"See? I told you the mages were very friendly and accommodating," Loys spoke up over the communication crystal, to which Julius just sighed and held his head with his hand.

"Maybe so, but it was still a very unpleasant conversation for me."

"Oh come on, you're exaggerating. Weren't you just saying yourself that you were surprised at how normally the High-Magicians and the Eldest talked to you?"

"Yes, but..."

"See? Then it's not as bad as you make it seem. Leonhardt also assured you, that Raphael is an honest soul and tries hard to please everyone, didn't he?"

"It's still strange to be here in the Magistrat. I couldn't get used to this dominant feeling of Mana even last time. It's kind of... alienating and feels stifling. I don't understand at all how you can sleep with that feeling."

"It's just your psyche. You don't have to be as tense as you are right now. Once you allow yourself to relax, it will get better. I promise."

"If you say so," Julius replied skeptically, staring at the image of his colleague. "How are things in Sylve?"

"Unchanged. We've had a discussion or two with the Duchess of Caplens, but otherwise it's been pretty quiet."

"Duchess of Caplens? Why that?"

"Oh, Gloria and Teresa had a disagreement about raising children."

"Over the child again?"

"Yes. Teresa's daughter is now entering the second year of the State Institute for Youth Education, and Gloria thinks the child is too inexperienced and immature to skip a grade."

"How does Duchess of Caplens even know that's possible?"

"I guess only the gods know", Loys countered with a shrug. "Gloria had disputes with her for years. To this day, I don't know how the two of them were friends before."

"Weren't Gloria and Duchess of Caplens both friends with Queen Kiana?"

"Yes, they were. Whereas Gloria and Teresa had arguments after Benjamin was born", the Duke murmured, rubbing his hair thoughtfully before his gaze fell on something that seemed to be behind the communication crystal. "Were you eavesdropping on me?"

"Who, me?", a female voice spoke up. "Never."

"You've never been good at lying", Loys replied, sliding a bit to the side so that the slender, brown-haired woman in a silky white cloak could take a seat next to him.

"It's good to see you, Julius."

"It's a pleasure, Gloria."

"It's a shame you weren't in Oriann for the festivities this year. I'm sure you would have enjoyed it."

"I certainly did", Julius replied, hoping to avoid the subject.

"I guess that's all I should ask, isn't it? I'd love it if you'd lay your attitude toward alcohol sometime", Gloria whined softly, then looked over at her husband. "So? I heard my name called. What were you two talking about?"

"About Teresa of Caplens and her way of raising children."

"Oh, by the gods!", Gloria groaned. "That woman is driving me crazy. How can anyone be so demanding?"

"In what way?", Julius inquired cautiously.

"The woman is a beast. Straight up. If you talk to her, you'll find out for yourself."

"I think I can live without it."

"Yeah, me too. Really. Sometimes I wonder what happened to make her so possessive and demanding. Before, when Kiana was alive, she was a completely different woman."

"You change over time, it's normal", Loys commented with a gentle smile. "When we were both younger, you know how concerned we were for Benjamin's safety, and now look at him. He's been living without us for two years."

"Still, he remains my little boy to me," Gloria murmured grimly, looking back at Julius. "That reminds me. Have you met Benjamin yet?"

"Unfortunately, no. He's staying with High-Magician Leuen and they were all asleep when we arrived", Julius explained as he saw something jumping over the rooftops of the city in the corner of his eye. Curious, he peered out the window, but couldn't make out who exactly he had just seen. "How come you're still awake, Gloria?"

"Me? Ask Loys. He's so impatient, he kept turning in bed and waking me up every time."

"I'm sorry...", Loys broke in, embarrassed.

"I can already tell I'm way too deeply involved in your personal lives. I can picture it far too clearly", Julius replied, shaking his head as he tried to shake the thought from his mind.

"Why you never retired is a mystery to me anyway", Loys replied, leaning forward a bit. "Who knows. Maybe you'll find a pretty mage to win your heart."

"I'm over fifty, Loys. I'm really too old for this kind of thing."

"Too old for what? To wish for a family?", Loys threw back, to which Julius could only sigh.

"Yeah", Julius sighed and then stood up to step closer to the window. "No offense, but these discussions are getting annoying."

"Let him be. You know how Julius is", Gloria spoke up in a supported manner.

"I'm just saying...", Loys grumbled quietly to himself, while Julius continued to watch the unknown figure on the roof. A few moments later, a second, much larger figure appeared and seemed to be conversing with the first. Shortly thereafter, the two people jumped in Julius' direction and the smaller figure stopped for a moment a few feet from his window.

Yusuf Mirai.

The blind mage stared at Julius in silence before he began grinning from ear to ear and disappeared. Irritated, Julius followed the mage with his gaze as he could see a faint fire in the distance.

Why was it burning in the Magistrat in the middle of the night?

"Were you even listening to me?" spoke up Loys, causing Julius to flinch in surprise and look back at the crystal.

"What?"

"Where are you again with your thoughts?"

"Oh I... the mages are really weird, don't you think?"

"The mages? Some, yes, but not all. Talking to the High-Magicians is a welcome change, in my opinion", Loys replied.

"Something different from the constant power struggle between the dukes for a change", Gloria threw in supportively, to which Loys just nodded in agreement. "Anyway. Please bring my son back to Sylve safe and sound, and please thank High-Magician Leuen for his care."

"I already have. He said to me that he wouldn't have minded having William and Benjamin stay with him, as he sees them both as his friends."

"Having a High-Magician as a friend...", Gloria murmured thoughtfully. "... respect. Benjamin definitely takes after you, Loys."

"You're exaggerating."

"Me? Never...", the woman replied with a laugh.

"That reminds me. Loys, there's something else I wanted to ask you", Julius butted back into the conversation.

"What?"

"Do you know how An Perendan and High-Magician Leuen met?"

"Only to a certain extent. She had never really explained herself to Leonhardt, but by all appearances she owed High-Magician Leuen something. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just curious. High-Magician Leuen seemed to me to have quite a bit of influence in Sylve."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"You're aware of that?", Julius threw back in surprise.

"You're not?"

"No, I never really noticed."

"Ever since Madam Perendan took over command of the First Company, the soldiers have been all over the place. Whatever High-Magician Leuen said to her, she made sure that the number of swordmasters in Bellator doubled. In comparison, the training area was almost empty back then."

"Yeah, that's true...", Julius muttered, remembering back to the time when he had met regularly with the other swordmasters from Sylve to train together. "Don't you think that's kind of weird?"

"In the past, yes. However, by now I have gotten used to it. Leonhardt had spoken to High-Magician Leuen back then, after all, and you know that Sir Leuen only cares about people's safety. And for us, that was never a bad thing, or would you say otherwise?"

"No..."

"Then why this statement? What gives you such thoughts?"

"I don't know. Somehow Caleb Leuen seems suspicious to me. What do you mean... how long has he known about the creature problem?"

"I don't know. I would guess since Groka."

"And about the... you know", Julius replied, gesturing in Gloria's direction with a quick nod of his head.

"I see... I'm hearing things again that I shouldn't. Well then, I'm going to go back to bed. Don't argue too long, you two", Gloria spoke up and pressed a kiss to her husband's cheek before getting up and disappearing again. Loys smiled after his wife for a moment before the door slammed shut and his expression darkened abruptly.

"I don't know", he countered immediately. "I've been asking myself that question since the moment the Magistrat informed us. After all, I've talked to High-Magician Leuen a few times, but he never struck me as someone who would act carelessly or even abuse and lie to us."

"Do you want me to do some research?"

"Better not. I don't want to provoke an argument without first talking it over with Leonhardt."

"Understandable", Julius replied, leaning against the window before yawning. "But I'm not the only one who finds the whole situation strange. Am I? In general, High-Magician Leuen's entire behavior since the attack on Kutam seems strange to me. How old is he again?"

"I don't know exactly. He should be Benjamin's age."

"A child...", murmured Julius softly. "When I was that young, I didn't know what to do with my life."

"Yes... High-Magician Leuen seems to be hiding some things, but his genius and inquisitiveness cannot be denied. He has a knack for engaging people in conversation and eliciting information from them. You don't realize that until it's too late."

"Yeah, I had that feeling, too", Julius replied thoughtfully. "Do you remember that dinner with him at the palace?"

"Yes. As if it was yesterday. I didn't expect such a confident demeanor from such a young man, even if he is officially a High-Magician. I can't get over comparing High-Magician Leuen to Benjamin or Prince William."

"The three of them are like night and day. Compared to High-Magician Leuen, Benjamin and Prince William are just clueless children."

"Then we think alike", Loys countered, leaning back. "I'm just trying to understand how High-Magician Leuen has been able to recognize dangers to which we were blind."

"And then to not even charge us anything for his work", Julius added, to which Loys just nodded.

"I've been racking my brains over this for a long time, but since I know that Benjamin has befriended High-Magician Leuen, I'll let the research go. It seems rude to me to inquire about my son's friend. I don't want to seem like the paranoid father who doesn't trust his son."

"Whereas, we're talking about a High-Magician here. That's a different issue."

