Who?

"What a beautiful garden!", Drake remarked.

The trio had entered the castle's botanical garden. They marveled at the sight of the trimmed decorated bushes, different kinds of flowers.

Everything looked so fancy that even the birdbath had gold engravings on it.

'So extravagant.' The three of them thought.

"It's even more beautiful than Lord Levine's garden.", Kate commented.

"It's the earl's garden, so it would surely be much more beautiful.", Allen said.

"But I'd rather go to the castle's armory.", Kate added.

"You are always about weapons. Why don't you go to an army camp instead.", Drake chuckled. Allen also laughed inwardly by what Drake said.

"What can I do? I like them.", Kate answered, as if not paying attention to the fact that she was being mocked.

'Wait, isn't she suppose to hit me now?' Drake was startled that Kate didn't beat him up yet after he teased her.

After a pause, she asked, "Are the flowers allowed to be picked, tho?"

"Yes, but probably for the common ones only.", Allen said.

"I never thought you're interested in flowers!", Drake exclaimed.

"Hmph! Before I got to like those shiny weapons, I liked collecting flowers.", Kate snorted.

"Not too loud, others might hear what you just said.", Allen warned.

"Oh.", Kate realized what she just said and covered her mouth.

"Oh don't worry, Allen meant that others might hear you and woo you with flowers, then Allen wouldn't be able to contend with them because they're nobles!", Drake laughed.

"Courting death!", Kate and Allen angrily eyed Drake at the same time.

Drake: "Eeek!"

Half a minute later...

Drake was holding his face while the way he walked was a little bent, he was beaten up to the point that he couldn't defend himself whatever he could do.

"Hahaha, they are such barbaric people.", a noble boy commented with an accent.

"Well, looks like they're not really invited, but was just joining the party for the food.", another one said.

"I don't even know how did they get through the gates.", another noble bot added.

The trio overheard everything what the noble children said, suddenly Kate angrily shouted, "How about I break your teeth!?"

Allen and Drake widened their eyes, the former immediately pulled Kate back, "Don't be too rash, these people aren't to be messed with!"

"Well... at least this person knows some basic respect.", the young men approached the trio.

"As a respect to the lady. We won't do anything to her.", one of them said.

"But of course, she still offended us, so you have to take the brunt.", one of them pointed at Allen.

"You... these people are so arrogant.", Kate snorted and cracked her knuckles.

"You can call us whatever you want.", another one said, after which he signaled the other young men to surround Allen.

Allen only backed off until he reached the wall.

"Aren't you going to fight back?!", Kate shouted.

"You shouldn't fight back against people with these kinds of statuses... or else there would be consequences.", Allen shamelessly shouted back.

"If you wouldn't fight then... hmph!", Kate crossed her arms then turned around. As if she didn't care if Allen was beaten up... again.

Allen: ._.

"So then, what's the gentleman's name?", a young man asked, most likely the leader.

"Allen...", the kid honestly answered.

"Surname?", a younger one approached Allen, getting ready to punch.

"Morgan...", Allen was getting ready to dodge every of the young men's attacks, even though he couldn't fight back, he could still dodge all of their punches with his strength.

"Allen Morgan... hahaha... what a funny name... hahahaha. Huh?", suddenly the young men's laugh stopped and all of them widened their eyes, realizing something.

They started to back off fron Allen, which made the trio confused.

The leader of they young nobles shouted, "Please, forget everything that we said, don't tell anything to the Supreme Scholar!" After which, all of them scrambled away from the trio.

The trio was stunned to what just happened, specially Allen.

"Weren't they just about to beat me up? Hais, I thought I was going to have some fun in dodging their attacks.", Allen sighed in disappointment.

"They were frightened when you mentioned your surname. Are you a noble?", Kate asked. Drake also gave a curious look to Allen.

"No! Why would I be a thief then?", Allen retorted. The other two already knew that Allen was a pickpocket before he became one of them.

"They have probably just mistaken me for somebody else.", Allen added.

"Well then, do you know about that Supreme Scholar that they said?", Drake asked. Allen was the smartest in their group of three, so he might know something.

"I only know about scholars and royal scholars, but never a Supreme Scholar, I never read anything about them!", Allen said.

Scholar was the title given to the once poor citizens of the kingdom who were extremely smart and/or talented that the government took notice of them and trained them, as for royal scholars, they were the personal students of the royal advisers of the king.

"I think we should go back to the castle. We might meet more of those arrogant people if we keep travelling around.", Kate suggested.

"Alright.", Allen and Drake nodded in agreement.

