Noble Trio

Chapter 8 - Noble Trio

"Your highness." 

"Yes, Rohwell?"

"I hate you."

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Rohwell. You managed to face your fears to acquire the materials needed." Lyzekiel grinned and peacefully drank his newly ordered tea. 

"Ugh..!" The boy with brown hair and blue eyes crashed on a chair in the nearby table.

Rohwell Allum. Third son of Duke Allum who was known to prioritize strength, resilience, and might. Because of the lack of such, Rohwell was titled as the black sheep of the duchy.

But while this feature seemed to be hated within the family, except for one, there was a separate feat that lead Rohwell's elevation in the noble society. It was his close relations with the Crown Prince, Lyzekiel De Murdine, and future commander of the Royal Knights, Cadillac 'Cade' Vansia.

Just among the three of them however the ranking is flipped. To what drew them to the simple Rohwell Allum, the people did not understand.

If anyone asks the future emperor and future commander of the knights why they liked Rohwell Allum. They would definitely say-

"It's because you're such a scaredy cat that Lyz always pranks you, Rohwell." Cade sighed and stood up, approaching his friend and comforting him. "But it's fine now, right? Come. I'll treat you to coffee. What was it you liked? Mocha something?"

"...Mocha Frappuccino."

As Cade lead the drained Rohwell to the shop, Sequentia's eyes watched the leaner built man's back.

'He was a creep who had more spine than brains before at least.'

Her mind wandered to the newest member of the council before Constance put Sequentia to her body. Anaiz Allum.

She left her family of 'combat-freaks', her words not Sequentia's, after they banished Rohwell Allum from the family and was never seen again.

However Rohwell was found near a river by Sequentia and Maine when they gathered herbs in the Eldritch Woods at the time.

Feeling a sense of connection because Maine was also a guy, Rohwell almost never approached Sequentia despite asking for her approval to join their team. Only when he asked to let Anaiz become her apprentice did he spoke to her.

Rohwell Allum was Maine's apprentice though only with magic knowledge. He was the black sheep both in the strength-prioritizing Allum Duchy and the Magic Council who only let mages in.

This kid had magic in his veins but for some reason he could not, for the life of him, control it.

By befriending this guy, she will definitely meet Anaiz.

That child, Anaiz, was one of her apprentices before and became close with her. Though she was not close to her during the battle of the black mages and swordmasters, Anaiz was trusted enough to lead a team of powerful mages on her own.

'That's right. Anaiz is my goal, what can this guy help me with?'

Sequentia almost spat towards the kid who'd never shown his gratitude out of displeasure.

At that moment, the black sheep turned back.

He definitely wanted to glare at Lyzekiel but somehow his green eyes met with her white eyes, and Rohwell accidentally pulled out a tongue in anger towards Sequentia.

"..?"

Embarrassed, he turned away and followed Cade quickly.

It seems the Crown Prince was not paying attention to Anaiz's brother as he commented nonchalantly on Cade's actions. "Look at that brother of yours. Trying to suck up and take care of Rohwell just because he's courting his sister."

Just then, Sequentia dropped her mug of coffee.

The contents spilling not too much since it was almost empty.

"Say what?"

Lyzekiel worried about the mess she'd made while she was focused on what he had just mentioned.

"Hey. Is my brother courting Anaiz Allum?"

The Crown Prince tilted his head, his brown hair radiated a golden glow under the sun. "Ah. You probably heard about her since she's a mage. Seriously, am I supposed to be nothing to you since I have no magic?"

Sequentia frowned.

'How did he know- Ah! Wait I don't have a choice but to know him.' She clicked her tongue inwardly.

Feeling tired of the ongoing social interactions, she stood up from her seat without answering.

Lyzekiel smiled, feeling like he'd went overtly friendly and let her walk away.

His green eyes observing her as she left.

"Huh? Where's my sister?"

"I think she went home."

"You're too talkative, your highness. You must've exhausted her."

Hearing Rohwell's accurate analysis Lyzekiel chuckled awkwardly.

-----

After two days, Sequentia went back to the Magic Library.

"You read it that fast?"

Mortician's grey eyes poked Sequentia's pride. It felt good raising someone's low expectations of you.

"Of course."

"But this isn't a regular informative book though. It's almost a dissertation of every events unfolding in history with unknown magic. You must have an astronomical amount of magic if you read it in two days..."

Sequentia's nose seemed to elongate at the continuous praise.

However looking at the time she hurried to leave. "Ah, I have to get going or I'll be late on the opening..." Sequentia raised her hand and informally waved towards Morticia.

