the castle where Apolo had registered as a wizard. ¡ªThis area is really beautiful, don''t you think?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the ministry''s gardens with particular interest. ¡ªWith the number of crystals that wizards move every year, it doesn''t surprise me that they spend so much on the gardens¡ªMateo replied. As far as he knew, the emperor paid each wizard more than most noble families earned in a year, except, of course, for particularly powerful families. Although that amount of crystals felt like a pittance because life in the capital was particularly expensive compared to the rest of the empire, and they were even scarcer if one wanted to carry out research with exotic objects and goods, as most wizards did. ¡ªI suppose for every ten useless wizards, you get one who makes the crystals spent by the other ten wizards worthwhile¡ªApolo commented as he looked at the colorful trees. From what the young noble knew, there were indeed some wizards who worked hard to discover useful things. He thought that the two ancestors who had passed down a message to him were part of that group, while the other two who were also wizards but left no inheritance belonged to the useless group. It didn''t take long for Apolo to arrive at the castle where he had registered as a wizard. Without wasting time, the young man entered. Apparently, the guards didn''t ask for identification when entering this castle, or maybe it was because it was daytime and visits were more common at that time. Recalling, Apolo managed to find the room where he had previously received his sponsorship and tried to enter it, but a guard stopped him at the door. ¡ªWhat''s with the manners, kid? Show me your badge!¡ªThe guard demanded, unimpressed by the young man''s size. Perhaps it was because he had confidence in the intimidating power of his position, or perhaps it was because he was genuinely someone to be feared, and the ministry didn''t joke around with security in the room where crystals were handed out. Annoyed by the insults, Apolo restrained himself, thinking about the crystals, and handed his badge to the guard. The guard looked at the badge carefully, making a disgusted face as if he expected a different resolution to the problem. Then the guard said to the young wizard: ¡ªGo ahead, go to the last desk, and mind your manners next time, kid. Quite irritated by the insults, Apolo held back, thinking about the crystals, and silently went to the desk where Finz, as elegant as ever, was working. ¡ªOh, Apolo, did you finally come for your crystals?¡ªFinz asked with a smile. ¡ªYes, is it ready?¡ªApolo asked, noticing that someone had placed a chair of his size in advance, as if they were expecting him. ¡ªNo, this takes time, like everything that involves a large number of crystals¡ªFinz replied, extending his hand to ask for the young wizard''s badge. Upon hearing "a large number of crystals" a smile formed on Apolo''s face, and he handed over his silver badge. Finz took the silver badge and placed it on a blank parchment. Immediately, the employee took a wax seal in the shape of a pointed hat and used it to inscribe a seal above the badge, attaching it to the parchment. Skillfully, the employee folded the parchment and put it into one of the tubes on his desk while commenting: ¡ªBy the way, the Minister of Magic wanted to talk to you; it seems there have been some complaints about repeated incidents in the transfer of goods for your magical research. ¡ªHow long ago did this happen? I finished the transfer a few days ago¡ªApolo asked immediately, with an unmistakable concern on his face. The last thing he wanted was trouble with the Minister of Magic. ¡ªEight months ago...¡ªFinz replied from memory¡ªBut you never came, so the complaints have been accumulating for eight months. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡ªCouldn''t they have sent a message to my house to inform me of the problem?¡ªApolo asked with disgust. ¡ªYes, but apparently, the problem isn''t that serious¡ªFinz replied with uncertainty. Indeed, in general, these things were resolved with a warning, which in this case was never sent for some reason that the employee didn''t know about¡ªIn any case, you would have been notified. Remember that problematic or dangerous research requires prior authorization, especially if it''s going to be conducted privately and individually. ¡ªI''ll keep that in mind...¡ªApolo commented, somewhat worried. It seemed he would have to postpone his plans to go talk to the Minister. ¡ªI''m glad to hear that...¡ªFinz said, watching as a parchment came out of one of the tubes on his desk. Immediately, Finz took it and opened it, showing that inside there was only a wax seal with the same inscription of the pointed hat he had sent a few minutes ago. With a very small spatula, Finz removed the wax to reveal Apolo''s badge and a black coin underneath. ¡ªWell, here''s your badge back, and I''ll give you your annual sponsorship¡ªFinz commented, handing over the badge and the coin to Apolo¡ªThe imperial sponsorship is 3,000 crystals for being a wizard, plus another 3,000 crystals for your noble blood. So, it''s a total of 6,000 crystals. And... ¡ªWhat?¡ª Apolo interrupted abruptly¡ªLast year, it was 7500 crystals! ¡ªYes, but the Council of Mages passed a resolution increasing the maximum quota of mages: it went from 500 to 750 slots¡ª Finz explained calmly and somewhat prepared, as if he had been giving this explanation many times¡ªThe funding was achieved by reducing sponsorship for high-ranking nobles and completely eliminating sponsorship for low-ranking nobles. ¡ªWhy the hell did the Council make such a stupid decision!¡ª Apolo shouted, not caring that his fellow employees were giving him strange looks. ¡ªObviously, it was due to political pressure from common mages and to negotiate other resolutions, such as increasing the imperial family''s general budget for the Ministry of Magic¡ª Finz commented calmly. ¡ªIf they increased the budget, why the hell did they end up cutting mine?¡ª Apolo asked angrily. Finz picked up a cup from the desk and drank from it slowly, as if trying to freeze the conversation for a few minutes. Then he explained the reason: ¡ªBecause the quota was quickly filled thanks to this resolution, and at the same time, they simplified the procedures for becoming an acolyte and advancing to mage. In return, the Council completely eliminated the ability to become mages directly as commoners; now it''s mandatory to go through the acolyte stage, as it used to be in the past. These reforms caused many acolytes to be in a position to become mages, just as the imperial family wanted. Unlike his father, Emperor Cesar is more conservative in dealing with commoners. I suppose what happened with the "accident" of condemned registrants was what finally tested his patience. ¡ªAll of that happened in a year?¡ª Apolo asked in astonishment. It seemed like they had completely reformed the registration system since the last time he came, which was relatively recent. ¡ªYes, but it simply returned to the old registration system, so there really wasn''t any very revolutionary change¡ª Finz replied with a smile; it seemed he preferred this system too. ¡ªIs there still quota available?¡ª Apolo asked with concern. ¡ªAre you interested in sponsoring an acolyte?¡ª Finz asked curiously, understanding that given Apolo''s age, it would be unusual for him to have an acolyte under his tutelage. ¡ªNo, but I''m interested in the number to plan some things¡ª Apolo replied, not wanting to give explanations. ¡ªThere are 14 slots left, 11 reserved, and the rest open for new applications¡ª Finz replied mechanically. ¡ªPerfect, and now the big question I still don''t understand and that''s bothering me too much not to ask again...¡ª Apolo commented angrily¡ªWhy the hell would the Council be so stupid to change the system if it ends up screwing all of us who are already inside? ¡ªBecause all Council members are important mages, so they have acolytes...¡ª Finz replied calmly¡ªIt''s not as if it was reduced significantly; the major losers in this are the second-rate nobles. You only lost 1500 crystals; it''s not even half your budget. ¡ªAnd they didn''t complain?¡ª Apolo asked, not satisfied with the answer. ¡ªOf course they complained, but the Emperor dislikes this kind of mages¡ª Finz replied, taking a long pause to take a sip of his drink¡ªAnd under the threat of reducing the general budget, it''s not as if the Council could refuse. Although they did manage to negotiate a solution where they ended up gaining a position for their acolytes. ¡ªWhat a way to ruin my day...¡ª Apolo commented angrily, getting up to leave. Finz was not a mage, let alone a member of the Council; the decision had been made by others, and unfortunately, a novice mage like him was bound by their decisions. ¡ªWhat a pity, but let me warn you that I have to ruin your day a little more...¡ª Finz commented with a vengeful smile. It seemed he was quite annoyed by being interrupted while speaking. ¡ªWhat happened?¡ª Apolo asked worriedly. His day had already started on the wrong foot with strangers blocking his way, and now he didn''t want any more problems. ¡ªIn addition to receiving 6000 crystals in total, you were fined 1000 crystals for breaking a piece of furniture in the Ministry¡ª Finz replied with a cheerier smile than Apolo would have liked. ¡ªAre you telling me that this fourth-rate chair was worth 1000 crystals? Did the damn Emperor himself use it to support his noble behind, or how did they manage to draw such a price? You swindlers!¡ª Apolo shouted, raising his hand as if about to break Finz''s desk, but he stopped himself. He didn''t want another fine. ¡ªThe chair was worth 50 crystals, but you''re not asked to pay for the replacement; you''re asked to pay a fine¡ª Finz commented calmly¡ªSo stop breaking things and behave like everyone else. ¡ª...¡ª Apolo angrily glared at Finz. He had never found a person so unpleasant, and no one had ever ruined his day so thoroughly. However, he didn''t want any more problems; his heart had already suffered enough watching his budget dissipate, and now the Ministry of Magic seemed to be searching for any excuse to snatch crystals from the mages he worked with, just to unlock their tight budget. With resignation and bitterness, Apolo left the room and headed to the Minister of Magic''s office, not holding back the violent shouts he uttered into the air every few steps, seeking to ease the pains of his already worn-out soul. E73-Busy Fortunately, the young man had to take a good walk before reaching the office of the Minister of Magic. However, his mood was rock bottom, and when he arrived at the office, he found a wizard waiting at the door. Absolutely refusing to wait in line at this moment, Apolo walked up to the office door and shouted without any scruples: ¡ªIs the Minister in the office?! ¡ªYes... I''ve been waiting for 20 minutes... but I hear him eating... so...¡ªThe wizard said, taking several pauses as he spoke. Strangely, the wizard didn''t seem to be so upset about the sudden shout, and in fact, he was abnormally calm despite how intimidating Apolo''s presence was for most people. ¡ªThat''s good!¡ªInterrupted Apolo, pushing the wizard aside, entering the Minister''s office to find Dorien eating a salad at his desk. ¡ªYou come just when I''m enjoying my lunch, kid!¡ªDorien shouted, pointing to the door, indicating to Apolo that he should leave¡ª I have an important meeting in a few minutes, so you better get out of my office: believe me when I say, you don''t want to keep the person I have to talk to waiting! *Bumm*...Apolo ignored the shout and slammed the door shut so forcefully that it caused some books on the shelves to fall to the floor. This scene made Dorien look with fear as the giant approached him and sat in the guest chair. Strangely, the young man remained silent and stared as the minister removed his fork from his mouth. Noticing that the minister wasn''t speaking either, Apolo settled into the rather large chair. He watched as Dorien slowly resumed his lunch in silence, until the minister felt so uncomfortable that he eventually asked: ¡ªExcuse me, did something happen between you and me? ¡ªYou told me to come here¡ªApolo reluctantly replied. ¡ªMe? Did I tell you to come?¡ªDorien asked, astonished, not recognizing Apolo¡ªWould you mind telling me who you are? ¡ªApolo from the Black Forest. ¡ªApolo? Oh, you''ve grown a little, kid...¡ªDorien said, curiously looking Apolo up and down, noticing that miraculously the bronze ring that had "worried" him so much was not on any of his fingers¡ªIt seems your magical investigation bore fruit, quite impressive. How did you manage it? ¡ªFurnishing my house...¡ªApolo replied, not fully understanding what exactly the minister was referring to. ¡ªFurnishing your house?¡ªDorien repeated, bewildered. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡ªYes, furnishing my house¡ªApolo gruffly answered. ¡ªI see you''re somewhat upset. Did you just find out about the budget change?¡ªDorien asked, intelligently getting to the heart of the matter. ¡ªYes, why did you think it was a good idea to approve such nonsense?¡ªApolo asked, annoyed. ¡ªHuh? ... No, you''re mistaken, I don''t vote in the council¡ªthe wizard minister replied, embarrassed¡ªMy only role is to press the council to ensure that the Ministry of Magic meets the Emperor''s expectations. But I can''t vote directly, nor can the Emperor. ¡ªHow is it possible that the Emperor and his minister can''t make decisions in the council?¡ªApolo asked incredulously at the absurdity he was hearing¡ªYou''re the ones who provide the crystals, how can''t you control who uses them? ¡ªThat''s the mistake you''re making: we don''t provide the crystals...¡ªDorien commented calmly, as he continued to eat his salad¡ªOr at least, not all of them. ¡ªWho else pays for the sponsorships?¡ªApolo asked with great curiosity. ¡ªYour sponsorship is only paid for by the Emperor, but you can also get private sponsors, like merchants and noble families¡ªDorien explained calmly while trying to reassure the boy¡ªSo, the Council of Wizards is accountable to the Empire''s wizards, who, in turn, answer to their sponsors: one of them being the Emperor, but the reality is that most investments are private. So, the Emperor can''t meddle too much in the council, or many noble families and important people could be harmed. ¡ªAnd did these important people passively accept that the council demolished the funding?¡ªApolo asked, not quite grasping the idea Dorien was conveying. Dorien finished his salad and placed the plate on the floor, not wanting to argue with a plate of food on the table. Meanwhile, he said: ¡ªOf course, they accepted it. What was discussed and changed only affects the Emperor''s funding, and it actually increased: there are more wizards in the Empire now, and the vast majority of "useful" wizards saw their budgets increase. It was a great decision by our Emperor to withdraw the subsidy from the useless nobles. Anyway, the reason I called you to my office is because I''ve received repeated complaints from the Ministry of Urban Affairs about your magical research. ¡ªHow long ago was that? If I''m not mistaken, I already resolved the issue with that minister¡ªApolo replied, incredulous that the minister, who was knee-deep in trouble, dared to expose him and thought he could get away with it. ¡ªA few months ago. I''m not Finz: I don''t remember everything like a lunatic...¡ªDorien complained as he searched his desk for a letter, but apparently, he couldn''t find it anywhere¡ªWell, the point is, you should be careful with these things, Apolo. Remember that you''re not at home; people here can take your nonsense the wrong way, and that causes problems for me: and I don''t like problems! ¡ªI understand what you''re saying. In fact, I already solved it, and I even worked with the minister¡ªApolo explained, somewhat relieved that the problem wasn''t too big¡ªOur relationship is quite good, so I doubt I''ll receive more letters about it. ¡ªI''m glad to hear that. Since the problem is resolved, it''s not that important for me to give you the complaint letters: I''ll just file them away!¡ªExclaimed Dorien, closing his drawers with a slam, still not finding where he had put the received complaints, already tired of searching in vain. ¡ªCan I go now, then?¡ªApolo asked, still eager to continue with his plans. ¡ªYes, just remember not to get into trouble again: I don''t want to receive any more complaints!¡ªDorien replied, pointing to the door of his office. E74-Bad Fortune With all his affairs resolved, Apolo left the Minister of Magic''s office to encounter the wizard he had bumped into a few minutes ago, wearing a particularly strange smile. The young man felt somewhat disturbed by the stranger''s smile and decided to make his way past, but the wizard courteously moved aside, avoiding Apolo''s push as he calmly said: ¡ªHave a safe journey back. *Boom*...Before Apolo could reply to the wizard, the man entered the minister''s office, and the door closed forcefully behind him. This left the young nobleman gazing at the closed office door with consternation, muttering: ¡ªWith the bad luck I''m having today, I''m sure that nobody is going to end up becoming the emperor''s illegitimate brother... Quite concerned about the ironically friendly smile he had just received, Apolo left the castle and met Mateo, who had everything ready for the journey back and was waiting for him in the carriage parked beside the castle gate. With no energy left to explain all the misfortunes that had befallen him, Apolo climbed into his seat and waited for Mateo to start the journey. ¡ªDid something happen? Your face suggests you''ve had a rough time...¡ª Mateo commented as he set off on the journey back to the mansion. ¡ªEverything happened, and to top it off, I think something worse is going to happen. My ancestors are angry with me, and the worst part is that I don''t know why...¡ª Apolo said with concern, clutching the ring on his chest. The last thing he needed was to have lost it. ¡ªLet''s hope it''s just your ancestors'' displeasure and not the wrath of the dead in the dungeon...¡ª Mateo replied, looking at the blue tiles on the road with concern, fearful of encountering a pothole that could damage the carriage''s wheels. Mateo had already seen with his own eyes that the first to die of the blue plague were those who stole from the corpses, followed by those who didn''t handle the bodies with care. Those who spoke a few words to the deceased had symptoms but were still among the living. To make matters worse, those who stole from the corpses tended to have accidents far too regularly not to raise suspicions in the astute servant. Initially, accidents like a servant having a piece of furniture fall on them or servants stumbling on old carpets and falling down the stairs weren''t conspicuous to anyone, as the mansion itself was a massive trap for anyone who didn''t pay attention to their steps. However, for someone like Mateo or Orrin, who pulled all the strings in the mansion, the issues in the house were far too evident: there probably wasn''t another noble family that had to change its employees so frequently, and even more suspicious was the fact that those replaced first were the ones who stole things from the mansion or mocked the dead. At this point in the circumstances, Mateo knew that his father had a theory that the mansion had been cursed with the hatred of the dead, and that''s why accidents never stopped happening. While Apolo was completely unaware of this, the man knew that quite a few servants had disappeared in the mansion''s corridors, never to be seen again. Fortunately for the young noble, the butler and Mateo knew that the servants weren''t superstitious enough to notice the irregularities in the mansion. ¡ªI hope so...¡ª Apolo whispered, unable to get the wizard''s smile out of his head. There were only 700 wizards in the ministry, and most of them were currently nobodies. How many chances were there really that he could run into someone he shouldn''t annoy? Few, and yet, for Apolo, on this day, those chances seemed infinite. The carriage continued on its way without incident until they reached the halfway point. It was then that Mateo snapped out of his meditative trance and said with great concern, ¡ªSomething''s happening to Cholita and Martita. ¡ªWho are they?¡ª Apolo asked, not understanding. ¡ªThe horses, something''s wrong with them: they''re not responding to commands!¡ª Mateo shouted, grabbing a whip from the driver''s seat to try to get the seemingly asleep horses to react. Before the driver could try his luck with the whip, Apolo grabbed Mateo and jumped out of the carriage, watching as the horses continued to move normally. ¡ªWhat the hell is wrong with you? Why did you do that, sir?!¡ª Mateo yelled angrily as he saw the carriage leaving without them. Despite the drivers having left, the horses didn''t seem to have any intention of stopping. ¡ªYears of experience tell me that that damn wizard did something to our carriage!¡ª Apolo exclaimed angrily, watching as the carriage moved away. He was fully aware that "Have a safe journey back" was filled with hatred and resentment. ¡ªDamn wizard? Years of experience? But you''re only 24...¡ª Mateo responded, unable to contain his desire to give Apolo a good scolding¡ªBe realistic; an old, crusty wizard could never harm us. On the other hand, it will take us more than two days on foot: we need to catch up to the carriage and reason with the horses! After saying that, Mateo tried to reach the carriage, which was about to turn, so it would be easy to catch up to it and overtake the horses. However, he stopped halfway when he noticed that the horses showed no signs of stopping and were about to collide with a tree. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡ªWhy don''t they swerve?¡ªMateo asked, bewildered. Horses aren''t machines, and like any intelligent animal, they wouldn''t actively seek to collide with a tree. However, that''s precisely what was happening right before his eyes. To make matters worse, the horses were moving at quite a slow pace, so it was easy to see that they were about to hit the tree. ¡ªIt''s the magician''s fault: he wanted us to kill ourselves by crashing the carriage into a tree!¡ªApolo shouted in a state of pure paranoia that hadn''t surfaced in him for a long time. ¡ªBut look at the speed the carriage is going, lad!¡ªMateo shouted angrily. He didn''t want to see his horses senselessly crashing into the tree at this speed¡ªAt this pace, you''d be lucky to scratch yourself on a branch. Besides, you wouldn''t even have to endure the pain of that scratch; you could heal it immediately. So don''t get hysterical: Go and stop the horses! Apolo reacted to his servant''s shouts and reminded himself that he was a practically indestructible muscled giant, so nothing would really happen to him. Now more aware of the situation, the young nobleman rushed to try to stop the horses. However, the servant and the nobleman wasted too much time arguing, and the horses were about to collide with the tree. Apolo ran with all his strength, but he only managed to reach the back of the carriage when the horse bumped its head against the tree rather foolishly. *Puff*...Apolo heard the sound of the horse''s collision and knew he hadn''t reacted in time. But the young man didn''t have time to regret as he heard another deafening noise. *Boom*...The horses exploded like a barrel of gunpowder, destroying the carriage and sending Apolo flying through the air. The explosion was so massive that the dust cloud it generated caused Mateo, who was standing half a block away from the carriage, to stumble. ¡ªSir!¡ªMateo yelled as he got up from the ground in a hurry, then ran towards the site of the explosion in search of Apolo. Upon arrival, the man found the giant turned into a meat paste, with half of his brain detached from his wide-open head, both his eyes ground into two white pastes, and his two arms had disappeared, as if he had used them to shield himself, but his defense was not enough, and they had ended up detached. Moreover, the young nobleman''s stomach was a complete mess, with broken bones and organs protruding from his body, making anyone who saw it feel disgusted. ¡ªNo!!¡ªMateo shouted desperately: His lord had died because of him! Trying to make amends, Mateo tried to drag the giant''s body towards a tree, but then he realized that just by touching Apolo''s minced flesh, he felt weaker. So, the man immediately stopped his plans. Intrigued by the sensation he had just experienced, Mateo took the time to appreciate Apolo''s corpse and noticed a strange cord on the young nobleman''s neck. The cord, made of flesh and skin, extended to a nearby tree that was beginning to wither. As this happened, Apolo''s organs began to move as if they had a life of their own, returning to their original positions. The situation was so bizarre that even Mateo could see a couple of arms in the distance approaching Apolo''s "corpse". ¡ªImpressive...¡ªMateo muttered as he watched Apolo open his eyes again, looking dazed. ¡ªApolo asked from the ground as his brain slid back into his head. ¡ªNo idea... ¡ªJust one, only one remains, the rest died miserably years ago!¡ªApolo shouted in anger¡ªHow the hell did I cross paths with the only battle mage in the entire empire just when I was entering the Minister of Magic''s office? How? Or do you expect me to believe that all those useless mages can do this to me! ¡ªListen, Apolo, we''ve offended too many dead; maybe too many...¡ªMateo said, also concerned. He knew that mages were not exactly strong, and there was a reason they weren''t used in wars. However, the man was aware of the fact that there were some lunatics who specialized in training their magic to go to war. They were few, very few, and in general, their lives were too short to be remembered. Naturally, the vast majority of mages simply focused on creating marketable military artifacts, not on developing their spells to go to war with their own bodies. However, the few mages who broke this rule were the "famous" battle mages, capable of casting complex spells just to kill their enemies. ¡ªCrap, crap, an more crap! I completely underestimated the amount of hatred we''ve been accumulating from the deceased!¡ªApolo yelled angrily, while noticing how his arm was reattaching itself to his body¡ªDo you know of any solution? ¡ªSeek the protection of your own ancestors; there''s no other way...¡ªMateo commented, while asking for help from his own ancestors in his head. If it weren''t for them, he would have never attempted to increase his speed a little before having to take a turn. However, it was at that moment when the man saw that the horses were not following his signals, so he deduced that something was wrong. If it weren''t for that stroke of luck, Mateo would have died! Apolo waited a little longer until he finished healing and managed to get up. Then he ripped the cord on his neck with his hands and approached where the horses had exploded to look at the giant crater in the ground. Dazed, the young nobleman stared at it, unable to believe how unlucky he was on this day. ¡ªSir, you dropped your pendant¡ªMateo said, picking up a chain from the ground with a simple, rusty ring attached to it. ¡ªOh, thank you, Mateo! It seems I still have some luck left! It would have been a tragedy if I had lost it¡ªApolo replied, only now realizing the absence of his faithful companion. The young man took the pendant and placed it around his neck. Then he checked the pockets of his practically destroyed pants, and to his surprise, both the coin and the token were still inside¡ªIt seems my ancestors took care to protect the important things. ¡ªShall we ask for help from a neighboring house?¡ªMateo asked, going toward a fence, trying to enter the property of an unknown person to request a carriage. ¡ªNo, stop, fool!¡ªApolo shouted as if his life depended on it¡ªI''m sure these estates belong to lunatics who eat people asking for help or something even worse. With the bad luck I''m having, it''s dangerous to approach any unknown person. ¡ªThen are we going to walk?¡ªMateo asked incredulously. It was more than two days'' journey. ¡ªIt''s the only way: either we arrive on foot, or we never arrive at all!¡ªApolo replied with so much confidence that he even scared Mateo. After saying that, Apolo began to walk briskly to move away from the crater, while Mateo continued to look at the neighboring houses with wide-open eyes, afraid that a horde of angry servants with torches might come out at any moment to kill him for ruining the path. E75-The Corpse Time, always in motion, gave encouragement to the servant and the nobleman so they could finally reach their destination. After a little less than two days of walking, the two men managed to arrive at the mansion. However, judging by Mateo''s deplorable state, it seemed that a part of his life had been left behind on the journey back. When the rest of the servants noticed this, they hurried to Orrin to inform him of his son''s and Apolo''s arrival. The butler headed to the door to greet them and investigate the reason for the delay. ¡ªWhy did you return on foot? Where is the carriage you departed in?¡ªOrrin asked worriedly, seeing the exhaustion on his son''s face. ¡ªThey sent it flying!¡ªMateo shouted as he sat on the ground, utterly drained. ¡ªBring water and something to eat¡ªOrrin requested from the other servants, realizing that attending to the newcomers was a priority¡ªWhy did they send it flying? Did the carriage literally fly away? ¡ª I crossed paths with a wizard at the ministry, and he cursed the horses to explode in the middle of our journey as revenge¡ªApolo replied, watching as the servants brought him a pitcher of water. ¡ªWhat madness! But what kind of wizard learns such a savage spell?¡ªOrrin exclaimed, somewhat concerned¡ªLet''s hope this matter ended with a warning. ¡ªIt wasn''t a warning; that lunatic nearly killed us!¡ªMateo responded, drinking water as if it were an elixir that extended life¡ªPraise my ancestors for making me such a good driver; otherwise, I''d be dead! ¡ªWere they trying to assassinate you? How should we respond, young sir?¡ªOrrin asked, concerned about the matter¡ªShall I send a letter notifying your grandfather about the matter? ¡ªDon''t do anything. Everything that happened in the Ministry of Magic is cursed!¡ªApolo exclaimed in despair. The young man was a hundred percent sure that anything he attempted at this moment would fail; he felt that his ancestors were not on his side during this trip¡ªGo and fill the dungeons with roses. Have all the servants say nice things to the graves every morning. I don''t want any more trouble with the dead! If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡ªAs you command, sir!¡ªOrrin exclaimed, quite satisfied with the idea. Unfortunately, the dungeons had turned into a cemetery, and there was no turning back. Now, at least the least they could do was improve the treatment of the deceased to avoid their wrath¡ªAs good news, I can tell you that we''ve bought a new carriage. ¡ªWell, I like good news. I love good news. I don''t want to receive bad news for the rest of the month!¡ªApolo responded with happiness and a hint of madness. It seemed that he was still a bit affected by what had happened. ¡ªActually...¡ªOrrin began to say. ¡ªI don''t want to receive bad news!¡ªApolo interrupted, more concerned than angry. It seemed that something had happened in the house during that tragic day, and the last thing he needed was more problems. ¡ªIt''s important that you know, my lord...¡ªOrrin said in a low voice. ¡ªThen say it; there''s no point in hiding it¡ªApolo commented, observing how all the servants had somewhat teary eyes, and it seemed like a tragedy had occurred. This prompted the young noble to pray for his ancestors'' help in his head, over and over again. ¡ªI regret to inform you that while you were visiting the Ministry, Crist¨®bal passed away¡ªOrrin said with sorrow¡ªApparently, we were the only ones he spoke to, so his body was never collected by his relatives. Or maybe he had no living relatives; the truth is, he was a very reserved person, so we don''t know exactly what to do with his body. ¡ªWho?...¡ªApolo asked, but quickly realized, from the servants'' mournful expressions, that it must be one of his servants. The young noble could barely remember the names of Orrin and Mateo, so this "bad" news mattered very little to him. However, he knew it was better to show sorrow and join the rest of the household¡ªWho would dare doubt his noble soul? He''s surely happy, reuniting with his ancestors. I hope you''ve buried him in the mansion''s cemetery as befits him. ¡ªWe haven''t buried him yet; we didn''t know if we could use the cemetery since we''re not members of his family¡ªOrrin replied sorrowfully while wiping the few tears from his eyes with a handkerchief. The rest of the servants were equally sad, suggesting that Crist¨®bal was quite beloved in this house. ¡ªBut don''t talk nonsense; of course, you can use the cemetery!¡ªApolo responded immediately. His intuition told him that the dead person might be causing the problems¡ªNot only that, if his real family hasn''t cared for his body, then we''ll arrange a noble burial. After all, I can''t have children anymore, so you are my only family in the capital! ¡ªYes, it will be the best burial a servant can have!¡ªMateo exclaimed, adding more enthusiasm to the topic, also thinking in his head that the reason he had nearly died was probably due to this vengeful corpse. ¡ªWe are very pleased with your decision!¡ªOrrin said with a smile. E76-Funeral Allowing his servants to handle all the funeral arrangements, Apolo went to his room and tiredly fell asleep. As astonishing as it may seem, time did not stand still. When the young man realized how much he had slept, he found himself staring at his room''s ceiling, remembering that he had promised a nobleman''s worthy funeral for one of his deceased servants. In truth, to avoid reliving what had happened on the journey to the ministry, it was a good idea to satisfy the departed. Besides, he would soon be traveling to the Ring Town to buy creatures, so it made sense to do it before that trip. Apolo changed his clothes and descended the stairs to instruct his butler to take care of the final preparations. However, it seemed that Mateo had already taken the initiative with the request, and a funeral in the estate''s cemetery would be organized in a few hours. Given the customs in the empire, it was quite common for nobles or those with power to prefer being buried where they had lived their whole lives, so having a private cemetery was not so unusual, and in fact, every house in the capital had one. As time passed, these cemeteries became more colorful and attractive. After finalizing the details, Apolo found some clothing that was more elegant than usual and left the mansion to go to the cemetery with the rest of his servants. Apolo''s cemetery was quite large since the mansion seemed to have many years of history, and many owners had passed the keys to the estate. There were a total of four large vaults and more than 100 buried dead, each with their respective tombstones. Unfortunately, the cemetery was somewhat neglected because Apolo was still procrastinating on hiring gardeners to fix the garden. Thus, the weeds concealed the beauty of this place. The truth was that hiring gardeners wasn''t exactly too costly, and Apolo could even use the servants he already had to fix the weed problem. However, the young nobleman refused to alter the order of priorities set by his ancestor. According to his ancestor''s legacy, the garden was the last place to put a single crystal, and under that strict order, Apolo deliberately forced his servants never to work in the garden. Upon arriving at the cemetery, Apolo found all of his servants there. They had already dug a new grave, improvised a coffin, and crafted a tombstone from the wood used for cooking every day. It couldn''t be said that this was precisely the funeral of a nobleman due to so many improvisations, but Apolo staunchly refused to remove one of the dead who had already slept eternally in his dungeon from the coffin. The same applied to the tombstones; even though they were no longer used to physically identify the corpses, spiritually, they had already been assigned to another owner. Therefore, the young noble preferred his acquaintances to build a tombstone with their own hands. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡ªCould we not bury him in one of the vaults, my lord?¡ª one of the servants asked upon seeing Apolo had arrived. ¡ªHave you opened any of the vaults?¡ª Apolo asked seriously. ¡ªNo¡ª the servant replied immediately. ¡ªGood, very good, you have been wise. Anyone who dares to open one of these vaults will be put inside and locked in until they starve to death¡ªApolo responded. He himself didn''t know what was in the vaults and had no desire to find out; they belonged to ancestors of other nobles, whom he clearly didn''t want to offend¡ªWell, let''s begin the funeral. Who will say the first words? ¡ªYou should do it...¡ª Orrin commented quietly. ¡ªWell, if that''s what you all wish...¡ª Apolo said, approaching. Fortunately, he had lived through more funerals than he would have liked, so he roughly remembered what to say on these occasions. Apolo stood in front of all the servants, grabbed the coffin, and without much effort, placed it in the hole. Then he took a shovel and began to fill the hole with the soil they had removed a few minutes earlier to create the hole. Afterwards, Apolo handed the shovel to another servant and said: ¡ªCrist¨®bal, I, Apolo of the Black Forest, bid you farewell with a smile today, for I know that your duty to your ancestors has finally ended, and now begins your new journey guiding the young ones who bury you this morning. Rest in peace, Crist¨®bal, for I swear to ensure that no one disturbs your rest this morning, this day, this night, and until the end of my days, when together we will guide those who bury me. The servant who took the shovel filled the grave a bit, and when he finished, he also said a few words to the deceased. Then he passed the shovel to another servant, and gradually, the grave was filled as the servants bid their farewells. Meanwhile, Apolo watched in silence as everything unfolded, asking his ancestors to change his fortune, hoping this would be the last time he would have to organize a funeral for someone. When the grave was completely filled, Orrin approached it and spoke his final words. He then placed the tombstone on top of the grave, thus concluding the not-so-noble funeral they had improvised. However, the solemn and sad faces of the other servants and, above all, their words, made the funeral worthwhile to ease the hearts of all present. E77-Joyful Lands Apolo woke up and looked at the ceiling of his new carriage. Currently, the young noble was embarking on a journey to the Ring City. The purpose of the young man''s trip was to go to the store where he could buy the creatures recommended by his ancestor; at this point, that purchase was the most important thing in Apolo''s life. After what happened at the Ministry of Magic, Apolo was determined to regain his ancestors'' blessing : he didn''t want any more trouble! However, before going to the store of beasts and creatures, the young noble had to visit a clothing store to purchase attire suitable for a wizard. According to his ancestor''s letter, if he didn''t wear wizard clothing, the creature would become depressed. Therefore, for Apolo, it was crucial to make a good first impression on the creatures. To achieve that, it was essential to see them for the first time dressed as a true wizard. Upon waking up, Apolo looked out of the carriage window and observed how the residents of Ring City were coming and going on the streets, dealing with the "problems" of their busy lives, problems that seemed insignificant in his eyes. But they were important problems for these people, or else they wouldn''t bother to look at the faces of the people they crossed paths with on the street. The truth was that during this entire year living in the capital, Apolo had not traveled to Ring City on any occasion, so he still found it fascinating to watch the endless swarm of people aimlessly navigating the streets of this city. ¡ªAre we there yet?¡ªApolo asked aloud, the magical question that every adventurer tends to ask at least once on every journey. ¡ªWe''ve arrived; I''m looking for a place to park the carriage!¡ªMateo shouted from the driver''s seat. ¡ªAlright, stop then. I''ll go into the store, and I''ll find where you''ve parked later!¡ªApolo ordered from inside the carriage. ¡ªAs you wish, sir!¡ªMateo responded, stopping the carriage at the first opportunity. Apolo stepped out of the carriage and watched as all the people around him stopped to look at him. It seemed his height was quite striking, or perhaps it was because his carriage was the largest on the street. In any case, all passersby observed Apolo with curiosity, making the young man somewhat nervous. Apolo didn''t waste time posing for the onlookers, and to maintain good manners, he ran like a madman toward the clothing store. The store wasn''t particularly large and looked like an ordinary shop, except for the display window showing several mannequins moving and constantly posing in flashy outfits. The only indication of a name was an unusually small sign on the store''s door, which read:
"Lionel''s Fashion Store, Do Not Touch the Tailor."
To enter, Apolo had to duck his head and squeeze through the store''s door. Upon entering, the young noble immediately noticed that, to his dismay, the store''s rooms were not as tall as those in his spacious mansion. So, he was somewhat uncomfortable and had to constantly watch for decorations on the ceiling to avoid hitting his head. ¡ªHello, nice to meet you. My name is Lionel of the Joyful Lands, and I''m the tailor of this shop¡ªgreeted the tailor, moving his hand from a distance, trying to maintain some distance between his body and the customer''s¡ªWho are you? Apolo looked Lionel up and down. He was a man of no more than 40, quite plump but dressed glamorously, making his plumpness look aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, the tailor wore flashy white gloves on his hands and a veil on his face, so his skin was entirely covered, and only the outline of his body was visible. ¡ªI''m Apolo from the Black Forest¡ªcommented the young man, looking curiously around the store¡ªIsn''t this store a bit small for someone from the Joyful Lands family? Your family is known for splurging on crystals. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The Joyful Lands family, like Apolo''s, was one of the main noble families of high class in the empire. Their main title was the Duchy of the Joyful Lands, which could also be called the Reign of the Joyful Lands since, as mentioned earlier, this family was one of the realms under the "rule" of the emperor. The main reason they were a family to be feared was that they managed the largest portion of fertile land in the empire. This, coupled with years of good management, had made their realm the most populous and prosperous in the empire. Consequently, in terms of numbers, their military power was one of the most considerable. However, the nobles of the Joyful Lands family had never engaged in any combat, which was one of their major peculiarities. The Joyful Lands family was extremely pacifist, always striving to keep the empire away from wars and only participating in defensive wars. This had caused conflicts between this family and Apolo''s, but their relations were not bad; they were neutral or indifferent. ¡ªWell, you''re right; my store is somewhat small. But for the discerning eye, it''s a rare treasure in these times!¡ªLionel exclaimed energetically. Unfortunately, his face was hidden, so it was somewhat challenging to determine if Apolo''s comment had offended him or not¡ªBesides that, what brings you here? Are you looking for decorative armor? ¡ªNo, I''m looking for wizarding clothing, and it has to be traditional¡ªApolo replied cautiously, not wanting any trouble on this matter¡ªThe garments have to be identical to those worn 300 or 100 years ago. ¡ªThat''s quite unspecific...¡ªLionel muttered, stroking his chin¡ªI suppose you don''t know much about fashion, or am I wrong? ¡ªA little more than you might think...¡ªApolo replied, remembering that he had folded more clothes than he''d like to admit, although that wasn''t precisely an indicator of knowing about fashion. ¡ªFashion in the empire has changed a lot over time, and it''s changing even faster, especially in the capital. It''s quite challenging to figure out what you''re looking for because there have been several styles dominating the world of wizard fashion over the decades. ¡ªIsn''t it just a robe and that''s it?¡ªApolo asked with doubts. ¡ªNo, what the protocol of the honorary wizard title dictates is that all clothing must be black, just as for acolytes, all clothing must be white¡ªLionel corrected immediately¡ªAnd it''s strictly prohibited to wear blue or red clothing. The current fashion is robes, and it has been for almost 100 years, but in the past, other garments were used. ¡ªWhy not red or blue?¡ªApolo asked curiously. ¡ªBlue clothing is used on the day an archmage dies, while red attire is exclusively worn on the day after a wizard successfully becomes an archmage¡ªLionel replied¡ªAs you can see, the title of archmage is quite old, so the protocol is very strict, and wizards tend to adhere to it rigorously. ¡ªIs that so?¡ªApolo asked, astonished. ¡ªYou''re a wizard; you should be explaining to me what the archmage title means!¡ªLionel scolded, not caring much about basic manners. ¡ªIt''s something I became recently...¡ªApolo whispered, somewhat embarrassed. ¡ª"Ignorant people in important positions cause problems"¡ªLionel murmured, as if quoting a saying he frequently used¡ªIn any case, this title is known by almost everyone because, as I mentioned, it''s ancient, and the emperor is obligated to grant lands to whoever obtains it. ¡ªReally? But ultimately, they can''t have children, so it''s a somewhat foolish tradition: it''s just lending a bit of land for a few years and then it goes back to the emperor¡ªApolo noted, realizing the problem. ¡ªThey don''t need them; an archmage is a wizard who managed to extend his life. So, if he maintains his method, he lives until he gets bored¡ªLionel explained calmly while closely examining Apolo''s body, trying to imagine what clothes would look good on him¡ªAlthough, in part, you''re right: the reason it''s considered an honorary title and not an official one is that, as you mentioned, the lands aren''t inheritable, and neither is the title. ¡ªBy my ancestors, are you telling me they''re immortal?!¡ªApolo exclaimed, impressed by this discovery. ¡ªThen why would there be color protocols for when they die? Clearly, if you cut the throat of an archmage, they die just like most people¡ªLionel responded, stroking his chin¡ªMoreover, the condition is a bit simpler than being immortal; it''s just extending life once, not infinitely... But getting back to our topic, I think I have some somewhat old catalogs about the evolution of wizard fashion; we could look at them and see which of all the models meets your requirements. ¡ªLet''s do that...¡ªApolo said energetically, but in his mind, the young noble was worried, reflecting for the second time on why his ancestor had emphasized that being a wizard was a struggle against time. E78-La toga Apolo waited for Lionel to return with the catalog in one of the armchairs in the store. Luckily, the store had several armchairs, and some of them were quite exotic, so the young man managed to find an armchair where someone of his size could easily fit. After a few minutes of waiting, Lionel returned from the back of the store with a book in his hand. ¡ªWell, here we have it, the compilation of wizard fashion in the empire¡ªLionel commented, while moving one of his fingers to point at an armchair, causing it to levitate closer to Apolo. Then, Lionel comfortably sat in the armchair he had just arranged, and by raising his hand again, the tailor made the book levitate in front of Apolo, slowly flipping its pages until he found the one he was looking for. ¡ªHow amazing...¡ªApolo murmured. He had heard rumors about the remarkable ancestral abilities of the people from the joyful lands, but this was the first time he had seen it in person, and the ability was entirely striking. ¡ªThank you. Otherwise, as you can see, these were the clothing models used over 300 years ago¡ªLionel commented while explaining the content of the catalog''s pages. Meanwhile, the book continued to turn its pages on its own, following the tailor''s will¡ªAll of them share the same characteristic: the clothing is entirely black. However, as you can observe, over 300 years ago, tuxedos were used. But 200 years ago, togas came back into fashion, following the conservative ideas of the imperial house of that time. And 100 years ago, fashion embraced the modernism of the era, and we switched to tunics. Currently, we still use tunics. That''s the general overview; there are some variations. Fifty years ago, the general rule was to have a hood, but now nothing covers the head, and long beards are in fashion. ¡ªOh, I had forgotten about the appearance: the beard might be a problem...¡ªApolo said. He always kept his beard trimmed because beard hairs caused him itching, so at the moment, he desperately hoped he wouldn''t have to grow one. ¡ªSo, could you tell me more specifically the exact dates you''re looking for?¡ªLionel asked¡ªAnd why are you so particular about selecting your clothes? I''m quite curious; to be honest, you''re the first customer I''ve heard with such a demand. ¡ªProbably, I''m looking for a toga from 200 to 100 years in the past. The best would be a middle ground, like the fashion used 150 years ago, but including the key details from the fashion used 100 years ago, if there are any¡ªApolo replied. He was considering that the creature he was looking for had likely served a wizard its whole life. That could be anywhere from 125 to 250 years in the past, considering that was the average lifespan of someone very wealthy in the empire who had never been involved in the various wars of the time. However, Apolo also considered that the wizard probably obtained this creature in their adulthood, so he subtracted a few years from the possible date. The dates varied so much because depending on your bloodline and heritage, your life could be shorter or longer. For example, members of the imperial family only lived to a miserable 55 years at most, far below the empire''s average. As for Apolo''s family members, they might live no more than 100 years, even though the norm was to die before the age of 50 due to the family''s profession¡ªAs for the reason, it''s because I want to hire some creatures that require me to wear clothing similar to their former owner. ¡ªFor the love of my ancestors, you''re not thinking of adopting an old Gururi, are you?¡ªLionel asked with considerable concern¡ªIt''s a terrible idea; those creatures have the habit of killing their owners, and there''s a reason why real Gururis have been discontinued for almost 900 years. ¡ªThey''ve been discontinued? If they have, why do you know about them?¡ªApolo asked, feeling immense concern. The last thing he needed was to hear that these creatures had become extinct. After all, the letter given by his ancestor was over a millennium old, so it wasn''t impossible that something like that had happened over such a long time. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡ªBecause when a Gururi dies, it''s always taxidermied and placed as a statue in the house where it worked its whole life¡ªLionel replied¡ªThere are quite a few in my great-grandfather''s house. Not only do they bring good luck, but they even come to life again from time to time and fix things in the house at night. ¡ªBut can they still be obtained, or did they go extinct?¡ªApolo asked desperately. ¡ªWell, in principle, these creatures are products of wizards, not natural species¡ªLionel explained calmly¡ªSo they can''t go extinct. However, there probably aren''t any stores that produce them anymore, and I doubt you''ll find Gururis on the main street pet shops. Today, they use Goros, which are an improved version of Geros, which are in turn an improved version of Giri, which started from the extinct Gururis. In any case, as far as I know, poor people still use Gururis, although I''m quite sure they''re not the same as the ones you''re looking for, as the production of these creatures became illegal nearly 500 years ago when hardly anyone used them anymore. Plus, no poor person could satisfy the needs of Gururis. ¡ªBy any chance, do you know if there are still wizards who use these creatures?¡ªApolo asked with concern. If he couldn''t obtain an old Gururi previously owned by a wizard, it would be difficult to follow his ancestor''s instructions, as the letter stated that obtaining one was crucial. ¡ªI really doubt it, but who knows, Gururis are a much cheaper option than their improved counterparts, so there might be some budget-conscious wizards willing to employ them¡ªLionel replied, although his tone of voice didn''t sound very certain of what he was saying¡ªIn any case, keep in mind that they''ll probably try to kill you. But then again, you''re from the Black Forest, according to rumors, they can cut your head off, and you''ll come back to life, right? ¡ªSomething like that...¡ªApolo commented to himself¡ªWell, in any case, do you know of any breeding farm or store where I can buy them? ¡ªGo to the exotic animal breeding district, on the main street, they surely don''t sell them there. As I mentioned a few minutes ago, what is now known as gururis are employed by the poor, but I''m absolutely certain they''re not the same as my great-grandfather had, so it shouldn''t be what you''re looking for¡ªLionel responded¡ªAnyway, don''t be too concerned: in the Ring City, they sell everything, so you''ll surely find what you''re looking for. And if it''s not in this city, it''s because it''s impossible to get anywhere in the empire, so you can opt for more modern models. ¡ªI hope they''re still being sold; I really need them...¡ªApolo murmured with concern but also with some hope. After all, he had his ancestors on his side in this task, so he somehow believed it would be possible to achieve it. ¡ªWell, about the toga you''re looking for...¡ªLionel commented, flipping through the book''s pages until he reached the model used 150 years ago¡ªTogas are quite old, even older than tunics, so they emphasize tradition quite a bit. In this model, the toga was worn with a trophy. The trophy usually used was a feather in the color of your magician rank, which is the historical one, not the ones used in the empire. As you can see, the first rank is brown, the second is gold, the third is green, and the fourth is violet. Brown is used when you have no acolytes, gold when you have one, green when your acolyte is a magician without acolytes, and violet when your acolyte is a magician with acolytes. ¡ªSo, my trophy should be a brown feather!¡ªApolo exclaimed, recalling the complicated sequence of four easily forgettable colors¡ªIs there any other detail? ¡ªOne more thing, formerly magic was not an imperial matter, but each magician was responsible for passing on their "school" to selected acolytes¡ªLionel replied, reading from the book¡ªTherefore, each magician belonged to a school, and on their toga, there was always a golden emblem with the insignia of their school. ¡ªDo I have to design the emblem, or was there a school widely used throughout the empire?¡ªApolo asked. ¡ªYou have to design the emblem and draw it, or describe it if you can''t draw¡ªLionel replied energetically. It seemed that the tailor was quite excited about the idea of working on this project that aimed to revive the fashion of the past. ¡ªAlright, I''ll try to think of something and draw it. Anything else to consider?¡ªApolo asked. ¡ªYes, finally, this wizard attire has a very notable peculiarity: you can only wear it with sandals¡ªLionel replied. ¡ªSandals: oh, how I hate them!...¡ªApolo said to himself¡ªWell, anyway, make them; I want it to be as traditional as possible. ¡ªPerfect, then: let''s take your measurements!¡ªLionel exclaimed, conveying some enthusiasm and excitement to the worried Apolo. E79-Mystic Giant It had been a little over an hour, and finally, Apolo emerged from the shop wearing a quite daring all-black toga, with rather plain black sandals. On his chest, a not-so-large brown feather from some exotic bird, unknown to the young man, could be observed, alongside a golden emblem depicting a man holding his waist while extending his other palm to the sky: the wizard attire was complete! The actual work had been quite swift, thanks to Lionel''s exotic ability that allowed him to work with several instruments at once as they flew around the room. Apolo was genuinely amazed by the level of coordination the tailor demonstrated in handling so many things simultaneously with his peculiar skill. Upon stepping outside, Apolo felt a bit uncomfortable. This attire was a bit revealing for his more reserved taste. The upper half of his body was exposed, revealing one of his pectorals, while the other half was covered by the black fabric of the toga. Furthermore, he found the sandals rather uncomfortable, and he was well aware that if he had to run in this attire, it would be quite complicated. Not to mention if he happened to need to engage in a fight; Apolo wouldn''t be able to dodge anything without the fear of getting entangled in his own clothing. However, these were the necessary sacrifices to be in vogue from ancient times, so Apolo accepted the issues and tried to get used to it. The upside was that the toga at least looked beautiful and aesthetically suited him perfectly. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Apolo walked through the streets, attracting curious looks from people. Not only was he a giant now, but he was also dressed in ancient clothing, which made him even more mystical. Curious gazes started coming from across the street, too. Feeling so observed, Apolo felt the pressing need to run in search of the carriage. Despite that, the young nobleman reminded himself that these clothes cost him 250 crystals, and he could easily end up tearing them if he ran without being accustomed to them. So, Apolo restrained his impulsive urge and walked along the street until he found his abnormally large carriage. ¡ªYour new attire suits you quite well¡ª Mateo complimented automatically, but to his surprise, the clothes indeed looked good on him: if you had Apolo''s body, the best thing to wear was almost nothing. ¡ªThank you, head to the Beast Breeder''s Quarter¡ª Apolo said with concern. Now that he was less aware of the curious looks, he remembered that a rather serious problem had arisen with the creatures he so coveted. ¡ªWe could try our luck at one of the shops on the main streets; we''re quite close, and it would be a waste not to try¡ª Mateo suggested, taking out the red book with all the important addresses of the ring city to use as a memory aid. ¡ªIf it''s close, it''s better to go to that shop¡ª Apolo said, quite satisfied with the advice¡ªIn the worst case, we can reaffirm everything I was told. ¡ªYou seem worried; did they tell you something concerning?¡ª Mateo asked. ¡ªLet''s hope it''s nothing...¡ª Apolo replied quietly as he entered the carriage with some effort; still not quite used to this loose clothing. E80-The Imperial Store Following Mateo''s advice, Apolo headed to one of the shops on the main street to get his eagerly awaited Gururis, hoping that the information provided by the tailor was a bit exaggerated and that his plans wouldn''t be thwarted. As a consolation, the young noble knew he was in the Ring City, the city with the highest influx of traders in the entire empire. If something existed and was marketable, then it had to be in this city! Just as his servant had indicated, one of the most important shops for exotic creatures in the Ring City was quite close to the tailor''s shop he had visited. So, the young noble didn''t take long to reach the store. The exotic animal shop was truly enormous, occupying the space of almost ten stores combined. Its imposing size wasn''t the only thing indicating its prestige, as the sign above the large store doors was written in blue ink:
"Imperial Exotic Animal Store, owned by the Ministry of Fauna and Environment."
