‘Holy! Is she trying to get herself killed?’ Adam thought, beginning to sweat at how brazen Karza’s words were. From what he knew of Emperor Moto, he was among the likes of some of the greatest warriors across all the nds, but to hear Karza speaking of him like he was some kind of whelp, it filled his heart with a shock. ‘How you be su idiot to dismiss an Emperor like that?’

  “Though our family does not have quite as many thousands of years of prestige as the name of Drunda, I am proud to see the pead prosperity that the great majesty of the Wyl name has brought across thousands of miles,” the Princess replied. “My doleo the trouble that your family has f kingdoms across a hundred miles.”

  “We Drunda worry little of pying empire building,” Karza replied, ahat she would speak of the Gryns like they were Drundas. “The only politics we need are leave us be or we’ll bring the storm upon your people. You should know-,”

  “Karza,” Morkarai spoke aloud once more, his eyes gring sharply at the woman, doing his best to keep her from getting assassinated out of the blue. “I’m sorry fing Karza here, but she has sniffed me out upon my journeys and forced herself to apany me.”

  “I have heard of your reputation of causing a mess, though not quite as much as the dragon who was retly butchered,” Miza stated, her eyes catg Karza’s for a moment, waiting for the woman’s retort.

  “I apologise fing so many friends,” Morkarai said, trying to ge the topic of versation. “I had wished for you to meet some Iyrmen I had befriended during my travels.”

  “I am intrigued as to how such young Iyrmen, demons, and even a Ray, have bee your panions,” Miza admitted in the Aldish tongue, ign the half elf, who was more than likely reted to the Sansant family.

  Mowards the half elf for a moment, w how much he should say.

  “I did not expect you to py with such children,” the Princess tinued.

  Morkarai smiled slightly, his red beard shifting to reveal his pearly white teeth beh. “They are not quite so ordinary.”

  “I shouldn’t have expected so, sidering the presence of demons,” the Princess said.

  ‘Uh oh,’ Lucy thought, inhaling deeply.

  “I heard the nds above had some trouble with demons, but I had heard they had been eradicated, even the dragons who had fought along their side,” Miza said, her eyes slowly falling to Karza, who gnced aside.

  “Even if they are young, I call some of them my friends, and sihey are friends of my friends, I sider them my own friends.”

  “What is so special about them that you sider them your friends after just a few years?”

  “Two of them are grandsons of the one who killed Fryn,” Morkarai admitted.

  Princess Miza’s ears twitched slightly, doing her best to keep her eyes upon Morkarai’s, though her curiosity was getting the best of her.

  “Whose grandfather?” one called, huffing aloud, before turning red.

  The Princess’ eyes sowards the half elf who had spoken up, the young man gng aside, with enough shame to realise the mistake he made. “Such keen ears you fae folk hold.”

  “Excuse me,” Adam said.

  “What is your name, boy?”

  “I’m sure you’re not talking to me, because I’m no boy,” Adam replied, feeling a fsh of heat fill him, though it quickly slipped away.

  “Are you not a boy?”

  “I might act like a boy, but I’m very much a man.”

  “I am not so familiar with you fae folk, especially those who are, more so, shorter lived.”

  “Well, everyone has gaps in their knowledge. My name is Adam. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Miza.”

  “I am certain it is your pleasure,” Miza replied. “Are you not reted to the Sansant family?”

  “Sansant family? No. I’m not really from any elf family that you would be familiar with.”

  “I am familiar with many elf families, Adam. Which are you reted to?”

  “None of them.”

  “Is there a reason to hide your family from me?”

  Adam shrugged his shoulder, gng towards Morkarai. “I’m really not from any elf family any of you know because… well, you know, I ’t really see them any more.”

  “Were you raised by your human family?” Miza asked.

  “I don’t know. All I know is that I’m Adam, I’m not reted to any elf or human family you will or will not have heard of, and that’s all. If you want to talk about my family, Jurot here is my brother, and my wife isn’t here right now…” Adam gnced aside towards the entrance. ‘It’s been a while…’

  “Do you have trouble with your memory?”

