His Highness

"Knight," Cordelia looked at Greene a little hesitant. "What's going to happen?"

"First of all," Greene didn't need to explain, whatever will happen after this would be up to the heavens to decide. "What happened here?"

"That.. there were these white-masked people, they were trying to..." Cordelia fumbled saying, having yet to piece together the events into one clear picture, "I not sure what they came for but.." Cordelia staring to tremble, her hands shook uncontrollably. The picture of his face flashed in her mind. She couldn't. That name, it had become a curse. "No.. I.. I.. can't remember."

Cordelia kept shaking her head in denial.

Greene was shocked at her response. One moment she looked fine, resolved and the next, in a mental break down.

Greene made a conclusion from that reaction of hers. Someone did this, someone powerful.

"All members are restrained in ice, the source is unknown, eye-witnesses are too afraid to speak," whatever it was, Greene quickly gave a brief explanation of the situation to the people connected to the communication link.

"Who did this?" the next most probable question to ask. She directed it at Professor Liam.

"A mage," Professor Liam lisped. His brief word and quivering voice. He could have said more, but he didn't wasn't to mention that name.

"Where is this mage?" Greene tried to maintain her composure. But inside, her guts were churning, who in the world had such a power to scare these people sh*tless. Moreover subjugating more than 7 Zen members, all at once. And that person was a mage? How could a mage do such a thing? A spell of this scale would need to be done by a team of mages to succeed.

"He left."

A beat before Greene pursued further.

"First floor clear, the second floor still under investigation, 7 enemies here excluding the ones at the entrance. All restraint by ice!" One of the guards yelled form the first floor.

"Miss, everyone here won't speak!" From the same floor, another guard yelled.

'Even those on the first floor? How?'

"Reporting from the second floor. All clear!"

"What is this?" the blue seal started pulsing together with the mana shrine. Which caught her interest.

"It must be the release for the spell incapacitating these people."

"Convenient," Greene blurted.

"A mage. Witnesses say it was done by a mage," making a pause to crunch numbers, "All of them restrained by ice, 17 in total," Greene spoke into the device feeling a little relieved, "Hugo, Zerg, guard the entrance."

""Yes Miss!""

"What's this mage's name?" third times the charm. Greene hurled a fierce look at Paladin. She didn't know his name, however, from the red mask lying on the floor and the fact that he's the only person trapped in ice without a mask—

Paladin stiffened. For some reason, so did everyone else. Greene could feel the temperature of the room drop. Which had her realize something. Even with all this ice around, the library was incomparably warm.

His scowl before turned into the look of fright. This was thanks to Curtis gifting him with an intensified {Bloodlust} directed right at him. It wouldn't be surprising if he had already peed his pants.

"I don't know, I don't know, please, I don't know anything....."

'Bulls*t. The heck kind of person did this.'

"Requesting backup, 14 members. Need assistance in detaining," she gripped the communication device hard.

"Knight, Miss," to that, Greene turned around to face the librarian, "I know the name of the mage who did this."

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"Aren't you going to help?" Louise halted in the midst of her brisk gait and faced Harold.

"I trust in the liaison, and as it had been reported earlier, everything turned out alright. No casualties, no injuries."

"That, still.." Louise bit her tongue.

They were now moving towards a gate that connected the inner sect to the outer sect. Since both sections were divided by a wall or high berms, the only way in and out would be through the few gates present.

Louise and Ellis, walking in tandem with the knights following them. Having no idea where the shortest route was, they asked Harold for directions and went on from there.

The scenic view of the garden altered between different domains of flowers. From the initial azaleas to purple butter pea flowers and yellow spider lilies. Harold said that this path through the garden was a shortcut, yet it was so long and winding, Louise started to doubt her abilities. If not then, she could always call out Harold for giving wrong directions!

"Curtis has been confirmed safe together with his sister." such a whisper entered their ear.

Harold noticed the small change in reaction of the two. It was obvious because they both reacted at the same time.

Louise wanted so much to pour our her potted worries straight at Will right now, but she knew couldn't with the current situation. This whole time, Louise had tried to contact Will, but he did not respond.

