Runteria.

After several minutes of walking on the snowy path, Lamperogue and Archibald were interrupted by an unknown presence.

"Who's there?!"

Lamperogue quickly drew one of his shortswords in preparation for defense, signaling Archibald to remain alert.

However, Lamperogue soon recognized the approaching figure as an old acquaintance, identified by the distinctive magic stave he carried.

The boy then said:

"Wait, is that really you? Runteria Ahelios?"

Due to the blizzard, Runteria was unable to see or hear the individual speaking.

"Huh? Who's that? Cough!"

This caused him irritation.

In response, he used his Scarlet-ranked artifact, <<Great Water King of Oceans>> stave, to disperse the blizzard with a single command:

"Begone."

The snowstorm quickly dissipated, restoring peace to the area.

Visibility in the Rabastines significantly improved in the absence of the blizzard.

("What the?! Did he just stop the entire blizzard? With a literal wave of his staff?")

In amazement, he gazed upon the Magus.

The power of a Water Emperor was truly astounding.

It begged the question, "What are the other Magus Emperors like?"

"Oh it's two pretty boys."

The moment Runteria said this, both were underwhelmed.

First, this weird old man had impressed them with his use of Water Magic.

Now, he called them "pretty boys," if that wasn't the height of creepiness, then what was?

"Oh? Wait aren't you Water Emperor, Runteria Ahelios?"

Expectedly, Lamperogue easily identified him.

("Runteria Ahelios, I know I've heard that name before..")

Archibald rubbed his jaw while entered a state of concentration. One indicated by the frequent stroking of his chin.

"Runteria?"

"You don't know who he is?"

Lamperogue was a tad surprised.

"Not really."

He seemed to have remembered the name, but couldn't directly identify it.

"He's one of the Rankers."

Lamperogue said with a surprised look.

"You really don't know who I am?!"

The old man shouted the moment he appeared before Archibald.

"No, I— I really don't."

Both Archibald and Lobo were startled by his abrupt outburst.

On the flipside, Lamperogue expected such a reaction from Runteria.

"Alright! Then I'll educate you little boy! I am the fifth power of the eleven [Rankers], the master of water and that defeated the evil dragon, Dreida."

Runteria said that with pride.

The look on Archibaldʼs face showed that he'd heard a bit about the [Rankers] before.

"Aren't the [Rankers] the eleven strongest people in Eses?"

Archibald asked with an unsure voice.

"Yes, and he ranks as the fifth," said Lamperogue.

"That's amazing."

"Indeed, no one besides a Ranker knows all the [Rankers], so the details are unclear on how their hierarchy of power works."

"But you seemed sure about him being the fifth."

"Well, that's because he just said it," Lamperogue pointed at Runteria who then waved.

"Oh yeah."

"But... Everyone can agree for a fact that the Sword God of the East, Vulturnus is the strongest."

For an obvious reason, this statement made by Lamperogue irked Runteria.

"I'm the strongest!"

The old man barked out before coughing profusely.

"Uh, take it easy sir."

As Archibald said this, Lobo howled mildly to support his statement.

"That bastard Vulturnus is so proud dammit!"

"Uh, old man, is that really so?" Archibald inquired.

"Well yes! He's always bragging about how much better he is than every other person, despite only recently becoming a Ranker!"

"Wait, he recently became a Ranker and is that much better than you guys?"

"Shut up! He's not! He's just a cheating bastard who's a disciple of Lord Artorius," he was irritated by the fact someone thought Vulturnus was better than him.

"Uh, take it easy old man," nervously, he used hand gestures to urge him to calm down.

At least, if Archibald ever met him again, he'd be sure not to bring up the topic of the Sword God of the East.

"So, what brings you here, Water Emperor Runteria?"

Lamperogue seemed familiar with him.

"Did the blizzard throw you boys off course?" The old man sneezed.

"Yeah. But we should be fine now," a barely motivated response from Lamperogue.

"You're heading to Rivelune aren't you?"

"Yes, apparently the Byz— Wait, how did you know?"

"No one would be mad enough to traverse the Rabastines!" He snickered.

The conversation so far had Archibald confused.

"Wait, you guys know each other?"

He pointed at the two with his index fingers, then intertwined them.

The two nodded in unison.

"How?"

Suggestively, Archibald wouldn't have a break from surprises today.

"Um, it's not important."

It was so easy for Lamperogue to end the discussion there.

("Fishy, but I won't poke around.")

He looked at them with comically large, distrustful eyes.

"So..."

Runteria invaded Archibaldʼs privacy by standing directly before him with his face just centimeters away from the boy's.

("Personal space dude!")

He wore an expectedly uncomfortable face.

"What is your name boy?"

A jaded expression came upon the old man's face.

"A-Archibald Pendragon," he stuttered.

"Oh! A Pendragon!" The man was thoroughly surprised, "What house?" He asked.

"The Melvis Pendragons of Benatleb."

"How unfortunate," he nodded several times.