  “Rather than trouble with memory, it’s more we should keep the discussion away from the Divine’s eyes, otherwise I’ll get myself in trouble,” Adam replied casually.

  “Adam has his own unique circumstances.” Morkarai held the woman’s eyes for a long moment.

  “Even so, he should show the appropriate respect to royalty.”

  “Adam has some issues with nobility and royalty…” Morkarai wondered if perhaps he should have asked Adam to behave better.

  “You don’t have to worry about respect,” Adam assured. ”Since you’re marrying Prince Morkarai, I’ll show you that much respect.”

  “Those of you who walk the nd know little of the stories of the sea and its kin,” the Princess stated, her voice firm. “I e you for not knowing the magnifice of the name Wyl since ynorant.”

  ‘Damn, I really want to fight back, but…’ Adam sipped the sea milk, raising his brows towards Prince Morkarai. ‘See?’

  ‘Thank you, Adam.’ Prince Morkarai reached up to his beard, trying to figure out a way to make the Princess uand. “Princess Miza, perhaps I reveal my gift to you?”

  Miza bowed her head, while Mnced aside towards the guards, especially those adorned in pink. Miza wasn’t sure what he nning to do. She was certain he would have brought her a magical item of sorts, but with the way Morkarai’s eyes gazed across her warriors, she grew further uain of the Prihoughts.

  “In order to reveal my gift, I will o borrow the strength of one of your warriors,” Morkarai said.

  “Sir Safu,” the Princess called, with one of the warriors stepping forward, bowing her head against the shaft of her spear. “She is one of my personal Cuard.”

  Morkarai thought for a moment. “Could you send someo Adam’s armour, axe, and shield?”

  “I ,” the Princess replied, motioning with her hand as a servant swiftly left. ‘What kind of gift has he brought me?’

  “Adam,” Morkarai said.

  “Yeah?” Adam asked, not liking where this was going.

  “Jirot and Jarot will enjoy listening to your tale of fag against Sir Safu,” Morkarai said.

  “If yoing so far as to invoke my adorable children’s names, it looks like I ’t step back,” Adam said, finishing his milk and water. “If I had known I was going to fight, I would have picked a few different spells.”

  ‘He wants Sir Safu to face against a Priest?’ Miza thought, only growing further in fusion. She caught Morkarai’s eyes, which said all she o know. Princess Miza spoke the elemental tohough with more bubbles sounds of rushing water. “It would be impossible for your panion to beat Sir Safu.”

  Morkarai cracked the smallest smile, replying ba the elemental tongue, more like the crackle of fire. “You are right. It is impossible for Adam to win.”

  Karza gnced between Morkarai and Adam, narrowing her eyes slightly. She picked up something within Morkarai’s to was far too light.

  “You know…” Adam began, causing the others to gnce his way, and suddenly Adam felt the rush of embarrassment. ‘Well, I’ve opened my mouth now, so I ’t regret it.’ “Shouldn’t we make this fight a little more iing?”

  “What are you thinking?” the Prince replied.

  “I quite like these clothes,” Adam said. “Allow me and my panions, uess, my panions and I, to keep these wonderful clothing if I win. In exge, we’ll reater Enhanced on if I lose.”

  “A Greater Enhanced on?” Miza asked, narrowing her eyes towards the half elf. “Which Greater Enhanced on?”

  “You discuss with us what kind of Greater Enhanced on you want.”

  “You are an enter?”

  “I never said that,” Adam replied, smirking. “I’m Executive Adam of the United Kindom, a business which deals with crafting magical items and trading them.”

  Miza gowards Morkarai. ‘You work together? Is this how you’re a Greater Enhanced on to me?’ “Very well.”

  ‘Vonda, when are you ing back?’ Adam thought, watg as the servant approached with his armour. ‘I really want to show off in front of you.’