"From your reaction," Harold raised an eyebrow.

"My bodyguard in question," Louise took a deep breath and then let out a deep exhale to calm her nerves. "Will, just come out. The matter regarding you should have already been made clear to the king by now."

"Understood," from Harold's viewpoint, Will appeared as if from thin air. "My apologies for the sudden intrusion, Will Everett," and made a bow.

The other knights looked at Will in disbelief but Harold instead gave a nod, "We're you the one?"

"No, I only went to check on the situation."

'If it wasn't Will then..'

"So did you find the person who turned the library into ice?"

"No," Will said bluntly. It was a lie. Only Ellis and Louise knew that.

"What's your plan now?" Louise turned to Ellis with a serious look.

"Um, Will, you said Curtis was fine correct? Where's he now?"

"He should still be at the library, under questioning," Will made a strange signal with his hand.

"It's a lie," Louise's whisper brought by the wind.

"So he's safe?" Ellis stuttered a little to process what Louise meant.

"Yes," Will turned his head away from the knights, acting as if he was looking at the scenery when in fact, "He told you to continue with the trip."

"That..."

"Ellis? So your decision?"

Her thoughts were like waves shifting back and forth.

To Harold, all he knew was that someone Ellis knew had been caught up in the incident, which made him increasingly suspicious of Will. This person was able to check the situation, get in and get out without being noticed by the guards or knights in the library.

Ellis recalled the time where Curtis and she were cruising on Whaley. That time when Curtis took on a mini swarm of pufferfish, casually strolling in the sky; mowed them down using a 'simple' wind spell.

Then a quick flash of her memory of their fight against a Tyrant Dandy King Crab. It's outer shell ripped off by rock bullet projectiles while Ellis sliced its inner structure with her sword like butter. If Curtis could do that then...

"He should be fine right?" Ellis looked up at Will with a weary expression.

With a resolved face, he replied, "Yes," Will wouldn't doubt his superior for nought. (Yes, he's talking about Curtis here).

Ellis looked to the ground before making her choice, "Then I'll continue."

Louise nodded. And, the sight-seeing trip went on.

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Fidgeting the key in his shaky hands, Curtis finally unlocked the door. Tossing it open, he quickly placed Ruth on the bed.

Back in the lodging, relieved.

Curtis ran a few hundred meters carrying Ruth, all this while evoking {Concealment Barrier} so that nobody would notice them.

Ruth wasn't going to wake up that soon.

Then, a shot of pain ran up his head, fatigue ensnaring his body. Light pain coursing through his veins.

'...'

Mana fatigue.

Curtis dragged himself to the door and locked it before dropping down on a chair, his listless figure leaning against the splat. It wasn't cushioned, it felt hard, but it didn't matter. Curtis stared at the ceiling for a long while before closing his eyes.

'Could Ruth suffer from trauma when she wakes?'

She might look fine on the outside, however, {Bloodlust} might have messed up her head. She was scared to the point of passing out—absurd. Such a thing should've only been possible in the novels Ellis would read. This was the first time Curtis had witness such a thing.

And.

This was caused by him.

Curtis took in a deep breath. This fatigue of his wasn't something that would go away in a few hours either. It would take a day or two at least.

It had been years since he had gotten this close to his limit again.

Which reminded him.

Bloodlust.

When was the last time he used this spell?

It felt pleasant somehow. Like drinking wine after abstaining from it for years. Though, Curtis didn't drink wine and didn't know why it felt like similar to the intoxicating feeling of being half-drunk.

There was little nudge over in his train of thoughts.

'Adopted?'

So what happened before his adoption?

He could not remember.

The moments he had spent with Ruth, his mother, Alyna and his father, Elliope. That time he met Ellis in school, the adventures he had with her. The journey into the crystal mines. The hunts to cull the creatures there.

Peculiar.

His age was 17, soon 18. Something didn't make sense.

"Your Highness."

"Will," Curtis could tell from the voice, even without opening his eyes. "Why are you here?"

