Skip?

The very next day Cyrillus awoke to the soft warmth of the midday sun cascading through his bedroom window. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, realizing he had slept in far later than usual. Just as he was contemplating the sluggishness of his morning routine, there was a resolute knock on the door.

"Get up, sleepyhead!" exclaimed Alex, bursting into the room with the enthusiasm of a child. His wide grin was infectious, and his excitement was palpable. "You won't believe what's happening in the city today!"

Cyrillus blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden burst of energy that had invaded his peaceful morning. "What's going on?" he mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Get dressed, my friend. There's a new bakery in town, and they've got something incredible," Alex said, practically bouncing with anticipation. "It's all about a sweet bread called Plakous. They say it's life-changing!"

Cyrillus slowly sat up in bed, now more intrigued than irritated. "Plakous? That sounds intriguing. But where is this bakery, and why do you look like you've just won a lottery?"

A sheepish grin spread across Alex's face. "Well, that's the catch. I don't know where it is. I only heard the name - Hera's Crown. But the good news is, we're going on an adventure to find it!"

Cyrillus couldn't help but chuckle at Alex's infectious enthusiasm. "Alright, then. Let's embark on this grand quest for Plakous. But where do we even start?"

Alex shrugged, undeterred by their lack of information. "We'll figure it out as we go? The city can't be that big, can it?"

After a quick change of clothes, they set out into the bustling streets of the city. They wandered through the winding alleys and crowded markets, approaching strangers with their singular question: "Do you know where Hera's Crown bakery is?"

The responses were a mix of confusion, curiosity, and occasional helpful hints. Some people pointed them in one direction, only for others to send them in the opposite. As they wandered, they couldn't help but appreciate the city's vibrancy and the warmth of its people, even if they remained Plakous-less.

Hours passed as they searched, and their stomachs grumbled in protest. Just as they were beginning to lose hope, a friendly elderly woman with a basket of fresh flowers pointed them down a cobblestone street.

"Follow the scent of baked goods, my dears," she advised with a twinkle in her eye. "Hera's Crown is down that way. But if you're here for plakous, you'd better find something to sit on; the line for that treat is quite lengthy."

--

Percy sighed deeply, disappointment heavy in his chest as he closed the ancient diary. He had anticipated legendary tales of grand magic and adventures, but the first story he found was about Plakous and something involving his ancestors' friends. This wasn't the grandiosity he had hoped for when he came to Merlin.

Left alone in the hut by Merlin, Percy rose from the old chair with care, determined not to disturb anything within the mage's sanctuary. He explored the room, taking in the mystical artifacts and dusty books on the shelves.

His gaze was drawn to a slightly ajar door in the corner, and an unfiltered thought led him to push it open. He found himself in a realm that far surpassed the hut's humble exterior. Instead of a simple dwelling, he stood in a grand palace, bathed in the soft, enchanting glow of sconces. The room was vast, with high, vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate frescoes that seemed to spring to life as he gazed at them.

Rich tapestries decorated the walls, recounting stories of ancient battles, epic quests, and magical duels. Ornate pillars stretched towards the heavens, etched with pulsating runes and symbols. Expansive, arched windows overlooked otherworldly landscapes, shifting with the passage of time.

The floor was carpeted in lush, velvety indigo and gold, woven with intricate patterns. In the center of the room hung a grand chandelier, its crystals refracting light into a dazzling display of colors.

As Percy explored, he discovered treasures beyond his wildest imagination. Cabinets held ancient tomes, shimmering artifacts gleamed in glass cases, and at the far end of the room stood a grandly tall glass shelf.

  On the shelf were an array of meticulously displayed items. Neatly kept and arranged with utmost precision, the collection included spellbooks bound in ancient leather, crystal orbs that shimmered with inner light, and enchanted amulets suspended in mid-air as if by magic.

Among these magical treasures, the robes captured Percy's attention most. They were a rich emerald green, with intricate golden borders and linings that glistened with elegance. The fabric seemed to shift as Percy moved around it, and he could almost feel the power emanating from the garments. The golden trim bore delicate patterns of arcane runes and symbols.

