Maxwell’s eyes widened.
He understood.
Not just any great lance, but the second great lance, rumored to be above the 8th-core. Not just anyone could challenge him.
’Jarush killed his mother?’
But sothing was odd about this, though.
"Jarush lives in the Northern Continent. How did he kill your mother over he–"
Eithan’s face lit up softly, and he smiled.
"I was not born here in Jalozi or Levaria. I was born in Nuncapor. After he murdered my mother, I couldn’t even... I had to run away. But I don’t want to run away anymore. I want to face him, I don’t care if I die. I want to make him bleed for what he did to my mother. I’ll get as strong as I can to do that."
Maxwell blinked, then breathed out.
"Eithan," he called. "You leave in a week, right?"
Eithan, slightly caught off guard, nodded.
"I will not advise you not to seek revenge because it will be hypocritical of . Who knows what I’d have done in place of you?" Maxwell straightened his back. "But I will tell you one thing, though."
Eithan stared at Maxwell keenly.
"Don’t throw your life away for revenge."
Maxwell shrugged.
"Jeriq will help you. Don’t forget to go to Avalon."
Eithan smiled and nodded.
Maxwell looked away from him, gazing at Frilo.
"Frilo."
Frilo quickly spun and transford to its thread form, snaking through the air into Max’s soul.
’Find the remainder of the tear of the celestial grove in my pocket dinsion.’
Frilo did exactly that, traveling through their soul-link to his pocket dinsion.
Maxwell could do it by himself, but having Frilo enter the space directly was always better for him.
Actually, it was just a preference thing. And Frilo seed to like exploring his pocket dinsion too.
"Ya know," Eithan laughed awkwardly. "I can never get used to the sight of Frilo doing this. I still don’t know how the hell you even managed to contract a spirit. Did you learn it in Ananca?"
Maxwell only chuckled in response.
A few monts later, Frilo arrived with the vial in its hand. And it dropped it on Maxwell’s open palm.
Max smiled.
The last ti Vin used it, he didn’t finish it. And so, Maxwell stored it in his pocket dinsion once more.
But now...
He threw it to Eithan, and the blond man caught it, raising it to eye level and observing it.
"So... what the heck is this?"
Maxwell shrugged.
"Use it when you’re gathering mana. You’ll find out."
For a person with unblocked pathways, it smoothened the pathways and cleared them of any congestion, allowing easy absorption of mana. Hell, it even increased the absorption rate of pure mana.
After looking at the crystal vial for a few seconds, Eithan shrugged and put the vial in his pocket.
"Sure."
He gazed at Maxwell as Frilo made its way back to his head.
"The second great lance is my father."
Maxwell blinked, sighing as he raised a hand.
"I’m not going to ask how all that happened. I’m not ready for the explanation."
"Fair enough," Eithan grinned. "But ya haven’t told why you ca to visit today, though. Ya miss that much? We saw each other yesterday."
Maxwell stood up, beckoning Frilo as he chuckled.
"I ca to say goodbye."
Eithan froze, then a cracked chuckle broke out of his lips.
"Pfft, you joker. We still have a week–"
"I picked a commission request yesterday. And it was to escort a young noble lady to the capital. It’ll take a week to get there. And rember, the capital is where I planned to go, myself? So it just tallied with my plans, as this was my last commission. I’m likely not coming back."
Eithan’s chuckle faded, and he gazed down.
"Oh. So... this is the goodbye, huh?"
"Yes. By the ti I get to the capital, you’ll be on your way to Nuncapor."
Suddenly, Eithan stood up. And Frilo flew high in the air.
Eithan smiled brightly as he outstretched a hand to Maxwell.
"Our goodbye shouldn’t be a somber one then!"
Maxwell blinked, gazed at his hand. Then smiled.
He outstretched his hand. And shook Eithan.
"You’re a great friend, Maxwell. I have enjoyed these past few days with you."
"Likewise, Eithan. But... this is not a permanent goodbye, you know. We’ll write each other letters, right?"
Eithan nodded, grasping Maxwell’s palm firmly.
"Of course!"
"Don’t forget about when you beco a great lance."
"I will never! And you... don’t forget about when you finally find what you’re looking for."
Maxwell blinked, a bit taken aback. He smiled.
"I won’t."
"Make sure to open that bar."
"I will."
"I’ll miss you, man."
Eithan pulled in for a hug.
Maxwell froze for a while, but he accepted the warm embrace with an even warr smile.
After that, Frilo and Eithan were engaged in their own rounds of good-byes. Frilo kept crying on Eithan’s lap, while Eithan kept comforting the spirit.
Maxwell looked outside the window.
It was nightti. Vin would surely be done with his executive work by now.
"You’ll be there before I depart tomorrow, right?"
Eithan looked up at Maxwell.
"Of course!" He yelled, still consoling Frilo. "Vin will be there too, right?"
"That’s what I’m going to go find out."