¡ªThe imperial family? I suppose the nobles in the capital really care about buying exotic animals for their gardens...¡ªApolo murmured, somewhat nervous. He didn''t like encountering important people, although in reality, he would probably be attended to by some ministry official, who were generally citizens of the Ring City, in other words: "nobodies". While Apolo struggled with his anxiety, the carriage arrived at the store''s entrance and stopped. This caused the young man to get out without wasting a second. The instant he opened the carriage door, the curious gazes of passersby reappeared. Summoning patience within himself, Apolo forced himself not to run and headed toward the store while scrutinizing people obsessively, as if he feared that at any moment, one of these people might jump and attack him. Fighting his urge to disperse all these curious onlookers with a loud shout, Apolo entered the store and was immediately greeted by a handsome man dressed in an elegant suit and a pair of white gloves. The handsome man bowed without asking the young man''s name, making it clear to Apolo that this person fortunately was not important. The man, with a well-practiced and elegant smile, continued his formal greeting, saying: ¡ªPleasure to meet you, my name is... ¡ªI don''t give a damn what your name is¡ª Apolo rudely interrupted¡ªNow, answer my question: do you sell the precious Gururis? I''m looking for two newborns and one old one. ¡ªWe only sell exotic and high-value creatures¡ª the employee replied with a smile, ignoring the young man''s insult. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡ªYou don''t seem very smart. I just asked if you sell Gururis, so answer my question¡ª Apolo replied, uncomfortable with the employee''s refusal. It was a bad sign, a horrible sign! ¡ªNo, young sir, we only sell Goros or Geros¡ª the employee replied, not losing his patience, showing that he was a professional in dealing with rude nobles. ¡ªBy my ancestors, why the hell don''t you sell Gururis?!¡ªApolo shouted, more desperate than angry. The last thing he needed was for the tailor''s words to become a reality. ¡ªBecause they are not the type of creatures that nobles would buy¡ª the employee replied, undisturbed by Apolo''s shouts. ¡ªI am a noble, the most important noble you''ll ever attend to in your miserable life as a commoner: brother of a future king! And I''m here waiting for you to sell me three damn Gururis!¡ªApolo yelled, spitting out all his saliva at the employee, causing his shout to reverberate throughout the store, making some animals startle in fear. Meanwhile, the other employees began to look at the employee who was serving Apolo with empathy; it seemed that this time, a rather difficult customer to satisfy had arrived¡ªNow, you useless lot, tell me before I send you to be impaled with your children''s bones up your ass, where the hell can I get the three Gururis I''m looking for?! ¡ªIn the neighborhood of creature breeders and animals...¡ª the employee replied without losing his smile, surprising the rest of the employees. The man was truly putting on a brilliant performance. ¡ªSo, they''re still available for purchase?¡ªApolo asked, changing his tone dramatically, grabbing the man''s shoulders, which, to him, were as small as those of a fairground dwarf. ¡ªYes, of course, Gururis are available, and they are quite common¡ª the employee replied with a slightly more genuine smile. ¡ªMay my ancestors bless you, good sir!¡ªApolo shouted, hugging the employee tightly as if he had been reunited with a long-lost brother, while the rest of the employees watched the situation in astonishment. Meanwhile, the employee being embraced smiled like an idiot at the wooden door, not knowing very well what to do to get this lunatic to stop hugging him. Apparently, this turn of events had exceeded all his expectations¡ªYou have no idea how long I''ve been waiting to acquire these noble creatures! And now, my hopes of successfully completing my search have been rekindled by your kind words. You are truly a great person. After lavishing praise from the bottom of his heart on this unknown employee, Apolo left the store under the stunned gaze of all the employees. When the door closed, and the young man left the store, a plump man with black eyes, completely bald and wearing only trousers, began to emerge from the very rock floor of the store as if it were water. Upon emerging, the plump man said to the still-stunned employee, looking at the closed door through which Apolo had left: ¡ªIt was very wise of you not to mention to the young man that what he was saying was nonsense. More than wise, it was a stroke of genius that saved your life. People from the Black Forest are known to wither those who anger them too much. And believe me, the emperor only applauds when he encounters dissected corpses. For this brilliant performance, you are promoted, Paris. ¡ªThank you very much, Minister!¡ªthe employee replied, coming out of his stupor and avoiding crying. He couldn''t believe that a nobleman had almost sent him to his death just for not having a few miserable Gururis in the store. E81-Long five months The almighty Time had claimed five whole months of Apolo''s life, yet cruelly, it had given him nothing in return. It seemed that the warnings of the tailor Lionel had not been in vain, for Apolo was truly finding it challenging to find what he sought. In reality, the great problem lay in something Apolo had wished to hear in the past. However, the young noble had never anticipated the consequences that this event could have on his plans. The pleasant news was that the Gururis were terribly cheap, and yet, this magnificent news had turned into a curse for the young noble. Being so inexpensive, Gururis were used by a wide range of people in the Ring City, including low-income families, novice traders, and artisans with limited resources. So, in reality, it was quite easy to obtain two newborn Gururis. Despite this seemingly good news, the truth was that what was obstructing Apolo''s plans was the fact that, due to their low cost, it was quite complicated, if not impossible, to find an old Gururi that had been used by a wizard. To the point where Apolo had spent a full five months specializing in the Gururi market to expand his chances of success, and yet he still saw no results. With the budget of a wizard and considering it was a one-time purchase for a lifetime, the general rule was to buy the most expensive option: the Goros. Although their price hovered around 10,000 crystals, they were still affordable for wizards who relied solely on the imperial budget and had no achievements. Such wizards would only need to save for a few years and work a bit in the Ministry of Magic. Nevertheless, if you were a wizard who was somewhat more conservative with expenses and not so concerned about preserving your noble status, you could opt to buy a Gero, priced at around 3,500 crystals. On the other hand, if you were a wizard who truly didn''t want to save or wait and had a budget somewhat consumed by other expenses, you could still obtain one of the older variants, such as the Giri, which were around 300 crystals. And lastly, if you were a wizard and also had the spirit of a miserable rat living inside you, you could opt to acquire Gururis, whose price ranged from 15 to 1 crystal, depending on their age. This range of accessible prices for everyone meant that practically any citizen of the Ring City could obtain a Gururi, and despite their significant flaws, they were actually very popular among the lower classes. However, a wizard was someone of high status and wealth, so it would be frowned upon if they purchased a Gururi, further diminishing Apolo''s chances. After these long months of research and learning about this vast market, Apolo had become the greatest Gururi specialist in the empire, and that was not an exaggeration. This "great" achievement was partly due to the fact that Apolo was probably the only citizen of the empire crazy and rich enough to spend an immense fortune on obtaining information about these creatures as cheap as three chickens. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. One thing was certain: Apolo was the only citizen of the empire who could treat the understanding of these creatures as a matter of life or death. After what had happened in the Ministry of Magic, acquiring Gururis had become an obsession for the young man. The best way to win the favor of his ancestors was to fulfill their last words to the letter, and at this moment, Apolo believed he needed to have the dead on his side to counterbalance all those he had offended. In total, Apolo had spent more than 4,000 crystals just to obtain information about these creatures. Which wasn''t particularly difficult because information about these creatures was quite abundant, although this "vital" knowledge was scattered and somewhat lost among the poor families of the Ring City. Among his acquisitions were everything from secret books that had fallen out of use over time to anecdotes from an elderly woman who had had a Gururi as a servant her whole life. For Apolo, all information was valuable, useful, and important. Fortunately, the people who had the most information about these strange creatures were the low-income families of the Ring City, who were quite easy to convince and were fascinated by the idea that if they could provide some useful information to this nobleman, they could get free crystals in exchange for an interview. Already, Apolo had the reputation of being the greatest scrap collector in the Ring City, and now it seemed he was striving to become the grand master of the poor servants'' market. At this point, the young noble''s name was gradually echoing through the alleys of the Ring City and was becoming a somewhat familiar figure. After all, the lives of nobles and the poor were divided by an immense wall, so the legend of a noble so interested in the lives of the poor was a rumor with the potential to spread like wildfire. For his part, the young noble also spent crystals to increase this fame, and above all, the goal of his search. In the end, the more people knew what he was looking for, the more likely it was that someone would voluntarily approach him to try to sell it. As for today, Apolo was heading towards one of the regions of the Ring City where supposedly the most important slave market in the empire was located. Although the creatures the young man was looking for were not considered slaves, there was still the possibility that they were sold alongside the slaves, as their use was very widespread. According to rumors that had reached Apolo, there were some slave shops that traded in these creatures. Given the complicated distances in the Ring City, Apolo had not returned to his mansion for five months. During these long months, the young noble had spent his time sleeping in the carriage or in temporary hotels, depending on the duration of his stay in the area. Fortunately, the carriage was quite large, and he had already prepared another carriage to carry the belongings he would use from time to time. Apolo was one hundred percent sure that he must be the only noble in this empire willing to endure such torture as living in a carriage so close to his mansion, but there was a problem that prevented him from returning and sending other servants to investigate for him. The reason was mainly that the knowledge to analyze a Gururi was quite complex to explain, and the second reason was that there were too many people trying to deceive him, and he had already been deceived several times. Therefore, the young noble had to personally verify each Gururi he purchased to see if it was indeed the coveted Gururi that had belonged to a wizard or if it was just another scam from some scoundrel. E82-Goros After a considerably long journey, Apolo''s carriage arrived at its destination, stopping in front of the gates of an immense store. The store occupied an entire block, although it wasn''t located on one of the main streets, so in these areas, it was easier to see stores of this size. The building itself resembled a fortress, and in each of the corners, you could see a watchtower with a guard wearing leather armor, seriously observing the inside of the building. It seemed to have no roof and was surrounded by imposing wooden walls over four meters high. Unlike the decorative armor of the guards at the capital''s gate, the guards at this store wore practical armor that showed signs of wear and tear, suggesting that this was an area of frequent conflict. And it was no wonder because the building was a slave auction and sales house. Apolo adjusted the gold ring on his hand and took a leather suitcase along with a slender black wooden cane with a beautiful gold handle in the shape of a sword''s pommel. With all preparations in place, Apolo proceeded to open the carriage door to step out onto the street. As soon as he set foot on the street, the young man immediately leaned on his cane and began walking at the slow pace of an elderly person, as if relying heavily on the cane for support. In truth, all this setup by the young noble was purely aesthetic. According to his research, this appearance mattered because the Gururi he sought had accompanied a magician throughout their life until old age, so the previous owner likely ended up using a cane. With deliberate slowness, Apolo made his way to the grand entrance of the store and observed as two guards approached and asked him: ¡ªPleasure to meet you, could you please... ¡ªShut it. I''m here to inspect your Goros. Go and fetch the one who hired me!¡ªApolo interrupted, staring intently at the guard. ¡ªSo, you''re Mr. Apolo? Aren''t you rather young?¡ªThe other guard asked, taken aback by the young man''s bad temper. ¡ªIf you know my name, then why keep me waiting...¡ªApolo complained. ¡ªSorry, please follow me, I''ll take you to the manager¡ªsaid one of the guards, not wanting to anger the "expert", Indeed, judging by the young man''s attire and the carriage he arrived in, he seemed extremely wealthy, so it would be odd for him to cause trouble. In silence, Apolo, taking all the time in the world, followed the guard. As he moved through the store, the young man looked around expectantly, hoping to encounter the creature he sought so eagerly. However, all he could see were enslaved individuals and various "races" of humanoids who, technically, were humans and therefore not considered animals or creatures. In fact, Apolo knew that all these humanoids were simple humans. But the ability granted by their blood made them appear so different from the majority of people that they were treated differently. It went to the extent that ignorant people believed they were an entirely different "race" from humans, similar to those described in fable and fantasy books, much like how "normal" people treated Apolo as a giant. Although the truth was that most malnourished people in the empire were barely more than five feet tall, so it was quite challenging to argue that someone like Apolo was a normal human. Unlike some members of his family who had truly grown as tall as trees. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. The guard continued to lead Apolo until they entered an office where a handsome man in a white suit was working, reading some files. ¡ªSir, the expert has arrived¡ªpresented the guard, indicating Apolo. ¡ªSo, you''re the renowned magician Apolo, the young expert¡ªcommented the manager with happiness as he left the books on his desk and looked at the young man with curiosity¡ªMy name is Nestor of Blue Beaches. ¡ªPleasure to meet you. Where are the creatures you want me to assess?¡ªApolo said with an expectant smile. ¡ªRight this way, follow me!¡ªNestor responded energetically, leaving his desk to guide Apolo to where they stored the merchandise. It didn''t take long for Apolo and Nestor to reach the basement of the store. In this area, various colorful creatures could be seen, some of which appeared to be quite dangerous. Despite the beauty of the creatures, the young man was disappointed; it seemed that there were no Gururis here either, at least not in this part of the store. However, it was understandable because all the creatures stored in the basement seemed to be exotic and expensive. After continuing to accompany Nestor for a few more minutes, Apolo finally saw the reason for his visit to this store: fifteen completely naked people were in cages in the distance. The cages had no basic amenities and were very small, so the people could only stand or sit, moving a little but not much more. Each cage had a bucket of water and another filled with oats. At first glance, it might seem like they were simple enslaved humans being tortured as part of some strange punishment. However, to the expert eyes of the young noble, it was obvious that they were not ordinary humans. Instead, they were the famous Goros he had come to inspect. The great aesthetic difference between Goros and normal humans was evident at a glance, as long as one was awake enough to doubt. The Goros were aesthetically perfect humans, similar to champions of legends. All the men in cages looked like battle-hardened warriors, and all the women looked breathtaking. Although they were not Gururis, Apolo had not lied to the guards. He was an expert in Gururis and, consequently, it had been very easy for him to become an expert in all their "evolutions". To Apolo''s surprise, there were very few experts on these creatures, and in general, hiring an expert was very expensive. After all, the average cost of a Goro was that of a house in the ring city. Although Apolo wasn''t surprised for too long, the young man knew that if one wanted to understand the evolutions of the Gururi race well, they first had to understand the Gururis themselves. This was a step that most other experts tended to skip. It could be quite challenging for a person to fully comprehend the Goros on their own. Since the market for experts was highly competitive, people within it did not usually teach others voluntarily. Additionally, information about the Goros cost fortunes that even Apolo could not afford in his lifetime. ¡ªFifteen Goros? Impressive, this is a rather large lot...¡ªApolo commented, carefully approaching one of the creatures in cages, observing their details. ¡ªYes, they belonged to a noble family that ran out of heirs¡ªNestor replied with happiness¡ªWe''re looking for an evaluation of each of them. ¡ªIt will be a pleasure¡ªApolo replied, trying to hide the smile on his face so that the creatures wouldn''t notice it. If all went well, he would earn a fortune today. It was the first time he had evaluated so many Goros at once¡ªWell, I''m going to start. It might take a few hours or even a few days. When is the auction? ¡ªIt''s a month away. If possible, we hope to take them to the general auction house¡ªNestor said. ¡ªOh, we''ll see. Hopefully, these Goros have the quality for you to register them in the general auction house¡ªApolo responded, slowly approaching one of the cages. E83-Inspection Apolo approached one of the creatures, walking as if he were an elderly man. His simulation was impeccable, as if he had been practicing it hundreds of times. As he neared the cage, the young noble carefully examined the eyes of the Goro in front of him. It resembled a human adult of about 30 years, with black hair and blue eyes. Seeing that the creature''s eyes didn''t emit a faint glow, Apolo proceeded to place his cane beside the cage and open the leather suitcase he had been carrying. He ordered the guards at the location: ¡ªOpen the cage of this Goro and then step back a few paces until the creature refocuses on observing my movements. Nestor had returned to his office to resume his work, so the guards were the only ones left to observe the evaluation process. As expected, the guards cooperated and followed Apolo''s instructions, opening the cage of the creature. Strangely, when the cage was opened, the creature inside didn''t escape, move, or make any sound. This demonstrated that it was not a normal human; no human would react so passively to the opening of their prison. As Apolo opened the compartments of his suitcase, he allowed the guards, who had stepped back a few paces, to see that it was filled with curious artifacts without an apparent purpose. Some objects even seemed to make no sense, like a teddy bear or an old newspaper. However, everything was so neatly packed within the suitcase''s compartments that it appeared as if all these miscellaneous objects had a function. Without wasting time and realizing that many hours of work lay ahead, Apolo put on leather gloves from his suitcase and removed a pair of rather complex glasses with different lenses. These lenses appeared to change visual capabilities, allowing them to be used for both large and tiny objects. ¡ªLet''s see, could you open your mouth?¡ªApolo asked with a smile, looking at the creature. ¡ª...¡ªHowever, the Goro remained silent, ignoring Apolo. Noticing the issue, Apolo took out a silver mask from his suitcase that had been passed down to him by one of his ancestors. Without delay, he put on the mask, stared at the creature, and, with a tone of hatred, slapped it while shouting: ¡ªOpen your damn mouth! ¡ª...¡ªBut the creature didn''t react and simply wiped the blood from its cheek. This puzzled the guards, as they could clearly deduce that the person working with the Goro was the expert. However, for some reason, their minds had been deceived for a few seconds. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªThis is getting complicated, and it''s only the first Goro...¡ªApolo muttered, taking off the mask, leaving the guards somewhat stunned. In their minds, for some reason, a mental gap had been created regarding the expert''s identity for a few seconds, until they clearly identified that it had only been a strange illusion. Although the guards managed to fill in the blanks in their minds, Apolo knew that the Goro couldn''t do that, making it a useful way to test how its previous owner treated it. With this information, Apolo could simulate the attitude of the previous owner to gain the creature''s trust and save himself from trouble, speeding up the inspection process. ¡ªWhat''s your name?¡ªApolo asked, holding the "man" in front of him by the cheek and looking into his eyes. ¡ª...¡ªBut the man didn''t speak and remained silent, responding to Apolo''s fixed gaze with an empty look, as if a part of him had died not long ago. ¡ªWhy isn''t he responding?¡ªOne of the guards asked, quite interested in the inspection process. ¡ªBecause he''s depressed...¡ªApolo responded in a low voice, searching for an artifact in his suitcase. ¡ªAnd how do you get him out of this state?¡ªThe guard asked. ¡ªYou don''t get him out of depression; Goro''s minds and bodies are reset when they are sold¡ªApolo explained calmly¡ªHe will completely forget his previous owners, and that''s when he''ll stop being depressed. A significant improvement compared to G¨¦ros, who are born and die with their memories and bodies intact. ¡ªAre their bodies reset too?¡ªSeveral guards asked at once, apparently, that question was of interest to everyone. ¡ªYes, a solution is given to both the buyer and the Goro; the Goro''s body bursts open, and a baby emerges from its belly, which will grow into the new body chosen by the buyer¡ªApolo commented without caring if the creature heard him, while taking out a jar of red sand from his suitcase. ¡ªHow impressive, they can be reborn...¡ªOne of the guards commented, looking with astonishment at how perfect these "humans" were¡ªSo, are they immortal? ¡ªNo, but more or less, yes, they are... sometimes... rarely¡ªApolo replied calmly, while dipping his finger into the jar of red sand, staining the tip of his glove with some red sand. ¡ªDepends on what?¡ªSeveral guards asked, shocked by the expert''s response. ¡ªIt depends on how expensive they really are¡ªApolo answered while approaching his hand to the creature and inserting his finger into its nostril, forcing it to inhale the sand on the glove. Before the guards could ask what Apolo was doing, the young man quietly ordered the creature: ¡ªNow, open your mouth. ¡ªAhhh...¡ªImmediately, the creature''s eyes emitted a faint gleam upon seeing Apolo, and it opened its mouth as it had been instructed. ¡ªLooks like we''re off to a good start...¡ªApolo muttered, putting his fingers inside the Goro''s mouth, noting that the creature''s teeth were not exactly perfect; in fact, they were quite sharp¡ªSee the teeth? ¡ªYes, it has several fangs, not just two...¡ªOne of the guards commented. ¡ªThat means it can still be reset; it''s a good sign¡ªApolo explained as he changed the lens of his glasses for a more precise examination. While opening the creature''s eyelids to examine them closely, he continued¡ªBut we still need to see more details to determine if we''re dealing with a gem or something common. E84-Another store, another opportunity It took a few days for Apolo to finish inspecting all the Goros. While conducting the inspection, the young man tried to find out if the store was selling Gururis, but it seemed they didn''t. However, Apolo got information that other stores in this commercial area might sell them second-hand. Currently, since Apolo had completed his task, he was heading to N¨¦stor''s office to report the completion of the task and also to give him the results. The young man didn''t take long to arrive and be attended to; it seemed the manager was already waiting for him. ¡ªHow did the evaluations go?¡ª N¨¦stor asked as he saw Apolo entering his office, seemingly impatient for the results. ¡ªWell, most of the Goros were very young; it''s evident that the family they served suddenly ended¡ª Apolo reported, taking out some scrolls and proceeding to seal them in front of N¨¦stor. Everything was official, and Apolo still didn''t act; he had obtained the seal from the Ministry of Fauna and Environment. Apparently, as a registered Mage in the empire, Apolo already fulfilled part of the conditions to officially verify these creatures, which were initially created by other Mages. Then, the young noble fulfilled the second part of the conditions after completing a couple of exams where he had to demonstrate his expertise in this field, and voila: a new expert had been born in the empire! ¡ªSo, the results are as follows: 10 young ones with two possible resets, 3 elderly with only one possible reset, and only two impossible to reset¡ª Apolo responded, sealing the papers with joy. Each little seal he placed on the sheet earned him a significant number of crystals, so the young man was smiling like an idiot at the moment. ¡ªWe''ll give you your percentage when the sale is completed¡ª N¨¦stor replied with a smile upon seeing the results. ¡ªOf course, you will, can''t you see what it says on the seal? Apolo of Black Forest¡ª the young man commented with a cheerful smile¡ªIf the crystals don''t appear, what will appear are your bodies hanging on the walls of my mansion, so I''m going to get something out of this trip; I''m sure of that! ¡ªHaha, don''t worry, we''re a trustworthy store¡ª N¨¦stor laughed nervously, even a hint of sweat on his face. ¡ªLet''s hope so...¡ª Apolo murmured, turning around and leaving the office to head to the store''s entrance. As soon as he left the store, the young man saw his loyal servant, Mateo, waiting for him in the carriage, everything already prepared to set out once again in pursuit of the long-awaited Gururi that could fulfill his ancestor''s last wish. A few minutes passed, and with the Goros affair finished, the young noble, without giving himself time to rest, was heading to one of the stores that had been mentioned during the inspection in hopes of trying his luck in this area. After a few hours of travel, Apolo spotted the store in question. It was considerably smaller than the store he had just attended, but its size was still significant, taking up a third of the block. It was made of unpainted red bricks, but its walls were covered in posters, so the red color was hardly visible. Surprisingly, every single poster had the same message written repeatedly, which was the store''s name:
"Faraway Isles Slave Shop"
Apolo stepped out of the carriage and stood gazing at the signs at the store''s entrance for a few minutes. ¡ªSeems a bit overdone, doesn''t it?¡ª Mateo asked, noticing that Apolo had been lost in appreciation of the mural filled with signs¡ªThey''ve literally gone all out, every brick is covered in a sign. Look, there are even some tiny ones on the floor; it''s like they have a grudge against bricks. ¡ªIt''s utterly ridiculous...¡ª Apolo muttered softly, more contemplatively than mockingly¡ªOh, perhaps it''s a sign from my ancestors, and this is the promised store... The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡ªThat''s possible too: Let''s hope you finally succeed, my lord!¡ª Mateo exclaimed, hoping so. From his perspective, if Apolo wanted to torture himself by living in a carriage, that was fine. The problem was that Apolo always dragged him into his rather eccentric adventures, despite having nearly 30 servants living in the mansion whom the young man could choose to suffer with. ¡ªYes, there are fewer stores left, and with them, our chances of success are diminishing...¡ª Apolo murmured with concern as he headed towards the store''s entrance. But immediately, he realized that a problem had arisen: the door was quite challenging to find because it was another giant sign with the store''s name. The only way to distinguish the door from the rest of the signs was that it had a brass doorknob. After nearly 20 minutes of searching for the door, Mateo finally found the brass doorknob, and Apolo could enter the store. Inside, Apolo noticed that the store was filled with caged slaves, although most of these people were ordinary humans, with only a few being slightly "humanoid" with the differences being minuscule, such as a slightly wider head or a missing pair of ears. Upon entering, one of the store guards looked at him attentively and asked: ¡ªExcuse me, what kind of slave are you looking for, sir? ¡ªI''m looking for Gururis, not slaves. I heard they sell second-hand ones here¡ªApolo replied immediately, showing how anxious he was at the moment. ¡ªAh, yes, we''ve acquired some recently¡ªcommented the guard, looking Apolo up and down. His clothing seemed too expensive to be genuinely seeking such inexpensive creatures. Not to mention that the simple gold knob on his cane must be worth more than all the Gururis they had in stock. ¡ªPleased to hear that. Could you guide me to the seller?¡ªApolo asked with a somewhat grotesque smile, interrupting the guard''s thoughts. ¡ªOf course, follow me¡ªresponded the guard, leading Apolo. As they walked through the aisles lined with cages, the young noble carefully observed the creatures. His main fear was encountering the Gururis in cages and making a bad first impression. So, Apolo walked delicately, simulating the steps of an elderly person, regardless of not yet seeing the creatures he longed for. After a few minutes of walking, they reached a room in the store where a burly, scar-covered man was counting crystals on a table rather obsessively. The man appeared to be over 40 years old, but his body was well-toned and well-kept, indicating regular training. Due to his scars and his current soldier''s attire, it seemed that he was a retired soldier. ¡ªNice to meet you¡ªApolo greeted, noticing that the person in front of him didn''t introduce himself. ¡ªHeard you''re looking for Gururis...¡ªthe burly man responded, avoiding the young man''s greeting¡ªOdysseus, take this young man to where the Gururis are. The price is 50 crystals each. ¡ª50 crystals? That''s a bit steep. What''s the reason for such an anomaly?¡ªApolo commented, trying to hide his excitement while still showing some nervousness. ¡ªThis batch is of old Gururis. Supposedly, some of them belonged to a noble in the capital, and others belonged to an experienced merchant, so they are well-trained¡ªresponded the ex-soldier, somewhat surprised that someone dressed so finely cared about so few crystals. ¡ªInteresting, very interesting...¡ªApolo said, wondering why a noble would buy Gururis. Were they from an old, traditionalist mage, just like what he had been looking for all this time? Apolo was an expert in the field and wasn''t so foolish as to disregard the advantages of the Gururis'' evolutions. Although he was an expert, the young man also knew the history of these incredible creatures, and their history was quite ancient, much older than the empire, much older than the druids, and their origin dated back to the time of the ancient wizards. Traditionally, Gururis had been the servants of the wizards, and this practice had been preserved for millennia, until in the last millennium, more marketable variants appeared for the nobles. These variants eliminated several of the disadvantages of the Gururis, but Apolo knew that they also created new ones. That''s why Apolo still had faith in his quest. It was quite likely that the old generation of wizards had Gururis as servants, just as the ancient wizards used to have them, as the wizards from 200 years ago were extremely traditionalists, and the use of toga as clothing had instilled this idea in Apolo. Although the young man doubted whether any of these wizards would be willing to waste the time he had wasted trying to solve the great problem that the passage of time had left behind. Nowadays, for several decades, there hasn''t been a single animal breeder in the entire empire who knew how to recreate the method of creating the "true" Gururis, as this method had been forgotten with disuse. ¡ªThis way, young man¡ªcommented the guard named Odysseus. As it was a sale for so few crystals, it was normal for the main seller not to bother getting up from his seat. But that didn''t matter to Apolo at all. In his mind, the young man could only think that maybe, just maybe, this could be the promised store. E85-The Fated Encounter Following the guard''s back, Apolo walked until he reached the back part of the store, which wasn''t covered. The cages housing the slaves in this area were completely rusted from the rain. It showed that the owner of this store didn''t care much about the slaves'' health, emphasizing the fact that they were the cheapest in his store. Each cage in this part of the store had two rusted metal buckets, one of them filled with a gelatinous substance that seemed to be food, while the other was filled with green liquid, which was actually just plain water. However, so many algae had grown in these buckets that the water inside had turned greenish, and it seemed that none of the store''s employees cared enough about these slaves to clean the algae out of the water buckets. Even more importantly, none of the store''s employees bothered to clean the cage floors, so they were covered in the excrement of the unfortunate slaves. This made the area smell so unpleasant that the young noble felt like vomiting. Despite this, Apolo restrained himself and continued his march in pursuit of his long-cherished dream. But the nobleman was finding it really difficult to continue, and it was no wonder. Unfortunately, Apolo spotted and smelled, as in one corner of the backyard of this store, a mountain of decomposing corpses could be found. These corpses appeared to belong to the slaves who had died before being sold. Apparently, the employees didn''t want to get rid of these corpses, as they would be used to feed the store''s animals. However, they seemed to have been left out in the open for too many days, as they emitted a not-so-pleasant fragrance. Despite all the filth and desolation he had to traverse, Apolo found himself looking at one of the rusted cages in the corner of the yard with tears in his eyes. In that cage, a creature with eyes soaked in green liquid was looking at Apolo. The creature in question was as ugly as a walking fetus. It had two arms and two legs like any human being but was as small as a human child. However, its skin was mucus green and covered in tumors that looked malignant. A yellowish pus was constantly oozing from some of these tumors, and its ears, nose, and lips were practically nonexistent. The creature was naked, showing that unlike humans, it seemed to lack private parts, and its stomach was somewhat transparent, so Apolo could easily see how the gelatin it had eaten a while ago was being digested in its stomach. This creature was the famous Gururi, and it was the embodiment of bad taste. Despite this, Apolo had stopped and was staring fixedly at the hideous creature in the distance, as if it were his own child. In the cages, there were several Gururis, but only one of them was staring at Apolo, and in turn, the young man was only looking at one of them: this one was special, he had recognized its attire! Apolo looked closely and noticed that the rest of the Gururis were ignoring him. He then remembered how the vendor had ignored him, and lastly, he remembered the unusual entry into the store that seemed to be an indication from his ancestors. This didn''t seem like an elaborate scam; this could really be his long-awaited Gururi! This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. With alarm bells ringing in his head, Apolo forced his performance as best as he could and approached the creature whose eyes were soaked and shining, looking at him as if he had finally reunited with an old companion. ¡ª I''ll buy this one; it seems to be the healthiest ¡ª Apolo indicated, pointing to the Gururi he was seeking. ¡ª Really? I think it''s the oldest of the bunch... ¡ª commented the guard, somewhat surprised by Apolo''s choice. This Gururi was the one that stank the most and had an odor similar to sulfur, which was extremely unpleasant. Based on his experience with these creatures, that crappy smell meant it was really old. ¡ª Here, take the crystals ¡ª Apolo replied, handing over fifty crystals to the guard as if he feared his offer would change. He had to be careful; the young man still didn''t know if this was the right one or a scam, but for fifty measly crystals, he preferred to be scammed than to ruin the verification process. ¡ª Thanks for coming to our store ¡ª the guard said, counting the crystals with happiness. These were the kinds of customers he liked to see: those who didn''t waste time negotiating with a long conversation and paid the specified amount right away. After verifying the number of crystals, the guard took the key from his waist and opened the cell, indicating to the Gururi: ¡ª You don''t belong to us anymore; this young man is your new master. ¡ª Don''t speak, and follow me to my carriage ¡ª Apolo ordered, seeing with absolute happiness how the Gururi was opening its mouth to try to speak. That meant the creature wasn''t depressed, which was a great sign. The Gururi obeyed and exited the cell to stand right behind Apolo. The young man, remembering the way, walked slowly while the Gururi followed him a few steps behind. Upon exiting the store, Apolo saw Mateo looking at him with joy. Although it wasn''t the first time the young man had brought a Gururi to be inspected more thoroughly, Apolo had only done it a few times. So, maybe this could be the last time he had to do it. Therefore, the servant''s torment would finally end, and he would be closer to returning to the comfort of the mansion. ¡ª You, get in the driver''s seat. Mateo, take us to a less crowded place ¡ª Apolo ordered as he entered the carriage. It was better to move away from the store to avoid any interruptions. Upon receiving the order, the Gururi looked at the driver''s seat and immediately disappeared, only to reappear sitting in the driver''s seat. He had indeed teleported. This was because Gururis and all their variations were naturally magical creatures of high magic. Unlike humans, who were naturally magical but of low magic, these definitions emphasized that human magic was very limited and had few practical uses, whereas a Gururi and any other high magic animal could use abilities that would be impossible for a human to achieve naturally. However, Gururis were created by mages, so they were naturally docile toward them and needed a master to live. That''s why their cages in the store were more decorative than useful: these creatures could leave whenever they wanted if they had their own will, but lacking the same, they couldn''t leave without their master''s command. Trying to endure the unpleasant smell of the Gururi beside him, Mateo gave the order to the horses to start moving, and the servant began looking for a quieter place as instructed by his master. E86-The ring. The carriage continued to roll for a few minutes along the streets, searching for an alley where Apolo could work in peace. As time passed and the carriage slowly approached its uncertain destination, Apolo observed with irritation through the window how the bustling lives of the people seemed never to come to a halt: there was always something hurrying their steps, and in the nobleman''s mind, these reasons always ended up being insignificant. Many thoughts raced through Apolo''s mind at this moment, but the one that tormented him the most was precisely this: Why were all these people in such a hurry from one place to another, as if their lives depended on it? Although the reason for his annoyance was rather ignoble and stemmed from the fact that the urgency of these people kept reminding the young mage of the big question in his head every time he had reached this point: What will I do after it''s all done? What was the next plan? Where were the instructions for the next "important" task that was worthy of him wasting his precious time? Was there anything worthwhile to start after having put in all this effort? Or was it a better idea to simply close the curtains on this grand theater and let the next act begin? Even though the truth was that these questions as such didn''t harm anyone unless you happened to be Apolo and didn''t have convincing answers to them by chance. For almost two years, the nobleman had followed the last words of a corpse as if they held the secret to happiness and a fulfilled life. But now, when he was so close to achieving his great goal, the big question was once again disrupting his life: What comes next? What will I do when the advice runs out? Had all this effort been worth it, or would it be just a waste of time? Are the other two ancestors who were mages and did nothing laughing at me or are they envious? Is this the right path, or am I just running towards the cliff? Does time even matter to me if I''m falling off the cliff? Do I have little time left, or is the little time I have too much? Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The questions in the young man''s mind were more numerous than the answers he could imagine, and what was even worse was that he couldn''t stop thinking about them. This was Apolo''s great race, his way of hurrying, the need to respond to that disturbing question of what he wasn''t doing and what he should start doing. And now that he was about to achieve his goals, the nobleman could see clearer than anyone else that his "great" goal was probably nothing more and nothing less than an insignificant excuse to deal with his lack of purpose. Apolo''s entire life was slipping away in front of his eyes as time caused his "great" goals to evaporate his initial motivations. Finding the cliff, becoming a mage, furnishing the mansion, finding the perfect Gururi, all excuses that consumed his life and left nothing in return but nothingness. In these brief moments of clarity where his only goal was to wait for the carriage to find a place, Apolo could clearly see these big problems, not as insignificant as his great achievements. However, the nobleman knew better than anyone that this would last only a short while, and sooner or later, the carriage would have to stop again. Then the young man''s life would return to normal, and he would have to rush towards some unimportant goal again, maybe taking care of the garden and completing the fourth counsel, or maybe finally worrying about the fifth counsel. The truth was, the young man had no idea where he was headed, but he was sure that something "big" would come again, and his life would be consumed as these "grandeur" achievements were completed. Nevertheless, the young man cared little for, or rather, condemned the great foolishness that accompanied him in carrying out all these meaningless goals and objectives, for Apolo knew all too well that time had never been lacking for a man who had started to despise its value. However, what annoyed, tortured, and troubled the nobleman was that now he had all the time in the world to ask and re-ask, until finally, he would suffer from his questions: What little time for so many achievements? Or too much time for so few achievements? Am I sure that life is being consumed by these goals, or do I need to start looking at things from another perspective? Aren''t these goals the ones extending my life? E87-The Legendary Green Fetus But all of Apolo''s questions were never given enough time to be answered because it was time to resume the show. The carriage had finally stopped, causing Apolo to impatiently open the door and step onto the street. Before him lay a deserted alley. Delicately, Apolo rested his cane on the ground and picked up his suitcase of instruments. He then looked at the driver''s seat and ordered: ¡ªCome down, I need to check you. The Gururi immediately teleported behind Apolo and followed the young man into the alley, while Mateo impatiently waited in the carriage, asking his ancestors for help once again. After advancing a little into the alley, Apolo opened his suitcase and took out the silver mask. After putting on the mask, he looked at the creature carefully and asked with a dominant voice: ¡ªServant, what''s your name? The creature hesitated for a few seconds before attempting to respond, but immediately Apolo removed the silver mask from his face, leaving the creature somewhat stunned and unable to recall the order very well. Apolo then put on the silver mask again and, taking his cane, struck the creature''s head, causing some green blood to ooze from its mouth. After seeing the blood, Apolo shouted angrily: ¡ªTell me your name, you piece of garbage, before I break your legs with this cane! The Gururi wiped the blood from its mouth with its little hands and hesitated again for a few seconds, causing Apolo to remove the silver mask, leaving the creature clutching its head, although its face showed no sign of pain. Without waiting for the poor creature to recover, Apolo put on the mask again and asked with a friendly smile: ¡ªNice to meet you, what''s your name, little brother? ¡ªZoe¡ªresponded the Gururi without any doubt. ¡ªWhat was the name of your previous master, and where was he from?¡ªApolo asked with an even more natural smile when he sensed that he had finally hit the right note. ¡ªAquiles from White Town¡ªanswered the Gururi, looking at Apolo with curiosity. ¡ªWhat a strange thing, who treats their servants like that? Besides, they gave you a woman''s name. Not that you have a gender, but any sane person would imagine this nature''s oddity as masculine...¡ªmurmured Apolo, regardless of the creature''s bewildered look, while he removed the silver mask. This caused the Gururi to almost fall to the ground in pain while some green blood flowed from its nose. However, from Apolo''s perspective, the creature''s face remained unchanged, so he simply watched as a little blood oozed from the Gururi''s nose. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Next, without putting on the silver mask, Apolo smiled at the creature again, wiping the blood from its nose, and cheerfully, almost singing, said: ¡ªNice to meet you, Zoe, I''m Apolo from the Black Forests. My stepbrother Aquiles talked a lot about you and told me to pick you up to take care of you in my house when he passed away. So now I''m your new master! ¡ªI didn''t know Aquiles had a brother!¡ªZoe exclaimed, opening its eyes wide as tears welled up. Seeing the green tears streaming from Zoe''s eyes, Apolo could tell that the creature was happy, apparently seduced by his clever deception. ¡ªIt''s because we have many years between us, so we didn''t talk much, but Aquiles told me wonderful things about you. He always mentioned how useful you were, but unfortunately, he never wanted to tell me what he was up to¡ªApolo said with the same energetic tone. ¡ªAchilles told you I was useful?!¡ªExclaimed the Gururi, wiping the mucus that began to flow from its nose. ¡ªVery useful: the most useful of all! That''s why he told me to come find you, although it took me a long time to locate you¡ªApolo explained with an increasingly joyful smile¡ªSo you should be happy! You''ve fulfilled your mission well, accompanying my stepbrother to the end of his days, and that''s earned you the fortune of having another excellent master. The Gururi spent some time wiping the tears from its eyes; strangely, it made no noise when it cried. But the young nobleman knew this was natural because these creatures couldn''t complain or show pain, even if they actually suffered. This made it very challenging for experts to distinguish their states of sadness. Still, it was easy to discern their positive emotions, such as joy: whenever they released fluids from any part of their bodies like their nose or eyes, it indicated happiness. ¡ªUnfortunately, Aquiles didn''t tell me the details of your relationship. Do you remember what he made you do, Zoe?¡ªApolo asked cheerfully, so much that it would scare any normal human being. ¡ªA butler, and occasionally, I helped with his research, but to him, I was always his favorite daughter¡ªanswered the Gururi, startling Apolo. ¡ªResearch, research, research, research...¡ªApolo muttered like a madman, looking at the creature in front of him with great care, as if it were not a walking fetus but the last panda alive on Earth¡ªDo you remember what my brother was working on, or have you forgotten? ¡ªI never forget, daddy was a magician: the greatest magician in the empire!¡ªthe Gururi replied with exaggerated pride. ¡ªOh, how nice...¡ªApolo commented roughly as he put on the silver mask again and removed his robe. Completely ignoring how the Gururi looked at him strangely, Apolo immediately ran naked down the street, shouting to the heavens: ¡ª I found it! Ancestors, I found it! I found the legendary Gururi! Bless me! Help me get what I deserve! And curse the miserable wizards who dare to cross my glorious path! Apolo ran and ran through the streets of the Ring City, ignoring how pedestrians on the street turned around in horror as a naked giant ran toward them. After running and shouting for a long time, Apolo became hoarse, and finally, he got tired of running in circles and returned to find Zoe, who was now staring blankly, as if her last hope had just abandoned her. E88-Breeders Apolo approached the Gururi to put on his toga again and took off the silver mask, noticing the creature''s lost look. ¡ªSeems like you''re a bit unwell, you seem a bit dazed¡ª Apolo commented with rather poorly feigned concern. ¡ªHuh? Yes, I could swear you disappeared and then reappeared...¡ª Zoe said, holding her head with her little hands. ¡ªIt''s because you''re getting old; it''ll pass¡ª Apolo replied calmly as he exited the alley¡ªNow we''re going to the breeders'' market to buy two little "friends" who will accompany you in your new life. Go ahead to the carriage. ¡ªOf course, I''ll wait there, master!¡ª Zoe replied, suddenly disappearing from the young noble''s view. Apolo, moving as slowly as an elderly man at the end of his days, walked toward the carriage until he encountered his faithful servant''s dazed look. ¡ªIs something wrong, Mateo?¡ª Apolo asked. ¡ªI could swear I forgot something important...¡ª Mateo replied, furrowing his brow, as if he were trying hard to remember what he had seen a naked giant running down the street like a lunatic just seconds ago. However, he couldn''t remember, or rather, he didn''t want to remember! ¡ªIf it were really that important, you''d remember it!¡ª Apolo said as he opened the carriage door¡ªDon''t dwell on it too much and head to the breeders'' district: we''ve finally found our great friend Zoe! ¡ªZoe?¡ª Mateo asked, but then he looked at the curious look of the creature beside him and understood what had happened¡ªAh... Zoe, we found her... what joy, so you''re a girl... what a surprise, I mean... it was obvious... ¡ªShe''s a Gururi; don''t pay too much attention to her name...¡ª Apolo replied as he got into the carriage¡ªShe just listens to my orders, and the rest will gradually be forgotten if you don''t waste your time remembering it: a great way to deal with many problems and also a potential cause of many problems. ¡ªYou''re a great expert, my lord!¡ª Mateo praised mechanically, using the reins to head to their new destination. The journey itself was quite long. After all, distances within the Ring City districts were even more daunting than in the capital, for obvious reasons related to a ring-shaped urban design. Although the primary factor hindering travel within the Ring City districts was the limited budget and imperial planning. While there were still some basic services, such as cemeteries and other structures, the truth was that the city''s growth had never been entirely organized. Services were an afterthought to its expansion, relying more on the goodwill of the current emperor than on anything planned and systematic. This led to many problems, including the obvious lack of imperial guards, poorly executed laws, urban overpopulation, crime, and, most annoying for Apolo, poor urban planning. In reality, to navigate within the ring city, one had to take many turns in circles and follow inconsistent paths. It was common to travel along a path for a while only to encounter a dead-end alley or a street where only a single carriage could fit, causing two carriages heading in opposite directions to block each other, making it challenging to maneuver carriages on these labyrinthine roads. Fortunately, it wasn''t impossible; most commercial neighborhoods had addressed the issue by constructing well-built roads. However, when one had to traverse a complicated area lacking the sponsorship of nobles and interested merchants, the story was entirely different. It was quite normal for Mateo to have to pay a street kid to guide him through such areas. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Nevertheless, Mateo didn''t seem concerned with the issue. He had been living in these streets for a few months, so he had already grown accustomed to these problems. In just a few days of travel, he managed to reach the breeders'' district, also known as the district of animals and exotic creatures. Unlike the slave market, this district was incredibly vast, with each shop occupying an entire block much larger than those in the other neighborhoods. The district was meticulously planned so that carriages of considerable size could enter and exit comfortably. Mateo even noticed that they had constructed a secondary road to exit the ring city, indicating the significant investment in this district, which made sense, as the management of living and incredibly valuable creatures always required a great deal of effort to make the business work. Mateo drove the carriage to a shop he was already familiar with. Apolo had taken great care to arrange everything regarding his Gururis, so the young man had pre-arranged with a breeder in this district to oversee the birth of his new two Gururis. Finally, the young noble could see from the carriage window two large open gates showing the inside of a shop. Like most shops in this district, it had no roof, so they looked like small private enclosures surrounded by wooden fences. After feeling the carriage stop, Apolo got out and ordered: ¡ªStay in the carriage and wait for me to return with our new friends. After giving the order, Apolo slowly made his way into the shop, carefully observing how several people were working, feeding and checking on the animals they had apparently just bought. The young noble didn''t have to spend much time inside the shop before a man dressed in a white shirt and white pants approached him, saying: ¡ªPleasure to meet you, Apolo. Did you come to pick up your Gururis? ¡ªI came to verify that you''ve kept your word¡ª Apolo replied without many pleasantries. The noble had spent almost 1000 crystals on this pair of Gururis, so he expected his expenses to be reflected in a successful outcome. In principle, paying such a price was an atomic exaggeration, but Apolo had requested that several things be done that were generally not done when "gestating" or "creating" Gururis. Basically, Apolo had requested that the traditional method of creating these creatures be followed, something that had been abandoned and lost for almost 900 years. Nowadays, all Gururis in the empire had been modified so that poor families could buy them, or rather, wanted to buy them. While initially the differences between the two Gururis weren''t "so" significant as those of their evolutions, they were differences that annoyed someone as obsessive as Apolo more than he cared to admit. The young noble had already resigned himself to the fact that the Gururis his ancestor had seen with his own eyes no longer existed in these times, so it was impossible to buy one that had been used by a mage and was identical to what his ancestor expected a Gururi to be. However, the story with the newborns was different: these would indeed be identical to what his ancestors had seen! Or Apolo would make sure to send a hit squad after all the idiots who had promised him something they couldn''t deliver in exchange for a thousand crystals. ¡ªWe followed your instructions to the letter and assigned a specialized breeder to carry out your request¡ª the breeder commented with a smile¡ªI assure you we will have good results. From our perspective as breeders of exotic creatures, we''re also interested in this project that aims to revive the ancient method of gestating Gururis. ¡ªWe''ll only know the result in a few minutes; there''s no need for premature judgments...¡ª Apolo muttered gruffly. E89-Looks well done Apolo followed the breeder through the shop until they reached a set of stairs leading down to the basement of the store. After descending the stairs, illuminated by white crystals at both ends of the walls, the young noble continued with the breeder down a narrow corridor scattered with stones and lined with several metal doors. It seemed that behind each of these metal doors was a breeding chamber for some exotic animals, as Apolo could hear a variety of animal cries coming from behind each of these doors. Apolo continued walking down the corridor until he finally arrived at a metal door with a wooden sign in the middle that read:
"Apolo of Black Forest"
¡ªBehind this door, your Gururis are incubating¡ª explained the breeder as he opened the door, revealing paradoxically another small corridor behind it. This corridor had clearly been improvised with wooden planks and was only a few meters long, leading to another wooden door at the end. This passage was illuminated by red crystals, casting a dim red light, much less intense than the warm white light in the corridor where Apolo currently stood. ¡ªYou may enter. The breeder assigned to your order is working inside¡ª said the breeder, retracing his steps and leaving Apolo alone in front of the wooden corridor. Apolo entered the small wooden corridor and closed the metal door, blocking the white light from entering the corridor where he was. Then, he headed towards the door at the end of the wooden corridor to catch a glimpse of the room where his Gururis were incubating. The inner room was also lit with dim red light and was large enough for a small mud pool to be in the middle of the room. Stirring the mud pool with a kind of shovel was a person wearing boots and a leather suit to avoid getting dirty with the mud on the floor. ¡ªI''ve come to collect my Gururis¡ª Apolo explained, looking closely at the mud pool. ¡ªAh, so the day has finally come for them to be born!¡ª commented the breeder with a forced smile, though it wasn''t very visible due to the low light in the room. After saying that, the man stopped stirring the mud and went to a corner of the room where there were several barrels. As he opened them, he remarked: ¡ªHere''s the activator. You have to... If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡ªI know what I have to do. I brought the ingredients and the instructions!¡ª Apolo interrupted, approaching the barrels to examine their contents carefully, completely ignoring whether he had offended the worker who was trying to advise him with good intentions¡ªIt seems like everything is here. You better have used "all" the ingredients I brought. ¡ªThey forced me to use them. I didn''t want to be involved in this shitty job!¡ª corrected the worker angrily, not hiding his feelings¡ªIf someone finds out what we did, we''ll all end up hanged! I still can''t understand how the idiot owner agreed to such a shitty job! ¡ªNo need to be so frightened. I''m a mage, and this creature has been created by mages for millennia. Do you really think someone will get upset because I''m trying to do my job properly?¡ª Apolo responded, looking at the worker as if what he had said was nonsense. ¡ªBut they will certainly get upset if they find out what we did in this room! Don''t tell me you think that just because you''re a mage, the emperor will allow you to kidnap children at your leisure?!¡ª the worker shouted in anger, waving his arms dramatically. It seemed the man had been holding back his disgust for this task for a long time and finally had the ultimate responsible person in front of him to complain to¡ªWe should have used a lamb, like we do with all the Gururis! ¡ªFirst, I didn''t kidnap anyone; those two children were sold to me. So blame the parents!¡ª Apolo responded, irritated by the man''s shouting, while he resumed inspecting the contents of the barrels, trying to ignore the worker''s disgusted look that was beginning to make him uncomfortable¡ªSecond, being a mage doesn''t give me the right to kill anyone, but those two children were my property, and as their owner, I can do as I please with them! ¡ªYou can''t enslave the citizens of the empire!¡ª the worker yelled angrily. ¡ªHuh? What do you mean you can''t?¡ª Apolo asked, completely surprised, stopping his inspection to look at the worker with astonishment¡ªWhere do you suppose they get so many slaves from? I just came from the neighborhood where they sell them, and the cages are bursting with those poor souls. ¡ªBut by my ancestors! How could the owner accept this idiot''s job?¡ª the worker exclaimed in anger¡ªThey''re bred from other slaves or taken from wars, but you can''t kidnap free people! ¡ªWell, it doesn''t matter. You don''t have to stress so much. You''ve already killed them, and that won''t change no matter how loudly you shout at me...¡ª Apolo replied, more concerned with avoiding the shouts than with the confessions of the man who was regretting what he had done. ¡ªYou killed them! I needed the money to feed my children¡ª complained the breeder, looking incredulously as he was ignored by the cruel noble¡ªDon''t you feel any remorse for what you did to Selena and Leandro? ¡ªWho?...Oh!...Those children? No, as I said, it''s the parents'' fault for accepting my crystals. I just made an offer, and they accepted it¡ª Apolo replied, ignoring the worker''s stunned look and instead taking a bit of the green gel from inside the barrel he was inspecting. With the gel in his hands, the young man let it trickle through his fingers as if to check its viscosity, while he commented with a smile on his face: ¡ªIt seems to be well done, excellent work... E90-Birth After finishing inspecting the contents of the barrels, Apolo turned around, ignoring the still disturbed look on the worker''s face, and gazed at the mud puddle in the middle of the room. ¡ªHow long have they been incubating? ¡ªTwo months. We used retardant to prevent the eggs from hatching¡ª the worker replied resignedly. In reality, he had done most of the work, the pay was good, and there were enough crystals to change the future for his children. So, it no longer made sense for him to condemn himself for things that couldn''t be changed. He understood it was better to act like the heartless wizard in front of him and concentrate on finishing this dark work once and for all. ¡ªIt seems everything is ready. I''ll start activating them. Start stirring!¡ªApolo ordered, lifting one of the barrels in the room with ease to pour the thick gel into the mud puddle. As soon as the mud mixed with the gel, it began releasing nauseating bubbles, causing Apolo to smile with satisfaction. He proceeded to pour the contents from the rest of the barrels into the mud puddle while the worker skillfully stirred the mixture, ensuring everything blended well. As the mud continued to stir, more bubbles appeared, and a thick yellowish foam started to form on the surface of the puddle. The foam and bubbles mixed and began floating through the air, filling a good portion of the room, while the man kept stirring the mud intensely. ¡ªThe eggs are about to resurface!¡ªthe worker shouted, pausing his stirring. Without wasting a second, he rushed to Apolo and handed him a paddle to stir, urging him: ¡ªHere, stir until the eggs come out. They can only... ¡ªI know. Get out of the damn room!¡ªApolo interrupted, snatching the paddle from the worker''s hands and immediately resuming the vigorous stirring of the mud. Without taking a final opportunity to curse Apolo, the disgruntled worker ran out of the room and left. A few minutes later, two large spheres emerged from the depths of the mud puddle at the same time. Apolo stopped stirring and watched as the spheres slowly began to deform, as if something were trying to emerge from within. Apolo looked at the two mud-covered spheres with concern. If one of the Gururis emerged incorrectly, he would have to kill them and start all over again, losing more than a month of his life in the process. Therefore, the young noble was fervently hoping that the disgruntled worker had followed his instructions to the letter, like a true professional, during the month when the Gururis were developing. After a few more minutes, one of the eggs finally began to open, and a muddy hand emerged from the shell. Immediately, Apolo stepped forward and struck the hand with the paddle, causing the creature to retract its hand back into the egg. They had to come out at the same time; otherwise, there would be serious problems. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Several more minutes passed before the other egg began to open. That''s when Apolo used the paddle to force the Gururi, who had been hiding inside its egg out of fear of being struck, to come out. As the two creatures emerged from their eggs, the first thing they did was to start wiping the mud off their faces as if it were bothering them. Meanwhile, Apolo had left the paddle to pick up the black staff he had left leaning against one of the room''s walls before the entire process began. With the staff in his hand, the young noble approached the creatures cautiously, expecting what he already knew had to happen. After wiping the mud off their faces, the two Gururis looked at each other as if it were a way of communicating. Then, they looked at Apolo and turned their heads simultaneously to look at him again. They seemed to be naturally coordinated, and it was quite remarkable to see the level of coordination they had. Immediately and without making any noise, the two Gururis leaped toward Apolo, baring their sharp teeth. Instead of being frightened, Apolo smiled like a maniac as he saw his Gururis trying to attack him. Without wasting a second and showing a skill rarely seen in a human, Apolo wielded his staff and struck the creatures'' heads with the golden knob, causing them to retreat. These Gururis were also the size of a child, so when they received Apolo''s blow, they fell into the mud, somewhat dazed. Faced with the unknown danger, the two creatures instinctively tried to get up from the mud. However, before they could manage to do so, Apolo delivered another powerful blow to the head of one of the Gururis, causing it to fall back into the mud. This process continued for a few minutes until one of the Gururis stopped trying to get up and accepted lying face down in the mud. Shortly after, the other creature also grew tired of receiving blows and followed suit, lying face down in the mud. ¡ªI am your master!¡ªApolo shouted angrily, making his voice echo throughout the room¡ªI am the one who tells you when to get up, and if I don''t tell you, you will stay in the mud until you die of old age! Do you understand what I said? Several minutes passed, and the two Gururis did not respond. With some concern but not wanting to lose his dominant tone, Apolo asked again: ¡ªI order you to answer. Do you understand what I said? ¡ªYes¡ª one of the Gururis replied. ¡ªYes, master. Speak properly, abomination of nature!¡ªApolo shouted, delivering a blow to the Gururi who had spoken, pretending to be angry while trying to hide his happiness. During the gestation of the creature, the breeder had to speak to the mud so that the creature would be born speaking his language. It was essential for Apolo to verify that this step had been completed and that his Gururis could speak. ¡ªYes, master¡ª the Gururi replied, sobbing with a runny nose, showing a clear difference from the old Gururi. The original Gururis could show negative emotions like crying or feeling pain and generally exhibited more human-like behavior such as hatred and resentment. ¡ªAren''t you going to answer? Filthy creature!¡ªApolo shouted angrily, delivering an disproportionately strong blow to the Gururi on the ground, causing it to wriggle in pain in the mud. ¡ªYes, master¡ª the other Gururi replied, tears streaming down its face. ¡ªGood. Now that you understand I am the master, it''s time for you to leave this filthy pigsty and see my mansion¡ª Apolo commented. He knew that the deal with these Guriris didn''t matter much; they wouldn''t get depressed because he was their first master. However, these Gururis weren''t like the ones sold on the street; they were the ancient ones, the ones who would easily conspire to kill you while you slept if you didn''t follow some basic but extremely important rules of coexistence, which were not exactly "basic" for a human but were for these creatures. E91-Gifts Apolo exited the room where the creatures had been born, walking slowly. Whenever one of the Gururis tried to walk a little faster, trying to outpace the noble''s steps, the young man would give them a whack with a cane, forcing them to take a few steps back. After a few whacks, the creatures realized they had to walk behind Apolo and stopped trying to walk faster than him. Upon exiting the intermediate corridor, Apolo encountered the breeder who had taken care of his Gururis in the stone hallway. ¡ªDid they come out alright?¡ªthe worker asked, looking at the two mud-covered creatures. ¡ªFor now, everything is in order¡ªApolo replied calmly¡ªBut I have to clean the mud off them and make sure they are complete. ¡ªOf course, come this way¡ªthe worker said hurriedly, wanting to finish this task as quickly as possible. Apolo and the breeder left the basement of the store and headed towards the top of the shop. After walking a few minutes, Apolo could see a fairly large bucket of water, almost the size of a small pool. ¡ªGet in and clean the mud off yourselves!¡ªApolo ordered with determination. The two Gururis heard the order and slowly passed by Apolo''s side as if they were afraid of receiving another whack. Seeing that the young man didn''t hit them, the two poor creatures continued walking a little more calmly until they approached the edge of the bucket. However, they hesitated to get in when they saw that it was filled with water. ¡ªDon''t hesitate, follow my order without thinking!¡ªApolo shouted angrily, noticing that the creatures were frightened and didn''t intend to follow his orders. However, the two Gururis seemed too scared to get into the bucket, and they continued to ignore Apolo''s command. Seeing that his creatures weren''t obeying him, Apolo completely lost his patience. He grabbed one of the Gururis by the neck and violently threw it into the pool. Then, he pulled the unfortunate Gururi to the surface and, as if it were a dirty shirt to be cleaned, he began to dunk it violently in the water until the Gururi was completely clean. Afterward, the young noble threw the creature onto the floor carelessly, causing it to crash against the ground. *Cough, cough, cough*...Immediately, the Gururi began to cough forcefully, as if it were trying to get the water out of its lungs to survive the traumatic experience. ¡ªBy my ancestors, you are heartless! How can you treat an innocent creature like this? You piece of shit!¡ªthe breeder complained immediately as he approached the Gururi coughing on the ground, helping it to recover. Meanwhile, the other workers in the shop, who had approached in shock at the violence of Apolo, also looked at the young man''s actions with disgust. They all worked with creatures every day, so they obviously had a particularly strong bond with them, and they were extremely upset by the mistreatment carried out by the noble. However, no one dared to speak out like the breeder who was standing next to Apolo. He seemed to have been born with a spirit and courage rarely seen in this empire. Ignoring the angry glares of the crowd, Apolo noticed that the other Gururi was wisely moving away from the bucket, taking small steps backward. The young noble skillfully grabbed it by the neck and, without giving it time to protest, began to dunk it up and down in the water until it was completely clean. Maliciously, he tossed the Gururi onto the other Gururi, making them collide, although Apolo deliberately prevented it from colliding with the breeder who was trying to help them. Apolo looked at the two creatures angrily and shouted at the top of his lungs, causing the angry workers to cover their ears and the creatures in the shop to start screaming in panic: ¡ªNext time you take your time to obey my orders and waste my time, *Cough, cough, cough*...However, the Gururis ignored the shout and continued to cough forcefully, more concerned with fighting for their lives than listening to what the giant had just yelled. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªBut can''t you see that you almost drowned them? What the hell is wrong with you to ignore these newborns'' suffering? You piece of shit!¡ªthe worker shouted angrily, unable to tolerate the abuse he had just witnessed. His heart had already suffered too much this day, but this act of brutality was the last straw. Imagining the suffering that lay ahead for the poor creatures, the worker was doing his best not to lose control and try to protect the innocent creatures from Apolo. He knew his efforts would be in vain. Unfortunately, destiny was cruel, and it had turned this wretch into a wizard, while he had to fight every day to secure a better future for his children as a simple worker. His heart had resigned itself to the cruel truth: life was like this in this cruel empire, and there was no room for a worker to reason with an important person. It would be even less possible to confront him if an evil writer was collaborating with this wretch, making him the protagonist of his story. So, the worker clenched his fists and tried to imagine the great future he could give to his children after completing this task. ¡ªOf course, I see them, they''re perfect! These Gururis are perfect!¡ªApolo said with a smile, completely ignoring the worker''s anger, as he looked carefully at the two creatures. These Gururis were radically different from the old one Apolo had bought and the ones commonly seen on the street. While both types of Gururis were roughly the size of a child and had a humanoid body, the main difference between the two types of creatures was that their skin was not green and full of tumors. Instead, the skin of these two Gururis was a pale pink color. Additionally, these Gururis didn''t have a transparent belly, and they didn''t emit a constant foul odor. Another major difference was that these two creatures had a long, pointed nose very similar to Apolo''s, along with slightly elongated ears and lips like any common person. On the other hand, their eyes were completely red, and their teeth were yellowish and sharp. Their bodies were a bit thinner than that of a normal Gururi. So, one could say that these two Gururis were much more similar to a normal human. This partly explained why their evolutions had reached the point of becoming perfect humans. ¡ªYou kept your word; congratulations on saving yourselves¡ªApolo said, stepping away from the shop. But instantly, he noticed that the two Gururis weren''t following him and were instead looking at him with hatred as they tried to recover¡ªWhat are you waiting for? Come with your master. You deserve a better life than these idiots! Having given the order, Apolo proceeded to head towards his carriage, ignoring whether or not he was followed by his two creatures. The only thing on his mind was that if the creatures didn''t follow him, he would make another pair of Gururis whose heads wouldn''t "fail". The truth was that Apolo could treat the creatures better, and that was a fact. But the young man refused to "spoil" them and have to pretend his entire life to have a relationship he had never had with his servants. So, he decided to be a bit more unhappy than usual today, in the hope that the Gururis would get used to the fact that there were no kind words or gratitude for their work. Or maybe not, perhaps it was just the musings of a writer trying to save the soul of one of his characters. But fortunately, this was a question that the reader could answer after a few more pages, so there was no reason to delve into it at this moment, and the story could continue as usual: without the writer''s annoying interruptions! To the fortune of the two innocent and poor creatures, they decided to obey the order and followed Apolo out of the shop. After a few steps, the trio reached the carriage, where Mateo was waiting eagerly. It seemed that the man had already gotten used to the smell of the little creature next to him and could celebrate the beginning of the end of this abominable torture. ¡ªAre we ready yet?¡ªMateo asked impatiently. ¡ªAlmost, we just need to have the first meeting and formalize our lovely relationship¡ªApolo commented almost singing with a big smile on his face as he opened his carriage and took out a suitcase he had prepared for a long time for when this day came¡ªZoe, my favorite niece, come down here; I need to introduce you to your two new siblings... Immediately, Zoe teleported next to Apolo and looked at the two Gururis she had just met with friendly curiosity. In contrast, the other two Gururis looked at Zoe, then at each other, and then back at Zoe with a malicious look on their faces, as if they were looking to kill her at the first opportunity. In their minds, it was already too much to have to deal with a master; they had even less desire to put up with an idiot. ¡ªWell, since this is the beginning of our beautiful family, it''s time for all of you to receive a big gift from me¡ªApolo said, almost singing, with a big smile on his face as he looked at Zoe. Then, as if he had bipolar disorder, the young man gave the other two creatures a cold, stern look and said with his usual hoarse voice: ¡ªGrab them! Apolo threw the suitcase at the two Gururis, causing them to stumble on the ground. He then explained with some pride in his voice: ¡ªIn the suitcase is the clothing you''ll wear as my new apprentices. From now on, you''ll be students of a magician. Each piece has a patch with a name, and that will be the name you respond to from now on. In time, you''ll come to appreciate that you''re lucky to have me as your master and learn to live a life of comfort that you could never have lived when you were two children with bad parents. E92-Back Home Logically, the Gururis didn''t remember their previous lives, or it would create too many problems that the wizards didn''t want to deal with. Therefore, the two creatures didn''t quite understand what the young man was trying to tell them. Although the young man knew that the Gururis wouldn''t understand, as a skilled butcher trained to kill from birth, Apolo occasionally needed to justify himself, so he ended up letting out the comment that had been on his mind for a while. Gururis children tended to be more demanding and less submissive, so Apolo knew he had to provide them with certain human comforts, like clothing and a name. In contrast, the pink Gururis had several advantages; for example, they had much more initiative than today''s Gururis and often acted on their own if they sensed a problem in their environment. On the other hand, the green Gururis, originating from lambs, followed their natural instincts, preferring to passively accept their surroundings and avoid unnecessary trouble, even if it meant that a massive problem was developing for Apolo in the given environment. On the other hand, the reason the house had to be furnished wasn''t because they originated from humans, but because of the dust released by the other creature that was necessary in the Gururis'' creation process. The creature from which their dust was collected was a high-level magical creature that was usually found in the abandoned furniture of old houses. So, the pink Gururis also acquired this paranoia and felt uncomfortable when there were no furnishings to explore for a long time. This paranoia escalated to the point that the pink Gururis would become extremely aggressive and conspire to kill the owner of the house to change the situation, which was usually the magician who had created them. Improved or current versions of Gururis were produced with a completely different creature that lived in some swamps of the empire. These creatures were not only much easier to find and therefore cheaper but also had the advantage of eliminating this paranoia and producing other issues like constantly smelling foul. Although the more modern versions lost this paranoia and replaced it with other problems that were easier for most nobles to accept. Lastly, the aggressiveness of the Gururi towards their peers was quite different between the two races, and this was because the creatures that lived in abandoned furniture were very territorial, so they couldn''t coexist with their own kind. In contrast, the swamp creature grew in very large herds, so they needed to have other creatures around them to interact with. This resulted in the pink Gururis being aggressive towards each other, while Zoe was friendly with them. To ensure that the two pink Gururis didn''t kill each other, certain conditions had to be met, which Apolo had researched in advance. This was partly why buying a pair of these creatures in ancient times cost a small fortune. The key condition was that two human twins had to be sacrificed at once. This significantly raised the price because it was very difficult to find two children with these characteristics when there were many magicians and nobles searching for them. However, in modern times, things had changed, and apparently, the demand for these children had dropped significantly over the decades. Nevertheless, despite this hostility among the pink Gururis, it was still possible to have an older Gururi with a younger one or two younger ones if they met the conditions, as the creature living in furniture naturally grew with its mother until she died, and then she inherited the furniture from her mother. Therefore, that instinctive relationship that the pink Gururis had could be simulated, as long as the other Gururi was old enough and had the skill to defend against the younger ones and the will and instinct to adopt them. But in Zoe''s particular case, the will was already innate, as she wasn''t a pink Gururi. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. While the writer spewed this extensive lore explanation about these incredible and curious creatures, Apolo watched as the pink Gururis opened the suitcase to inspect its contents. Inside the suitcase were three sets of white robes, child-sized and identical to those Apolo wore, although the trophy, which was a white quill, was embroidered in white. The clothing was incredibly fine, and it seemed like Apolo had hired the same tailor who had made his own clothing to create these robes. Also inside the suitcase were white sandals similar to the ones Apolo wore, and finally, in addition to the sets of clothing, there was a single small cane that appeared to be made for a child to use. It was white with a gold pommel, just like Apolo''s. Upon realizing there was only one cane, the two pink Gururis fought over it, but Apolo stopped them with a couple of strikes. ¡ªNever fight in front of my eyes! The cane belongs to Zoe, and she will have it until you two manage to learn everything from her!¡ªApolo shouted with anger. With joy, Zoe picked up the little cane and looked around, not quite comprehending why the other two Gururis were staring at her with intense hatred. It seemed that if it weren''t for Apolo, they would have attacked her a while ago. ¡ªZoe, when they try to attack you, use the cane to knock some sense into them!¡ªApolo instructed, looking at the green Gururi with concern. ¡ªYes, Master¡ªZoe replied, not fully understanding the command or why her new siblings would want to attack her. Resigned to not getting the cane, the two pink Gururis approached and took the robe that seemed prettiest in their eyes and started to put on the clothes with some difficulty. Finally, only one set of clothes was left in the suitcase, so when Apolo saw that Zoe didn''t have the initiative to wear it, he ordered: ¡ªPut on the clothes just like the other two. Following the order, Zoe, who was more experienced than the other two Gururis, made the clothing disappear, and when Apolo realized where it had gone, he saw that Zoe was already wearing it. The clothing was identical to what Apolo wore but white, yet there was still a slight difference: each garment had a name patch on it. Zoe''s clothing patch looked improvised and not as pretty as the patches on the other two sets of white robes, which is why the pink Gururis had discarded it as their first choice. As for the clothing sets chosen by the other two Gururis, they each had a patch embroidered with two names: Aquiles and Nicol¨¢s. ¡ªPerfect: Zoe is the green one. Aquiles is the one with the big nose and pink skin, while Nicol¨¢s is the one with small ears and pink skin,¡ªApolo commented as he tried to remember. The truth was that the nobleman was terrible at remembering names, so he had ordered these patches to help him with this mission¡ªIn any case, let''s get moving: all three of you go to the driver''s seat of one of the two carriages, and Mateo, take us back to the mansion! ¡ªAs you command!¡ªMateo exclaimed, trying not to cry. It had been five long and hard months living in this carriage, so the man couldn''t bear the thought of enduring this "punishment" any longer. While he had become accustomed to being a driver, the truth was that he had mentally prepared himself to become the next butler, and having so many servants under his command didn''t make sense for him to suffer this infernal "punishment". However, Apolo thought differently and had assigned him this task. E93-The Proposal The days passed until finally Apolo could see in the distance an entrance that seemed familiar: he had arrived at his mansion! With bright, expectant eyes filled with excitement, the young nobleman waited to see how his new Gururis would react when they saw the place where they would live for the rest of their lives. On the other hand, Mateo gazed longingly at the trees along the road, reminding himself that as soon as he stepped away from his lord''s sight, he had to find one of the servants to make him the best driver this empire had ever known, swearing never to touch this infernal carriage again! After a few minutes, the carriage finally reached the grand roundabout with the gigantic tree in the center that led to the entrance of the mansion itself. Being informed that Apolo was about to return to the mansion, Orrin had given the order to gather all the servants at the mansion''s door to greet their lord as soon as the young nobleman stepped out of his carriage. So, at this moment, the loyal butler was on the stairs leading to the mansion''s entrance, hoping to reunite with his son and Apolo, whom he hadn''t seen for almost half a year. In the attentive view of all the servants in the hall, the carriage turned the roundabout and parked near the stairs leading to the mansion''s entrance. With the carriage stopped, Apolo calmly stepped out of his carriage and looked at his servants, noticing with surprise that he only recognized Orrin, while the rest of the servants had completely unrecognizable faces. Although Apolo had the memory of a fish and didn''t know the names of any of his servants except Orrin and Mateo, at least he could remember the faces of these poor souls. Despite that, the young nobleman noticed that all these servants had new faces. ¡ªHave we changed the staff?¡ªApolo asked, unable to hide his doubts. ¡ªFollowing your arrangements, we found better positions for the previous faithful servants as a reward after finishing furnishing the mansion, my lord¡ªOrrin replied with more sadness than joy, delivering this theoretically positive news. ¡ªOh, so we finally managed to get them those jobs: How delightful!¡ªApolo exclaimed, remembering that this was the phrase his butler used every time one of his servants kicked the bucket due to the blue plague or when one of them disappeared after suffering an accident in the mansion¡ªIt''s a pleasure to meet all of you; I hope you enjoy your stay in my mansion. Well, now that we''re all together, we can take the opportunity to perform the changing of positions ceremony. After saying that, Apolo pulled out a rolled parchment he had prepared for a long time from his pocket and with unprecedented dignity ordered: ¡ªMateo, get down from the carriage and kneel before me! ¡ªHuh?¡ªMateo exclaimed, looking like an idiot at Apolo. At this moment, the man was trying to get down from the driver''s seat, which in this abnormally large carriage was quite high. His behind was already in considerable pain from sitting for so long, so he had clearly seized the first opportunity to try and stretch his legs. Apolo''s command caught him in an extremely uncomfortable moment under the watchful eyes of all the new servants. After a few seconds processing the order in his brain and seeing the seriousness with which his father was looking at him, Mateo finally understood that the time had come for him to inherit the position of butler. So, the man hurriedly got down from the carriage and summoned the strength to disguise the already noticeable tiredness in his body. With firm steps and under his father''s watchful gaze, Mateo approached Apolo and knelt before him, as protocol dictated in the empire. Looking at Orrin with happiness, Apolo placed the rolled parchment on Mateo''s forehead and recited slowly and loudly enough for everyone to hear what he had to say: The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡ªI, the wizard Apolo of the Black Forest, release my loyal servant Orrin from the duties of a butler... ¡ªAs you command, sir¡ªOrrin replied, avoiding crying with emotion and performing a rather well-executed protocol salute, as if he had been secretly practicing it for several days and nights, eagerly awaiting the day when he would have to perform it in front of Apolo. ¡ªThat pleases me¡ª said Apolo, shifting his gaze to the man kneeling before him¡ªAs a token of gratitude to Orrin for being the great steward of my lands, my grand estate, and all my wealth: I, the mage Apolo of the Black Forests, bestow upon my cousin Mateo of the Black Forests the title of mage of the empire. ¡ªWhat the hell did you just say?!¡ª Mateo shouted, abruptly standing up and snatching the parchment from Apolo''s hand, throwing solemn protocol to the wind. Immediately, he opened and read aloud the content of the parchment:
"Dear grandson, Apolo. I have been reading and pondering the letter you sent me for several days, until I finally understood that the one who could best comprehend my son''s last will was not me, his own father, but you, Apolo: his beloved nephew, the one who could best understand my son''s heart. That is why I decided to fulfill your word and thus honor the outstanding debts that my son left in this world. In the letter, you will find a card that you must deliver along with this letter to your half-cousin Mateo of the Black Forests; with it, he can secure the future he deserves as the bastard son of your uncle: a dignified position as a mage, far from the family castle. If the minister demands an explanation of where you obtained the acceptance, tell him that I have given it to you as war booty for your collaboration in our last campaign in the Black Mines. If he still doubts, show him this letter and make sure he understands that no one can ever learn of the existence of an illegitimate grandchild in my family. Yours truly, your dear grandfather, the king of the Black Forests"
