Like Vigil's Point, for now. And the Foundry Citadel, waiting for her to take its reins.

In the future, an even grander stage awaited her management, her deft touch.

For the Graying, Delilah felt no fear. Orion was by her side.

***

Titanion Realm, Stoneheart City.

The wedding of the Giant King and the Elf Queen had turned Stoneheart into the vibrant, chaotic heart of the world. The city's population had swelled by a factor of dozens, drawing the attention of the entire continent and pulling in countless travelers and tourists. The sheer concentration of powerful beings had also made the giant territories the single safest place on the continent.

"This is nothing like the cities under the sea!"

"It's even more prosperous than Marina!"

Lola was only eight years old, her voice a child's pipe. Her beautiful, wide eyes darted everywhere, taking in the sights with insatiable curiosity. She'd seen the blood-stained history in the city's ancient walls, the labyrinthine network of its streets, and the bustling chaos of its outer district, where shops overflowed into the avenues and merchants hawked their wares with practiced cries.

As the fourth princess of the Sea-Drake race, Lola had already purchased a mountain of treasures: crystal goblets from the human kingdoms, strange magical flowers from the ogre territories, iridescent silks from the blood elves… she'd even bought a small arsenal of dwarven-forged weapons. Yet she moved with an unburdened ease, her personal storage space swallowing her hoard.

The sight of a cheerful, open-handed little girl with seemingly bottomless pockets drew the attention of many a merchant, but none dared to make a move. Trailing her was a Legendary-level old man and two Alpha-level protectors. A retinue like that screamed wealth and power.

"Your Highness, it's getting dark. We should return to the guest house," the old man advised. He had thought the crowds might thin before dusk, making it safe for a short walk. He had been wrong. As twilight fell, the city only grew more lively.

"But Elder Hai, we haven't been to the famous Seeker yet!" Lola protested. "They say you can find items from other worlds there! Just let me finish my ember-tater, then we can go look."

The old man sighed. Under the unwavering gaze of Lola's big, bright eyes, he relented with a helpless nod. In truth, there was no real danger in Stoneheart right now. Besides the Giant King himself residing in the castle, their own Sea-Drake King was a guest there as well.

Under the watchful eyes of so many powerhouses, the city was perfectly safe. The city patrols were also impressively frequent; a disciplined squad marched past nearly every five minutes.

"Let's go, Elder Hai!" Having made her case, Lola's excitement for the Seeker bubbled over. She spun around, ready to march in that direction.

CRASH!

She stumbled right into the chest of a boy.

Splat.

Her roasted ember-tater hit the pavement. The world swam for a second.

Oof!

"Whoa, you okay?"

Compared to Lola's startled cry, Kronos's voice was much calmer. He was also a kid, and the ember-taters that were the talk of Stoneheart were just as appealing to him. He'd bought two—one for himself, and one to bring back for his mother. He had just turned from the stall when a girl had collided with him.

"I'm okay… just a little sore," Lola said, rubbing her forehead as she looked up at Kronos.

Though they were both children, Kronos already had the build of a young human man. Lola, being a Sea-Drake, was tall for her age, but she still had to crane her neck to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry. Here, for you," Kronos said, offering her one of his ember-taters. He handed the other to the giant protector behind him.

"Thank you!" The roasted root smelled delicious, and Lola didn't refuse. In her mind, this was an adventure, a fated encounter on her journey to the surface world. It wasn't just naivety; she had heard countless tales just like this from the bards. She could recite the ones about romance by heart.

"You're a giant?" she asked, taking the ember-tater and looking up at his face, which bore a faint resemblance to the famous Giant King.

"Yes, I am. My name is Kronos," he said with a polite nod. "And who might you be, miss?"

He had a certain grace about him, a product of the knights who surrounded Princess Ava. Besides learning the ways of giant combat, Kronos had also studied the techniques of human knighthood, and some of their chivalry had rubbed off on him.

This knightly courtesy was precisely the kind of thing to captivate a starry-eyed girl like Lola. Her curiosity was instantly piqued.

"My name is Lola, of the Sea-Drake race!" she announced, grabbing the hem of her dress and dipping into a strange, charming curtsy. "It is a great fortune to meet you, Sir Kronos!"

"The fortune is mine, Lady Lola."

Just like that, Kronos and Lola became fast friends. They were both kids who rarely met outsiders and had few playmates of their own. This chance meeting, so like the romantic tales of princes and princesses, created an instant, powerful attraction between them.

Behind them, James and the old man Lola called Elder Hai exchanged a look. They nodded to each other, a silent agreement to let their young charges be.

This was the Stoneheart Horde. Kronos and James were giants, and their fine clothes and noble bearing were unmistakable. The old Sea-Drake had no reason to be overly guarded. James, in turn, could sense the old man's formidable aura and knew that anyone visiting Stoneheart at a time like this was a person of status.

At Lola's invitation, Kronos offered to be their guide. He wasn't an expert on Stoneheart, but he knew the way to the Seeker; Elara and Pallas had taken him there several times. And so, the two groups joined together, the protectors following in silent procession behind the two chattering children.

"Orion, that bard of yours is a menace," Sea-Drake King Neptor remarked, lounging on a leather sofa in a castle drawing room. His robes pooled on the floor, and a glass of dark, fragrant wine was cradled in his hand.

"He's a traveler from another world," Orion replied with a slight smile. "His stories might sound outlandish, but most of them are true."

Evidently, the chance encounter between Lola and Kronos had not gone unnoticed. Thinking of it, Orion had to admire Cloudsong, the bard in residence at the Silent Goblet.

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