The sunlight streamed in through the curtains.

  A low groan slipped out as I shifted. My back ached from the twisted position, and something warm pressed lightly against my side.

  Eimira.

  Still asleep, one arm across my chest, her hair, a white curtain on my shoulder. As pretty as ever.

  "This… happened?". I grunted softly.

  "To be honest... She looks so at peace when she sleeps." I stroked her hair, moving it away from her face so she could breathe well.

  Just as I was processing all these, she stirred, then sat up fast. She looked around. Then at me. Then at herself.

  Her eyes widened.

  Then.

  Silence.

  The silence between us felt heavier than anything we said last night. Eimira got up really fast using her Aeris blessing and floated off the bed.

  She stood a few steps from the bed, arms folded tightly, eyes flickering with too many thoughts. Her white hair was a bit messy, and the navy-blue tunic from yesterday was gone, replaced by a loose shirt that clearly wasn't hers.

  She finally muttered, "Last night didn't mean anything. Just drunken nonsense… That's all."

  I nodded, even though the memory of her crawling on top of me,and her warm breath was still vivid.

  "Forget it," she said sharply. "I'm leaving."

  She spun on her heel toward the door, and flung it open.

  "WELL. WELL. WELL."

  Feona stood right there, grinning with her arms crossed, a cup of steaming tea in one hand.

  Eimira didn't say anything for a second. Just stood there, hand still on the doorknob, her shoulders rising and falling.

  "Look who finally decided to wake up. You guys good or should I send up another bottle?" She teased.

  Eimira froze mid-step, face slowly flushing red.

  She muttered, "You... didn't see anything."

  Feona raised an eyebrow. "Oh nooo, not at all. Just the captain sneaking out of a man's room at dawn, dressed like she fought a storm spirit."

  Eimira slammed the door shut with a loud thud.

  I swear I could feel the world stop spinning for a second.

  "Can we pretend I wasn't just publicly humiliated?" she whispered without turning around.

  "...Sure," I replied, holding back a laugh.

  But honestly?

  I kind of loved seeing that side of her.

  “Let's see in an hour, at the lobby.” She said softly, before leaving the room.

  Later, I was ready to head out when I heard a knock from the door.

  I walked over to open it, and Eimira was at the door in her casual clothes.

  She looked up at me."I'm sorry about how I acted this morning..."

  "Hmm". I blinked.

  'Eimira... Apologizing? That had to be a first'

  "You know— telling you to forget.. it." she lowered her head. “It was just my first, and probably yours… I don't know..”

  "Oh so that's what you meant" I chuckled softly. "Nothing actually happened haha".

  "What do you mean?" She blinked.

  "Nothing happened, well it almost did, but you slept off before anything could." I added.

  "Oh..." She sighed with a bit of disappointment.

  “You seem disappointed.” I teased.

  "Oh shut up you.” She turned around. “Anyways, let's forget it. Meet me in the lobby when you are done we have something to discuss". She said, about to leave when I suddenly held her hand.

  "I actually just finished, we can go now.” I stepped out of the room.

  "Oh—" she replied, a bit stunned by my sudden action.

  She looked up at me again, then tiptoed and started fixing my hair for me.

  "Haha, what are you doing?" I asked, puzzled.

  "It's nothing serious, your hair just looks a bit messy." she answered.

  It wasn't much, just a few gentle pats. But it made my heart beat a little weird anyway.

  She seemed to have realised what she was doing, because she retracted her hands really fast.

  ~'ahhh, I did that without knowing'~ Eimira's thoughts.

  “L-lets go..”

  ****

  Eimira and I got to the lobby shortly. The lobby of the Citadel's accommodation. It was lively and full of people. Adventurers and visitors from different regions of Terraka and possibly other nations were present. All trying to see if they could get a room to stay in.

  We walked for a bit and saw Feona seated at a table with three other females.

  Feona saw us coming and grinned. "Hehe... here comes the newlyweds"

  Two out of the three girls giggled upon hearing this, but stopped abruptly when Eimira gave them the cold stare.

