They were all sitting at the meeting table now… completely refreshed and wearing a change of clothes, Mira and Mynes were sober and their heads were to the table apologizing for their wrong conduct.

Aldric laughed aloud. "There's no need for that… what matters is that you finished your tasks to the best of your abilities. That alone gives you a lot of leeway."

His voice sounded warmly in the room, easing the tension but Mira and Mynes still stayed frozen in place with their faces near the table, as if hoping the polished wood would swallow them.

Azel watched them with a blank stare, for once, he was grateful for the fact that he couldn't actually enjoy the alcohol.

The other two finally raised their heads and the Emperor cleared his throat. "So what did the monster look like…?"

Azel glanced at Mira, who straightened her posture with a small cough. Even sober, she seemed slightly embarrassed.

Mira was the one that cleared her throat to answer. "It was Wendy, the shadow monster from legends. It was a powerful foe but we managed to defeat it after some effort."

The name alone sparked the room like a flint strike.

"Wendy?" It was Stella's turn to open her eyes wide. "The monster that looks both like a wolf and dog and a shadow as well… It doesn't exist. I scoured through the whole Blood Zone with my threads and runes to be sure."

Mira could tell she wasn't being dramatic… Grand Mage Stella was a woman who dealt in absolutes, not exaggerations. If she said she had searched the entire Blood Zone, it wasn't a boast.

"She's not lying." Aldric said as he raised a hand up. "Thank you for your help and as for the loot from the raid, you can keep it and share it between yourselves. It's little for such hard work."

A wave of relief washed visibly across the table. Rewards were always nice, but being dismissed without punishment was a bigger blessing.

"Thank you, my Emperor." Mira said and so did Mynes, Azel just nodded his head in a half-bow and sure enough, the Emperor wasn't offended.

Azel's casualness still shocked the two women occasionally bowing to an Emperor with only half your body? If anyone else tried that, they might be missing a head.

But Aldric tolerated it… perhaps even found it amusing.

"Alright, thank you as well Knight Commander. All of you are dismissed." Aldric said while standing up and Stella followed him.

As the two elders approached the door, Stella slowed her steps. Azel already assumed she was going to say something to Mira or Mynes… but instead, the woman veered directly toward him.

Though as she passed by Azel, she placed a hand on his shoulder and used her other hand to slip something into his hand.

"Honor it, I want to see my son-in-law at the event." She said then exited, he looked at the paper in his hand and to his surprise.

'In a week's time… it's her birthday?' He thought, it was her seventieth birthday which made her like one of the older Great mages.

Before he could process the "son-in-law" comment, Mynes materialized at his side as if summoned by magic.

"Azel, did my mother invite you?" Mynes asked as she practically appeared at his side, she was quite energetic now even though the Alcohol had been flushed out of her system. "She's been talking about inviting you non-stop."

Azel stared at her slowly.

"Talking about inviting me…?" He raised an eyebrow, for some reason… he doubted that a lot but then again, he still believed her.

Mynes nodded eagerly… maybe a little too eagerly.

"Yes, she wants me to pick my best dress and-" Mira clamped Mynes's mouth shut.

"You really shouldn't be talking about all that out here." Mira said and then looked at Azel. "I got invited to the party as well."

She flashed her own ticket. "Will you show up?"

A Grand mage had invited him herself… he would be a very big fool to disrespect that and not show up.

"I will." He said while keeping the ticket in his inventory. "Is there some sort of dress code or something?"

"The dress code is on your ticket." Mira said then rose up with a blush as she let go of Mynes's mouth. "I'll see you there then."

Then she left the meeting room. Mynes and Azel were left together and Mynes's cheeks turned bright red.

"Uh-"

"What does your mother like?" Azel asked. "Something perfect for a birthday gift."

Mynes visibly fumed and puffed like she was angry at him for some reason then she walked off. "Find out yourself, hmph~"

Azel blinked.

'What the hell did I say wrong?' he wondered.

He'd simply asked a question.

Women were too complicated… Stella acted like she wanted him as a son-in-law, but Mynes was storming off like he'd betrayed her clan.

Azel stood up and summoned the ticket. "What was that about?"

He looked at it, he was to wear a suit with a red rose on the breast pocket to the Birthday party, he flipped the back of the ticket and there was an additional place there.

'Eh? Mynes is having her birthday too?' He thought, not only was it Grand Mage Stella's birthday but it was Mynes's birthday as well. 'Is it why she stormed out? How was I supposed to know if she didn't tell me?'

He immediately left the meeting room in the direction where Mynes had gone but he didn't see her, he looked at the maid who was cleaning the hallway and cleared his throat.

"Excuse me…"

"A-ah… Lord Azel." She bowed so hard, he heard her waist crack. "Do you need me for something?"

He resisted the urge to tell her to stand properly. The maids in this place bowed like they were auditioning for contortionist performances.

"I just wanted to ask where Mynes went." Azel said, he would never get over the behaviors of these palace maids.

"Ah, Lady Mynes went downstairs. She has currently left the castle." The Maid said. "I'm sure she went to her apartment in the capital."

That was unhelpful. Azel sighed.

"Do you know where the apartment is?" Azel asked, placing his hands on the Maid's shoulders. She was his only chance to knowing what kind of gift her and her mother wanted.

"I apologize but her apartment is information that I'm not aware of. Lady Mynes hasn't said anything about it." The Maid said with a blush and Azel backed off while running his hand through his hair.

"Alright, thank you anyway." He said then he went down the stairs to the side.

The capital outside the windows glimmered with its usual liveliness but his mind wasn't on the scenery.

'So what can I get as a gift… for the both of them?' He thought as he went downstairs and just as he was about to walk through the front door, he collided with Aegon and the first prince fell to the ground, looking up to face him.

"Azel…" The prince pulled himself up. "Just the person I was looking for."

Azel walked past him. "If you're trying to spar then I'm very busy."

"What? No. I'm not a fool." Aegon turned around and grabbed onto his shoulder, Azel stopped and looked at him in the eye wondering what the hell the prince was doing. "I have a letter for you."

Azel resisted the urge to groan.

More letters meant more problems.

"From?" Azel asked, wasn't he allowed to take a break… Why was he getting letters up and down?

"I got it today. It's from Sylvia." He said and brought out the letter. "The Elf princess, you know her right?"

He took the letter and truly the seal of the elves was on it.

"It was delivered to me with the intention of being given to you." Aegon said and Azel nodded at him as he walked off with the letter.

He tore it open and pocketed the envelope while looking at the contents of the letter with a sigh.

'A meet up… tomorrow in the capital?' He thought, for some reason… he knew that this was going to be quite troublesome.

Gwendolyn floated beside him with wide eyes. "You have contact with an elf…?"

He pocketed the paper and looked forward. 'For sure… she was a classmate at the Academy, I'll have to stay at the capital over night and see what she wants tomorrow. Right now, I'm more interested in Lorraine's medical reports.'

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