As Ciaran's lips departed from the young master's forehead, he looked at the young master and he saw that Pier was also observing him.

"Do you really get touchy with people you like?" Pier asked as he laughed.

Ciaran's breath hitched and his hands trembled.

Pier's laugh was so beautiful to listen at that he could not help himself but shiver at how pleasant it sounded.

"I don't know..."

"Really? How come?" Pier asked when he was confused with Ciaran's answer.

"It's my first time having this kind of feeling..." Ciaran admitted and Pier's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"I see," He spoke as he turned his head to look at the fireflies that were flying around them.

Their luminescent bodies emanated a glow that gave Pier a warm feeling.

The young master's calm and satisfied expression was etched in Ciaran's mind. The beautiful face made its impression on his core memory.

Pier brought his hand out and a firefly landed on top of his palm.

"Aw, look at this, Ciaran! It's so cute!" He called the vampire but Ciaran only stared at him.

"What's wrong?" Pier asked as he watched the vampire observe him quietly.

"Am I too handsome that you got awestruck?" Pier spoke as he chuckled and Ciaran nodded his head.

"Correct. You are too handsome to look at that I could not find the right words to describe you." The young master's laugh subsided and was replaced with a composed gaze.

"You really know how to use your words now, don't you?" He asked and Ciaran smiled.

"My words are that not of an empty shell but a cup filled with honesty and seriousness," He spoke as his fingers found Pier's hands again.

The young master watched as Ciaran's hands slowly lifted his own.

"I will tell you all the words you want to hear and I will make sure to fill every letter with my sincerity to achieve your affection for me." Ciaran's hands brought Pier's hands on his face and he leaned into the soft feeling of Pier's uncalloused skin.

"You're like the moon, Pier," He spoke as he closed his eyes and allowed the warm feeling course through his partially cold body. It was very relaxing and pleasant that Ciaran felt he could sleep at any moment if Pier was to stay by his side.

"Why?" Pier asked as he observed the prince who was leaning into his hand as if it was some sort of beast that craved its owner's touch.

"You bring me comfort amidst all the darkness that I face," He spoke and Pier's gaze softened at him.

"That's too much for someone you just met, Ciaran," He reminded him and Ciaran nodded his head.

"I know. I know it is, However, I can't help but feel that way," He spoke as he opened his eyes and his green eyes shone brighter from the lights produced by the fireflies.

"I can't promise I will reciprocate the feelings you have for me"

"That's understandable"

"Mhm," Pier spoke as he retracted his hand.

"Hold on for a moment" Ciaran spoke and Pier watched in confusion as black smoke started to spread from Ciaran's body. It engulfed the man and when it subsided, Ciaran had already disappeared.

But it did not even take a full minute for the smoke to rise again from the spot where Ciaran had been.

The man appeared again and this time, he was carrying a set of clothes in his hands.

"Here," He spoke as he handed Pier a new cloak and a shirt.

"Thanks," Pier thanked the vampire as he removed the cloak that smelled like coffee.

He then proceeded to remove the shirt under that he wore while running all around with the magic beast.

Ciaran watched as Pier removed his clothes. He took a deep breath when the young master's chest and his slender shoulders were revealed.

"Turn around, idiot," Pier spoke as he saw that Ciaran was giving him the stare.

The man grinned as he bowed his head in fluster.

Pier wore the new shirt and placed the cloak over his head quickly as the cold was too much for his naked body to handle. Once he was done, he kept silent as he stared at the fireflies again.

"I don't want to make you cling on false hope, Ciaran,"

The man lifted his head after hearing Pier speak again.

"I understand"

"The life I've lived is not filled with pleasantries and happiness"

"I understand"

"It is very unexpected of you to develop these sorts of emotions for me in critical times like this"

"I know"

"Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why me?"

"Just because"

"Haaah," Pier sighed as he jumped off from the tree. His wind magic assisted his feet and made his landing a bit easier.

"I know how these things worked but I'm not used when it happens to me," He admitted as he inserted both of his hands into his pockets and started walking aimlessly.

The vampire followed him as they both wandered around the woods.

"I'm not in a hurry either. I just want things to go as they are," Ciaran spoke as he caught up with Pier and walked alongside him.

"What if I find someone else who takes my heart and that person is not you?" Pier asked with a grin on his face.

Ciaran's eyebrows scrunched up in displease and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Then I will do whatever it takes to be that person," He spoke with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"You can't do that"

"I will, if it's you"

Pier did not reply but rolled his eyes.

He had too many things to worry about now that he thought of it.

The kingdom, his family, people who are linked to him in the kingdom.

What was happening now that he had gone missing?

The issue about the Earldom is not fully settled yet. He may have had the Cornell Earldom under their own power but they can still operate and do things on their own.

What happened to the Crown Prince?

Were the borders still closed?

What about the House of Masters?

What about his knight?

What about his horse?

He chuckled when he thought about Snow. The horse was really to his liking and it followed him everywhere he went. It was just like a child for him.

He was contemplating whether he should also do some damage to the Marquis' daughter, Elena because the person had also done the original Pier wrong.

He was hesitating to do so because she was the Crown Prince's lover and he wanted to avoid Asher at all cost. He wanted to let the prince live a happy life without him.

'I need to go back' He decided.

He needed to go back and finish things before he can sort out the next plans he needed to do.

He was already having fun with all the adventure just from the Mir Mountains. What could await him in other places?

He felt giddy in excitement.

----

"The Mir Mountains?" Gideon asked as he wiped the sweat off of his forehead.

Ronnovian sat on his usual seat on the training grounds as he leisurely drank tea.