  The lobby had a cozy seating area, with benches facing each other and a table in between. Food or drinks could also be ordered. A bench was already Full with Feona and two of the three girls, so only two Seats were left. Eimira took a seat before I finally sat down.

  "Now that we've all settled, why not have an introduction for Eimira's Husband". Feona said laughing as she noticed Eimira didn't want me to sit next to the girl that was there before.

  Splash!

  Eimira flicked a droplet of water at her.

  "Ouch..." Feona pouted.

  "Haha, these two are the best to hang with. Anyways My name is Ryona, a leading hand of Eimira's vanguard." The girl beside Feona said

  "I am Tabbi" Then the girl after her.

  "And I'm Chichi," the girl on our bench said with a smile.

  Ryona, a Terrakan swordswoman of the lost Aegis, sat straight with a rigid posture. Her brunette hair was tied back in a ponytail, her twin blades were set neatly beside her. Their sheaths polished clean.

  Beside her was Tabbi, the quietest of the group. A Sylphaerian with soft auburn hair and pointed ears that peeked through delicate strands, she had the same vine-marked tattoos as Feona curling up her neck and arms. She didn't have a physical weapon but only a book, which was placed in front of her. She didn't speak much, but when she did, everyone listened.

  Then there was Chichi, Terrakan by blood, but sunshine by personality. Small in stature with bouncy blonde hair and bright amber eyes, she grinned like life was always on her side. Her weapon, a massive iron mace twice her size, leaned against her seat like it had no business being that close to someone that small, or that cheerful. But judging by the imprint on the handle, she knew how to use it.

  Together, the three of them created a strange but oddly balanced energy, the upright, the calm, and the chaos.

  The food ordered by the girls before our arrival got served, and we started eating.

  "Eimi, what are you going to wear for the festival?" Chichi asked with her face stuffed with food.

  Ryona looked up at Eimi and asked. "Are you going to wear that dress?"

  'What dress?' I thought, focusing my gaze on Eimira.

  "Eh..I don't know..., I don't think it's beautiful" Eimira replied.

  "What do you mean? You look like a goddess in that dress". Feona grinned. "It'd probably make Zandren here want another night haha". She flicked her brows.

  Upon hearing this, the food I was swallowing went down the wrong pipe and I started coughing really hard, while the others laughed except Eimira, who passed me a glass of water.

  I took a sip. "Thank you"

  "It's nothing." she said bluntly, as she resumed eating.

  “Hmnm hmm,” Tabbi cleared her throat. “I hope you guys haven't forgotten the reason for this gathering" Tabbi said with a serious expression.

  The laughter died down.

  "Well, we haven't but can we really talk about it now?" Ryona said looking at me, hinting at the fact I'm not supposed to be here.

  Noticing this I tried to excuse myself so they could discuss, but Eimira pulled me back.

  "I brought him here, so he stays, if you are not comfortable with it, then deal with it" Eimira's words came out sharp.

  Ryona coughed. "Hmnm.. wow.. that was— eh... Let's carry on"

  "Ok, now that that's settled, let's talk about the festival" Feona said as she moved her food aside. "There's been intel that there are more veils in Terraka and some have made their way to the Eldale, like a lot of them."

  "Those pesky creatures— they just keep getting more devious each passing day." Chichi fumed.

  "The Supreme Commander stationed us here just in case things turn bloody... The sad thing is that there's no choice, it's sure to end up bloody" Tabbi added.

  The whole group bowed their heads as if already mourning those that would be lost in the festival.

  "But how do they keep getting in without being found out or even leaving a trace? Demons leave traces wherever they go". Feona asked.

  'Oh, veils are demons who managed to get into Terrakal.' I thought. 'Wait...'

  "If you don't mind me asking... How long has it been since Ardor fell?"

  As soon as I asked I was instantly met with a surprised gaze from the girls there.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  "Shhhh... We don't talk about that here." Ryona shushed me.

