Edlic's POV

"So, Eskarndian prince, what would we do? It's boring, right?"

Dayne said, lying on her belly on her bed.

"Well, I can't argue that I'm not bored."

I reply, sitting crossed leg on the sofa.

After done playing Regiis pugna, we're discussing various thing, until she remembered something.

"Ishar informed me to teach you about our 'deep' culture. How about we go for a walk outside this cage?"

She sits up, straightens her back, and stand.

"There's someone who I know really well inside the city. He's fun to be with."

I glance at her, thinking.

Outside of Aestas palace?

I could bring George along too. It's boring to stand outside the room, guarding.

"Okay, that's a kind of idea sound good."

"Right, right?"

She replies with enthusiasm.

"I know a way we could get out there. It's my secret."

She places her finger on her lip, blinking her onyx eyes.

And that's how it's all started. We're taking an underground passage that's hidden beneath Dayne's bed.

She said this room used to be her mother's study room. Her mother needs this hidden passage to escape her work sometimes.

I wonder if my father has one hidden in his office, too, maybe?

"Y-Your Highnesses, princess, and prince, should we do this?"

Following behind us, George is worried and uncertain at the same time.

"Do not worry, George Bell, I've got you around."

Using my confidence, I ensure him.

He may not be the greatest swordsman, but he has some experience.

I could use my magic to defend myself. If there's ever any danger in the city of the Eion, that's is.

And the princess looks capable too. She should be able to defend herself.

"Hehe, Is that's your guard? He's such a scaredy-cat."

He's just a recruit, yet to experience the harshness of his duty as the royal guard.

He's a commoner who strives to help his family from poverty.

Even if our Eskarnda is a prosperous nation, there are still some spots that light to cast on.

"Well, he needs time, but he's a capable man nonetheless."

Glancing back at George, I replying to Dayne.

"Okay, put that aside. We're almost there. The exit should get us to Azara, the eastern town."

"Even though our city's way of commuting is by the canal, but there's an underground pathway system that connected each part of the town for people to walk."

"And Azara is the place for people to gets and sell a thing, a commercial hub of our proud nation."

Her voice echoes throughout the passage, voicing her excitement as she hastily strides.

"Are you excited, Eskarndian prince?"

She asks.

Well, I'm excited, but you're too obvious, Dayne.

Dayne, she's hard to predict. Sometimes, she's kind, and sometimes, a kind of social trash, exactly like how she always argues with me about who stronger than who and who should obey who in my past.

She treated me as an eyesore, but if it's were other than me, she treats them kindly, which makes me wanted to drown myself alive for believing it.

She's showering them with care and an overly sweet word.

Bruh! Thinking about it makes me kind of dizzy.

And now, look at this kid, a kid that will grow into that kind of person.

I could see her personalities starting to manifest.

I wonder if the queen has any influence on this?

"Okay, beyond this door, is the Azara."

She stops at the metal door. The light shines in through the gap over the door, showing Dayne's expression.

"Hurry up! You'll be late our specialties that sell only at noon!"

She places her hand on the handle, slightly pulling the door.

"W-Wait, your highness."

Dayne's pulling the door inward, letting in the light into the dark passage.

Woah, I'm blind from the brightness of the outside.

"What are you waiting for?'

Dayne asks before she dashes out of the passage into the grass field.

"Let's go, George."

I ordered as I step out of the passage.

Hmm.

I look back to where I came from, the passage hidden by the foliage of bush and stone.

Well hidden, I guess.

It seems I'm in some sort of plain. Behind me was a high cliff, and the golden dome sits over it.

We're not that far from the Aestas palace after all, but walking here takes quite the time, around a quarter of an hour.

I turn around to find the girl.

S-She disappeared?

I look around the field, looking in every direction.

There she is, jumping and waving at us over that bolder.

She's fast for short legs.

"George, let's move on."

I call George as he's struggling to get out from the tiny exit of the passage.

"W-Wait... Aw, not again."

As I ran across the field, the sight of the canal emerges over the horizon.

Many boats and ships are sailing in the canal that flowing around Eion.

"Just over the canal, and we're in the Azara."

The girl places her hand over her forehead, blocking the glare from the radiant light from above.

"There a bridge over there that only an authorized individual can cross over."

She points to the small guard post under the tree.

Where's your bridge?

"Okay, let's not waste our time, let's go."

She jumps down from the boulder and happily skipping along the field.