"Frilo!" Maxwell yelled. "Let’s go see so mini Vins."
Imdiately, the spirit bead and jumped up, flying toward Maxwell as if it wasn’t crying a minute ago.
Maxwell chuckled while Eithan sat on the bed, dumbfounded by the spirit’s apparent mood swings.
***
Maxwell spent most of the night in Vin’s house, eating dinner that his wife cooked and explaining to Vin about his change in situation.
Vin had accepted Maxwell’s departure in good faith, wishing him farewell. Frilo just sat on Vin’s hair, pouting because Maxwell refused to give Frilo visibility, and so, Vin’s kids, who were already fast asleep, couldn’t see it.
If Maxwell had let Frilo, it would have woken the kids up from sleep, and subsequently, angered Vin’s wife. And Maxwell didn’t want that.
Vin said Elizabeth was a really feisty woman.
’Reminds of Rita.’
Anyway, now Maxwell stood at the entrance of Lorenzo’s mansion. A brown horse-drawn carriage, spacious in its interior, stood behind him. And around the carriage, many guards dressed in purple uniforms and white hats stood. They would escort them.
Behind the horse-drawn carriage, there was a smaller carriage. And another smaller carriage was in front of the big one.
So, in total, three carriages.
Currently, under the warmth of the rising sun, Maxwell was waiting for Lorenzo’s daughter, who’d been taking her sweet ti.
"She sure takes her ti," uttered Eithan, who stood beside Maxwell, arms crossed.
He was dressed in... plain attire. Brown shirt, brown trousers.
Beside him stood Vin, dressed in official rcenary attire.
They’d both co to see Maxwell off this early morning, before they resu their daily duties.
"Right. We’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes already," Vin sighed.
Frilo had an expectant, mischievous grin on its lips as it sat on Vin’s hair.
Maxwell, who was dressed in the sa brown rcenary attire as Vin, crossed his arms as he smiled.
"She’ll be here soon."
Just as he uttered that, he saw Lorenzo walk out from the mansion, holding the hand of a young lady beside him.
Maxwell blinked.
"Here she is."
"Finally."
The lady wore a fancy silver dress that flowed all the way to the floor; she had to raise it with one hand, exposing her black heels.
She had a nervous air around her and a shaky smile.
As she walked, her blond, wavy hair flowed in the wind, brushing past her large blue eyes.
She was, in simple terms, a fair lady. A beautiful lady.
"I forgive her for her tardiness," Eithan said, grinning.
Vin nodded.
"She’s quite good-looking. Although my lovely Elizabeth is the–"
"We get it, married man."
Lorenzo himself was dressed in the sa all white cloth Maxwell t him with the other day.
As the father and daughter pair arrived, Lorenzo bowed courtly to Maxwell.
"rcenary Maxwell," Loren said. "I apologize on my daughter’s behalf. She... had so issues to take care of."
Maxwell raised a hand.
"It’s fine."
"Thank you."
Maxwell gazed at the young girl, nervously fiddling with her fingers beside Lorenzo.
As Loren noticed his gaze, he exclaid:
"Ah! This is my daughter, Olive," Loren gazed at Olive. "Olive, this is rcenary Maxwell, the man who’s going to be protecting you."
She looked at Maxwell, pupils trembling as she waved.
"H–hello."
Maxwell bowed slightly.
"Pleasure to et you, Ms. Olive."
"Likewise."
Lorenzo cleared his throat.
"And these gentlen?"
"Ah," Maxwell gazed at Vin and Eithan, who Loren was referring to. "They’re my comrades, here to see off."
Lorenzo nodded.
"We’ve loaded all the luggage. Including yours too, I presu."
Maxwell nodded.
"Correct."
"Then, Olive, make your way to the carriage."
Olive nodded imdiately and walked into the open, bigger carriage.
"Please, protect my daughter."
Maxwell chuckled, making his way to the sa carriage as Olive.
"I will, Count Loren."
Before Maxwell stepped in, he gazed at Vin and Eithan, who had warm smiles on their faces.
"Till we et again, my friends."
Eithan grinned.
"Damn right we will!!"
Vin waved his hand.
"Goodbye, Maxwell."
Maxwell entered the carriage, and Frilo, unbeknownst to the duo, kissed both Vin and Eithan’s foreheads before he flew in with Maxwell.
"Start moving!" Lorenzo yelled.
Imdiately, the carriages began moving.
Maxwell relaxed in the carriage, gazing at the nervous Olive.
’Goodbye,’ Maxwell closed his eyes, ’Ludia.’
VOLU 1 END.
[A/N: Hello there, readers! Volu one has ended!
Thank you for embarking in this journey with Maxwell. And thanks for all your support so far! I am truly grateful.
Please continue to support as the next volu will kick off tomorrow!
Look forward to it. To the romance, the capital, the bar, the rest of the large, exciting world. And best of all, look forward to Rita! :)
Thank you for being part of this amazing journey.]
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