  "I'm sorry but I just want to confirm something." I replied.

  "Uhm, Ardor fell quite a long time ago, it was the day the Land of Caramien Lost Spear, and that was precisely seventy Years ago" Tabbi said calmly.

  'WHAT???... So that means the memory Nyseria showed me was from seventy years ago, so... How old am I exactly?’ I got lost in thought and got confused by the realization.

  "What's up? Why did you suddenly ask about Ardor?" Eimira said, breaking me from my thoughts.

  "Oh sorry about that, I just remembered something...". I said not knowing how I would choose my next words without them getting suspicious

  "It's a bit vague, but I do remember hearing a story from a mighty giant beast. It said that the demons possessed the refugees of Ardor, and after the fall of Ardor they continued to possess refugee villages in the Dark Forest. He also mentioned how they practiced to be human just so they could fit." The words came as if I spoke with the beast and as if I knew this beast. For some reason it felt like I actually met this beast.

  The girls looked at me stunned. Chichi and Ryona burst out in laughter. I sank to my seat because of the embarrassment.

  "Hahahaha.... Beast, what do you think we are? Kids?" Ryona laughed.

  "Ahh, demons being able to possess without a trace? What a joke?" Chichi added.

  At this point I just wanted to disappear and start a life as a potato farmer in another nation. I was still drowning in embarrassment when I noticed Feona in deep thought.

  After a while she seemed to have had an epiphany.

  "Hold on guys, Zandren might not be entirely wrong" Feona said as she looked at me.

  "What?, don't tell me you believe his little wandering bard tale." Ryona said mockingly.

  "Well I do, because I read about this beast.” Feona added

  Everyone was in shock as they heard Feona mention the beast. I was in shock too because what I said was just something that came out of my mouth.

  The chattering of the visitors and tourists in the background, the clattering of cutlery filled the air as the silence grew at our table. Feona hadn't said anything.

  "So— are you going to say anything or?" Eimira said, breaking the silence.

  "Oh yeah sorry haha— I kinda lagged there" Feona chuckled as she scratched her head.

  Feona straightened herself and started talking."I think what Zandren said was right. When I was still a cadet I stumbled upon an old book in the restricted area of the library, don't ask how I ended up there haha.” She smirked. “I read the book and details about a beast as large as a mountain with vegetation growing on its shell. The name of the beast was Qeromai, and… he is the Void ruler of the Void of Giants."

  She continued. “From the book I read, this beast was discovered by a writer…” she leaned in. “And the writer was later killed…”

  "Ok that's valid, but how sure are we that Zandren met this Ruler and how sure are we that what the Ruler said about the demons were true" Ryona asked looking to find more answers.

  Feona. "I also read that the Ruler seemed to have lived in the same era as when the Dragons ruled the sky and yes by Dragons I meant the Elemental dragons and their early kin. The Void ruler was also slightly close to Bur’Ignisia. Which is Ardor. Sadly that was where I managed to read up to, I was caught and never saw the book again."

  Thud!!

  Clatter!!

  Chichi slammed her head on the table."This is too much information, can't we just find out who these demons are and smash them".

  "It's not going to be that easy, Chichi," Tabbi said, leaning over to rub Chichi's head.

  Feona smiled at Chichi playfulness then continued. "Zandren was found at the Tree of souls. Which is the heart of the Dark Forest. Mind you the corruption there is so concentrated that without a blessing you could disintegrate within seconds... and Zandren doesn't have a blessing."

  They all turned to me.

  “I'm so lost right now.” Eimira shook her head.

  “Yeah, same.” Ryona placed her head on the table.

  The Girls wanted answers to questions but only found more questions with no answers.

  "That makes sense, according to the commander, The demons possessed high intellectual abilities which made them capable of learning and adapting. Some also had their own personality and self." Eimira added, stroking her chin.

  "Ah yes, I learnt that happened during the invasion on Nymirel." Tabbi said as if arriving at a conclusion.