I look behind, seeing the tired George is walking to catch with our pace.

"Considering this is part of your training, George Bell."

I smile, walking with my hand crossed behind my back.

He's mumbling something that I couldn't hear.

"Well, princess. I was wondering, what is this place? It's so big."

I ask Dayne, looking around.

"This place? Uhmm."

She looks into the cavern's ceiling, lost in deep thougt.

"I don't know. Perhaps my mother could answer that."

She sighs.

From what I see, this place is mostly empty, just two or three trees on the field.

I could feel immense magic around here. Maybe it's from the dome since we're close.

We're approaching the guard post. There, two men are doing their duty. One's sleeping under the tree while the other's reading the newspaper.

"Oh, hello, sir?"

Dayne waves, smiling.

"oh, hello. How's y-"

He takes his sight on the newspaper and replies.

"Wh- Greeting, your highness, the princess!"

He's quickly throwing away the newspaper, standing straight, and greeting us.

"You'll still remember me, I'm glad."

She walks closer to the guard and pats him on the back three times.

He glances past Dayne's shoulder and looks at me.

"Are those two your guests, princess?"

He nervously asks, looking at me with doubt.

I'm, and he is out of place, right?

Dress in white from head to toe, a dazzling blonde hair with snow-white skin, unlikely for the local.

As for George, similar attire, but having a sword on his waist is strange for Shalese.

"Haha, those two are my honored guests."

She's walking around the man one time.

"Why don't you allowing us over to the Azara?"

The guard quickly regained his sense and nodding rapidly.

"Yes, I will never disobey you, princess!"

He then hastily retreat into the guard post, making some weird sound.

Then, the tree glows bright yellow, waking the man sleeping under it.

"W-WHAT IS HAPPENING, Addi?!"

He jumps up and running toward the guard post.

"P-Princess!"

His eyes widen as he saw the redhead blocking his way.

"You Fool, Ardio!"

Addi appeared from the guard post, knocking Ardio on his head.

"I'm sorry for this ignorant man, your highness, and honored guests."

He bows while also forcing the other man to bows as well.

"Now greeting her highness properly, Ardio!"

Addi whispers loudly.

"Please forgive for my rudeness, your highness."

Ardio bows his head down slightly.

"It's okay, just sk-"

Dayne's waving her hand but getting interrupted by Ardio.

"This one name is Ardio, will always be your shield and sword, princess."

He looks up with his strong-eyes fills with light.

Dayne was distraught for a moment.

"Um. What?"

"Please allow this one to accompany on your journey, your highness."

He walks closer to Dayne and stops a few meters away, kneeling down.

"Ardio! W-What are you doing!'

His friend, Addi, is yelling at the kneeling Ardio.

Dayne turns to me, giving me a message, "It's normal. Don't need to be afraid."

Judging from her face, that's what I perceived.

"Haah... Ardio, was it?"

She places her hands on his shoulders, sweating nervously.

"Yes, your highness."

He looks at her with hopeful eyes.

Well, this is a weird situation.

"I'm glad that you offer y-your time to escorting us, but I don't want to."

With a straight forward face, she points out her thought.

"W-"

Ardio was in shock before slumping down on four.

"S-Sorry for this man's weird behavior, your highness."

Addi comes, and crouching down beside Ardio, patting him on his back.

"The Scera will be formed in a moment, princess."

Addi points at the glowing tree.

"It's will take you over the canal and into the Azara."

His benevolent demeanor, he's the guard I wanted one in my palace.

Most of the guards are not easy to converse with, acting by the code like a golem.

"Please take these. It makes you able to step on the Scera and will help us locate you when you're in trouble."

Addi's handing us a diamond-shaped yellow stone with a strange symbol of wind and sun.

Its golden color matched the color of the Scera itself.

"Well, thanks to you for your help."

Dayne smiles, putting away the crystal.

"I'm just doing my duty, your highness."

"I'm not taking any more of your precious time, your highness."

"Please have a wonderful trip along with our honored guests.

He says as the Scera is starting to form at the same time.

"Let's go, Es-"

She about to exposes my identity, so I interrupted her.

"Ed, you may call me Ed, princess."

Dayne is surprised for a moment.

"Well, then you call me Sunny then, and for that man over there..."

Looking at George, she pauses.

"Bell, call him, Bell."

"Alright, Ed, Bell, let's go to Azara, shall we?"