  ‘Their equipment holds simir strength,’ Karza thought, her eyes falling onto Adam’s armour and then his axe. ‘His gear is slightly greater than the Cuard?’ She eyed up Morkarai and then Adam’s equipment. The ces Morkarai had ented the equipment was extremely low, the Iyr would have allowed him to ent some equipment, perhaps his shield, but that axe? It was far too great for Morkarai to ent for the Iyr, or rather, for a half elf that was not an Iyrman.

  The Cuard stared at the half elf while he donned his armour, with the young Iyrman assisting him. The Iyrman wore simple attire, very different to the typical attire the Iyrmen wore outside, a shirt and trousers along with heavy boots. He wore simple grey clothing, his forehead tattooed with a blue circle within the tre, diamonds fnking oher side.

  ‘The boy looks barely twenty,’ Sir Safu thought, waiting patiently for the half elf to adorn his armour. ‘What is the Prihinking sending a boy to face me? I did er The Torn Crevice to beat up children.’

  “Adam,” Jurot said iorapping the breastpte onto his brother. “You must win.”

  “Win? Am I allowed to win?” Adam joked, strapping the rest of his armour on, feeling the snugness of the puthral, and his heart beat slowed slightly.

  “You are within Prince Morkarai’s group. They ot harm you.”

  Adam’s lips formed a small smile before it disappeared under his helmet, the half elf then g his shield. He drew his axe and swung it in the air. “Okay.”

  Jaygak threw a look towards the returning Jurot. “Did you ask him to win?”

  “Yes.”

  “If Adam beats the Cuard, it’ll cause a lot of trouble.”

  “He should cause trouble, since he is his daughter’s father, and grandfather’s grandson.”

  “Whose grandson?” Jaygak joked, smirking wide. “Should I also cause trouble and fight a Cuard?”

  “It will be a good fight.”

  Jaygak’s eyes fell across the Cuard. She sighed, shaking her head. “The Cuard are different to the Aldishmen. I could trouble the Aldishmen, but there is o trouble the Crevians the same way.”

  Adam finished warming up with his axe. “I’m sorry for keeping you waiting, Sir Safu. Thank you for ynanimity.”

  “You should ready yourself,” Sir Safu said, smmirident against the floor, before spinning it once, grabbing it with both hands as she squatted dowill towered above the half elf. “You may surrender as you please.”

  “You as well,” Adam replied, bowing his head, before he pointed his axe forward, hiding behind his shield.

  The Princess stared at the half elf, her eyes taking in the sight of his body. He was small, with his stance childishly simple. He was no doubt an Expert from above, but pared to the Prince or herself, he was a retive nobody. ‘His gear is magical, so one ot uimate him, but having magical ons does not pce you upon our level.’

  “Would you do the honours?” Morkarai asked.

  “You may begin,” Princess Miza said, waving her hand, already bored of the fight.

  Battle OrderD20 + 1 = 3 (2)

  Sir Safu inhaled a breath for a moment, before her entire body flexed and she sprung forward, like a tossed spear, putting all of her strength into her blow. The explosive strength within her body propelled her forward with such might, she would have skewered any Expert in half, even a Rage Dancer. Her trident struck Strong Shield with such force, she threateo crush it with her great might. The shield, magical as it was, still vibrated with the force of her great blow, arident bounced off the side of the shield and towards Adam’s helmet, the half elf letting out a yelp of surprise.

  ‘It’s your misfortuo…’ Sir Safu thought, but the thought quickly faded away as she stared into the half elf’s eyes through his helmet, even through the shadow her body formed over him.

  Mana: 25 -> 24Spell: ShieldDefence: 25 -> 30

  Health: 91 -> 68

  Adam’s heart beat wildly, his arm shaking with the force of the Cuard’s blow. Had he not used his Shield spell, he would have certainly have taken more than enough damage to have him step back, but the pain against the side of his head filled him with more annoyahan fear.

  “Is it my turn?”

  Well, at least Adam tried to be nice?