A thud resounded when Will landed; jumping from the window into the room. Curtis opened his eyes.

"To check on your safety. Your Highness was the one who created the ice, am I wrong?"

"Stop calling me that, what have I got to do with.." in his next breath, he thought of a hypothesis to his current situation, "Will, Who am I?"

Will had a befuddled reaction to his question. "Who you— are?"

"Why do you call me 'His Highness'?"

It hit Will. He realized something.

'So this was why.'

But how could such a thing happen?

"I get it now.."

"Do you know anything?" Curtis felt, odd. Like he was talking to his subordinate somehow. There was a weird connection going on between them.

Will shook his head, keeping silent.

"You aren't going to tell me," Curtis said, annoyed.

'What's up with that.'

"I'm curious. After so many years, I have never known a spell that could seal memories. I thought such a thing was impossible— no," Will spaced out for a second, "Maybe I have mistaken you for someone else."

"But you just," for a second, Curtis was like 'Bingo'. But it was washed over by a memory where he saw himself and Ruth exaggerating events, "Nothing."

Though, Curtis was pretty sure this had to be the answer.

"Curtis," Will had a shift in tone, sounding hesitant to call Curtis by his name somehow. "What happened in the library?"

"It's the thugs you fought off yesterday," a random guess on Curtis's end, "I think it's them."

Will nodded, "How's your condition?" then glanced over to the bed, seeing Ruth who laid flat on top, "And your sister.."

"I'm fine, just tired, that's all. About my sister— she passed out when I used bloodlust..I don't know what would happen to her when she wakes up."

Will kept silent.

"So what exactly happens if someone faints from bloodlust?"

Curtis looked at Ruth, her ruddy cheeks, and babyface.

Will thought about it. Not about the effects of {Bloodlust}, but Curtis's condition.

'Odd. This had to be the prince yet—'

Whatever it was, Will decided that he needed to keep a lookout on him, just in case.

"If she fainted quickly, without the actually effects seeping in, she would probably not feel anything. At most, her memories would be cut off. "

"That's fortunate," Curtis breathed out a sigh of relief. So what to do about the other mages in the library? What would happen to them? Hopefully, nothing too traumatic. Hopefully...

Will saw how worn out Curtis was, having his hands dangling off the side of the chair.

"Then, I will pass on the message to Louise and Ellis," before he went out, he turned to Curtis one last time to bid his farewell, "Stay safe, your highness," jokingly.

"Seriously, you.."

"Funny, I'm surprised you're no longer the youngest sibling," Will said with a smug, leaving just like that.

Curtis sighed.

"I'm certain my memories are sealed. Hah..." Curtis told the air and fell back on his chair.

He shut his eyes again. His mind drifting off.

Thinking about it, {Zephyr Sensing} picked up a queer mutual link from Will— an ally. He's someone Curtis can trust.

With time ticking past him, deeper and deeper he sunk into the back of his mind.

Knock* knock*

He slowly raised his eyelids, feeling groggy with his body heavy.

'The door? Who is it?'

Curtis got up from his seat and was about to open the door when, "This is Dean," was said from behind the door.

'Dean?'

Curtis shook his head awake.

No wonder the knocks sounded familiar. A triple knock, with the last two knocks being of a shorter interval than the first two. It was usually how Ruth would knock the door. It had to be part of this guild's attendance training curriculum.

Moving out to the corridor. Curtis saw another man together with Dean. His hair was white-grey, had a tardy figure, eyes droopy, with a clam gentlemen-like aura. He looked to be in his 40's.

"Curtis Sheyl of Croquel Guild pleased to make an acquaintance," the gentleman bowed, "You can refer to me as Dio."

"The pleasure is mine, "Curtis bowed back in return, on hand below his chest. Swift and graceful, done as if effortlessly. He himself thought it was weird, "May I ask what this is about?"

Dio was taken aback for a split second, "Curtis, may we first go to a more suitable place to talk?"

"So this is about?"

"Founder, you know?" Dean nudged.

"Oh, right..." Curtis then recalled what Ruth had told him before, "I understand, please lead the way."