¡ªMy lord...¡ª Orrin murmured. The elderly man wanted to tell Apolo that the idea was not only madness but also a terrible offense to his own uncle''s honor. But the card Orrin could see in the letter silenced the old man; indeed, he had reviewed the contents of the documents that Apolo''s family had provided to enable the young noble to become a mage. The old man would never let his and his son''s future be jeopardized by Apolo''s stupidity. Therefore, Orrin had only handed over that document to Apolo prematurely because he had ensured that the letter had been sent by the Minister of Magic himself. Thus, that document didn''t matter much, as the Minister of Magic had been previously informed of Apolo''s intention to go to the capital to become a mage. Consequently, it didn''t matter if Apolo lost the document prematurely due to his foolishness. As a result of this disloyalty, Orrin was one hundred percent certain that the card he had seen in the letter sent by the Minister of Magic was identical to the one he was looking at now. Knowing how dishonorable Apolo was, the old man was one hundred percent sure that Apolo would be capable of fixing such a mess with the ministry''s employees to satisfy his strange desires. Therefore, the old man''s heart had begun to doubt what the best course of action would be next. ¡ªDad, what do I do?¡ªMateo asked, incredulous about what Apolo was suggesting they do. Obviously, the man knew that the letter was a lie, and that if the Minister of Magic found out they were trying to deceive him, they would likely be killed. However, Mateo had also been working with Apolo for a long time, and at this point, he knew more than anyone that the young man was mentally deranged when it came to concocting foolish conspiracies with extremely bizarre goals. So, he believed that Apolo had probably been thinking about this for more than a whole year. And if not, Mateo also knew the countless times Apolo had disregarded the laws of the empire to satisfy his strange plans. In every one of these law-defying outbursts, the noble always managed to come out unscathed in some way that bordered on mysticism. So, Mateo doubted that this would be the time Apolo''s plans would fail. After all, Apolo had always had his ancestors arrange his fate to prevent things that would lead to abject failure. Therefore, Mateo doubted that this time would be the occasion when Apolo''s plans would go awry, especially when he would be the great winner. After all, Apolo had always gotten his way: Why would this be the damn time when all of Apolo''s plans failed? E94-The Truth ¡ªIt seems the time has come to tell you the truth, Mateo... ¡ª Orrin said seriously as he stared at his son intently ¡ª The truth is, I am not your father. ¡ªWhat?! ¡ª Mateo exclaimed, incredulous at what his father was saying. If his father were a sarcastic or comical person, then the man might understand that this was his father''s way of telling him to try his luck and attempt to deceive the system. However, having grown up with him as his only father, Mateo clearly knew Orrin well enough to know that the old man would never tell him to risk his life by following Apolo''s plans in such an ironic manner. ¡ªDid you ever wonder why Fausto played with you so much as a child, or why Apolo''s grandfather treated you so kindly, or why you could never meet your mother? ¡ª Orrin asked seriously, and it was evident that he wasn''t joking about the matter. ¡ªIt can''t be... ¡ª Apolo and Mateo whispered simultaneously. Of course, Apolo knew the letter was fake; while the handwriting was identical to that of his grandfather, the young nobleman had spent a small fortune searching for such a skilled forger. However, Apolo had never heard Orrin make a single joke in all these years, so he could be speaking seriously. The part that was hardest for Apolo to digest, though, was that his brother Fausto had a single friend in the castle. Yet, Mateo seemed just as shocked as he was, indicating that this was not a father-son jest. And the fact that, from Apolo''s perspective, Orrin would never lie was causing his "easily influenced" mind to waver with the shocking truth. ¡ªUnfortunately, that''s the truth. I promised to keep this secret to myself and take it to the grave. That way, the honor of the Black Forest Colossus family would remain intact when you die, fulfilling your duty as Apolo''s butler, far from the castle, far from your family, and even further from the shameful truth¡ª Orrin commented, gazing reflectively at the sky, as if he were conversing with Apolo''s uncle at that moment. The other servants were left in shock, watching the former butler and, above all, Mateo''s shocked expression as they felt like privileged spectators of the climax of a tragic novel. ¡ªBut you told me that my mom was a maid! Why would Apolo''s uncle be involved with one of the maids in the castle, and why would no one ever tell me such a truth? ¡ª Mateo yelled in anger, not liking his father''s joke, if it really was a joke, something he was now doubting more than he''d like. ¡ªBecause the truth is too cruel to be told to a child... ¡ª Orrin replied, looking at the leaves of the giant tree in the courtyard falling in the summer breeze. His unhappy expression made it seem like the old man was still reluctant to tell what had really happened. ¡ªIf this is some kind of joke, I''m not enjoying it, Dad! I understand that I have to accept Apolo''s proposal, but don''t tell me these absurdities! ¡ª Mateo shouted, feeling a mix of nervousness and anger, not wanting to believe the old man''s words and at the same time feeling uncomfortable for doubting his father''s identity. But his father ignored his shout and instead began to cry, gazing at the tree that symbolized the imperial family, leaving everyone present stunned. These were not crocodile tears from a sad person; they were tears from someone who had carried a great secret in their heart for a long time and had finally decided to share it with the world. The old man couldn''t contain the words stuck in his throat any longer and said with the utmost serenity he could gather while crying: ¡ªThe harsh truth is that Apolo''s uncle, or rather, "your" father, brought you and your mother after the war. Your father intended to divorce Apolo''s current aunt and live as a commoner, far from where the world could find him. However, around that time, Mariano was about to be born, so it would be a scandal if your father abandoned Apolo''s aunt while she was pregnant with the future heir to the Black Forest throne. So, Apolo''s grandfather made a tragic decision to protect the honor of his future heir: he imprisoned your mother and you in the castle''s dungeon. Your father was forced to choose between two options: he could either die in a duel against Apolo''s grandfather, saving your mother and you, or, alternatively, they would kill your mother and make the unwanted child "disappear", returning everything to normal, pretending that this had never happened and executing all the servants who had learned the cruel truth. As you can imagine, your mother was executed that very night, and you were abandoned in the middle of the forest. However, your late mother protected you from the other side and led me to cross paths with you when I was walking through the forest. By the time I found you, you were almost dead, but I still brought you to the castle without knowing that Apolo''s grandfather had condemned you to death. Naturally, the king found out that you had survived, but ashamed of the execution of your mother and his son''s cowardice, he decided to change his mind and instructed me to raise you as my own son. However, most of those who knew this cruel truth died in the war, and your only brother, Mariano, unfortunately could not escape that cruel fate. However, like Apolo''s uncle, you did not inherit the powers of the Black Forest Colossus bloodline. Instead, you had the cruel misfortune of acquiring your late mother''s powers. So, your true grandfather could never recognize you as a member of the family; otherwise, you would have the right to fight for the Black Forest throne. I never wanted to tell you this truth because as a child, you would never stop thinking about what your life would be like now if you had inherited the powers that would allow you to access the throne''s succession line. But now the story is different. Now, Apolo''s grandfather has recognized you as a bastard and has taken care to give you a better future, a future that I could never give you. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡ªHow can such a coincidence exist in this world? ¡ª Apolo whispered, incredulous at what he was hearing. Nevertheless, the dignity brought on by the tears of an old man was too strong to be ignored. ¡ªAre you telling me that you really are not my father? ¡ª Mateo said, incredulous, looking at the letter in his hand like a madman. If the story was true, then this letter was worth its weight in gold, pure and simple. It was a ticket to a life he had never even dared to dream of. It was the very journey to eternal glory. ¡ªNo... I am not... But I will always be your ancestor when I am gone... ¡ª Orrin replied, breaking into tears. These were crocodile tears that were quite hard to digest, seeing an old man crying so intensely. Seeing the old man crying, the servants were moved by the story and made an effort not to cry, but not everyone succeeded, and a few began to join the old man''s tears. Then the rest were also swept away by the atmosphere and joined in the old man''s heartbreaking sobbing. Mateo, on the other hand, couldn''t stand to see his "father" in such a state, so he ran to hug him. Feeling his "father''s" body as he hugged him, Mateo burst into tears, saying: ¡ªIt doesn''t matter the truth: you will always be the only father in my heart! Always! I will never forget everything you did for me! You raised me as your own son, and that debt I can never repay. When you are no longer here, I will talk to you every day, and when I die, you will be the first person I visit because you are the only one who has supported me in all the difficult moments of my life! ¡ª... ¡ª Apolo, for his part, observed in silence, as small tears welled up in his eyes. Few, fleeting, but very significant for the young butcher. Perhaps for this reason, the young nobleman felt that, for this one time, it was worth giving a good farewell gift to his most loyal servants: the arrival of the Gururis also meant the departure of his old servants. But the young man''s withered and corrupted heart couldn''t simply shatter the dream of this father and son duo of becoming his faithful butlers. So, acting more with his heart than his head, Apolo wasted his precious time carrying out this plan. However, it seemed that time had given him something beautiful in return, and for the first time in many years, the young man found some consolation in seeing how the outcome of his efforts had truly been worth it. Meanwhile, the main protagonist of this story was hugging his son inconsolably while crying desperately, thinking over and over again about how the Minister of Magic could possibly discover the truth if the main character of the letter had deceived himself: this was the checkmate that the old man had set up even before the great game of the wizards had even begun. E95-Changes in the mansion As the tragic atmosphere unfolded, Apollo remembered that the wind was still blowing, and thus, time was still ticking away. So, the young man decided to save these valuable and meager seconds by approaching the Gururis who were still sitting in the carriage. Upon reaching them, Apollo curiously observed how the two pink Gururis had several violet bruises on their heads. As Zoe gripped her cane tighter than before, Apollo deduced that the first attack had already occurred during the long journey back to the estate. ¡ªZoe, Nicolao, Aquiles: Get off the carriage! ¡ªApollo ordered, causing Zoe and Aquiles to exit the carriage while one of the pink Gururis stared at him intently¡ªWhy don''t you obey me, foul beast? ¡ªMy name is not Nicolao! ¡ªNicol¨¢s complained, seemingly annoyed that the person who had given him a name a few days ago had forgotten it. ¡ªOh... um... get down, Nico... ¡ªApollo said, trying to see the patch on Nicol¨¢s''s clothing, but the truth was, putting a patch on a toga right now didn''t seem like such a good idea as when he had proposed it, as the patch was so crumpled and hidden that you could barely see the beginning of the name. ¡ªNicol¨¢s! You gave me that name yourself! ¡ªThe pink Gururi complained, getting off the carriage with some effort. The two pink Gururis were too young to use magic as skillfully as the experienced Zoe, so they had to throw themselves to the ground from a considerable height to get off the carriage. ¡ªNico is an affectionate abbreviation; can''t you see what a good master I am... ¡ªApolo muttered with some embarrassment¡ªFurthermore, introduce yourselves to your subordinates. Just as I am your master, you are the masters of these insignificant creatures. ¡ªDo they all obey us? ¡ªAquiles asked, somewhat excited, looking at the people crying in the distance who, fortunately, were not eavesdropping on this conversation. ¡ªYes, but you can''t hit them or mistreat them, let alone kill them...¡ªApolo said, emphasizing the important parts of "healthy" coexistence in his mansion¡ªRemember that if you kill them, you''ll have to do their tasks yourselves, and you''ll be left without servants to obey you. Learn from Zoe; that''s why she has a cane, and you two don''t. ¡ªWhy can''t we hit these creatures, and you can hit us? ¡ªNicol¨¢s asked immediately. ¡ªZoe hit us during the journey; she deserves to be punished! ¡ªAquiles shouted immediately, skillfully using the new rule Apolo had imparted to get rid of the dangerous enemy. ¡ªYes, she deserves to be condemned to death! ¡ªNicol¨¢s shouted immediately, forgetting his question and joining the other pink Gururi in showing Apolo the bumps on his head. ¡ªZoe can hit both of you... ¡ªApolo replied, taking his head with some fatigue, mainly from seeing how Zoe didn''t try to defend herself and seemed willing to accept the punishment without hesitation. ¡ªWhy? ¡ªBoth pink Gururis asked at the same time. ¡ªBecause Zoe has a little cane just like I have a cane: you can only hit your subordinates if you have one of these two canes¡ªApolo replied, shamelessly showing his cane in front of the three small creatures. ¡ªIt''s unfair; we should have our little canes too... ¡ªAquiles and Nicol¨¢s complained at the same time, seeming too coordinated in the request to think it was improvised on the spot. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡ªIf you want, I''ll give them to you¡ªZoe replied, extending the little cane, causing the two pink Gururis to violently try to snatch it away. But, with his eyes wide open to watch the movements of these scoundrels, Apolo raised his cane as soon as he noticed the attempt to snatch it and began giving out beatings again. ¡ªNo, that little cane is yours and no one else''s. Never share it! ¡ªApolo yelled with concern. He didn''t know that this problem could arise, and during his months of study, he hadn''t found any books indicating whether the current Gururis could perform the role of the elder of the house without the traditional Guriris killing him out of naivety. So, Apolo was extremely nervous to see Zoe''s passivity¡ªListen, Zoe, you can''t trust these two scoundrels, or they''ll kill you while you sleep. They are bad people, and you have to educate them to be good people. Let them learn from you! ¡ªYes, Master¡ªZoe commented, but her expressionless face didn''t help Apolo understand whether she really understood or not. ¡ªI hope you really understand... ¡ªApolo muttered quite irritated; Zoe''s value in his eyes was much greater than the easily replaceable pink Gururis. The harsh reality was that if Zoe died before educating them, he would have to start another bitter and lengthy search. After saying that, Apolo saw how the servants had stopped crying and took the opportunity to regain the spotlight of this story with a loud shout: ¡ªAttention! I now request that my disciple, Zoe, kneel before me! The creature in question disappeared and appeared kneeling before Apolo. Then, the young nobleman, under the watchful gaze of everyone present, placed his gold ring on the forehead of the green Gururi and solemnly exclaimed slowly: ¡ªI, Apolo of the Black Forest, appoint my disciple, Zoe, as the new steward of this house! Upon hearing the news, all the servants applauded vigorously and emphatically, knowing that the time for praise for their new master had arrived. Mateo, for his part, looked at the three Gururis with consternation, finally understanding the reason why Apolo had bothered to "send" that letter to his grandfather. It seemed that the young nobleman had no plans for his bastard "cousin" in this house after acquiring these creatures and had to find him a worthy future elsewhere. Mateo reflected on the matter seriously: knowing the little heart and empathy his former young master had, it seemed that Apolo would only care so much about someone of his own blood. After all, the man had seen with his own eyes how the servants in this house, infected to their core with the blue plague, had a very limited lifespan. However, he had never seen a hint of sorrow on Apolo''s face each time he informed him of the deaths of one of his servants. The young nobleman had only one request when he learned of the deaths, and it wasn''t offering condolences, a dignified burial, or even notifying their relatives; it was simply to replace them as if they were broken furniture. If it weren''t for Orrin, Mateo was one hundred percent sure that Apolo would have used the corpses of his former servants as decorations in the mansion, given the young man''s lack of empathy. Nevertheless, Mateo never saw the former steward complain about it; apparently, the old man had already grown accustomed to these behaviors, having witnessed similar things in the castle for many years. The harsh reality was that in the eyes of the old man, this was the normal attitude that a family of ruthless generals had to have, and the value of this lack of empathy was shown on the battlefield, where his soldiers died but the empire prevailed. And as long as the empire kept winning, its citizens would live in the greatness earned by the victories of the fallen. ¡ªHowever, since it''s a special day, for once, I will give a direct order to all the servants in my estate¡ªApolo said slowly, as if he wanted this order to be imprinted in the minds of each of his servants¡ªIf Zoe were to be killed by the other two pink Gururis: then I order you all to die with her! The servants swallowed hard upon hearing the "order", which was more of a very clear warning: if anything happened to the new steward, they would all be killed. After making this vitally important matter clear to everyone present, Apolo looked at Zoe again and said loudly: ¡ªFurthermore, as a first order, Zoe, I order you to prepare a farewell party for my former servants and to learn everything you need to know about my estate, my finances, my assets, and everything else you deem necessary from my former steward before he leaves. E96-Welcome Listening to the command, Zoe vanished and reappeared near Orrin. It seemed the creature was somewhat eager to fulfill the butler role once again. Apolo observed the scene from a distance, confident that things should go well initially. Even though the greenish fetus wasn''t particularly handsome, Apolo knew from the Gururi''s skin color that it probably had over a hundred years of age. Therefore, if it had been working as a butler for most of that time for its previous owner, Zoe would certainly be a hundred times better butler than Orrin. Trusting that Zoe could handle things on her own, Apolo approached the two bruised Gururi roses still struggling on the ground to get up from the blows they had received. Without giving them much explanation, the young nobleman grabbed both creatures by their feet and dragged them inside the mansion, ignoring their desperate cries as their bodies collided with the stairs leading to the grand doors. Under the astonished gazes of the new servants, appalled by the young man''s cruelty, Apolo kicked open the massive doors and tossed the two pink Gururis inside, making them roll on the floor. ¡ªWelcome to your new home!¡ªApolo shouted with a smile, arms outstretched to the sky like the inscription on his gold ring. He was completely proud that he had finally completed the long "mission" left by his venerable ancestor. As for the two Gururis, they struggled to get up. Despite resembling human children, their bodies were quite resilient, and despite the blood staining their new clothes, they hadn''t lost consciousness yet. Apolo watched the pitiful scene with some anger; for some reason, he felt that the Gururis should be excited to discover that they would live in this mansion. However, they only glared at him from the ground, licking their wounds to cover them with the gelatinous saliva they produced. ¡ªDon''t you like my home?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the creatures with disgust. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡ª...¡ªBut the two Gururis remained silent, continuing to lick themselves on the ground. ¡ªI guess I''ll have to stimulate their curiosity with a few cane strokes...¡ªApolo muttered with a sadistic smile, tapping the golden knob of his cane with his hand. For some reason, this was bringing back memories of his first day wielding a wooden sword; that day, his grandfather ended up dismembering him while shouting that he should lift the sword to defend himself, which wouldn''t be very sensible to do with the Gururis. After saying that, Apolo approached the Gururis still licking themselves on the ground, and under their fearful gaze, the cruel nobleman began to deliver small cane strokes to their legs until the poor creatures finally understood they should get up. Then, Apolo silently continued to strike his Gururis with the cane until they understood that they had to walk in a certain direction. Finally, the three began to walk through the mansion''s corridors until Apolo reached a particular room and opened it. He revealed a gigantic room filled with furniture, but the most striking features were the two noticeable small houses made of mattresses tucked into each corner of the enormous room. The room was meticulously arranged and overflowing with furniture, each piece bearing a different decoration and seeming to symbolize different emotions. It appeared that the young nobleman had spent months arranging each object in this room down to the smallest detail. Immediately, Apolo delivered some cane strokes to each Gururi, causing them to roll into the room. Without waiting to hear their heartbreaking cries that would break anyone''s heart, the young man closed the room''s door, locking them inside. Then, Apolo grabbed the golden knob of his cane and began to twist it until it came off, revealing a secret compartment inside the cane where the metal plate identifying him as a wizard in the Ministry of Magic and a silver key were stored. Apolo took the silver key and locked the door while muttering to himself: ¡ªWell, let''s hope they get over their rebellion in the first few days and instinctively learn to interact with the furniture... After saying that, Apolo turned away, ruthlessly ignoring the heart-wrenching cries that could be heard coming from inside the massive room. E97-Farewell Time had flown by in the capital, and before Apolo knew it, he had plunged headlong into the scorching summer, indicating that a whole month had passed since the Gururis had arrived at the mansion. Fortunately, the young man managed to keep Zoe alive and well all this time, away from the wrath of her pink siblings. However, Apolo had not yet succeeded in getting his siblings to live with her, so Aquiles and Nicol¨¢s had not yet begun to learn from her how to become his future stewards. For today, as the servants had informed the noble youth, Zoe had finished organizing the grand farewell party in honor of the former butler, Orrin, and his "bastard cousin," Mateo. Throughout this month, Orrin had been teaching Zoe how Apolo''s life worked and what things she should keep in mind when attending to him. The reason why the servants and Zoe had taken so long to organize the farewell party was that the old butler nobly refused to leave until he was sure that Apolo would truly be in good hands from now on. While all of this was happening, Mateo was coming to terms with his new reality after learning the "truth", and he gradually began to act more like a real noble would. Meanwhile, Apolo was working on his small project of taming the newly born Gururis so that they would be less prone to attacking Zoe unexpectedly. During this time, the two pink Gururis still lived locked in their room, and the young noble visited them every day to talk to them and feed them. Fortunately, Apolo knew that the newly born Gururis could hardly use magic, so they couldn''t really leave their room without the silver key. This was quite important from Apolo''s perspective because, during these delicate times when they still had the rebelliousness of a human child, the pink Gururis were most likely to act instinctively. Among their basic instincts was the goal of seeking to kill Zoe by any means necessary to eliminate competition and protect their precious furniture. Tonight, Apolo was getting dressed in his usual mage attire, preparing to enjoy a banquet at his mansion. He was also somewhat anxious to judge how well Zoe had executed her first order as a steward. According to Orrin''s arrangement, if everything went well tonight, he would entrust Apolo''s "security" to the creature. If not, he would stay a while longer to verify Zoe''s abilities with his own eyes. Orrin was indeed someone who kept his word and was still fulfilling the promise he made to Apolo''s grandfather to protect the young man. A poor steward could mean the ruin of such a reckless and disinterested young man as Apolo, so Orrin knew he had to be very cautious when deciding to leave this mansion. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Or at least, that''s the story that Apolo''s mind was imagining every time he thought about the matter because the harsh reality was quite different from what the young and inexperienced Apolo thought was happening. This reality was something only the attentive reader and the unpleasant writer knew, as these two individuals knew very well that Orrin understood the situation he would be in after leaving this mansion. So Orrin was quite careful to ensure that Apolo did not fall into ruin. If that were to happen, Apolo would most likely ask his grandfather for financial help, and if that occurred, Apolo''s grandfather would ask the critical question: "Why did Orrin allow you to go bankrupt?" And Apolo''s foolish answer would be, "Orrin is no longer in my house; the old man left to be the steward of his adopted son", and that''s when real serious problems would arise for Orrin and Mateo. In short, Orrin knew very well that he couldn''t deceive Apolo''s grandfather. However, the story was quite different if the target of deception was a reckless noble who had always relied on him just to eat. And if the wretched writer could imagine such a plot, not to mention the character who was staking his neck on this lie. Therefore, Orrin didn''t hesitate to arrange the chess pieces on the board to ensure his son''s success. In this way, the elderly man had secured the approval of the only member of the Black Forest family in the imperial capital. With such support, it would be impossible for the Minister of Magic to recognize that Mateo was not a noble. The other option would be for the minister to send a letter with a messenger, which would take more than a year to arrive and return. But in the mind of the former butler, having Apolo just two days away, that should not be the option chosen by the minister. As for Orrin''s feelings about using Apolo to benefit his son: Firstly, ensuring a good future for his son was a good enough reason to break his word. Secondly, Apolo was heartless and had always treated the servants Orrin had grown fond of poorly. Thirdly, it was all Apolo''s idea from the beginning, so Orrin was only "helping" Apolo make his idea a reality, as he had always done while working as his servant. E98-Preparations Finally, the show that no reader had asked for was about to be written. The night had arrived, and Apolo was changing into his clothes to attend the grand party prepared by his beloved Gururi, Zoe. As a magician, Apolo only needed to wear his everyday attire to go to the farewell party. So, it was quite quick and easy for him to put on his toga and prepare to be the first participant to arrive at the party where, for the first time in his life, he had to be the host. Apolo wanted to arrive early since he planned to make sure everything was in order just before the big event unfolded. This way, he could ensure that Zoe wouldn''t fail in her first important task, which was crucial to the creature''s morale. However, when Apolo was about to leave the room, he noticed a small problem: his cane was nowhere to be found in his bedroom! No matter how much he searched, the cane remained elusive. Given that Apolo''s bedroom was a labyrinth of furniture, finding things when they were lost was not exactly simple. Hours passed, and the cane still didn''t appear. Eventually, Apolo decided to leave without it and worry about finding it tomorrow. Apolo had already lost too much time, and he couldn''t afford to disappoint Zoe by missing the party she had organized. This was the first major task she had assigned to him, so Apolo knew how much it meant to her that he evaluated this task. He also knew that if things went wrong today, his favorite Gururi ran the risk of becoming depressed. In a hurry, Apolo glanced around the room one last time. Seeing that the cane remained elusive, he resigned himself and left his bedroom to head to the hall where the servants were setting up the party. Upon arriving in the room for the grand event, Apolo saw that all the servants were incredibly well-dressed, indicating that Zoe had given them used clothing for the occasion. At the moment, the servants were moving back and forth, setting up plates, drinks, and utensils on a long makeshift table made of a few planks and barrels. The room where the party was being prepared was used as a greenhouse, given its large space and good lighting. Therefore, the makeshift table was surrounded on all sides by potted fruit and vegetable plants placed on various diverse pieces of furniture, such as cabinets, sofas, chairs, and any other piece of furniture with a flat surface to support a pot. Furthermore, the room itself was one of the largest in the mansion and was immense, so easily a thousand people could fit in it. However, currently, there were only 20 servants living in this gigantic mansion, so the plants growing in the pots filled the space more than anything else. ¡ªIsn''t it a bit ridiculous to use this room just to set up a table for 20 people?¡ªApolo asked one of the walls of the room as if he were talking to himself. However, immediately, Zoe teleported to his side. ¡ªParties are always held in the most important room of the house!¡ªZoe explained energetically. ¡ªIs this supposed to be the most important room in my mansion?¡ªApolo asked, not understanding the reasoning, as it wasn''t even the largest room; it was just one of the larger ones. He didn''t grasp the arbitrariness of Zoe''s decision. ¡ªYes, look at the ceiling, do you notice something?¡ªZoe commented, pointing her little hand at the ceiling. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Apolo followed the instructions and observed that the ceiling of this room had a beautiful and gigantic painting. To be honest, he had been so absorbed in the task of moving furniture and pots into this room that he hadn''t bothered to look at the ceiling closely. It appeared that it was indeed different: the painting depicted a massive family tree that extended to the present, with names quite recognizable to Apolo, such as Cesar, the current emperor of the empire. So, the family tree represented in the painting was that of the imperial family. Considering that even the names of the emperor''s children were drawn on the painting, Apolo assumed that the painting was automatically updated as the family tree grew, or alternatively, they would have the annoying visit of a painter from the imperial family in a few years. ¡ªI suppose this house belonged to a member of the imperial family many years ago. Do you know if the painting is magical?¡ªApolo asked, feeling uncomfortable with the idea of having an intruder sent by the imperial family on his lands. ¡ªWhat would a magical painting be?¡ªZoe asked, not understanding. ¡ªOne that paints itself...¡ªApolo responded immediately, remembering some paintings from the castle where he had grown up. ¡ªThat''s not a magical painting; those are quite common. My previous master had many that moved and painted on their own¡ªZoe explained. ¡ªOh, that''s interesting. Remember to get some of those paintings for your room. Maybe they sell second-hand ones, or perhaps we can get the ones your previous master had¡ªApolo commented happily. The more he learned about Zoe, the easier it was to recreate her previous life, improving the chances of preventing her from becoming depressed. ¡ªWe don''t have the budget for that; they''re quite expensive. By the way, do you know how many magic crystals your next magical research will consume?¡ªZoe asked, trying to plan for the future of this home, which was a bit more complicated than she had originally thought. Her previous master was much more responsible than Apolo and always gave her important information so she could manage the budget. However, Apolo hadn''t talked about his magical research for almost a month. ¡ªWe''ll use all the crystals we have; spend every last one to beautify the garden. That''s vital for my future plans!¡ªApolo ordered¡ªAlso, use the money I''m owed, and make sure they pay me on time for my work checking Goros. I worked hard, and I still haven''t seen a single crystal. ¡ªIn fact, you''ve already been paid for some jobs. Although most should pay before the end of the year, and in any case, I''ll make sure they pay you, master¡ªZoe replied, less expressively than Apolo would have liked. ¡ªWell, take care of that problem, but just remember to let me know if anyone doesn''t want to pay or tries to get away with it¡ªApolo responded¡ªIs it much longer until dinner? I''m not used to waiting; I want to eat! ¡ªYou have to follow the protocol: first, there will be music and a traditional dance where everyone will dance in pairs¡ªZoe said rather authoritatively and with a deeper voice than usual, which somewhat startled Apolo. This was the first time he had heard Zoe speak in this way. ¡ªBut...¡ªApolo wanted to object, but he saw Zoe''s inquisitive gaze and reminded himself that Zoe''s previous master had lived in a time when magicians sought to revive tradition. So, it was not a good idea to oppose the boring protocols of the past in front of Zoe. ¡ªBut, of course, we''ll follow the traditions, as any noble magician would!¡ªApolo agreed. ¡ªI''m glad. Who will be your dance partner?¡ªZoe asked, looking at the other servants curiously. ¡ªI suppose it will be my cousin, Mateo¡ªApolo replied, refusing to dance with his servants¡ªBy the way, is there anything else to do besides dancing? I''m a bit worried about my magical research, so I don''t remember the protocol for these parties very well. ¡ªI''ll write down on a piece of paper what you need to do during the party¡ªZoe replied, disappearing immediately. Apolo watched Zoe disappear and released a sigh of relief. It was only now that he realized the big problem with Zoe. He had never paid attention to the protocols, so it seemed that he would have to take etiquette classes again to improve his role as Zoe''s new master. ¡ªThey judge you by how they see you and how you act...¡ªApolo murmured quietly, sighing. E99-The protocol dance The young man didn''t have to wait long to see Zoe reappear before his eyes with a scroll rolled up in her little hand. Taking the scroll, Apolo opened it, and a look of disgust, which he couldn''t hide, formed on his face as he read the long sequence of instructions, much more complex than he had imagined. In fact, the young man was certain that his family didn''t have such a complex protocol, not even for bidding farewell to the fallen in combat. Despite this, Apolo did his best not to disappoint Zoe and began to memorize the instructions indicated by his butler as if his life depended on it. When Apolo finally looked up from the sheet with the steps to follow at the party, the party had already begun, and all the participants were heading to some free space amidst the plant-filled furniture to start dancing with their respective partners. It truly seemed like no servant had the desire or intention to arrange the room, so the space for dancing among the furniture was very limited, and one had to find a hiding place among the plants to dance, despite the immense size of the room. In reality, it was all the fault of the young noble who had ordered: "Celebrate wherever you want, but don''t move a single piece of furniture in the rooms". Unfortunately, Zoe took the order too literally, so she literally hadn''t moved a single piece of furniture, and the table had been set up with supply barrels and improvised planks made from the wood used to heat the fireplaces. However, for a party of fewer than 30 people, the makeshift table worked quite well. While the servants prepared to kickstart the party, Zoe searched for a box containing some dusty crystals slightly larger than those used for trading. Initially, these larger crystals were used to play some music tunes and illuminate the room according to the music''s rhythm, so they were widely used at empire parties. The reason these larger crystals were dusty, and some even had cracks, was that Apolo had bought them in a batch of second-hand items that he often purchased to fill the house''s furniture. In reality, the young noble had never used them and had no idea when he had acquired them. ¡ªTurn off the lights!¡ª Zoe ordered the servants, causing them to rush to touch a crystal near the wall that served as the mastermind to control the rest of the crystals illuminating the room. After noticing that the room was completely dark, Zoe knew it was time to start the party. ¡ªPlay classical music that''s usually heard at important parties¡ª Zoe instructed the crystals as if they could hear her, while she touched them with her fingers. Immediately, the crystals in the box began to glow and take flight to scatter throughout the dark room, displaying a degree of their own intelligence. Once the crystals settled on the ceiling, they began to play a rather melancholic and depressing song. Meanwhile, the crystals began to shine, illuminating the room with a candle-like yellowish light. However, this didn''t last long, as some crystals began to show clear signs of malfunction, causing a chain reaction in all the room''s crystals. This malfunction turned the room''s light into a soft red, and the crystals started blinking randomly. The music played by the crystals became slower, almost as if it were in slow motion, and from time to time, the crystals mixed the song with others they had stored, making the music quite disturbing to the point of inducing fear. Unaware that the crystals were malfunctioning and blaming the song for these changes, Zoe proceeded to touch the crystals that hadn''t flown away and were still in the box. These were clearly different, with a noticeable color mix of blue and red. They had another function: to adjust the room''s temperature. Since it was an exceptionally warm night, the weather was suffocating, and Zoe thought it was a good idea to bring these crystals to make the atmosphere a bit more comfortable. ¡ªDon''t be lazy: Work and make the room cooler!¡ª Zoe ordered, pushing the crystals, as if they were actually sleeping and not inanimate objects. Immediately, they began to emit a faint glow and spread throughout the room. Although there were a few more of these crystals, there still weren''t enough to cover the entire room. Smartly, the crystals decided to position themselves near the people in the hall, confirming that the crystals could think or at least had some degree of artificial intelligence. Once they had settled in the places they had chosen, the dual-color crystals began to emit a faint blueish glow, cooling the room. But it didn''t take long for one of the crystals to start flickering violently, causing the rest of the crystals to join in the flickering. This malfunction led to the crystals emitting a soft red glow, as a white, thick mist began to emanate from the crystals, gradually filling the floor of the gigantic room. As Apolo watched all the servants arranging themselves among the furniture, seeking a space to dance with their partners, he tucked the instructions paper into a hidden pocket in his toga and proceeded to look for Mateo, who was waiting for him in front of some tomato plants. ¡ªDon''t you think it''s rather ridiculous that they make us dance with each other?¡ªMateo asked, looking around at the scene, somewhat disturbed by the dark and depressing music the nobles of the capital were listening to. In a matter of seconds, this room had turned into a scene of horror, and its vast emptiness did nothing to improve the atmosphere. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡ªNo, it''s crucial to do so. Think positively: at least we''re all men, so there''s no reason to feel any shame¡ªApolo replied, noting that all the men had been forced to dance with other men because he didn''t have a single female servant in his household. While there was always a black sheep at every party, in this case, the only servant who wasn''t dancing with another man was the one who showed some signs of possibly being infected with blue plague and was currently dancing with Zoe, who was immune to the disease. ¡ªI suppose. How does one even dance at these events?¡ªMateo asked, still feeling embarrassed. ¡ªDo you really think I know how to dance? We come from a family that celebrates by burning entire villages, not a family of dancers. I wasn''t even aware they played this type of music in the capital. It feels like we''re at a funeral!¡ªApolo replied, looking at Zoe through the fog, trying to mimic her clumsy movements¡ªDo what the Green Gururi does; she''s the only one who really knows the protocol followed by the capital''s nobles. ¡ªI guess the key to making this dance work is to drink until everyone forgets they have to keep dancing¡ªMateo said ironically as he wiped the sweat from his face and picked up a pitcher from the long table to drink from while copying the rather complex dance moves. ¡ªAnd of all the social events, you''d better get used to drinking until you drop...¡ªApolo commented, following his "cousin''s" advice and accompanying him to get a pitcher from the table¡ªAs a bastard, it will be challenging for you to access a good budget. So, you''d better start looking for someone to place you within the Ministry of Magic. I can''t help you there; I was never one to expand my network of contacts. ¡ªI suppose. I hope to make friends quickly¡ªMateo replied, reminding himself that the emperor would never grant a bastard a mansion like the one Apolo had, given that Apolo was the brother of the future king of the Black Forest. ¡ªFriends? Don''t ever forget that this is just a game: the game of mages!¡ªApolo replied, wiping the sweat from his body as he gave his "cousin" an intense look, noticing how all the servants at the party were trying to perform the overly complex dance¡ªYou''ve been playing this game for almost two years now. Just be sure never to forget about those condemned to the imperial family tree and the "decorated" furniture in my chamber, and you''ll do fine. In this game, there are few winners, many who disappear, too many who die, and it''s full of cowards who got tired of playing it. The best position of all is the one occupied by the passive observer, hidden like a rat, waiting for someone to drop the cheese and avoiding the evil cat. ¡ªThe game of mages...¡ªMateo murmured reflectively, thinking about all the atrocities Apolo had committed so far to achieve his wild objectives. He knew that if he wanted to live like any noble in this empire, the atrocities he would have to commit would probably be much greater than those of his "cousin". The party continued, even though no one at this party knew how to dance, except for Zoe. Nevertheless, all the servants knew they had to dance, or at least the way Apolo was glaring at them indicated that it was a rather serious order. Those who stopped dancing seemed like they would be sleeping with the dead in the dungeon if they didn''t resume dancing. This led all the servants to try to copy Apolo''s movements, even though he was terrible at dancing. To make matters worse, the young noble was copying Zoe''s moves, who was also a terrible dancer. Consequently, the dance became something utterly ridiculous to behold. Everyone could see each other''s awkward movements, so the servants watched with amazement as it seemed like, for some reason, everyone in the room had forgotten how to move an arm or support a foot correctly. Their movements were forced, slow, and quite awkward, but somehow, due to the absurdity of the situation and the fact that Apolo had arranged an open bar for everyone, more than one slightly tipsy servant released a amused smile or a chuckle as they tried to copy the incredibly complex dance moves.
Zoe''s dance moves were so exotic that it would seem like the green fetus was inventing them on the spot because she couldn''t remember them. And the truth was, that''s exactly what was happening: Zoe didn''t know how to dance! The Gururi hadn''t been to a party in decades, and her previous master wasn''t exactly someone who organized many parties. So, somewhat nervously, Zoe was trying to remember what the steps of a formal dance were like. However, to Zoe''s delight, it seemed like she was succeeding, as everyone in the room was dancing exactly like her. If Zoe touched her nose, everyone in the room touched their nose. If she spun around, everyone in the room spun just as she had, even if she gave her dance partner a pat on the behind, all the servants joined in and proceeded to give her dance partner a smack on the rear end. Zoe was truly cracking up at the scene. The Gururi didn''t remember parties being so much fun, although she also didn''t remember so clearly that the music was so dark and depressing, or if there used to be fog at these kinds of parties. But what mattered in Zoe''s mind was that everyone seemed to be having a blast at the party she had organized: Everyone seemed enchanted by the dance and enjoyed the drinks she had bought, enjoyed them so much that they seemed to be drinking alcohol as if they were dying of thirst. Although the truth was that the servants were indeed parched, as the dual-colored crystals were turning the massive room into a sauna. Despite this, Zoe didn''t perceive temperature like humans, and since she didn''t understand the issue, she couldn''t grasp that the fog was bothering all the servants, and to make matters worse, the crystals didn''t seem to have any intention of stopping the rise in room temperature. E100-Failures in reality For over an hour, Zoe continued dancing merrily, while the poor servants struggled to keep up with her on their already tired legs. Naturally, after so much dancing, all the servants were crying out to finish the dance so they could eat the delicacies they had prepared with so much effort. However, their lord''s watchful gaze prevented them from stopping to rest, except to hydrate themselves with drinks from the alcohol bar. This continued until the servants finally realized something important had happened: Apolo was drunk! And what did that mean? It meant they were free to stop dancing for once! The young lord, for his part, was drinking from two jugs at once while eating like a pig, loading plate after plate of food and soiling all his clothes. Apolo was too bored from all the dancing and too drunk to care about what Zoe thought of him. So, he followed his instincts and finally sat at the table to devour the food. Zoe, on the other hand, noticed that the partygoers were sitting at the table to eat, so she skillfully teleported herself next to Apolo and reminded him loudly: ¡ªSir, you should say a few words before starting to eat! ¡ªMmmm...¡ªApolo looked grudgingly at the green sprite that had just shouted at him. Fortunately, Zoe''s image was so distinctive that even in his drunken state, the young man remembered he couldn''t ignore what had been said. He stood up with a beer jug in hand and shouted: ¡ªMy loyal warriors! Are you not dying from heat and hunger? ¡ªYes!!¡ªThe whole table shouted in unison. It seemed the servants were also quite affected by the seductive power of alcohol to the point where manners didn''t matter. ¡ªThen eat and drink like pigs, because in my house, manners don''t matter when celebrating a battle!¡ªApolo shouted, downing the entire jug in one go as he got up to fetch another barrel of alcohol for the table. Luckily, Zoe had gone overboard with the quantities, so there was more than enough food and drink, even if everyone was eating exaggerated amounts due to the exercise they had done and drinking like there was no bottom to the barrel because of the increasingly stifling heat in the room. Seeing that the nobleman himself was disregarding protocol, the servants didn''t hold back and abandoned any attempt to eat like a noble would, opting instead to use their hands to eat everything on the table while drinking like living barrels of sand. Apolo and the servants continued eating as their drunkenness grew, and conversations became increasingly exaggerated. It didn''t take more than an hour, and the fog in the room began to cover them all, although for now, the fog wasn''t so thick that they couldn''t distinguish the faces of the people nearby. ¡ªThe fog is getting thicker, and it''s getting hotter. At this rate, the room will end up just like my training room, haha!¡ªApolo laughed like a maniac, noticing that the fog was now up to his waist, as he lifted two large barrels and brought them to the table. ¡ªWhere does all this fog come from?¡ªOrrin asked as he drank. While the old man wasn''t accustomed to drinking much alcohol, today he had also gotten drunk. Part of the reason was that Zoe had only prepared alcohol, so there was no water to drink in the barrels, and on the other hand, today was a day to celebrate in style: From tomorrow, his son would be going to the Ministry of Magic to become a wizard! ¡ªIt comes from little things floating in the fog: they''re not visible anymore, but it would be fun to try to find them¡ªApolo replied, spitting corn pieces everywhere as he continued "cleaning" a cob with his teeth. ¡ªIsn''t it strange that there''s fog at the party?¡ªOrrin asked, looking worriedly around the room, realizing there was so much fog that he couldn''t see the walls anymore. ¡ªI''m also somewhat taken aback by this strange tradition, but knowing how ugly the members of the imperial family are, I''m not surprised they hide in the fog while they celebrate¡ªApolo responded, taking another cob to peel. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡ªIt''s too hot to get off this damn chair!¡ªMateo complained, wiping the sweat from his face with a dirty cloth with food on it. He was already too drunk to notice that he had stained his face even more¡ªWhat a crappy night! I hate the heat! ¡ªHaha, but it''s fantastic that it''s like this. That way, this party night will be even more unforgettable! It really reminds me of...¡ªApolo exclaimed, passing some food to Mateo, although he could only see his silhouette, so he wasn''t so sure it was him. ¡ªOf that, I have no doubt!¡ªMateo interrupted, just as Apolo spoke, the music in the room suddenly changed to a faster, more upbeat tempo, causing the red lights mixed in the fog to flash intensely in the room¡ªDid you change the songs, Apolo? ¡ªNo, I have no idea how to change the music; it must have been Zoe. But it''s better this way; this music is more fun and lively¡ªApolo commented with a smile, though to his dismay, the music seemed to be getting louder and had become annoying, making it difficult to hear the other people in the room. What Apolo and Mateo didn''t know was that Zoe hadn''t actually touched anything. Instead, the crystals had once again malfunctioned due to the fog, which now reached the ceiling of the room. ¡ªYeah, that other music was incredibly boring, although Zoe went overboard with the volume: I can''t even hear myself speak¡ª complained Mateo, almost shouting to be heard¡ªI''ll try to lower it a bit... Mateo got up from the table and ventured into the fog, trying to find Zoe to ask her to turn the music down a bit, while Apolo continued enjoying the corn on the cob in his hand. ¡ªThis atmosphere reminds me of my dreams!¡ª Apolo shouted towards Mateo, trying to find an excuse to talk about his dreams with his cousin. ¡ª...¡ª But logically, Mateo didn''t respond, as he had gotten up a few minutes ago. Despite this, the music was so loud that Apolo couldn''t hear what the man had said, and the fog was so thick that the young man hadn''t seen Mateo get up, and he had been talking to imaginary faces for a while. ¡ªThis atmosphere reminds me of my dreams!¡ª Apolo shouted again, but this time with more force. ¡ª...¡ª No one responded, or at least Apolo couldn''t hear anything over the music. ¡ªAre you there, or am I talking to myself, cousin?!¡ª Apolo shouted, realizing he could no longer distinguish Mateo''s silhouette; it seemed he had gotten up to find a drink. Apolo waited for his cousin to return while feasting on the delicacies on the table. Selecting the food had become quite fun because the young man couldn''t see which dish he was choosing due to the thickness of the fog. Nevertheless, Apolo could remember the positions of the dishes, but not for long, as the barrels of alcohol continued to empty. Time passed this way, and when Apolo finally noticed, he had completely forgotten that he was waiting for Mateo to return, and instead, he was more concerned with battling the heat in the room, which was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. ¡ªWhat a discomfort. If it weren''t for this lousy toga, I wouldn''t mind this fog so much. That''s why I always use my old reliable robe for training: I can''t stand the feeling of this sweaty fabric!¡ª Apolo shouted, but no one responded to his complaints, or at least, he couldn''t hear anyone consoling him. Used to not being able to hear others due to the loud music, the young man got up from his chair and, using his memory, found the barrels. To his dismay, he discovered that the drunk servants had left very few barrels, even though Zoe had brought more than one whole barrel per person. Seeing that the alcohol was about to run out, Apolo didn''t hesitate and greedily took two barrels at once. With some effort and struggling not to fall due to how drunk he was, the young man once again found the table in the thick fog and sat down in the first seat he found. Realizing how strange and solitary the giant hall felt, Apolo, with an amused smile, proceeded to remove his clothes, wanting to be more comfortable in the room''s heat. He didn''t care much about the curious looks of others since absolutely no one could see him in the thick fog. ¡ªHa, ha, ha, this party is spectacular...¡ª Apolo laughed while naked, swaying in his chair and filling his mug from the barrels he had claimed¡ªIt just lacks one little detail... After saying that, Apolo focused on the thick fog in front of him and stared at it with a silly smile for a few minutes, as if waiting for some kind of spirit to manifest in response to his call. ¡ªCome on, show yourself and say: "Apolito, you seem a bit lonely at this party, is everything okay? Do you need to talk to someone?"¡ª Apolo shouted, looking at the fog with a smile as if he really expected someone to respond. However, nothing happened, disappointing the young noble. ¡ªI never thought I''d say this, but I really miss you, Fausto...¡ª Apolo murmured reflectively, looking around. This red fog with flickering flashes and the incredibly loud music reminded the young man of some of his incredibly bizarre dreams. Feeling like time had stopped, Apolo continued to drink while reflecting on his life, enjoying the pleasant sensation of being completely hidden from the world behind the protective shroud of thick fog. E101-Castle Far, far away from the party happening at Apolo''s mansion, there was a grand castle hidden in the midst of a dense forest of black trees and red leaves. In one of the countless hallways of this castle were two children dressed in rather worn and sweaty robes. They were slowly walking as if searching for something they had lost, dragging their legs behind with each step, appearing genuinely tired from their search. ¡ªWhere could Helena have gone?¡ª one of the children, who had a particularly pointy nose, asked. ¡ªNo idea, but we''ve been searching for her for hours, Apolo, that''s for sure...¡ª complained the other child, whose body was a bit plumper than the one he was walking with. Fortunately, he had a much more handsome and adorable face. However, half of the beauty of that cute, chubby face was hidden behind a silver mask. ¡ªSupposedly, we were going to explore the forest together¡ª Apolo said, wiping the sweat from his face with his robe¡ªI know what to do, Homero! What if we ask one of the servants for directions? ¡ªOh, great idea, Apolo!¡ª Homero exclaimed, looking around the hallway and realizing there wasn''t a single servant to ask¡ªWhat if we head to the gates? There are always guards guarding the castle gates; maybe they know where Helena is. ¡ªAlright, the first one to get there gets the other''s dessert!¡ª Apolo yelled, running like a maniac towards the castle''s entrance. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡ªHey, that''s cheating, don''t run! I never agreed to that bet!¡ª Homero shouted, chasing after Apolo, but the truth was that his older brother was much more agile, so he ended up losing the "bet". ¡ªI''ll take your dessert!¡ª Apolo shouted, touching the castle''s entrance door. ¡ªNo! Of course not, it''s my dessert and mine alone! I''m going to tell Fausto you''re stealing my desserts again!¡ª Homero responded angrily while struggling to catch his breath. ¡ªSuch a coward...¡ª Apolo muttered, opening the castle doors with some effort since they were too big for a normal child to open. The doors opened to reveal two guards dressed in somewhat worn leather armor, both men were amputees and seemed to have been former soldiers who were offered this job. This somewhat violated the traditional isolationist policy of the Black Forest realm, but clearly, no one dared to bring up the topic to the castle''s lord. ¡ªIs something wrong, kids?¡ª one of the guards asked without following any protocol. ¡ªYes, we lost Helena, do you know where she went?¡ª Homero explained. ¡ªThe blonde girl with light eyes?¡ª the other guard asked. ¡ªYes, that''s Helena, have you seen her around here?¡ª Apolo replied impatiently. ¡ªThe girl went with an old servant into the forest¡ª one of the guards explained¡ªSupposedly, they were going to pick some flowers, but it''s been a long time since they returned. ¡ªWell, thanks for the directions, do you know which way they went?¡ª Apolo replied¡ªWe''ll go look for them! ¡ªGo that way, just remember to come back before nightfall, or we''ll tell your father, and you''ll end up being punished¡ª the guard said, raising his arm and pointing in a particular direction in the forest, seemingly unconcerned about the children leaving the castle to wander into the middle of the forest. It appeared quite normal for them to do so... or the guards were just very lax with their duty. E102-Tracks The two kids followed the guard''s directions and entered the Black Forest in search of Helena. But after a few minutes of searching, they realized there was a slight problem. ¡ªWhere do flowers grow in this forest? I don''t remember seeing an area like this...¡ª Apolo commented, looking at the forest floor attentively. All he could see were fallen leaves, a lot of dry grass, some weeds, and occasionally, some not very colorful mushrooms growing on the tree bark. ¡ªI think flowers grow near the creek, not many, but there are some¡ª Homero replied, heading in a particular direction. ¡ªAre you sure the creek is that way?¡ª Apolo asked, a bit puzzled by Homero''s confidence; he didn''t remember ever coming across a creek in this area. ¡ªYes, I was here with Dad before¡ª Homero confidently responded as he led Apolo in a certain direction. It didn''t take long for the two kids to finally hear the sound of water splashing against rocks in the distance. ¡ªSee, it''s this way!¡ª Homero exclaimed, running eagerly toward the source of the noise. Apolo ran after his brother until he finally came across a rather beautiful creek. The grass around it was a vibrant green, and the rocks in the area were covered in moss. Unfortunately, Apolo didn''t see any flowers anywhere, so he asked: Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡ªWhere are the flowers? ¡ªOver here, they grow next to the rocks, they''re small and hard to see¡ª Homero replied, reaching between a couple of rocks near the creek and pulling out two beautiful, bluish flowers. ¡ªThey''re very pretty, but I doubt they went out looking for something so tiny; you can''t decorate anything with that¡ª Apolo said, approaching a rock to see how indeed there were flowers growing on it. ¡ªMaybe that''s why they took so long to return, they had to collect a lot of these flowers to make the decoration¡ª Homero replied, happily hopping among the rocks in the creek with an agility unusual for a regular child. ¡ªCould be...¡ª Apolo commented, checking the rocks¡ªDo you see any rock from which they removed the flowers? All of these look brand new; it seems like they didn''t come through this area. ¡ªHmm, let''s see, let''s look for a rock from which it seems like they recently removed the flowers¡ª Homero said, getting to work¡ªThat way, we''ll know which way Helena and the old lady the guard mentioned went: we just have to follow the rocks without flowers! Apolo followed his brother''s lead, and they searched for a while among the stones by the stream until the big-nosed boy finally found a stone from which it seemed the flowers had been removed. ¡ªThis way, it''s this way!¡ªApolo exclaimed, seeing that his brother''s idea had been quite good, and indeed, all the stones facing south had their flowers plucked. ¡ªLet''s go! Hurry, or they might finish the task and return to the castle before we find them. If that happens, we''ll be searching for nothing itself for hours!¡ªHomero said hurriedly as he ran in the direction indicated by his older brother. E103-The old woman The two young men followed the flowers-less stones for nearly an hour until they finally found what they were looking for, but unfortunately, it wasn''t what they had expected to find. Leaning against a large black tree was a rather old woman with a sword stuck in her belly. The woman was still breathing weakly, but from her pale complexion, it seemed like she didn''t have much time left. ¡ªEco!¡ªHomero shouted, running toward the old woman to check on her. Apolo also rushed to examine the condition of the old woman. He didn''t know her, but it seemed his younger brother was acquainted with this servant. ¡ªHow is the old woman?¡ªApolo asked, looking at his brother inspecting the spot where the old lady had been stabbed. ¡ªI don''t know, you attended more classes than I did! Tell me! You''re the older one, idiot!¡ªHomero cried out in desperation, visibly nervous. It seemed like he had come to a conclusion but couldn''t accept it. Apolo approached the elderly woman, who was breathing weakly and struggling to keep her teary eyes from meeting his gaze. He focused on the wound in her abdomen. ¡ªThe old woman is dead, or she will be in a few hours...¡ªApolo responded cruelly, noting that some vital organs had been pierced by the sword thrust. Hearing the boy''s conclusion, the old woman raised her gaze to the sky, shedding a few tears. It seemed she had accepted her fate. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡ªWhat do you mean Eco is going to die?¡ªHomero asked through tears. ¡ªStop crying; that''s life. It''s her fault for not taking her fencing lessons seriously! Your tears won''t change anything, and we still don''t know if this place is safe. So stop crying and get serious!¡ªApolo yelled as he slapped his younger brother¡ªOld lady, do you know what happened to Helena? ¡ªThais took her... the wicked one...¡ªThe old woman replied with effort, spitting blood from her mouth as if she were expending her last strength to convey this message. ¡ªWhere did they go?¡ªApolo asked urgently, grabbing the woman by the shoulders. It seemed she had very little strength left, and she was using it now to pass on this message. ¡ªThey said... they would... hide in the cave... at the end of this stream...¡ªThe old woman replied, using the last of her strength between violent coughs, lifting her hand and pointing her arm in a direction before lowering it abruptly. ¡ªEco!¡ªHomero shouted, shaking the old woman by the shoulders, trying to get her to react, but the elderly woman remained completely motionless. ¡ªShe''s dead; leave her! If we don''t hurry, they''ll kill Helena too!¡ªApolo shouted, removing the sword from the woman''s stomach and heading towards the direction indicated by the old woman. ¡ªBut...¡ªHomero tried to say. ¡ªWhat the hell are you going to do? She''s already dead, it''s over; you won''t revive the old woman!¡ªApolo interrupted with a loud shout, not turning back and continuing his march¡ªIf you don''t hurry, Helena will die because of you, idiot! Homero watched with tears in his eyes as the old woman''s lifeless body, then saw his brother''s back recede into the distance. Without wanting to lose sight of him, Homero ran after his brother while wiping the tears from his face. Finally, the chubby boy caught up with Apolo, and the two brothers headed towards the end of the stream in search of their dear friend. E104-The cave As they approached the cliff, the sound of water crashing against the rocks grew increasingly overwhelming, reaching the point where it grated on their ears and prevented them from hearing any other environmental noises. It was then, when the noise became truly unbearable, that Apolo and Homero could see in the distance an immense wall that covered their entire horizon; this must be the cliff as seen from below. The stream seemed to be constantly colliding with the cliff, and if one looked closely, they would realize that the stream was actually flowing into a hole that appeared to pierce the cliff. However, no sane person would venture into that hole, given the speed and force of the stream; it would be impossible to come out alive. Therefore, that couldn''t be the cave the children were looking for. The real cave was a few meters from the hole where the water desperately sought entry, and its entrance seemed large enough for an adult human to enter. The entrance of this cave was somewhat concealed by rocks and the green moss growing around it, but one could still see that there was a path long enough to hide the end of the cave. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡ªAre we really going in there?¡ª Homero asked aloud, fear in his voice as he gazed at the cave''s entrance. The darkness inside was absolute, making it impossible to see what terrifying creatures might lurk within. ¡ªYes, what are you afraid of?¡ª Apolo replied loudly, trying to make his voice heard over the noise of the water, while confidently gripping the hilt of his sword. ¡ªTrees don''t grow inside a cave, you ignoramus!¡ª Homero nervously exclaimed¡ªIf they start shooting arrows at us in there, how the hell do you plan to make it out alive? ¡ªIt''s impossible to use long-range weapons in a cave, you idiot! Besides, we have each other. As long as they don''t kill both of us at the same time, we can rescue Helena¡ª Apolo responded loudly, proceeding to find a way to enter the cave without falling into the stream. In a few minutes, Apolo found the path likely used by Helena''s kidnappers to enter the cave. With skillful leaps from rock to rock, the young nobleman managed to reach the cave entrance but did not enter. Instead, he patiently waited for his younger brother to gather his courage and also reach the entrance. When the two brothers finally reached the cave, Apolo signaled to his younger brother to remain silent from now on. Then, he ventured into the cave, illuminating his steps with a faint flame that had ignited at the tip of his finger. E105-Secrets The brothers slowly ventured into the cave, taking a few steps at a time and stopping every few minutes to listen for any clues to the possible hideout of the kidnappers. But the truth was that the cave was unusually large, and despite the brothers walking for several minutes into its depths, they couldn''t yet distinguish any single clue that indicated any human presence in this cave before. The cave itself was incredibly damp and somewhat chilly inside. Occasionally, on the rocky floor, they could see some puddles that the children carefully avoided. These puddles appeared deceptively shallow but could quickly engulf them if they weren''t careful. Moreover, the cave''s floor and walls were covered in slippery blue moss, forcing the children to take small, cautious steps to avoid slipping on this treacherous terrain. The brothers were so focused on not having an accident that would reveal their position to the kidnappers that they lost track of time. Easily more than an hour had passed until they finally realized that the sound of water splashing against the rocks from the outside had disappeared completely, leaving the two brothers in absolute silence where only the echo of water droplets falling into the cave''s puddles could be heard. This silence lasted for no less than another half-hour until finally a strange noise could be heard coming from the deepest part of the cave, prompting Apolo to extinguish the flame on his finger, camouflaging himself and his brother in the cave''s absolute darkness. ¡ªFinally, everything is ready! It''s time for you to show the entire council of mages that you deserve to become a mage, Helena!¡ªshouted a woman from the depths of the cave. This caused the children to lie flat on the mossy ground and wait patiently to gather more information about how many enemies were ahead before acting. ¡ªBut why did you force me to kill Eco, master?!¡ªasked a girl, crying, which surprised the two boys: that voice was identical to Helena''s! ¡ªThe world of mages cannot be mixed with the world of commoners!¡ªthe unknown woman shouted with authority¡ªIf you don''t leave your past behind and forget who you were before becoming a mage, you won''t be able to enter this world. ¡ªI was raised by her as her daughter my whole life. I just wanted to become a mage to give Eco a better future!¡ªHelena cried, her tears mixing with her sobs. ¡ªKid, you don''t understand anything!¡ªthe woman exclaimed, followed by a loud thud, much like a slap¡ªIt''s not that I don''t want the world of mages and commoners to mix: it can''t be mixed! As a commoner mage, you can''t show any weakness to the council: you never had that option, just like I didn''t back then! Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡ªI don''t want to be a mage without Eco! I don''t want this!¡ªHelena screamed in anger. ¡ªThen leave and return to the filthy streets where you were born: just try to find a merchant who can prostitute you so you don''t starve to death too soon!¡ªthe woman replied furiously¡ªCome on, go! If you really don''t want to be my acolyte anymore, then go and find your own life. I never forced any of this on you, Helena. You chose to become my acolyte, and it was your own hands that killed Eco! ¡ªYou forced me to do it!¡ªthe girl desperately retorted. ¡ªNo, I always gave you the option to live as a commoner again, but you chose to kill Eco and become a mage¡ªsaid the woman with an unusual calmness¡ªNow, I''m giving you the option again, but you can''t turn back time and bring Eco back to life. So, tell me: do you want to go and die on the streets of the Ring City, or do you seek a glorious life in the capital? ¡ª...¡ªThe girl didn''t seem to want to answer the big question, and silence filled the cave again. ¡ªI see I was wrong to take you as my acolyte; you don''t deserve to be a mage¡ªsaid the woman cruelly. ¡ªWait, don''t leave me: I have no one else!¡ªHelena pleaded after a few seconds. ¡ªIf you come with me, it will be to surprise the council and become a mage. Otherwise, stay and find a place to die far from my sight, kid¡ªsaid the woman calmly, without any remorse in her voice, and seemed more filled with disappointment than anger. ¡ª...¡ªThere was no response from Helena. Nevertheless, the cave returned to its usual unusual silence. ¡ªWe''re going to find Helena...¡ªApolo whispered, still surprised by the discovery that Helena had killed the old woman. ¡ªDo you really think Helena really killed the old lady?¡ªHomero asked, also surprised. ¡ªThe truth came out of her own mouth, Homero. What punishment do traitors and deserters receive?¡ªApolo replied in a low voice, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. ¡ª''In life, my torment; in death, my ancestor''s''...¡ªHomero muttered as if it were a rehearsed phrase he had been taught some time ago. ¡ªDon''t feel sorry for a traitor, Homero, or you''ll be the next to receive their dagger before you even realize it: it''s our duty to avenge old Eco!¡ªApolo said without hesitation, knowing what he had to do next. ¡ªBut the old lady said that Helena was kidnapped; Eco never blamed her, she even deceived us to keep us from knowing the truth¡ªHomero replied, still incredulous. ¡ªI am the one accusing her, and I am the one who will apply the sentence. It''s my duty, and it''s yours too: Helena is our servant and lived under our laws¡ªApolo said, standing up and going to look for Helena. In the darkness of the cave, Homero silently watched as his brother walked away, wielding the sword with which Eco had been killed. However, the darkness of the cave didn''t hide the tears of a child who would have to watch his older brother condemn his best friend. Instead, the darkness of the cave concealed the marked smile of a man who had been working in the shadows for years, finally seeing everything unfold according to his plan. E106-The hatch Illuminating with the small flame emanating from the tip of his finger, Apolo walked in the direction where he had heard the women arguing. It didn''t take long for the young boy to see a dimly lit camp in the distance, although the fire was very weak and partially concealed by some crates. As a result, Apolo could only discern the faint light reflected on the cave walls. To his surprise, he couldn''t spot Helena or her teacher anywhere, causing the young boy to become agitated and rush towards the camp. Upon arrival, the first thing the boy noticed was that the campfire was about to go out, and no one had bothered to add more logs. It seemed like no one had been at this camp for quite a while. The camp itself consisted of only a campfire, two makeshift sleeping bags made of blankets, and a few supply crates. For some reason, the sleeping bags had been left behind along with the supply crates scattered around, making him wonder how someone had managed to transport all these things to this place or why they had been casually abandoned here. In search of answers, Apolo turned to ask his brother, but he instantly realized that Homero had disappeared, leaving him completely alone in the middle of an enemy camp. ¡ªHomero!¡ªApolo shouted loudly, trying to make his brother hear his voice. ¡ªI''m here...¡ªHomero responded immediately, emerging from the darkness of the cave while illuminating his body with a fireball floating above his head. ¡ªWhy the hell did you scare me like that, you idiot! I almost had a heart attack. I thought they''d caught you!¡ªApolo complained. ¡ªBut you bunch of fools, how could you approach the enemy camp like that? It was logical that the smartest thing to do in this situation was to stay hidden in the shadows and see if anyone hidden among the sheets jumped out to attack you¡ªHomero explained, causing the fireball above his head to grow and diminish in size as he expressed his anger. ¡ªMmm... that was a good idea...¡ªApolo responded, his face turning red, quite embarrassed that his younger brother had taught him a lesson. ¡ªWhere''s Helena and the woman?¡ªHomero asked, slowly approaching the camp. ¡ªThey''re nowhere to be found. It''s like they''ve disappeared!¡ªApolo replied, lifting the sheets violently in frustration. ¡ªHow could they disappear? Clearly, they went somewhere. Look harder; there must be some kind of secret passage¡ªHomero objected while moving the camp''s crates, searching for something hidden underneath. Apolo followed his brother''s idea and began to search for a secret passage among the scattered supply crates, until he finally pushed the right crate, revealing a metal hatch underneath. ¡ªI found the hidden passage!¡ªApolo exclaimed, trying to open the hatch but immediately realizing that it seemed to be locked. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡ªWhat''s wrong?¡ªHomero asked with a puzzled look on his face as Apolo struggled to open the metal hatch. ¡ªIt won''t open. I''m trying to break it, but I can''t get the hatch out¡ªApolo shouted, trying to force the metal hatch open. ¡ªWait, stop forcing it, or you''ll break the lock, and there''ll be no way to open it!¡ªHomero cried out in desperation with a voice that sounded quite distorted, making Apolo look at him strangely. ¡ªMmm, there must be a spare key somewhere in this camp, or the woman who took Helena could lose the original key and risk not being able to re-enter the passage¡ªHomero suggested calmly, trying to calm Apolo and prevent him from continuing to try to break the hatch. ¡ªWhere do you think she could have hidden the spare key? We''ve been searching this camp for a while now and haven''t found any keys while moving the crates¡ªApolo said impatiently. ¡ªDon''t rush it so much; we already know where they went. In the worst case, we''ll tell Grandpa where they escaped, and he''ll take care of everything¡ªHomero said nonchalantly, trying to reassure Apolo and prevent the boy from trying to break the hatch. ¡ªI suppose...¡ªApolo reflected, not entirely convinced of the idea of letting them escape¡ªBut we''ve been searching this camp for a while to find this hatch, and we haven''t found any keys while moving the crates. ¡ªThink like Helena or her master. Where would you hide the secret key?¡ªHomero asked, looking around the room for a good hiding spot. ¡ªAmong the sheets! There must be a hidden pocket¡ªApolo said, running towards the sheets and feeling them to see if he could find something other than fabric hidden in the seam. Noticing that Apolo had moved away from the metal hatch, Homero quickly approached it, placing his hand on top and sliding his finger into the lock as if it were a key. Immediately, the edges of the metal hatch lit up with a sudden bluish light for a few seconds before returning to normal. After seeing the flash, a broad smile formed on Homero''s masked face, and without wasting time, the boy proceeded to lift the metal hatch, and it opened smoothly. ¡ªI found the key, Apolo! It was on one of the edges of the hatch. If you had been more patient and searched better, you would have seen it¡ªHomero scolded. After hearing his younger brother''s reprimand, Apolo rushed to the metal hatch to see what was behind it and discovered a staircase that apparently led to the center of the Earth, as the bottom of the passage could not be seen. With a flame on his finger, Apolo pointed his hand into the metal hatch and shot the flame inside. *Piuu*... The flame, when shot out, transformed into a needle-sized arrow, illuminating for a few seconds without seeming to touch the bottom until it became too small to be seen. ¡ªIt doesn''t make sense! How the hell did someone dig such a hole in the ground?¡ªApolo exclaimed, noticing that the walls of the hole were too smooth for someone to have dug this with a pickaxe. ¡ªYou forgot that the woman said something about wizards, and she seemed to be a wizard herself. She probably created the hole using very complex magic¡ªHomero explained in a hurry and with some nervousness. ¡ªAre there wizards with such powerful spells in this world? This tunnel doesn''t seem to have an end...¡ªApolo questioned, still stunned. ¡ªRemember the stories Grandpa used to tell us about the powerful wizards of old. Maybe Helena''s teacher was the last one alive, or maybe she used a magical tool. It''s just a hole...¡ªHomero replied with concern, fearing that Apolo would overthink the matter. ¡ªShould we go down, or should we call Grandpa for reinforcements just in case?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the stairs with curiosity. The boy really wanted to know what secret lay at the end of this deep hole. E107-The ladder The two kids entered the well and started descending the stairs to an uncertain destination. As soon as Apolo placed his hand on the stairs, he noticed with astonishment how the cold metal bars of the stairs pulsated like a very agitated heart. However, nothing more unusual happened, so the young man attributed the abnormality to the magic of the well and continued descending in search of Helena. After a few minutes of descending what seemed like an endless staircase, Apolo began to notice that with each step he took, the staircase became colder and colder. It reached a point where he had to warm his hands with a faint flame so that his palms wouldn''t stick to the steps. Simultaneously, with each step the children took, the heartbeat that could be felt from the metal bars became slower and slower, as if the "heart" inside the staircase was calming down. The young continued descending for a few more minutes, feeling their bodies freezing. At this point, the environment had become so cold that Apolo and Homero couldn''t stop shivering, exhaling white mist from their mouths. Nevertheless, they didn''t stop and kept descending the staircase until the heartbeat coming from the metal bars stopped completely, and the opposite began to happen: the steps of the staircase started getting hotter and hotter as the brothers advanced. Meanwhile, the heartbeat from the inside of the cold metal bars started getting faster and faster, as if the "heart" inside the bars was awakening from its slumber and resuming its normal rhythm. While this was happening, the temperature in the tunnel was improving, and the insistent heartbeat kept increasing its rhythm. It was then that Apolo realized the tunnel''s exit was getting closer, and there were only a few more steps to climb the stairs: Climbing the stairs?! ¡ªSince when did we stop going down and start going up?¡ªApolo asked, noticing the abnormality of the situation, stopping on one of the steps, unsure whether to continue climbing or not. ¡ªNo idea, it must be some kind of magic well: Don''t overthink it, just keep climbing!¡ªHomero replied, pushing the rear of his older brother, urging him to keep going. ¡ªBut wasn''t the original idea to go down? Are we accidentally returning to the cave''s surface?¡ªApolo asked, still unsure about what to do, trying to ignore his brother''s insistence to think more calmly about what had just happened. ¡ªWith the few steps left, it''s better to go up and see it with our own eyes: if we''re wrong, we can try again!¡ªHomero responded, pushing his brother''s back more energetically. Annoyed by the pushes, Apolo continued climbing the stairs, approaching the end of the magical well. As he climbed, Apolo noticed that at the bottom of the well, there was a metal hatch identical to the one at the entrance, although this one was closed, even though they had left it open. At first, when Apolo saw the closed hatch, he thought they had been deceived and left trapped in this magical well. Fortunately, Apolo noticed rusty lamps on the sides of the hatch that he had never seen before, indicating that this was the other exit of the magical well. Upon reaching the end of the well, Apolo tried to lift the hatch, but he immediately realized that there was a big problem: the hatch was closed and couldn''t be opened! ¡ªWhat''s happening?¡ªHomero asked with concern. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡ªIt won''t open!¡ªApolo shouted, violently hitting the hatch. There was nothing more frustrating than going through all of this trouble just to find the exit door locked. ¡ªStop hitting the hatch or you''ll break the lock, you ignorant brat!¡ªHomero yelled angrily, his voice sounding quite distorted, as he hit Apolo''s back. ¡ªDid you bring the key?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the sides of the hatch to see if there was a spare key hidden among the rusty lamps. ¡ªOf course, I brought the key, let me climb up to open the hatch!¡ªHomero said confidently, though he was actually quite nervous. Drops of sweat had begun to trickle down his face, falling into the infinite darkness of the bottomless well. ¡ªHow do you plan to get in front of me? The well is too narrow: give me the key carefully, and you better not drop it while passing it to me¡ªApolo said, extending his hand downward, expecting to receive the key. ¡ªMmmm...¡ªHowever, Homero didn''t hand over any key to Apolo. Instead, he stared at his older brother as if he were a bit dazed, thinking about how he could get out of this giant problem without revealing to the boy that this was all a dream. Getting to this point had taken the masked child months of research and work. However, the effort had paid off, and he had finally found the entrance to Helena''s subconscious with the remnants of memory in the rusty ring. Patience had given the masked child the perfect opportunity to execute his plan: Apolo had gotten so drunk that he passed out, making this dream deep enough for the boy not to realize how distorted this "reality" was. However, the masked child couldn''t risk ruining all his effort due to Apolo''s interference. So, he wanted to keep the dream as close to reality as possible, thereby preventing Apolo from "waking up" by discovering that this was just a dream. At least, that''s what the masked child aimed for until he could uncover the secrets hidden in the rusty ring and successfully plant the seed of "truth" in Apolo''s heart. Nevertheless, to discover the real story of the rusty ring, there were still several defenses to overcome, such as this annoying hatch. For the masked child, these defenses were quite simple to overcome. The real problem was navigating all these defenses in a way that Apolo wouldn''t be aware of what he was doing, thus ensuring that this entire dream would remain imprinted in the young noble''s subconscious like a ticking bomb that the masked child could detonate at the right moment. ¡ªDid you bring the key or not?!¡ªApolo shouted with annoyance when he saw his younger brother freezing and staring at him like an idiot. ¡ªI did, I''m just trying to remember where I put it...¡ªHomero said calmly, closing his eyes while opening his mouth quite wide. Immediately, a flash of light emerged from his mouth, blinding Apolo''s vision temporarily. Before his brother could recover his vision, Homero pointed his finger at the metal hatch and it began to stretch violently, passing through Apolo''s body and entering the lock of the metal hatch. The edges of the hatch flashed with a blue light. Without wasting a second, a thin, blue flame emerged on one of Homero''s fingers. Without any hesitation, Homero used the blue flame to cut off the stretched finger, causing it to fall and disappear into the infinite darkness of the bottomless well. ¡ªWhat foolishness have you done, idiot?!¡ªApolo complained, holding tightly to the stairs as he waited for his vision to return to normal. ¡ªCan''t you see the lamps around the hatch? Clearly, they are a memory aid; the light is the password to open this hatch!¡ªHomero explained, burning the severed finger to prevent too much blood from spilling and Apolo from realizing that he had mysteriously lost a finger. ¡ªHow the hell is light going to open a hatch?¡ªApolo yelled angrily¡ªAnyway, couldn''t you at least warn me about what you were going to do? I almost let go of the stairs out of fright! ¡ªWe don''t have much time, and worst-case scenario, you''d fall on top of me, so nothing would happen to you...¡ªHomero replied in a low voice, trying to calm his older brother¡ªWhen you''re done complaining, try to open the hatch: I''m sure my idea worked. E108-How easy After a few minutes of complaining, Apolo finally composed himself and tried to open the trapdoor, only to find that it astonishingly opened at his attempt, leaving him completely dumbfounded. ¡ªSee, I told you the password was light!¡ªExclaimed Homero proudly, pushing his brother''s back to hurry him to the outside. Apolo wasted no time and climbed out of the well to find himself in the middle of a grove, although the boy had never visited this part of the Black Forest. The reason Apolo quickly deduced this was because the trees in this area had bark of different colors, and their leaves were not red. Furthermore, the boy could see a gigantic circular tower in the distance that struck him as impressively familiar. Homero emerged from the ladder and looked at the tower in the distance with concern, immediately understanding that the area in question could be problematic: because the two children were in none other than the Ministry of Magic! ¡ªWhere do you think Helena and the witch escaped to?¡ªApolo asked, drawing the sword he had been carrying on his back all this time. ¡ªIn the tower, where else would they be? There''s no other conspicuous place in this forest...¡ªHomero said with concern. He knew that sneaking into the Ministry as children wouldn''t be easy unless they forced their way in, risking the mission¡ªRemember that the witch said they were going to talk to the wizards? Well, they probably live here. ¡ªThen let''s not waste time, let''s go for their heads!¡ªApolo replied, setting off. ¡ªWait, you idiot!¡ªHomero shouted angrily, grabbing his brother''s shoulder, turning him to face him while skillfully closing the hand that was missing a finger to conceal the obvious issue¡ªI just told you that the wizards live here: in other words, we''re in the imperial capital. You can''t just barge into the tower where the wizards live with a sword. ¡ªWhy not? Wizards are weak. Let''s go in, kill them, and return with the heads of the traitors! How hard can it be?¡ªApolo commented, not understanding his younger brother''s concerns. Homero quickly responded, trying to reason with his brother: ¡ªIt''s full of guards, idiot! I mean... it could be possible... It''s not like these guards really know how to use a sword, but if we enter that way, we won''t find out why old Eco was killed. We need to know why Helena decided to betray our family, don''t you think? ¡ªYes, I really want to know the reason too...¡ªApolo replied, still somewhat confused in his heart about his friend''s betrayal¡ªBut how do you plan to do it? We can''t just go and ask them to let us in to look for the traitors. ¡ªOf course, we can. We''re nobles: we can do whatever we want!¡ªHomero replied, laying the groundwork for what would come next. ¡ªSo, do you really think that if we just go and tell the guards to let us spy on one of the wizards in this tower, they''ll accept?¡ªApolo asked, looking at his younger brother as if he were an idiot. ¡ªNo, the guards don''t know us, but we can ask the Minister of Magic¡ªHomero replied, noticing that Apolo was starting to doubt. He knew he had to complicate the plan enough until the boy accepted his proposal as "relatively" logical. ¡ªBut the Minister of Magic doesn''t know us either!¡ªApolo emphasized with a shout. ¡ªTrue, but someone so important must be noble like us, and nobles treat each other as equals in front of commoners. So the Minister will decide to help us!¡ªHomero explained. ¡ªIt could be...¡ªApolo said, not so sure about his younger brother''s plan¡ªBut how are we going to meet with the Minister? ¡ªWe could go and ask, we''re just requesting a meeting with the person in charge...¡ªHomero replied¡ªCan you think of any way we can find him? ¡ªWhat if we say we''re here to inspect a new war machine in development and we need to see the Minister to take us to review it?¡ªApolo suggested, coming up with a good idea, an excellent idea. If only they weren''t children! ¡ªGreat, let''s do that!¡ªHomero exclaimed, without a doubt. The chubby boy already knew that everything would turn out fine as long as Apolo didn''t doubt why everything was going so smoothly. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Following the plan, Apolo hid the sword in the forest and headed toward the large tower in the distance. After walking for a few minutes, the two brothers could see that there were actually four castles attached to the immense tower, and the Ministry of Magic was much larger than they had expected. Intuitively, Apolo chose the castle where the Ministry of Magic''s office was located to inquire about the minister''s whereabouts. As they approached the castle, the two children spotted a single guard guarding the entrance. From the guard''s perspective, he saw two children wearing white robes and looking sweaty as they approached the castle. He thought that they might be two acolytes who were lost in the Ministry and searching for their master. ¡ªNice to meet you, kids. How can I help you? ¡ªthe guard asked, quite willing to assist a pair of lost children. ¡ªWe''ve come to see the Minister of Magic. Dad told me we had to talk to him about a super-powerful and secret war machine ¡ªApolo explained clumsily, omitting the most important detail: that they were nobles. ¡ªHmm... ¡ªThe guard listened to what Apolo had said and questioned the young boy''s mental state. Seeing the guard''s skeptical look, Homero approached and grabbed the guard''s armor, saying: ¡ªOur grandfather is the emperor! Do as we say, or he''ll punish you, and you won''t be able to explore the forest around this castle! ¡ªNo, please! I enjoy exploring the forest so much. It would be terrible if I were to be punished in such a way! ¡ªthe guard exclaimed, his eyes completely devoid of brightness¡ªFollow me; I''ll personally take you to the minister so you can see the great ultra-secret and powerful machine! Without doubting the obvious, Apolo watched with delight as the guard fell completely into the trap and proceeded to enter the castle, indicating for them to follow. With the guard as their guide, the two brothers entered the castle and climbed the stairs until they stood in front of the Minister of Magic''s office. *Tock, Tock, Tock*...The guard knocked on the door of the office while the children waited impatiently. ¡ªCome in ¡ªsomeone said from the other side, with a voice completely devoid of joy or attitude. The guard opened the door, revealing an old wizard dressed in a traditional black toga, very similar to what Apolo was wearing. The wizard was really old, and his body was quite skeletal, making it seem like he didn''t have much time left. The wizard''s face, on the other hand, was not at all like that of a normal human. His mouth was completely sewn shut, his eyes stitched, and his nose had been replaced by two metal tubes. As for the wizard''s ears, they seemed to have been stapled, and he didn''t have a single trace of hair on his head, exposing a multitude of scars. ¡ªWhy are you bringing two acolytes into my office? ¡ªthe wizard asked, although he didn''t actually move his mouth to speak; instead, a black cat on the desk was moving its tail curiously. ¡ªThey are the emperor''s grandchildren! ¡ªthe guard said, pushing the door, pushing the two children into the room. ¡ªBut what nonsense are you talking about? Since when can the emperor''s grandchildren walk without assistance or have the rings of the colossi from the Black Forest in their hands? ¡ªthe minister asked, although he didn''t speak, and his eyes were stitched shut, so he hadn''t actually seen the children. Instead, the black cat on the desk was pointing with its paw at the rings in the children''s hands¡ªMore importantly, how did these two children end up in the capital? ¡ªWe''re on an ultra-secret mission, searching for a traitor and her master! ¡ªApolo exclaimed with absolute confidence. ¡ªWhat did this kid say? ¡ªthe minister asked, stunned by what he was being told, although his expression didn''t change. However, the cat''s face seemed angry, and its paw was extending its claws. ¡ªYes, we''re here to find the traitor, Helena. She killed one of our maids, and we''ve come for her head ¡ªHomero replied, taking a few steps closer to the minister.
