Morning came quickly. Asher woke up as early as daybreak, his eyes opening calmly as though he had been awake long before his body stirred. He had been sleeping since around evening time the previous day, yet despite the hours of rest, his senses were already sharp and alert. Without wasting much time, he went through his usual morning routine, though not before engaging in a brief exercise session, of course. His movements were controlled and precise, each stretch and motion deliberate, as though he were calibrating his body for the day ahead.

Once finished, Asher sat down on a chair within the room, resting comfortably as he waited for the rest to wake up. His posture was relaxed, but his awareness never wavered, Omni Perception faintly active in the background as habit rather than necessity.

The morning sun gradually grew brighter, golden light spilling through the window and creeping across the room. It was only after some time that William and Finch finally stirred from their sleep. The moment William rose from his bed, still disoriented and sluggish, Asher immediately spoke.

"Good morning, Princess Fiona."

William, still groggy from sleep, responded half-heartedly. "Morning." He yawned widely and staggered toward the bathroom, his steps unsteady as he washed his face and brushed his teeth, splashing water to chase away the remnants of sleep.

"What's for breakfast?" William asked as he stepped out of the bathroom.

"I didn't know I had an apron around my waist," Asher replied casually, lifting a glass to his lips and sipping wine with an expression that suggested he was completely unbothered.

With a sigh, William shook his head and took out a set of fresh clothes as he prepared for a bath. A few minutes later, Finch also woke up from his sweet dreams, reluctantly dragging himself out of bed to face reality, his movements slow and exaggerated as though each step was an effort.

After some time passed, everyone was finally done preparing. With nothing left to do inside, the team decided to head out. Stepping out of the building together, they walked along the settlement paths and soon bumped into Aiden along the way.

"Good morning," Aiden greeted, a warm smile resting on his face.

"Morning," Asher, William, and Finch replied at the same time, their voices overlapping almost perfectly.

"When do you plan on leaving?" William asked Aiden. Although he, Asher, and Finch were leaving today, it would not hurt to know when the others planned to depart. Traveling with more people often brought unexpected benefits.

"In a few days, I think," Aiden replied thoughtfully. "We plan to explore this place a bit before leaving."

William nodded in understanding. After a short exchange of small talk, the groups separated. Asher, William, and Finch continued on their way, intending to find Norman and inform him of their departure.

With Asher's Omni Perception, Norman was not hard to locate. Linking up quickly, Asher informed him of their plans to leave. Norman listened carefully, then nodded.

"I'll need to inform the Captain first," Norman said. "Nothing leaves or enters without his permission."

Together, they walked toward the Captain's residence. Just like the previous day, they waited outside while Norman entered alone. Minutes passed in silence before Norman stepped back out.

"The Captain wishes to speak with the three of you," he said.

William, Asher, and Finch exchanged brief glances before nodding. Without surprise, almost as though they had anticipated this, they walked inside. This time, Norman did not follow. He remained outside.

Stepping into the Captain's study, they were met with a composed and authoritative presence. The Captain rose from his seat and approached Asher, bowing respectfully as he spoke.

"It is an honor to be in your presence, Tenth Sun."

The Captain had never seen Asher before in his life, not even for a single day. However, Norman had already explained who was who, and the Captain had easily distinguished them using the features described.

"Nice to meet you too, Captain," Asher replied calmly.

The Captain's red eyes shifted toward William and Finch as he greeted them as well. "I greet Young Lord Canestane and Young Lord Whale."

William and Finch nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing further.

"Allow me to begin by apologizing for my absence yesterday," the Captain continued. "I had many responsibilities that did not permit me to leave this place within that timeframe."

"It's not an issue, Captain," Asher replied, subtly trying to skip past the formalities. "We understand you are a busy man."

"It seems the Tenth Sun is in quite a hurry," the Captain observed immediately, catching onto Asher's haste. He was a Captain for a reason, after all.

"Yes, I am in quite the hurry," Asher replied honestly. "That is why we are leaving early instead of exploring your settlement."

The Captain fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "I have already sent word to the Star Academy regarding the completion of the mission. I also added a bonus as thanks for taking care of my soldier."

"You don't have to," Asher replied humbly. Beneath the surface, however, his mind was busy calculating.

Ten thousand? Five thousand? Twenty thousand? Still, he did not allow any of that excitement to show.

"I have a proposal, Tenth Sun," the Captain continued.

Asher did not interrupt. He simply waited, silently urging the man to speak.

"I would like to post a mission to the Star Academy requesting your team's assistance on my frontier for an extended period," the Captain said. "Of course, the reward would be generous."

This proposal was not made simply because Asher was the Tenth Sun. The Captain was not foolish enough to waste resources for prestige alone. Norman had already informed him of Asher's overwhelming combat prowess. A man like Asher was invaluable. Moreover, cultivating a relationship with the Tenth Sun could prove useful in the future.

Asher did not need to turn to William or Finch. He could already tell they did not wish to accept the mission. The same went for him. Star Academy missions were clear-cut and straightforward. This one, however, was vague and open-ended. Furthermore, they still had to return to the Whale Barony.

"A fine offer," Asher said after a brief pause, "but I must decline. I do hope we can work together at a later time."

The Captain remained silent for a moment before nodding. "Thank you for your time, Tenth Sun. Young Lord Canestane. Young Lord Whale."

With that, the team turned and walked out, their expressions flat and composed. Outside, they met Norman, who immediately asked about what the Captain had said. Finch filled him in on the details.

Norman looked slightly disappointed that Asher and his team had declined the request, but he said nothing. There was nothing he could do about it.

Arriving at the same wall through which they had entered, Norman escorted them out.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Tenth Sun, Young Lord Whale, Young Lord Canestane," he said, bowing gently.

"It was nice meeting you too, Norman," Asher replied with a nod.

He then kicked the Enduron horse provided by the Captain forward, and with that, they rode off, William and Finch following closely behind him.

_______

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sighs, this is the highest amount of chapters I've typed in my life, my hands are crying. Send me a Dragon or Luxury Car... well, any gift basically, let's end the year with a bang and a rain of gifts... shall we?

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.