"Not for me. I trust Benjamin, and I've trusted the High-Magicians for quite a while now, too."

"Yeah, I guess we have High-Magician Ander to thank for that", Julius muttered softly. "Ah, by the way. I met Odin, and he told me to give you his regards."

"Greet him back for me and tell him to show up in Bellator again."

"He was expecting the answer, which is why he said he'd stop by when the situation was under control", Julius explained, to which Loys started laughing.

"By now, he knows me too well."

"I feel the same way", Julius confirmed. "How did you guys even meet back then?"

"By chance, to be honest. At a Lamina Naria concert in Knisha. We got to talking then, and when he said to me that he was going on a trip through Sylve, visiting all the major cities, I jokingly told him to come to Oriann."

"Did he know who you were?"

"No, he didn't. But he didn't tell me his identity either."

"And when did all this come up?", Julius inquired curiously, before Loys fell silent, sighed, and leaned forward.

"Do you remember the child abduction?"

"Which ones? There were quite a few."

"The very first one."

"The kidnapping of the first, noble child?"

"Yes. Gloria was heavily pregnant with Benjamin at the time, and the morning after the concert I was awakened with a message from Duke of Wittgen. He informed me that all the guests had been asked to return to Knisha for questioning, which is why I also rode back to Knisha an hour later."

"And High-Magician Ander, too?"

"No. Odin was one of the candidates who could not be located, and since I was involved at the time, I agreed to help find him. I found Odin, not even 4 hours later. Want to know where?"

"Where?"

"Outside Oriann. Gloria's labor had started and some midwives were on their way to our estate. One of the carriages, however, got into an accident and three guesses who helped."

"High-Magician Ander?"

"That's right. He was using his magic to help repair the carriage when I happened to be riding along the path and we bumped into each other. Before I could say anything, one of the midwives had already recognized me and told me that Gloria was in labor and they were on their way to Oriann. I instantly didn't care about the whole search for the guests, and I wanted to get to Oriann right away when Odin offered to take us there with his magic."

"You flew with him?"

"Yes. He had brought the two midwives and me to my estate at just the right time for me to witness the birth of Benjamin."

"Well, that's a twist of fate. No wonder you're always so friendly in his presence."

"Yes, I must admit, I was always very grateful to Odin for that action. That night, I also thanked him personally for his help and offered to pay him for his help. But he didn't accept. He said to me then that a High-Magician helps where he can."

"That's how you found out he was a High-Magician?"

"Yes, that's how I found out at the time. I was... REALLY surprised. I mean, my mind was in another world too, but the statement literally froze me. I'd never met a High-Magician at that point, and I was surprised... at how normal they were."

"I can understand that", Julius confirmed with a smile.

"That was the beginning of our friendship. We didn't see each other for a year after that, until there was a meeting between the Magistrat and the Royal House, and Odin came to Bellator as a councilor and representative of Altona. And everything after that is history."

"It's interesting to see how small the world can be", Julius replied, nodding. "What actually happened to the missing noble child from Knisha?"

"I don't know. To this day, no one knows what happened to the boy", Loys explained, shrugging his shoulders. "I have to admit that I wasn't very involved in the first child abduction. It wasn't until kind of 6 years later, when the first kidnappings started happening in Bellator, that I really became aware."

"An eternal mystery."

"Yeah. To this day, I wonder what was actually going on back then. Did you know that I was also directly involved with Odin, Tavian and Benjamin in one of the kidnapping attempts?"

"How so?"

"The four of us were out in the country with some of my men, Ben was still 10 at the time. A woman ran up behind a big carriage and yelled after them to release her daughter. Odin didn't hesitate long and forced the carriage to come to a stop. Turned out they were smugglers and had kidnapped 5 children."

"I remember that story. Hadn't the smugglers taken their own lives at that time?"

"Yes, they did. Odin was just taking care of the children while my men and I arrested the smugglers. Three relatively young men who couldn't have been more inconspicuous. One of them immediately cut his jugular at the sight of me and the other two ran off. I went after them, and when they realized they couldn't escape me, that's when they took their own lives, too."

"Did Benjamin actually witness the whole thing at the time?"

"The first suicide, yes. But not the others. Odin distracted him with his magic", Loys replied with a faint smile. "After the creatures' second attack on Exarion, I also spoke with Odin. He told me about the battle from his perspective and said to me that he was extremely surprised when he met Benjamin on the battlefield. Odin said to me that he never expected that the child he happened to be present at the birth of would one day save his life."

"Benjamin has become a man..."

"He did, yes. A fact that is really hard for me to accept as a father."