  Eimira's spoon dropped. We turned to her but she was completely frozen in place.

  Feona rushed up and went to her side to get her back into a stable state. Scolding Tabbi as she did so.

  Tabbi started apologising uncontrollably,as Eimira began to recover.

  "Let's end the gathering for now, y'all should

  prepare for the festival and also prepare yourself for what's to come. I'm going to take Eimira to her room." Feona said as she helped Eimira up her feet.

  Eimira softly slapped Feona's hand away. "Don't worry I'm fine now. You guys can go on ahead.”

  Feona sighed. "Ok, just don't push yourself too much"

  Feona rallied the girls and was about to leave, but they were hesitant to. They looked uneasy about their captain being alone with me, proven by the sideways glances they kept throwing my way. They only left after Eimira told them she was fine.

  She placed her head on the table to rest a bit, trying to recover from the shock. I just let her sit there while admiring her and at the same time feeling worried.

  ‘She probably remembered the day her mom was killed.’ I thought, stroking her hair.

  After a while Eimira was back to her normal self, and it was time for us to prepare for this festival.

  We were now walking down the hill road that led to the accommodation we stayed, and were heading deeper into town.

  "So uhh, what's this festival called and what's it about?" I asked.

  "The festival of Elruka, A Festival that celebrates Terraka being both the Spear and Shield of Caramien after the fall of Ardor" she replied.

  "Oh,” I turned to her. “Wasn't there a king before that?"

  "Yeah, there was, but that king had absolutely no idea how to handle the whole thing" she paused then continued "Then a Noble named Elruka suggested taking over, as the Spear and Shield of Caramien. And since then his kin had led Terraka, up until the current king."

  “What about the two remaining nations? I lost my memory but I know there are four.”

  “Nymirel and Sylphaeris. They are both minority nations. Nymirel tried to contribute to the defence of Caramien but the invasion cut those efforts short. As for Sylphaeris, they tend not to get involved with anything. Afterall the nation is located deep within the mountains making invasion difficult and involvement optional.” Eimira explained.

  She took a small break from talking, probably still tired from the shock. Seeing as Feona told her not to push herself, this must happen often.

  We came out of the road leading to the main street and after taking a look around, I turned to Eimira to ask a question.

  "Why the need for Caramien’s defense. What are they fighting against?”

  Eimira thought deeply for a while before giving an answer. “Monsters from the dark forest attack all nations relentlessly and simultaneously. When a monster takes over a piece of land, it creates a void, getting strong as its void grows. And that's what we prevent. We have to prevent the monster from settling in terraka or any other nation.”

  "So, as we speak, the outer borders of Terraka are being attacked?” I asked.

  “Yeah…” she replied with a soft sigh.

  “But it's so peaceful here though.” I said, looking around, watching everyone go about their day.

  “This is the citadel, the wall before the capital. Outer walls are also peaceful too, but if our defences ever fall, they risk being taken out first.”

  “Oh… but how do people travel to different nations?” I asked.

  “Hmm, there's an Adventurer's guild. They organise an escort of adventurers for you to safely travel to whatever nation you want.” she answered.

  I chuckled. “That's gotta be expensive.”

  Eimira laughed. “Yeah. My vanguard also does escort, though rarely since our main task is to discover and map out new Voids, and to stop swarms that are in the process of forming. Only the Nobles can afford us though, we ain't cheap.”

  “No wonder...” I turned to her. “You look rich.”

  “Yeah… not really.”

  We laughed for a bit then it died down into silence.

  Eimira nudged my shoulder. I turned to see her cheeks flushed, her fingers twisting nervously as if she wanted to ask something but didn't know how.

  I chuckled. “What's up?”

  She turned to me, head bowed. "C-Could you help me pick out my dress for the festival?"

  I smiled and nodded. “Alright, I might be a bit out of touch with what's trendy, but I'll give it my best shot.”

  She laughed. “A bit?”

  “I said what I said, hehe.” I giggled.