¡ªDid your grandfather send you to the capital to avenge a maid?¡ªThe Minister asked in astonishment, while the cat spoke on his behalf and licked his groin thoughtfully. Meanwhile, the minister wondered if it was technically possible for the people of the Black Forest to do such a foolish thing instead of sending a letter demanding their heads. ¡ªYes, she''s a disciple of a mage who came to this ministry today!¡ªApolo said while curiously watching the cat licking itself on the desk, wondering if he was the minister or if the silent person was the minister. ¡ªI see...¡ªThe minister responded thoughtfully, while the cat stopped licking itself and looked at the two children with curiosity¡ªWhat is the name of the mage who caused trouble in the kingdom of the Black Forest? ¡ªWe don''t know, but she said they were coming to present her disciple Helena to the council today¡ªHomero replied, taking a few steps back. It seemed that the minister was really willing to help them, or at least his tone indicated that. ¡ªOh, so the mage in question is also named Helena, as there is only one meeting scheduled with the council for today. The minister will tell the guards to stop her and hand over her head to you two¡ªThe cat replied with a different tone from what it had been using. Meanwhile, the minister was breaking his static state to open the drawers of his desk, taking out the necessary items to formalize the order. After hearing the proposal, Homero ran to stop the minister with concern and, touching him, said: ¡ªFirst, we want you to take us as secret guests to see why Helena wanted to meet with the council: We want to understand why Helena betrayed us! Immediately, the cat''s eyes lost their adorable sparkle, and it moved its tail with more happiness than before, cheerfully commenting: ¡ªOh, how could I refuse the request of two adorable little brats? We will find you some mage robes so you can hide and sneak into the council meeting. E109-The function has already started! The two children were guided by the director to a room where they changed their clothes to blend in as wizards. Fortunately, it seemed that the Ministry kept the clothes that had been lost by other wizards in one of the castle''s rooms, and apparently, there was plenty of clothing, likely accumulating over the years since no one came to claim these garments, and the Ministry didn''t seem willing to throw them away. The clothes in this place were very old, and some were so dusty that they couldn''t be distinguished, but that didn''t matter to the two children committed to uncovering the truth behind Helena''s betrayal. After changing, the two siblings walked towards the castle''s exit, dressed in old black robes filled with holes that some insects had apparently found to be a delicacy. As an additional security measure, the children decided to conceal their faces with white veils that seemed to have been improvised from their robes, thus camouflaging most of their bodies, preventing Helena from recognizing them when they spied on her presentation before the council. Upon leaving the castle, the children were accompanied by the Minister of Magic to the tall tower in the middle of the Ministry. At the tower''s entrance stood four muscular and handsome guards, displaying their elegant and shiny silver armor as they guarded the tower''s entrance with a look of pride. When the minister approached, the guards didn''t ask any questions and let him in along with the two young wizards. Upon entering the tower, Apolo was amazed to see that the tower''s ground floor had no walls in the middle of the structure and appeared to be a gigantic warehouse filled with colorful, mysterious objects in boxes and jars. However, it seemed that this was not the room they were looking for. The minister approached one of the only two doors in the room, aside from the entrance. After opening it, he revealed a corridor with a large spiral staircase made of stone steps. The spiral staircase served to ascend to the upper floors, so Apolo assumed that the other door in the "warehouse" would lead to the continuation of the spiral staircase, allowing access to a lower floor not visible from the outside. The minister and the two children climbed the stairs until they reached a door at the end of the ascent. Maintaining his cold silence, the minister opened the door, revealing a corridor with two more doors, in addition to the one that had just been opened. Ignoring the large door in the middle of the hallway that seemed to hide the room belonging to the second level of the tower, the minister walked through the hallway until he opened the last door, revealing the continuation of the spiral staircase. Apolo immediately understood that it seemed the tower had a rather simple but functional design: The tower was surrounded by a gigantic spiral staircase attached to the walls, with the main room of each level always in the middle. Thus, there were no complex intermediate corridors or hidden, unusable rooms as was often the case in the castles that surrounded the tower, where the staircases had been placed somewhat randomly. This showed that the castles had expanded haphazardly over time as the Ministry''s needs changed, lacking the planning evident in this tower. As he climbed the steps, Apolo watched as the Minister of Magic was greeted countless times by strangers as they crossed paths on the stairs. Despite this, the minister remained expressionless and ignored the greetings. However, the black cat on his shoulder waved its paw in response to each greeting, confirming to the wizard who had issued the greeting. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Finally, the wizard stopped climbing higher floors and opened the middle door in the hallway. Based on the number of floors they had ascended, Apolo assumed they must be on one of the uppermost floors of the tower. At this moment, the children were at a considerable height. It was quite challenging to achieve such heights in the empire, and in fact, Apolo felt that this was the first time he had climbed such a tall building in his life. He gazed with great curiosity at how small the people walking in the Ministry appeared from the tower''s windows. With the door open, Apolo was unpleasantly surprised to find that there were still more corridors to explore. The most striking feature of this hallway was that everything inside it seemed extremely expensive, with particular attention to aesthetic detail. The hallway''s walls were lined with an expensive-looking red carpet, and there were silver lamps on the ceiling that warmly illuminated the entire room. Additionally, every few steps, one could see furniture made of gold, intricate sculptures scattered throughout the hallways, and paintings that would captivate anyone''s gaze. Certainly, the Ministry of Magic had ensured that this hallway would amaze any new visitor, even placing a luxurious blue carpet that extended from the beginning to the end. Expressionless as always, the minister walked down the hall to one of the doors in the room, which, when opened, revealed a spiral staircase that startled the two children, who were already horrified at the thought of having to climb so many stairs. However, this time, it didn''t take more than a minute for the already tired children to reach the end of the staircase, where they could see a rather striking door. The door was made of yellowish wood, and everything seemed normal until one noticed the giant eye closed in the middle of the door, which appeared quite real, enough to wonder if the eye could open its eyelids. Without understanding why someone would place such a thing in the middle of the door, the two children followed the minister to the door. *Tock, tock*...The minister raised his hand and knocked on the door as if expecting someone to answer from the other side. But instead of receiving a response, the eye''s eyelids in the middle of the door suddenly opened, revealing a gigantic red eye that looked angrily at the minister and the two young wizards accompanying him. After looking at the intruders, the eye split in half, revealing a long row of sharp teeth and a tongue that kept dripping saliva onto the floor while speaking with a voice composed of several voices that seemed to belong to different people: ¡ªThe trial has already begun, and eavesdroppers are not welcome! ¡ªBut I am the Minister of Magic, and these children want to see what''s going on inside!¡ªThe cat on top of the minister responded angrily, showing its sharp claws. ¡ªWho? Ah, yes, I remember now. Are you that ghost in charge of the paperwork?¡ªThe eye replied grudgingly, while spitting a bunch of saliva in the minister''s face, causing half of the man''s expressionless face to be soaked in the transparent, thick liquid¡ªCome back when you''re someone! ¡ªBut look how cute these little wizards are. How can you deny them a request?¡ªThe cat responded, while the minister wiped the saliva off his robe. Homero, realizing that the situation was not going as planned, approached the door and took hold of it, removing the veil from his face and looking at the door with pleading, sad puppy eyes. ¡ªOh, but what innocent little creatures they are! Of course, they can come in to sneak a peek at these old, dying folks!¡ªThe eye said, looking at the two children with tenderness, then rejoined in the middle and closed its eyelids. Without hesitation, Homero proceeded to open the door, revealing that on the other side was a very well-decorated room with a couple of armchairs and a table filled with drinks. Everything seemed to indicate that the room was, in fact, a box, as from the armchairs, one could see a woman and a girl standing on a stage in the distance. E110-The machine It seems that Helena''s teacher was somewhat uncomfortable with the sound of the door opening, so she interrupted her presentation and stared at the box where three people had just arrived, causing the rest of the council members to follow the mage''s gaze and look with surprise at the latecomers. The two children noticed how the people in the other boxes stopped looking at the stage to see who had entered the room. Without explanation and without wasting time, the Minister of Magic approached the edge of the box and touched a crystal that could be seen above the edge, causing a black screen to appear in the box''s window. ¡ªWell, for now, we are hidden from prying eyes, and no one can hear us unless they shout. I hope you achieve your goals, kids!¡ªexplained the cat, jumping from the minister''s shoulder to perch on one of the armchairs. Meanwhile, the minister also proceeded to find a seat. As the two children found seats for themselves, the rest of the wizards in the boxes looked bewildered at the box where they had just seen the minister. They wondered why the minister had interrupted the presentation and who the two small individuals in oversized black robes accompanying him were. ¡ªAhem, little Helena...¡ªexclaimed one of the wizards in the boxes, trying to awaken the mage who had frozen in the middle of the stage¡ªWhy are you stopping your great explanation? Remember, this is your moment; today you are the protagonist, and we are the spectators! So, start over right now! Immediately, the children realized that the woman sweating profusely in the middle of the stage must be Helena''s master, as Helena herself was accompanying her on the stage. This was the first time that Apolo could see the woman he had heard in the cave, and she appeared to be very similar to Helena: she had blonde hair and light eyes, although they lacked luster, and her skeletal face showed prominent dark circles. Furthermore, her skin was quite pale compared to the girl, indicating that Helena''s master was ill and didn''t have much time left. Summoning courage from the words of encouragement, the woman on the stage resumed her lecture: ¡ªAs I was explaining, the mind transfusion method was created by the archmage Minos from White Town over 8000 years ago to... ¡ªShe''s crazy...¡ªmurmured Homero in a very low voice, incredulous about what he was hearing, looking at his great enemy next to the woman. He didn''t really know the whole story until now, and he was only just discovering it along with Apolo. Therefore, he was more than shocked to learn how that blonde girl had turned into the plague Apolo had to eliminate from his mind. However, hearing the name of the method, the masked boy had managed to deduce everything that would happen next. Nevertheless, he needed to be a hundred percent sure and gather as much information as possible, so the masked boy continued to watch attentively as the events forgotten by time repeated before his eyes. ¡ªIncorrect! You ignorant fool, don''t you know that Archmage Minos never lived in White Town!¡ªshouted one of the wizards in the boxes, disregarding what others might think of his lack of manners. In fact, the rest of the wizards in the boxes seemed to agree, or at least their silence indicated so¡ªArchmage Minos committed suicide 4000 years ago. Back then, there was no White Town! His followers were the ones who founded White Town around the tower where his remains rest. That''s why the town is called White Town: because everyone wore white robes! Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡ªI''m sorry, thank you for correcting me...¡ªthe woman said with a rather forced smile¡ªAs I was mentioning, the mind transfusion method was created to extend a wizard''s life by transplanting one''s mind into the body of a younger individual. But... ¡ªBut it cannot erase the subconscious...¡ªHomero muttered quietly, though someone had overheard his involuntary murmur, and it was none other than the Minister of Magic''s cat. Immediately, the Minister of Magic snapped out of his trance and turned to look at the chubby child. His eye widened automatically, and he gazed at the child with curiosity. However, instead of disclosing the information to the other wizards present, the Minister''s eye quickly sewed itself shut again, and he remained silent, intrigued to discover what was truly happening. ¡ª...even if your mind changes with that of the host, the subconscious of the original individual still persists, causing the well-known Minos Curse¡ªadded Helena calmly¡ªArchmage Minos lived with that curse for 4000 years thanks to the power of his blood, which allowed him to solve the problem without worrying too much about losing his own individuality. But for the rest of us, that alternative is not possible... ¡ªAnd how did you solve that problem, young lady?¡ªasked one of the wizards calmly, appearing quite interested in the young girl''s answer. ¡ªTo do that, I will use the following machinery...¡ªsaid Helena, clapping her hands. It appeared that the presentation had already been prepared in advance, and the Ministry of Magic had staff to assist the mage in presenting her research. So when Helena''s applause could be heard, the stage floor opened up, revealing how a machine covered with a red cloth was raised onto the stage. The machine itself was large and wide, easily twice the height of the woman. However, the wooden stage in this room seemed to be able to support its weight. When the machine had finished rising, Helena approached to remove the red cloth and unveil the hidden machine. ¡ªHa, ha, ha!¡ªHomero began to laugh like a maniac upon seeing the machine in question, frightening Apolo and earning a curious look from the cat on the armchair. ¡ªIt looks pretty to me...¡ªApolo commented with a tomato-red face, gazing at the machine on the stage. The machine was quite complex to describe in one word, but it had several easily distinguishable parts: there were two red leather armchairs, each equipped with restraints and handcuffs, as if designed to prevent the person sitting in them from escaping. These armchairs seemed to be attached to a desk filled with tubes of various colored liquids. But the most striking feature of the machine was right in the middle of the two armchairs: a metal doll very similar to a human being. The doll had no clothing on, so its naked body, which resembled that of a child, was visible. It wasn''t seductively attractive but aesthetically cute. The metal doll sat in its own chair and seemed ready to listen to anyone who sat in either of the two armchairs. However, there was another peculiarity: the doll had a distinctive feature that would catch anyone''s attention upon first sight: its two hands seemed to be used for caressing the metallic feathers of a sleeping metal duck perched on its thighs. ¡ªCould you explain the machine, how it works, what it requires, and why it is necessary for your research, young lady?¡ªthe same wizard who had spoken before asked again, conveying a sense of calm. He seemed to want to prevent the person on stage from getting nervous. E111- The Pandoras Key ¡ªThe machine in question is called "The Pandora''s Key", and it was created by...¡ªHelena commented with a bit more confidence, motivated by how the gaze of the wizards in the room had turned into one of curiosity, abandoning their studious posture. ¡ªApolo from the...¡ªMurmured Homero, almost whispering to himself with a rather broad smile. Turning the Minister of Magic''s face into a bitter smile; however, the expression disappeared as quickly as it appeared, returning his face to its natural state: devoid of any emotion. But it seemed that a change did occur in the minister, as he stopped paying attention to the presentation and instead stared at the stage, more focused on his own thoughts than on what was happening around him. ¡ª... and it was created by Apolo from the Black Forest...¡ªAdded Helena. ¡ªWhat? Did I create that machine?¡ªApolo asked, stunned, losing the blush on his face. ¡ªOf course not, but it must have been created by a relative who was also named Apolo¡ªHomero quickly replied. ¡ªWhat a huge coincidence...¡ªApolo muttered, looking closely at the machine. Helena continued to explain calmly as she walked around the machine: ¡ªThe Pandora''s Key was created to solve the mental problems of an individual, allowing the wizard who uses it to enter the subconscious of the other person to modify the thoughts and experiences that traumatized the individual being treated. So that the individual ends up perceiving these problems in a more positive way. ¡ªYes, correct, that''s its original function¡ªsaid one of the wizards in the balconies, apparently aware of the existence of this magical machine¡ªNow, explain to us, how do you plan to use this machine to solve Minos''s curse? ¡ªThe machine was modified to destroy a person''s subconscious, and so by applying Minos''s method, I would only have to transfer my mind to an empty vessel¡ªanswered the woman, causing the girl next to her to look at her in astonishment as if she couldn''t process what her master had just said. ¡ªBut you told me you would give me your body, and with it, I could become a wizard: Not that you would kill me!¡ªThe girl exclaimed with concern. *Clap, clap*...The sorceress clapped twice, causing two guards in silver armor to enter the room and take hold of Helena. ¡ªMaster, please don''t do this to me, I...¡ªThe girl tried to plead, but the guards injected her with a syringe, causing her to be unable to speak no matter how much she moved her mouth. As the girl cried without making any noise, the guards dragged her and placed her on one of the chairs of the machine, gagging her to make sure she couldn''t escape. The wizards in the room watched the entire scene without passing any judgment; it seemed they had seen such a scene too many times to feel any empathy for the poor girl crying so heartbreakingly in the chair. ¡ªWhat a shame...¡ªHomero said, wiping away the few tears that stained his mask, seeing how the girl begged for help from the other wizards in the room with her eyes only to be ignored. ¡ªRemember never to feel pity for a miserable traitor. All traitors die the same way: Betrayed... it''s what they deserve... and what they sought¡ªApolo replied with a cruelty unbecoming of a child his age, not forgetting the reason he had come to this tower in the first place. Causing Homero to stop crying too abruptly to think that his tears had been sincere. ¡ªWell, now explain: How did you manage to modify the machine?¡ªOne of the wizards in the balconies asked. It seemed like all the wizards wanted to ask the same question, so their backs straightened, and their gazes became more attentive upon hearing the important question. ¡ªTo destroy the subconscious of my acolyte, I will proceed to corrupt it until she herself wants to self-destruct. To do this, I had to make many modifications to the machine, among them...¡ªThe woman responded calmly. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡ªHow will you corrupt the girl''s mind?!¡ªHomero interrupted, shouting loudly, making his voice resonate throughout the stage. This startled the minister, surprised Apolo, and almost all the present wizards. It seemed that no one had even considered the possibility that the minister or one of his guests would interfere in the exposition. ¡ªAnswer that question!¡ªImmediately, one of the wizards in the balconies ordered, quelling the obvious murmurs that could be heard throughout the room. It appeared that the council wizards did not tolerate the minister''s intrusion into this exposition. For them, this was not a bureaucratic matter; it was purely an academic and protocol matter. The title of Archmage was one of the most prestigious honors a wizard could receive, and the council wizards would not allow a sycophantic bureaucrat to tarnish this noble tradition. But if the question was supported by another council wizard, it had validity and did not hurt their pride as wizards. Helena obeyed the order and explained proudly: ¡ªTo corrupt the mind of my acolyte and destroy her subconscious, I will use my greatest creation, which granted me the very title of the Mage of Greed: The Ring of Greed! After saying that, the woman approached her crying acolyte, cruelly ignoring her pleading gaze. The mage proceeded to remove the rusty bronze ring from the girl''s hand and held it up in the air, displaying it proudly to all present. ¡ªCould you remind us how your ring works?!¡ªHomero shouted with the calmness of a vagabond and the confidence of a dead man, surprising Apolo once again and causing the minister to grab his head with both hands. However, it didn''t seem to be out of embarrassment but rather genuine concern. Even his cat had jumped from the comfortable chair where it had been observing the stage to comfort him, climbing onto his lap and rubbing its head against his belly. ¡ªAnswer that question and relate it to the machine, young lady¡ªOne of the wizards quickly asked, preventing the room from filling with murmurs again and distracting the protagonist of this ceremony. Far from being intimidated by the interruptions, the mage Helena stood in the middle of the stage and, with pride swelling in her chest, proceeded to explain the ring: ¡ªIt will be my pleasure to explain my amazing invention: The Ring of Greed. It is capable of corrupting an individual''s mind using the innate greed in every person. To achieve this corrosion, the ring seduces the individual to affect their basic priorities and replace them with the corruption goal in question. For example, if I wanted to kill an individual, the ring could create unusual needs until the corrupted person finally feels an overpowering need to die and commits suicide. Another example, if I wanted an individual''s love, the ring could gradually replace the person''s goals and objectives with affection for me. In the case of this experiment, I will use the ring to have my acolyte''s own subconscious assist me in her self-destruction, while I monitor the process using the machine in the room. ¡ªHmm...¡ªHomero murmured reflectively as he watched the mage on the stage place the Ring of Greed back on the girl. While this was happening, the chubby boy thought deeply, as if he really had doubts about what he had just heard. So many doubts that the confident smile had completely vanished from his childlike face, and now his eyes anxiously looked at the girl on the couch, questioning more things than he would like to in this moment. All these doubts began when the boy heard that the ring was used to make the acolyte assist in her own destruction. It seemed that the masked boy was doubting and considering that this might be possible. But the masked boy also knew that all these doubts mattered little, as what really happened on this fateful day would be known in the following minutes. Following that, the mage on the stage saw the silent gaze of all the council wizards, who no longer had questions. They had understood the method superficially, and like all the trials that granted the title of Archmage, the council wizards had accepted that only the future Archmage in question could truly understand the underlying system for achieving longevity. To the council wizards, it would be impossible to use Helena''s Ring of Greed without wasting a significant portion of their lives attempting to replicate Helena''s research. Moreover, there was a high risk of failure since they could never think exactly like Helena, let alone share her motivations and inspirations for success. However, the council wizards did not seem disappointed, nor were they excited. Everyone in the room was aware that if there really was a method for near-perfect immortality like Minos''s method, it would have been industrialized and mass-produced long ago. In fact, there were already Archmages who had achieved this in the past, but only with products that extended one''s life to a certain limit, not much different from the life extension that a good doctor''s medicine could provide by preventing diseases. Therefore, no one in the room expected that a method of immortality almost perfect, like Minos''s method, could be replicated by everyone. In a way, Helena''s exaggerated conditions lent validity to her proposal, even though these conditions were incomprehensible or, rather, inapplicable to the wizards in the room. That validity would last only until the experiment was carried out and the actual results were witnessed by all present. E112-End of Show
After comprehending that the momentous moment had finally arrived, the magician Helena proceeded to sit in the vacant chair on the machine. As she sat down, the magician observed how the restraints and cuffs on the chair bound her as if they had a life of their own, while her disciple looked at her as if trying to find the last drop of compassion from the magician. However, not a hint of compassion could be seen on the woman''s face. When the two chairs were occupied, the metal doll in the middle of the machine began to stretch as if awakening from a long slumber, while it spoke the following words with an angelic voice that had the power to move the emotions of everyone present: ¡ªIt seems we have many spectators, just like the last time I came to this grand stage, but it appears that very few faces have survived the passage of time, and the only face I wanted to see no longer seems to be among the audience... ¡ªShut up and start it already, put me inside my acolyte''s head!¡ªShouted Magician Helena, concerned that the machine wouldn''t start immediately; the last time she tried it, everything seemed to be working fine, and the machine hadn''t started talking to anyone. ¡ªHow impatient, but I hope you can help the girl solve her problems...¡ªResponded the machine, closing its eyes. Coordinated with the woman and the girl, they closed their eyes along with the doll, and their bodies began to tremble vigorously, while the tubes with colorful liquids in the machine began to deplete. The process itself was incredibly fast, and in just a few minutes, the woman and the girl opened their eyes in coordination with the doll. However, the woman''s eyes seemed more alive than ever, while the girl stared into nothingness without displaying any emotion. As for the doll, it had returned to complete immobility, as it had always been before speaking. The restraints and cuffs that bound the woman began to loosen and allowed her to stand up to carefully inspect the lack of reaction from the girl. After a careful examination that took her time, Magician Helena concluded that, just like the previous time, she had succeeded in destroying her acolyte''s subconscious. The last thing left was the final and most delicate step: carrying out the method of Minos and transplanting her mind into the empty vessel she had just created. *Plaf, plaf, plaf *...Magician Helena clapped three times, causing a guard in silver armor to approach with what appeared to be a wooden box placed carefully on a red cushion. ¡ªGood luck, young lady. I hope you surprise us all and succeed¡ªcommented one of the magicians in the box; it seemed that many in the room already knew what was inside. Helena responded with a friendly smile and opened the box, revealing two fluorescent slugs moving around inside the box, which was completely filled with a thick, sticky, bluish liquid. Helena picked up one of the slugs and placed it on her acolyte''s ear, causing the slug to instinctively slide inside. Immediately afterward, she took the other slug and placed it on her own ear, causing it to enter as well. In less than a minute, the woman''s body collapsed onto the stage floor. *Agggggg!*...The girl screamed in pain while writhing in the chair, her eyes darting around, and her facial expressions constantly changing. ¡ªAnother attempt, another failure, what a waste of time...¡ªsaid one of the council magicians, showing no compassion. Some even stopped watching immediately and left their boxes, realizing that their role as witnesses had already ended. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡ªHe who seeks heaven must know hell, and time solves everything, even this hell. Not all is lost, little Helena...¡ªsaid one of the magicians, apparently one of the few touched by the magician''s failure. However, the children couldn''t peek to see who it was, as the voice came from the box directly above them. ¡ªIt seems they have already obtained what they wanted¡ªexclaimed the cat on the minister''s lap, but it no longer wagged its tail happily and seemed somewhat depressed. ¡ªNo, Helena is still alive, and we have to find her head. Why did they say it was a failure?¡ªApolo asked, listening to Helena''s screams of pain. Despite his young age, thanks to the magician''s simple explanations, the boy had managed to understand some of what had happened, although some parts were still unknown to him. ¡ªI''m afraid Helena died. What is above the stage is nothing more and nothing less than an incomplete mixture of both people. Apparently, the girl''s subconscious could not be erased, although I''m afraid the only one who knows what really happened is your little brother¡ªsaid the cat, looking at Homero with curiosity. This caused the round-faced child to contort his face completely and look incredulously at the expressionless minister, fearing that what he was thinking might really be possible. ¡ªDo you know why the magician failed, Homero?¡ªApolo asked, bewildered. ¡ªHis name is not Homero, in reality, his name is...¡ªthe minister''s cat immediately responded. ¡ªApolo from...¡ªHomero murmured, staring fixedly at the minister. ¡ª... his name is Apolo from the Black Forest¡ªsaid the minister''s cat without any apparent change. ¡ªNo, kitty, I''m Apolo, and the chubby one is Homero¡ªApolo responded childishly. ¡ªI''m afraid it''s not like that; although it''s illogical that this person is not Homero, the truth is that a memory doesn''t have to be logical or exact in its nature¡ªcommented the minister''s cat, surprising Homero, who was incredulous that the minister could deduce that this wasn''t reality. ¡ªEh?¡ªApolo asked, not understanding what they had just been told. ¡ªMmmm!¡ªThe cat tried to respond, but to the children''s surprise, its mouth began to sew itself shut with the hairs around its mouth. While the children watched the disturbing scene, the minister''s lips began to unsew, and with a voice completely unlike a human''s, he said: ¡ªThat''s not my cat; the person speaking to you is the one deceiving you, boy. You''re in a memory, and a false one at that. I already died a long time ago, or rather, I was murdered by... Deo and Thais. Unfortunately, they found out that I discovered the truth about the Blue Plague epidemic that is plaguing the Ring City. However, all of that hasn''t happened yet, even though it will in the future. I''m afraid this memory doesn''t belong to me, and it doesn''t belong to anyone, really, as I''m just a product of Helena''s imagination. Otherwise, I could show you the reality that I saw with my own eyes. But not all is lost, as you heard: he who seeks heaven must know hell, and if you survive it, you must promise me that you will tell the truth to the emperor. The empire must know that it is under attack. Apolo wanted to tell the old man that he didn''t understand what he was saying, but before he could open his mouth, he saw his younger brother running towards him and ruthlessly throwing him out of the box''s window onto the stage floor. ¡ªWhat did you do, idiot!¡ªcursed the Minister of Magic. ¡ªYou''re the idiot here. That information would only end up killing my brother. Did you really think I was going to let you use him? Let other idiots die for this damn empire!¡ªshouted the chubby boy, glaring at the Minister of Magic. ¡ªHe also lives in the empire!¡ªthe Minister of Magic responded immediately. ¡ªYes, and our family is not affected by the Blue Plague, so the boy will happily live among the corpses, blissfully ignorant of ever remembering you...¡ªthe chubby boy replied cruelly. While the argument unfolded, Apolo fell from the box, looking at the stunned faces of all the magicians present who stared at him without understanding what was happening and without the ability to react to the event they were witnessing. *Splash*...Without giving him time to understand that his very own younger brother had killed him, the boy fell onto the hard stone floor, shattering his head into a thousand pieces in an exaggerated manner, as if he were a watermelon. E113-The Tragedy Apolo abruptly opened his eyes and stared in bewilderment at the table covered with food scraps strewn everywhere. With a grimace of discomfort from an unusually strong headache, the young man rose from the chair where he had been sitting to realize that he was completely naked. ¡ªWho was the lunatic who dared to undress me while I was sleeping?...¡ªMurmured Apolo in a low voice, clutching his head. He didn''t remember ever having a hangover in his life, but apparently, this day was a big exception to the rule. Looking around, Apolo discovered that the entire room was a mess, with food on the floor, barrels everywhere, and the smell of urine incredibly strong. He could even smell the scent of excrement from some miscreant who had used the plants as a personal toilet, causing the poor and innocent plants to wither. ¡ªWhat filthy drunkards did I hire as servants...¡ªComplained Apolo, feeling nauseous due to the disgusting smell in the room; the odor was truly unbearable, even for someone like him who had dealt with rotten corpses more than his fair share. With effort, Apolo walked to the door in search of some fresh air, but on the way, he encountered a drunkard sleeping under a table filled with potted plants, leaving the young noble completely frozen. Apolo could only see the man''s leg, but due to the lack of pants, he deduced instantly that the scoundrel was also naked. In an attempt to extract the name of the unfortunate soul who had stripped them while they slept, Apolo pulled the drunkard''s leg to get him out from under the table and wake him up. It was then that the expression of annoyance on the young noble''s face turned into one of terror because he discovered that the naked man''s skin was as dry as a raisin. Upon seeing such an oddity, Apolo slapped the man immediately in an attempt to rouse him, but the desiccated man did not wake up. With trembling hands, the young man placed his fingers on the man''s neck, realizing the cruel truth: He was dead! ¡ªWhat the hell happened last night, did I kill him? But his skin looks burned, not aged. This can''t have been my fault...¡ªMurmured Apolo, bewildered, as he looked at the corpse with concern. It was then that the young man''s eyes widened; he had remembered something of vital importance: Zoe was also at the party! ¡ªZoe! Come out, Zoe!¡ªApolo shouted desperately as if he had realized that his child had been kidnapped. However, the creature did not appear, making the young noble nervous. Worried about the lack of response, Apolo ran violently toward the main door, horrified to see more and more servants lying naked on the floor as he approached. All the servants seemed to be in the same state: with pink, dry skin, as if they had been slowly burned to death and had lost all the water from their bodies. ¡ªZoe! Show yourself for the love of my ancestors!¡ªApolo shouted desperately as tears began to well up in his eyes. Nevertheless, no matter how much he shouted, the creature did not appear anywhere. At this point, Apolo feared the worst: his precious ancient Gururi had died along with the servants. Finally, the young man reached the door and tried to open it, but instead, he only managed to slam his face into the door, realizing that it was locked. There was only one master key to open or close absolutely all the doors of the mansion, so, submerged in a state of absolute despair, Apolo searched his body for the golden staff, but then the young man remembered that he was completely naked. As if a spark filled with hope ignited in his heart, the young man''s eyes suddenly shone: He had remembered something important! Apolo desperately rushed to the table where he had been drinking and eating last night, as if it held his last hope, to find that his black toga was lying on the floor just beneath the table where the chair he had awakened in stood. Without wasting any time and containing his desperation, Apolo hurriedly tried to put on the toga, managing to wear it in a disheveled manner. Then, the young man closed his eyes as if he feared to see the result of what he was about to do and shouted at the top of his lungs: If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡ªZoe! Come here immediately! ¡ªHe''s got his clothes all wrong, sir!¡ªZoe commented from behind Apolo. Apolo opened his eyes and turned around violently to see the green fetus looking at him with little brightness in its eyes. Immediately, tears streamed down Apolo''s face as the young nobleman ran and embraced the little creature as if his kidnapped daughter had been rescued from vile wrongdoers. Ignoring the foul smell and mucus emanating from Gururi''s body, Apolo continued to hug Zoe while crying on her tiny shoulders. ¡ªI almost died, almost lost you, but my ancestors kindly protected you from the wrath of fate! Never scare me like this again, little fetus!¡ªApolo cried out desperately while weeping like he had never done in his life, finally understanding that the problem was that Zoe had failed to recognize him without his toga on; unfortunately, Gururis were not exactly the smartest creatures in the world. ¡ªAs you command, master¡ªZoe said as some mucus oozed from her nostrils and stained Apolo; apparently, she enjoyed being hugged. ¡ªWhat the hell happened last night, why did you lock the door, and where is my staff?¡ªApolo asked immediately, ceasing to cry abruptly and becoming more serious than ever. ¡ªThey stole your staff and locked the door to kill everyone. I tried to get them to tell me where they hid it, but they wouldn''t tell me!¡ªZoe squealed, waving the little cane in her hand from one place to another as she spoke. The cane was stained with a strange substance, but Apolo could tell it was the blood of the two pink Gururis. ¡ªSo, those bastards learned to teleport: Did they attack you?¡ªApolo asked, inspecting Zoe''s body from top to bottom, but she didn''t seem to have a scratch. ¡ªYes, but I had the almighty little cane on my side, so they couldn''t get me!¡ªZoe cheered, raising the little cane above her head with both hands, looking at it as if it were an ancient weapon. ¡ªI''m glad they''re still too stupid to figure out how to abuse your trust: Remember to be clever, Zoe, or they''ll kill you!¡ªApolo commented, looking around the room suspiciously, feeling more insecure than ever¡ªWhere are the two pink Gururis? ¡ªI locked them back in their room, Master¡ªZoe replied triumphantly waving her little cane. ¡ªThat''s good. Do you remember how they killed all the servants? It seems like they put them in a boiling pot of water until they died¡ªApolo asked, ignoring the question of why the pink Gururis didn''t just teleport again to escape the room where Zoe had locked them. ¡ªI think they died because of the mist, I don''t know, unfortunately one of the pink Gururis distracted me while the other closed all the doors in this room. I took too long to realize their plan, and when I returned, I noticed that no one was breathing except for you¡ªZoe replied expressionlessly. Apparently, the Gururi was sad about what had happened, but unfortunately, her lack of emotions didn''t help much in telling the story. ¡ªThat''s scary. If it weren''t for the fact that I tolerate the temperature better than others, I might have died...¡ªApolo said, realizing the issue. The young man actually trained every day by inhaling crystal dust, so he probably only felt a bit uncomfortable with the killer mist. However, unfortunately, Apolo couldn''t remember that, as it seemed he had drunk too much alcohol last night and had quite a few mental gaps about what really happened¡ªDid anyone survive? ¡ªAll the servants are dead, I''m afraid. The room is a giant maze of furniture and plants; even without the mist, it could be difficult for the servants to find their way out, especially if they were completely drunk¡ªZoe explained the big problem with the entire party going wrong. If the room hadn''t been bursting with randomly placed furniture and plants, at least the servants who were uncomfortable might have escaped before the room was locked, or they could have returned to inform Apolo of the abnormality of the situation without getting lost in the middle of the mist. ¡ªDid my cousin survive at least?¡ªApolo asked with concern, remembering that just last night they were celebrating the farewell party of his most loyal servants. ¡ªI''m afraid Mateo was one of the first to die. A piece of furniture fell on him while he was trying to force his way out, or at least that''s what it seems happened...¡ªZoe replied so expressionlessly that instead of helping console Apolo, she further darkened his soul. E114-What tragedy? ¡ªWhat a tragedy...¡ªApolo murmured, but he quickly noticed that Zoe''s eyes were less sparkling than usual, so he added with a bit more enthusiasm: ¡ªAnyway, it was an excellent party! ¡ªBut everyone died!¡ªZoe exclaimed, seemingly concerned about the matter but unwilling to express it sincerely. ¡ªThat''s precisely why it was an excellent farewell party: No one escapes from my house, Zoe... no one...¡ªApolo said with a colder tone than usual¡ªNow my cousin, my former butler, and all his loyal servants will sleep for eternity in the lands of my beautiful mansion! Everything went according to plan in my master plan! ¡ªSo, was it also your plan to leave your cane in the room of the Pink Gururis?¡ªZoe asked with a slight gleam in her eyes, apparently happier with the idea that it wasn''t her fault and that it was actually an elaborate conspiracy by her master. ¡ªOh...¡ªApolo murmured unconsciously, remembering that he had indeed left his cane in the Pink Gururis'' room before the party started. So, the creatures had never teleported; they had simply escaped due to his incompetence and lack of caution¡ªYes... it was a very delicate plan to show you how wicked those two little devils were. ¡ªAnd was it also your plan to play loud music and make the temperature crystals malfunction?¡ªZoe asked even more excitedly. ¡ªOf course... everything was part of my plan, Zoe.¡ªApolo replied, trying to act in accordance with his words, but he wasn''t very good at improvising¡ªYou did a great job executing your part correctly, my dear butler. ¡ªThank you, Master!¡ªZoe exclaimed with some fluid coming out of her mouth, similar to saliva. ¡ªFurthermore, take care of hiring new servants and bring all the corpses to the mansion''s entrance so we can bury them somewhere on my estate¡ªApolo ordered. But before leaving the room, he remembered that he was still missing something important¡ªBy the way, where is my cane? ¡ªHere!¡ªZoe said, bending down and making the cane appear out of nowhere. Apolo saw the cane floating in the air in front of him with astonishment, wondering why Zoe hadn''t just taken the cane from the Pink Gururis using this magic trick. But if he asked the question, the old Gururi would feel guilty, and it would cast doubt on the fact that all of this was part of a grand plan. So, Apolo simply took the floating cane carefully, reminding himself never to lose it again; to these Gururis, the large cane had become the crown of a king, and a king should not be without his crown in front of his servants. Seeing that Zoe had disappeared to start carrying out the orders, Apolo, without feeling a shred of remorse for his recently murdered servants, took two empty alcohol barrels from the floor and brought them to the table full of leftover food. Breaking the barrel lids using his hands, the young man proceeded to put the leftover food from the party into the barrels. After a few minutes, both barrels were filled with a rather disgusting mixture of food to look at, given that Apolo had taken no care at all in storing the food properly. Not caring about the unpleasant appearance, the young man proceeded to close the barrels again with their lids and carried them on his shoulders towards the room where the two Pink Gururis were supposed to be locked up, although Apolo didn''t exactly know where he had locked them up, thanks to Zoe. Upon reaching the door to the room where the Pink Gururis lived, Apolo noticed that it was locked, dispelling his initial doubts. The young nobleman proceeded to remove the hidden key from his cane to unlock the door, also checking that, fortunately, the Pink Gururis hadn''t lost the metal plate that identified him as a magician during their "nighttime adventure". This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Upon entering the room, Apolo observed that it was incredibly tidy. The two Pink Gururis had taken it upon themselves to rearrange the furniture in this room as they pleased and had apparently taken the opportunity of their escape to bring some furniture from other rooms and pile it up with their other "treasures" in this room. ¡ªMaster!¡ªThe two Pink Gururis shouted in unison with friendly smiles as they emerged from their hiding places and ran to the door. ¡ªHow was your night? Zoe told me you escaped¡ªApolo said with an unusually broad smile. ¡ªWe noticed you had left the great cane behind, and we wanted to return it to you, but unfortunately, the doors to the grand hall were locked¡ªThe two Pink Gururis replied in unison, a little intimidating Apolo. They didn''t seem to be lying, which was bad; the last thing Apolo wanted was to live with two great liars¡ªUnfortunately, Zoe found out that we had the cane in our possession, and she obviously tried to steal it from us. We tried to protect the cane from Zoe''s greedy hands, but the evil creature managed to trick us with her strange magic. But apparently, you were able to snatch the cane from evil Zoe, Master. ¡ªYes, Zoe gave it to me...¡ªApolo murmured, wondering if he should force these two to lie and see how far they could go¡ªZoe told me you gave her the cane without a fight. I''m glad you finally understood the lesson and learned to live with her. ¡ªWe would never give the Master''s cane to that vile creature! We fought with all our might, but we lost to her magic! She wanted to keep both canes under her control: that way, she would be invincible! The traitor lied to you, Master! Of course, we didn''t give it to her peacefully: she''s dangerous and is using strange magic to seduce you! She probably wants to gain your trust to steal your furniture: our furniture! Surely, when she realized you were looking for your cane, Zoe gave it back to you peacefully to deceive you and hide her true intentions¡ªThe two Pink Gururis exclaimed in unison, putting their little hands on their teeth and trembling a little, with a level of coordination that would scare anyone. ¡ª...¡ªApolo pondered for a while why the Pink Gururis hadn''t lied to him this time, but they had in the previous instance. Initially, these two Pink Gururis were as expressive as any normal human being. Therefore, it was unlikely that they were lying and that it wasn''t noticeable, especially considering that these two creatures had the mentality and maturity of young children. ¡ªIs something wrong, Master? I see you''re somewhat worried¡ªNicol¨¢s inquired, his concern greatly exaggerated considering that the person in front of him had been delivering a substantial number of beatings every day. However, the truth was that Apolo''s training method was more complex than simply grinding their minds with beatings. The stark reality was that Apolo was applying the same age-old training method his family had used for centuries to train young ones in the art of war: the initial sessions would vividly showcase the torture methods of the Greek gods, making the young ones understand what would happen if they lost a real battle. In the more advanced sessions, they would begin to receive small rewards as they made progress in their learning. For Apolo, this was quite normal. After all, in his mind, no 6-year-old would take the task of lifting a sword seriously unless they could see the consequences of not knowing how to use it against the wrong enemy. And since in his family, a 6-year-old could be healed using trees, there wasn''t much mercy to be had. ¡ªSo, did you two really not lock the door to the party room?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the expressions of the two Pink Gururis. ¡ªNo, they were locked when we arrived...¡ªNicol¨¢s replied, showing no signs of lying. ¡ªWell...¡ªApolo commented, even more worried. These "children" were really deceiving him¡ª I brought you gifts for not killing Zoe. After saying that, Apolo uncovered the two barrels, revealing the pile of leftover food to the two Pink Gururis. The two creatures didn''t hide the saliva dripping from their mouths but patiently waited for Apolo to give them permission to eat the food. ¡ªYou can eat, but afterward, you''ll have to tell me in more detail what happened last night¡ªApolo said, moving away from the barrels filled with food, predicting the impending disaster, and sitting on the floor, leaning his back against one of the room''s walls. E115-The mansion Immediately, the two Gururis jumped onto the food to devour it. They seemed to have bottomless bellies because no matter how much they gobbled up from the potpourri of food in the barrels, the creatures showed no sign of getting full. As this was happening, Apolo calmly pondered everything that had happened last night, worried that his Gururis had wanted to assassinate him with such a complex plan at such a young age. But at the same time, he had many doubts about this very fact. For example, how did the Gururis know that the mist would kill the servants when they had never been inside the room, and their bodies didn''t perceive temperature in the same way a human''s would? From their perspective, all they were doing was locking up a bunch of drunks. Secondly, it would be strange if no one had noticed the two pink Gururis walking around the room. And lastly, the creatures seemed unaware of the fact that they had killed all the servants. They didn''t even exhibit slightly abnormal behavior when they came to greet him. It seemed like they had no understanding of what they had done wrong, and Apolo had spent an entire month telling them that they should coexist with the other servants. However, he felt quite frustrated because it seemed like his efforts had been in vain. As the unanswered questions swirled in the young man''s mind, Nicol¨¢s and Aquiles finished devouring the two barrels of food and were sitting on the floor, licking their fingers, waiting for Apolo to say something. ¡ªFinished?¡ªApolo asked, emerging from the unusually long trance. ¡ªYes, master!¡ªBoth Gururis replied in unison. ¡ªGood, now answer this question again: Did you close the door to the room where I was celebrating with the servants?¡ªApolo asked with seriousness. ¡ªNo, it was already closed when we arrived¡ªNicol¨¢s replied again. ¡ªWell...¡ªApolo commented, watching as the Gururis sucked their fingers, ignoring his gaze and not very concerned about his question¡ªThen answer: How is it that you two didn''t close the door when you were the only ones with the key to the entire mansion? ¡ªThe green bug can also magically close the door...¡ªAquiles said, staring at his brother. ¡ªYes, it''s most likely that Zoe closed the door and framed us...¡ªNicol¨¢s commented nervously, biting his nails, while exchanging a worried look with the other Gururi. ¡ªShe did it to get rid of us and steal our furniture!¡ªThe two Gururis shouted in unison, as if they had come to a terrifying conclusion. ¡ªNo, fortunately, that''s not possible...¡ªApolo murmured with more doubts than he would have liked to have. Initially, he knew that Zoe was terribly docile and at most would get depressed, but it would be complicated for her to attack him. Nevertheless, the pink Gururis were right: the only one who could close all the doors in the room besides them was Zoe. Furthermore, she was the one who organized the party, so she could also be the main culprit behind this "murder". ¡ªOf course, it''s possible, look at all the furniture we have in our treasure chamber: She covets them!¡ªAquiles yelled, pointing at the furniture in the room with fear. ¡ªNo, she doesn''t care about your furniture...¡ªApolo said wearily, as if he had had this conversation a million times, but these two brats kept turning a deaf ear to what he was saying¡ªLet''s ignore Zoe for now and instead answer: How did you know which room I was in when you escaped? Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡ªOld Winki told us!¡ªNicol¨¢s said, pointing to a large wardrobe in the room. ¡ªDid the wardrobe tell you?¡ªApolo asked, somewhat happy with what he was hearing. ¡ªNo, no, Winki lives in the wardrobe: He''s actually a drawer!¡ªAquiles corrected, seeing how the wardrobe in the distance trembled on its own as if it had a life of its own. ¡ªGood, it seems you''ve learned to interact with the furniture, which means you''re only a few weeks away from finally maturing enough to be free¡ªApolo said happily, although it didn''t last long. He had come up with a good idea and instead asked¡ªAccording to Winki, who closed the door to the room where we were celebrating? ¡ªDo you want us to ask him?¡ªAquiles asked, not catching the message. ¡ªYes, go and ask for his opinion: it''s an order¡ªApolo said, pointing to the furniture. Aquiles and Nicol¨¢s approached the wardrobe and opened one of its drawers, then stared into it in complete silence for a few minutes. Finally, they stopped looking at the drawer and rearranged the furniture before returning with the answer. ¡ªAccording to Winki, they was...¡ªAquiles began to say. ¡ªIt was Zoe, according to Winki, Zoe killed all the servants and tried to kill you, Master. That plague must be beaten with sticks!¡ªNicol¨¢s interrupted, looking at the other pink Gururi in a way that was too obvious. ¡ªI heard Aquiles speaking in plural already, you idiot!¡ªApolo shouted, hitting Nicol¨¢s on the head with his staff, but deep down, he was actually quite happy: this time it had been quite easy to recognize that they were lying. ¡ªBut it really was Zoe...¡ªAquiles said, supporting the other Gururi''s claim. ¡ªAre you going to tell me the truth, or do I have to extract the truth from you?¡ªApolo asked, staring at Aquiles, tapping the golden knob of his cane against his hand. ¡ªIt was... Zoe...¡ªAquiles said, crying desperately, while looking at the room''s furniture with tenderness as if he were sacrificing himself to protect his best friends. ¡ªIf you tell me the truth, I''ll give you a reward...¡ªApolo said, looking at the furniture in the room. He knew he couldn''t threaten them with destroying the furniture, or the furniture would corrupt their minds, and they would start plotting his death, so it was practically the only thing he couldn''t do to his Gururis. Therefore, he refrained from pursuing that idea and focused on trying to bribe them instead. ¡ªIt''s just that we''re not lying: It was Zoe, Master!¡ªNicol¨¢s cried from the floor, still holding his head in pain. ¡ªWell, it seems I''ll have to give the furniture decorations to Zoe...¡ªApolo muttered under his breath, getting up to walk toward the door, pretending to intend to leave the room. Immediately, almost all the furniture in the room started to shake, some even began to open and close their doors violently, causing Nicol¨¢s to grab Apolo''s robe to prevent him from escaping while pleading: ¡ªNo, no, give us those decorations: We''ll tell you the truth, Master! ¡ªThey''re very nice decorations, so I hope you won''t lie to me again¡ªApolo said, trying to hide his joy as he saw his childish plan had worked. ¡ªAccording to Winki, they were the ones who decorate the coffins in the dungeon: Those decorations hate you and have been calling for your and all your servants'' deaths throughout the house for some time now¡ªAquiles said with dissonant happiness compared to what he was saying¡ªThe heir''s room apparently hates you too, so it was the main one responsible for carrying out the plan. ¡ªThe truth is, that doesn''t sound very realistic to me...¡ªApolo replied, but immediately saw the large wardrobe open suddenly, and what must have been the drawer called Winki opened violently, throwing a shoe at his head. ¡ªSee, Winki is telling you the truth!¡ªNicol¨¢s said happily, eager to see the promised decorations. ¡ªAre you telling me that my mansion is cursed?¡ªApolo asked, surprised that a piece of furniture had just thrown a shoe at him. His extensive knowledge of Gururis had never warned him of these events. ¡ªThe mansion has always been cursed!¡ªAquiles replied happily¡ªThat''s why the imperial family sold the mansion, why else would they have done it? ¡ªHow long have you known that this house is cursed, and why didn''t you tell me?¡ªApolo shouted in anger. ¡ªA few days... We''ve known for a few days. Furniture likes to gossip about what rooms say, so it kind of slipped out¡ªAquiles replied while wiping the sweat from his forehead, apparently blatantly lying about the matter. E116-Problems and more problems ¡ªAnd do the furniture know how to solve the matter?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the furniture in the room carefully, trying to see if any of them moved, indicating that they knew something. But it seemed they were all quite "quiet". ¡ªAccording to what the furniture had said, even the rooms don''t know how to solve it¡ªanswered Aquiles, showing that apparently there was a hierarchy within the world that only the Gururis in this house could appreciate. ¡ªWell, there''s not much I can do then. Anyway, there''s no need to worry: my ancestors protected me last night, and they will do so again tomorrow if something were to happen...¡ªApolo muttered to himself, trying to convince himself that everything would be fine; after all, the young noble had been living in this mansion for almost two years, and nothing too strange had happened. Although the grim reality was that the servants died of blue plague far too often not to suspect that something odd was going on. However, for carefree Apolo, it was impossible to notice this, and the silence from his former butler Orrin regarding the mansion''s "secret" didn''t help reveal what was happening. ¡ªDid we earn the decorations?¡ªNicol¨¢s asked, noticing that his master had gone into a reflective mode, detached from reality. ¡ªEh?... Yes... You''ve earned them¡ªApolo replied, snapping out of his trance¡ªGo to the mansion''s door: there you will find your decorations. Find some place in the mansion to start "decorating" the furniture. Don''t bring them all to this room, and try to exchange those decorations with others belonging to different furniture. Have fun, and remember not to mess with Zoe. If I find out you fought with Zoe while carrying the decorations, I''ll take them away and give them to her. As if a flag had been waved, the two pink Gururis began a race to the mansion''s door in search of their "decorations". Meanwhile, Apolo followed them with concern, having little confidence that these two pink fetuses wouldn''t get into a fight with Zoe. However, Apolo wanted to speed things up a bit and try to get these two creatures to finally start working with Zoe and stop trying to harm her. But to do that, the young man needed to give the two pink Gururis more and more freedom, which in turn increased the risk of an accident happening. Upon reaching the mansion''s door, the young noble observed the large pile of corpses piled up at the entrance of his mansion. Most of the bodies were intact and appeared to have died from scalding steam, but the number of servants whose corpses indicated they had been crushed by some piece of furniture was highly suspicious. Seeing nearly 30 dead people piled up at his doorstep would disgust anyone. But in Apolo''s eyes, what bothered him was the detail that Zoe had taken the trouble to place Orrin''s and Mateo''s corpses separately from the pile. Thus, the young noble could see their faces directly, and they seemed to be staring at him as if they were judging him as the great responsible for their lives ending this way. ¡ªThat''s life: you''re born a servant, and you die a servant: So don''t look at me with those eyes and blame your ancestors!¡ªApolo exclaimed, looking angrily at the corpses of the only servants whose names he knew. Stolen story; please report. ¡ªIs something wrong, master?¡ªAquiles asked, somewhat scared by the sudden outburst. ¡ªTake these two unlucky ones away from my sight immediately and hide them in a place where I''ll never have the misfortune of crossing paths with them again!¡ªApolo shouted forcefully. The two pink Gururis felt their master''s anger and hurried to carry the corpses. However, since they didn''t know how to use their magic very well, and the corpses were quite heavy, the creatures had to work together to transport a single corpse at a time. Orrin''s corpse, which appeared less heavy, was the first to receive this great honor. The two Gururis took hold of his legs and shoulders and transported the old man back into the mansion. While Apolo stared paralyzed at Mateo''s face, the lower part of his body had turned into a mass of minced meat, but his head remained intact, and his lifeless eyes judged Apolo''s actions. ¡ªWhat did you expect?! That I''d bury you in the cemetery?!¡ªApolo yelled, approaching Mateo''s corpse, giving it a blow with his staff that sent his guts flying through the air¡ªOf course not, why should I bother and waste my time burying my uncle''s bastard! It was a mistake to try to help you in the first place! *Puff, puff, puff *...Apolo angrily continued lifting and lowering his staff to beat Mateo''s corpse, seeking to disfigure the man''s face enough to make his judgmental eyes stop staring at him for his actions, all the while shouting with fury: ¡ªA mistake that cost me dearly, that made me lose valuable days I should have spent on myself! If my uncle or your mother really cared about you, they would have protected you from beyond the grave, Mateo. I was a fool to worry about a servant! I should have respected my grandfather''s will, and neither of us would be aware of the mistakes my uncle made. Given Apolo''s strength, Mateo''s head didn''t take long to lose any human features, and after a few blows with the staff, it transformed into a pile of minced flesh. Finally, Mateo''s eyes had disappeared from this world, causing the young noble to calm down and feel as though his former servant''s blood was staining his entire body. Feeling completely dirty, Apolo took off his toga and threw it aside, standing completely naked. Without caring about anything, or rather, unable to think about anything, Apolo ran to the lake in his room, desperate to rid himself of all this filth that stained his body. This blood incessantly reminded the young man of how easily things could turn for the worse and how fragile human beings could be in the face of life''s challenges. However, at this moment, Apolo didn''t want to reflect on anything and only wanted to escape from the immense problem he had found himself in. Running at a breakneck speed for any normal person, Apolo reached the lake before he could even realize what he was doing. Without stopping, the young man reached the shore and, using all his strength, made an inhuman leap that catapulted him into the middle of the lake. As he fell from the sky and felt the air collide with his body, Apolo couldn''t stop thinking about the gaze of the mountain of corpses, of his Gururis, of his former butler, of his bastard cousin, of his grandfather, of his mother, of his brothers, and the gaze of his own reflection in the water. A merciless gaze that kept reproaching him for all the mistakes he had made, was making, and would make in the future. However, everything that goes up must come down, and time added its grains of sand to make Apolo end up falling into the water. *Splash*...The young man fell onto the water, creating an explosion that lifted the water several meters. As he felt the water removing the sticky blood from him, the young man slowly regained his sanity and began to feel calm again as he floated on the surface of the lake, gazing at the big sun in the clear sky. ¡ªWhat comes next, Apolito?¡ªMurmured Apolo, pondering his future in vain, unable to process how overnight he had been left completely alone in the capital, with no one who truly knew him. E117-Four months. Time, ever relentless, continued its ceaseless tick-tock, causing four whole months of Apolo''s life to slip away. However, benevolent as it was, time had bestowed a beautiful gift upon the young nobleman: his Gururis had finally learned to coexist! At least, that''s what Apolo believed... While the current relationship between his Gururis wasn''t exactly harmonious, it was far better than an all-out rivalry. About a month ago, Apolo had realized that the time had come, and feeling satisfied with the training he had provided, he decided it was time for Aquiles and Nicol¨¢s to learn from Zoe how to become his future stewards. But all of that was now in the past, as a whole month had passed without any unfortunate accidents. Returning to the present, today Apolo found himself walking towards the mansion''s door. Along the way, the young man occasionally crossed paths with unfamiliar people. Initially, these strangers were his new servants, although they weren''t actually all that new and had been working in the mansion for several months. Nevertheless, Apolo had never wasted his time to fully examine their faces, so the young nobleman couldn''t quite remember what they looked like. Upon reaching the mansion''s door, Apolo noticed that Zoe and the two pink Gururis were waiting for him, sporting broad smiles on their faces. ¡ªGood morning, Master!¡ªthe three creatures chimed in unison, as if they had been practicing for quite a while. ¡ªGood day. Is everything prepared for me to go to the Ministry of Magic?¡ªApolo asked, looking with curiosity as several seemingly expensive statues were being transported by carriages to various corners of his vast estate¡ªWhat are those things? This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡ªThose are decorations for the courtyard. We''ve been buying them for a while, but you never bothered to see how we''ve been decorating the yard¡ªAquiles explained, shedding light on why so many people were working in the courtyard. ¡ªIt''s been a few months since you last ventured out of the mansion, and the courtyard has changed a lot thanks to our hard work¡ªadded Zoe, pointing insistently with her little hand towards the courtyard, as if urging Apolo to finally take a look at their four months'' worth of effort¡ªYour breakfast is in the carriage; the driver is waiting for you. ¡ªI''m glad. When I have time, I''ll go check out the courtyard...¡ªApolo replied with a well-practiced smile, once again postponing the matter as he slowly walked, leaning on his faithful cane, toward the carriage, where a driver whose face he couldn''t quite recognize was indeed waiting for him¡ªFor the first time in a long time, I''ll be leaving the mansion, so be on your guard, Zoe! Remember never to fully trust those two idiots; it''s written all over their faces that they were waiting for me to go get this year''s budget. ¡ªHave a safe journey, Master!¡ªZoe said, raising her little staff in front of the two pink Gururis as she prepared for the impending battle on the horizon. ¡ªBehave yourselves. I hope that when I return, everything will be just as it always has been!¡ªApolo ordered, looking at the two pink Gururis with concern before entering the carriage. The young man knew this was the ultimate test, and unfortunately, he wasn''t entirely sure if the two pink Gururis could pass it. But several months had passed since the end of the year, and Apolo didn''t want to further delay receiving his annual sponsorship and the trip to the Ministry. So, the moment had finally come to see if all the training Apolo had given to these two wild creatures had been worth it. ¡ªNothing will happen to us. Have a safe journey, Master!¡ªAquiles and Nicol¨¢s shouted in unison in response, as wide smiles formed on their faces, not doing much to ease the young nobleman''s doubts. E118-The Journey to Nothing Despite the young man''s concerns, the carriage began its long journey to the Ministry of Magic. By the time Apolo finished his breakfast, less time than he would have liked had passed, and there was still a long road ahead. The problem with distances was becoming increasingly evident as he spent time living in this secluded mansion. Bored by the long journey, Apolo looked out the window, curious about the lives of other people in the capital. However, it seemed more like the lives of the servants than the nobles who supposedly lived in this place. At this early hour of the morning, Apolo could only see the servants working in the gardens. After a few hours of curiosity, boredom once again won the battle, and Apolo''s curiosity faded. So, the young man decided to do something else to pass the time and reached into one of his pockets for the old and reliable letter left by his ancestor with the steps to become a good wizard in this empire. Apolo had a second purpose for going to the Ministry of Magic today, and that was to fulfill the last piece of advice left in the dreaded letter. However, the young man''s disinterested eyes while rereading the document seemed to indicate that the last piece of advice was more a waste of time than another significant step in his life. And it was not without reason, as the fifth piece of advice was nothing less than retrieving a specific book from the Imperial Magic Library. Initially, the task seemed easy to accomplish, but there was a small problem, or rather a gigantic problem, and that problem was time: His ancestor had died more than a thousand years ago! It was practically impossible that this specific book would still be where his ancestor had indicated in his legacy. However, there was still hope because the steps to find the book seemed complex enough to remain hidden from ignorant eyes for more than a thousand years. Nevertheless, the real problem that was crushing Apolo''s hopes was precisely the people who knew about the existence of the marked book, namely the two wizards before him in his family during these thousand years. If either of the two wizards had taken the book from its hiding place following their ancestor''s advice and never returned it, then it would be impossible for Apolo to fulfill this advice. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. These slim chances of success were what prompted Apolo to postpone this "task" to this point where there were no more pieces of advice to fulfill. In principle, Apolo was now a complete wizard, and he had already fulfilled the will of his two ancestors. This would be fantastic if there wasn''t a "slight" problem: Besides fulfilling his ancestor''s advice, there was no more motivation in the young noble''s life. Apolo knew it well: time had slowly given him his achievements and allowed him to fulfill his ancestors'' words as he had set out to do. But now, all that remained for the young man was to fulfill the "impossible" last piece of advice and then nothingness itself: There was no more path ahead for Apolo, and he had long ago made the decision to end this senseless journey when he reached his final goal. For Apolo, everything lacked urgency rather than meaning: Exploring the forest, the journey to the capital, filling the mansion, finding the "perfect" Gururis, raising his two Gururis, and now finding the exact edition of a book in the Imperial Library. These were meaningless goals in a senseless life, which had caused the young man to understand a long time ago how this story would end, or rather, how he wanted to end this long story. This great tragedy began when the young man stopped exploring the forest and began his journey to the capital. It was then, at that moment, that Apolo realized that finding the cliff didn''t matter at all: there was no point in exploring the forest every day, even if he finally found the cliff. The cruel reality taught the young man that he had probably been searching for it for so long only to finally be able to jump off it and end all this misery that many called life. However, Apolo never found the cliff. Whether by chance or destiny, the cliff did not appear, and here was the young noble heading to the Ministry of Magic, thinking about what would come next after he discovered that the book was no longer in its place. Or rather, thinking about how he would bid farewell to the everyday sun and what words he would write in the letter he had to send to his relatives. E119-Untouchable The sun in the sky hid, yielding the spotlight to the moon to miserably illuminate the lives of the people in the capital. Meanwhile, time granted Apolo another small achievement: he had finally arrived at the Ministry of Magic. At this very moment, Apolo was heading towards the reception office of the castle where the wizards of the ministry lived, where the wizard Tobias was supposedly still working on delivering the dormitory keys. After entering the castle and navigating its complex corridors, Apolo managed to jog his memory and find the reception office. Without knocking on the door, the young nobleman opened it and discovered that the wizard Tobias was still at work in the ministry and was currently attending to another wizard. Completely ignoring the unknown wizard, Apolo approached the desk and ordered bluntly: ¡ªGive me a room for one night! ¡ªRight now, I''m assisting...¡ªTobias began to respond with a well-practiced smile, but his refusal was suddenly interrupted as he saw the giant reaching for one of the crystal balls displayed on his desk. Apolo picked up one of the crystal balls from Tobias''s desk and raised it as if to inspect it. After gazing at it for a while under the nervous gaze of Magician Tobias and the uncomfortable gaze of the magician waiting for his room, the nobleman lost patience and dropped the crystal ball from his hands: *Crash*...The crystal ball collided with the stone floor of the office, shattering it into a thousand pieces. ¡ªStop!!¡ªTobias shouted desperately, watching as the reckless giant had just broken part of his life''s work. ¡ªGive me my key, you lazy bum!¡ªApolo roared, taking two more crystal balls from the table. ¡ªHere you go!¡ªExclaimed Tobias, pulling a random key from his desk drawers and handing it to Apolo¡ªNow, release those two crystal balls! It took me years of my life to get to this point; you can''t just destroy it like this! ¡ªOf course I can!