"Correct. I want you to train on the Mir Mountains," He spoke and Gideon felt himself get confused.

"May I ask the reason why headmaster? I do believe it is better for me to train with other swordsmen and improve my own swordsmanship" He spoke and Ronnovian brought the teacup down.

"I have heard that the monsters on the Mir Mountain have been unstable lately. Don't you think it is the best time to test your skills with monsters that are much stronger than you?" He spoke with nonchalance in his voice.

Gideon thought about it.

The Mir Mountains as he has heard is the place where creatures of various kinds ranging from monsters to magical beasts thrive. Only the foot of the first mountain have been explored and the others are still unknown.

"If that's what the Headmaster wants then I will comply," He spoke as he bowed his head.

Ronnovian nodded his head at the knight.

It had already been almost three weeks now since the Crown Prince and the Knight had their duel. It also meant that the young master had also gone missing for more than a month now.

Everyone in the kingdom had become restless too with the current issue.

Rumors started to circulate as to why the young master from the House of Masters had gone missing.

Some said that it was the curse of the House of Masters for gaining power too much that their successors goes missing due to unknown reasons.

Some believed that the young master might have ran away with a potential lover but it was quickly shut down knowing how Pier had ceaselessly chased after the Crown Prince.

There were also speculations that it was the work of the anti-royalty faction and that they might have dared to abduct the defenseless young master who had no knowledge in magic nor swordsmanship.

Of course, only some knew that the young master can wield magic.

The King

The Crown Prince

The Headmaster

Selected maids

The knights who accompanied the prince back at the boundary

And any person who knew about the information was told to keep quiet.

As the young master went missing, his personal knight also got stronger every day.

Gideon gripped the sword in his hand tighter. The force from his grip made the metal handle slightly bend and the knight had to calm himself down as not to break or destroy another sword for practice.

The sword given by Pier for him was well kept and hidden in his room and would only be used when Pier would return.

"Now that I have stepped into the level of an expert swordsman, I should be able to protect the young master" He spoke to himself and Ronnovian kept quiet at the knight's statement for a few seconds before answering.

"Only a minuscule percentage of swordsmen reaches the expert level, Knight Woodlock. You are talented enough to achieve it within three weeks after dueling with the prince," He stated and Gideon nodded his head as he slashed his sword in empty air.

The normal slash that he did on the sword created gusts of wind at the blade's tip and made the dust around the training ground fly in the air.

"You're strong enough to stand on par with the Crown Prince's level when you both dueled with each other," Ronnovian complimented but Gideon gritted his teeth in response.

'Strong enough to stand on par with the prince before?' He thought in anger.

That only meant one thing to him.

He was still behind the prince.

He might have reached the level where the Prince was on their duel but that also meant that the prince had been improving ever since they battled.

'Still not enough,' He then watched as the newly replaced training dummies stood silently at the other side of the training ground.

He lifted his sword and proceeded to an attack stance.

Huff!

He huffed and stepped his foot one time. In an instant, the knight moved in super speed that he was able to reach the other side of the training grounds where the dummies were.

Slash!

He slashed his sword once and all the dummies aligned in a straight line were cut in half.

"That's enough," Ronnovian spoke as he stood from his seat.

Gideon turned his head to look at the Headmaster.

"You've trained hard enough that you're starting to make quite the expense on training dummies," The Headmaster told him and he bowed his eyes in awkwardness.

As Gideon improved his swordsmanship, that also meant he required more and more training dummies he can practice on.

"I will arrange for a ride that will lead you to the Mir Mountains. You will depart tomorrow and I will expect you to improve there." Ronnovian spoke as he turned his back and started to walk inside the mansion.

"Headmaster!" Gideon called out and Ronnovian paused for a second to listen.

"I... I will not need a carriage. I can simply ride the young master's horse." He spoke and the Headmaster's eyebrows rose at the statement.

"Is that so? Then do what you want"

Gideon clenched his fist as he watched Ronnovian's back.

If he were to compare him and Ronnovian's prowess in battle, he would still be at the Headmaster's feet without any hope to compete.

'Death Incarnate' He thought about the nickname Ronnovian had earned for himself which was basically an open secret.

People knew but kept it for themselves.

He was the incarnation of death on the battlefield.

Raised alongside his brother to protect the kingdom's borders from invaders and monsters, Ronnovian became a monster himself that could kill thousands with a single flick of his fingers.

"I will surpass you one day," Gideon swore under his breath as he was aiming for strength that was comparable and even better than the Headmaster.

Ronnovian was a prodigy of magic back in his younger years.

Gideon was a prodigy of the Sword.

He knew he had the talent to be better than Ronnovian even though they specialized in different fields.

He bowed his head as he sat on the dirty ground.

He also needed to get stronger than before.

Who knows how strong his young master would be now?

He did not know what happened to Pier but if the young master was somewhere safe and secure, he would definitely train his magic.

And Gideon saw how Pier's magic was on another level that was entirely higher than what he would usually see from the mages. He knew how strong Pier was the moment the young master saved him from the magic beast.

How could he protect his young master if the person himself was stronger than him in any aspect?

"Haaah" He sighed as he continued to breathe in multiple times.

"Knight Woodlock," Gideon immediately raised his head when he heard a voice call for him.

He saw the House of Master's current head standing in front and looking down on him.

"I forgot to tell you but while you're at the Mir Mountains, bring back something that rightfully belongs to the House of Masters," Ronnovian spoke.

Gideon was not even able to answer when fire consumed Ronnovian's entire body and the Headmaster disappeared.

"Rightfully belongs to the... House of Masters...?" He reiterated in confusion.