  “Ok, Thanks. But first we have to get something for you.”

  She grabbed my hand, pulling before I had the chance to contest.

  ****

  As we made our way through the cobbled streets of Terraka's capital district, the morning sun caught the dew on the rooftops, making the city shimmer like it had been brushed with stardust. Stalls were being set up for the festival, bright banners fluttering in the breeze, and the scent of roasted nuts and sweet fruit wine wafted through the air.

  A pair of sleek, fur-coated creatures dashed past our feet. At first, I thought they were hounds, but their tails were longer and scaled, ending in a small feathery tuft.

  "Wait... what are those?" I asked, pointing.

  "Ah, those are Fenral pups," Eimira said casually. "They're like dogs but smarter — and a bit more dramatic. They'll fake a limp just to get attention."

  Just ahead, a small wyvern — no bigger than a housecat — swooped down and perched on a merchant's signpost. Its wings fluttered as it roared in a high-pitched trill. A well dressed little girl walked by with a basket of berries and the wyvern hopped onto her shoulder like a loyal pet.

  "A Skyleaf wyvern," Eimira said. "They're bred for nobles and noble kids. Harmless. Well, unless you pull their tail."

  I blinked. "Wait... you had one?"

  She looked away. "...Maybe. Her name was Clove. She burned my curtains once. Sadly she died of natural causes."

  “Oh… sorry.”

  “It's fine.” She smiled. “I met my familiar shortly after during a mission. I tend to believe it's her rebirth as an innocent monster.”

  “How did you know that?” I asked.

  “Because she saved me, the same way clove did.” She answered with a soft smile.

  I never thought I'd see her smile more than once, but I guess I was wrong.

  We turned a corner and arrived at a tall building that stood out from the rest. Its frame was carved from pale oak, and delicate silver lined the doorframe. A pair of armored guards flanked the entrance, standing so still I thought they were statues until one of them gave a slight nod to Eimira.

  The polished sign above the entrance read:

  "House Vellyn: Tailors to the Crown"

  Inside, soft music floated through the air like a lullaby, and silk banners draped the walls in hues of navy, crimson, and royal gold. Velvet mannequins stood in the corners, each wearing garments that looked like they belonged to kings, diplomats, or stage legends. The floor gleamed like obsidian tile, and the scent of lavender oil and new fabric filled the space.

  The moment we walked in, a sharply dressed attendant with an accent appeared as if conjured by magic.

  "Captain Eimira," he bowed. "A pleasure. And... guest."

  "He's with me," Eimira said flatly.

  "Understood. Shall I prepare your usual chamber?"

  She nodded.

  He turned to me with a slightly strained smile. "And the gentleman's measurements... Do we have them?"

  "I'm... average size?" I shrugged slightly.

  The attendant didn't even blink. "We'll take care of that."

  We stepped deeper into the building, the plush carpets muffling our footsteps. Tailors floated around like silent ghosts with measuring tapes and moodboards using Aeris blessing.

  Everything felt too polished, like one wrong breath would put me in debt.

  Before we could disappear into the back chamber, a group of nobly-dressed women near the central display caught sight of Eimira.

  "Wait— isn't that the Third Captain?"

  "Oh stars, it is. That's her."

  Whispers flickered across the room like wildfire.

  "Captain Eimira," one of them called out, stepping closer with a graceful tilt of the head. She wore a high-collared rose-gold gown, and her jeweled nails sparkled as she waved politely. "I didn't know you were attending the Festival of Elruka. It's been a long while since you graced the capital in person."

  Eimira gave a polite nod. "Just here on duty. But I'll be attending."

  Another one — tall, with short grey hair — leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly as they glanced at me. "And your companion…?"

  The room went oddly quiet. Even the tailor at the counter paused mid-stitch.

  Eimira didn't hesitate. "He's my guest."

  “Surely not,” she laughed. “He looks more like a male slave than a guest.”

  Eimira's tone was calm. “Watch your mouth.”