¡ªApolo roared, dropping the two crystal balls to the floor, proceeding to snatch the key from the stunned Tobias''s hand. *Crash, Crash*...The two crystal balls crashed to the ground, causing the wizard in the chair to look at Apolo like a madman and Tobias to look at the broken glass on the floor as if he were being handed the corpses of his children. ¡ªNo!!, Why?, why did you break them?, I gave you the key! Why did you have to destroy them?¡ªTobias cried with tears in his eyes, unable to look away from the remnants of the three crystal balls on the floor. ¡ªBecause I felt like it; next time, be quicker at your job: Goodbye, bunch of useless people!¡ªApolo replied, turning away to leave the room, completely ignoring the disgusted look that the waiting wizard was giving him. After reaching the office door, Apolo left the room and slammed the door shut with such force that it almost split in half. *Crash, Crash, Crash, Crash, Crash, Crash*...Immediately, the sound of the crystal balls falling could be heard coming from behind the door. ¡ªNo!!!¡ªTobias shouted as if one of his children had been killed, while his weary mind forced him to break down completely in tears. With a sadistic smile on his face, the nobleman ignored the heartbreaking cries of the poor wizard and headed towards the room indicated on the plate that came with the key. Upon arrival, Apolo didn''t bother to use the key he had just obtained and instead kicked the door''s lock, causing the sleeping wizard in the room to wake up suddenly, startled by the loud noise. The unfortunate wizard appeared to be quite old, his pale skin was quite wrinkled, and a few white hairs could be seen on his rather unsightly, mole-covered head. Since the night had been somewhat warm, the wizard had slept in his underwear and had only his underwear on, so in the uncomfortable gaze of Apolo, the wizard covered himself with his sheets while trying to make out the face of the stranger. However, his vision was not very good anymore, so the old man could only make out the blurry face of a young man with a pointed nose glaring at him with anger. ¡ªWho the hell are you? Can''t you see that this room is occupied!¡ªThe old man shouted, agitated by the stranger''s interruption, while from his bed, he looked at the strange giant lurking at the bedroom door. Apolo didn''t say a word and instead looked at the grumpy wizard who had just shouted at him. Without saying many words and certainly no apologies, the young man slowly approached the frightened wizard. ¡ªWhat are you doing? Get out of my room right now! Guards, guards, get this...¡ª the old man began to shout, but his cries were interrupted because Apolo had grabbed him by the throat and had started to strangle him. ¡ªJust a little bit more, Apolito. There is so little left to finish this long story that you don''t need to be worrying about these stupid things...¡ªThe young nobleman murmured as he strangled the wizard on the bed even harder, but always taking care not to break the poor old man''s neck, as if he wanted to enjoy the agony of the old man until the very last second. *Aghhh*...The wizard groaned as he desperately stabbed Apolo with a dagger-shaped stone that had formed in his hand, but even so, the sharp stone couldn''t cut the young man''s thick skin. Meanwhile, Apolo stared fixedly into the dull eyes of the old man, in silence and without any emotion while the old man''s head turned increasingly red as the lack of air began to steal his life, and his struggle became more intense. But Apolo didn''t loosen his grip, and finally, the old man''s struggle stopped: Before dying and understanding that his persistent struggle would not save him, the old man stopped and looked fixedly into the blurry eyes of the giant while crying, pleading with his gaze not to have his life taken away, the old man still had too many things to do, too many dreams to fulfill, and too many adventures to live; however, fate had as little mercy as Apolo, and the young man saw with his own eyes how the old man''s eyes slowly lost their way as their brightness faded: finally, the poor old man saw blurred how his life, his dreams, his hopes, and his destiny had been cruelly snatched away by the selfishness of a young man with no path ahead. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Apolo threw the wizard''s body into one of the corners of the bedroom and used the desk in the room to block the door and keep it closed, as the lock had been completely broken by the kick he had delivered. Without worrying about the guards or anyone else, the young man went to sleep on the bed soaked with the sweat and tears of the old man as if nothing had happened. Although it may seem astonishing, the night passed peacefully, but when the first ray of sunshine could enter through the window of the bedroom where Apolo was sleeping comfortably, a guard began to knock on the door violently. *Tock, Tock, Tock*...Immediately, Apolo''s sweet dream stopped suddenly, and on instinct, he looked at the bedroom door that was still being pounded on vigorously. ¡ªStop blocking the door and open it immediately! We are the guards of the ministry!¡ªOne of the guards shouted from the hallway as he continued to pound on the door. *Aghhh*...Apolo held his head in pain; he had a tremendous headache to the point that he had never had such a headache in his life, and to make matters worse, the guards didn''t stop bothering him by knocking on the door. ¡ªOpen it, or we''ll break the door down!¡ªThe guard yelled angrily as he pounded the door even harder. Apolo angrily stared at the door and then looked at the corpse that was looking at him inquisitively in one of the corners of the room, as if the old man were enchanted that destiny had finally sentenced his murderer for the crimes he had committed. Making a decision, the young man walked over to the corpse and, grabbing it by the neck, threw it out the window, shattering it completely into a thousand pieces. ¡ªWhat was that? Open the door immediately!¡ªThe guard shouted in anger, slamming his body against the door, trying to move the desk that was blocking the entrance, but the furniture didn''t budge, and the guard was having a hard time opening the door wide enough to enter the room. Apolo approached the window, gauged the distance to the ground, and the state of the shattered corpse. Seeing that the door was about to be opened, the young man didn''t think twice and jumped out the window, falling from the third floor of the castle to the hard ground of the ministry courtyard. Surprisingly, the giant''s legs didn''t break upon landing, unlike the corpse turned into pulp next to him. Checking that he could still walk without any problems, Apolo ran until he found his carriage parked in the vicinity of the castle. Upon arrival, the young man noticed that it seemed that the guards had realized that he had escaped through the window, so they had started searching the courtyard. Without caring much, Apolo opened the carriage and, ignoring the driver''s doubtful look, he took a box that was on his seat. Opening the box, the young man revealed that it contained a rolled-up scroll, which was his ancestor''s legacy, and the silver mask. Immediately, Apolo took the silver mask and put it on his face. With the mask on, the young man walked casually through the courtyard, while the guards searched tirelessly for a suspicious person. Apparently, the entire search was rather improvised, and no one had given the guards a description of Apolo''s appearance, so they really didn''t know who they were looking for. Allowing the young man to pass through them without any issues, if any of the guards doubted him, Apolo would simply remove the mask in front of them and put it back on, leaving the guard completely stunned, staring into space for a few seconds, enough time to resume his march towards his new goal. Using this method, Apolo arrived at the castle where the office of the Minister of Magic was located. At this place, no one was looking for him, and the young nobleman was able to enter without any problems, handing in the silver token as usual. Realizing that his intuition had been correct and he was not yet wanted for murder, it was most likely just a report filed by Tobias. Walking calmly as if time were not against him, the young man arrived at the office of Finz and, following the usual reception protocol, he reached the worker''s desk. ¡ªApolo...¡ªFinz murmured with sweat on his face, seeing how the young man sat in the chair in front of him while finishing reading a letter that had just arrived. ¡ª I''m looking for my sponsorship¡ªApolo said, handing his silver token to the worker, without bothering to greet Finz. ¡ª I just received a notification that the guards are looking for you, kid...¡ªFinz said, taking the token with trembling hands, following the protocol to verify it as he always did. ¡ª Oh, unfortunately, I closed Tobias''s room door a little too forcefully, and some of his crystal balls broke!¡ªApolo replied nonchalantly. ¡ª So, it was an accident, I see...¡ªFinz said, surprised by the young man''s calmness, and even more surprised because he had come to seek his sponsorship. According to the letter he had just read, Apolo''s least problem was the "accident" in Tobias''s room. While Finz responded to this, the guard at the door of the room where Apolo was waiting to receive his sponsorship received a visit from other guards, and after exchanging a few words, they approached together to look for Apolo at Finz''s desk. ¡ªKid, you''re under arrest for the murder of the wizard Narcissus of Snowy Mountains¡ªOne of the guards informed with an authoritative tone, drawing his sword and placing it on the young man''s back, although the young man had not even bothered to turn around to see the face of the guard who was pointing a sword at him. ¡ª I''m not going to waste time explaining to you how that wizard jumped out of the window and committed suicide¡ªApolo responded calmly, looking at Finz¡ª I''ll just tell you that clearly you won''t arrest me, and instead, you will go to the office of the Minister of Magic to inform him that you regret the suicide of this Narcissus guy from... Where was it? Oh, I forgot... ¡ª We already gave you the orders, kid. Don''t make my job harder¡ªThe guard replied, putting his sword to Apolo''s neck, but to his surprise, the young man hadn''t reacted yet and was still staring at Finz. ¡ª I also gave you my orders: I''m just contemplating what my older brother will do when they find out that the guards of the capital have mistakenly imprisoned his little brother. But no matter how much I think about it, I only come up with one answer, and most likely, they will kill the minister. While you, they will send you to some frontier fortress to die like pigs in some unknown battle that no one will bother to remember¡ªApolo responded, looking at Finz with determination¡ª Tell me what you''re waiting for, Finz? Solve this for me: nobility obliges, and if my brother is a king, then they will treat me like the brother of a king. With sweat on his forehead, Finz looked worriedly at Apolo''s calmness. The employee didn''t know whether what the young man was saying was true or not, and in fact, he had his doubts. However, the truth was that his composure exuded power: the power of those who dare to believe themselves untouchable, and the most dangerous of these people are when they really are untouchable. Making a decision, Finz chose the most sensible option: to distance himself from this problem. Therefore, he ordered: ¡ª Go and inform the Minister of Magic of both versions of the story, the murder of Narcissus and the suicide of Narcissus, and let him decide which one is true. It''s the best for me, for you, for your wives, and for your children. Let''s be smart and not ruin our lives over nothing. ¡ª ... ¡ªThe guard heard Finz''s order; initially, he was his superior, but not of the other two guards. However, as a guard, he knew better than anyone that it was better to tread carefully in the Ministry of Magic, where nobles and fools with power were more abundant than any worker would like. ¡ªWe''re going to inform the minister, please don''t try to escape, we''ll have a guard watching the door...¡ªOne of the guards who had come to fetch Apolo announced, also concerned about the calmness with which the young man sitting on the couch was taking the matter. E120-Accidents Patiently, Apolo waited for a few minutes on the couch for the Minister of Magic''s final verdict. On the other hand, Finz remained in an uncomfortable silence as he reread the letters on his desk tirelessly, pretending to work to distance himself from this awkward moment. From another perspective, the guard who had stayed to watch over Apolo nervously awaited his colleagues to return with the minister''s response. Finally, what seemed like an eternity passed before a scroll emerged from one of the tubes on Finz''s desk. Seeing the new message appear, the employee didn''t hesitate and opened it to review its contents. Finz read the message, trying not to show any emotion, but he failed in that task, and Apolo noticed that the man seemed quite displeased with what he was reading. Despite this, Finz didn''t dare to display that displeasure in front of Apolo, so his face remained frozen in an attempt to hide the emotions he was experiencing at this moment. After finishing reading the letter and contemplating the matter in his head, Finz forced a smile and, looking at Apolo, commented with a well-simulated cheerfulness: ¡ªIt seems that the two "incidents" you were involved in have been resolved, and the minister has revealed the truth of the matter. However, the minister also reminds you to please try not to get involved in such accidents... for a while. ¡ªI assure you the minister won''t hear anything more from me once I finish my business at the ministry¡ªApolo replied with an ironic smile. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ª...¡ªFinz didn''t respond and tried to avoid looking at the smile on the young man''s face. Instead, he got up to retrieve a package that one of his employees had for him. After retrieving it, Finz returned and, with the same smile as before, said: ¡ªHere is your annual sponsorship, exactly the same as last year: 3000 crystals for your noble blood and 3000 crystals for being a wizard. In addition, you''ve been fined twice, once 1000 crystals for breaking things in the ministry and 4000 crystals for interfering in a magical investigation. Let me clarify that interfering is not the same as destroying. If by "chance" you had destroyed another wizard''s investigation, your fine would be several years without sponsorship, even though a common person would be sentenced to death. ¡ªBut I am not a common person, am I?¡ªApolo said with a mocking smile, completely uninterested in the received crystals that were now of no use to him. Besides, it was a good excuse to come to the ministry and try his luck in fulfilling the last advice left by his ancestor. ¡ªNo, you are not...¡ªFinz replied with an even broader smile as he handed a black card to Apolo¡ªFurthermore, if you have no other business, I invite you to leave. ¡ªOh, in fact, I had another question: do you know in which castle the Imperial Library for Wizards is located?¡ªApolo asked, taking the black card and casually throwing it behind his back without worrying about where it landed. ¡ªThe library isn''t in any castle; it''s in the ancient tower: first basement floor¡ªFinz replied, somewhat stunned to see Apolo toss the black card through the air, not understanding why he had bothered to come and collect the crystals if he wasn''t interested in them. Without saying goodbye and completely forgetting about his crystals, Apolo headed towards the great tower located exactly in the middle of the four castles of the Ministry of Magic. E121-The great tower Ensuring he hadn''t accidentally forgotten his silver mask, Apolo arrived at the door of the grand tower in the middle of the ministry and gazed in astonishment as four guards stood guard at the massive doors. ¡ªWhy do I feel like I''ve been here before?¡ªMurmured Apolo, dazedly observing the tower''s entrance from a distance for a few minutes. Apolo slowly approached the entrance, climbing its steps as he emerged from the trance induced by the strange sensation of familiarity with this place. Finally, he saw one of the guards approaching and extending his hand. Understanding the protocol, Apolo handed the token to the guard, who proceeded to check it and then said to him: ¡ªWelcome to the grand magical tower, Apolo of the Black Forest: I''ve been asked to remind you that the rules inside the tower are absolute for all wizards¡ªsaid the guard, handing the token back to Apolo. ¡ªWhat does that mean?¡ªApolo asked, understanding that it was a warning not to cause trouble inside, but he wanted to know why only in this part of the Ministry of Magic was he given this warning. ¡ªActually, this is the great tomb of the archmage Bastian of the Dark Islands. Therefore, the tower itself never belonged to the imperial family, and as a result, inside the tower, the rules of Bastian''s servants who still live to this day are followed¡ªexplained the guard carefully and enunciated each word, as if he delivered this message relatively frequently¡ªConsequently, the rules are absolute, as Bastian''s servants do not obey anyone but the last words left by their master, who died more than 6000 years ago. Despite that, the rules have never changed. ¡ªHave the servants of this wizard been living for 6000 years?¡ªApolo asked, gazing at the grand tower in astonishment. ¡ªIf by chance you encounter one of Bastian''s servants, you''ll understand why no one jokes too much in this tower¡ªanswered the guard somewhat enigmatically¡ªJust remember not to do anything strange: the Minister obliges us to deliver this message to all members of the main families of the empire who visit this tower. I hope you understand that if the servants get angry at your carelessness, we won''t be able to save you. ¡ªAnd what things anger the servants?¡ªApolo asked, the question of vital importance. ¡ªNot following the rules: they will be indicated to you before entering any room. Don''t be afraid; the tower has been operating since before the empire, so we already know almost all the rules¡ªreplied the guard with a smile. ¡ªWell, thank you for the warning¡ªApolo strangely thanked, looking carefully at the entrance of the tower, fearing that to fulfill his ancestor''s fifth piece of advice, he would have to break some of the rules. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Planning his move, the young man entered the interior of the tower and was even more astonished. For some reason, Apolo felt that he had already seen this gigantic warehouse, and he would even swear that he now had to open one of the doors on the sides of the warehouse entrance to go to the basement. Following his hunch, Apolo approached one of the doors and opened it, only to be amazed as a long spiral staircase descended into the depths, its walls illuminated by particularly striking crystals. Just as the young man''s intuition indicated, behind this door was a spiral staircase leading to a hidden underground level. ¡ªHow strange...¡ªMurmured Apolo, passing through the door and closing it carefully. He then descended the stairs to a hallway with a large door in the middle and another one at the end. ¡ªThis should be the library...¡ªApolo approached the large door and opened it carefully, to his surprise, he found no library. Instead, there was only a large reception room, with only an old wizard reading a book in an armchair, making the large room feel too empty for its impressive size. The wizard in question had white hair and a traditional black toga. What set this wizard apart from his apparent old age was that his hands had been completely replaced by wooden prostheses; however, they seemed to function like regular hands and were holding the book he was reading carefully. Upon hearing the intruder''s noise, the wizard raised his gaze from his book to observe Apolo with curiosity, and after a few long seconds of silence, he asked with a smile hidden by his long white beard: ¡ªBefore entering the library, would you like me to remind you of the rules, young man? ¡ªYes, it''s my first time in this room¡ªApolo replied, looking at the wizard with astonishment. He swore he had heard this voice before, but it was the first time in his life that he had seen this person. ¡ªDon''t be afraid: the rules aren''t very complicated, but they are strict¡ªsaid the wizard calmly, sensing that Apolo was somewhat nervous. ¡ªI''m listening attentively¡ªApolo replied, understanding that this person held his life in their hands. ¡ªI''m glad to hear that¡ªreplied the wizard, placing the book on the desk beside him carefully, then slowly raising his hand, taking all the time in the world to show the young nobleman that three wooden fingers were raised in his hand. ¡ªFirst rule: never speak inside the library, except with the book merchant¡ªsaid the old man calmly, lowering one of the wooden fingers on his hand. ¡ªSecond rule: you can only take the books you''ve purchased, and you can only read the books inside the library that the bookseller has authorized you to read¡ªcontinued the wizard, slowly lowering the second raised wooden finger. ¡ªThird and final rule: Never negotiate with the bookseller¡ªsaid the wizard, lowering the last raised finger. ¡ªDoes the courtesy book still exist?¡ªApolo asked with doubts. His ancestor hadn''t mentioned any rules, but he had explained that the bookseller would give him a single book as a gift. ¡ªYes, the first book you buy is free, young man. Choose carefully: these books aren''t bought with crystals or influence; you must earn them¡ªreplied the wizard, playing with his long beard. ¡ªI''ll keep that in mind...¡ªApolo replied, entering the only door in the reception room other than the entrance, leaving the old wizard alone in the vast room. E122-The seller After passing through the door, Apolo observed an immense library on the other side. The library was so vast that it appeared much larger than what could naturally fit within the tower. Rows upon rows of bookshelves stretched out towards the seemingly endless horizon. Unlike the rest of the tower, the library''s floor and walls were made of yellowish wood, creating the impression that one had entered another dimension upon passing through the entrance door. To illuminate the gigantic room, countless crystals danced from one place to another on the ceiling. While they moved in all directions without a discernible pattern, their sheer number ensured that every corner of the massive library was bathed in light. However, what caught Apolo''s attention the most upon entering the library was the gigantic creature situated in the middle of a circular desk, located just in front of the library''s entrance. The creature stood almost three meters tall, and while its hands had a humanoid appearance, it had an innumerable quantity of them, and its appearance was far from that of a normal human. This abominable and repulsive being appeared to be a large fleshy ball with numerous arms moving randomly all over its desk. Upon close examination, Apolo surmised that this faceless, legless fleshy ball must be the vendor, although he couldn''t comprehend how it spoke, given that the vendor was nothing more than a large fleshy ball with countless arms. Each of the creature''s arms appeared to have been artificially attached, as one could still see the stitches and threads used to add them. Furthermore, the arms were not all identical; some appeared to be from children, others from women, others from men, and others from the elderly. Everything seemed to indicate that this monstrosity had been created by taking many human skins and sewing them together into a ball, then filling it with something and gradually adding the arms until this abomination came to life. Carefully, Apolo approached the large ball of arms and asked: ¡ª Are you the vendor? One of the creature''s arms stopped moving randomly and instead stretched unnaturally until it was practically against Apolo''s face. Then, the arm raised the palm of its hand in front of Apolo, and a mouth emerged from the center of the palm, displaying sharp, yellowed teeth that continued to drip incredibly foul-smelling saliva, as if hundreds of rotten fish were trapped between its teeth. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡ª That''s what some acolytes call me. Why have you come to the library? ¡ª Asked the mouth in the palm of the hand with a terribly unnatural voice, releasing the nauseating odor hidden between its teeth, causing Apolo to cover his nose with his hand. ¡ª I''ve come to retrieve my courtesy book ¡ª Apolo replied, struggling not to vomit. ¡ª Perfect, I remind you that, like all acolytes of this tower, you can borrow one book to begin your studies. However, you can only take one book without giving anything in return, so choose carefully ¡ª the vendor replied, forming a not very friendly smile¡ª What is the name of the book you seek? ¡ª "Magic for Distinguished Gentlemen" by Calixto of the first edition, sixth copy¡ª Apolo calmly responded. ¡ª How curious... ¡ª The creature whispered, extending its arm to encircle Apolo''s entire body as if it were examining the giant from head to toe, even though the creature had no visible eyes anywhere¡ª The sixth copy of that book is lost. I fear even I don''t know where it is, but if you manage to find it, you can keep it as your courtesy book. ¡ª Do you know if anyone searched for this copy in the past? ¡ª Apolo asked impatiently. ¡ª A long time ago, some acolytes searched everywhere for it, but they all failed... ¡ª the vendor replied calmly, tantalizing Apolo. ¡ª Do you know how to get to the children''s book pavilion? ¡ª Apolo immediately inquired, looking somewhat desperate. It seemed that none of the other two mages in Apolo''s family, who had the information given by their ancestor, had bothered to obtain this book. Or perhaps they did, but managed to escape the library without informing the creature that they had the book in their hands. ¡ª "AZC w25" ¡ª the vendor replied enigmatically¡ª You will find the pavilion in that direction, and you will receive no further hints on how to get there. It appeared that each mage had to learn to "navigate" this library on their own. ¡ª Well, we will see each other again when I get the book ¡ª Apolo replied. Fortunately, the instructions given in the fifth council explained how the enigmatic system of storing books in this library worked. ¡ª We shall see... ¡ª the vendor said coldly as it withdrew the hand that had been speaking with Apolo and allowed the young man to walk further into the library. E123-Book pavilion Learning to navigate the directions in this library was a complete madness worthy of a few geniuses, and as expressed in Apollo''s ancestor''s letter, if a wizard revealed the way to navigate within the library, that wizard could never enter the library again. So there were very few ways to discover this secret. One of them was to obtain the method through the legacy of a wizard who consciously knew they would never enter the library again in their lifetime. Another way was to follow the traditional method, that is, to discover it on your own. However, there were also other options to learn this "well-known" secret. For example, some books in the library described the way to "navigate" it within their pages. Nevertheless, for someone with no knowledge of the magical world like Apollo, this information was unknown and therefore nonexistent. The dreaded "navigation" method was as follows: First, you had to get a code from the seller, which was completely random and changed every time you entered the library. For example, in Apollo''s case, the code was AZC w25. The second step was deciphering the code, which was the most complicated part. But according to what was written in Apollo''s ancestor''s letter, it worked like this: The first level was as follows: A: walk one pavilion forward, Z: walk 27 pavilions forward, C: walk 3 pavilions forward. The second level worked by changing the turning directions: w: do not turn, 2: turn twice, 5: turn five times. Therefore, if you combined the two levels, the key to finding the children''s book pavilion was to walk one pavilion forward and turn your body twice, which meant that as a result, you had to move 27 pavilions back. Then you had to turn your body five times, resulting in moving 3 pavilions to the left. Considering that all turns were always clockwise, and Apollo''s code didn''t initially require him to turn, he always started by turning his back to the seller. As for the distances, it really didn''t matter because once you completed the first sequence, you would find yourself in an infinite maze until you managed to find what you were looking for. Consequently, one could really end up lost in this library. Mentally preparing to start the challenge, Apollo proceeded to complete the first pavilion. Each "random" pavilion in this library was exactly identical, consisting of exactly 27 shelves on each side, forming a corridor filled with books. The shelves were four meters high, so you had to use a stool that could always be found in each aisle to reach the upper books. The reason why wizards called these identical pavilions "random" was that the seller changed the books that appeared in these pavilions every night. Therefore, the books in these pavilions were random, and the only way a wizard could find a particular book in this library was by knowing the actual pavilion of the book, and for that, you had to use the codes provided by the seller. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. After finishing the first pavilion, Apollo came across a circular table with four very nice leather chairs and an abundant amount of food, drinks, and supplies that one might need if they felt like reading. Each of the chairs at the circular table pointed to a corridor full of shelves, which was another pavilion, and at the end of it, you could see exactly the same circular table with its respective chairs. Once Apollo reached this point, he had completed the first sequence and was in the infinite maze of the library. Therefore, Apollo turned his body twice clockwise to head back down the aisle he had come from. At the end of the pavilion, there was no longer the seller or the library door. The only thing that could be found was the same circular table from where he was, reminding the young man that he had successfully completed the first sequence and was now in an infinite maze. Apolo ignored the circular tables as he passed the 27 pavilions indicated by his code. After achieving this, Apollo turned his body five times clockwise again and walked the last 3 pavilions until he finally found what he was looking for: the children''s book pavilion! The entrance to the children''s book pavilion consisted of a wall with a door, unlike the random pavilions. The door in the yellowish wooden wall was quite small and seemed to have been drawn by a child with crayons, so it was somewhat crooked and had no handle. Therefore, at first glance, the door looked more like a drawing than an actual door. Apollo assumed that the drawing could be opened if he pushed it, and when he tried, it turned out that the drawing moved, revealing a small tunnel formed by books. From the entrance of the tunnel, the end of it could not be seen, but the curious young man, eager to see what the inside of the children''s pavilion looked like, crouched down and began to crawl into the tunnel with effort. E124-The store After a few minutes of crawling through the unusually long tunnel, Apolo finally saw the exit, motivating him to crawl faster until he reached the wall that marked the end of the tunnel. Pushing the wall with some force, it began to move like a door, revealing the children''s book pavilion. Exiting the tunnel, Apolo stretched his tired body from all the crawling and carefully observed the library in front of him. It more closely resembled a bookshop due to the meticulous decorations. Shelves were everywhere, and the "shop" seemed to have three levels that could be easily observed from the entrance thanks to an open space in the middle of the "shop" that allowed glimpses of the top floor. Moreover, if one were to look up, they could see the shop''s ceiling, which, to Apolo''s surprise, was covered in fluorescent star stickers. In the children''s book pavilion, there was relatively little light, but it seemed that this pavilion had been intentionally designed that way because it was filled with fluorescent items that glowed in the dark, enhancing the beauty of the place. The walls of the shop were covered in these fluorescent stickers, and if one paid enough attention, they could find childlike drawings painted with fluorescent crayons everywhere, so poorly done that it seemed they had really been drawn by children. The shop''s floor was completely covered with a colorful carpet adorned with little drawings, and every few steps, one could come across some crystals that dimly illuminated the pavilion''s shelves from the ground. Truly, this was a room that would excite any child, and yet Apolo was more tense than ever as he cautiously surveyed the unfamiliar environment around him. There were several warnings marked by his ancestor in his legacy about this pavilion. Even though these warnings were precisely the reason why his ancestor had hidden the book in this place, initially, no wizard had a real need to search for children''s books, and secondly, no one other than Apolo''s family would dare to explore this place for too long. The main reason why this room could be quite dangerous was precisely that it was the children''s book pavilion. For millennia, the family had been a major taboo in the world of wizards, and according to Apolo''s ancestor, even in ancient times, wizards tended to castrate their own disciples so that they could only focus on magic. Therefore, according to Apolo''s ancestor, the wizard who created this room, the Archmage Bastian, did it solely for the thrill of creating a massive death trap for wizards who defied this "noble" tradition. So, this pavilion was never intended to be a place for reading. Nevertheless, Apolo was not worried. He was following in the footsteps left by his ancestor, so he clearly knew how to survive in this pavilion. For a few minutes, Apolo stood at the tunnel entrance, pressing against the wall while he looked into the darkness ahead. He concentrated on listening to the faint footsteps on the carpets, which could only be heard by someone with superhuman ears like his. When he noticed that time was passing and the footsteps were not approaching, Apolo began to clap to create some noise: Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. *Clap... Clap... Clap...* The young man clapped, taking a few minutes between each clap, and each time he did it louder, as if he were trying to get the attention of "someone" but not "everyone". *Clap*...The young man clapped loudly again and suddenly stopped, listening carefully as it seemed that someone had started to approach the tunnel entrance where he was. While the young man patiently waited, gazing into the dangerous darkness ahead, the gold ring on his hand began to glow, allowing him to see how the glow revealed a red-haired boy in white robes slowly approaching him. The boy had his hair covering half of his face, so his eyes could not be seen, but his mouth was visible, showing a fairly friendly smile. When the boy was a few steps away from Apolo, he opened his mouth to speak, displaying sharp teeth, although they were quite difficult to see in the darkness unless one was already aware of them: ¡ªNice to meet you, so another wizard came to look for one of our books. What''s your name, big guy? ¡ª...¡ªApolo logically didn''t answer; he had been warned: "Don''t talk to anyone in the library!" However, he took the opportunity to approach the boy with a friendly smile. ¡ªOh, right, acolytes can''t speak in the library; I forgot...¡ªMurmured the boy, pointing his little hands at his mouth¡ªHow about I guide you to an incredibly interesting book: they say it holds the mysteries of finding meaning in life! ¡ª...¡ªApolo paused his plans for a few minutes and looked at the boy strangely, somewhat uncomfortable with the words he had just said. However, Apolo quickly remembered the words of his ancestor, which he had memorized by heart, and stuck to his initial plan. He unfroze and nodded excitedly, causing a cheerful smile to form on the boy''s face. ¡ªCome on, this way, big guy! In this pavilion, there are many interesting books. I also know a book that can change your destiny, even if it''s cursed and predicts your...¡ªThe boy explained with an excited smile, turning around to start walking in a direction. However, as soon as the boy lost sight of Apolo, the giant pounced on him and grabbed him by the neck. *Aghghh*...The young man tried to call for help, but Apolo was strangling him, so he couldn''t speak. Desperately, the boy tried to hurt Apolo by kicking him a few times, but it had absolutely no effect, and he couldn''t break free from the giant''s grip. Gradually, the boy stopped struggling, and when he had stopped moving, Apolo let go of him, causing the boy to fall onto the carpet. Immediately, the boy began to breathe violently while looking at Apolo in terror. Cursing internally, Apolo pounced on the boy again and began to strangle him once more until the boy stopped fighting, and Apolo let go of him. This time, the boy had stopped moving, but Apolo made sure the kid was still breathing, ensuring that he had a safety net in case things went wrong. Carrying the unconscious boy on his back as if he were a sack of potatoes, Apolo ventured into the darkness of the shop while illuminating his path with a faint flame that had emerged from the tip of his finger. E125-Exit After taking a few steps into the darkness, Apolo began to feel as more "figures" approached him. But once these beings got close enough to see the child hanging from their shoulders like a sack of potatoes, they would stop and start retracing their steps with the same slowness with which they had approached. Apolo knew this was because these creatures had enough intelligence not to end up like the poor child hanging from their shoulders. Thanks to this intimidation, Apolo managed to find the staircase leading to the second floor of the store without any issues. Upon reaching the staircase, Apolo noticed that the carpet on the stairs was a giant hopscotch filled with random numbers and letters without an apparent meaning. Nevertheless, the young noble carefully ascended the stairs, making sure not to step on any letters. Sometimes he had to skip a step, and other times he had to zigzag his way up, but Apolo managed to reach the second floor without much difficulty. The second floor itself wasn''t much different from the first, except for the small detail that the stickers on this floor were moving as if they had a life of their own. The stickers went from one wall to another, slipped between the books, and occasionally detached and jumped to stick somewhere else for no apparent reason, making it difficult to imagine where they would go next. Apolo tried to count the number of stickers but realized there were too many to waste time on this task. The young man knew he had to be quick, so he took the silver mask from one of the hidden pockets in his toga and put it on his face. Immediately, Apolo examined the second-floor hallway carefully. On one side was the railing overlooking the central courtyard of the store, where the young man could jump down to the first floor immediately. On the other side were shelves filled with seemingly harmless, moving stickers. And on the floor of the hallway was the continuation of the hopscotch-design carpet that the young man had seen on the stairs. But the most important thing that Apolo saw in this hallway was that among the countless children''s books on the shelves, there was one book that was shining like a sticker: it was the book indicated by his ancestor! Apolo grinned like a madman when he saw the glowing book from the second-floor entrance, although the young man restrained his urge to go after it since he still didn''t dare to venture into the silent corridor. According to his ancestor, the book Apolo was looking for should shine if the young man saw it with the silver mask on. The young man had no idea why the book was shining or how his ancestor had placed it in this location, but reality was right in front of his eyes, so there was no reason to doubt his words. After confirming that the coveted treasure was just a few steps away, Apolo carefully watched as the stickers continued to move randomly between the shelves, the floor, and the walls of the hallway. Containing his impatience, the young man patiently waited for the stickers to move away from the path between him and the desired book due to their randomness. Time slowly passed, while Apolo remained calm, watching from a distance as the stickers moved from one place to another, looking for the perfect opportunity to claim their prize. It was then that an abnormal noise began to come from the third floor of the store, putting the young noble on high alert. *Ching*... *Ching*... *Ching!*... A noise very similar to the clinking of chains could be heard descending the staircase connecting the third floor to the second. Apolo didn''t even bother to lift his head to see the source of the noise. Instead, he ran like a madman, firmly holding onto his life jacket. With a skill rarely seen in a human, the young man headed toward the direction of the book he had been longing for, making sure not to step on any of the letters in the hopscotch pattern on the carpet. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Feeling Apolo''s movement in the hallway, the stickers on the shelves began to jump onto the young man, sticking to his toga. Immediately, the stickers slid down Apolo''s garment until they reached the young man''s skin, then they burrowed inside, causing a faint fluorescent glow to emanate from beneath the noble''s skin. Ignoring the terrible pain of feeling pierced by countless stickers, Apolo kept running until he reached the shining ringed book and grabbed it. Meanwhile, the child he carried on his shoulders began to age as his life force was consumed to heal the damage caused by the stickers on the young man. *Ching!*... *Ching!*... Even though Apolo had obtained the ringed book, he realized that the sound of chains clashing was getting louder and closer to his body, to the point that the mysterious creature was just steps away from grabbing him! Feeling the urgency of the moment, Apolo didn''t think about the consequences and leaped over the railing that led to the central atrium of the store, landing directly on the first floor. *Puff *...The young man landed on the carpet and quickly got up to check that everything had miraculously turned out well, and his ancestors mystically protected him from falling onto a bookshelf. Such a fall could have caused all the shelves in the place to topple like a domino effect, making it impossible to walk among the sea of books scattered on the floor. While the young man thanked and asked for help in his mind, he ran towards the exit of the store as if his life depended on it, as the sound of chains clashing could still be heard from the upper second floor. However, the task was not so easy because a large number of children approached Apolo, attracted by the light of the stickers shining beneath his skin. It seemed that their numbers gave them the courage to no longer be intimidated by the giant! *Ching!*... *Ching!*... *Ching!*... The sound of chains clashing began to be heard descending rapidly from the staircase that connected the first floor with the second. At this rate, the mysterious creature would reach Apolo before the young man could escape. Realizing the dire situation he was in, the noble young man ran like a madman, colliding with the children and swinging his hands wildly as he ran towards the increasingly closer tunnel. *Ching!, Ching!*... *Ahhhg*... The sound of chains clashing grew louder as Apolo approached the tunnel. However, the noise of chains clashing was drowned out by the screams of agony that began to come from behind the young man. Apparently, the creature that emitted the sound of chains was attacking the children that Apolo was throwing at it in a desperate attempt to buy time to save his own neck. Nevertheless, the young man did not smile with happiness at the sound of the children becoming the victims of the mysterious creature. From the noise he heard coming from behind him, it was clear that the creature was not being distracted. Instead, its speed was increasing, determined to catch Apolo by any means necessary. *Ching!, Ching!*... Apollo, with horror, heard the sound of chains clashing right behind him. The creature was so close that the young man had started to smell the foul and repulsive scent it emitted. Nevertheless, Apolo did not stop to try to see how far away the creature really was. He continued running faster and faster until he finally got close enough to the tunnel to see it in the darkness of the store. *Chi!*... Apolo heard the sound of chains clashing stop abruptly. Far from feeling safe, the silence caused the young man to release the emaciated child on his shoulders and leap abnormally high into the tunnel. As he acrobatically soared through the air, the noble young man felt the chains emit a noise resembling a lash as they attempted to grab him. Fortunately, or perhaps thanks to the grace of his ancestors, the creature failed in its desperate attempt to catch him, and the young man fell to the ground, rolling on the carpet until he collided with the wall. As if his life depended on it, Apolo entered the tunnel and closed the door as tightly as he could, then began crawling with astonishing speed towards the tunnel''s exit. *Ching!, Ching!, Ching!, Ching!*...Apolo began to hear the creature that had pursued him banging against the wall of the children''s book pavilion, causing the chains to clash even more violently. Luckily, this also indicated that the horrific creature could not enter the tunnel: Apolo had escaped! E126-Pact Trying to ignore the horrifying noise of the chains clanging, Apolo continued to crawl until he finally emerged from the tunnel, once again finding himself in the library''s corridors. As soon as the young man was able to stand again, he wasted no time and removed his toga to start peeling off the stickers that had gotten under his skin. Fortunately, the "life jacket" had valiantly given its life to help remove a few stickers from the young man, but there were still a few stickers under his skin, seemingly sucking Apolo''s blood like parasites. Apolo didn''t take long to remove them all, as they shone with an obvious greenish color. However, removing the stickers from his back had been quite challenging for the young man since he only had the reflection of the silver mask to help him see his back. The saddest part was that Apolo''s body was too large, causing him to be unable to reach some sections of the back of his spine with his hands. So, to free himself from the parasites, the young man had to tear off a good portion of skin by rubbing his back against the door of the children''s book pavilion tunnel. After completing the task, Apolo was covered in blood, but at least this way, he was losing less blood than having parasites inside his body devouring him as if he were a delicacy. Apolo put his toga back on, fighting the discomfort caused by feeling his body full of wounds rubbing against the fabric of the garment, and rushed down the aisle of the pavilion he had come from, trying not to waste time and find a tree to heal himself as soon as possible. Before even finishing crossing the first pavilion to begin his journey back, Apolo could see the gigantic flesh ball with arms, also known as the vendor, at the end of the aisle surrounded by shelves. The young man had already exited the children''s pavilion and had not started the sequence of the code given by the vendor by initially running backward in the first pavilion, so Apolo had exited the infinite maze and was right next to the library''s exit. Upon arriving, Apolo approached the vendor and took the book he had come to find from a hidden pocket within his robe. Showing the book to the vendor, the young man hurriedly commented: ¡ªThis is the book I came to find. Can I take it? Hearing someone speak to him, one of the arms of the gigantic flesh ball stopped moving randomly and instead stretched abnormally in front of Apolo. Then, what appeared to be a feminine mouth emerged in the outstretched palm of the creature and with a very flirtatious voice, it replied: This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡ªSo, you''ve found it! How impressive! There are few books in this library that I''ve forgotten where they were, but it seems this little rascal was hiding in the children''s pavilion. What a strange place to keep a teaching book! ¡ªCan I take the book?¡ªApolo repeated, waving the book in his hand as if trying to convey the urgency he felt to the creature. At this moment, the young man was bleeding to death, so he clearly didn''t want to argue with this infernal creature under these circumstances. Unfortunately, Apolo couldn''t leave with a book from this library without notifying the vendor, as in that case, he would be stealing, and the young man didn''t want to know the consequences if this creature discovered he was a thief. ¡ªOf course, it''s a courtesy gift. But remember, that book is the only thing I''ll give you for free!¡ªThe vendor responded, retracting his hand to let Apolo go. ¡ª...¡ªApolo didn''t respond to the vendor and instead started running towards the exit. Fortunately, nothing abnormal happened, and the young man managed to leave the library to find himself with the attentive gaze of the wizard reading in the chair. Before Apolo could leave the room to reach the spiral staircase, the wizard in the chair snapped his fingers, and a column of water blocked Apolo''s path. Unfortunately, the young man was running so fast that he couldn''t avoid the sudden attack and crossed through the column of water. But upon crossing the column of water, Apolo realized that it wasn''t actually an attack because his entire body had been completely healed as if by magic, causing the young man to look in disbelief at the wizard in the chair, impressed that there was a wizard who could perform such a spell. ¡ªThat spell is amazing...¡ªApolo murmured, examining his body carefully, confirming that his bleeding had stopped, and the missing pieces of skin had regenerated, leaving him as good as new. ¡ªI wish, but I''m afraid that wasn''t one of my spells. The spell was invoked with the help of the tower...¡ªThe wizard in the chair responded, looking at Apolo with curiosity, especially at the book the young man held in his hand. Apolo hadn''t put the book back in his pockets, so he couldn''t escape the old wizard''s curious gaze¡ªFrom what I can see, you got your book, but it seems you had to get into quite a bit of trouble to obtain it. Remember that if the world of wizards today is cruel, then in ancient times, it was outright barbaric, where only a few acolytes barely survived. And this tower is very old, so there are many traps to "filter" out the few worthy candidates to receive the inheritance of the wizard who controlled the tower, so never forget to tread carefully in this place. ¡ªThank you for the warning, but I''m afraid the advice won''t be of much use to me anymore: I don''t plan on entering this tower again...¡ªApolo replied with a rather subdued voice, walking toward the exit. The young man didn''t feel like talking to anyone right now; he had obtained what he had come for, so now Apolo just wanted to return to his mansion and finish the role he had been playing for far too many years. ¡ªNothing is absolute, and one never knows what life''s twists and turns have in store for us. Good luck with your reading, young man...¡ªThe wizard responded calmly, picking up his book again to resume his silent reading. E127-Back home Apolo ascended the spiral staircase and exited the grand tower, heading towards his carriage, where an unfamiliar driver had been waiting all this time. ¡ªWhere are we headed, sir?¡ªthe driver inquired as Apolo approached. ¡ªTake me back to the mansion...¡ªApolo replied disinterestedly, entering the carriage. The carriage set in motion, and before the young man realized it, he was already leaving the Ministry of Magic behind. Meanwhile, Apolo gazed out of the carriage window at the four grand castles and the tall tower receding into the distance, aware that this would be the last time he would be in this place, reflecting on all the adventures and misadventures that had befallen him in this unusual and beautiful place. When the young man lost sight of the ministry, he snapped out of his trance and pulled out the book he had obtained on this adventure, inspecting it. The darned book had a brown leather cover that looked rather common, but if one considered the book''s antiquity, they would notice that the leather was in incredible condition, as if the passage of time had not affected it at all. Moreover, inscribed on the leather cover was a striking title that read:
"Magic for Distinguished Gentlemen"
With curiosity, Apolo opened the first page of the book to find a description of it; the young man really had no idea what the book was about, as his ancestor had not bothered to tell him why this book was so important for his future. However, the future didn''t matter much to the young man, and the main reason for finding the book was to fulfill the last wish of someone who cared for him, even though they didn''t know him or hadn''t even been born in the same millennium. So Apolo read with unusual attention the description that could be seen in the book''s introduction, trying to understand what his ancestor wanted to convey with this story:
"Pleased to meet you, young acolyte. My name is Calixto, the Archmage of the Black Tower, and in this book, I will provide you with a basic guide to the protocols that a wizard must follow, along with a detailed introduction to the noble world of magic. I hope for your willingness to learn our noble traditions and that your journey in magic will be as prosperous as mine was. To bless your beginning in this grand adventure, let me enlighten you with the words that marked my path as a wizard: ''A wizard is one who acts and dresses as such'' " If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
¡ªSo it''s an introductory book for Calixto''s acolytes...¡ªApolo muttered, picking up his staff that he had left in the carriage. By twisting the knob on it, he opened a secret compartment, revealing that the young man had kept a silver needle. The young man took the silver needle and pricked his finger, staining its tip with blood. Then, carefully, he crossed out the name of the Archmage and replaced it with his ancestor''s name. Immediately, the book began to shake violently and slammed shut, falling to the floor. Apolo picked up the book and realized that it had changed; its leather cover was completely aged, covered in scratches and missing parts, showing that the book had been rather neglected or used. But what was most striking was that someone had taken the trouble to violently cross out the book''s title and replace it with the following:
"Magic for Idiots"
With curiosity, Apolo opened the book and found that the interior pages of the book had also changed: the introduction was exactly the same, but someone had crossed out a large part of it to replace the words with others, and it was filled with annotations, digressions, and poorly drawn doodles scattered across the initial page. The introductory message now appeared like this:
"Pleased to meet you, descendant. My name is Cosmo, the Fire Mage of the Black Forest, and in this book, I will provide you with a very detailed introduction to the world of magic. To bless the beginning of this grand adventure, let me enlighten you with the words that marked my path as a wizard: ''A wizard is one who thinks as such'' "
¡ªIt seems this is his true legacy. I wonder why he never sent it to the castle and instead hid it in the library...¡ªApolo murmured, flipping through the pages of the book, realizing that the level of obsession with which his ancestor Cosmo had operated was worthy of respect. Every page of the book had been altered, and it had been filled with his ancestor''s life experiences. The most interesting thing about these modifications was that it was clear they had been made at various different times in Cosmo''s life: there were senseless doodles that he had probably made when he had started reading the book, digressions that contradicted each other a few pages later, and there were also messages that seemed to be his last words, all mixed up and without an apparent order. Truly, this book seemed to be Cosmo''s life''s work. Although considering that the wizard Cosmo had earned an honorary title as a Fire Mage, one could assume that this was not entirely true, and that his ancestor had been modifying this book in his spare time, thinking that in a distant future, it could be used by someone like Apolo. ¡ªWell, now all that''s left is to see how beautiful the garden turned out, and I''ll fulfill your last wish, Cosmo...¡ªApolo murmured, smiling with bittersweet happiness, thinking that, for better or worse, he was finally journeying to the cliff of his dreams... E128-Arrival The sun began to set, and when the moon started to dance with the stars in the sky, Apolo had arrived at his estate. Regardless of the untimely hour, all the servants were on the stairs that led to the mansion to welcome him. However, Apolo didn''t recognize any faces, and from what he could tell by how long they "held up" in their positions, it wasn''t worth remembering them. The cruel reality was that most likely, after a year, the Gururis would have to find a new batch of new servants. Fortunately, the young noble wouldn''t have to deal with that problem because by that time, he would be just another decoration in this splendid mansion. The only thing that truly mattered to Apolo about this welcome was that the three Gururis were alive and kicking among the crowd of servants. Although the condition of the two pink Gururis was not exactly the best, their heads were swollen from the number of bumps they had. Apolo smiled as he saw his three Gururis still breathing and got off the carriage to greet them: ¡ªWelcome back, master!¡ªAll the servants shouted in unison. It seemed like they had been rehearsing the greeting for a long time because their voices truly synchronized. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡ªI''m glad you three are alive to receive me¡ªApolo said with a smile, looking at his Gururis, completely ignoring the rest of the servants¡ªThat means you have matured enough to say that my training is no longer necessary, so I''ve achieved my goal, and now I have you three to support me. ¡ªWe''re glad you''re glad, Master!¡ªNicol¨¢s and Aquiles cheered with joy, while Zoe wiped her constantly runny nose with her little hands. ¡ªThe rest of the servants can go to sleep; it''s quite late. But I want my three disciples to show me how beautiful the garden is before I go to... before I go to sleep...¡ªApolo said, looking at the faces of all the servants with an unusually cheerful smile, as if he was finally unburdening himself and daring to look at the faces of the people he was condemning. ¡ªAs you command, Master!¡ªZoe exclaimed, pointing with her little cane at the door as she looked at the expressionless servants, indicating that they should follow the order. It was already quite late, and all the servants were tired of waiting for Apolo. To make matters worse, Zoe had completely exaggerated the timing, so the servants had been waiting for almost 8 hours at the entrance of the mansion, glancing at each other. Without saying a word and with their heads bowed, the servants began to make their way to their dormitory. Meanwhile, slowly and leaning on his faithful cane, Apolo walked along the blue-tiled path that ran through the entire courtyard of his abode, enjoying the warm company of his three disciples who walked a few steps behind him. E129-The garden As Apolo walked along the blue-tiled path, he observed the slight changes in the garden. Although some changes weren''t so subtle and were visible at first glance, like the fact that the grass had been mowed and the weeds had been replaced with more bright green grass. However, being nighttime, the young man couldn''t appreciate the full spectrum of colors. Nonetheless, several sections of the estate''s yard were illuminated by some old lanterns, their glass replaced with newer and more functional ones, so he could still make out a good part of the changes made by the Gururis in the garden during these months. Naturally, the trees in the estate hadn''t changed, but they had been pruned, and in some cases, the fungi and parasites that grew on their bark had been removed, making them much more presentable. The most noticeable change in the yard could be seen in the shrubs and flowers of the estate, which, being more delicate plants, had died long ago due to neglect. These plants had been replaced by new ones, so they hadn''t grown yet, and their beauty remained hidden from Apolo''s curious eyes. ¡ªThey really did a nice job with the yard of my estate. I didn''t know plants were so cheap¡ªApolo responded while looking at his extensive garden. The garden was actually many kilometers of land to take care of, and there were too many flowers and shrubs to replace, so the young man was surprised that he could afford it. ¡ªWe managed to collect the payment for your work as a Goros inspector. They paid you more than you''ve earned as a wizard so far, so we had extra crystals, and we even had some statues made, but they''re not finished yet, and it may take a few years before we see them in the garden¡ªZoe replied while proudly gazing at the estate''s garden. ¡ªI''m glad; I''m sure the mansion''s garden will look beautiful with the statues, and my neighbors will finally be happy...¡ªApolo murmured calmly. ¡ªI didn''t know you cared about your neighbors'' opinions, Master. In fact, we received several gifts from them; it seems that everyone liked that you finally had the grass cut and the weeds removed, which spoiled the beauty of the place¡ªAquiles commented. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªI don''t care about the neighbors and their opinions, but it does matter to my ancestors, and it''s my duty to honor their last wishes¡ªApolo replied calmly as he proceeded to sit on a marble bench that had been placed to overlook the lake on the estate. The lake was truly beautiful at night; it even had some crystals illuminating its bottom, allowing you to see colorful fish swimming inside. Somewhat hypnotized by the beauty of the place, Apolo stared at the lake for a few minutes before finally snapping out of it. Taking out the silver mask and the book he had obtained from the hidden pocket in his toga, the young noble looked at them carefully and calmly said: ¡ªWhen I die, I also want to leave something to my family, so please deliver this mask and this book to them. Along with a wooden box that is on one of the desks in my room, inside the box are all the documents that were given to me as a wizard. ¡ªIs the Master dying?¡ªZoe asked expressionlessly; although her question implied a lot of concern¡ªI don''t want to lose my Master again. ¡ªI''m not dying, but that''s precisely my problem...¡ªApolo murmured, calmly looking at the lake¡ª I don''t want to live anymore. I''ve fulfilled all my duties, and it''s time for me to get my well-deserved rest. ¡ªBut if you leave, who will be the new Master?¡ªAquiles asked, worried. ¡ªThe owner of the estate will be Zoe; when she dies, you two will be the Masters, and when you both die, time will be the Master of this mansion¡ªApolo replied calmly, looking at the fish swimming in the lake¡ªTime will always be the Master because I don''t plan to ever sell this mansion, and I doubt anyone would want to buy it; I''m afraid the people in the capital won''t be able to appreciate the beauty of the hidden furniture in this mansion... ¡ªCan''t we be the Masters before Zoe?¡ªThe two pink Gururis asked simultaneously. ¡ªNo, because you have more time than Zoe, Zoe has more time than me, and time has more time than both of you¡ªApolo said, standing up to look at his three Gururis, as if he didn''t want to forget their horrifying faces¡ªGetting you three was the best advice I received from my ancestor. You were good disciples, although I''m afraid I wasn''t a good teacher, as I didn''t teach you anything... except not to kill each other. ¡ªIt was a very valuable lesson, Master!¡ªThe three Gururis exclaimed in unison. ¡ªI''m glad my only lesson was useful to you. Now, accompany me back to the mansion and go to sleep, or you won''t be able to work normally tomorrow¡ªApolo said with a slight smile, resuming his slow walk along the blue-tiled paths while continuing to admire how beautiful his garden had become. E130-Farewell After completing the slow walk, Apolo arrived at the entrance of the mansion, where he observed how the reception doors were strangely wide open. Although the young noble could swear that the servants had closed the doors after entering the mansion to go to sleep as they did every night. Nevertheless, the young man''s eyes did not deceive him, and the mansion doors were wide open, as if they were predisposed to welcome him for the farewell of his long journey. Although it was most likely just the delirium of a man consciously walking towards his own death, Apolo felt that it was really beautiful to imagine that his own mansion, to which he had dedicated so much time, was accompanying him in the tragic decision he had made. Upon arriving at the mansion, the three Gururis followed the order and went to their respective rooms. Meanwhile, Apolo slowly walked through the mansion''s corridors to reach his bedroom. However, by a twist of fate, the young man noticed on the way that a servant had forgotten to close one of the doors of the rooms in the hallway leading to his bedroom. So, slowly and leaning on his cane, even though no one was watching him anymore, Apolo approached to close the door. However, when he reached the door of the room, the young man glanced inside the room out of the corner of his eye and refrained from closing the door, instead, he stayed looking at the interior of the room for a few minutes, as if there was something he couldn''t quite grasp about the inside of this room. ¡ªWhere is Princess Lorena?¡ªApolo asked with astonishment, looking at the scene in front of him. Indeed, this was the room where the dolls had tea parties, so there was a round table surrounded by benches where various dolls were having tea. However, the main character of this room, Princess Lorena, could not be seen anywhere. Apolo curiously entered the room and searched for a while, but the truth was that he couldn''t find the doll anywhere. So, the young man grew tired of carrying out his search and assumed that one of the pink Gururis had taken Princess Lorena to the treasure room. ¡ªWell, I''m glad I made these rooms for them...¡ªApolo murmured, looking at the dolls on the round table with an ironic smile¡ªI suppose in the end, Mr. Bear managed to find out about the plot Princess Lorena was brewing... Resigning himself to the fact that it made no sense to rearrange the room if the Gururis were the ones who had changed it, Apolo turned around and carefully closed the room''s door, fearing that the dolls inside would fall to the floor and the room would become even messier. Then, with the help of his faithful cane, the young man continued his slow march to his bedroom. As he approached, Apolo could admire how the door to his bedroom was strangely open, almost as if the room had been waiting for him all this time. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. While enjoying his delusions in his inner world, the young man calmly entered his bedroom and closed the door, then he approached one of the many desks in his room and took a wooden box from one of the drawers. Apolo sat down in the desk''s chair and opened the box, revealing a couple of scrolls. Carefully, Apolo placed the silver mask and the book of his ancestor inside the box. Then, the young man took a blank scroll, an inkwell, and a pen, which apparently he had prepared a long time ago because they had some dust on them. Dipping the pen gently into the inkwell, Apolo proceeded to look at the blank scroll for a few moments before finally summoning the courage to write the words that had been swirling in his heart for many nights:
"Dear Family: By the time you read this letter, I will already be in a better place, reunited with my father, grandmothers, uncles, cousins, and our beloved ancestors. However, I don''t want you to feel sorry for me or to feel guilty for sending me to the capital: I am leaving this world because I have achieved everything I wanted in this life! The truth is that I had set myself a long time ago to end my misery, but the capital gave me more time to reflect and realize that many of my miseries were the result of my own mistakes. The capital gave me the wisdom to accept these mistakes differently and see them as the simple detours I took as I learned which path I wanted to walk in this life. This long journey called life made me understand that as a man of our family, I had to acknowledge my mistakes and fulfill the responsibilities I was born with. That''s why I am leaving happily, knowing that I have solved my problems and learned from them, happy that I have realized my responsibilities and carried them on my shoulders until they were fulfilled. Since I arrived in the capital, I resumed the family''s training, and I am leaving with the pride of dying as a true colossus of the Black Forest. Since I arrived in the capital, I fulfilled the last wishes of our ancestors, and I say goodbye with joy, knowing that they will be the first to welcome me when I arrive on my new path. I love you all, and I will always protect you as one of your ancestors, Apolo of the Black Forest"
