Barney observed the face of Lady Lisa and Lord Edward. The change in the contour, the slight frown, the hidden surprise, the involuntary muscle twitch, none escaped his observation. It wasn't their fault, none could have expected this. The letter they were reading was something that came out of nowhere, completely out of their expectation. His resignation letter. Lord Edward gave him a questioning look after reading it. Barney knew the look far too well, there was no need for the actual question. He was asking him whether he was sure about the letter. "I'm sure, my lord." "This ... is very unexpected of you, Barney." It was Lady Lisa's turn to speak. "Do you finally see how good it is to take break?" Lady Lisa was joking to lighten the mood, he knew that much, but this was not the time to respond to a joke. He gave both of his masters a good look, showing them his iron-clad resolve. "I've finally found something I truly want, my lord, my lady. I'm afraid if I don't act now, I'll lose this chance. My apolog-" "Do not apologize." Lord Edward cut in with a stern voice. "It's good you finally have something you want for your own. To have your own goal in life." "Thank you, my lo-" "I'm not you lord anymore, Barney. From now on, act like we are equal." He had a stoic expression befitting of his voice. Though what lay under that stoic mask, what thought ran through his brilliant mind, what his heart was feeling, he could not ascertain. "Then I thank you ... Lord Edward. Pardon me, but I can't drop your title." "There's nothing to be thanked, Barney. In fact, I think this should be celebrated, no?" Lady Lisa answered. "I don't think I deserve that." His resignation brought great inconvenience to house Lion. Long he may have served them, he didn't think it was worth celebrating. "Bullshit!" Lord Edward slammed his fist on the table. Old he might be, Lord Edward was still a fine warrior. "You have served me and my family a great deal. I'll hang anyone who says otherwise." He turned towards his wife. "Can you please tell the other servant, love?" Lady Lisa stood and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Of course, love." The way she moved, and walked, her gesture, even with some graying hair she had, without a doubt, regained her youthfulness. Barney and Lord Edward halted their conversation for a while after lady Lisa left the room. "What is it, Barney, that you want?" "I'm afraid I can't tell you the detail. It will be distressing if I don't tell you the whole story, and I don't think we have the time for that." "Is it has some connection to your past ... occupation?" In this household, only lord Edward knew about Barney's past and true nature. He believed lady Lisa also had some suspicion, but she was the type to know what matters should and shouldn't be discussed. Truly a fine lady. "Yes." He put his hand on the table, his fingers interlocked. "I came to the human realm in search for purpose and goal in life, just as I had for as long as I can remember. I felt happiness and satisfaction when I serve you, Lord Edward. You are one of the best masters I have ever served. When I first met you when you were but a boy of twelve, seeing you grow into the man you are now, I felt joy I haven't felt in a very very long time. I felt like a father once again. When I helped Lady Lisa deliver her labor, I felt an unknown joy. Witnessing the birth of grandchildren I never had. When I saw young Edmund overcoming his fear and anxiety and ran away from home, I saw my own grandson maturing. Yet ... "While I do feel joy and satisfaction, I still haven't found my purpose in life. I thought that it would be fine as long as I serve you and your family, that I would be happy and fulfilled. While that was true, it was no different when I served my brother, god knows how long ago that was, when I served the many masters I served over the years. But now, I found something worth fighting for, worth risking my life for, and I don't want to waste this. For I might never discover something like this, ever again." "Then it is truly worthy of a celebration, is it not?" "If you insist." Another butler soon entered the room with a jug of high-quality wine in his hands. He poured it into two cups, the proper way Barney had told him to pour back when he was but a trainee. He left the room after that, knowing where and when his presence was wanted or not. Just like Barney had trained him. "So, where are you going next? Home, across the mountain?" Barney stirred the wine a few times, took a lungful of the fragrance, and took a sip. "Not yet, there's a lot of work I've to do in this half of the world. After that, more work on that half of the world. Never planning to take another rest anytime soon." A knock came from the door. "Love, everyone's here." "Soon, love, just give us a little bit more time." They both stood from their chair. "Come here, Barney, I have something for you." He walked around the table. In lord Edward's hand was ... A rapier. The rapier pierced his clothes and pushed his chest, right where his heart lies. But no blood came out. The tip stopped, the blade bent, and- Snap One part fell to the floor, the other flew and hit the wall. "Still can't do it, it seems." Lord Edward complained. Barney had a smile on his face. This fiery and almost reckless behavior of Lord Edward, how nostalgic. "Didn't you stop trying that twenty years ago? I told you it won't work, even in my sleep." "Still, a man must make certain what is uncertain, you told me that yourself." Lord Edward extended his hand, in it was a badge with the sigil of house Lion on it. "Take it, as a gift. And know that if one day you decide to return here, you will be more than welcome." "And if one day you need my help, Lord Edward, I'll be more willing to help." He took the badge and shook his hand. "May I give you some advice, some insight into the future, Lord Edward?" Lord Edward just gave him a strange look, neither refusing nor confirming nor giving him insight into what was going on inside that mind of his. "Tell your retainers to start training the peasants and preparing equipment. War is inevitable at this point. But don't move your armies. Whatever happens, keep them in your territories and only engage in defensive battle." Lord Edward squinted his eyes. "Barney, what are you playing here?" "Many things, but it shouldn't concern you much. Rest assured, Lord Edward, no harm should come to you or your family as long as you follow my advice, I will assure you that much ..." He bowed his head. "Forgive me if that came out very condescendingly, I never meant that." Lord Edwards sighed. "No intention to explain it then. Fine, I shan't pry further." "Thank you for your understanding, Lord Edward. Shall we go?" Barney spent the rest of his morning giving farewell to all the servants. Most of them were his students, the rest his student's students. Some applied to be the servant of the house, some he offered the job, some had never known anything but be a servant of house Lion. Some had a smile on their face, some cried, some begged him not to leave, they were all friends for him. A part of his family. Each gave him a parting gift for him to remember them by, lady Lisa even gave the butler suit, much to his and her delight. He had grown to like it. He would treasure every single one of them. Serving house Lion had been a better part of his long life, and he would remember it for the rest of his life. His heart was heavy when he left them, but he was determined. "Well now, I should find some roof over my head." He watched the sunset on top of a small hill near Aeston. The weather had been nice and mild the last few days, but that wasn't a guarantee it would stay like that. Luckily for him, he had many acquaintances all over the world. "But first, a matter of business." He clapped his gloved hand. Black bubbly liquid leaked out from in-between, yet it neither stuck nor stained the flawless white glove. It was a drip at first, then a trickle, then it gushed out like a blood from open wound. The pooling black liquid between his legs coagulated and coalesced into many figures. Ravens, ten of them, each with only one eye. "Go." He gestured with his hand and the birds flew off, never in the same direction. One headed to Mosk, one to the North, two to the Free cities, one headed far east, one to the Forbidden Forest of Amaryn, four to the demon realm, and the last one flew to Redmound. It circled all five of Redmound castle sky-scrapping towers before perching on the open windows of the conference room. It took a good look of the inside, not missing a single spot. Then it sat waiting. Waiting for the next council meeting in two days. When the meeting finally come, its only eye turned blood red. And it started cawing, bringing along with it a whisper hidden in the winds. Stronger men wouldn't be affected by it, but lesser men would hear it as their own voice, their inner voice, the demon and angel on their shoulder. By the time the meeting ends, few conclusions had been achieved. Two of which were the order for the garrison in Mount Etna and the refusal of payment for adventurers in that same mountain.