  Still, the silver-haired noblewoman smiled sweetly. "I see. Well, we look forward to seeing you both at the Palace."

  As they turned away, I leaned close. "Is it always like this?"

  She smirked faintly. "Only when I'm not wearing armor. Nobles get curious when a warhound shows up with someone outside my vanguard."

  "I'm honored to be your mutt for the day." I joked.

  "Pfft hahaha... What?" She chuckled, barely audible but real. She gave my shoulder a tiny shove as we were ushered into a private fitting room by the attendant.

  The chamber was absurdly lavish, gold-trimmed mirrors, a faintly glowing chandelier, and more fabrics than I can count.

  A tailor handed me a few outfit options. I stared down at the garments. One had so many layers of frills, I felt like it would scream every time I moved, and another one shimmered like it had been woven from dragon scales.

  "Are you serious?" I muttered. "This one looks like it belongs to a noble peacock going through a midlife crisis."

  Eimira burst into laughter. A small hand went over her mouth, but it was too late. A clear, genuine sound escaped her lips.

  "I dare you to try it on," she said, arms crossed, clearly enjoying herself now.

  "No way. If I wear this thing and sneeze too hard, it'll explode into confetti."

  "Come on," she grinned. "I want to see you sparkle."

  "You're dangerous," I muttered, shaking my head, but grabbed the ridiculous outfit anyway.

  As I went into the changing room, I could hear her softly chuckling to herself.

  I stepped out of the fitting room, grumbling.

  Eimira laughed uncontrollably. “Yeah, you are definitely not wearing that.” She turned to the tailor. “Can you please make something simple, fitted, and elegant for him?”

  “Yes, miss Aevorah.”

  We waited for a bit, but it was finally ready.

  The tailors had at least stopped throwing glitters at me long enough to piece together something simple — a dark, fitted tunic with silver embroidery along the cuffs and collar, paired with deep obsidian trousers, and a majestic looking robe, made of fur to finish the look.

  But then the room shifted.

  Eimira stepped out of her own changing space.

  The dress she wore was unlike anything I'd seen her in— elegant but understated, a deep sapphire that shimmered like starlight on water. Thin silver accents traced her waist and sleeves like constellations, and her white hair, still a little tousled, spilled over her shoulders like moonlight against midnight.

  My brain blanked.

  She raised an eyebrow. "Too much?"

  I blinked. "No. Just… uh.. you look like a goddess. The kind that people are happy to pray to.”

  She turned her head slightly, hiding the faintest hint of red creeping into her cheeks.

  "Hmph. I picked it myself," she said. "I wanted something simple."

  "Yeah, you nailed the simple part." I smirked. "And that gave me a simple heart attack."

  She gave a short laugh and turned back toward the mirror, smoothing the fabric along her hips.

  Eimira ended up getting three beautiful dresses all of which looked amazing on her but she looked unsatisfied, as if she had one more Dress to try out.

  “What's the matter?” I asked.

  “It's just… remember the dress Ryona mentioned earlier?”

  “Yeah, what about it?”

  “I wanna try that out before I make my final decision on what to wear.”

  I stretched out my hand, a smile on my face. “Lead the way.”

  ****

  We got back to the Verdant Annex, but Eimira took me to a hallway which was different from the rest of the Verdant. It seemed to be filled with mostly females.

  Looking confused, I asked. "Uh, where are we going?"

  After a few moments, she glanced at me sideways. "Just follow me hehe"

  "Huh?"

  "To my room."

  I blinked. "Why?"

  She didn't answer at first. Instead, she glanced around the hallway. Female members of Eimira's vanguard chatted leisurely, and a few eyes flicked toward us now and then,but none noticed us sneaking around.

  Then she leaned in slightly and whispered a reply with a playful smirk.

  "I'm taking a man to my room, in broad daylight. Why won't I sneak?"

  I couldn't hide my smile.

  She didn't give me time to respond— just grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the hallway into her room when the opportunity presented itself.

  The door clicked shut.