After a couple of hours, Silvia had regained her clarity; she pardoned herself and retreated into her own room, showering and changing her dirtied and sticky outfit to a fresh one.
Meanwhile, Jin and his family stayed in a private room where the Duke used to hang out with his close ones and family.
The vast interior was pretty much vacant. It was adorned with a collection of books and grimoires the Duke family collected, rows of bookshelves lined on each side, where the four sat on the sofa. Only this time, Jin was the one facing the Duke, who calmly sipped his afternoon tea.
Jin casually took a cookie from the plate and tossed it into his mouth, unbothered by the tension in the room. His casual attitude invited a tense expression from his parents, who sat on sides and stiffened like statues.
With a 'clink,' Sullivan put the silver cup on the table and turned to the boy before him. The earlier duel still bugged him like a nail stuck in his mind.
When those images of his daughter's head fall off, it puts dread all over his face.
He didn't know what had caused it, but his instinct as a swordmaster told him it was a difference in skill. A skill that even a Mortal couldn't fathom.
The boy's mastery had surpassed everything the world had to offer; Sullivan was sure that not only him but also the people who witnessed the spar would recognize it.
That put him in a bind, and he wondered how a boy at his age could manifest talent and mastery of swordsmanship to surpass even his daughter, who heaven loves. 'Could it be!? Jin had a talent that surpassed even Silvia'.
*knock!
A knocking sound echoed across the room, followed by the girl's clear voice: "Excuse me."
Silvia entered. Her outfit had changed to a white blouse and long blue trousers. Her hair was braided into a half-up style. She glanced at the entire room before her eyes stopped at his father.
"Sylvia, are you feeling better?".
"Yes, I feel much better after a shower". Silvia walked over and approached his father before sitting beside him.
"I'm glad to hear that".
Five cups of steamed tea are on the table. Sullivan had told the maid that Silvia would participate in the discussion, so they also made a portion for her.
Silvia took the cup and inhaled the mild fragrance of the black tea before taking a sip. Her posture was trained and full of elegance. She stared at the plate, which had only two remaining cookies.
She looked ahead and noticed a crumb on the corner of Jin's lips, yet the boy seemed unaware of it, which made her stifle her giggle.
"Fufu.".
"Silvia?".
"Oh, nothing, Father".
Marina's face tightened; she glanced to the side and noticed the situation. Her eyes flared, seeing his son's slouched posture and messy appearance.
The boy mentioned, softly exhaled and grumbling inside his head. 'Man, I want to rest already'.
His eyes are vacant. He stares at the Duke figure, who waits for the atmosphere to still before continuing the talks.
Sullivan stared at the boy, whose gaze seemed to have lost its cluster light. It was vacant, hiding something ominous, which tightened his throat as he gulped his saliva.
"Uhum!" He faked his cough and began to open his lips. "Jin, thank you for listening to my request. As per my words, I will listen to what you want to say."
Ryan and Marina tightly grip their fists, looking at their son, who had vacant eyes.
Jin's eyes widened as he stared at the Duke, who went straight to the point. Deep in thought, he placed his finger on his lips and recalled what he needed right now.
"I remember that we will stay in this city for a couple of days, right father?".
"Yeah, only for tonight. We will resume our journey to the capital tomorrow along with the Duke."
His eyebrows knitted, and Jin softly clicked his tongue, unnoticed by the others present. He exhaled deeply, then stared at the Duke with resigned fate.
"Um, Your Highness, can I ask for a permit to roam the city?".
Sullivan, Silvia, and Jin's parents blinked a couple of times. Jin's condition did not involve money or fame; he just wanted permission to roam the town the Duke owned.
"I don't mind; what is your purpose in doing so?".
Jin looked down and placed his finger on his lips before saying, "I want to check the Market and some blacksmith to see if there is a weapon that suits my combat style."
"Weapon?". Sullivan's eyes shrunk as he realized Jin's weapon was quite different from the common one. "What happened to your previous weapon?".
"It was shattered when I fought that wolf, even though that was a gift from my parents".
"How foolish, that was only a mere object. What I'm glad about is that you are safe, that's all". Marina's sharp cry broke through the still atmosphere the Duke had established.
Ryan beside her nodded his head several times and said, "If you want materials, ore, or alloy, we have some in our storage. Just ask what you need."