The robes appeared to have been preserved with utmost care, as if they held the wisdom and history of the ages within their threads. Percy couldn't help but admire it.

"already finished with your reading?" a monotone voice sounded behind percy.

Startled, Percy turned around, a tinge of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. There stood Merlin, with his enigmatic smile and cold eyes. Percy cleared his throat, his voice betraying a hint of unease. "Oh, Mr.Merlin," he began, "I was just taking a little break. The story took an unexpected turn, you see. It started talking about a bakery and everything, and I thought maybe I should take a break before going back to reading and maybe  skip a few pages."

Merlin stepped further into the room, his gaze fixed upon Percy. "Ah, yes, the bakery – Hera's Crown, I presume?" he inquired.

Percy nodded, feeling somewhat relieved that Merlin didn't appear to be angry at his momentary lapse. "Yes, exactly. It felt like such a departure from the grand magical tales I was expecting."

Merlin approached Percy with a knowing look. "You see, little kid, in the world of magic, and in life, everything exists for a reason. Every story, no matter how mundane or unexpected, holds a lesson, a revelation, or a hidden truth waiting to be uncovered. Just as this hut is not what it appears from the outside, there is always something within another thing."

Without waiting for Percy's response, Merlin changed the conversation. With his hands behind his back, he walked over to where Percy was standing. Percy joined him in gazing at the cabinet. "Magnificent, isn't it?" Merlin said, placing a hand on the glass and stroking it. His eyes, which were often cold, now held a hint of sentimentality.

For a moment, there was silence. "Everything here belonged to my teacher," Merlin continued. "The only thing he asked me to do, aside from passing that diary to you, was to ensure the safety of everything he possessed."

Percy nodded in admiration as he took a step back. "Maybe I should get back to my work," he said, turning away.

Merlin nodded slightly without turning back and added, "I have arranged a more comfortable seating for you on the lower left side, along with something to eat."

"Thank you, Mr. Merlin," Percy said as he made his way to the newly arranged location, which was, to be more accurate, a hundred times better than where Merlin had originally seated him. A grand, throne-like chair sat at the very center of the room, with a small table to its left holding an array of fruits and drinks. Even the air in this room was more comfortable, making Percy feel more relaxed.

Taking a seat, Percy resumed his reading, opening the book to a random page to find his previous place. As he turned the pages backward, trying to locate where he had left off, he noticed something unusual: a page with writing in different ink than the rest of the diary caught his attention.

"It was not Alex! I am relieved but heartbroken at the same time. I have to do it, I have to kill him with my own hands," the page read. Several more lines were written, with one name repeated repeatedly, filling nearly half of the page: "Kieron," Percy mumbled. As if the word held some magical power over the book, it began to shake slightly, and the pages turned on their own, returning to where Percy had previously been reading.

This unexpected occurrence perplexed Percy for a moment, but lacking any experience with magic, he decided not to dwell on it and resumed his reading.

--

As they walked down the street, they finally spotted the bakery they had been looking for – "Hera's Crown," Alex muttered under his breath, as if he had stumbled upon a treasure that many adventurers sought but only he had found.

The welcoming entrance was adorned with lush potted plants and a rustic wooden sign bearing the bakery's name. A small, picturesque garden nearby boasted colorful flowers and aromatic herbs, creating an inviting atmosphere. Alex's eyes glistened as he approached the entrance. However, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Cyrillus, who pointed toward the people waiting in line outside the bakery.

"Do you think they'll let you cut in if they've been waiting longer?" Cyrillus asked.

Alex's shoulders slumped, and he quietly joined the end of the line with a dejected expression, with Cyrillus at his side. Cyrillus didn't think much of it, as he was accustomed to waiting in lines wherever he went – whether shopping, going to the movies, or dining out. He even thought the crowd was smaller than expected and that they'd get what they wanted soon.

After waiting in line for nearly 15 to 20 minutes, their anticipation grew with every step closer to the bakery's entrance. The tantalizing scent of freshly baked Plakous had been teasing their senses, making their stomachs rumble with longing.