Back in Elenoir

POV Virion Eralith

Where could Rinia have gone with my granddaughter, I thought as I reread the letter she had left me saying that she would take Tessia for a couple of days

It's been exactly two days since I have no information about Tessia and her parents are just as intrigued to know where she took her

In the castle we are not really that worried, but we do have some reluctance to not know the location of Tessia

For now we can only trust Rinia, she has never been wrong in what she does and must have had a reason why she took my granddaughter, I'm just a little worried not knowing where they are

At that moment I heard a noise coming from the door, as I turned my gaze I met the cheeky look of a white-haired boy, accompanied by Rinia

"It looks like they had to go save your ass" I said with a mocking smile after seeing the state of his clothes

"Ha don't get cocky, you should have seen how the other one ended up" he said in a haughty tone

"Tchhh that damn phoenix ability for regeneration, you should have arrived with some broken bones to mock you more comfortably" I replied as I directed my gaze towards Rinia

"I can guess where Tessia went with you" I said to clear my doubts

"Exactly, this boy doesn't stop causing trouble" she said pointing to Julian

I turned my gaze to him and asked, "I'm very curious to know what happened to you, considering your skills there are not many people who can hit you and leave you in that state"

Maybe you can fool Tessia's eyes, but not mine kid, the fight you had must have been very particular, I thought giving him a meaningful look

He just made a cheeky smile, took out two cores from his dimensional ring and threw them at me

I could feel a good amount of mana emanating from them, so I tried to probe them, what I saw made me open my eyes with my mouth wide open

"Crazy boy how did you manage to defeat these things by yourself" I said looking at him with incredulous eyes

"It was very hard, I felt like I almost died many times, but I got them" he said in a complicated tone

"You know that the Dryad Queen is in the textbooks almost extinct due to how little she has been seen and the Elderwood guardian is a beast with high danger" I said grabbing the bridge of my nose

"It was something that put my life at risk and if I tell you the truth I didn't think I would see them, so when I found them I had no choice but to fight, but to say that I defeated them would be a lie, I just made them fight each other while I moved around so that their blows crossed" he said looking at the sky

"What plans do you have with them?" I asked already knowing his answer

"If I had to say, Tessia and Alea are the people who have priority for me" he said with his hand on his chin

"You know how much just one of these costs, maybe you can get a good house in Sapin or Elenoir and you're giving them away as if you were handing out candy" I said with a skeptical voice

"You're right then let's do this, I'll make three requests in the future, they won't be mandatory, but I would like you to listen to them" he said thinking a little

"You don't have to do all this for the hand of my granddaughter, I can convince Alduin and Merial right now if you want" I said giving him a cheeky smile

I saw him roll his eyes and turn his back to leave the room, "what are you ashamed of, ha ha ha ha ha" it's good to see that he finally came out of the cocoon and now it's easier to tease him

I'm glad you were able to take the next step and accept people

----------------------------------------------------------POV Julian Kingscrown

That old elf, he needs some hobby that is not bothering me, I thought as I left the room where Virion was, I felt a very familiar presence that made my hair stand on end

"Wow, that was a good gift you brought to Alea" a sweet and seductive voice was heard

It was Aya, she was much brighter than the last time I saw her, she seemed to be having a good time of her life, but I had a more urgent concern, that smile seemed like a doom to my eyes

She was expecting a gift and not just any one by the expression on her face, although I have something prepared it is for another half year

"Where is mine" she said as she touched my shoulder

I felt a psychological pressure, terrifying, that I didn't think I could experience, "that is..." As I searched for options in my head to get out of this situation on good terms and was on the edge of my wit, about to fall into despair my savior appeared

Tessia came along with her parents, they gave me a smile and greeted me with a wave of their hand

"We haven't seen you for more than two years Julian, we're glad to have you back in the castle" Merial said giving me a welcome smile

"You've grown a lot, now you look much more approachable, you took down the wall you had around you" Alduin said giving an evaluative look

"Well, they gave me some advice to improve, I just followed them" I said giving a small bow in sign of respect and a happy smile for seeing them again

"There's no need for you to do that, you're part of the family" Merial said

At that moment I felt that I was missing something, there was a piece about this situation that I was not paying attention to, but since I couldn't find an answer I decided to let it go

After that I went straight to the room they gave me to take a shower and be in a more presentable state

"Ahhhhh shit" I already know what I forgot, Arthur must be looking for me, I hope he doesn't do anything or tell anyone about me if he connects the dots

(Galia can you hear me) I spoke through the mental link

(Loud and clear master) the lightning attribute bird replied

(Can you give Arthur a warning about my situation) I replied

(Understood) the bird replied as the mental link was cut off

After that I was having dinner with the Eralith family, I heard that the formation of the council is almost ready

This whole plan is only due to one reason and if I'm not mistaken it's the discovery of that Alacrya tool that they shot down by mistake

I've always been very careful with those things, since Agrona could catch me in an early stage and screw up my plans, but that's slowly coming to an end