"I'm happy hearing that, but if possible, I want to build the weapon with my own money and effort." Jin paused as he noticed the room turned silent. He continued. "As you know, I want to become an adventurer like you, so I want to experience everything by myself. Don't worry, I won't act recklessly like before".
The two parents stare at their son blankly. His calm nature put their minds at ease. But at the same time, it caused them conflict to see how fast Jin had grown. Soon, he would probably leave his nest and soar above the sky alone.
Sullivan rested his back as the tension left his body. He looked at the boy, scratching his cheeks while talking to his parents. The sight was so enviable that it took him a moment to realize that he felt a slight tug on his sleeves.
"Hm, Silvia? What's wrong?".
Silvia bit her lips, but when she heard the boy's resolve and intention, she tightened the grip on her father's sleeves and spoke. "Can I come with him?".
Suddenly, Sullivan's eyes wavered; he looked at the figure of his daughter, who teemed with life, unlike her usual behavior, who tended to act indifferent to anything besides a sword.
After years of being indifferent, this was the first time Silvia had behaved like her normal self.
Sullivan's lips loosened as he leaned forward and addressed the boy, "Jin, I will give you permission, and you are free to roam my territory".
"Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness". Jin lowered his torso. Moments later, he stood up and moved his feet. "Then, I will take my leave!".
"Wait!". Sullivan's shout echoed and stopped the boy mid-way.
Jin's body stoned, he turned to the side and saw Silvia had stood up from her seat and gracefully bowed her torso.
"My daughter will be your guide, have fun out there".
Silvia circled behind, passing her father's seat, and stood beside Jin with parted lips. "Please take care of me, Jin."
"Yes!?".
*****
The sun hung above, its warm golden rays stretching endlessly on the land, casting elongated shadows on the two people who walked on the street. A cold winter morning passed, caressing their skin and making them shiver.
"Are you okay?". Jin turned to his side when he saw her shadows shift.
"Yeah, it's just, I didn't think it would be this cold".
Silvia rubbed her palms together, exhaling her warm breath. Her eyes widened after she noticed a warm black jacket draped on her shoulder. She glanced at the side and found Jin also wore the same jacket, and both resumed their steps.
"Thank you for this". Silvia's blinking, her sharp azure eyes shrunken in a pleasant mood while clutching the jacket.
"You should put on a thick outfit next time". Jin shook his head and resumed his step.
They walked past the north part of Duke's territory, which was filled with tall buildings in the European style, encased in white marble.
Along the way, Jin noticed the carriages that passed around the street were of high quality or even using some good breed horse, galloping in ecstasy for doing their job as they went straight toward the north.
"Your father seemed busy".
"Um, yes. At this time of the year, he will receive many guests from nobles within the south border".
"Hmm, that's some work he put there".
"Yes, he is an amazing lord".
Jin glanced at the side and noticed the girl's expression had softened compared to when they first met.
At first, he thought she was an aloof and calculative girl because she had less to talk about and viewed the world through a distorted lens. Jin could feel it, especially in her swordsmanship.
But now that mask began to crack.
Her once indifferent gaze had softened, replaced by clear azure eyes that burned with passion, and her rigid personality crumbled as she showed her warmth and cheerful side, which suited her age.
Jin starts to branch the topic of conversation so as not to bore the partner, who is willing to act as his guide as they reach the central town.
The place was buzzing with activity. Carriages bypassed each other slowly, and there was an energetic shout from the stalls selling their products. Jin saw a small white building in the center. It had a familiar emblem attached to the door above.
'Is that an Adventure Guild?'. Jin's feet brought him toward the door's building. 'It's quite small!? It is quite different from what I know of'.
"Let's see what's inside".
"Jin!?". Silvia's eyes blinked, seeing the boy's back calmly entering the adventure guild. She mulled for a second before following in his footsteps, 'What!?'.
"It's empty".
Jin looked around and found no soul in sight, only the figure of a female receptionist scribbling something behind the counter desk. The interior had a calm ambiance, and a wooden structure enveloped every room.
On his right is a row of quest boards, along with the requirement rank. But, there are only a few parchment of quest plastered on it.
"Ah, welcome to the Adventure Guild. May I help you?".