First Meeting (10)

It would be time before the banquet would come to a close, but the events in the square all ended at 10 p.m. People returned to their homes or gathered at nearby bars to unwind and relax. The once crowded plaza was now magically lit with lanterns that shone brightly on the fountain.

–Dagdak, dagdak.

The sound of hooves broke through the silence at the plaza. The source of the sound were two horses galloping away from the royal palace. At first the horses seemed to follow the royal road, then they changed direction and crossed Hatsua Plaza.

The horse riders were Alan Manassil and Calian.

Calian, who had been following Alan on Raven's back, had not said a word for a while. He wanted to call out to the mage, but he hadn't decided what he should say. Alan had given his name to the guards, not to Calian, who was far away eavesdropping in on the situation.

'I'm in a bind. What should I do?'

Meanwhile, Alan had long known that someone was following him. He was still offended by the treatment of the gate guards, and so he stared silently forward thinking, "If you're going to follow me, follow me." His opponent refused to call out to him even though they were at a relatively close distance. Alan looked back in curiosity and his brow furrowed.

'Who is that?'

He caught sight of a fluttering white cloak. Only then did Alan realize the rider wasn't a palace guard, and he slowed down and stopped, and the rider followed suit.

The light from the fountain shone brightly as they came to the center of the plaza. Because of that, Alan turned to confirm his opponent's identity. It was most certainly not a guard; it was clear the rider was a nobleman or a member of the royal family.

The pursuer dismounted his horse and approached slowly. He stood under the light and looked at Alan.

Black hair, red eyes.

Alan had also seen the royal family out in the square this morning. The face of the third prince, which had been shown in the crystal display, was now standing before Alan.

What business did this delicate-looking prince have?

There was a deep curiosity in Alan's eyes.