...

On the way back to the castle, the trio suddenly stumbled upon a girl wearing a beautiful dress that looks like a bit younger than them.

Drake accidentally bumped onto the girl which made her knees fall onto the ground.

"She's obviously a noble.", Kate disappointedly shook her head and glared fiercely at Drake. This guy got them into a trouble again! On the other hand, Drake only shrugged in response.

Allen immediately helped the girl up and said, "We're so sorry! Our friend here was a bit sick today, he didn't take care of himself."

Drake made an angry gaze at Allen, while Kate's mouth twitched due to trying to hold back her laugh.

"It's okay.", the girl stood up but felt a twinging pain on her knees. The trio then saw that her knees were scratched.

"Should we heal it for you?", Allen asked. She was worried if the word got out, they might get jailed for injuring a noble's daughter!

"It's alright, I can do it myself.", the girl replied and looked at Allen.

'What a brave girl... for a noble.', Allen inwardly said.

"What is sir's name?", the girl asked.

"Allen Morgan.", Allen introduced himself.

"Oh... wait, do you know somebody by the name of William?", the girl suddenly asked.

"Yes... wait, how did you know my younger brother!?", Allen eyed the girl suspiciously. 'She looks older than Laura, but younger than Kate, so she's probably at William's age?'

"Oops... I forgot something, bye!", the girl covered her mouth and ran away as fast as she can, leaving dust on her wake.

The trio was stunned yet again. The girl was wearing those kind of delicate, expensive shoes, yet, she ran with them as if she was in a marathon!

After everything he experienced with these nobles, he felt that there was something that he didn't know about.

...

When the trio finally came back to the castle, they were bombarded with the lively noise of the conversations of the nobles.

"Hey, I heard that Duke Damien is planning to run for the position of regional governor in the next term."

"Duke Damien? Are you sure? It's been years since the last time he meddled within the politics circle."

"Well, he is a talented man, I think there would be a lot that would vote for him."

"I think Lord Horrenz is also joining in the next term elections."

"What?! That merchant? I bet he'll only focus on the economy of the region that he'll let the barbarians attack our borders again!"

"Don't say it like that, the barbarians won't do such a brutal war again."

"But we don't know for sure."

"You have a point tho."

"I also heard that somebody named Baron Thomas is also joining."

"Who's that?"

"I don't know too! I think he's a new guy."

"He better be prepared to have a debate battle with two giants."

"Hais, that's why I'm already comfortable in managing my own lands than join in in these complicated politics!

"Well it is worth it if you want to be known."

"Yeah, it is worth it with a risk of offending those giants!", somebody said sarcastically.

"I wonder how those nobles could only enjoy talking!", Kate quietly remarked as she started to yawn.

"I think they like talking about the politics of the kingdom.", Drake added.

"Hey Allen, what do you think we should... wait a minute, are you also listening to their boring gossips?!", Kate saw Allen attentively listening to a gossip about the eastern region of the kingdom.

Allen heard Kate and said, "It's fun listening, if my brother was here, he would've felt that he was in a haven."

Allen and William always liked gossips about politics, specially the latter! About two years ago, when they both snuck in the banquet of the Crescent Town mayor, the younger Morgan even analyzed what would happen to the southern region just by listening!

And not just that... all of the things that he analyzed about came true, which frightened Allen! In addition, William was still eight years old that time!

The trio waited for night to take over, Drake and Kate felt that they've been there for almost a day already, however, for Allen, who was listening to the nobles' conversation, felt that minutes only had passed.

-clang- -clang- -clang-

The old man from the gate earlier repeatedly hit a glass cup with a fork and caught the attention of everybody in the castle main hall.

"The banquet will start in a few minutes, we will add extra tables and chairs in a short a while.", the man said.

Shortly after, more tables and chairs were added, along with the fancy tablecloths, silver utensils, and many more.

After which, the nobles seated on the allocated location for them. The trio saw Mr. Sanchez waving to them from a table near the front.

The trio sat down with Mr. Sanchez, with him and Allen directly opposite each other, with their eyes not meeting each other.

Suddenly, all the people in the main hall became quiet as the earl and his daughter was about to arrive! When the said people arrived, everybody else in the main hall stood up.

Meanwhile, the trio was shocked, because the earl's daughter, was none other than the girl that Drake accidentally bumped onto earlier!

"We're so sorry for being late, my daughter got some scratches on her knees.", the earl's voice echoed throughout the quiet hall.

