Chapter 76: Hours Before the Party
Lukas woke up before the sun had fully risen.
For a few seconds, he remained lying in the soft bed at the inn, watching the first rays of morning light filter through the cracks in the window, gentle golden beams painting the room in warm tones.
The smell of fresh bread was already drifting up from the hall below, mingling with the aroma of coffee and herbs.
Then he remembered. The party. It was today.
He immediately sat up, his violet eyes widening. His heart skipped a beat, not from nervousness, but from anticipation.
After so many preparations, so many conversations about Count Hark, about Lady Elara, about the other nobles who would be present... the day had finally arrived.
Judite was still fast asleep in the bed beside his, wrapped in the blankets like a cocoon. Her brown hair was spread across the pillow, and she hugged it as though protecting a treasure. Her lips moved slightly, mumbling something unintelligible, probably about sweets or swords.
Aurora was already awake, folding some clothes on a nearby chair. Her movements were calm and precise, as always. Her white hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders, and she wore a simple linen robe.
Clavor was quietly adjusting the belt of his sword beside the bed. The metal buckle jingled softly, but no one woke up.
"Good morning," Lukas said, his voice still rough with sleep.
Aurora smiled.
"Good morning, dear."
Clavor nodded.
"Ready for your first noble party?"
Lukas hesitated for a moment.
"A little nervous."
"Good," Clavor replied with a slight smile.
"It means you understand its importance."
A short while later, everyone went downstairs for breakfast.
The inn’s common hall was bustling, much more than it had been in previous days. Travelers, merchants, and noble families occupied the tables, chatting excitedly about the evening’s event.
The smell of freshly baked bread mingled with the aroma of the strong coffee Clavor appreciated so much. The coffee was dark, nearly black, and Clavor drank it in small sips, his eyes half-closed in satisfaction.
Lukas helped himself to creamy scrambled eggs, smoked ham, the meat tender and salty with that smoky flavor he loved so much, and a glass of red berry juice, sweet and slightly tart, with small pieces of pulp floating on the surface.
As they ate, he asked the question that had been on his mind since the previous day.
"Mother... what time does the party start?"
Aurora took a sip of herbal tea before answering. The tea was pale in color, slightly sweet, carrying the scent of chamomile and honey.
"At dusk."
"And what time does it end?"
Aurora smiled faintly.
"It doesn’t end early. Noble parties usually last until dawn. Music, dancing, conversations... important guests aren’t in a hurry."
Judite’s eyes widened.
"That late?"
"Yes," Aurora said.
"Especially when there is music, dancing, and important guests."
Lukas blinked several times.
"Then we’ll be returning to the inn very late."
Aurora shook her head.
"We won’t be returning. Count Hark has prepared rooms for the noble guests. We’ll be sleeping in the castle."
Judite’s eyes lit up.
"In the castle?!"
Aurora nodded.
"Yes. It’s an honor."
Lukas also felt his excitement grow. Hark Castle, at the top of the Great Rock... he had only seen it from afar in the previous days, an imposing silhouette carved against the sky.
"So... we’re going to climb the Great Rock?"
"Exactly," Clavor replied.
For the first time since they had arrived in the city, Lukas displayed visible excitement.
The Great Rock.
The gigantic rock formation that gave the city its name. The wealthiest district. The most protected.
Where only the rich and exceptionally powerful merchants could afford to live.
According to Aurora, the city’s finest gardens were there. The most luxurious mansions. The largest art collections. The best-trained guards. The cleanest streets.
Judite was practically bouncing in her chair.
"I want to see everything!"
Aurora laughed.
"We’ll see whatever is appropriate."
After they finished breakfast, Aurora looked at the children.
"Do you want to go out for a little while this morning?"
Judite immediately raised her hand, as though answering a question at school.
"I do!"
Aurora turned to Lukas.
"And you?"
Lukas pondered for a few seconds.
’Go out... or read?’
He cast a glance toward the newly purchased books stacked on the table in their room. The Compendium of the Beasts of the Human Continent, with its dark leather cover and golden illustrations. The Complete Atlas of the Known World, with its detailed maps. The other volumes are waiting to be opened.
"I don’t think so," he finally answered.
"I want to read. Especially the Compendium of the Beasts."
Aurora smiled.
"All right. Don’t leave the inn by yourself."
"I won’t."
Shortly afterward, Aurora left accompanied by Judite.
Clavor also departed.
"I have a few things to take care of before the party," he said, adjusting the sword at his waist.
And then, for the first time that day... Lukas was alone.
The silence of the room felt strange after so many days surrounded by family. The distant sounds of the streets, voices, carriage wheels, and the shout of a street vendor drifted through the open window, yet seemed to come from another world.
Lukas walked over to the window.
He watched people moving through the streets, merchants, children running about, and guards on patrol. Carriages passed by, some simple, others luxurious, carrying families to their engagements.
And his thoughts eventually turned to other companions.
Tilbo. Prata.
The large metallic ant. The venomous spider with its black carapace and silver threads.
’Are they doing well?’
Lukas sighed. They had remained behind at the Dmond Manor.
Prata could no longer fit comfortably on his shoulder. Her body now measured nearly thirty centimeters in diameter, and her long legs extended in every direction. Tilbo was even worse, almost forty centimeters in length, heavy, with mandibles capable of crushing wood.
With each passing month, both grew larger. Stronger. More dangerous. But only to others. Never to him.
"You’re becoming a bit of a problem..." Lukas murmured.
Not because he wished to abandon them. Quite the opposite. He considered them part of his family. They had been his first friends in this world. Tilbo had appeared in his cradle when he was only one month old. Prata had been purchased in Great Rock City months earlier.
But he needed to think about the future.
He would have to train them. Teach them that humans were not prey. Or build a suitable habitat. A safe and protected place where they could live without putting anyone at risk.
Lukas scratched the back of his head.
’A zoo...’
His old dream seemed increasingly complicated. Even so... he smiled.
"Nothing truly worthwhile is easy."
He then walked over to the sofa near the window.
He picked up the largest of the books, the Compendium of the Beasts of the Human Continent.