The young man reread the letter for a few minutes, and when he had no doubts that these were the words with which he wanted to bid farewell, Apolo stored the letter in the wooden box and, giving one last look to the book he had obtained not long ago, he muttered with an ironic smile as he closed the wooden box: ¡ªAfter all I did to fulfill your last wish, I hope you''ll be the first to welcome me... With his last words documented, Apolo opened one of the desk''s drawers and took out a dusty metal box. With the metal box in hand, the young man took his cane and, just as slowly as before, proceeded to leave his bedroom and walk through the mansion''s corridors in a particular direction. E131- End With the slowness of a tortoise, Apolo leaned on his staff as he illuminated the lonely hallways of the mansion with a faint flame emitted from the top of his hand, which held the staff. The hallways indeed had crystals that could be used to light them, but since this was his last walk, and it was very special to Apolo, the young man preferred to illuminate them with the warm and gentle light of his own magic. As he walked through the wooden hallways, Apolo took the trouble to look at every door he passed and tried to remember what he had stored inside. Unfortunately, many rooms had already been forgotten by the young man, but some rooms, in particular, had taken so much effort that he could never erase them from his memory. After walking, contemplating the fruit of his effort with a slight smile, Apolo finally noticed the door to the room he had been searching for. To his surprise, however, he found that, in addition to the cold wooden planks, someone was waiting at the door of the room. ¡ªHow did this end up here?¡ªApolo muttered, seeing a doll dressed as a princess leaning against the door of the room he wanted to enter: it was none other than Princess Lorena! With slow movements, the young man left his staff against the wall, bent down, and picked up the princess, wondering if any of the Gururis had been instructed to bring the doll here. However, as soon as Apolo grabbed the doll, he felt something unusual to the touch. He turned the doll over and realized that the entire back of it was burned, and the charred fabric felt warm, as if it had happened just a few minutes ago. ¡ªIt seems the Gururis weren''t very kind to you...¡ªApolo murmured ironically, not dwelling too much on the matter, thinking that it was most likely that the Gururis had left the doll in this place as a farewell gift. The young man stopped inspecting the doll and, placing Princess Lorena against one of the walls next to the door, Apolo took his faithful staff and opened the door to the room he had been searching for. Upon opening the door, it was revealed that the room in question was a vast bathroom, or at least the more than 8 bathtubs in the room indicated that. The room was bursting with objects and decorations commonly seen in bathrooms. However, there was not a single toilet anywhere, so it seemed that it was only a room used for bathing or showering. Nevertheless, the amount of dust in some of these bathtubs suggested that the room had been set up but never used by Apolo or the servants. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Slowly, Apolo entered the room and closed the door. He then approached the gigantic bathtub located right in the middle of the room and calmly touched one of the three crystals on the surface of the bathtub while saying: ¡ªFill the bathtub with hot water: almost boiling. Immediately, the crystal began to glow with an intense red color, and hot water began to flow from it to fill the bathtub, causing the water to take on a somewhat brownish color due to the dust in the dirty bathtub. However, this did not last long, as cleverly, the dirty water was absorbed by one of the crystals in the bathtub until the water inside had a crystal-clear appearance, and the bathtub began to fill normally. Apolo did not get into this bathtub and instead went through all the other bathtubs in the room, giving exactly the same command; the young man had always liked the sound of falling water, so he wanted to fill the room with it. As the bathtubs filled and steam began to fill the room, Apolo opened the metal box he had brought from his bedroom, revealing a few scented candles and a syringe with a liquid similar to blood inside. The young man took the candles and lit them around the room until it was illuminated with them, and the flame in his hand was no longer needed. With all the preparations made, Apolo removed the clothes he was wearing, undressing completely, and then took the syringe he had left in the silver box. Slowly and in silence, the young man pricked his neck with the syringe and began to pour the blood into his body, showing that it was not simple blood but was filled with tiny, fuzzy balls of blue color. These little balls were actually the same fungus that carried the blue plague in its most developed state, meaning that these colorful and tiny balls were the main cause of the epidemic threatening the lives of the residents of the Ring City. After injecting the mushrooms directly into his bloodstream, Apolo felt no pain and calmly walked to the bathtub and got in. Feeling the warm water comforting him as the bathtub filled, the young man took a towel near the bathtub and used it as a pillow to rest his head. With great relaxation, Apolo closed his eyes and enjoyed the ambiance he had created, trying to sleep, knowing that when he woke up, he would be greeting the people he had been saying goodbye to as he grew up. E132-Far from everything In the distant reaches of the tragic tale unfolding in the mansion, there lay a vast forest with trees of black bark and red leaves. Hidden deep within this forest was an immense stone fortress. Inside this ancient castle, countless people could be seen hurrying from place to place, as if a very important event were about to take place, yet the main protagonist of this event could not be seen anywhere. The peculiar event continued to unfold, and no matter how much time passed, the people inside the castle kept moving hurriedly into the unknown. It was as if everyone in the castle were desperately searching for a particular individual, and yet, all seemed to be failing in their quest, intensifying the search to become more and more relentless and meticulous. To the point where some individuals began to despair enough to lose their common sense. These crazed beings searched inside metal pots, inside toilets, in the stuffing of beds, within blankets, and even in the pockets of shirts. It seemed that their desperation had erased any trace of intelligent thought and driven them to madness itself. However, paradoxical as it may seem, the person they were searching for was not actually hiding. Instead, this person was diligently wielding a sword in the middle of a room inside the castle, the floor of which had strangely been replaced with sand. The person in question was a boy with black hair, black eyes, no older than 10 years old, who was wearing a ragged, sweat-soaked gray robe filled with patches. With this description, anyone would assume that the boy was a beggar, but the truth was that the boy wore an attractive gold ring that appeared to be extremely valuable. In the room, besides the boy, there was only one other person, who was giving the boy instructions on how to wield the sword. This instructor had blond hair and a face full of pimples like any teenager, although only half of his face could be seen since a beautiful silver mask covered the upper half of his face. Despite his less than enviable pimpled face, the teenager''s body resembled that of a Roman gladiator, and it would have made any adult who had never bothered to exercise in their life envious. ¡ªRight, right, down, up, left...¡ªThe teenager instructed as he moved the sword in his hand in the indicated direction and forced the practicing boy to stop the strike. However, the last strike was a feint, and it grazed the boy''s body, cutting him slightly. ¡ªOuch, that''s cheating, Hermes!¡ªThe boy shouted angrily, stopping his defense to try to land a blow on the teenager. But no matter how many strikes the boy launched, the teenager, with the skill of a seasoned warrior, evaded all the blows without even blocking them with the sword. ¡ªWar is not fair; the only fair thing is death, and it goes to the warrior who gets fooled first, Apolo¡ªHermes replied while continuing to effortlessly dodge the blows. It seemed that no matter how hard the boy tried, he could never hit him for the rest of his life. ¡ªWhat about honor? Where the hell did your honor go, you cheater?!¡ªApolo yelled in frustration while continuing to try to strike his older brother. ¡ªMy honor will be given to me by my children and grandchildren, not by the idiots who fell by my sword¡ªHermes replied while wearily dodging his younger brother''s blows, which were not really clumsy at all. In fact, the boy''s skill was much better than that of a normal warrior. However, in front of the teenager, it seemed as if Apolo had never handled a sword in his life. ¡ªStop dodging for once, damn it!¡ªApolo exclaimed in frustration, tossing his sword at his older brother, causing Hermes to finally raise his sword to block one of his attacks. ¡ªSee, Apolito, the best move you made was cheating and throwing me the sword. All your other moves were more than predictable...¡ªHermes replied with an ironic smile, further infuriating his younger brother. Stolen novel; please report. ¡ªDon''t call me Apolito; I''m not a kid anymore!¡ªThe boy shouted, picking up some sand from the floor to throw it at Hermes. ¡ªStop it, brat! I hate it when you get my robe all sandy!¡ªHermes exclaimed in annoyance, stepping back a few paces. But apparently, his irritation only made the boy grin mischievously as he grabbed more sand and chased him. ¡ªTake that, you cheater!¡ªApolo shouted with a vengeful smile, trying to throw sand at his older brother. But this time, his brother did not dodge it and received it directly, making the boy quite happy. However, that happiness did not last long, as Apolo noticed how his older brother looked with concern at one of the servants who had just entered through the door of the room where they were training. ¡ªDid something happen?¡ªApolo asked, not used to seeing his older brother''s face so serious. ¡ªYes, my lord, we''ve been looking for you everywhere. Today is the grand banquet. What are you doing training at this hour?¡ªSaid the servant, stepping forward to try to take Apolo by the arm to lead him to the banquet. But Hermes stepped forward and stood between the servant and his younger brother, asking: ¡ªWhy haven''t I been informed of the existence of this banquet? Apolo stared in astonishment as his brother picked up his sword, although the servant had no idea, for someone with his training, it was evident that his brother had positioned himself to strike down the servant if the situation turned sour, leaving the boy completely paralyzed, not quite understanding why his brother was afraid of this servant. ¡ªDo you not remember, my lord? It''s your father''s birthday today!¡ªThe servant said, stepping forward to take Apolo, but Hermes pushed the servant back with a shove. Pushed away by the boy, the servant became angry, and as he tried to grab Apolo again, he shouted energetically: ¡ªAre you as insane as to try to interfere with an order given by the king of the castle? The whole family must attend the banquet, and if you don''t let me take the boy to his father''s party, they''ll... *Slash*...The servant''s head flew off, leaving the boy completely stunned. ¡ªWhy did you kill him? Grandfather will whip the skin off your back, you idiot!¡ªExclaimed Apolo, looking bewildered as the servant''s head flew off and the decapitated body fell lifeless, staining the golden grains on the ground red. ¡ªYou didn''t realize how irrational that servant was being...¡ªHermes said calmly, looking at Apolo seriously as he cleaned his sword with his robe. After cleaning his sword, the teenager crouched down and came to the level of his stunned younger brother to look him directly in the eyes ¡ªI am your brother, and the servant was only looking for you. Can''t you see that he couldn''t recognize me? ¡ªNo, he didn''t recognize you...¡ªMurmured Apolo, even more stunned, staring fixedly into his brother''s eyes hidden behind the silver mask stained with the servant''s blood, realizing that this could not have been a servant of the castle: What sense did it make for him to search only for him to go to their father''s party? Logically, the servant should also have been looking for his older brother to take them together to their father''s party. ¡ªExactly: something happened to this servant, and he lost his mind. I''m afraid someone is behind all of this...¡ªHermes said with unusual calm despite the bitter message he was conveying. In fact, his voice had completely distorted and sounded like that of an old man for a few seconds, but fortunately, Apolo didn''t seem to notice. ¡ªWho would dare to do that? We''re in the family castle, in the middle of the Black Forest: no one would dare enter our lands...¡ªApolo cried out as tears streamed down his face out of fear, unable to stop staring at the viscous blood sliding down his brother''s mask-covered face. ¡ªYour tears won''t change anything, and we still don''t know if this place is safe, so stop crying and get serious!¡ªHermes shouted with violence, his saliva splashing onto the boy''s face, making him react. ¡ªBut...¡ªApolo tried to argue as he wiped away the tears staining his childish face. *Slap.*.. Hermes interrupted him with a slap that turned the poor boy''s face. Without waiting for Apolo to fully react to the blow, Hermes grabbed him by the cheeks to put his eyes in front of his and shouted with violence: ¡ªWe''re under attack, Apolo! There''s no time for these foolishness! We have to go to the party and save the rest of our siblings! E133-Absurdities Apolo touched his face in pain but didn''t react to his brother''s shouts, causing Hermes to resign himself and leave the child staring at him dazedly while he searched the room for the sword that his younger brother had thrown at him a few minutes ago. ¡ªHere, grab your sword; we''re going to Father''s party to find our brothers¡ªordered Hermes as he placed the sword on his younger brother''s chest, causing the child to snap out of his trance. ¡ªBut we don''t know where the party is! ¡ªexclaimed Apolo with concern, unconsciously picking up the sword resting on his chest. ¡ªLook, this is the plan: we go and find a servant, then we see if the servant is also looking to take you to the party, and if he does, you pretend not to know and see where he wants to take you. Got it, or do you want me to repeat it? ¡ªresponded Hermes grudgingly, not wasting time and heading to the training room''s door. ¡ªIf we do that, we''ll be heading straight into the lion''s den like idiots! ¡ªcriticized Apolo, seeing the major flaw in the plan. ¡ªWe won''t enter the party room unprepared. First, we''ll kill the servant before he opens the door to the party room. Then we''ll look for a way to enter the room more discreetly¡ªHermes replied immediately, addressing the problems mentioned by Apolo in his plan as if they were absolute certainties to be avoided¡ªAre you ready? Remember to follow the plan, and everything will be fine. Apolo didn''t reply affirmatively but approached the door of the room with his sword, showing support for his older brother''s plan. When the two brothers reached the door of the training room, they walked out as usual and found themselves in the stone corridors of the castle. After walking for a few minutes through the cold stone corridors, the two brothers came across a servant who "coincidentally" was the only one searching for them in this area. ¡ªMy lord, where were you? ¡ªasked the servant, running towards Apolo with speed. ¡ªI was training, I forgot today was my father''s party. Could you take me to the party location? ¡ªApolo asked directly, making Hermes slap his forehead with his palm. However, the servant seemed quite pleased with the child''s initiative, not suspecting the intentions of the two young men, and even more importantly, ignoring the fact that Hermes'' robe was still stained with blood, something that Hermes himself had forgotten. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡ªOf course, come this way, let''s not waste any time! ¡ªsaid the servant, grabbing Apolo''s arm unabashedly to push him back the way they had come. ¡ªYou seem in a hurry. Is the party ending soon? ¡ªHermes asked while trotting alongside the servant and his younger brother. ¡ªThe party is about to end, so if we take too long, we''ll only arrive in time to eat the cake¡ªsaid the servant, causing his steps to quicken to the point of starting to run through the corridors. ¡ªThen we''d better hurry up... ¡ªadded Hermes, looking at Apolo''s back with a bitter smile. He was still not sure, but everything seemed to indicate that Apolo''s subconscious was taking control of the child''s dream, which in turn indicated that Apolo had developed another traumatic experience that was demanding to take center stage in this dream. This wasn''t the first time something like this had happened, but each time it did, it meant more trouble for the masked teenager, so Hermes wasn''t very happy to see how Apolo''s subconscious was starting to impose strange conditions on the dream, preventing him from continuing his work. The servant, the teenager, and the child ran through the castle''s corridors for a few minutes, which slowly turned into hours: going up stairs and then down them, then circling around in circles until finally, Hermes'' patience ran out, and he pointed out the obvious problem: ¡ªWe''ve passed through this place five times already, and by now, we could have easily run to the neighboring town. So tell me, where is the party taking place?! ¡ªIt''s this way! ¡ªshouted the servant, ignoring Hermes'' question and instead increasing his speed. Hermes fell silent, watching with attention as it seemed that Apolo had already been infected by the atmosphere created by his dream. Thus, the child was unaware of the absurd situation he was experiencing. Which indicated that this "Apolo" was not very different from the servant who was holding his arm. Now, both of them were part of the child''s subconscious, indicating to Hermes that he had completely lost control over the dream. With resignation, Hermes understood that this was another wasted night, and unfortunately, he couldn''t make any progress with his work today. Therefore, the teenager decided to continue following "Apolo" and the servant, boredly waiting for the child to wake up, and hopefully, overcome some of the trauma he had experienced today. E134-Running towards nothing As expected, time passed, and Hermes continued the monotonous race through the seemingly endless corridors. Everything indicated that Apolo''s subconscious was delving deeper into the dream, and this was evident in the fact that the dream''s coherence gradually faded over time. At first, there were subtle changes like abnormally long corridors, corridors without doors, corridors without windows, and corridors with blue carpets. Then the changes became subtly less coherent. For instance, if you counted, they had already climbed 100 floors. However, no one dreaming would worry about whether it was really possible to find such a tall castle in the real world. Other less subtle inconsistencies included corridors with two doors stuck together, too many doors, or the corridor being lit with no visible windows or glass. However, all of the above still held a certain logic and could not be distinguished unless one really focused on the details. But it was just a few minutes ago that things became too distorted to doubt the lack of coherence: the corridors were now filled with stairs everywhere, with corridors endlessly crossing each other, and doors placed where there clearly could be no connection. Everything seemed to have distorted to the point where it no longer looked like a castle but appeared to be an infinite maze, where one could walk in any direction and position. At this point, it was no longer strange for Hermes that the servant and "Apolo" started running on the walls, descended the stairs backward, or even climbed them on the ceiling, ignoring the steps, showing that gravity hardly mattered in this confusing dream. As things continued to distort, Hermes silently went with the flow of the dream, wondering when Apolo would finally wake up once and for all. Considering his previous experiences with this type of dream, the teenager knew that luckily, the dream shouldn''t have much time left to finish. So Hermes began to wonder why the servant and Apolo showed no sign of reaching their father''s party. Would they never reach the party, and would the dream end abruptly? The harsh reality was that Hermes didn''t know the answer to that question. All he knew was that he never crossed paths with another person during the infernal race to nowhere. So he hadn''t had the opportunity to ask anyone else. But if we consider that the two servants Hermes encountered acted exactly the same way when they found Apolo, it didn''t give the teenager much hope of finding someone who could make sense of this dream. Leading Hermes to resign himself to the idea that this entire fantasy would ultimately end up being a grand digression of Apolo about running towards nothingness. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The child, the servant, and the teenager continued to run along the increasingly bizarre path until finally, the sight on the horizon prompted Hermes to ask: ¡ªIs the party behind that door? ¡ª...¡ªHowever, the other two runners remained silent and continued running monotonously. ¡ªLet''s hope so...¡ªMurmured Hermes, looking at the door getting closer and closer. At the end of the long straight hallway that the trio of runners was traveling, there was only an old wooden door full of cracks and visible stains of bluish mold. This excited the teenager because he realized that the other two runners had finally entered a dead-end path. Therefore, the dream must be about to end! The child, the servant, and the teenager ran toward the door in silence, while Hermes prayed in his mind that these two idiots wouldn''t turn around just as they reached the door and run all the way back. By now, the teenager had already gotten his hopes up, and the worst thing they could do to him was to destroy his hopes of ending his boredom. But fortunately, the door was getting closer and closer, and the silence of the two "guides" implied that Apolo might be about to wake up. The distance between the group and the door decreased, allowing Hermes to see that under the strange door was an unusual object that caught his attention. The object itself was not particularly unusual, and in fact, it could be quite common to see in many everyday places. But the problem that caught Hermes''s attention was the context in which he saw this object. This dream had only developed in two places: the training room and the castle corridors. In both places, you would never find this object, so it was breaking another barrier in the levels of dream logic. For an ordinary person, this might be normal in a dream, but for Hermes, it only meant a terrible sign: the dream could continue further! With desperation, Hermes continued to approach the door until he was finally a few steps away. Upon arrival, strangely, both Apolo and the servant completely ignored the object lying on the door and instead opened the door, revealing a path that led through the middle of the Black Forest, seemingly extending to the top of a hill. Without stopping, Apolo and the servant continued running, but Hermes couldn''t do the same because the object lying next to the door was also not something you would find in the Black Forest. Therefore, this object had caught the bored teenager''s attention enough for him to stop and look at it. Without haste, Hermes picked up the object from the ground, and immediately, he felt the warmth emanating from it, almost as if the object had just been rescued from a fire, and its appearance indicated the same since the object in question was partially charred. Nevertheless, it could still be seen that the object was a doll whose clothes and face had been burned. It was none other than Princess Lorena! E135-Messages Hermes carefully inspected the wrist, pondering what its significance might be and why he would find it right here. Nevertheless, the teenager couldn''t formulate a single hypothesis that connected everything he had experienced in this dream with this doll, and it was bothering him. Trying to uncover the truth behind this mysterious object, Hermes scrutinized the doll more closely and realized that it seemed to have a stone inside its belly. Hermes tried to touch this stone to make it do something, but no matter how hard he pressed it, it didn''t seem to react strangely. Tired of trying and failing, Hermes opened the doll''s belly with a small flame that emerged from his finger, revealing that the stone inside the doll was actually a brown-colored crystal. Recognizing the crystal, Hermes rubbed it while commanding: ¡ªDoll, sing your song. The brown crystal emitted a faint glow, but despite that, the doll did not sing any song. Instead, the dry and monotonous voice of a much older man could be heard speaking from the crystal, as if what he was recounting was a meaningless routine, and the man was already quite tired of recording the same message over and over. ¡ªRecording start. Recording 1423 by Acolyte F-24: another day, another successful experiment, another failed result. Clearly, Acolyte F-24 is experiencing the usual consequences of having merged his mind with that of his brother, but delving into his consciousness, the only noticeable thing this time was memory X-44, also known as "The Dinner". As always, during the memory, no abnormalities were observed, showing a clear conflict between what should happen and what actually happens. The only difference from the neutral X-44 memory is that during dinner, horse soup was eaten, responding subtly to the stimulations provided in the laboratory: too subtly to be considered a successful result. End of recording. As he listened to the emotionless message, Hermes slowly turned around to observe with wide eyes the practically infinite corridor he had been running through all this time, while some drops of sweat fell from his forehead, staining his silver mask. However, before Hermes could snap out of it, another message began to emanate from the crystal. Unlike the previous message, this one was full of excitement, and from the background noises, it seemed that a party was happening while the message was being recorded. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡ªRecording start! Recording 2523 by Acolyte F-24: another day, another successful experiment: another successful result to decorate my biography, long live life! Finally, after exactly 2523 days, we managed to understand the problem in Acolyte F-24''s dreams, and the answer was given by none other than the guard who cleaned the room: "If everything is normal, then it''s abnormal". Wasn''t it obvious? Why didn''t Acolyte F-24, who was subjected to different tortures every day to develop multiple traumas, exhibit any of those irregularities in his dreams? Easy, precisely because he couldn''t! Since Acolyte F-24 merged his mind with that of his brother, he was deprived of experiencing a "normal" dream. Therefore, his dreams never represented what was happening in the laboratory. Instead, they were a continuous copy of events that had already occurred or a repetitive distortion of them, over and over again, with few variations, showing a slight influence from our laboratory stimulations. So, what was the common denominator of all these dreams? Firstly, the lack of coherence with the traumas currently experienced by the subject. Secondly, the inability to explain themselves. These dreams completely lack meaning because they are the product of two subconscious minds battling each other to give meaning to the dream, completely erasing any individuality and leading to a constant, repetitive, neutral, and interpretation-free state. However, the weak traces of this struggle are still detectable, and the subject still responds to stimuli, although those traces are too weak to consider that he is dreaming about the trauma he experienced. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that the fusion of minds caused by Minos''s curse is not the responsibility of the fused minds in question but because the subconscious minds of the two individuals never fully merge, they always remain in a constant state of conflict. So, the question arises: Why are there two subconscious minds in Acolyte F-24 if we have already destroyed his brother''s subconscious? And the answer, as mentioned at the beginning of the experiment, is that the destroyed subconscious of his brother is reborn from Acolyte F-24 himself. Is it identical to the original? No, of course not, but that subconscious imagined by Acolyte F-24 is as valid as that of any normal human being. From all of this, it is also deduced that Minos''s "failed" method ultimately succeeded in "reviving" Acolyte F-24''s brother, killing himself and his real brother in the process. E136-Deductions Even before the second recording finished playing, Hermes had thrown the doll to the floor and began running desperately in search of Apolo. Unfortunately, Apolo was no longer in sight because Hermes had wasted too much time inspecting the doll at the door. As the trees passed by his sides and the dry leaves were lifted by his steps, the teenager ventured deeper into the forest while babbling a thousand unfinished words, still not fully comprehending how he ended up in this situation. However, the teenager was one hundred percent certain of one thing: this dream was identical to those of subject F-24. Therefore, the only logical conclusion was also the most terrible: this dream was no longer controlled by Apolo, and instead, it was not being controlled by anyone. The subconscious of Helena and Apolo were in conflict at this moment, and from that deduction arose the most dreadful of all results: the ring had been deceiving him all this time! Hermes, or rather the masked teenager, had been completely underestimating the power of the bronze ring. The teenager believed he had everything under control, but this dream had just awakened a great doubt in his heart: What if the ring had the power to deceive him? It was evident for Hermes to recognize the similarities of this dream when he remembered his experiences with subject F-24. However, to Hermes and any sane person, it would be impossible to think that the deceased Helena was manipulating Apolo''s subconscious from beyond the grave. No one would think that a person who died because she couldn''t control her acolyte''s subconscious was somehow manipulating Apolo''s. Nevertheless, the facts had spoken for themselves: the impossible was happening! Or rather, the impossible had become possible since Hermes had just discarded a fact that he had always assumed to be true, or rather, the ring had led him to assume it was true. ¡ªThat damn woman never failed in her research! She really managed to control Minos''s curse and feigned madness before the council. The ring could control her acolyte''s subconscious. No, even worse: the wretched woman was trying to fake her own death!¡ªHermes shouted, running like a maniac along the path, as he considered all the probabilities and consequences that followed from this central idea¡ªIt''s so logical and illogical at the same time: Helena''s old dream shows failure in her experiment: her mind merged with her acolyte''s, and all her plans went to hell. On the other hand, we have the ring''s power that allowed her to succeed and thus solve the first problem of her curse. Therefore, the harsh reality is that only one of two options could have happened, and it''s the one that cannot be ruled out based on what this dream has shown: Helena came out conscious and right now she''s struggling with Apolo''s subconscious. But why? Why didn''t she just take control of Apolo''s body when she met him in his childhood? Why did she wait so long? Or why did she want Apolo''s body in the first place? Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. As unanswered questions swirled in Hermes'' mind, the masked teenager looked towards the horizon with no sign of Apolo or the servant. Fortunately, the teenager knew that his body was a thousand times better than Apolo''s and the servant''s, so he should be able to catch up with them, following the simple logic that subject F-24 could not actively intervene in his dream. Therefore, until Apolo''s subconscious died, this was a dream where Helena couldn''t interfere. Consequently, once Helena initiated this dream, she condemned herself to battle Apolo''s mind until the dream ended and probably managed to kill Apolo''s subconscious, taking control of the young man''s body. Knowing that Helena couldn''t interfere, the masked teenager understood that Apolo''s life depended on a race against time. So, running like a madman, Hermes felt his leg muscles burn as he sought the servant and the child''s body. If everything the teenager was assuming turned out to be true, then the situation was terribly more complex than he had originally imagined, and the biggest problem was also the most obvious one: Hermes still didn''t understand how the ring really worked, and he had even less understanding of what Helena wanted with Apolo. Despite that, Hermes didn''t appear desperate for not being able to comprehend the truth; rather, his desperation came from time: he was running out of time, and he wasn''t winning the race he had set for himself because this dream was about to end. Running and understanding the implications of not getting there in time, Hermes could hear the thunderous noise of water crashing against the rocks coming from the end of the hill, where the teenager could see Apolo and the servant preparing to jump from the cliff. Hermes avoided shouting for them to stop; he knew they wouldn''t hear him, and the best thing he could do was to keep running and try to get there in time. But to his dismay, just before he could reach them, he saw with bitterness as Apolo and the servant leaped off the cliff. ¡ªDamn it, I just needed a few more seconds!¡ªHermes exclaimed with anger, while burning the last of his energy to reach the top of the hill and, without wasting time, jump off the cliff. Immediately after jumping, two fireballs the size of a basketball appeared on the teenager''s legs and began pushing him violently downward as they disintegrated part of his legs. Ignoring the pain, Hermes watched with hope as Apolo''s falling body approached in the distance, and it seemed like he would catch him before he fell. When Hermes reached the side of his younger brother and stood in front of Apolo''s lifeless face, he noticed that the boy''s eyes seemed lifeless, not reacting to his movements, reinforcing the teenager''s initial concerns. Removing his silver mask and revealing a face full of acne, the teenager shouted, trying to make his voice heard over the sound of the crashing water: ¡ªWe''re running out of time, kid! This doesn''t depend on me anymore. Good luck! Just as Apolo and Hermes were about to crash into the rocks at the end of the cliff, Hermes placed the silver mask on Apolo''s face, causing a flash of green light to burst from the boy''s lifeless eyes. E137-Splash *Splash*...Apolo opened his eyes with confusion and gazed at the sun in the clear sky. He touched his face, realizing that someone had just thrown a bucket of water at him to wake him up. ¡ª...¡ªApolo wanted to shout angrily at the person who had thrown the bucket of water, but he immediately stopped because he had no idea who this person was. However, the gold ring on his hand spoke for itself and was screaming at him that what he was seeing made no sense. ¡ªWake up, uncle! The siege is almost a day away, and the best way to end it as quickly as possible is to reach the castle before nightfall¡ªshouted the young man with the bucket in his hand. He couldn''t have been more than 25 years old, with red hair, a short and neatly trimmed red beard. He was wearing leather armor filled with dagger sheaths. However, what caught Apolo''s attention the most was the gold ring on the young man''s hand: it was the family ring! ¡ªHa, ha, ha, why would you want the journey to end so quickly? Wars are meant to be enjoyed, and even if we arrive before nightfall, you''ll have to wait for me to get the siege situation report¡ªApolo laughed unconsciously, feeling the uncomfortable sensation that his mouth was opening and speaking on its own. Immediately after, Apolo realized that he had just lost control of his own body, and it began to rise from the ground against his will. Without understanding what was happening, Apolo tried to free himself from this annoying situation and regain control of his body. However, all Apolo managed to do was exit the stomach of the person he seemed to be in. Strangely, Apolo noticed that even though he had exited this person''s body, the man remained unharmed and seemed unaware of the fact that a young man over two meters tall had emerged from his stomach. The person in question was a completely naked man with black hair and black eyes. He easily stood at a height of 6 meters and was nearly three times larger than the young redhead. What was most unsettling for Apolo was that this person also had his family''s gold ring on his hand, and yet he didn''t recognize him. With so many questions swirling in his mind at this moment, Apolo tried to speak to ask these people who they were. Given the size of the giant man in front of him, Apolo had no doubt that he was truly a member of his family. However, he couldn''t understand why he didn''t remember him: ¡ªWho are you? Where are we? Are you ancestors who came to greet me? However, the giant man and the redhead seemed to ignore Apolo, causing him to speak louder: ¡ªHello! I''m Apolo, also from the Black Forest! But the two people continued to ignore him and instead appeared more focused on searching for the giant''s armor. Baffled by the situation, Apolo realized that the two people in front of him were talking, yet he couldn''t hear what they were saying. Realizing that this was a problem, Apolo tried to stop the redhead to see if he also couldn''t hear what he was saying. However, when Apolo touched the redhead, his hand passed through his body as if it were air. Skeptical about what had just happened, Apolo looked at his hands and realized that they were somewhat transparent. ¡ªOh... I must be dead... It seems these people are the children or grandchildren of one of my brothers in the future, and I am their ancestor...¡ªApolo murmured, not at all angry about the situation he had ended up in and partially understanding the situation; he understood why he couldn''t interact with these people. Trying to better understand the situation of his two descendants and why they had summoned him, Apolo looked for a way to hear what his descendants were saying again. After trying in many ways without success, Apolo remembered that he had stopped hearing these people when he left the giant. Therefore, he tried to re-enter the giant to see if they could hear what they were saying. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. As he passed completely through the giant''s body, Apolo once again lost control of his body, but instantly, he felt the world around him regain its sounds. ¡ªWhere the hell did you leave your axe?¡ªthe red-haired man asked angrily, annoyed by having to help the naked giant due to his drunken carelessness. ¡ªI don''t know, the damn axe isn''t responding when I call it! Why the hell don''t you ask your pet to find it?¡ªthe giant replied, scratching his head, which made Apolo feel a bit uncomfortable as he watched his mouth move on its own. The young red-haired man clicked his teeth as if the giant''s proposal annoyed him and said: ¡ªFirst, it''s not my pet, second, it''s not my problem that you drank so much last night that you lost your axe, third, it''s your problem that your axe got mad at you, and it''s not like I can hear it to help you find it... if it even talks, which I doubt. ¡ªDo you think my axe doesn''t talk to me because it''s mad at me?¡ªthe giant asked, looking worried. ¡ªOf course, if I''m already mad at you, why wouldn''t your axe be?¡ªthe young red-haired man asked with a disgusted look, trying to move a few steps away from the giant to avoid the smell of alcohol that came from his mouth as he spoke¡ªDid you at least find your armor? ¡ªNo, that doesn''t matter. I want my axe back, Tea! Come on, tell your pet to find it. No matter how hard I try, I can''t remember where I left my weapon...¡ªsaid the giant, looking around anxiously, but even with his height, all he could see were bushes and trees everywhere. ¡ªWhat a miserable drunk...¡ªTea cursed out loud, as he approached one of the nearby trees. Tea took out one of the daggers from his armor and began drawing a door on the tree''s bark. When he finished drawing it, he reached out his hand to the bark and touched the door. *Tock, Tock*... ¡ªWho is it?¡ªsomeone asked with a very sweet and childlike voice from the other side of the door, surprising Apolo. ¡ªIt''s me, who else? Does anyone else have your contract?¡ªTea asked, massaging his forehead in frustration. ¡ªTea?¡ªcame the response from the other side of the door. ¡ªYes, it''s Tea, come out, I need you, Isis...¡ªTea murmured wearily. Immediately, the door drawn on the bark opened as if it were real, revealing a miniature girl with green hair and red eyes on the other side. What was most striking was that the girl had two butterfly wings on her back. Otherwise, the creature was wearing a very cute green dress made of grass and was completely barefoot, although a bit of grass wrapped around her feet. ¡ªWhat happened, Tea? Is your uncle leading you down the wrong path again?¡ªthe girl asked, flying up to perch on Tea''s shoulder and swinging her legs back and forth playfully. Apolo looked at the creature in amazement, examining his descendant from head to toe. He knew that was the innate ability of the people from White Town, but apparently, this descendant had inherited it from one of his parents, which was quite rare to see. Normally, members with innate abilities from noble families never had children outside the family, so it could only happen that the boy inherited the ability from one of his parents, even if the parent couldn''t use the ability themselves, making it a very rare occurrence. Furthermore, in general, only one bloodline ability was inherited, but based on the gold ring on his hand and the size of his body, Apolo could tell that the red-haired man had inherited his family''s ability in addition to the one from White Town. Otherwise, if he had the White Town ability and not the Colossus ability, the redhead should have been raised by the people of White Town, so he couldn''t be with an uncle who was 6 meters tall in the middle of an adventure in the forest. ¡ªMaybe you could say that, although this time we''re far from the castle. Could you ask the trees where my uncle Cristobal''s axe is?¡ªTea asked. ¡ªHmm, I don''t know, that''s not a very friendly question for the trees...¡ªIsis replied, shaking her head from side to side in a childlike manner. ¡ªListen, little mascot: either you find my axe, or I''ll come back with an army and set the entire forest on fire!¡ªCristobal shouted so loudly that the girl flew off her nephew''s shoulder. ¡ªDon''t shout at Isis, or you''ll make things more complicated...¡ªTea muttered in a low voice as he rubbed his ears in pain, feeling like he had almost gone deaf from the loud shout. Unfortunately, the girl didn''t return to the redhead''s shoulder and instead flew back to her hiding place, closing the bark door behind her. E138-Perfect ¡ªPerfect, Isis escaped. Now what do we do?¡ªTea asked reluctantly, watching as the door drawn on the tree remained closed. ¡ªCall your little pet back. I''m not leaving this forest without my axe. So, find a place to live in the nearby town or help me find my axe¡ªThe giant replied immediately. *Tock, Tock*...With a grimace of discomfort on her face, Tea began to hit the tree, cursing her bad luck at being chosen for her first mission away from the castle with her drunken uncle. However, he had no choice, and given the order, he had to carry it out. ¡ªI don''t want to come out!¡ªThe girl on the other side shouted, still angry at the threat. ¡ªBut my uncle will really burn the forest if you don''t come out...¡ªTea persuaded, pointing to a nearby tree with her hand. Immediately, a nearly one-meter fireball began to form in front of the redhead''s hand. As this happened, Apolo looked at the size of the fireball in disbelief. This young man was almost his age, but his mastery of this spell was on a completely different level compared to his own. Without warning, the huge fireball shot out, causing the trees in its path to split in half. Immediately, the charred remains of the unfortunate trees began to spread the flames to nearby trees, causing a small fire. ¡ªDamn it, you''re going to alert all the villagers, you idiot!¡ªThe giant exclaimed grudgingly, watching the fire rapidly spreading. However, his actions contradicted his words since the giant did absolutely nothing to prevent the fire from continuing to spread through the forest. Instead, he waited for the hidden creature to come out of the tree where it was hiding. ¡ªI feel the trees crying. What the hell did you do, Tea?!¡ªThe girl said as she emerged from her hiding place in a hurry, showing in her expression that she was genuinely concerned about what had just happened. Upon emerging, Isis ignored the red-haired teenager and the giant, who were looking at her with silly smiles on their faces, and watched in horror as the forest fire was getting out of hand, and more and more trees fell victim to the curse of the flames¡ªNo... ¡ªYes, of course. Where''s my axe, little pet?¡ªThe giant asked with a sadistic smile on his face, completely ignoring the disaster his nephew had just caused. ¡ªHow could you do this, Tea?! You swore you would always protect the forest! Why are you betraying your words now?¡ªThe girl shouted as she slowly descended to the ground, shedding more tears from her eyes. It seemed that the more the creature cried, the less it could fly. Until finally, Isis touched the ground and burst into heart-wrenching tears. ¡ªI swore to protect the Black Forest and only that forest. We''re not in the Black Forest; we''re in enemy territory, so I''m not breaking my contract¡ªTea replied coldly. ¡ªNo, we''re in neutral or gray territory, which is influenced by the castle we''ve been besieging for five years. Speak with proper terms, brat! Did my brother educate you poorly or did you get distracted from your lessons by learning cheap magic?¡ªThe giant said, giving Tea a slap on the back of the head, making his neck turn red. As ridiculous as it may seem, the giant Cristobal was more upset about his nephew''s lack of vocabulary than the increasingly out-of-control fire that the redhead had caused. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Tea held his neck in pain but refrained from uttering a single complaint in response to his uncle''s scolding. Instead, the teenager bent down, picked up the crying little girl from the ground, and placed her in the palm of his hand, while comforting her: ¡ªCome on, Isis, we need the axe so we can get back home quickly. I don''t like this mission either, but I have no choice: it''s either this or exile. ¡ªFor now, you don''t like it, but later, you will: war is more fun when there are enemies and something to fight for...¡ªMurmured Cristobal with concern, not so pleased to see and hear the expression and weary tone of his nephew when he said those words. However, the girl continued to cry, ignoring the manipulative comfort of the young redhead. It seemed that Isis didn''t want to talk and just watched in desperation as more and more trees in the forest began to catch fire. ¡ªDo you want me to put out the fire, little pet?¡ªThe giant asked in a calmer tone than usual, pointing with his hand to the trees catching fire nearby. Wiping the tears from her eyes with her little hands, the girl nodded her head, as if indicating to the giant to please do it. ¡ªThen tell me where my axe is, and I''ll do it. Without my axe, I can''t put out the fire, so I''m afraid many trees will have to die until the fire goes out on its own¡ªCristobal added slowly while smiling falsely at the little creature. Without replying, the girl jumped out of Tea''s hands in an attempt to indicate the direction. Despite her intentions, Isis went into a nosedive, causing Tea to throw himself to the ground to catch the girl just before she crashed into the earth. Immediately, the redhead stood up and dispiritedly said: ¡ªYou can''t fly when you''re sad, Isis. Point with your hands in the direction the trees tell you, and my uncle will save your little friends. The girl pointed with her little hand in a direction in the middle of the flames, causing the giant to run towards that spot, ignoring the fire. While this was happening, Apolo exited from Cristobal''s body to see what his descendant would do next, who would probably be in more danger if the fire got out of control. In a hurry, Apolo ran and entered Tea''s body, avoiding missing any conversation the redhead might have with the tiny girl. ¡ªGo back to your hiding place and get out of this dangerous forest¡ªTea insisted as he took the little girl into the seemingly bottomless hole in the middle of the tree. The fire had not reached this area yet, but it wouldn''t be long before it did, and the redhead wanted to make sure the creature escaped the flames. ¡ªBut the trees are crying, we have to protect them!¡ªIsis cried out as she was pushed by the young redhead to enter the hiding place. ¡ªMy uncle will take care of that. You go away and trust that everything will be fine...¡ªTea replied, closing the door. Immediately, the young man ran out and hid among some nearby bushes to watch the wooden door. It seemed that the redhead wanted to see if the girl would really leave or not. For a few minutes, Apolo observed with boredom as his descendant stared at the tree where the creature had hidden. It seemed that Tea was patient or crazy enough not to care too much about the forest continuing to catch fire around him. The young man patiently watched until the wooden door in the tree bark disappeared. It was then that the redhead finally stopped worrying about the creature and ran toward the direction where his uncle had gone, venturing into the flames and making Apolo nervous. Inside Tea, Apolo worriedly thought that this was his first adventure as an ancestor, and he didn''t want his descendant to die so foolishly due to his lack of care. E139-Madness Tea continued running through the flaming trees until he finally passed the burning area. To Apolo''s relief, the redhead stopped to recover from his injuries by absorbing one of the trees from the forest. He had cleverly covered himself with his own flames to avoid being burned alive. When the young man finished healing, he kept running until he could finally distinguish the back of his uncle, which, considering that the giant was as tall as a tree, turned out to be a not too complex task. When Tea got close enough, it made the giant aware of his presence and nervously shouted: ¡ªWait, Tea, I''m changing! ¡ª...¡ªTea heard the request with disbelief. His uncle had spent almost forty minutes completely naked in front of him without any shame, and now he was embarrassed to be seen changing. Clearly, the giant was hiding something! With curiosity, the young man didn''t heed the request and continued approaching to witness the scene in front of him with astonishment. ¡ªHa, ha, ha, no wonder the axe got mad!¡ªTea laughed like a maniac as he fell to the ground and rolled on the floor. ¡ªDon''t laugh, you rascal! Worse things will happen to you when you''re drunk as you grow up, so don''t judge your dear uncle¡ªCristobal shouted, blushing at the scene in front of him. In the middle of a clearing in the forest lay the naked corpse of a woman. The woman seemed to have died not long ago, so she was in good condition. However, all the woman''s beauty was ruined because the handle of a massive axe was impaling her from behind, protruding from her mouth. The scene itself was completely bizarre, but Apolo was more concerned with the axe that was impaling the woman than with the unfortunate victim of this brutal crime. Incredulous at what he was seeing, Apolo finally understood his duty as an ancestor, which was to send a lightning bolt at this six-meter-tall scoundrel. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Since the young noble recognized this axe as one of the great ancestral weapons of his family, which belonged to a great champion in the past. However, Apolo didn''t know the exact story of this champion, but his weapon, in particular, was known to everyone in the castle, not for being the biggest, not for being the most beautiful, nor for being the most complex, but because it was cursed: No one could use this axe! The axe itself was completely ordinary except for its peculiar size. It had a brown wooden handle and a blade more similar to the axes used by lumberjacks than those of soldiers. However, there was another slightly important characteristic that distinguished this axe from any other giant axe, and that was that its blade was completely worn and destroyed, so no one should want to use it as a weapon. According to legend, the champion who wielded it never changed his weapon in his life from the day he was born. The champion forged his warrior''s body by cutting logs with that axe, and when he grew up, he took it to the battlefield to forge his legend by decapitating his enemies. As the years went by, the giant''s body continued to grow, and strangely, his axe grew with him. Apparently, the axe had been cursed by the number of heads it had cut, as the champion in question had the reputation of showing no mercy and defeating any enemy he encountered. The axe''s curse dictated that whoever wielded it would be consumed by it until they went completely insane and cut off their own head with it. That''s why no one wanted to use it, and it had become a great decoration in the family cemetery. Apolo remembered that his grandfather had placed it in the great hall of the castle precisely to teach him and the other children in the family to be careful with cursed objects, or they could end up losing their heads. ¡ªAre you ashamed to pick it up?¡ªTea asked with a red face from laughter as he watched his uncle stay silent, looking at the compromising scene. ¡ªMy axe is very angry, we''re having a discussion...¡ªCristobal murmured, trying to ignore his nephew''s gaze and concentrate on the axe. ¡ªOf course, tell it that the forest is on fire, and it doesn''t have much time to waste unless it wants to end up charred...¡ªTea said, making hand signals as if his uncle were crazy. Although fortunately, the fire was quite far away, and there was no danger in this area. However, the redhead didn''t want to stay near the impaled corpse for too long. Noticing that he couldn''t hear the axe speaking either, Apolo exited Tea''s body and entered the giant, trying to intervene in the conversation between the axe and the giant. E140-Spy As Apolo entered Cristobal''s body, he immediately felt the difference in the axe and understood why his family claimed that this axe was cursed. From the giant''s perspective, the wooden handle of the axe was filled with tumors that moved from one place to another while screaming in agony. Occasionally, some of these tumors would emerge from the axe, just as Apolo was doing among his descendants, revealing that they were actually dismembered, impaled, headless, arrow-pierced, or simply half of them. All the people emerging from the axe showed signs of having been killed, and it seemed that these unfortunate souls were competing to see who had died in the most horrible way. However, these "ghosts" were not the ones speaking to the giant because it was clear that these wretches had lost the ability to think as they did when they were alive, and their movements were more random than an attempt to communicate something to the giant. The "ghosts" that were really speaking were the tumors that moved incessantly in the metal part of the axe, and their voices were like the union of thousands of voices in constant suffering, although their words showed a single thought: ¡ªSo how are you going to make up for this mistreatment? I''ve been fighting by your side forever, and you treat me this way, you heartless giant! ¡ªI was drunk!¡ªThought the giant, glancing at the weapon with ill will. Although he didn''t say it out loud, Apolo could also hear it, so without hesitation and without any shame, the deceased eavesdropped on his descendant''s conversation. ¡ªDrunk or not, there are limits, and crossing them has a price!¡ªThe tumors in the axe responded in unison, writhing violently. ¡ªWhat''s the price?¡ªCristobal asked in his head with concern, glancing as his nephew observed him in silence from a distance. ¡ªKill all the filthy peasants in this miserable town! Let not one wretch survive! Let these rats suffer my hatred!¡ªAll the tumors in the axe shouted in unison, their voices resounding throughout the giant''s mind, making Apolo extremely uncomfortable. It felt as if his head were splitting in half and then coming back together. ¡ªWe''re about to go to a besieged castle; you''ll have plenty of time to have fun beheading our real enemies. Just try to...¡ªThe giant thought, not at all pleased with the request, while massaging his forehead. ¡ªThese rats aren''t even ours, and you''re the general in charge of this place. You have the power and the perfect excuse; no one will know: Do it for me, Cristobal, do it for my honor! Make these rats wriggle in agony, let their screams fill every corner of this little village!¡ªInterrupted the tumors in the axe, moving relentlessly and hypnotically. ¡ªDo you know how big this town is? It''s practically as big as a city in the Empire. My uncle and my father will notice if so many rats die, and to make matters worse, they''re useful rats. Besides, even if I wanted to help you, we don''t have enough people to accomplish what you''re asking for. This time you''re taking it too far with your whims!¡ªCristobal thought, quite angry, casting a sidelong glance at his worried nephew, concerned that the young one might know some exotic magic that could read his mind. ¡ªIf I''m asking you, it''s because you already know you can do it. Deep down in your heart, you know perfectly well that you can do whatever you please with these animals. Cristobal, you know the excuse and the orders you have to give: you just have to say it out loud in front of your men, and they''ll do all the work¡ªresponded the tumors seductively, as if they were whispering each word slowly into the giant''s ears. ¡ªBut of course, my men would do any nonsense I told them to do. The problem is that my father and my uncle not might believe my miserable excuse. It''s possible to fool my uncle, but my father already doubts me, doubts my "orders", and he sent an idiot to watch my every move. Remember, we can''t lose our fa?ade. There''s a big difference between a cruel general and a general who lost his mind, and no one gives soldiers to a lunatic. My father probably has plenty of hints about this "little" problem I have, and luckily for both of us, the old man still doubts himself enough not to kick us out of the army. Still, no matter how much Dad constantly looks for excuses to pretend this problem doesn''t exist, this might be the straw that breaks the camel''s back, a whole town is...¡ªCristobal thought, biting his nails, while glancing at Tea, who was silently watching him with boredom. ¡ªYou''re not crazy, Cristobal. Can''t you see how you doubt your own actions? That makes you a responsible and sensible general. So you''re a completely sensible general about what you''re about to do, and you''re completely responsible for ending all these miserable lives of these annoying peasants. But what''s wrong with that? Is it wrong to have a little fun? Haven''t you already brought enough glory to your family? Why do you keep worrying about their opinions, and instead, focus on enjoying yourself, as we always have? Once again, we''ll see the rats dance with death, but this time, it''ll be grand!¡ªThe axe tumors said energetically and full of life, but their words sounded like whispers that entered and fluttered inside the giant''s head. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡ªDon''t you understand what I''m telling you? Precisely because I love having fun with you is why I can''t do what you''re asking me to do. A whole town is too much! My father won''t tolerate such savagery. As much as my dad loves me too much to exile me, this is simply...¡ªCristobal thought, while glancing at Tea constantly, fearing that someone might hear what he was thinking. However, his nephew only looked at him like an idiot, seemingly more concerned with wasting time than with the "conversation" the giant was having with his axe. ¡ªIt''s simply brilliant, an impressive idea, a work of art. Think, Cristobal, think with that giant head of yours and answer me this question: Do you think you''ll have another opportunity like this to do what you have in mind? Think about the screams of the little rats, their pleas, how they''ll try to save their children, and answer me this question: Are you really going to let this opportunity pass? This war is about to end, Cristobal, and you never know how long it will be until the next party begins...¡ªThe axe tumors asked, vibrating harmoniously. Meanwhile, Apolo''s head struggled not to explode from the number of voices he was hearing at the moment. The pain was such that it caused the dead man to leave the giant''s body for a few minutes until the pain disappeared, and everything returned to normal. Somewhat surprised that he could still feel such pain even when he was dead, Apolo re-entered the giant and cursed himself for leaving his body, as the conversation was getting really interesting, and he wanted to know how Cristobal would respond. Unfortunately, to his dismay, when Apolo re-entered the giant''s body, Cristobal was already pulling the axe out of the poor impaled woman, and the axe tumors remained silent, not revealing the decision the giant had made. ¡ªFinally done arguing with your axe?¡ªTea asked, looking away to avoid seeing the gruesome scene unfolding a few meters away. ¡ªYes, we need to go to the camp, check that the men haven''t been too agitated by the forest fire, and make sure everything is ready for the siege¡ªCristobal replied, as he grinned while splitting the girl''s corpse in half with his axe. ¡ªDisgusting...¡ªTea murmured, glancing at the scene briefly. His expression revealed that he had accidentally seen something he didn''t want to see¡ªBefore we leave, put on your armor. It''s one thing for me to see you naked, but you can''t let your men see you naked, uncle. ¡ªI can''t have a kid who has never even touched a woman in his life giving me orders, can I? Remember, you''re not in the castle; you''re the second in command, and I''m the commanding general. When you finish this mission, you''ll be a general just like your brothers and cousins¡ªCristobal responded, while searching for his armor. Fortunately, the armor was quite large, and it seemed that he had taken it off in this place. ¡ªDo you have that much confidence that everything will go well?¡ªTea asked, a bit nervous. This was the first time in his life that he had left the castle, so the inexperienced young man was quite worried and feared he wouldn''t survive the cruelty of war. ¡ªKid, you''re practically a battle mage, and you''ve been raised as a soldier since birth. It''s in your blood. Just enjoy the moment and try to have fun...¡ªCristobal replied, putting on his breastplate. Despite his large body, the giant was really skilled at putting on his armor, so he didn''t need anyone''s help¡ªBut, I mean... it''s not like I enjoy everything about this job one hundred percent. There are many things I hate about my job, and the harsh reality is that no soldier really likes war. But, as you told your little pet, we swore to defend the forest. If we don''t finish this siege in time, it will be our people''s blood that will be spilled because of us, and as a general, the first thing you have to watch out for is that your men don''t die. The second is that you don''t die, and the third is the goal you''re fighting for. ¡ªI know, I always knew this day would come, sooner or later I would have to use everything that took me so many years to learn...¡ªTea said somewhat despondently, gazing at the girl''s corpse that was now cut in half. His expression actually revealed that the young, inexperienced man was far from convinced by his own words. ¡ªCome on, kid, help me fasten the wrist guards¡ªCristobal requested. The giant could do it himself, but Cristobal didn''t appreciate the tone with which his nephew had replied. Tea approached the giant and began to fasten the wrist guards. Meanwhile, his uncle looked at him intently and said: ¡ªYou know, boy, the harsh reality is that you can always tell the oath to go to hell. ¡ªHow?¡ªTea exclaimed, stopping his work for a few seconds before quickly resuming it, somewhat nervous that it might be noticeable that those words had affected him more than he wanted to admit. ¡ªA soldier''s life is short, and ours is long. It''s a life full of misery and suffering, where your friends live less than flies, and tragedies accompany you to the grave. Tea, I practically saw you grow up since you were a baby, so let me warn you: don''t live this life forgetting to be happy because of your family''s gaze or their opinions. If, when you finish this mission, you think that being a soldier isn''t for you, then tell the oath to go to hell and find something that makes you feel alive¡ªCristobal said, recalling that his nephew had never shown interest in combat training or the warrior''s path. Instead, Tea used to enjoy playing with his little pet and performing cheap magic tricks. ¡ªThe truth is, I''d love to be able to decide for myself, but I don''t have options. If I''m not a soldier, what the hell am I going to do with my life?¡ªTea asked, somewhat candidly, revealing that he was more concerned about his own future than he let on. ¡ªKid, be whatever you want to be, but don''t ask me to answer that question for you. I can''t answer that question for you. As I just told you, you can be whatever you want and do whatever you want with your life. You don''t owe anything to my brother, and even less to your grandfather, so don''t feel bad for them and be happy. There''s nothing worse than living a life in the shadows, fearing that other people will find out who you really are and hate you for it¡ªCristobal said, looking at his faithful axe. Meanwhile, Apolo eavesdropped eagerly, pleased to be spying on this intimate conversation. Ancestors'' lives were truly spectacular! E141-Camp After finishing putting on his armor, Cristobal looked at the fire growing in the distance and commented: ¡ªWe have to get back to the camp; they''re probably looking for us all over the town. Let''s go around the fire and move quickly. ¡ªWhy go around it?¡ªTea asked, remembering that they had come through that way. ¡ªWe don''t know how big the fire is now. If we go into the middle and can''t find any live trees, we''re done for. Never enter a dangerous place without knowledge of the area; it''s basic¡ªCristobal replied with wisdom as he proceeded to show the way. From his height, it was quite easy to see where the fire had not yet passed. Tea followed her uncle through the forest, trusting that he would find the right path to avoid the flames. Fortunately, nothing unusual happened, and in about an hour, the giant and the redhead emerged from the forest and reached the road that would lead them to the nearby town without seeing a single tree on fire. However, the smoke in the sky could be seen and smelled from almost anywhere. After walking a few minutes along the dirt road surrounded by colorful fields, Apolo could see in the distance that a military camp had been set up on the outskirts of the forest. The camp wasn''t very large, and given his education, Apolo could tell that there were at most five hundred soldiers in this place. However, considering how delicate all these military tents were, the deceased realized that they were probably quite well-trained soldiers or of high rank. Therefore, this military camp should belong to an elite squad or the escort of someone important. Without even getting close to the camp, a soldier wearing armor made of broken bones approached them on horseback to deliver the following message: ¡ªWe finally found you, General. The forest is on fire, and I suppose it was you two since we found no sign of the enemy in the vicinity. While we have control over the fire, I remind you that we are a day away from the grand general, and he will be in charge of the siege. So, it''s vital to avoid these kinds of "accidents" in the future. ¡ªYes, it was us, Isidoro. Tell my captains to meet in my tent¡ªCristobal ordered dryly, not wanting to give too many explanations about what had happened, while he anxiously looked at how high the smoke was in the sky, afraid that it might be noticed by the men in the siege. ¡ªAnd the other officers?¡ªIsidoro asked immediately, although his question seemed more like a forced invitation for these people than a sincere question¡ªRemember that we have several important people cast here in the camp. While you can ignore what they say, you still need to invite these people to hear important plans. ¡ªWhat a pain...¡ªMurmured Cristobal as he grabbed his head; the giant had forgotten about these nuisances, but now he remembered that several nobles had sent their children to share in the military merit of completing the siege. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡ªSir, I remind you that the funding from the rest of the noble families was crucial, and it''s necessary to maintain good relations with them. Your father personally ordered me to watch over this matter carefully, and I''m afraid that as the war is about to end, negotiations with the nobles who financed this campaign will become more contentious. So, it''s vital to follow basic protocols well¡ªIsidoro commented, trying to persuade the general. ¡ªTell all the officers to gather in the general''s tent and make preparations so that I can explain my orders there¡ªCristobal replied, refusing to invite a bunch of strangers to his personal tent. ¡ªAs you wish, but I remind you that this plan must be approved by the grand general when he arrives at the siege. Don''t forget to try to include all the officers in the plan, but considering that none of the officers should risk their heads. Otherwise, I''m afraid I''ll modify the siege plan myself¡ªIsidoro responded, turning his horse to return to the camp and make preparations. ¡ªYou see, boy, things like these are what I hate most about war...¡ªMurmured Cristobal when he saw that the horse was too far away for the soldier riding it to hear him. ¡ªThey provide the men, the weapons, and the money. Without those three things, we couldn''t win any war, so we have to coexist with the other nobles. For these poor souls, going to war is practically being labeled useless by their own families, so it''s best to make things easier for them and gain their support¡ªTea replied, listening to his uncle''s complaint. ¡ªAnd without us, there''s a war, but no victories. Never forget that little detail, kid...¡ªAdded Cristobal grudgingly¡ªWhen we finish the siege, remember to ask for a share of the loot from these idiots if you really don''t want to keep living the life of a soldier. ¡ªI''ll consider it...¡ªMurmured Tea, even though he wasn''t entirely sure yet about what decision to make. After a few minutes of walking along the dirt road, the nephew and uncle arrived at the camp, to be greeted by a large number of soldiers. It seemed that everyone in the military camp had become quite nervous due to their general''s absence just when a sudden fire had broken out in the vicinity. From inside the giant, Apolo watched with anticipation as a soldier wearing silver armor adorned with roses, identical to what the guards in the capital wore, approached Cristobal to inform him: ¡ªGeneral, the officers are gathered in the big tent, and they''re eagerly awaiting your orders. ¡ªWhich tent?!¡ªCristobal asked, not hiding his anger, quite annoyed that a soldier referred to the general''s tent as the big tent; from his perspective in a larger camp, there could be many "big" tents, so it was important to differentiate them. ¡ªUncle, don''t make things more complicated...¡ªTea reminded him in a low voice. ¡ªYou mean the general''s tent, I assume... The tent where a battalion sleeps is even larger than the general''s tent, and when we go to the camp in the siege, I hope you won''t mistakenly put the "officers" in that tent...¡ªCristobal corrected, ignoring the soldier and walking toward the largest tent in the camp. Indeed, the general''s tent was gigantic, and its size was disproportionate for the use of a normal person. However, the general of this camp was a six-meter giant, so clearly, all the tents he might need had been modified. Apolo watched with anticipation as the doors of the tent, eager to see what it was like inside. This was the first time the deceased had entered a military tent in his life; he only knew them from descriptions in books or various anecdotes. In his heart, Apolo was quite interested in seeing the daily life of a true soldier from his family, something that unfortunately, he could never experience when he was alive, but fortunately, now his descendants could give him that opportunity. E142-Orders The giant entered the tent, allowing Apolo to see how spacious its interior was. It was filled with furniture on the sides, all loaded with books and rolled-up scrolls. In the middle of the room, there was a massive wooden table whose surface resembled a chessboard. Surrounding the large table, there were numerous chalkboards with maps and blueprints, which seemed to have been used by the individuals in the tent to explain their plans or doubts. The table itself was quite tall and had no chairs, making it seem like the people who used it had to stand. Nevertheless, they had managed to place some chairs with planks under their supports to make them a bit taller and provide a view of the table. There were only five people in the gigantic tent, which highlighted the impracticality of its size. It was also bothering the giant, who immediately asked: ¡ªWhere did you hide my captains, Isidoro? Apolo could recognize the man wearing the peculiar broken bone armor in the tent. The soldier was quite easy to spot since he was the only one in the tent wearing such an unusual suit. Besides, the man had a very dashing mustache that was unforgettable. As for the other four people in the military tent, they were also unforgettable, but not because of their facial features. Rather, it was due to their appearances. These individuals were likely representatives of some of the six main families of the empire. ¡ªShouldn''t you discuss war plans first with the highest-ranking people in the military camp before informing your captains, General? ¡ªIsidoro asked calmly. ¡ªOf course, that''s the way it should be, which is why I''m asking you to bring my captains here. I don''t plan to discuss anything; I''m going to give an order! ¡ªThe giant shouted, causing most of the people in the room to cover their ears. ¡ªWhy don''t you discuss the order with us, Cristobal? We don''t have to obey you. We only came to "participate" in the conflict on behalf of the families we represent. It''s not like we''re actually going to take up a sword ¡ªThe only person in the tent besides Isidoro who didn''t cover their ears responded calmly. Apolo couldn''t identify which main family this person represented, as their appearance didn''t remind him of any specific one. This individual had a well-toned body and was shirtless, covered in intricate tattoos. The most distinctive feature was their lack of eye sockets; they simply had skin where their eyes should be. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡ªI wouldn''t expect anything from any of you, and I certainly wouldn''t expect anything from a mercenary. All I care about is that your men follow my orders, which shouldn''t be up for discussion... ¡ªCristobal replied as he approached the table. It seemed that the giant had resigned himself to having to explain the plan in his head if he wanted the help of the men guarding these individuals. ¡ªSo, what are the orders you want our men to follow, Cristobal? ¡ªAsked a boy who couldn''t have been more than 11 years old. He was the youngest in the room and clearly too young to be sent to war. Apolo could see that this young man had the most striking appearance of all present. He looked like a terminally ill child: his skin was completely pale and dry, with cracked lips. Many parts of his body seemed to have dead skin, similar to what you''d see in a sunburn. However, the most heart-wrenching aspect was the numerous tumors growing all over his body. In fact, it seemed that these tumors prevented him from walking, as the poor boy was in a wheelchair. Despite all this, Apolo knew that the boy was in perfect health and that this moribund appearance was how all members of his family were born. This unfortunate child was none other than a member of the Silverfields family, a member of the imperial family. ¡ªGeneral, young man! You call me General! You''re not a mercenary, and you belong to the army, so you address me by my rank! When we finish this mission and you leave the army, you can call me whatever you want, but while you''re in here, there''s a discipline to respect! ¡ªCristobal yelled angrily, pounding the table, though he took care not to break it. It was clear that the giant only wanted to make noise. ¡ªSorry, General! ¡ªThe boy responded, sounding somewhat frightened. *Cough, cough*... Tea and Isidoro coughed a few times, as if trying to indirectly indicate to Cristobal to lower the volume of the conversation, but the giant seemed unfazed. ¡ªPay attention and listen to the order... don''t interrupt me until I finish speaking... and then we''ll discuss it... ¡ªCristobal said, forcing himself to be patient. He picked up some white crystals from a jar on the table and began placing them in scattered holes on the large table. After he finished putting the crystals in place, noticing that everyone was quiet and paying attention, the giant ran his hand over the table and muttered: ¡ªRecreate the map of the area. E143-Decisions Immediately, the white and black squares on the table began to distort until they formed a replica of the military camp and the neighboring town. The replica of the town was not entirely accurate and had some obvious flaws, such as the fact that there were very few houses in the town, or that the houses on the map sometimes seemed larger than they could realistically be. Nevertheless, the military camp was replicated perfectly and looked exactly as it could be seen outside the general store, so it seemed that the table had to be fed with the plans of the areas in some way to then recreate them according to the original design. Therefore, it was evident that the town''s plans didn''t seem to require as much work as those of the military camp, although the table displayed all the important factors of the town, such as its boundaries, entrances, main streets, along with a fairly detailed layout of the nearby forests, streams, and hills. ¡ªThis is the map where we are currently...¡ªMurmured the mercenary in a low voice, as if warning the giant of the mistake he had made. ¡ªI know, the orders are regarding this town...¡ªSaid Cristobal as he went to fetch a box with wooden figurines of various colors from one of the cabinets in the tent. Everyone in the room watched in silence as Cristobal arranged the figurines on each of the town''s streets. When all the streets were covered, the giant slowly and somewhat exaggeratedly placed a last red figurine on one of the paths leading to the town and explained the situation: ¡ªCurrently, our mission is to end the siege that we''ve been conducting for five years. Does any of you know why we were summoned to expedite the capture of this city, and why we can''t continue besieging it until we conquer it? They all looked at each other, hoping that someone could provide an answer, but apparently none of the representatives knew the correct response, or rather, none of those present wanted to appear foolish in front of the others, so they all preferred to remain silent. ¡ªBecause the southern clans are preparing their forces to attack us...¡ªIsidoro replied, breaking the awkward silence that had settled in the tent, and encouraging the representatives a bit to contribute to Cristobal''s plan. ¡ªSo, what will happen to the siege if we fail to capture this city?¡ªCristobal asked, looking at all the nobles in the room; however, several minutes passed, and no one answered the question. ¡ªThe siege will end because the men have to return to defend the key frontier cities, so an unproductive peace will be declared with the theocrats¡ªTea calmly replied to avoid leaving her uncle talking alone. But apparently, her words only made the present representatives more nervous. ¡ªBut how can we be so foolish as to abandon one of the Theocracy''s capitals when we''re surrounding it with an army?!¡ªThe child in the wheelchair exclaimed angrily¡ªControlling that city is practically winning an entire county for each of our families! ¡ªYes, by abandoning the siege, we''re losing many cities, castles, and conquered villages...