Drake involuntarily swallowed his saliva. If somebody found out that he injured the earl's daughter, would he be jailed? Or be whipped? Or be killed?

On the other hand, Kate and Allen couldn't help but pity Drake. In fact, in their minds, they were already saying goodbye to him! If Drake found out what they were thinking, he would've collapsed to the ground and would rethink if they were really his friends.

When the earl sat on the seat of honor and her daughter was about to sit on her own chair, the latter saw Drake and vice-versa. Drake's heartbeat became faster, not because he was in love, because there might be an impending doom coming next onto him!

However, the earl's daughter ignored him and sat on the chair. Drake heaved a sigh of relief, while Kate and Allen heaved a sigh of disappointment.

Afterwards, numerous delicacies and food were served by the servants. There was roasted turkey with it's thick, oily, juicy, soft and tender body; smoked ham covered in gravy sauce; the mashed potatoes with spring onions on it's top; hot chicken soup with its tantalizing aroma spreading onto the air, and many more.

All the guests ate at their fill and commented on how delicious all the food served was. Loudly commenting towards the earl on how very delicious the delicacies were!

Several minutes later...

Some people had already stood up and delivered the gifts to the earl's daughter, which she joyfully accepted them.

"Hey kid, meet me outside after you eat.", Mr. Sanchez said to Allen after giving a gift, the latter was surprised and took this seriously, meanwhile, the former already left the main hall and went outside.

Drake and Kate also noticed what just happened and gave out supporting gazes to Allen.

Allen sighed inwardly, 'I guess, I should apologize.'

Outside...

Mr. Sanchez was smoking a tobacco pipe as Allen approached him.

Before Allen could say anything, Mr. Sanchez sighed as smoke came out of his nose, "I'm sorry for using you... and also for denying it."

Allen widened his eyes, but composed himself immediately, "I...". However, before he could continue, Mr. Sanchez intercepted him like what he did to him earlier.

"No need to apologize.", after which, Mr. Sanchez took out a pouch and handed it Allen.

Allen then inspected the contents of the pouch, and saw that it was full of silver coins! The kid was dumbstruck, each silver coin was equivalent to one-thousand bronze coins. He counted the amount of coins and determined there were one-hundred silver coins in the pouch!

The kid's hands shook from all the money that he was holding. He had never hold onto so much money before!

"In fact, that's not your whole pay, when we get back to Crescent Town, I'll give the share that you'll get from the treasure.", Mr. Sanchez said.

Allen was shocked yet again, he was stupefied for a lot of time in just one day! He imagined his share, it would even exceed the value of one gold coin, in fact, it would probably be in thousands!

Moreover, one gold coin was equal to one-thousand silver coins. The kid couldn't help but mutter, "I'm... rich?"

"Yes, you're rich.", Mr. Sanchez nodded.

Unnoticed by him, a tear fell down from his eye as he held a large amount money, but after that gleeful feeling, he began to feel fear as a lot of people would probably then eye him in envy, and might lead to unnecessary fighting!

He handed back the pouch full of silver coins and said, "Can you keep this and my share for the time being? I think... I couldn't hold on and protect this much money."

Mr. Sanchez replied, "Alright kid, if that's what you want." The tavern owner then kept the pouch of coins in his pocket.

Silence reigned for awhile until Allen broke it, "So... no grudges?"

"No grudges.", Mr. Sanchez nodded.

Allen got to smile in ease as he looked under the starry sky. Mr. Sanchez snuck a look towards the kid, and made the faintest of smiles, however, the tavern owner's heart felt a chill and thought, 'I wish... I could stop it from happening, but I can't. I'm sorry, kid. Even I'm powerless in front of fate.'

If somebody who knew Mr. Sanchez and the latter would say that he was powerless, they wouldn't had believed him.

***

Meanwhile, in Mount Watchtower where the holy statue was...

A black-robed man walked in the chamber where the said statue was residing, and walked all the way in front of the statue.

There, the man saw a sleeping creature, which looked none other like a baby dragon!

The man picked up the sleeping creature and cradled it within his arms and muttered, "I can't believe that they got to kill you, but at least, I think I could draw a graph on how powerful that dagger is."

The man smiled, and looked to the direction where the remnant village was. Within himself, he wanted to slaughter everyone in the village for interfering. However, he couldn't, because there's somebody powerful in that particular village and because of another reason too.

A light wind brushed onto the man's face, removing his hood.

"Now, even the holy energy I injected inside the kid to protect him is gone.", of course, the man was none other than Lord Levine!

[End of Volume 2: A Month at Riverboard City]