Therefore, I must meet with Gideon and make him delay and not send ships to Alacrya in the near future

"The year is almost over and you have only the next year left before entering Xyrus academy what do you plan to do" Virion asked as he took his tea

"Did you tell Tessia? I said looking at the princess out of the corner of my eye

"No, but this is a good time" Virion took something out of his clothes pockets and passed it to Tessia

Merial and Alduin looked at him curiously, but Tessia seemed confused "A core?" She asked

"Try to feel what's inside" Virion said

"Ok" Tessia closed her eyes and began to flow her mana into the core

After a few seconds she had a reaction, her hands trembled almost dropping the core, if not for Virion's quick reaction

"Is that a beast will?" Tessia said with stars in her eyes

"Yes, little one, Julian got it and wants to give it to you" Virion said looking at her reaction

Tessia looked at me and smiled and said "Thank you very much Julian" she looked like a little girl who had been given a new toy

"Also, Alea are you there?" Virion spoke again

Alea came out of one of the corners and introduced herself "do you need anything elder Virion"

"This is also for you" he said as he handed her the other core with the will

She made a strange face, as she took the core, she was going to withdraw immediately until she felt what was inside

She quickly turned her gaze to me, I just gave her an innocent smile, after all I didn't want them to ask me too much

She gave me a slight bow in sign of gratitude as she said "I will make good use of this growth opportunity you gave me"

"I hope it will be very useful to you" I want her to really be able to keep up with the other Lances, I know she is not weak, but we are still at a disadvantage against the forces of Alacrya

After dinner, I was in my room thinking about what my next move would be until I heard some knocks on the door

It was Grandma Rinia, "do you want to go out and see the stars with your grandma"

"Sure, it's been a long time since we talked to each other" I said leading the way

We went out to the streets of Zestier, I knew from the moment she came to look for me to talk alone, that she had something to tell me

"You have been making great progress in delaying the plans of the other side, but that has also put them on alert, you will not be able to keep fooling them" Grandma Rinia spoke

"I know, do you think, I should have done this differently?" I said in a complicated tone

"No, this is the best possible outcome, but you have to stop for now they are very alert and it would not be wise to stir them up" she replied

"You're right, for now I think I'll help Tessia with her assimilation for a few months, while I finish some pending things in Xyrus" I wondered how Gideon was doing and if he had already contacted Emily

I also want to know how Kathyln has been doing training with Varay, I have little more than a year and two months until the start of Xyrus academy

Also, I think it's time to try to wake up Silvia, I have accumulated enough mana and Ether batteries, along with Dryas' help it should be possible to wake her up

Likewise, I think I will request in advance help from Mordain to train certain people, so I have to go to Hearth or talk to Avier

"I see you're lost in your thoughts, but I'm not done yet, even though I can't see your future I can see your approximate movements by observing the future of the people close to you" she took a breath and spoke again

"I have to say I was a little surprised by what you plan to do, even though that will bring some unwanted attention" she took another pause and continued

"because of this there will come an important point where you will have to make a decision that will determine how much easier or harder the path you follow will be, even though that may hurt your loved ones" she said, this time looking me in the eyes

"I'm not going to change lives, if that's what you're implying, but I'll remember the advice" I replied

"You've grown a lot in the time I didn't see you, it seems that meeting the people of Xyrus was a good influence" she said with a proud look

"I want you to try to reduce the times, what you use your ability, I don't want you to consume all your life expectancy" I said in a solemn tone

"He asks me, the boy who constantly changes the future," said Grandma Rinia.

"Please," I said in a low tone.

"Julián, I have lived a good life and I have really enjoyed it a lot, besides your appearance gave me hope, that's why if helping to make the future you see come true only requires as a price, my life I would be more than willing to give it," she said without looking at me.

Throughout the novel she thought the same way, she sacrificed everything she had at the disposal of others, to end up dying surrounded by people who cursed her, what a stupidly noble act was an action full of irrationality and kindness dedicated to people who would never understand her.

How many people could do the same? Arthur? Not in the slightest, he has his own aspirations. The spears? Kings? None of them would do it and even many of them would betray us if given the opportunity, maybe if you look for a needle in a haystack you can find someone who is willing to sacrifice what Grandma Rinia sacrificed. That way of living bothers me.

"I don't like that way of thinking, besides my children need a grandmother who spoils them," he said, giving her a smile.

She looked at me very surprised, with her eyes wide open.

"I don't want you to think that this is a one-way trip, I want you to visualize a life after all this, with me and your grandchildren in the garden of the house, I don't want you to end your own life, better treasure it, look for ways not to lose it, don't trust only in the ability you have as a seer, grandma," I said, hoping that somehow this would reach her to avoid her death, after all I'm here to prevent it.

I hope that with this she trusts a little more in the people around her, because we can't win this alone, neither her nor me.

"Those are very mature words you have there, I will try to take your advice then," she said with a renewed smile.