The humanized-bat stared at the mysterious lady.

Just when the lady exited the door, her grey eyes saw a familiar brooch tied to the lady's expensive dress on the back.

'Isn't that the Vansia duchy's brooch?'

Morticia paused.

And she paused for a long time.

-----

Sequentia hurried, her long snow-white hair almost got stuck on the Vansia Duchy expensive carriage's door.

"Where'd you go?"

"Magic Library."

Her parents, Duke Robert Vansia and Duchess Noreen Vansia, sat in front of her. Her brother, Cadillac Vansia, went ahead because he was supporting the Crown Prince since the early morning.

Her white-grey eyes trailed the path towards the southern area of the Capital of Ardine. 

It didn't take long for their eyes to reach a station.

'Holy f- that's big!' Sequentia watched as the station grew closer. The size of it grew bigger as well.

"Isn't this place bigger than the palace? Won't the emperor dislike this?" She asked her parents.

"It's fine. This was the Crown Prince's idea, in support, the emperor swallowed his dislike and given his son the funds needed." Her father replied.

To which her mother continued with, "This was a good business proposition after all and it elevates the mechanical prowess of the craftsmen. I heard this area's massive because he asked the craftsmen to build three trains. Train Auror, Julius and Marina." Duchess Noreen's eyes glazed over the architecture with a dismissive attitude and smiled.

The past Great Witch noticed such a reaction, "Mother. Do you dislike the royal family?"

Noreen Vansia shrugged, "I dislike the Emperor's greedy nature. But I don't like the Crown Prince more-"

"H-honey, your words.."

"But it's true! That Lyzekiel kept bugging Cadillac to go hunting for beasts and kept asking for support."

As the parents had differing attitudes and argued slightly, Sequentia's eyes looked back at the approaching station.

"We've arrived, your graces." 

The three members of the Vansia Duchy walked out of their carriage. Eyes turned towards them even before they were seen.

What they wanted to see was not the matriarch and patriarch but rather, the rarely seen princess of Vansia.

Constance Vansia.

Her white eyes passed through the sea of people and to the signboard ahead.

<Ardine's Train Station>.

"The prince is great at politics. He let the craftsmen take pride of their work by naming the station collectively as Ardine's." Her mother commented quietly.

Just as they reach the inside of the station.

The noise of the crowd heightened but the topic was not the Vansia's, but of the boy sitting close to the Crown Prince and the future Commander of the royal knights.

Compared to his unrestrained expression back when she first saw him, Anaiz's brother had a neutral strained expression.

His eyes wandered the crowd as if checking the number of his audiences and found Sequentia's.

Almost instantly he pointed towards his left, smiling a bit, and Cadillac entered the scene with the Crown Prince discussing something with a familiar woman.

< Anaiz Allum >

In this part of the past, she is the strongest magic user in the continent among their generation.

Her participation was sure in this event.

As the trio with Anaiz Allum in the middle arrived, the people cheered stronger. 

"Woah! The noble trio!"

As if mocking the calm scholar on the side, the audiences' voice grew louder but their eyes were focused on her brother.

Sequentia frowned.

'Noble Trio? What a cocky name.'

On the side, her parents clicked their tongue as they all made their way to the VIP area. "Isn't Rohwell Allum the scholar genius of the century?"

The topic was the same as the audience's.

Her mother replied to the duke. "Exactly. This is probably the Duke Allum's plot to put the daughter he is proudest of in the limelight."

Sequentia sighed, her eyes on Anaiz Allum.

'I want to get my magic back...'

As the commotion settled, the Crown Prince and her brother left Anaiz and stood by the sides of Rohwell Allum who still calmly drank his tea.

'This guy is too unfazed! I think I understand why the townsfolk doesn't like him...' Sequentia clicked her tongue not knowing if she should be amazed with that guy's steel-like nerves.

CHOO CHOO!

However everyone's attention turned towards the noise, except for Sequentia.

Her hand twitched as a message appeared in her head.

< Stop my family from riding the trains. >

'Why?'

< No questions. Didn't you want your magic back? >

'This..' 

Sequentia's brain processed Constance's orders and lowered her head as her mind worked fast.

'Why? What's wrong with riding the trains?'

Under her lowered head and trembling figure, Sequentia bit her lips. Noreen Vansia saw her child's state and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Connie?"

Sequentia raised her head, there was a sweet smile on her lips.

"I'm okay, mother. I'm excited... truly.. to ride that train."

'I know how to get my magic back.'

Chapter 8 - End

Noble Trio -? Ew, it sounds like a children's book.