"Huh? Wait, why is that unfor—"

He paused, unable to ask why. Not because he couldn't but rather he wouldn't.

Why? He heard his and Lamperogueʼs names being shouted.

"Archibald!"

"Sir Knight!"

"Archibald!"

"Sir Rogue!"

In this order, Rumia and Lutessa called out their names respectively.

They'd reached around the region the two most likely fell into.

It was a matter of finding them.

Which was now a success.

"Hey!"

Vigorously, Archibald waved at them as he shouted to grasp their attention.

On the other hand, Lamperogue gently waved with an ambivalent expression.

"Miss Rumia, I think I can see them!"

An ecstatic utterance from Lutessa. She was relieved they'd found them.

"Runteria..."

He wanted to tell him something, but before Lamperogue had the chance, the old man was already gone.

Like he was never there.

"I told you they'd find us."

Archibald spoke as Lobo walked in circles around him. A playful gesture perhaps.

"I suppose you were right," a calm expression, as Lamperogue folded his arms.

"Well then, shall we get going?"

As Archibald said this, he adjusted his coat and pulled down his hood.

The blizzard wasn't as terrible, so now he wouldn't have to cover every single portion of skin.

"Yes," a plain utterance from Lamperogue.

The two approached the girls treading gently upon the snow.

It wasn't as difficult to walk.

"I'm glad you both are safe!" Lutessa tightened the grip on her staff, "Thank Lord Vayetra!"

"I'm definitely glad, who knows what would've happened if I'd been alone."

Archibald exhaled a breath of fresh air, declaring how glad he was they were both safe.

Naturally, Lamperogue was silent.

"I'm glad too."

Then he spoke.

"So, Rumia, I'm sure you were worried too."

Archibald smiled pervertedly, creeping up on her from behind.

"Not really," she replied with arms folded and eyes closed.

"Is that so?" Archibald rubbed his chin whilst wearing a smug face.

Until, Lobo made an appearance before the two.

"Oh, Lobo," he'd forgotten about the wolf he named.

"Lobo? We're not carrying that mutt with us."

Rumia made up her mind before Archibald got a chance to talk.

The wolf looked at her, silently.

Without warning it growled at her which resulted in Rumia stepping back abruptly.

As a result, she tripped over and so did Archibald who was behind her.

Seated on his crotch, although accidentally, Rumiaʼs face instantly turned a light shade of red.

Archibald on the other hand thanked the gods.

In summary, another slap was in order. One so loud that it sent the birds at the summit flying off in random directions.

Fortunately for him, it was so cold he could barely feel the slap.

Still, his left cheek screamed red.

"Oh my goodness! Are you okay Sir Knight?"

Lutessa asked, concerned about the blood rolling down his nostrils as a result of the slap.

On the other hand, Lamperogue nodded.

This was his own way of stating he expected this.

"Not to worry, I'm fine!"

Archibald acrobatically rose to his feet.

Simply by looking at him, one could tell he wasn't alright.

"Serves you right," said Rumia.

"It's not like I wanted you to sit on me, you did it on your own."

"Don't make it sound dirty!"

"Hey! Hey! Wait! I'm not the one who was throwing myself at a handsome red haired fellow, that was all you," he laughed loudly.

Again, Rumia attempted to slap him but this time she missed.

To his luck, Archibald was able to evade her slap while smiling mischievously.

"Can you love birds stop for a moment," a calm tone from Lamperogue.

"We're not love birds!" Rumia was quick to react.

"I think we are," said Archibald while he rubbed his chin, nodding several times.

"What do we do about him?"

Lamperogue pointed at Lobo, as the "him" he was referring to.

"Alright, go shoo boy.."

Archibald made hand gestures, this was his attempt at sending him away.

Still, the wolf was reluctant to leave.

"Why won't he go?"

He looked at the wolf while he posed this question.

"Well, because you and the wolf are in a contract, apparently..."

With her palm upon her face, Rumia used an exasperated voice to speak.

"What?!"

A sharp, piercing cry echoed across the Rabastines as Archibald held his head in his hands.

"Oh, so that's what that mark on your hand was," it was only now Lamperogue identified the beast crest he had on his hand.

The beast crest was a pictorial representation or proof of contract between master and beast.

Lobo whimpered several times, standing next to the weeping Archibald.

He was stuck in a contract with a wolf.

"Oh Sir Knight, it's just like you," Lutessa smiled awkwardly.

------------

Runteria was out of the Rabastines and seen walking with his staff, which gave him a somewhat authoritative appearance.

Despite his reputation for being powerful, his words often came across as foolish.

Upon recalling Archibald's claim of being a Pendragon, Runteria's expression turned weary.

"I can see why little Lamperogue chose to stay beside the boy, but, it's unfortunate that of all the Pendragons he could've stayed beside, he chose the Pendragons of Benatleb... Then again, that little boy, Archibald was it? He could turn out to be an anomaly."

The old man continued his progressive steps.