A young man stood in front of a grand noble. The noble with long flowing white hair and eyes of blue spread his arms wide as he greeted the old master pianist.
"Mr. Shilon," the man said, his voice booming. The man adjusted his fur coat over his white military uniform as a wide, vile grin spread on his face. "I believe he is the man?"
The old pianist Shilon got on his knees, and so did the person behind him.
The other one's knees never touched the ground though, and his posture was clumsy. The grand noble was in too good a mood to denounce his prized chief guest and chalked it up to not knowing proper etiquette.
"My lord, the great protector and pillar of our grand kingdom, this lowly servant expresses his greetings."
"Greetings," the man behind said too, his accent thick.
"Stand up," the noble commanded and up stood the two peasants. "I did not believe that a pianist as great as the 'blank' himself would be one so young."
"I thank you for the praise, my lord," the man answered. His red hair fell over to the front while his pristine, clear yet raggedy face exuded a sense of unfindable beauty.
"Ah, blank is what we nobles have taken to call you, I hope you do not mind."
"I would be honored."
The noble chuckled.
"I believe I know not of your name. If you would find this one worthy, hahah!"
At the noble's teasing the red haired man lowered his head once more and touched his chin, as if adjusting a mask. "I am Yujin. Yujin Han. I come from the east."
"Your finger?"
"It was an accident when I was a child. It won't come in the way at all."
"Splendid," the noble said. "I have been told you wished for my assistance, so I will introduce myself once more too. I am the Duke of the North, the head of house Fonias. My noble name is Seri Al Fonias."
The noble turned around and gestured at the carriages waiting for them.
"That carriage will escort us to the venue, the stage is set for 7 PM, we're hoping that nothing would come in anyone's way at that time. Ah, please follow along." He walked ahead.
"It's a premium stage that we have set, the best of the best of this country will be present, including the queen, so I hope you hold a grand performance."
"Leave it to me."
"Splendid, we'll be calling you up at 7:10, you can prepare till then."
Yujin Han and Shilon nodded as they got into the carriage. The lord of Fonias sat in one ahead and the carriages moved out. From the capital of the Schwarz all the way outside toward a forest in the outer edges of the city.
A place not too far yet not too close. Not too conspicuous yet not too inconspicuous.
With every single breath they took, the sensation of hundreds and hundreds standing on guard outside filled them.
Sitting alone in the carriage, the grand composer Yujin Han chuckled.
"You have been acting a little weird all this time, um, Yujin…"
"I am just a tad drunk, don't mind me."
"I-I see…"
***
The Marquis of the Hall fiefdom and his men had merged themselves into the lives of the eastern ends of the kingdom.
The Marquis wiped his forehead as a young man approached and handed him a bouquet of flower.
"Sir, this one is for you,"
The Marquis smiled and gently accepted it from the boy who dashed right away. A small card was nestled between the flowers, on its back the mark of a dark moon.
And inside, it pointed up.
[Dark Moon has spoken. All is prepared]
The Marquis shifted his gaze skyward, and a chuckle escaped him.
***
The Margrave of Mirxa was down in the south of the kingdom.
Sitting alone inside a bar, he drank whiskey after whiskey when the bartender spoke to him.
"Sir, why don't you get some air? We have this cigar that you can try."
Atop the cigar was the mark of a dark moon. The margrave gently picked up the cigar, lit it ablaze, and took in a giant puff as he stepped outside the bar.
Under the afternoon sun, his gaze turned upward.
And all the smoke of the cigar came puffing out.
***
Maria, Lily, the two princesses and their commoner friend, along with Lethe all treaded the streets of the northern capital of Schwarz. The city of the duke.
Their hands were filled with snacks and their gait with laughter.
"Um, ladies, can you please slow down?"
Asked knight Alec who had been dropped here by the Margrave along with Behind.
"Leave them be, Alec," said Sophia. "We can protect them without any troubles."
"I agree," Vienna said and Billy nodded.
"It's a beautiful day, so we should have fun while we ca—"
Billy's words were taken away before he could finish them.
A smile spread through his lips as he urged the other to look.
At the sky.
***
Albert, Luka, Noa, Keith, Dawn, Rio and Irina sat together in a cafe as they waited in the capital city of Schwarz.
"This is the same place I was at before."
"Does that matter?"
"No, I just wanted to say it."
The others nodded at Irina's words.
"Still, I didn't think that Eugene would pull out that mask after so long," Dawn said. "I am surprised it works."
"That's because only the person is gone, not her powers. Not like that guy could have used it without me, it needs imagination," Albert said. "I kinda want that."
"Hah, do try…" said Keith.
Luka leaned out of the chair and turned toward the sky.
Then, his jaw dropped.
"Um, guys, is it just me or…"
All of them peered at the skies.
And a chuckle left Albert.
"Hahaha, what a fucking grandiose way to tell us."
Painted into the blue skies with clouds of white were the numbers.
[19:10:23]
"Seven in the evening huh?"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel