"Don't laugh like that, I'm serious!", Aletta complained, while her friends had to force themselves not to attract all the attention of the guests.

They had reached the large restaurant on higher ground and had been given a table with a perfect view of the city. The group had already been there for two hours and were just waiting for their desserts to arrive. The place was well attended and most of the guests didn't seem to be of poor parents either. All of them wore noble sets and behaved accordingly, even though she kept casting curious glances at the group. Some of those present were mages and had been quick to recognize Cale accordingly, so the presence of a High-Magician made the rounds relatively quickly.

"I can't... I can't take it anymore", Ben brought out, desperately trying to gasp for air. His stomach had started to hurt from all the laughter, but when he looked into Aletta's serious face, he started all over again.

"Philippa", Aletta called her name helpfully, but she quickly denied the request with her hand. Somewhat defiantly, therefore, the healer remained seated and watched the spectacle wordlessly before she could see an old man come into the kitchen with a large tray and immediately fix his gaze on her table.

"I think our dessert is coming", she finally reported, which caused the four of them to quickly settle down and sit up. Cale didn't need to turn around to the back. Thanks to the mana, he knew exactly who was making their way over. Elegantly, the waiter strode past the tables, holding the tray with one hand, before arriving at his destination.

"Five times the specialty the house?" the waiter raised and received a nod of approval from Aletta, so he began placing the plates. Wide-eyed, the four of them looked at the unfamiliar dessert that Cale had recommended to them, while the mage himself observed the waiter.

"Nice to see you again, Caleb", he finally lifted, which immediately put all eyes on the mage.

"Good to see you, too, Henry."

"You haven't shown your face in over two years, if I hadn't recognized your barrier the other day, I'd probably still think you'd disappeared", the waiter chimed in, patting the High-Magician on the shoulder with amusement.

"You know each other?", Aletta asked in surprise, glancing alternately back and forth between Cale and Henry.

"Do I know the snotty brat? Of course, I do! It seems like the day he came to my door and wanted me to teach him how to cook."

"Eh? This is the man who taught you how to cook?", William interjected in wonder.

"Yes. Allow me to introduce you to an old friend. Henry Larnge, owner of the Larnge Restaurant", Cale threw back. The restaurant where they were having dinner belonged to the man who was currently standing at his table. "How's your knee?"

"Unchanged. Still giving me trouble", Henry replied politely, bowing to the five diners. He was usually at home in the kitchen, but he couldn't resist saying a quick hello to his old friend. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to my restaurant."

He then straightened up and looked back and forth between Aletta and William before turning his attention back to the High-Magician.

"I didn't realize you made friends with nobles."

"You know who we are?", William interjected, giving Ben an appraising look.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to be rude to your Majesty and Lady Merensen."

"What gave us away?", William retorted, visibly confused that a stranger from Altona had recognized him.

"I have spent all my life in Bellator and have had much contact with your soldiers, you must know. One therefore learns a thing or two", the old man politely admitted.

"You are from Bellator?", Ben interjected.

"That's a surprise. How did you ended up in Altona?", William asked, prompting Henry to cast an appraising glance at Cale. His hand gestures told the man that he was happy to tell the story.

"Well, your friend Caleb was the trigger. When he was, gods how old were you then Caleb.... 10? He came to me then, studied with me for a few years and helped me with my place. My main customers included soldiers, but the palace had started to put a stricter schedule on them, so I was starting to run out of customers. Therefore, Cale had offered me to accompany him back to Exarion. For a long time, I didn't know that he was a magician, even though he often didn't come home for several weeks or months. I was all the more surprised to learn shortly after our arrival that Altona had announced a 12th High-Magician. Do you know what kind of face I made when I heard Caleb's name?", the man reported, laughing a moment later, while Cale just shrugged his shoulders as if white-knuckling the blame. "With the help of Caleb, I was able to finance the place and make a life for myself here in Exarion. Even my wife, who was originally just my doctor, I met through Caleb."

"You married Elisa?", Cale replied in amazement.

"You've missed a lot in your absence. We've been married for a year now."

"Congratulations!", Cale replied, joyfully shaking the hand of the old man, who had always been alone all his life. Of course, Cale had never told him that he had known the cook from his former life, so he was all the more pleased that he was alive and had a wife. Had things turned out differently, the man would have died prematurely, and that background was why Cale asked him to have his health checked regularly.

"Thank you. Now then, I won't disturb you any further and I wish you a good appetite", the man gave a distinguished word before Cale thanked him.

Henry went back to his kitchen while some other guests watched him. They knew the owner, even if he rarely showed his face. It was all the more interesting that he greeted the High-Magician personally and maintained a friendly relationship with him.

"You never told us", Philippa finally interjected reproachfully as she picked up her fork.

"I never found the right moment."

"I always thought you were an Anuxer?", Ben retorted.

"I was, but I have a personal life too, you know. I wasn't a member of the Magistrat at the time and had other things on my mind. Henry had been kind enough to take in a strange child, which is why I'm in his debt till this day", Cale explained calmly before beginning to eat the warm, southern-smelling dish in front of him. One bite was enough to make him melt with joy.

"Eat, this really is heaven on earth!", Cale commanded joyfully and took another bite, prompting the others to follow suit. For a few moments they were skeptical, but a short time later you could tell they were enjoying the house specialty.

"Damn, that's really good!", Aletta confirmed with her mouth full, while the others nodded in agreement.

The five ate their dessert while exchanging a few words. Cale, however, sensed Fengari's mana, so he reflexively looked at the time. He still had a good hour until it was midnight, so he was curious as to what she wanted from him.

For a moment, Cale was afraid that the Eldest had revealed the secret without him after all, but judging by the mage's hesitant manner, he was a bit too cowardly to do so.

, Fengari replied cheerfully, which made Cale breathe a sigh of satisfaction and turn his gaze to William. He was having a conversation with Philippa and seemed to have a cheerful, calm air about him. What he had talked about with his father today, Cale had stopped to inquire. The mage wanted to avoid answering him for the Eldest's statement. By now, there were too many options that William was paying attention to close to the truth, which was why Cale was becoming wary of him.

After the five finished eating and the waiter removed the leftovers, Cale paid for the meal with a large tip and together they left the restaurant. Upon exiting, Cale spotted the doctor, Elisa Larnge, who was chatting with a few people on the sidelines. Their eyes crossed for a moment before Cale raised his hand and waved at her. The older lady did the same with a smile on her face, so her company also glanced at Cale's group. To his surprise, Cale spotted a familiar face.

Ibellina Vonstetten. Grischa's wife was among them.

She, too, raised her hand and greeted him cheerfully, causing Cale to smile. He did not know that Lady Vonstetten and Lady Largen knew each other. It really was a small world.

He pulled his hand down and hurried after his four friends. The healer stretched out her belly and rubbed it contentedly before speaking up.

"Ha, I'm so full you could roll me. If my parents are ever in town, I'll have to bring them here too."

"There's no stopping you from coming here with your fiancé, too", Cale replied with amusement, turning his gaze to the Magistrat that could be seen in the distance. It was the other of the building in which the works were held and there were also some classrooms. A wing of the large building that he visited quite rarely.

"You mean... a... a date?"

"Why not?"

"Oh, no, no. I can't work up the courage for that!", Aletta declared, partly frightened, partly amused.

"Not yet", William corrected her, to which she had no argument. He and Aletta walked at the front, while Ben and Philippa walked beside Cale.

"Hard to believe the year is coming to an end, isn't it", Philippa quietly chimed in, causing Cale to nod in agreement.

"Suddenly time goes by fast, doesn't it? It seems like yesterday when we first met", Ben replied.

"It does. Time has been completely lost in the excitement", Cale interjected, looking to the west as if trying to see Holy Island. Half a year ago, he wouldn't have expected to be on the side of the dragons, which made everything seem so strangely distant.

"Do you have plans for the New Year?", Ben asked, causing Philippa and Cale to look at him.

"I'm open to anything", Philippa admitted.

"Likewise, even if I always have to stay on call for the Magistrat", Cale quickly added.

"Shall we have a little party?" directed Ben's question to the High-Magician.

"Well, I don't see any reason not to."

"With others? I'd invite Grischa, Aaron, Yusuf and Theo too, Miguel as well", Philippa said, holding her strand of hair out of her face with one hand.

"Grischa will celebrate with his family as usual, but with the others I don't see any reason not to", Cale confirmed, not particularly eager to invite Yusuf and Aaron.

"You just want to see Theo again, don't you?", Ben interjected challengingly, causing Philippa to blush abruptly.

"Not at all, what are you saying", she retorted indignantly, causing Ben and Cale to chuckle in amusement.

"Ah, you haven't met Theo yet, have you Cale? We met him back in Winstest when we were looking for Basil Kama. He came with us to Altona", Ben quickly explained. "He's a really nice guy, though you can strongly tell he's not from around here."

"I know, I've heard a thing or two about him", Cale returned, stretching at the statement. "Is he training you guys?"

"No, but he's going to join the general classes."

"From what I hear, he's supposed to be a pretty good spearman. I'm curious to see how he'll do."