¡ªTea calmly justified her idea¡ªBut we can''t go to war on two fronts. The main reason the clans must be attacking us is precisely because if they do nothing, we''ll devour the entire theocracy and put the whole continent at risk. ¡ªIt''s not that simple, the theocracy is deliberately "disposing" of this capital. If we try to continue conquering their territories, they''ll likely end the war they''re fighting in the north and defend themselves with more men¡ªIsidoro explained¡ªIn a sense, the clans are doing the same thing we are right now against the theocracy: they''re seeking to attack us in the midst of a war. But our situation is different from that of the theocracy because our real army only acts defensively. Since no noble thinks twice about sending their men when their own lands are at risk. That''s why, instead of sacrificing territories to prolong this war, we''re sure that the kings will prefer to prematurely end this military campaign, regardless of how close we are to conquering such an important city. ¡ªSo, could the theocracy break the siege by sending reinforcements? They have the men to do it. If they''re allowing us to besiege this city, it''s because they have us under control¡ªThe mercenary asked, making everyone at the table look at Cristobal with concern. ¡ªNo, they''ve already tried, and they''ve failed. Nevertheless, conquering their cities is costly, and their capitals are even more costly: to the point that it''s impossible without a siege. So, if we fail in our mission, we''ll really have to leave the capital and much of the surrounding land¡ªIsidoro said, reassuring everyone present; the soldier didn''t want the representatives to think they could encounter an enemy army actively seeking to attack them. ¡ªThe reality is that peace with the theocracy is imminent, whether we achieve our war objectives or not. From the main families, there''s a lot of pressure to show results for all the funding and both the crystals and time are running out¡ªCristobal added, placing his hand on the red figurine again¡ªPrecisely our policy of always playing it safe is the main reason why the theocracy felt comfortable being besieged. They knew we couldn''t conquer this capital with a long-term siege. However, the Theocrats didn''t take into account a small but significant factor for which my uncle deliberately initiated this siege, and that factor is the existence of our commando group. We are basically the secret weapon that will end this war, which is why we are heading to the capital to break the siege right now when there''s no time left to lose. At this point, the siege has already taken a toll on the people living in the capital, making its capture easier. ¡ªDo we have to enter the besieged city?¡ªThe child in the wheelchair asked. ¡ªMy nephew and I will have to enter: the rest of you will only watch the mission from the sidelines and wait to see if they kill us or if we manage to take their lands¡ªCristobal replied with impressive calmness, contradicting the words coming out of his mouth¡ªAnd if they kill us and we fail the mission, then what will happen? ¡ªDo we have to try again?¡ªThe representative who hadn''t spoken yet asked. He was a fat man with blue hair, and his skin seemed completely wrinkled, as if he had been in the water for too long. But the most striking feature of his body was that it was full of holes where worms constantly emerged to explore the outside. With these peculiar traits, Apolo could tell that he was a man from the Blue Beaches, which was home to the only count who held the title of king in the entire empire. The Blue Beaches family was quite unique, as they lived in one of the most remote regions from the empire''s capital. This region faced the shores of an unknown sea full of mysteries, which only members of this family explored. The Blue Beaches'' reign did not cover a very large territory, and since most of their lands were coastal, they were not very fertile, so there were few people living in this region. Nevertheless, the Blue Beaches family was known for being great adventurers, and they controlled the trade of exotic items throughout the empire. ¡ªNo, damn it! As we''ve already wasted time explaining: if they kill us, the siege is over, whether you like it or not, and all of you go back home to keep drinking your mothers'' milk!¡ªCristobal replied, running his hand over his face, giving the impression that he had asked the question solely to anger the man in question. ¡ªGeneral, is there no other commando group capable of breaking this siege in the entire empire?¡ªThe boy asked with such concern that he almost fell out of his wheelchair; apparently, the young man was the least willing to lose this territory, which meant that this conquest was really important to him. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡ªThe reality is that there is initially no one who can break the siege...¡ªIsidoro replied calmly, but the poor choice of his initial words only served to leave everyone present in a dead silence, causing the soldier to nervously look at the representatives'' faces and abandon his speech to remain silent, thinking about what words he should say next to get out of the problem he had gotten himself into without alarming these people too much. ¡ªSo they sent you to your death, Cristobal?¡ªThe mercenary questioned, breaking the silence that had formed in the military tent and interrupting Isidoro''s thoughts. ¡ªIt might be...¡ªCristobal replied reflexively. ¡ªWhat?¡ªTea exclaimed, leaving his mouth open like an idiot, clearly understanding that he was in the same boat as his uncle, and if his uncle sank, he would hardly stay afloat on his own. ¡ªDon''t answer nonsense, Cristobal! Of course, they didn''t send you on a suicide mission! There are rumors that the high priest in charge of this city has already died, but if he is still alive, then yes, the siege will never be broken if Cristobal dies fighting against the high priest. Since unfortunately, the only one who can kill the high priest if that old man doesn''t leave the capital is this giant imbecile¡ªIsidoro replied without hiding his annoyance with Cristobal. It had been a long time since the soldier had realized that the general was omitting many important parts of the mission just to steer the plan towards a very possible "failure". The big problem was that Isidoro didn''t know why the giant was putting so much effort into scaring the representatives, and even worse, the soldier didn''t know how to get Cristobal to stop making these tasteless "jokes". ¡ªIsn''t there anyone else in our entire empire who can kill this person?¡ªThe blue-haired man asked, shocked by what he was hearing. ¡ªWhile it''s not guaranteed that Cristobal can kill the high priest, it''s an estimate made by the great General Jason of the Black Forests himself. He was the main responsible for organizing this mission to break the siege and has also been leading this successful war campaign for these long 50 years¡ªIsidoro replied, trying to invoke a figure of trust so that the representatives would feel more at ease. It seemed that the soldier''s plans worked, and the faces of almost all the representatives changed from worry to reflection. ¡ªStill, I could lose the battle, and the mission could fail...¡ªCristobal said, looking at Isidoro grudgingly; the general knew that bringing up his uncle in this conversation only made things more complicated for his plans. However, the giant had faith in the hunch he was feeling and continued to insist on the topic. ¡ªIt''s been 45 years since your uncle has been wrong in his predictions. Do you really think that this time the great general will be mistaken? Your uncle has been besieging this city for almost 5 years, thinking about the day when you would finally be needed to finish things if the funding ran out. I highly doubt that this plan can fail...¡ªIsidoro responded immediately without giving Cristobal a chance to sow panic in the room again. ¡ªRegardless of the great general''s opinions regarding the mission''s success, I ask again: What will happen if it fails?¡ªCristobal asked again, ignoring Isidoro''s angry look, to focus on the people he really cared about convincing. While the red figurine on the wooden table wobbled, as if trying to get someone''s attention. ¡ªWe lose the capital, but we still have several neighboring territories, right?¡ªThe boy in the wheelchair nervously asked, making his wheelchair wobble and lose balance, which caused the planks supporting the wheelchair to fall so that the boy reached the height of the big table. However, just when this happened, Tea skillfully stepped on the floor, causing the rug on the tent''s floor to break, and under the boy''s chair, some stones emerged to replace the planks, preventing the boy from falling. Even though the boy had almost fallen out of his wheelchair, everyone in the room ignored the issue and tried not to expose it so that it would go unnoticed. For his part, the boy in the wheelchair didn''t even look at Tea to thank him, but it didn''t bother the redhead, and Tea didn''t return the boy''s gaze, understanding that it was best not to make the problem bigger. Crist¨®bal, on the other hand, smiled for a few seconds, but it was so discreet that only Apolo from the inside could realize that he had done it. Apparently, the giant had achieved what he wanted, and it was precisely to make the only representative in this tent who, due to his young age, was unaware of the military history of the great general who had organized this mission nervous: The boy had always been his target! ¡ªOh, yes, that depends...¡ªCristobal replied enigmatically while tapping the head of the red figurine with his finger, as if indicating to the representatives that they should stop pretending to be oblivious to what had just happened and lower their gaze to look at this figurine more carefully. ¡ªDepends on what?!¡ªThe boy asked impatiently, clearly becoming agitated by the lack of confirmation from the giant. ¡ªIt depends on how easy it is to retain those territories. If the theocracy were to recover from the war quickly, they could try to reclaim their lost territories before we manage to stabilize them. The harsh reality is that if the conquered territories are not stabilized, we risk facing a civil uprising in support of the reconquest army sent by the theocracy. So under those conditions, it would be quite complicated to maintain the territories influenced by this capital¡ªCristobal explained calmly, hoping that the representatives could understand each of his words perfectly. ¡ªWhat does it depend on whether the theocracy manages or doesn''t manage to recover quickly enough to organize a reconquest army before we resolve the defensive war?¡ªTea asked, interested in his uncle''s words; everything indicated that this was what was worrying him. ¡ªWell, that answer is very obvious, and it''s manpower: To recover, an empire needs labor, and the more it has, the more dangerous the threat of a reconquest campaign becomes. How do you recover a bunch of men who have been besieged for so many years, Tea?¡ªCristobal asked, lifting the red figurine and placing it in the middle of the town, in front of everyone''s view. ¡ªFood, with a lot of food¡ªTea replied, looking at the red figurine in the middle of the town with concern¡ªSo, do you plan to burn the fields of this town? That way, it would be quite complicated for the men of the capital to recover, at least for a while. ¡ªExactly, the problem is that fields recover quickly. How do we solve the problem of the farmers planting them again?¡ªCristobal asked with a smile. ¡ªBy taking away their tools?¡ªThe boy replied, but all the representatives unconsciously looked at him as if he were an idiot for a few seconds. However, the boy didn''t seem to care at all about the foreign looks, and he was more focused on trying to see how he could secure his objectives. ¡ªBy killing them...¡ªThe mercenary said coldly¡ªIf we kill the men in this town, burn the warehouses with supplies, and the fields, then when the theocrats leave the siege, they will find a lot of useless land and will have to rebuild everything. Since the theocracy is still at war and cannot afford to have so many men, if we limit the recovery of the people living in the capital, it will give us time to stabilize the new territories. ¡ªNo, we won''t do that. Nearly 100,000 people live in this town, and when we finish the siege, it will be essential to use these people to rebuild and stabilize the capital¡ªIsidoro denied, opposing the proposed idea, understanding that the situation in the empire in the coming years could be complicated by the defensive war. So it was necessary to be smart when dealing with so many people; with this town secured, it was easy to supply the capital with provisions, and with a stable capital, it was very easy to prevent the weakened theocracy from reclaiming these territories. ¡ªBut if we fail, then...¡ªCristobal tried to say, once again emphasizing the risks of the mission. ¡ªWe kill the farmers, alright, we''ll enslave the people from the clans and send them to these fields in the not-so-distant future. If we conquer the capital, it will be impossible for the theocracy to retake it quickly, and with a war ongoing, they won''t rush to reconquer it. Under these conditions, it''s best to play it safe and secure some lands¡ªThe boy interrupted almost giving an order; however, much to Isidoro''s surprise, Cristobal didn''t get angry, and instead, he smiled like a fool, making it too obvious that this was the point he wanted to reach. ¡ªDo you know how difficult it will be to stabilize the capital without these people?¡ªIsidoro retorted, looking at the boy grudgingly, as if trying to warn him that the decision he had made was a very serious mistake. ¡ªWill you be the noble who takes over the capital, or will it be me? Stabilizing the capital will be my problem in the future, but right now, I prefer not to take any risks and ensure a few territories for myself in case the whole plan goes wrong. It''s better to sleep peacefully with lands than to return to the capital and see my father sending me to some fourth-rate village for not making the decision that needed to be made¡ªresponded the boy decisively, displaying a maturity not typical for his age. E144-Plan
¡ªWell, do the rest of the representatives agree with the plan?¡ªCristobal asked, although his triumphant expression would make it seem that the answer to this question was obvious. ¡ªIf the noble wants to solve this problem now, let him do it now...¡ªthe mercenary replied, causing the other representatives to also give affirmative responses. After all, they had no intention of keeping the capital they were about to capture, so the people of this town were of no use to them, and they clearly couldn''t include this town so close to the capital in their territorial claims. ¡ªThen I will proceed to explain the plan in more detail¡ªCristobal said, taking out the red figurine on the table and putting it back in the box where he had taken it from. Meanwhile, Isidoro looked at Cristobal with annoyance; he knew this would end up being a bad idea. But the other representatives, lacking knowledge in military matters, were influenced by Cristobal''s words, and it was not convenient for the soldier to continue actively opposing the commanding general, as it could leave a bad impression on the representatives. Therefore, Isidoro reluctantly accepted the plan that would be executed, even though the plan was a disaster and would likely bring problems to Cristobal in the not-so-distant future. On the other hand, Tea listened attentively to the plan, forcing herself not to voice any opinions and simply blindly follow her uncle''s orders to avoid making him look bad in front of the other officers. In her mind, it was obvious that the best idea was to ask the great general what to do about this town: They were only a day away from the siege, and it made no sense to deliberate whether to destroy this town on their own. The people in the siege were a proper army, so it would cost the great general nothing to send five battalions of a thousand soldiers each to destroy the town once he learned that Cristobal had failed to conquer the besieged city and had to start the retreat. However, Tea continued to refrain from mentioning this obvious fact to those present because the truth was that he didn''t care if these nobles lost a town. At this moment, the red-haired man''s mind was more concerned about whether he could actually survive the upcoming mission: In the end, Tea was not her uncle, and if the mission was as impossible as they had presented it, then it would be difficult for he to come out alive with her lack of real experience. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Since there was no opposition, the representatives passively listened to the plan and realized how intelligent Cristobal could be when he set his mind to it, as the plan turned out to be brilliant for them. It was indeed quite challenging to destroy a town of 100,000 people with only 500 soldiers, not to mention that in some less populated regions of the empire, this population size would make this "town" seem like quite an important city. However, the theocracy was particularly prosperous and fertile thanks to its rulers being chosen for their administrative skills and knowledge and could be replaced as easily as they were chosen. This was because power in the theocracy was divided into two groups: on one hand, there was divine power, which was the most important for the theocracy and was given by the gods, who were worshipped by the citizens just as the ancestors were revered in the empire. On the other hand, there was power as it was known in the empire, the power of the ruler of the lands. Since the people who chose the "rulers" were actually representatives of divine power, the rulers did not worry about the lands but rather the people living in them. Ultimately, they did not own the lands they governed, and only the people living in their lands served to worship their gods, who in turn bestowed their "grace" upon the theocracy''s lands. This ultimately led the ruler of the lands to always act for the good of the people living in their domains, causing their cities to become densely populated. This fact was one of the main reasons why this "empire" had several capitals, and it also showed that the great power of the theocracy came from its vast workforce. However, despite the disparity in numbers, a good plan was a good plan because it promised success, and from this perspective, Cristobal''s plan was excellent. The representatives listened to the details of the orders given by the general for several minutes before finally leaving the tent, allowing Cristobal to call in the truly important people, namely his captains and the real soldiers in the camp, who would execute this plan to make it a success. E145-Orders Time passed, and before nightfall, the soldiers in the camp began to mobilize following the plan that had been indicated to them. The first phase of the plan required the soldiers to alert all the families in the village that a major investigation would be conducted due to the fire that had appeared in the forest surrounding the village. To carry out the investigation, all the people in the village had to go to specific points scattered throughout the village and then wait for an officer to ask them questions about their daily routine. In the event that someone did not attend the investigation, they would be considered an accomplice to intentionally causing a fire in the nearby forest, endangering the integrity of the entire village. The harsh reality was that the plan was working quite well because the soldiers were ordered not to "force" anyone to go to the location of the investigation. Instead, the soldiers only arbitrarily alerted people to where they had to go to spread the news. Once the first people began to leave their homes to go to the site indicated by the soldiers, the rest of the neighbors observed them and, remembering the soldiers'' warnings, imitated their behavior. Ultimately, all the inhabitants of the village knew they were innocent, so from their perspective, they only had to go and tell the soldiers about their daily routine. Therefore, no one had a real reason not to go to the location of the investigation. However, this system also resulted in several fortunate families not going to the designated site. But that didn''t matter much in the eyes of the authorities, as long as the town lost most of its workforce, it would be difficult for the capital to recover, which could jeopardize their dominance in the region. So, the soldiers didn''t have to be precise, but they had to be abundant with the number of casualties, so that the survivors of this massacre would voluntarily flee the region. As more and more people headed to the points indicated by the soldiers, more citizens persuaded themselves that it was best to follow the crowd. In a few hours, the points indicated by the soldiers began to fill up. These points generally consisted of large urban spaces scattered throughout the village, such as a large house, a silo, a large barn, the church, or the house of the former baron who ruled this city. At each of these gathering points, there were always four soldiers stationed at the entrances, giving instructions to the families that arrived, the same soldiers who had recently walked the nearby streets giving warnings. As time passed, more and more people filled the meeting points until finally, the vast majority of the village had attended the "inspection". The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. However, a large number of people had escaped the cruel fate awaiting them at the inspection thanks to their own fortune or due to the mercy arbitrarily shown by the soldiers. Of course, this entire plan depended on the goodwill of the soldiers on duty, so it was not unusual for soldiers, upon seeing someone too young arriving or a particularly adorable family, to tell them to go to another random building in the city, saving their lives with a lie. In the end, it was people killing people, and not all soldiers could strictly follow this ruthless order, especially when many of them were not truly soldiers but rather trusted guards whose real mission was to ensure that the representative of the family they obeyed would emerge from this "skirmish" alive. When the meeting point was filled to capacity, the soldiers closed the doors of the place and began to make sure that all the exits of the building were sealed. The truth was that some of these structures had been modified too conspicuously to avoid suspicion. For example, all the windows of the church had been covered with wooden planks in a hasty manner. However, one had to be very distrustful to suspect that they were actually heading into a trap. And even if you were distrustful enough, it was most likely that you wouldn''t seek to leave the building, as the mass of people inside the structure was calm, and you would be tempted to imitate their behavior. Probably a single person or an entire family could notice and act based on these clues, but multiple strangers tended to check with each other that everything was in order, and seeing that nothing happened to the other strangers, they assumed that their families were safe as well, and this effect repeated itself until the place was full. Despite this detailed explanation given by an author inspired by seeing his work reach its final pages, the harsh reality was that Apolo, Tea, and Cristobal were not witnessing all of this. So the fantastic trio didn''t know exactly whether the soldiers were following orders or not. Instead, they focused on ensuring that everything in the building in front of them went as planned. The building in front of the colossi happened to be the largest in the city, a silo used to store food for the winter. Despite its utility, the food in the silo had long been emptied, and instead, the silo was now packed with people looking at each other, wondering when they would finally be attended to. E146-Second stage Cristobal watched with a wide smile as families entered the gigantic silo. The giant bestowed a cheerful smile upon each person who reached the silo''s door, regardless of how repetitive the action was. This made Tea quite uncomfortable, as he clearly noticed his uncle''s abnormal behavior. To the point that the young redhead began to suspect that Cristobal was actually enjoying watching each of these families willingly enter this "trap" like pigs heading to the slaughterhouse. To make matters worse, Cristobal occasionally made ironic comments about the future of these people or discreetly warned them about what would happen to the families that entered. However, he did it with the subtlety that only he and his nephew could truly understand. This added even more pressure on young Tea, who struggled internally not to think about the eyes or faces of the poor children who entered happily, unaware of what would happen next. ¡ªIsn''t it a bit cruel to deceive these peasants like this?¡ªTea asked in a hushed voice, unable to bear the pressure in his chest any longer, watching with despair as a young couple entered the silo doors after receiving his uncle''s "reliable" smile. ¡ªIn reality, Tea, we are saving many people¡ªmurmured Cristobal, looking at the paths on the streets, not hiding how eager he was to see more people fall into the trap. ¡ªHow is this supposed to save anyone?¡ªTea asked, incredulous at what he was hearing. ¡ªWe are saving many soldiers who will fight against these peasants in the reconquest war. Moreover, if we don''t do this and fail to capture the capital, it will be the main army that is besieging the capital that will carry out this "task". With their numbers, they wouldn''t bother and wouldn''t leave a single heart beating in this town. So, we are saving many lives, lad¡ªCristobal said, surprising Tea considerably. From that perspective, many people would come out alive, although the surprise for the redhead came from discovering his uncle''s lack of confidence in the conquest of the besieged city. ¡ªBut when that happens, we will already be dead...¡ªTea replied, speaking each word slowly and despairingly. He understood the weight of failing in the next mission and reflected on all the beautiful things he hadn''t even experienced in this life yet¡ªDo you really think we will fail? Dad told me to have confidence in the great general, and I really doubt that Grandfather''s brother selected me for this mission just to arrange my funeral before he died. ¡ªBut of course, we will succeed: I''m a hundred percent sure we will capture the capital in a few days!¡ªCristobal replied with a foolish smile, putting his axe on his shoulder and watching as some flaming arrows flew through the sky, as if indicating something. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. After hearing his uncle''s words, Tea was left with his mouth agape, looking at the signals in the sky given by the other soldiers. He wondered why his uncle, who just a few hours ago was the most pessimistic person in the world, now seemed to speak with the confidence of a lovesick dove. ¡ªBut then why do we kill all these people? Couldn''t we...¡ªTea tried to say, wanting to remind his uncle that all these people would do no harm if they succeeded in capturing the capital, and these people would even be necessary to appease and bribe the survivors of the siege with food. ¡ªMany things can be done, lad, but now is not the time to think about such nonsense. I need you to give the signal once and for all; I don''t see anyone heading this way anymore¡ªCristobal interrupted while putting both his hands on the silo doors, causing the double door to turn into solid rock. With more doubts than he would like to have at this moment, Tea followed his uncle''s order and pointed his finger at the sky. Immediately, a fire arrow shot out from his finger and burst in the air like fireworks. Upon seeing the fireworks coming from the direction of the silo, the soldiers understood the signal and hurried to make the final preparations to start the grand spectacle. ¡ªShall I start the fire?¡ªTea asked, raising his hand to the silo with the same slowness that his doubts provided him, understanding that having given the signal to start the second stage of the operation, there was no turning back for the poor souls trapped in the silo. ¡ªNo, no, I''ll do that¡ªCristobal replied, looking at the fireworks in the sky with delight. ¡ªBut you can''t even make a measly marble-sized fireball¡ªTea commented. Nevertheless, the giant took a torch he had already prepared and, with great effort, managed to make a very tiny flame come out of his gigantic hand. Taking more time than Tea would have liked, the giant managed to ignite the torch, but it quickly went out with the wind. ¡ªDo you want me to light the torch?¡ªTea asked, watching as his uncle began to turn red with anger as he saw the torch extinguish every time he lit it. ¡ªYes, come on, we can''t be the last ones or the people inside the silo will hear the screams of the others and start to panic¡ªCristobal replied, bringing the torch closer. However, Tea only had to snap his fingers for the torch to ignite by itself. ¡ªHow skillful...¡ªCristobal responded with a smile as he threw the torch onto the thatched roof of the silo. Although logically, that hadn''t caused anything since many more torches were needed to make the fire spread quickly. So, the giant commented: ¡ªWell, now finish setting the roof on fire before the people inside notice the torch I just threw. Slightly annoyed at how useless the torch had been, Tea aimed his hand at the silo''s roof, and a flurry of small fireballs began to shoot out of his palm like a machine gun, burning the roof on all sides. The fire quickly began to spread, but for now, the people inside the silo could only smell the faint, bitter scent of the burning straw. E147-Strange circumstances. Like most of the buildings in this town, the silo was made from the wood collected in the neighboring forest, so it didn''t take too long for the fire to noticeably engulf the structure. ¡ªUnlock the doors!¡ªshouted some people from inside the silo who were awake enough to notice the abnormality of the situation. However, the two colossi did not move and ignored the cry. *Boom, boom*...Loud noises began to be heard from the stone-transformed silo doors, but they did not open. ¡ªDo you think some of these peasants will manage to escape?¡ªTea asked with concern as he watched the stone doors tremble along with the sound of the strong explosions. ¡ªOf course, some lucky ones will manage to escape from the silo. Try to be attentive enough to kill them before they flee through the streets¡ªreplied Cristobal, watching as the flames on the silo''s roof only continued to grow, causing a bitter expression on Tea''s face. *Boom, boom, boom*...The noises on the walls of the structure became increasingly deafening as people realized how smoke began to invade the inside of the silo. ¡ªPlease open the doors!¡ªthey shouted from inside the silo, noticing that no matter how hard they tried to open them, the doors did not yield. But despite hearing the plea, the two colossi remained silent, causing desperation among the people inside. The fire continued to grow until a part of the silo''s roof gave way, falling inside, but the structure was too large, so its walls were still standing. Along with the falling roof, cries of agony and panic filled the surroundings of the silo, bringing a joyful smile to Cristobal''s face. Meanwhile, Apolo watched with some consternation everything that was happening from inside the giant. The truth was that at this moment, the deceased felt that being "expelled" from the soldier''s path didn''t seem so bad. Life as a mage in the capital was incredibly more glamorous and peaceful than this mess. Although Apolo didn''t exactly feel sorry for the people inside this gigantic trap, the ancestor still felt that having to deceive a bunch of peasants to lead them to their own death was something extremely annoying to do. The deceased had already dealt with the problem of deceiving his poor servants for years, so Apolo didn''t even want to imagine how uncomfortable it was for his descendants to have to guide the hundreds of soldiers under their command to massacre people who had no connection to this war. However, Apolo didn''t blame or judge his descendants for this decision. After all, it was war, and in war, anything goes. The important thing was to end up winning and not being destroyed, and later, historians would take care of erasing these small details that ruined the glorious story of soldiers and champions. While the deceased''s lack of moral condemnation was remarkable enough to debate the matter in depth, the reality was that Apolo''s greatest concern at the moment was to discover why Tea was so foolish as not to realize that Cristobal was being corrupted by the cursed axe. The history of the axe was known to all members of his family when Apolo was alive, but Tea seemed to be unaware of it. Unfortunately, Apolo felt that the young redhead should never have accepted this plan if he had been aware that Cristobal was not in his right mind. However, the deceased had not found a way to communicate with his descendant to warn him about this vital mistake he was making. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. As the agonizing screams grew louder in the air, Tea watched as a couple of people began to exit through the silo''s windows. The windows of the structure were very high, practically touching the ceiling, and they served to vent the gases from inside the silo, so they were not easy to access, especially when the roof was on fire, and the inside of the silo was already filled with smoke. Most likely, in their desperation, these people climbed the walls of the structure until they fortunately reached these windows. Focusing on watching the windows amidst the flames, Tea could see that these two people were a father and what should be his daughter. Both seemed to have a strange ability that allowed them to stick to the walls, so they quickly managed to exit through the window and began to descend the silo''s walls, trying to escape the flames on the roof. ¡ªLook, someone finally managed to escape!¡ªCristobal exclaimed with a smile, but it faded when he noticed that the father was clever enough to see his cruel gaze and decided not to descend right where the door was. Instead, he chose to guide his daughter to the back of the silo, trying to avoid the soldiers. Realizing that if he did nothing, these two people would escape, the giant grabbed his axe by the handle and with a precision that would scare anyone, he swung it in the direction where the father and the girl were fleeing. The axe flew through the air, spinning, and before they could react, the man''s head was severed by the axe''s blade, causing his lifeless body to fall to the ground a few meters from where Tea was standing. ¡ªDad!¡ªroared the girl, trying to catch her father''s corpse, but it was too far away, and she could only watch it fall. ¡ªKill the girl, Tea!¡ªordered Cristobal as he watched the blood-soaked axe stuck against the silo''s walls. Placing his hands on the walls, Cristobal made a puddle of mud form on the planks where the axe was embedded, causing it to fall back into his hands. As this happened, Tea pointed his palm at the girl, but he couldn''t release the fireball and instead watched as the girl escaped. ¡ªIs something wrong, kid?¡ªCristobal questioned, seeing that his nephew was letting the girl go. ¡ªNo... Nothing''s wrong... I''m just a bit tired, it''s very late...¡ªTea said, looking at his uncle''s impatient gaze. Immediately, the young man fired a half-meter fireball at the girl, causing the innocent girl''s body to split in half along with the planks around her. ¡ªA few more hours, and it will all be over, but remember that the siege will be a hundred times worse than this. I hope you''re mentally prepared to fight famished and pest-ridden peasants¡ªCristobal replied as he headed to the back of the silo¡ªI''ll watch the back, you watch the front. Remember, you''re on a real mission, kid. If you get too confident and deviate from the plan, you could end up dead, even fighting a child. ¡ªI know, go in peace, I will fulfill my duties...¡ªTea said as he watched the girl''s body crash to the ground a few meters away from him, splattering his face with blood. ¡ªGood luck, don''t let these rats escape...¡ªCristobal replied, hurrying to the back, fearing that the people might have found a way to escape. While this was happening, Apolo exited the giant''s body and entered Tea''s, fearing that his descendant might make the mistake of being too merciful towards someone with strange abilities and end up dying due to his lack of decisiveness. Upon entering Tea''s body, Apolo couldn''t hear what he was thinking. In fact, he had only been able to do so when Crist¨®bal spoke to his axe. Therefore, he assumed that the giant was actively "communicating" telepathically with the axe, and it wasn''t that he could read others'' thoughts with his newfound powers as an ancestor. However, Tea''s haggard face and the fact that he couldn''t look away from the girl''s corpse made Apolo realize that his descendant was not exactly having a good time at the moment. Despite this, the young nobleman didn''t know how to console his descendant because, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t interact with anyone in this world. Thus, the deceased was "forced" to merely observe the situation without being able to help Tea. E148-Fortune Minutes passed, and as the fire spread, more and more portions of the roof began to fall, and the silo was gradually crumbling. Everything seemed to indicate that it wouldn''t be long before the structure completely gave way. As the silo suffered the destructive power of the fire, the agonizing screams and heart-wrenching cries from within were deafening to the young Tea, who was staring at the stone doors, fearing that the villagers trapped inside might manage to open them, and an enraged mob would suddenly come out to attack him. However, the harsh reality was that, despite the continuous pounding and scratching coming from inside the infernal trap, the door and the silo''s walls did not yield. Gradually, the thuds became weaker as more peasants fell victim to the fire. By this point, the inside of the silo was completely filled with smoke, and the heat inside was infernal. For the trapped peasants, it was quite challenging to move within the structure, and it became even more complex to find the exits. The task turned impossible when you tried to find a way out while a group of hundreds of desperate people around you were searching for the same. Unfortunately, this led to the poor peasants trapped in the large trap crushing each other to death as they tried to avoid the flames falling from the collapsing straw roof and vainly sought a way to escape death. Realizing that the farmers seemed unable to open the doors and, for some reason, couldn''t destroy the silo''s wooden walls either, Apolo calmed down. It seemed that his descendant would emerge from this mission unharmed. However, just as Apolo reached that conclusion, something abnormal happened, and the alarms in the ghost''s head began to go off: the ground was shaking! The streets in the village began to tremble violently, and the buildings on their sides started to crumble. However, Apolo noticed with concern how his young descendant was too traumatized to react to the strange events happening in the village. Even though the houses around him were collapsing, and the ground was shaking violently, Tea couldn''t tear his gaze away from the blazing silo. A few minutes filled with madness passed until finally, the ghost observed that, fortunately, the silo just a few meters from the petrified young man withstood the tremors and remained standing until the earthquake had passed. But just when Apolo thought it was all over, the streets around the silo began to shake violently, cracking and revealing deep fissures. Buildings damaged by the mysterious earthquake began to fall into these cracks. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Seeing the entire village around the silo being destroyed, Apolo desperately tried to reason with his descendant: Tea had to flee this village! The earthquake that was unfolding was by no means normal; the cracks leading deep into the earth in the streets seemed more like the work of very complicated magic than something natural. For Apolo, everything indicated that an unknown enemy was trying to sink the village along with the soldiers, making them disappear into oblivion and never reach the siege. But as incredible as it seemed, the silo remained untouched by the tremors, and Tea showed no reaction to the obvious destruction around him. Apolo tried to shout, mutter, think, scream, but nothing seemed to work: his descendant couldn''t hear him! Tired of trying strange things to get his descendant''s attention, Apolo decided to leave Tea''s body. Upon leaving, the departed spirit no longer heard the noise of destruction around him or the desperate cries from inside the silo. However, the destruction of the village continued before his eyes, and more and more streets were cracked, devouring everything in their path. Faced with the discouraging prognosis, Apolo tried to hit him, kick him, slap him, spit on him, and push his descendant, but everything he did was in vain. His incorporeal body simply passed through Tea. Wide-eyed, Apolo watched as the silo finally began to shake, and despite that, Tea showed no reaction. The young man grabbed his head, trying to think of a way to make his descendant understand the critical situation they were in. However, as Apolo touched his face while grabbing his head, he felt something unusual. He realized that there was a mask on his face, which for some reason he had never been able to feel until this moment when he touched it with his own hands. Since the departed''s body was somewhat transparent and completely naked, it was quite odd for Apolo to have a mask on his face, and even stranger was the fact that he had accidentally discovered it just now. Dumbfounded, Apolo removed the mask, and his eyes blinked several times in disbelief as he realized that it was not a mask at all. Instead, the object that had been on his face all this time was none other than the silver mask given to him by his ancestor. Staring petrified as the silver mask''s glow reflected the blazing silo, Apolo reacted and realized that, by sheer chance, this mask had been given to him by an ancestor named Tea when he was alive, and now that he was dead by the grace of fate, this descendant in front of him was also named Tea. Despite this significant discovery, the flaming walls collapsing around his descendant took away Apolo''s time to connect the obvious dots of this plot. Instead of pondering the motives, in a desperate attempt to try to save his descendant''s life, Apolo floated closer to the young redhead''s face and tried to place the silver mask on him, hoping that his experienced ancestor Tea would be the one to give the warning to this stunned young man. To Apolo''s great fortune, his desperate attempt worked, and the mask was able to interact with Tea''s face, not passing through it like his hands. *Ushh*...When the mask was correctly placed on Tea''s face, a bright green flash emanated from Tea''s eyes, completely blinding Apolo''s vision. E149-Forest Apolo abruptly opened his eyes as he rubbed his eyelids with his hands, but unfortunately, the young man discovered that the sudden green light had left him completely blinded for a few seconds. Nevertheless, Apolo understood the emergency situation his descendant was currently in, so the departed soul tried to regain his vision as quickly as possible while struggling with the incredibly uncomfortable sensation of opening his eyes and seeing everything in white. After opening and closing his eyes for a few more seconds, Apolo''s vision slowly began to recover, but the young noble''s dizziness only increased as he saw where he was currently; because there was no sign of the town, the streets full of hellish cracks, the destroyed houses, or the silo being devoured by the flames of judgment. Instead, Apolo noticed that he was in the middle of the forest, but this was no ordinary forest, as this place was familiar to the young noble. The tree trunks in this forest were black, and their leaves were red, reminding Apolo of the great forest around the castle where he had grown up. Perplexed by the sudden change in the environment, Apolo stared at the forest surroundings for a few minutes, trying to remember what had happened to his descendant after putting on the silver mask. But no matter how hard he tried, the young man only remembered the green flash that had blinded him. *Crush, Crash*...While searching for answers in his mind, the young man heard the sound of dried leaves being crushed behind him, causing him to snap out of his trance and violently turn around, trying to discover who was behind him. ¡ªIs something wrong, Apolo?¡ªasked a girl with blond hair and blue eyes, leaning against one of the trees in the forest, as if she had been hiding behind it while Apolo tried to recover from his dizziness. However, the girl''s appearance was completely irrelevant because all of Apolo''s attention was focused on the silver mask covering half of the girl''s face. ¡ªHelena?¡ªApolo questioned, his gaze fixed on the girl''s face, unable to look away from the mask she was wearing. This left the young man petrified when he realized, for some strange reason, that he had regained control of his body and no longer seemed to be a ghost. ¡ªYes, is something wrong?¡ªthe girl asked, looking at the petrified Apolo. ¡ªAm I dreaming?¡ªApolo whispered to himself, seeing his own body reflected in the silver mask of the girl, realizing that, for some strange reason, he now seemed to have the body of a child. While rubbing his eyes earlier, he could have sworn that his hands didn''t feel so small, and these trees didn''t seem so big when he regained his vision. Nevertheless, Apolo noticed that his hands were indeed much smaller than before and did not appear to be as worn out from training, making the young man look at them with confusion, unable to recognize them as his own. ¡ªRemembering...¡ªHelena responded upon hearing the bewildered whisper of the dazed boy in front of her, causing Apolo to stop looking at his tiny hands and raise his head abruptly to look at the girl with wide eyes. ¡ªRemembering?¡ªApolo immediately exclaimed, as if he couldn''t fully grasp the word that the girl had just mentioned. ¡ªYes, all of this happened many years ago, but you had forgotten, or rather, they made you forget¡ªHelena replied enigmatically while hiding behind the tree she had been leaning on and evading the gaze of the disturbed eyes on the boy''s face. ¡ªWhat do you mean they made me forget?¡ªApolo asked, not understanding what Helena was referring to. However, only the rustling leaves in the tree branches responded to the boy. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡ªHelena?¡ªApolo called out with doubts, not understanding why the girl wasn''t answering him, as he approached the tree where she had hidden. When he reached the tree, the boy looked around for Helena, but the girl could not be seen anywhere. There was no sign of where she had gone, and not even her footprints on the ground could be seen. *Crush, Crash*...The same sound of footsteps on leaves could be heard coming from behind Apolo, causing the boy to turn around abruptly. ¡ªIs something wrong, Apolo?¡ªHelena asked, but Apolo did not respond and instead, he stared attentively at the girl''s face in front of him: The silver mask had disappeared! ¡ªWhat happened to the mask?¡ªApolo questioned, looking at the gray dress the girl was wearing and realizing that nothing was hidden in her pockets. However, upon closer inspection of Helena''s clothes, the boy saw with wide-open eyes a bronze ring on the girl''s hand. Apolo hadn''t seen the ring in his dreams for several months, so he was quite surprised to see it again at this moment. ¡ªWhat are you talking about? Did you find a mask among the forest leaves?¡ªthe girl asked, approaching Apolo with curiosity, only to be disappointed when she found nothing among the leaves near the boy. ¡ªNo, it''s just that...¡ªApolo tried to explain, while he watched the girl search beside him. ¡ªIt must have been a reflection from the dew, but well, it doesn''t matter. When you get to the castle, you can ask your father for a mask. But now, we don''t have much time. Remember, the guards are looking for us¡ªHelena interrupted with urgency, looking worriedly at the trees in the distance, afraid that someone might emerge from them. ¡ªThey''re looking for us?¡ªApolo asked, not understanding the girl''s fear. In doubt, the boy looked at the sky. However, given the position of the sun, it was quite obvious that it was still midday, so he didn''t understand Helena''s fear. There was still almost half a day until dusk. ¡ªYes, did you forget that we had planned to sneak away and explore the forest together? I mean, we are in the middle of the forest right now, Apolo¡ªthe girl replied as if it were obvious. Astonishing Apolo, who still couldn''t understand why they had to escape from the guards instead of simply exploring the forest as they had always done. ¡ªBut...¡ªApolo tried to present his point of view, but Helena took him by the hand and pushed him to the ground. Then, with remarkable magical skill, the fallen leaves around the girl began to fly, covering the bodies of the two children. ¡ªWhat are you doing? Don''t...¡ªApolo exclaimed, but Helena''s hand covered his mouth, preventing him from speaking. ¡ªI heard a shout over here!¡ªshouted someone running in the direction where the two children were hiding. Hidden among the leaves, Apolo recognized the unmistakable leather armor that all the guards of his family''s castle wore, so he understood that this person was a guard. What the boy couldn''t understand was why this guard hid half of his face while wearing the characteristic silver mask he could see in all his dreams. ¡ªAny clues about where those brats ran off to?¡ªasked another guard who quickly ran to the spot indicated by his companion¡ªIf the king finds out that we let his grandson wander into the forest with that servant, we''ll be sent straight to the front lines of battle! With eyes wider than ever, Apolo watched as the second guard who had just appeared also wore the characteristic silver mask, and now there were two of them. Apolo didn''t understand why the guards were looking for him or why they seemed so desperate, but he was aware that this was the first time he had seen two people wearing the silver mask. However, that mattered little because the appearance of this twin mask only reminded Apolo that this was nothing more than a dream, so the boy shouldn''t waste too much effort trying to find too many explanations for the things happening in this place. ¡ªI don''t see anything!¡ªsaid the guard, looking around, even though the hiding place of the two children was right in front of him. However, for some reason, he couldn''t see behind the camouflage of the two children¡ªIf we don''t find the boy in a few hours, we''ll have to inform the rest of the guards. If the boy were to die in the forest, our punishment will be worse than death! ¡ªI know that, idiot! But we still have time. If we find him, we can convince him to keep this matter a secret, and this mistake will ''never'' have happened¡ªthe other guard shouted, trying to calm down his companion. *Crush, Crash*...The sound of footsteps on leaves could be heard in the distance, causing the two guards to look at each other for a moment and then start running in that direction, moving away from the hiding place of the two children. E150-Paradox
Once the two guards were far enough away that they couldn''t hear them, Helena emerged from her hiding place and watched as Apolo played along. The boy had stopped asking questions and instead realized that the best thing he could do now was go with the flow of the dream, and then ponder its meaning when he had gathered all possible clues. Noticing Apolo''s silence, Helena quickly commented: ¡ªCome on, we''re pretty close to my secret hideout! ¡ªLet''s go...¡ªApolo replied gruffly, allowing Helena to take his hand and lead him in a particular direction. It was truly easy to get lost in a forest like this, where all the trees were practically identical, and it was impossible to tell them apart. Nevertheless, the girl knew the way quite well, and after a few minutes, she managed to guide Apolo to a hill. The hill looked quite familiar to Apolo, and in fact, he knew it well enough to recognize it as the very same hill that led to the cliff in the middle of the forest. Despite this, Apolo remained silent and contemplated the matter in his mind while allowing Helena to guide him. The girl didn''t seem to want to give Apolo many explanations, and instead, Helena seemed more focused on holding the boy''s hand to guide him to the end of the hill before the guards found them. Apolo continued his march up the hill while observing the trees around him, wondering if the guards would find them again, why were there two masks instead of just one? And even more importantly, why was he having this dream at this moment, and what was its meaning? But no matter how much Apolo wondered, there were no answers, only more questions in his mind. The boy continued to entertain ideas in his mind until he heard the sound of water crashing against the rocks. He realized it was the same sound he always heard when approaching the edge of the cliff. The characteristic noise brought Apolo out of his trance, and he impatiently asked: ¡ªAre we close? Is there something in your hideout you want to show me? I honestly don''t remember why we "escaped" from the castle. ¡ªYes, my secret hideout is near a stream. So, if we can hear the sound of it, it means we''re close¡ªHelena replied with a smile. But Apolo felt the girl''s hand start to sweat excessively, and her grip tightened, making it clear that there was a big secret behind Helena''s smile¡ªIn the hideout, my pets are there. It''s a shame the guards realized so quickly that we escaped to the forest, or else we could enjoy the walk a bit more, but well, I promised to show you my pets, and fortunately, we''re almost there. If the guards don''t catch us, you''ll be able to see them. ¡ªDo you have pets? Could they be ducks?¡ªApolo asked somewhat bewildered by the answer; the boy didn''t expect this whole journey to be about going to see some animals. ¡ªDon''t you remember? I told you they''re a couple of adorable slugs¡ªHelena replied, looking into the trees behind her with distrust, fearing that someone might emerge from them, while she quickened her steps, making Apolo walk faster. ¡ªNo, I didn''t remember...¡ªApolo said quite honestly. The boy had spent almost an hour walking in silence up the hill, so everything indicated that if Apolo wanted more information to understand this dream, he had to ask for it, or else he would leave this place with nothing¡ªWait, did you say "slugs"? What kind of person has slugs as pets? The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡ªI know it''s not very normal, but as I told you, my slugs are very cute. When you see them, you''ll understand why I take care of them...¡ªHelena replied, hurrying her steps toward her hideout. ¡ªAnd why were those guards looking for us so urgently? Or why were the guards wearing silver masks? What does the silver mask mean?¡ªApolo asked abruptly, already too tired of entertaining wild ideas without reaching any coherent answers. ¡ªThey''re looking for us because we''re in the middle of the forest...¡ªHelena replied as if it were obvious¡ªI don''t remember them wearing any masks; you probably confused it with their dark circles. In case you didn''t notice, the guards were quite stressed about not finding us. ¡ªYou didn''t see the masks on their faces?¡ªApolo asked incredulous, stopping in his tracks and causing Helena to push him slightly with her hand, but the boy didn''t move. ¡ªNo, I didn''t see any masks, but maybe they had them. I was nervous, and honestly, I didn''t want to get caught. They probably wouldn''t just give me a simple punishment if they found out I had brought you to the forest without permission¡ªHelena replied sincerely, somewhat nervous and struggling to hide her annoyance at how Apolo had stopped moving. ¡ªBut I don''t understand: Why would they punish us? They always let me go explore the forest!¡ªApolo exclaimed brusquely, expressing how frustrated he was for not understanding the meaning of things in this dream. ¡ªIf that were the case, the guards wouldn''t be looking for us...¡ªHelena replied, dragging her words, apparently uncomfortable with having to argue with the boy so close to reaching her hideout. Losing his patience, Helena turned around and somewhat abruptly dragged Apolo by taking his hand, causing the boy to follow her steps, while he asked: ¡ªSo, did we leave the castle secretly? ¡ªNo, the guards brought us here, and then they killed themselves, and then a couple of ducks revived them, and the poor guards realized they had lost us, so they started looking for us desperately in the forest...¡ªHelena replied with a mocking tone, clearly ironic. Unfortunately, the girl didn''t understand that what she had just said was an absolute certainty for the confused boy. Therefore, Apolo ended up asking in the most abrupt way possible: ¡ªSo, the guards'' suicide is an analogy for me dying right now, and their resurrection is an analogy for my new path as an ancestor. However, the fact that the guards are lost looking for us actually means that I''m unable to find my way as an ancestor. Is that it? Is that the idea behind all of this? ¡ª...¡ªHelena stopped and turned to look at Apolo, wondering how this boy had lost his mind in a matter of minutes. Maybe it was because the boy was in love with her, and that''s why, being alone in the middle of the forest holding hands, he was so nervous that he was saying all these nonsense things. But the truth was that even under those conditions, Apolo''s behavior was strange, and to make matters worse, it was strange at the worst possible moment: because the children were just a few meters away from the secret hideout! What Helena didn''t know was that Apolo remembered perfectly how he had killed himself and how he had "come back to life" to become the ancestor of certain Tea and Cristobal. Then, in an incredibly strange way, he appeared in the forests of the castle with his childlike body, as if this were a dream. Therefore, everything in Apolo''s mind indicated that this was a dream given by his ancestors to guide him on the new path he would have to follow. Completely diverting Apolo from the correct answer, which had been mentioned to him a few hours ago by Helena herself. ¡ªI heard something over here!¡ªshouted a guard in the distance, causing both Helena and Apolo to turn in the direction from which the shout had come. The two children couldn''t see the guards, but they could hear their footsteps approaching from the distance. ¡ªThey heard you, idiot! We have to run or they''ll catch us! Quick, let''s go to my secret hideout!¡ªHelena shouted, taking the bewildered Apolo by the hand and dragging him to the top of the hill. E151-Hideout The two children ran to the top of the hill as the footsteps of the guards and the sound of water crashing against the rocks grew louder and louder. Despite this, Apolo could never see the guards running towards him, so the boy wasn''t so sure how far away the guards really were or why their steps were so loud. Ignoring the logical question of why the guards never caught up to them, Helena led Apolo to the top of the hill as if her life depended on it until they finally reached their destination. To Apolo''s incredible surprise, the top of the hill in question was not a cliff with a deadly precipice at the end, but it was the place where a very picturesque and lively river originated. The clear water of the river constantly flowed from inside a pile of rocks that created the characteristic sound of water crashing against the rocks. However, the river was quite narrow and only a few centimeters deep, so it would be more accurate to call it a creek rather than a river. ¡ªIs it this way?¡ªApolo asked, looking at the creek with doubt, while he leaned on his knees and breathed heavily, trying to stabilize himself after the run. ¡ªYes, come on, the entrance to my hideout is super hidden: Once we get in, we''ll escape from the guards!¡ªHelena replied as she took the breathless boy''s hand again and dragged him to one of the trees near the spot where the creek originated. Upon arrival, Apolo saw a large pile of dry leaves around a fallen tree trunk, which was quite rotten and full of mushrooms. Knowing that they were heading to a hideout, it was somewhat obvious to the boy that this was the entrance to a secret place. However, if you were unaware of the fact that there was a hidden hideout in this area, it was practically impossible to distinguish this entrance from the forest floor. Helena approached the rotten trunk and, with a lot of effort, lifted it, causing a large number of worms and insects to scatter in fear. For the keen eyes of someone very awake, this indicated that the place had been closed for far too long, which in turn showed that no one visited the interior of this hideout frequently. Unfortunately, Apolo was not exactly a great detective. On the other hand, the boy could see that underneath the trunk was a well dug too perfectly for it to have been done by a man using a tool. The well had a series of wooden branches covered in moss and in quite a bad condition attached to one of its walls, which were used to descend into it, indicating that there should be a hidden underground room in this place. Remembering how Helena had moved the fallen tree leaves to hide them from the guards, demonstrating great magical skill, Apolo asked: ¡ªHow did you dig this hideout? While Apolo was not exactly a scholar or a seldom-seen genius, even a peasant would realize that someone had clearly used magic to create this well. Otherwise, the walls of the well would not be so well-made. Besides these clues, for some strange reason, Apolo felt that Helena might, by some chance, be the disciple of a mage, which, for some reason he couldn''t quite understand, bothered him more than it should have. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡ªI didn''t make this hideout; I found it by chance. Look at the state of the boards; clearly, this place was dug many years ago¡ªHelena replied faster than Apolo would have liked, as if it were a prepared response. However, it was also true that Helena was in a hurry to escape from the guards, so she might not be lying. Without further explanations, Helena began to descend the mossy steps of the hideout while saying: ¡ªRemember to put the trunk back in place before you come down; the guards will arrive soon, and we need to hurry. With many questions, Apolo watched as Helena went down the stairs. However, the boy''s curiosity about understanding this "dream" won over his doubt and caused the boy to decide to descend into the tunnel. To do this, Apolo began to crawl into the tunnel, leaning on the mossy boards with particular care not to slip. Once the boy had half of his body in the well, he began to look for the trunk to cover the entrance. However, before he could finish dragging the trunk to the entrance, the boy abruptly stopped and instead became so frightened that he remained paralyzed, staring ahead. Just a few meters from Apolo were the two guards staring at him as he tried to close the entrance to the hideout! Apolo didn''t know how to react to the situation, so he stood there paralyzed, silently staring at the guards. Clearly, the guards had found them, and the children had failed in their mission to hide from them. However, the two guards said nothing and didn''t move a muscle as they stared fixedly at Apolo. After some very uncomfortable seconds in complete silence, Apolo carefully resumed the task of covering the entrance to the hideout, slowly dragging the rotten trunk toward the entrance, as if the slowness of his movements would allow him to escape the gaze of these two people who were lurking from a distance. Although the idea was quite foolish, for some reason, it was working because the guards were not moving, and they passively watched in silence as the boy covered the entrance to the hideout. Before completely covering it, Apolo gave one last look at the two guards and stopped again, paralyzed, as he watched the two guards smiling at him with a smile that was too wide to be normal. ¡ªAre they my guides? Are they trying to help me understand my mission as an ancestor?¡ªApolo shouted to the two guards, wearing the silver mask, trying to find the answer to why they weren''t doing anything and just watching. However, there were no answers from the guards. Nevertheless, the two men began to raise their hands in unison and pointed to the ground where Apolo was entering as if indicating his next great goal. ¡ªDo I have to go in? Are my answers inside here? Why the hell are you doing everything so enigmatically? Wouldn''t it be better if you just gave me a few pieces of advice instead of having me going from one place to another without understanding the reason?¡ªApolo asked, more angry than bewildered. The boy deduced that these masked men were his ancestors and were trying to guide him, but Apolo couldn''t quite understand why these people wouldn''t invite him to sit down for breakfast at the castle while telling him about the life of an ancestor, instead of making him suffer so much with riddles. However, the guards turned a deaf ear and continued to point to the interior of the hideout like statues. Seeing the guards'' attitude, Apolo resigned himself to seeking answers from the guards and finished covering the entrance to the hideout under the watchful eyes of the guards. However, the darkness did not last long because, coordinated with the appearance of darkness, fluorescent crystals on the walls of the well began to illuminate the ends of the steps with a faint light. E152-Slugs Helped by the faint light emitted by the crystals, Apolo descended the mossy steps, being careful not to slip until he finally touched the floor of the underground hideout. With curiosity, Apolo turned and examined the hideout closely. It was quite small and dimly lit by some crystals emitting a red light. The walls of the hideout were made of earth and were too smooth for Apolo to think they had been dug with a shovel, just like the entrance to the hideout. Despite this perfection, on the earth ceiling of the underground refuge, you could see how the roots of the surface trees had grown, penetrating a large part of the hideout''s roof. This allowed the ceiling of the refuge to be filled with earth-filled roots that were gradually gaining ground in their battle to destroy this place, and in fact, some of these roots were already seen advancing on the upper parts of the hideout''s walls. With this information, anyone curious enough could deduce that this refuge was made a long time ago, as it would take several years for the surface trees to grow their roots in this way. On the other hand, in the hideout, there were only a few old wooden boxes, and not a single piece of furniture, so this place looked more like a secret storage than a secret lair. ¡ªWhere are your pets?¡ªApolo asked with curiosity as he inspected the boxes in the hideout near him; they seemed to be filled with cans of food, although the contents of the cans had been eaten a long time ago, so only empty rusty cans could be seen. ¡ªOver here!¡ªHelena replied, walking slowly to a particular box, to take out a dusty rolled-up cloth from inside. When she unrolled the cloth, Helena revealed a small box inside, in very good condition. Carefully, the girl opened the box in her hand, allowing Apolo to see that inside the box were two quite beautiful fluorescent slugs moving on a sticky and thick blueish liquid. ¡ª...¡ªApolo silently stared at the two slugs; they were indeed quite beautiful, and the dim light in the underground refuge highlighted their fluorescence. But the big problem Apolo had with these slugs was that they felt strangely familiar, as if he had seen them before. The boy could even swear that for some reason, if he brought these slugs close to his ears, they would try to crawl inside. ¡ªDo you like them?¡ªHelena asked, noticing Apolo''s skeptical look. ¡ªI love them. Where in the forest did you find them?¡ªApolo questioned, reaching into the box to touch the viscous bluish liquid the slugs were moving on. It seemed strange to him that he would swear to have seen these creatures in the past, yet he couldn''t remember how viscous this liquid was or exactly where he had seen them. ¡ªFollowing the stream, I found them under some rocks!¡ªHelena replied with excitement, though the speed of her response suggested that it had been prearranged. ¡ªThat makes sense...¡ªApolo replied, finding an excuse in his mind: Most likely the boy had seen them on one of his many adventures in the forests but didn''t remember where. ¡ªWhat were you saying?¡ªHelena asked with curiosity, noticing that Apolo had stopped talking. ¡ªThat makes sense... They''re so cute!¡ªApolo replied, completely stunned; the boy wanted to say, "That''s why they seemed familiar to me", but the words that came out of his mouth were different¡ªThat makes sense... They''re so precious! This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Apolo grabbed his throat in astonishment, not understanding why his words were coming out on their own. ¡ª...¡ªHe tried to speak again, but he realized that no matter how he formed the words in his mouth, no sound came out. Meanwhile, noticing the boy''s silence, Helena commented: ¡ªWould you like to hold them? They''re a bit slimy, but the sensation of feeling them slide through your fingers is fabulous. Tired of trying to speak in vain, Apolo picked up one of the slugs from the box and let it slide through his fingers. Then he tried to speak again, but his words still didn''t come out. ¡ªHow does it feel?¡ªHelena asked with a friendly smile, taking the other slug from the box and letting it slide through her hands. ¡ªVery fun¡ªApolo replied, surprised to finally be able to speak again. However, when he tried to say something else, he realized that his words had once again stopped coming out of his mouth. ¡ªSee how fabulous they are, it''s worth having these slugs as pets!¡ªHelena exclaimed with a smile¡ªDo you know what''s most special about these slugs? ¡ªWhat?¡ªApolo asked, holding his throat, feeling the discomfort of his words trying to escape. ¡ªIf you let the slugs crawl into your ears, the sensation they create as they move inside you is fabulous¡ªHelena replied with confidence. ¡ªWho in their right mind would put an insect in their ear?!¡ªApolo exclaimed while looking uncomfortably at Helena; the boy didn''t expect that question to come out of his mouth. ¡ªIf it were a normal insect, of course, I wouldn''t do it. But these slugs are special; they won''t hurt you. I''ve tried it many times: Look!¡ªHelena replied confidently as she brought the slug close to her ear, and it instinctively slid into the ear canal¡ªSee, nothing happens, and the sensation is fabulous. ¡ª...¡ªApolo wanted to tell the girl that what she had just done was crazy, but this time his words didn''t come out. This caused Apolo to fall silent and look in consternation at the slug in his hand, understanding that he probably had to put the creature in his ear to discover the true meaning of this dream. However, as Apolo looked at the slug in his hand with doubts and Helena eagerly looked at him, the secret hideout began to shake violently as if an earthquake were happening. The crystals on the hideout''s walls fell to the ground, leaving the place in complete darkness, while small pieces of earth began to fall from the hideout''s ceiling, showing the hell that was looming if the two children didn''t escape soon. Despite this, Helena continued to impatiently watch Apolo, while the boy tried to mention the dangerous situation they were in right now to the girl. However, his words didn''t come out, and Apolo realized that the girl didn''t seem to be aware that an earthquake was happening right now, just like what had happened to her descendant Tea during the earthquake in the village. Afraid that the same result would repeat itself and the earthquake would cause him to appear in a different place, becoming an ancestor again without having learned anything from this dream, Apolo quickly put his hand on his ear and made sure the slug slid into his ear before the hideout collapsed, burying them alive. When the boy brought his hand close to his ear, the slug quickly slid into his ear canal, immediately Helena fell abruptly to the ground, and Apolo remained petrified, staring at nothing, while the refuge around him collapsed. At the very moment Helena hit the earth floor of the hideout, the hideout''s door burst open, illuminating the inside of the hideout. *Poof*...Immediately, one of the guards who had been waiting patiently outside threw himself into the hideout entrance without using the steps, crashing onto the ground and injuring his legs in the process. Despite this, the guard did not utter a single complaint and limped with effort towards the stunned boy who was staring into nothingness as pieces of earth fell around him, hitting his childlike body. After a few seconds, the guard arrived in front of Apolo. Then, the man took off his silver mask and put it on the boy, causing a green flash to flood the collapsing hideout. E153-Hallway *Puff *...Apolo lost his balance and fell to the floor, causing his eyes to snap open, only to discover that he couldn''t see anything at all. On the other hand, Apolo immediately realized that his ears only allowed him to hear an unusual constant ringing that was causing him a great headache. Even though the noble''s entire body seemed to be failing suddenly, the sense of touch fortunately did not abandon him and provided him with some clues about his current situation: As he sat on the ground waiting to regain his sight, Apolo felt that the ground was no longer earth but felt like polished wood that one could find in any house of the empire. So the young man understood that at this moment, he was no longer underground and seemed to have mysteriously emerged from the underground refuge. Although the noble tried to remember how he had come out of the underground refuge, the last thing he could remember was putting the fluorescent slug in his ear, and then having the slight intuition that he had somehow been blinded again by a flash of green color. Although the noble did not understand how that flash had appeared or why he couldn''t remember what he was doing when he received it, since everything that happened after putting the slug in his ear was an enigma to him. Despite his many doubts, Apolo''s main problem right now was fighting the horrible feeling of being blinded. So the noble tried to solve the problem by rubbing his eyes while blinking constantly, hoping that his vision would recover in this way. After a few good seconds of trying, the dubious recovery method turned out to be effective, and the young man regained his vision. But despite that, Apolo realized that he was in a place too dark to be able to distinguish where he really was. So the noble raised his hand, and a small fireball formed in his palm, thus showing the perplexing landscape where he had somehow ended up. Opening his eyes wide, Apolo realized that he was in one of the hallways of his mansion. While the noble could not exactly recognize where in the mansion he was, the truth was that he did recognize the old wooden planks that formed the wide hallway where he was. Despite this shocking discovery, Apolo immediately noticed a mistake: He realized that there was not a single window in the entire hallway, and he couldn''t see any glass to provide illumination. So Apolo could only rely on his own flame to light the way, which was something he did not remember happening in his mansion, as far as his memory served, all the crystals for lighting were still working. Nevertheless, the number of hallways in his mansion was sufficient for the young man to forget to check some crystals, so this could still be his home. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. After discovering that he was in his mansion, the second thing Apolo noticed was that he had stopped being a child and had returned to his original body, since the hallway''s ceiling was not too far from his head. Another detail that caught Apolo''s attention was that he was not wearing his characteristic black toga, but instead was wearing a black robe, very similar to what all the mages of this era wore. This robe reminded Apolo that this was no longer his home and that he had died since he had never bought such a garment. But despite remembering his tragic reality, the young man still did not understand why he had returned to his mansion. In search of answers, Apolo walked through the hallways trying to find someone who could tell him what was happening to him. However, the young man didn''t have to walk far to discover that this hallway was particularly empty, and his only companion was the wind coming from both the back and front of the hallway. While feeling the wind coming from two different directions was strange for the noble, unfortunately, the hallway was too dark, so Apolo couldn''t see the end of either of the two ends to satisfy his curiosity. After walking for a few more minutes down the endless hallway, the young noble finally managed to discover the second major flaw in this place when he realized that there didn''t seem to be a single door in this hallway. This was also something quite frustrating to discover because the lack of doors also indicated a lack of changes, and without changes, this hallway would remain in absolute solitude for eternity. This implied, in turn, that Apolo would never manage to understand how he ended up in this place because thinking on his own would only get him tangled up in his thoughts. Struggling not to despair due to the lack of answers, the young noble walked through the endless hallway until the passage of time finally granted him the calmness of a man who saw himself as dead. Losing count of his own steps, Apolo finally remembered that time no longer mattered to him: He had died. Accepting that fact, the noble began to think about the matter that was preventing him from continuing with the new path he was beginning to tread in this stage of his existence: Revealing the mystery of why he ended up in this infinite hallway, reflecting on all the events he could remember since he became an ancestor: The apparent death of Tea, Helena''s hiding place, and now this infinite hallway. All these events must mean something that the ancient ancestors were trying to teach him, but Apolo could not reveal the hidden truth of this spiritual "journey". While meditating and walking, feeling the breeze hitting his black robe, Apolo finally saw something that snapped him out of his trance: A few meters away was the exit of this place, or perhaps the entrance to the real teaching. In any case, after a few meters, there was the first door that Apolo had seen in this hallway. The door in question was made of rotten wood covered in bluish moss, it was quite corrupted by the passage of time, and it seemed that it would collapse with just a touch. However, when the young man approached close enough to put his hand on the bronze knob on the door, he could turn it normally: Unlocking the door''s lock and revealing the secrets hidden behind it. E154-Young Behind the door was a not very large room, with wooden walls and ceilings following the style of the corridors through which the young man had arrived. Unlike the rooms in Apolo''s mansion, this room was sparsely furnished, but the decoration was very fine and elegant, creating an aesthetically pleasing room. The most striking feature of this room, apart from its refined aesthetics, was that on one of the walls, there was a lit fireplace, illuminating the room with a faint and unusual green fire emitted by the few logs left to fuel the flame, which was very close to going out. The dim light provided by the fireplace allowed Apolo to see that in the middle of the room were two black leather armchairs facing the fireplace: one of the armchairs was empty, while the other was occupied by someone. However, the person in question was looking at the fireplace, and his face was not visible from the door, so Apolo could not recognize him at first glance. In search of answers, Apolo approached the empty chair in silence and sat down to observe the other person who seemed to be ignoring his presence, more interested in being mesmerized by the scarce green flames dancing in the fireplace than in the intruder who had just entered the room. The mesmerized person was as tall as Apolo and also seemed to be enjoying the joyful times of youth. As for his appearance, this young man had black hair and black eyes, and the most distinctive feature of his face was a nose that was overly long for most people''s taste. If this description didn''t already grab the attention of any reader, upon reading the following curiosity, the eavesdropper will understand the logical problem posed by the writer. Since the young man enjoying the flames was wearing a gold ring with the symbol of the colossi of the Black Forest. To make the untold plot more evident, the boy was dressed in a traditional black toga similar to the one Apolo always wore when he was alive, not to mention that he had the same shield that the nobleman had created along with his toga. Already quite confused by this person''s appearance, Apolo could discern while silently investigating this individual that there was a gold chain on the young man''s chest, binding a rusty bronze ring. Seeing the characteristic bronze ring, Apolo instinctively touched his chest and realized that he wasn''t wearing the chain. Shocked by the discovery, Apolo tried to see the face of the mesmerized person more closely, but his face was hidden behind a silver mask, so the young noble couldn''t distinguish who he really was. However, according to the clues gathered, the person in this chair was none other than his own reflection! ¡ªHello, can you hear me?¡ªApolo asked with doubts, noticing that no matter how he observed this person from top to bottom and from right to left, he did not seem to react to his presence. Upon hearing Apolo''s voice, the person in the chair slowly stopped gazing at the fireplace and instead saw Apolo''s bewildered face. With an abnormally wide smile, the young man exclaimed: ¡ªFinally, you''ve arrived! Apolo felt a little stunned hearing this person speak because this individual had exactly the same voice as him, so Apolo felt very strange hearing his own voice coming from someone else. Nevertheless, the young nobleman fought against the strangeness of the situation and asked the burning question that had driven him to this place: ¡ªSo, what''s my next step? Since I died, I don''t know what my path is as an ancestor, and I feel lost. Because of my mistake, that poor young man died in the earthquake, but I couldn''t do anything except watch him die. Are we destined to suffer these hardships for eternity, limited to being observers of people''s misfortune whom we swore to protect? The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡ªYou''re not dead; you''re dying right now, Apolo¡ªreplied the masked young man calmly. ¡ªHow?!¡ªexclaimed Apolo, bewildered. ¡ªDo you remember that I told you not long ago that you were in a memory?¡ªasked the masked young man. ¡ªYes, I distinctly remember hearing that from Helena when she was masked with the silver mask, but I don''t remember ever living what happened in the forest¡ªApolo replied, vaguely understanding that the masked person must always be the same. ¡ªIt''s because it''s not your memory; it was Helena''s. You forgot a long time ago what really happened in the forest. Intuitively, your subconscious led you to spend years trying to remember it, to discover the truth and protect yourself from this fate. But unfortunately, with each failed attempt, the truth became more diluted until finally, the truth became a memory so foreign to your life that it seemed like a crazy dream to you¡ªthe masked young man replied. ¡ªBut they always let me explore the forest...¡ªApolo questioned with doubts. This was his main concern and what had generated the most doubts throughout the "dream." Besides the events that provoked a more than logical doubt, such as being a child, encountering the deceased Helena, and meeting some people wearing the much-mentioned silver mask. But these doubts were resolved if Apolo assumed that what he was experiencing was a memory, where the guides were the people wearing the silver mask. However, Apolo found it incredible to think that he could forget something as basic as not being allowed to explore the forest in his childhood. ¡ªAlways? Or did your parents just get tired of you ignoring their orders to sneak out every day to look for the cliff?¡ªthe masked man asked with a smile¡ªIn any case, you don''t need to answer me; I already know that you completely forgot what really happened, or rather, that you were forced to distort that reality. ¡ªThey forced me? The ring? Is it responsible for making me forget the truth?¡ªApolo asked as he tried to answer the question the masked man had posed in his mind, although it ended up being in vain since he couldn''t remember the truth. Despite that, now that he started to think about this hypothesis, Apolo noticed that he had a particular lack of memories about what happened every time he returned to the castle. Although it was difficult for any human being to remember exactly what happened so many years ago, especially when it concerned their own childhood. ¡ªIt''s possible, or maybe not; the ring is as complex as the mask I''m wearing, and the truth is, we''ll never know what it''s truly capable of. But I do know that Helena is the one primarily responsible for everything that happened to you¡ªthe masked young man replied, adjusting the silver mask he was wearing to emphasize his statement. ¡ªHelena?!¡ªexclaimed Apolo upon hearing the name of his deceased friend. ¡ªIt''s easier to explain if I show you the ''reality''...¡ªthe masked young man commented, getting up from the chair while leaning on a golden-capped staff. The staff had been hidden behind the chair, so Apolo never saw it, but at a glance, the young noble recognized that the staff was identical to the one he always used. Recognizing the staff raised many doubts in Apolo''s mind, and when combined with the other clues he had, it piqued his curiosity to the limit, and he finally wanted to ask the masked man about his true identity. But before he could ask, Apolo watched as the masked young man began to walk towards one of the room''s walls, interrupting Apolo''s question and preventing it from leaving his mouth. Walking slowly, the masked young man headed towards one of the room''s walls. Upon reaching the wall, he did not stop; instead, he passed right through it, showing that the wall was merely an illusion. Seeing the young man disappear before his eyes, Apolo stood up abruptly from the chair and rushed towards the wall where the masked young man had gone, fearing to miss the explanations he promised to give. E155-The red door Upon reaching the wall, Apolo extended his hand towards the wooden planks and realized that he could also pass through them, just as the masked young man had done. With the assurance that he wouldn''t crash into the wooden boards, Apolo passed through the wall with his body, allowing him to see that on the other side, there was a wide hallway with white tiles that stretched seemingly to infinity and beyond. The walls and ceiling of this peculiar hallway were made of the same white tiles as the floor. Moreover, countless transparent crystals on the ceiling illuminated the place with an uncomfortable white light. Apolo found this light extremely bothersome, as the polished tiles in the hallway were reflecting the white light, flooding the area and contrasting sharply with the dark hallway he had been walking through not long ago. Although he couldn''t see any doors anywhere, and the hallway didn''t seem to lead anywhere specific besides infinity, the masked young man was advancing into it, walking slowly on the white tiles in silence, apparently waiting for Apolo to get used to the uncomfortable light of the hallway and finally decide to catch up with him. After a few seconds of struggling against the glare of the light and realizing that the masked young man wouldn''t stop to wait for him, Apolo didn''t wait to be able to see normally and ran toward the black point in the distance, managing to catch up with him and wasting no time to ask: ¡ªWhat do you want to show me? Where are we headed? ¡ªWhen you see it, you will understand...¡ªThe masked young man calmly responded, making Apolo impatient. Upon hearing this response, Apolo stopped looking at the masked young man and instead looked at the infinite hallway ahead. He emphasized his thoughts: ¡ªBut this hallway leads nowhere! ¡ªFor now... for now, it leads nowhere. But sooner or later, Helena''s subconscious will forget us, and then this hallway will show us what we want to see¡ªThe masked young man replied calmly, trying to reassure the impatient noble. ¡ªHelena''s subconscious? Where are we?¡ªApolo asked, straining his eyes to see the end of the hallway, but it was of no use since the hallway didn''t seem to have an end, or at least, the uncomfortable white light reflected throughout the place created the illusion in his mind. The masked young man adjusted his mask and calmly began to explain the current situation to Apolo in the simplest words he could muster, trying to make the noble understand what had been happening all this time: ¡ªWell, the answer to that question depends a lot on time: At first, we were in a dream controlled by Helena, or by her ring, one can never be sure of the truth. Then I handed you control of the mask and forced you to delve into a memory that was in the silver mask to gain some time, because the deeper you go into a dream, the more time distorts, and decades become seconds, and seconds become decades. Using this precious gained time, you managed to hand me back control of the mask before your time ran out, and unconsciously forced me to delve into one of Helena''s memories, which not coincidentally happened to be the memory you most wanted to discover. Regardless of that, in that memory, and with a bit more time to work with, I was finally able to put the silver mask on you and thus force you to show me the invented subconscious of the "other" Helena hidden within you. That way, I ended up inside the subconscious of Helena''s acolyte, that is, the subconscious the mage created when she killed Helena''s real subconscious. From that subconscious, I managed to get the acolyte of Helena to hand me control of the mask again, and by using her invented memories, we managed to delve into the subconscious of the "real" Helena, the mage who has been complicating our lives all this time. Having fixed the important things, I made you appear in Helena''s subconscious to explain the whole truth. Quite complex, don''t you think, Apolo? But no matter how complex all the steps were to get to this point, luckily, all of that is now in the past, and everything has gone well... so far. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡ªHelena''s acolyte? So, there are two Helenas, or am I getting confused? Your explanation is confusing enough without repeating two names and expecting me to understand it¡ªApolo commented, completely bewildered. For some reason, subconsciously, he felt that those words made sense, but the logic in his memories indicated that the sentence didn''t make any sense at all. ¡ªYou never delved into the acolyte''s subconscious, let alone were you conscious during the dream created by Helena,or by her ring... so it''s logical that you don''t understand what happened, and for now, you''re too ignorant to fully grasp my words, so I don''t expect you to understand right now...¡ªThe masked young man replied calmly and quite conclusively¡ªThe important thing is for you to understand the concept that there were "two" intruders in your mind: one was the evil mage who was making your life miserable, and the other was an unfortunate soul who died a long time ago, but her memories survive in the mage''s imagination. ¡ªIf I''m not supposed to understand it right now, so be it...¡ªApolo replied, forcing himself to ignore the many questions in his mind, trying to concentrate on understanding why this masked young man had gone to such great lengths to reach this place. Just as this mysterious person had commented: he didn''t remember any dream created by Helena or her acolyte, but Apolo decided to trust his words and not argue about a matter he couldn''t fully comprehend. Despite that, Apolo sought to understand the few doubts he had partially deduced during these dreams¡ªSo, are you my ancestor Tea, the great memory mage? Now that I think about it, it would make sense for it to be that way. It would explain the issue with the cursed axe and why you were so skilled in magic. Did you ultimately become a mage after the siege, or did you remain a soldier until you got tired and became a mage? ¡ªNo, you''re getting confused¡ªThe masked young man replied firmly¡ªThe mask holds Tea''s memories, but I am not Tea. Although, unfortunately, I can tell you that young Tea had many more years of military service before he finally gathered the courage to tell his parents the truth and could become a mage. ¡ªThen who are you?¡ªApolo asked, a little annoyed that his idea wasn''t correct. ¡ªIsn''t it obvious?¡ªThe masked young man responded with a smile, looking as the end of the hallway finally appeared before his eyes, revealing that this hallway ended with a completely red wooden door¡ªLet me give you a hint, I am your best friend, the smartest and most handsome person in the world, and I know you perfectly, to the point that I know all your secrets. Now tell me: Who am I? ¡ªMe?¡ªApolo asked with a slight blush on his face, embarrassed to feel that he perfectly fit that description. ¡ªYes, you''ve always been talking to yourself: Don''t you see that you''re a genius, Apolo!¡ªThe masked young man replied. In reality, if this person''s true identity were Tea, the deceased would find it quite convenient to make Apolo believe that all of this was the product of his own ingenuity. That it wasn''t the result of the help of an ancestor who had happened to take the trouble to put a defense mechanism in one of his inventions, in case any of his descendants were mentally affected by trauma like the one he had experienced during the war, or if they fell victim to an unknown spell from a mage or creature with malicious intentions. ¡ªYou seem very real to be something invented by my imagination...¡ªApolo replied honestly, although by the appearance and voice of this person, it was difficult for him to think otherwise. ¡ªThat''s because your imagination didn''t create me; Tea''s imagination stored in the silver mask did. But deep down, we are the same person, Apolo: Never forget that the only one who can solve and understand your problems is yourself!¡ªThe masked young man replied, pointing his hand towards the red door in the distance¡ªWe''re almost there; in a few minutes, you''ll finish understanding how you ended up in this desperate situation. E156 - Answers The masked young man hurried his steps toward the blood-red wooden door, unintentionally, as he wanted to reach it before the nobleman could ask another round of questions. Upon reaching the door, the masked figure waited for Apolo and then opened it, revealing a completely dark room to the young noble. ¡ªI can''t see anything¡ª murmured Apolo, in search of answers, trying to peer into the darkness. However, the hallway light that seeped into the room only revealed an old and mossy uneven stone floor, which did not trigger any memories for Apolo. The masked young man didn''t respond with words. Instead, he entered the room, disappearing into the darkness. Unintentionally, and remembering the levels of eccentricity exhibited by this supposed "self", Apolo followed the masked figure into the darkness without hesitation. *Click*... After noticing that the young noble had entered, the masked man snapped his fingers, causing the red wooden door to slam shut, leaving the two young men in complete darkness. Before Apolo could react to the sudden darkness that enveloped him, a ball of fire formed above the masked man''s head, dimly illuminating the room. Despite this, the room appeared abnormally large, with none of the walls visible, and Apolo still couldn''t identify the reason for their visit to this mysterious place. ¡ªDo we have to walk into nothingness again?¡ªApolo asked, lowering his tone as he spoke, somewhat intimidated by the mysteries hiding in the darkness around him. Maintaining his uncomfortable silence, the masked young man began to move deeper into the darkness. Out of caution, Apolo stayed silent and accompanied him, cautiously observing the surroundings. Unfortunately, all the noble could perceive with his senses was the monotonous stone floor and the unusual coldness in this room. After walking for a few minutes in a more paranoid manner than the room warranted, Apolo finally saw something that caught his attention: a few meters away, a woman with blonde hair dressed in the black robes traditionally worn by magicians in the empire. From a distance, Apolo couldn''t recognize the woman''s face, but he could see that she had her eyes closed, as if she were sleeping on the irregular stone bed where she lay. Although the young noble didn''t know who this woman was, as he approached, Apolo noticed the characteristic rusty bronze ring on one of her fingers, leading him to intuit that it was Helena. However, even though the woman appeared considerably older than the girl Apolo had known in his childhood, he could still discern that her facial features were quite different from the Helena he had known, although the resemblance was undeniable. ¡ªIs that Helena?¡ªApolo whispered softly, as if fearing that the woman might wake up, while he observed how the masked young man next to him still wore the pendant with the bronze ring around his neck, wondering why there were two copies of the same ring in this dream. ¡ªYou''re quite intelligent, Apolo. You''re correct; here rests a woman named Helena. But you never got to know her. She''s the creator of the bronze ring that has tormented you, and she devised the entire plan to bring you to this point¡ªreplied the masked young man calmly. ¡ªBut why did Helena want me to come to this point? I mean, what was this mage''s plan, aside from making me kill myself? What would Helena gain from all of this? I mean, apart from causing me to end my life, which, as you said, I don''t remember having met this person, so I''m not sure how I offended her to the point where she sought to ruin my life with such a convoluted plan¡ªApolo said what he was thinking as quickly as he was thinking it, resolving the burning question that had arisen in his heart after learning of this hidden scheme. In essence, he had always been a noble quite detached from his family''s affairs and far from the line of succession. So, Apolo couldn''t understand why someone would target him with such a complex plan that would lead him to commit suicide without even being aware that someone or something was pushing him to do so. However, now that he was just a few steps away from dying, Apolo perfectly understood that it was quite reasonable to think that he had been pushed to commit this tragic act and that it was not his own decision. Finally, and with great effort, he had followed all the steps set by his ancestor to start the path of a mage on the right foot. Logically, after making such an effort, Apolo would begin this journey with a proud smile, not decide to throw away all his work suddenly just when he had already made all the preparations to ensure his future success. However, this logical question did not seem so logical to the noble when he had entered the hot bath. Knowing that the moment had come, the masked young man took his time and calmly explained the conclusions he had reached: ¡ªIt''s important that you understand that you never offended her. Helena came to the Black Forest looking for you, or rather, initially, the idea was to capture one of the descendants of our family and transfer her mind. Unfortunately, by a cruel twist of fate, you were chosen as the target. Having ensured that her mind was transplanted, Helena ensured that the ring corrupted your mind so that the king of the Black Forest would send you to the capital to become a mage. As you know, the mage didn''t make a mistake, and she predicted that the king would send you to the capital, hoping to find a way for you to escape the obvious curse of the ring. Once you became a mage, the next goal of the ring was to allow its original owner to take control of your body. In doing so, Helena would achieve two great accomplishments: first, she would gain the recognition that noble-born mages have, and second, she would obtain the regenerative powers that our family possesses. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡ªBut Helena never took control of my mind, did she? I mean, I''m still me...¡ªquestioned Apolo, abruptly driven by the fear that he had been manipulated by someone else to this point, while he cautiously looked at his gigantic hands, feeling his body more foreign than ever. The masked young man paused for a moment in silence, giving Apolo time to calm down. He looked at the sleeping mage for a few minutes and then explained in detail his wise opinion on why things had developed as they had: ¡ªInitially, the mage could have taken control of your body on the same day she transferred her mind to yours. But if she had done that, she would never have escaped the suspicions of the other members of your family. Furthermore, if Helena didn''t actively control your mind and instead chose to remain in this state of internment, she would technically be considered dead in practically all methods of verification in the world. In this way, she could escape a massive problem. After many years, Helena''s goal had been achieved: you arrived in the capital and became a mage, so there were no more family members to suspect her, and the plan changed. The ring no longer sought to corrupt your mind to weaken you. Instead, it aimed to strengthen the future vessel of its original owner while simultaneously concentrating on weakening your mind to the point where you would actively accept your own death. When that point arrived, your subconscious would shatter, and Helena would take control of your body easily. If everything had gone according to her plan, your fate would be the same as the acolyte you knew as "Helena". ¡ªSo why is Helena still sleeping? Shouldn''t she be impatiently waiting to finally fulfill her grand plan? Or is this vile mage about to awaken at this moment, and we''ll have a battle to the death for control of my body?¡ªApolo asked in a hushed voice, fearing that the mage would awaken, remembering that he was currently in a hot bathtub awaiting a cold death. ¡ªBut of course not: Helena will never awaken because you are a genius, Apolo!¡ªexclaimed the masked young man energetically, as if he were trying to drive a nail into a board¡ªUnconsciously, you realized the problem and let your subconscious mind solve it. However, the only thing you haven''t solved so far is the problem of the ring... ¡ªSo Helena won''t wake up?¡ªApolo asked immediately. ¡ªThanks to your brilliant mind, the evil mage will never awaken, but her ring is still there, and its power is unknown to both of us. A genius like you should understand the implications of this problem, shouldn''t you?¡ªresponded the masked young man, flattering the noble in a rather exaggerated manner, as he approached the sleeping woman on the stone bed and unceremoniously removed the bronze ring from her finger. Apolo watched as the masked young man extended his hand to hand over the ring, and Apolo actively accepted it, commenting: ¡ªI know what I have to do, but I have a doubt... ¡ªYes, Apolo, you already know what you have to do¡ªconfirmed the masked young man, as if he wanted to make sure he drove the point home¡ªWhat''s your question? Is it about the ring? Unfortunately, I know nothing about the ring, so I can''t answer that. ¡ªNo, my doubt is: Why do you think Helena carried out this whole plan?¡ªApolo questioned, tucking the ring into his pocket¡ªThe truth is, the benefit gained from being a noble mage is quite small, if not insignificant, considering the risks of this plan. I highly doubt someone would go to such lengths for a bit of reputation and crystals. ¡ªMmm...¡ªthe masked young man pondered calmly, apparently not entirely convinced that all of this was for the sake of reputation. After all, once she became an archmage, Helena would logically have no lack of reputation in the empire, so she clearly didn''t need to rely on the prestige of Apolo''s family¡ªIt''s a good question, and I suppose you already know the answer. ¡ªFun?¡ªApolo asked, bewildered. Clearly, the young noble didn''t know the answer, which was why he had asked this "subconscious" figure he was talking to, who seemed quite wise. ¡ªYes, fun... and fear: a lot of fear!¡ªreplied the masked young man, who clearly had to force himself more than he should have to include Apolo''s response in his own ideas¡ªShe was terrified by what her dreams were indicating. To the point that she decided to risk her life by executing this plan, trying to change the dark fate her dreams were prophesying. ¡ªWhat was this fate, and how do you know Helena''s dreams?¡ªApolo asked immediately, captivated by the masked young man''s response. ¡ªThe darkest fate for all human beings is to lose what they desire most, and this woman only cared about her own life. As for how I know this secret, it''s simple: because her traumas are your traumas! By merging their minds, even if the mage intentionally remained completely unconscious, some of her traumas were reflected in your dreams, so it''s easy to understand the reasons¡ªexplained the masked young man calmly¡ªHelena spent years studying human minds, so she could clearly decipher the meaning of her dreams. This led the mage to discover something that frightened her enough to carry out this complex plan, which she probably initiated long before her acolyte lost control of her body, and Helena pretended to be affected by Minos''s curse. ¡ªI don''t think I have any trauma that scares me enough to risk my life with such a plan. In fact, I don''t remember being so deeply scared about anything in my life... except for the fear of losing my life... or the ring... but that''s a fear any human has, especially when venturing into an unknown world, isn''t it?¡ªApolo reflected aloud while trying to remember his childhood adventures for answers and ignoring the confusing details in the masked man''s explanations, such as the vital question: Who the hell was this Minos? ¡ªOf course, you''re right, because no matter how much you share the mage''s traumas, you don''t experience them the same way. You''re not Helena, and you never will be, so your confusion about not knowing this trauma is entirely reasonable¡ªreplied the masked young man calmly¡ªHowever, the signs of the existence of this trauma are quite easy to recognize, and I''m sure someone as clever as you will understand them when I remind you of the following four names: Deo... Eco... Thais... Helena... E157 -Collapse ¡ªDeo... Eco... Thais... Helena... ¡ªApolo repeated as he pondered a response, recalling that during his early days in the capital, he had discovered the identities of these people. However, that information had proven to be of very little use to him until now, so the young noble had almost forgotten about it. The harsh reality was that Apolo never fully understood the significance of these four names. While initially, all these people were the only four registered Greed mages in the empire, Apolo knew that this title was nothing more than a bureaucratic matter within the empire to indicate a significant achievement in that field of study. So, the young man never thought these titles held much meaning beyond attracting more sponsorships. Nevertheless, now Apolo had enough information to deduce that the Helena on that list was indeed the same Helena who was sleeping in front of him, and this mage transmitted her traumas by endlessly repeating these names in her dreams, so these ancient mages must symbolize something quite important to the mage who had been manipulating him all this time. ¡ªI understand that all these people dedicated themselves to studying the same thing as the woman who is sleeping, but why did these mages traumatize Helena to such an extent?¡ªApolo asked, ruling out the possibility that Helena''s trauma was due to jealousy towards these mages and their research, as ultimately the mage had surpassed them by meeting the requirements to become an Archmage, yet the trauma still persisted. ¡ªNo idea, neither of us knows the truth¡ªreplied the masked young man¡ªBut we do know that Helena feared something that had happened to all these people and understood that she was next on the list. According to my intuition, this fact was what ultimately caused the mage to become frightened enough to organize the complex plan to take over your body. ¡ªI suppose that, as you mentioned, Helena sought to steal my body to gain the ability to regenerate¡ªApolo commented, finally understanding the mage''s objectives¡ªProbably the other three Greed mages died mysteriously in their research, so Helena assumed that with my body, she could solve that problem, and afterward, the mage could discover the great secret hidden in Greed magic. ¡ªIt could be that way, or it could not be¡ªthe masked young man replied, looking contemplatively at the woman lying down¡ªThe truth is, we don''t have time to find out, and unfortunately, being able to answer that question wouldn''t get you out of the critical situation you''re in. Remember that you''re dying right now and have one last mission to complete before time runs out. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡ªWouldn''t it be better if you woke me up right now so I can heal myself? Or can''t you do that?¡ªApolo asked with concern, reminding himself that he still had to face reality when this dream ended, which for some reason he always forgot. ¡ªExactly! I can''t do it, and even if I could, it wouldn''t change anything because I can''t get rid of the big ''problem'' in your life! That''s why you have one last mission. When you finish it, you should be able to wake up, Apolo!¡ªthe masked young man replied quickly and somewhat improvised. Apparently, those were not the words the masked man had planned to say, but he used Apolo''s idea to adjust his speech. ¡ªWhat is the mission?¡ªApolo questioned urgently, finally understanding that his life depended on the success of this mission. ¡ªHaven''t you told me you knew what you had to do a few minutes ago? Well... don''t worry, you''ll understand everything when you get to the mission site. It''s easy, I know you can do it!¡ªthe masked young man replied, removing his silver mask, revealing that his face was exactly identical to Apolo''s¡ªHere, put on the mask! ¡ªBut before, I didn''t quite process the fact that I''m about to risk my life with this mission. Do you really not plan to tell me what I have to do?¡ªApolo asked with fear, receiving the mask that the identical young man was pushing onto his chest insistently, as if he wanted him to put it on quickly. ¡ªWe don''t have time; you''ll understand when you get there!¡ªthe former masked young man replied as his body lost balance and fell to the floor. *Crush*...*Crush*... Immediately, Apolo realized that an earthquake was happening right now inside the large room, and it seemed that in a few minutes, the world would break apart exactly as it did with Tea''s world. ¡ªAnd if I fail? What if I don''t understand what I have to do? I mean, I have a vague idea of what my last mission will be, but we might not be thinking the same thing¡ªApolo questioned with haste, while struggling not to lose his balance and fall to the continuously shaking floor. ¡ªStop doubting and put on the damn mask, kid!¡ªyelled the former masked young man on the floor, distorting his voice in the process. Terrified by the sudden scream, Apolo looked at the mask in his hand and, with all the doubts in the world, proceeded to put it on his face. Immediately afterward, a green flash filled the vision of the young noble, preventing Apolo from seeing what was happening in the room, despite the noise of the room collapsing, giving him a clear indication of the future that awaited him if he didn''t escape from this place in time. E158 - The Ring As Apolo struggled with his blindness, he felt the sounds around him change, as if he had gone from being in the middle of a collapsing house to hearing the water crashing against the rocks of the familiar cliff he always found in his dreams. The passage of time allowed the young nobleman to gradually regain his vision, allowing him to see the blurry image of the black-barked trees around him. It became clear to Apolo that he was no longer in the mansion but seemed to have been sent to the middle of the Black Forest. To be precise, Apolo had not been sent to just any part of the Black Forest; for some mysterious reason, the masked man had placed him right on the edge of the infamous cliff. Although Apolo still couldn''t see normally, he sensed that besides the trees on the cliff''s edge, two children were fighting right in front of him; or at least, that''s what Apolo deduced when he saw two vague shadows seeming to be brawling a few meters away. The reason why the young nobleman knew that these two shadows were not wild animals was that he could distinguish the confused shouts of what seemed to be two children. Unfortunately, the dazed Apolo couldn''t quite make out what these children were yelling at each other as they fought. So, he focused on regaining his vision, hoping to understand why the masked man had sent him to this place. Finally, after a few more seconds, the two shadows stopped shouting and exchanging blows. It appeared that one of the children had won and left the other unconscious. It was precisely at that moment that Apolo rubbed his eyes one last time and realized that his vision had fully returned. In front of Apolo stood a boy with black hair and black eyes, and by his aquiline nose and the gold ring on his hand, Apolo could unmistakably recognize him as his childhood self. On the other hand, the boy was staring intently at the disfigured girl''s hands, whose face was completely unrecognizable and appeared to have been melted by flames. This girl must have been the other shadow with whom the boy had been fighting while Apolo regained his vision, and judging by the state of her body, it seemed she had just been killed by the boy. Apolo realized that the boy was too focused on the girl''s corpse to notice his presence. Therefore, the startled killer continued to ignore him while gasping for breath, contemplating the result of his vile deeds. Before he could say anything to the stunned boy, Apolo, with a strange sense of familiarity, witnessed as the boy tried to reach for the disfigured girl''s hands on the ground, and the victim''s body slowly raised its head to stare directly at her murderer. The frightened boy looked into the melted eyes on the girl''s face and saw her lips, now unrecognizable, utter the following four words: ¡ªI... Give... It... To you... Apolo. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! After saying those four words, the girl''s body lost its strength and fell abruptly onto the forest floor, causing the sobbing boy to watch as the small, skeletal body of what was once his friend was soaked with his tears. ¡ªI''ve been through this before...¡ªApolo recalled aloud, looking at the crying boy. This made the sobbing child immediately turn around, alarmed, to gaze at Apolo in fear. Upon noticing the presence of the stranger, the trembling boy stepped in front of the girl''s corpse, extending his hands, trying to prevent Apolo from seeing the dead body. Feeling somewhat embarrassed about remembering that he had once tried to hide a corpse in the same foolish way the boy was doing now, Apolo unconsciously raised his hand to his forehead. But when the young nobleman touched his flushed face, he suddenly discovered that the familiar silver mask had appeared out of nowhere. Apolo could swear that while he was rubbing his eyes to regain his vision, he had never felt it before. Nonetheless, he knew that his sense of touch was not deceiving him, and his fingers were currently feeling the cold metal of the mask. ¡ªWho are you?¡ªthe frightened boy asked, noticing Apolo''s silence. ¡ªMmm...¡ªApolo carefully pondered as he observed the suspicious eyes of the boy. He understood that he was on a mission, and given the recent events, he believed he knew what he needed to do next to fulfill that mission. However, he also understood that given the critical situation, it was of utmost importance not to fail when communicating with this child. ¡ªI didn''t mean to do this, I swear!¡ªthe boy cried out in desperation, unable to bear the incriminating silence of the man who was lurking in the distance, while searching for the bronze ring on the girl''s hand. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn''t find it anywhere. Still, the boy continued his explanation as he searched even more desperately¡ªIt''s the ring''s fault! It''s all its fault! I would never do this to Helena! I swear, I...! When Apolo felt the boy was about to speak again, he calmly reached into his pocket, putting the boy on edge and causing him to abandon his idea of continuing to search for the ring. Despite the suspicious look from the killer, Apolo focused on what his fingers were feeling right now. In his pocket, he still had the bronze ring that the masked man had taken from the sleeping magician. Slowly, Apolo took the ring out of his pocket and presented it to the boy while asking at the same deliberate pace he had been moving: ¡ªDid you mean to find this, Apolo? ¡ªYes, it''s all the ring''s fault!¡ªthe boy shouted immediately, looking at Apolo with astonishment. He couldn''t comprehend how this strange man had taken Helena''s ring out of his pocket. However, the tension of the situation prevented him from thinking clearly¡ªYou have to believe me, I didn''t mean to kill Helena! ¡ªI believe you...¡ªApolo murmured, looking at the girl''s lifeless body. While this scene would evoke great pity in anyone, the truth was that beneath the silver mask, there were two eyes filled with hatred at this moment. The nobleman knew that all the suffering the boy was going through right now was part of the grand plan of a magician who, by the whims of fate, had placed him in her toy box to shape his life according to her ego-centric plans. E159 - Do you believe me? ¡ªDo you believe me?¡ªthe surprised child replied. ¡ªIt would be complicated not to...¡ªApolo ironically replied, looking at his past self with quite some consternation. Many times, one is tempted to reflect on what they would say to themselves if they had the opportunity to travel back in time. While the answers varied, they all led to the same fundamental question: since it was impossible to do so, this cruel rule of destiny remained unbroken in this world. Unfortunately for the young noble, this was nothing more than a simple dream. However, the strangeness of the situation Apolo found himself in had led him to a point where he really had to at least pretend that he could. The first thing that came to Apolo''s mind was to scold himself, telling the child what he had been saying to himself in his mind since he discovered the truth: Don''t be such a fool as to let that woman get away with it. Go, get out of the bathtub, and smile at the new day''s sun illuminating another beautiful day of life. But perhaps, and only perhaps in Apolo''s mind, that was something better left to be said to himself and not to a frightened child who didn''t understand what was happening right now or why things always slipped out of his control and ended up this way. If he approached the matter from the perspective of this child, or rather from the perspective with which he viewed things in the past, then the words the young noble would want to hear at this moment would probably be different, such as: ¡ªAlthough sadly, it was your hands that killed your friend: Am I wrong, boy? ¡ªNo, it wasn''t me, it was the ring! I would never harm Helena!¡ªthe murderer replied immediately. ¡ªAnd what if I told you that you''re right?¡ªApolo asked, bewildering the child. ¡ªHow?¡ªthe child responded immediately. ¡ªWhat if all of this didn''t happen, and it''s just a simple dream, a nightmare from which you need to wake up to start all over again?¡ª Apolo asked as he played with the ring in his hand. ¡ªIs this a dream?¡ªthe child asked dazedly, but for some reason, those words resonated more than usual in his mind, and he began to look at Apolo with bewilderment. ¡ªIt could be, as well as you could be in reality, or it could even be someone else''s imagination. For example, maybe this is my dream, and you don''t exist. Or perhaps, the situation is even more amusing, being the case that neither of us exists, and we are already dead, talking to each other to bid farewell, while all of this is actually the imagination of a third party: who knows...¡ªApolo responded with an abnormally wide and ironic smile, while he appreciated the uncomfortable touch of the rusty metal brushing against his hands, which for some reason, even at this point in the story, was difficult for him to resist feeling. ¡ªIf this is a dream, I want to wake up. I want to be back in my body, in the castle with my family, to be able to play with Helena again. I don''t want this to be real!¡ªthe child replied immediately, not giving much thought to the matter. ¡ªBut I''m afraid the ring would still be there. You''ll wake up and see the stones on the ceiling of your room, you''ll be happy to see your friend and go out to play with her in the forest, only for the ring to turn this dream into a reality from which, unfortunately, you''ll never escape¡ªApolo replied, still looking at the tiny ring in his gigantic hands. ¡ªNo, that won''t happen. I''ll escape from this destiny because when I wake up, I''ll destroy the ring!¡ªthe child replied quickly with a not-so-hidden concern in his childish tone of voice. ¡ªBut it''s so easy to say it and so difficult to do it. But as much as it saddens me to tell you, the harsh reality is that you can''t destroy the ring, or rather, you don''t want to. Apolito...¡ªApolo commented, looking at the unpleasant trinket in his hand with bitterness and anguish. Despite how much the young noble hated it from the depths of his soul, he knew from the bottom of his heart that he couldn''t get rid of this little piece of rusty metal the size of a pebble. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡ªOf course, I can do it! Give me the ring, and I''ll destroy it right now!¡ªthe child replied, approaching Apolo and then extending his hand to the stranger, asking for the rusty ring. ¡ªI wish things were that simple. I wish I were really wrong, and above all, I wish you could do it, Apolito. But I know you more than you think, and unfortunately, I know that you can''t get rid of the brass ring. You need it more than you think¡ªApolo replied, noticing the child''s insistence on asking for the ring. However, the young noble seemed to have no intention of giving up the trinket. ¡ªWhy won''t you give it to me?¡ªthe child asked, looking at the giant with disdain. ¡ªBecause I can''t, because I don''t want to!¡ªApolo shouted angrily¡ªDon''t you think it''s cruel to burden you with this? Don''t you think it''s better if I carry it so at least you can be free of it? The story is almost over, too little remains, Apolito. And when it finally ends, you''ll be free of this cruel ring, which, like a ruthless writer, manipulated the threads of your life up to this point. However, when the story ends, there''s no writer to control the characters anymore, and that''s when their disposable puppets can smile at the freedom they longed for. Startled by the sudden shouting, the child took a few steps back. However, by taking those steps, he approached the corpse of his friend, which reminded him that there would be no happy ending in this story if he couldn''t get rid of the ring. Seeking the courage hidden in his young heart, the child armed himself with determination and approached Apolo again, extending his hand to ask for the trinket. ¡ªYou see, I was right. That ring brings out the worst in us. We have to get rid of this trash!¡ªthe child shouted, finding the courage in his own voice. ¡ªAs I told you, I know you''re right. But I also know you can''t get rid of the ring, Apolito!¡ªApolo exclaimed, moving the child''s hand aside with a slap as he put the ring back in his pocket. ¡ªIf you don''t give it to me, how will you know what I''m going to do with the ring?¡ªthe child asked, ignoring Apolo''s slap and extending his hand again in demand of the trinket. ¡ªBecause we''re the same person. Of course, I know you can''t do it if I can''t do it myself, Apolito!¡ªApolo shouted, looking at the child''s outstretched hand with disgust. ¡ªDidn''t you say all of this was a dream?¡ªthe child asked, changing the subject. ¡ªYes, it''s a dream. You don''t exist, and soon I won''t either¡ªApolo replied roughly, accepting the fact that he was about to die with more naturalness than he would have liked. ¡ªSo, do you also believe it''s impossible for me to get rid of the ring in a dream?¡ªthe child asked, persisting with his hand outstretched. ¡ªIt would be useless. I''ll wake up, and I won''t be able to change things in reality¡ªApolo replied wearily. ¡ªAt least let me dream that I can!¡ªthe child replied, smashing his outstretched hand against Apolo''s chest, once again asking for the trinket. Apolo remained silent and put his hand back in his pocket, understanding that nothing would change regardless of the decision he made. All of this was a dream, and it made no sense to continue arguing with a child in his last dream. So, the young noble decided to take the rusty ring out of his pocket and slowly placed it on the child''s small hand, letting the trinket fall onto his palm. The child took the brass ring in his hand and held it in front of his eyes to examine it carefully, as if he were trying to appreciate the beauty of this peculiar rusty brass ring in all its glory. ¡ªAs I said, you simply can''t...¡ªApolo tried to say, but his words were abruptly interrupted by what had just happened in front of his eyes. As Apolo began to speak, the child stopped looking at the ring, and as if he were waiting for the opportunity to shut the young noble up, he clenched his fist tightly and threw the ring off the cliff, causing Apolo to stare at it as if what had just happened was an aberration of nature: an event so impossible that even on his deathbed, the noble refused to believe that it could really happen. ¡ªHow did you do it?¡ªApolo shrieked, grabbing the child''s gray clothes and lifting him a meter into the air until their gazes met¡ªHow the hell did you get rid of the ring, answer me, brat! ¡ªBy dreaming it!¡ªthe child shouted at the top of his lungs, causing his saliva to soak Apolo''s face as an abnormally wide smile formed on his own face. Immediately, the child reached out his hand and snatched the silver mask from Apolo''s face with a swipe. Before the young noble could react, the brat had placed the silver mask on his own face, causing a bright green flash to completely blind Apolo''s vision. E160 -Clink Apolo abruptly opened his eyes and observed the wooden planks on the ceiling of the room. To his surprise, his vision wasn''t blurred by the green light as it had been in previous instances when he had seen the green flash. More importantly, he realized that these wooden planks were identical to the ones he could see on the ceiling of the mansion. And indeed, the thoughts racing through his head at this moment were not mere delusions, for the sensation of warm water enveloping his body reminded Apolo that he had finally awakened from the endless dream he had been experiencing. Right now, the young nobleman lay naked in a bathtub that was still filling up, like all the other bathtubs in the bathroom. It seemed Apolo had spent a considerable amount of time inside this dream, as all the bathtubs were overflowing with water. While the bathroom floor was flooded, and the water constantly seeped through the gaps between the wooden planks on the floor, the room was still filled with steam produced by the hot water flowing from the taps in the bathtubs. However, one could still vaguely make out the location of the other bathtubs and the door of the room. Struggling against the dizziness, Apolo scanned the entire bathroom until he finally spotted the wooden door. Upon seeing the way to salvation, the young man remembered that he needed to get out of this bathtub to heal if he wanted to make it out of this ordeal alive. Unfortunately, as he tried to get out of the bathtub, Apolo realized that his body wasn''t responding normally: he lacked the strength to get up! While Apolo''s body didn''t show any abrupt changes due to the blue plague infecting him, the silent and swiftly spreading disease had now spread throughout his limbs, and the young nobleman could only move at the speed of a paralyzed tortoise. He tried to get out of the bathtub by pushing himself up on its edge, but no matter how much effort he exerted, his body didn''t seem to respond, and his muscles only tensed up without lifting him. His entire body felt rusted, and the few signals his brain sent to his limbs were incomplete, putting the young man in a life-or-death battle. Realizing that there was no way he could reach the trees in the mansion''s courtyard in this condition, Apolo proceeded to implement Plan B: ¡ªZoe, come find me, Zoe!¡ªApolo shouted, but his voice came out weaker than a whisper due to his weakened state. Nevertheless, the green gururi should be able to hear him regardless of the distance, as everything was happening by magic. Seconds passed, and Apolo desperately noticed that Zoe had not appeared anywhere, and he was surrounded only by the thick fog produced by the steam. ¡ªZoe, by my ancestors: can''t you see that your master is dying?!...¡ªApolo exclaimed with all his might, but his words did little more than cause great discomfort in his throat, leading to an energetic fit of coughing. *Cough*...*Cough*... After involuntarily coughing for a few seconds, the young nobleman stared with wide eyes as his hand was stained with his own blood. However, the butler of this mansion was nowhere to be found to rescue him. ¡ªDamn it...*cough*... *cough*...¡ªApolo cursed, looking around desperately between coughs, realizing the enormous problem he was facing. Zoe wasn''t coming to rescue him, and unfortunately, the young nobleman understood the reason for this¡ªThe idiot gururi can''t recognize me while I''m naked. How the hell can she be so stupid?, How could she be so foolish when we''ve been... *cough*... *cough*... together for months... *cough*... *cough*... Your stupidity is going to kill me, you useless fetus! But Apolo knew that his curses were in vain: Zoe wouldn''t recognize him as her master unless he grabbed his toga and put it on. However, the major problem was that the young nobleman had left his clothes lying in the middle of the room before getting into the bathtub. Without the strength to get out of the bathtub, it was impossible for him to reach the toga and change to seek help. Nevertheless, he had to try: Apolo had no other option!
The young man placed his hands back on the bathtub and tried to lift his body, but his arm muscles continued to betray him and did not respond as he requested. Frustrated, he gripped the bathtub''s edges tightly until they broke. Realizing that achieving things normally was impossible for him, Apolo desperately tried to keep holding onto the edges of the bathtub to break them as he had done before. Fortunately, this time he succeeded, and within a few minutes, he had broken the bathtub''s edge enough for his body to fall to the bathroom floor. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The boy attempted to crawl using his hands, but it didn''t work as he had hoped, and his instructions only caused his fingers to roughen as they scraped across the wooden floorboards. Even though everything indicated that his ancestors had abandoned him and destiny was playing a cruel trick on him at the worst possible moment, Apolo managed to use his chin to drag himself across the floor. Apparently, by sheer luck, the muscles in his head were still responding normally for the time being. Crawling like a worm, relying on his chin for support, the dying young man reached the black toga placed in the middle of the bathroom floor. Upon arrival, the noble youth tried to insert his hands inside the toga, but the task proved impossible, and instead of bringing him the longed-for salvation, it only brought him misfortune. In the process of trying to put on the garment, the dying man ended up tearing the toga in half. *Cough*...*Cough*...*Cough*... As he saw his salvation being torn in half by his own useless arms, the young noble cried out in desperation until his eyes turned red from frustration, while coughing uncontrollably, staining the wet bathroom floor with blood. There was nothing that could be done anymore, and in the mind of the dying man, there was no Plan C. Apolo was condemned to die miserably on the bathroom floor, just a few meters away from his salvation. But despite the imminent tragic fate, there was no sadness reflected in Apolo''s eyes. Instead, there was deep frustration caused by the knowledge that the wizard who had been playing with his life since he was a child would finally get her way and end his life. The only joy in the young noble''s heart at this cruel moment was knowing that at least Helena would also be dragged into death with him. She would never wake up again and could never take control of his body. In the end, she, the one responsible for everything, had ended up being just as much a loser as the young man rolling in tears on the floor at this moment. Fortunately, fate was cruel to those who had been cruel. Apolo did not enjoy a quick death and had enough time to get tired of crying and coughing on the floor. Enough time to accept the inevitable and stare at the bathroom ceiling with a blank mind, watching his life pass before his eyes. But unfortunately, the life that the dying man was looking at only made more tears flow from his reddened eyes, for it had truly been a bad life: a terrible life!. His entire life revolved around an obsession that, to make matters worse, ended in the worst possible outcome. The initial great happiness of knowing that he had never killed Helena turned into the frustration of realizing how he had never been able to kill Helena, and the great sadness of feeling like the lie he had wasted years denying in vain had turned into a reality that turned out to be unfortunately false. Apolito had lived his entire life in pursuit of uncovering a truth that had never existed. And at the end of it all, that all-powerful time, that cruel god he had praised endlessly, had only bestowed upon him the torment of dwelling on this matter to the point of exhaustion. Every second Apolo stared at the bathroom ceiling right now felt like an eternity. The resigned young man only wanted the merciless god to stop torturing him and finally give him the rest he deserved. Apolo no longer wanted more twists and turns, no more strange dreams, and above all, he didn''t want to get his hopes up about the possibility of changing his life only to see everything go to hell because of the whims of fate. It was the misfortune of the unfortunate or perhaps the deserving and sad end of a young man with a bad heart. It was a few minutes or perhaps hours, but the truth was that Apolo''s luck had run out, and unfortunately, he managed to wake up from that bizarre dream when it was already too late to change the tragic event that was about to happen to him. Sadly, time had capriciously left him without time when he needed it most and paradoxically gave him all the time in the world when it was useless. These were the last musings of the dying Apolo, until life arrived and, with a sudden splash of cold water, shattered his mind once again: *Clink*... A simple sound, faint yet louder than a thousand explosions, had just reached Apolo''s ears, causing the dying man to stare wildly in a particular direction of the bathroom with wide-open eyes. As his delirious brain finished processing, a single word merrily marched from his forehead to his nape, making his entire head vibrate. The word in question was none other than: Miracle! And indeed, a miracle had occurred, for the bathroom door had swung open. E161-Miracles Awestruck by the miracle he was witnessing with his already tired eyes, Apolo gazed for a few seconds at the two creatures opening the door. They were none other than Aquiles and Nicol¨¢s, who at this moment appeared to be the most beautiful creatures in the world in the eyes of the nobleman on the brink of death. On the other side of the story, the two pink gururis stood silently, with Aquiles holding a completely unrecognizable doll that seemed to have been rescued from a fire. This was no ordinary doll; it was none other than Princess Lorena herself! It seemed that the hidden plot of this story was that Princess Lorena or one of the mansion''s furnishings managed to alert the two pink gururis to the desperate situation the master of this estate was in, and following the warning, the two gururis had come to the rescue. ¡ªWhy are you just staring at me, you useless brats?!...*Cough*... *Cough*... Carry me to the nearest tree, can''t you see I can''t move?... *Cough*...*Cough*...¡ªApolo shouted with violence, watching as the two gururis stood frozen at the door without reacting. ¡ªBut how do we do it? He''s too heavy!¡ªexclaimed Nicol¨¢s, looking at Apolo''s gigantic naked body on the floor. ¡ªDo whatever it takes, but do it now, damn it!...*Cough*...*Cough*...¡ªApolo yelled, his face turning as red as a tomato from struggling against the coughing fit. ¡ªYou take the left leg, I''ll take the right leg!¡ªAquiles said without much explanation, placing the doll on the floor. Hearing Aquiles'' idea, the two gururis ran to grab Apolo by each leg and began to drag him across the wooden floor towards the exit. Far from being bothered by the rough way he was being handled, Apolo smiled like an idiot as he felt his back swallow splinters of wood one after another, as if it were a delicacy of the gods: the bastard had been saved! This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. A few minutes passed, and with great effort, the gururis managed to drag Apolo through the hallways until they reached the mansion''s stairs, where they stopped and stared at the large number of steps they had to descend. ¡ªWhat the hell is going on? Why are you stopping?¡ªApolo asked with effort and quite angrily. ¡ªThere are too many stairs, and honestly, we don''t think you''ll make it down alive if we drag you down here¡ªNicol¨¢s said honestly. ¡ªDon''t drag me...*Cough*...Roll me sideways down the stairs and stop me every few steps...*Cough*...*Cough*...¡ªApolo replied, quickly finding a solution to deal with this problem. After hearing the idea, the two gururis turned the immobilized Apolo and stood in front of him. Slowly, they began to roll him down the steps, one step at a time, until they finally reached the ground. Unfortunately, the mansion was too large, so the other servants couldn''t hear the noise. As for Zoe, it could be said that she was not willing to get involved in the adventures of the pink gururis, just as Apolo had warned her to do. That''s why Nicol¨¢s and Aquiles didn''t receive any extra help to complete the task until they finished. Finally, after being dragged a few more meters, Apolo could see the large tree in the middle of the roundabout that led to the mansion. The young nobleman tried to tell the two gururis to find another tree; this was precisely the most beautiful tree in the mansion and also the most important in the courtyard. But to his dismay, his condition at this point was deplorable, not so much because of the blue plague that would kill him soon, but because of the blows to the head he had received while descending the stairs. Unable to say a word, Apolo felt as the two pink gururis released him a few meters from the tree and retreated cautiously. Fortunately, the young nobleman''s constant paranoia had eventually led him to teach the two creatures what to do in case he got injured, so the gururis knew they couldn''t touch him while Apolo healed. Immediately, a cord of flesh and skin grew from the back of Apolo''s neck. Like a worm, the cord crawled along the floor, extending itself until it reached the gigantic tree in the middle of the roundabout. When the fleshy cord connected with the tree, Apolo''s body contorted as it healed, and he could feel his muscles responding once more. On the other hand, the poor old tree lost its luster on its bark, while its leaves began to wither and fall, as if autumn had arrived. E162 -Awakening Time passed, and when Apolo finally realized it, it was already dawn. The truth was, when the Gururis were dragging him to the roundabout, dawn was already breaking, and the red rays on the horizon made it evident. However, the young noble felt that the situation didn''t warrant worrying about the time. But thanks to the incredible twists of fate, the situation was different now: the sun was rising on the horizon to brighten the lives of all the people in the capital and in the Ring Town. Another long night had ended, and another beautiful day had begun! Feeling the rays of the sun hitting his face, Apolo tried to get up to look around, and fortunately, his dependable body responded as he expected. The first thing the young noble noticed was the gigantic tree a few steps away from him. The tree looked in poor condition, but its violet fruits could still be seen on its branches, so the young man realized that this tree must be quite old, old enough to save his life and continue living. Although this fact wasn''t too surprising to Apolo, the young man knew that no matter how many times this mansion changed owners, and it would probably change owners in the future, no one in the imperial capital who might be the future owner of this peculiar estate would dare to cut down this tree that represented the imperial family itself. After confirming that the gigantic tree didn''t need replacement, Apolo looked around to see the two pink Gururis looking at him from a distance. It seemed that the creatures had stayed to await the next order or to satisfy their curiosity about whether their master would emerge alive or not. ¡ªNicol¨¢s, go and fetch all the clothes that are strewn about in the bathroom!¡ªApolo ordered, looking at one of the pink Gururis, but in reality, he was looking at Aquiles¡ªAs for you, Aquiles, come closer; I have something to ask you. ¡ªAs you wish, master¡ªreplied the Gururi Apolo was observing as he ran inside the mansion. Meanwhile, the real Aquiles approached Apolo and asked: ¡ªWhat would you like to ask, master? ¡ªHow did you find out that I needed help?¡ªApolo asked, trying to ignore the embarrassment of having confused the names of his two saviors. ¡ªThe doll told us, or rather, old Winki told us¡ªAquiles replied while stroking his chin, trying to recollect the details. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡ªCould you give more details?¡ªApolo asked without losing patience. The green Gururi sat on the ground and began to explain the "incredible" story they had experienced last night while energetically moving his hands, more to draw Apolo''s attention than to aid his narrative: ¡ªWinki woke us up in the middle of the night; it seemed that a doll had opened the door to our room while we were sleeping. The doll stared at us intently, but no matter how much we asked, it didn''t seem to understand us. However, according to what Winki told us, the doll must have been sent by you with some strange magic and probably meant that you were in trouble and needed us. Following old Winki''s idea, we asked the furniture where you were, and according to the furniture, the doll had walked from the bathroom to our room, so we knew you were in the bathroom in that way. And apparently, old Winki was right; you had sent the doll asking for our help. ¡ªI didn''t send anyone to ask for help...¡ªApolo replied thoughtfully in a low voice¡ªIt was probably the doll that saved our lives. Do you know why it''s burned? ¡ªI doubt it was the doll; it was completely mute and didn''t seem to want to talk to anyone. It never explained the situation, even after we found you...¡ªAquiles replied, making Apolo delve into his thoughts about what might have happened last night¡ªWe also don''t know the reason why it was burned. If it wasn''t you, then clearly, it could only have used magic... However, Aquiles abruptly closed his mouth; it wasn''t wise to say that Zoe had been responsible for Apolo''s survival. From his clever perspective, it was better that he and his brother took credit for such a feat. ¡ªNo, it wasn''t Zoe; she could go and teleport to where the servants are to ask for help, but she didn''t...¡ªApolo replied while continuing to reflect, but his thoughts were quickly interrupted... ¡ªClearly, she wanted you dead! Can''t you see? She could have saved you, but she was looking for your cane, master!Her greed knows no bounds; the wicked one doesn''t settle for having a little cane: now she''s after yours! ¡ªNo...¡ªApolo replied gruffly, rubbing his ears with his hand¡ªAlthough it''s strange, it''s most likely that it was the real Tea, or perhaps it was my other ancestor, Cosmo, or even it could have been my father or my grandmother. The truth is that someone saved me last night, and thanks to that person, I can now see this beautiful sunrise. ¡ªWe saved you...¡ªAquiles replied, reminding the fortunate nobleman of the one undeniable and indisputable truth. ¡ªYou saved yourselves; if I had died, the imperial family would have sold all their furniture...¡ªApolo replied, scaring Aquiles more than necessary¡ªBut that doesn''t deny the fact that I''m quite happy to have created you; without you, I would be dead. Unfortunately, a "current" Gururi would never have been able to save me. ¡ªWe are important, fundamental, more than Zoe: we deserve her little cane!¡ªAquiles exclaimed cheerfully. ¡ªSomeday... someday you will be... but for now, you''re just newborn idiots...¡ªApolo replied, watching as Nicol¨¢s had completed the assigned task and approached with his torn toga and his cane. E163 - Fin. The pink Gururi approached with Apolo''s belongings and handed them over as soon as he arrived. With all the time in the world at his disposal, the rejuvenated noble put on his toga, but immediately realized that he had actually torn it in half, so he had to tie a knot to keep it from falling. With the toga on and the staff in his hand, Apolo tried calling Zoe to see if she recognized him and would finally come to his call: ¡ªZoe, come here, I have something to tell you!¡ªApolo ordered, raising his cane in the air, displaying all his splendor. ¡ªWhat is the mission, master?¡ªZoe asked from behind Apolo, causing the noble and the two pink Gururis to turn around to look at her. ¡ªMission? Clearly, it''s a punishment: The master almost died because of your stupidity!¡ªAquiles shouted immediately. ¡ªIf it weren''t for us, the master would have died, clearly, he''s going to take away his little cane and give it to both of us!¡ªNicol¨¢s squeaked immediately, understanding that this was a good opportunity to undermine his opponent''s image. ¡ªWhat nonsense are you two saying, can''t you see that the master is in perfect condition!¡ªZoe replied reluctantly, although her face remained expressionless as a stone. ¡ªEnough, hairless rats, stop arguing in my presence, and don''t dare to ruin my next words!¡ªApolo ordered, putting his hand into one of the hidden pockets in his toga to take out the bronze ring. The young noble didn''t exactly remember when he had put the ring in this place or if he had directly taken the ring from his chest initially, but the important thing is that he had finally found it again. Carefully, Apolo withdrew his hand from the pocket and showed the necklace where the rusty trinket was hanging. Unintentionally, Apolo ended up staring at the trinket in his hand for quite a while, causing the pink Gururis to wait in silence for a few seconds, which slowly and at the pace that the great god dictated turned into several minutes. Until finally, Nicol¨¢s lost patience and broke the order given by his master to insist on the matter of vital importance: ¡ªWhat is Zoe''s punishment? ¡ªYes, the punishment...¡ªApolo muttered, coming out of the trance he was in, and instead looked thoughtfully at the three Gururis, each the size of a child, who were anxiously awaiting his words¡ªYour punishment, Zoe, is to hide this ring somewhere in the mansion where I can never find it, and then you must make sure that I never get this ring back, regardless of the things I tell you to do in the future. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. While Apolo found it quite easy to say those words, the truth was that he didn''t really want to get rid of this ring. After all, in a sense, this rusty ring was proof that he had survived that torturous night. Besides, it was the memory of all the great and sad adventures he "had" with Helena in his dreams, even though these fantasies were bitter and false, they were an important part of his life, and the young noble was not willing to part with them. So after finishing giving the order, Apolo did not hand the ring over to Zoe and shamelessly proceeded to put the ring back into the safety of his pocket. Despite this, and to his "misfortune" when Apolo looked up from his pocket to see his three Gururis, Zoe had already magically disappeared. With concern, the young noble put his hand back into his pocket only to find out that his precious ring had disappeared: Zoe had magically taken it! ¡ªZoe...¡ªApolo wanted to say something, but then he reacted and thought: maybe it was better this way, maybe it was better to leave the past behind and get rid of the ring to start a new life. Although deep down in his heart, the noble still wanted to keep the ring, his mind reminded him that it was best to lose it and never find it again; however, his heart... ¡ªZoe deserves that punishment and many more!¡ªNicol¨¢s shouted, interrupting Apolo''s thoughts with his uncomfortable voice. ¡ªHundreds of punishments! What happened last night should show you that only the two of us can be trusted!¡ªAquiles yelled, making Apolo unconsciously cover his ears. ¡ªEnough, stop yelling, you ungrateful brats! I was meditating on something very deep and important...¡ªApolo complained, but to his dismay, he had lost the thread of his inner conversation, and now there was only one thought causing a carnival in his head: By my ancestors, I finally got rid of that damn trinket! While Apolo meditated on that phrase in a thousand different ways in his inner world, Zoe appeared again, causing an immediate reaction from the two pink Gururis. ¡ªWhat is the next punishment for the traitor?¡ªAquiles and Nicol¨¢s asked in unison, showing that they had been discussing in private what to say when Zoe''s return came. ¡ªThere are no more punishments, no more strange objectives given by a dead man, and finally, there are no more Helenas or bizarre dreams to be scared of. Now, there''s only one thing left to do: buy ducks and become the greatest duck archmage this miserable empire has ever known!¡ªApolo replied with an ironic smile, proudly looking at his gigantic mansion with his arms outstretched to the sky. Finally, Apolo knew that it was time to leave the pages of the sad past behind in order to welcome with open arms the blank pages of his bright future. And with that, the writer realized that his story had finally concluded. As for the readers, they understood that it was time to jump into their next magical adventure, hiding this book in a dusty and secret shelf in the infinite library of their memories. --------------??????----------The end, this tale has come to an end--------------??????----------