"He has a lot of nerve, doesn't he?" Nadia muttered to herself as she gazed at the looming tower in the distance. The impressive height almost reaching the clouds.

Shaking her head, she began walking again, now completely alone. She was still worriedly glancing at the curious little animals who kept coming out of nowhere to look at her. In a way, she's just glad that they don't really get too close to her or she'll seriously have a panic attack right there.

'I mean, imagine seeing a person being chased and coddled by animals... Won't that look weird?'

Because her eyes were focused somewhere, she didn't see the other person who was walking opposite hers and accidentally bumped into them.

"Oof–" the other person cried out.

Nadia immediately turned her head in front and gasped.

"Oh no, I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention to where I'm walking. Are you okay?"

She was both torn with whether she'll touch him or not. Which will be appropriate? The said man in front of her was rubbing the part of his body with which she collided.

He then shook his head to appease her.

"No, it wasn't the lady's fault. It is entirely mine," and bowed his head– "I sincerely apologize, my lady."

In any case, it was both of their faults for not looking forward. If the man himself had seen her, he could have also easily avoided her. But since both of them literally bumped into each other, that just meant that he too wasn't paying attention either.

Unless he had done it on purpose.

"Ah, it's because I wasn't looking so..."

"Nadia!" Eon suddenly called out to her.

Nadia turned her head towards him who was already running up to them.

"Oh, Eon..."

With a frown on his face, he checked on her.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?"

Nadia shook his head, "No, it was just a little incident. Nothing serious..."

Eon was finally satisfied with his thorough inspection and glanced at the other person with them.

He saw a man, dressed in a royal guard uniform, but had looked very unfamiliar to him.

Was he on a different squad perhaps?

"You..."

The man perked up when he laid eyes on him and saluted.

"Ah. I'm one of the queen's guards. I apologize for not greeting the vice-captain of the royal brigade."

Eon's brows furrowed for a second but didn't say anything and just nodded at him before turning his attention back to Nadia.

"Are you going home now?" He inquired, tactically bringing her out of there– "It's probably going to rain soon so you better go before that happens."

"Yes, I know. I'm about to," Nadia affirmed, giving the man a small smile before leaving with Eon in tow.

"Let me escort you to your carriage then. Are you going to say goodbye to Kai?"

"Hmm? Nope, I'll see him at home anyway," replied Nadia.

The two walked away and had stopped paying attention to the man who continued standing there, watching them leave for a brief moment before disappearing out of sight, in case someone notices his presence. The man was no other than Haagenti who flew back to his space just as soon as Janus perceived him.

Janus, who had just lazily lounging about in his golden hammock, a smoking pipe in his right hand, turned his eyes on the tightly closed windows at the topmost floor of the tower. There was an air of indifference in his demeanor, acting as if he could care less with the world outside.

Puffing the smoke out, the corner of his lips then rose into a sneer. His golden irises flickering playfully as he stared from beyond the glasses, seemingly seeing through everything despite the solid barrier.

"That fiend really thought he could hide from me?" he snickered, "Idiot."

Mumbling that, he took another drag on the pipe and released another puff of white smoke which then filled the room. It only adds mysticism to the place that shimmered with gold and decorated with fancy furniture.

"Isn't he underestimating me that much? A simple space like that is easy to destroy with just a flick of my finger," said Janus to no one and chuckled afterward. "I'm only letting him do as he pleases because I am bored," he added.

"And because your master said so," one voice suddenly chimed in. It came from the doorway, which served as a portal to different dimensions. "'Sup." The owner of the said voice then revealed himself.

Janus lazily glanced at the newcomer.

"... Merlin."

A tall man with a dazzling smile stepped in. He was wearing a pair of black ripped pants and an equally black long-sleeved shirt with a dark red robe that reached his ankles covering his shoulders.

"That's all you have to say to me? Aren't you even excited to see your friend?" Merlin commented as he made his way inside the room, stopping just in the middle to admire his surroundings.

"Are you?" Janus voiced out, still not planning to come up from the hammock to entertain his unexpected guest.

"What?"

"My friend?" he deadpanned.

Merlin burst out in a laugh, shaking his head at his rude remark.

"You are still the same, I see."

"Why are you here?"

"Aww, it's because your friend missed you," Merlin responded and pouted at him.

Janus frowned at the childish antics and almost cringed. A grown man pouting is never a great sight.

"... I don't."

Merlin ignored him and continued looking around.

"Hahaha. You have a nice place."

Janus immediately changed his tune upon hearing his compliment.

"This is for my master," he said with a proud look on his face.

"And yet you are here using it," Merlin pointed out.

"Because my master doesn't want to move."

"So you use it instead."

Janus stared at the wizard as he took a deep drag on his pipe. The smoke filled his lungs before he slowly exhaled, eyes glazing over.

"Why are you here Merlin?"

"I told you, it's because I missed you–," he immediately stopped his words when Janus glared at him. "...and also because I have nothing to do."

Janus smirked at his answer. A typical trait of a magic-born like him.

Being on top of everyone else sure makes life seem boring. If not for their constant search for enjoyment and distracting themselves to things that they found interesting, the world would have been thrown into chaos a long time ago.

Well, there was a certain period, yes. It was the time when the thirst for power was running rampant in their veins. He who had always been the greatest in everything he does, also the fact that he was already so powerful since young, had viewed life as something mundane.

He craved satisfaction in which he sought by fighting.

Waging fights and winning them all easily didn't exactly make him happy. It made him haughtier. Made his already big head bigger, that there was not a single time he behaved. He challenged everyone, angered the many, and even mocked the gods.

He really doesn't care at all as long as he can fight and crush his opponent. Whoever comes to him, he gladly faces them.

A prideful magic-born he is.