Chapter 21: A Notice
The morning began quietly.
Shinra woke earlier than usual, his mind lingering on the terrace view he'd shared with Edward, but also troubled by the memory of the bullies and Elwin's history lesson from the day before.
Lizz, sensing his mood, nudged him gently. A faint smile crossed Shinra's lips.
Samy had already left early for the bakery, while Ryken busied himself preparing breakfast.
Guild
At the guild, tension simmered. Marcus had just returned from the capital, and the moment he appeared, questions flew at him.
"Why the early return?" "What happened at the capital?"
Marcus's face was grim. "The grand master is unavailable," he said.
Elwin stepped forward, holding out a letter.
"Marcus, what's this?"
"See for yourself."
Marcus unfolded the parchment, his eyes scanning the summons.
The Celestial Guild had called for a major meeting in the capital—one week from now. They demanded the presence of Marcus, Elwin, Vaelstrom, and Ryken.
"What now?" Elwin asked.
Marcus's voice was steady but grave. "It's about war, I think. They're preparing for a major conflict. Clear your schedules. We have to be ready to leave in a week."
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Velmire
In the distance, the land called Velmire—the mainland of the governor's domain—seemed peaceful.
The country was neatly divided by two circular borders: the outer ring enclosing rural lands and markets, and the inner circle holding the royal district, blending modern and medieval architecture seamlessly.
At the heart stood the towering Castel Nexus Spire, a massive castle perched atop a mountain, often shrouded in cloud-white mist.
Inside the grand hall of this castle, three kings convened:
King Harward of Velmire
King Jhones of Senestia
King Malric of Draquessa
Seated with them were their three vice admirals—Soren Drake, Kade Rhyne, and Malrik Voss—along with nine admirals from their respective fleets, and six rear admirals.
The room was vast and ominous, heavy with anticipation.
Suddenly, the large doors swung open.
A cloaked figure entered, face concealed beneath a hood and mask. His presence chilled the air.
His voice was low and heavy as he addressed the kings.
"What is the current status? Have you succeeded?"
King Harward answered, "We've pushed them back, recovered much land, but not all."
"And the dragon?"
A tense silence fell.
King Jhones admitted, "We failed. A boy has bonded with the dragon. We tried to kill them both, but the guild intervened. Now they're both in the guild's hands."
The mysterious man's voice sharpened. "You failed. You couldn't kill a boy and a lizard."
A cold pause.
"This time, I let you go."
He declared, "The contract between the guild and the governors is broken."
Shock rippled through the room as the news spread: the grand master was dead.
Yet the kings remained unreadable. Some admirals exchanged wary glances, but no faces betrayed their thoughts.
King Harward demanded, "What is the governor's next move? Are we to conquer the remaining lands?"
"No," the masked man replied. "For now, you will create chaos—just enough to unsettle them. The full plan will be revealed in time."
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One Week Later
A peaceful morning again.
Shinra and Ryken left their home, heading to the academy and guild. Ryken reminded Shinra to return straight from class.
At Marcus's office, Ryken found Elwin and Vaelstrom already waiting. Marcus rose from his desk and said, "Alright. Let's go."
A cart arrived to take them to the capital for the meeting. They climbed in and departed.
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Back at the Bakery
Samy was busy preparing dough, patiently training a new apprentice and correcting his posture.
Meanwhile, Shinra and Edward practiced their mana techniques on the training grounds alongside other students.
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Nightfall
The doorbell rang sharply.
Shinra opened the door to find Samy entering wearily.
"I'm home," Samy said, collapsing onto a chair at the kitchen table. Shinra sat opposite him.
"How was your day?"
"Hmmm… not bad. They started teaching us to use mana."
"Good."
"Are you hungry?"
"Of course."
"Give me ten minutes—I'll take a shower first."
While Samy chopped vegetables, Shinra suddenly asked, "Hey Samy, do you know who created the first guild?"
Samy shook his head. "No idea."
Shinra smiled. "A man named Ryan—he and his friends founded the guild called Wisdom about six hundred years ago."
"Why did they create it?"
"Long ago, a demon appeared, spreading despair and destruction. Kings and adventurers fought it and defeated it together.
Afterward, the kings formed a one-world government—the governors—but they only spread more despair and inequality.
So the heroes and adventurers formed the guild to fight for freedom, equality, and justice."
Shinra continued, "They took control of four countries—Wisdom, Elyasia, Maura, and Elsgaurds among them.
A peace era began but was short-lived.
When the guild leader Ryan died, the governors seized the chance to attack. Only three countries stood strong.
Wisdom was divided, half occupied, half defended by loyalists."
"That's quite a story."
"Yes. Elwin teaches history, but he says Wisdom had no king even before all this."
"Why?"
"Because the name 'Wisdom' came from the guild, not a kingdom. He was tricking us."
Samy chuckled.
Shinra added, "Who knows if this history is true? Maybe it's all lies."
"Samy, lies?"
"One lie is easy to spot, but can an entire world be deceived?
Maybe the recorded history is just a 'white lie'—a version they want us to believe."
Samy laughed softly. "Where do you get ideas like that?"
"Who has the power to erase or alter history for all mankind?"
"Maybe you're right. But I want to learn about times before the guild, before those six hundred years. From the very beginning."
"Why?"
Shinra smiled brightly. "For peace."
That smile made Samy pause, his mind clouded with regret.
What have I done?
If I hadn't killed him… maybe it would all be over.
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At Elyasia Capital
Ryken stood on his balcony, eyes fixed on the night sky, deep in thought.
The moon shone bright over the village.
Inside, Shinra had fallen asleep.
Outside, Samy locked the door behind him, then slipped quietly toward the village forest.
A crow perched nearby.
Samy tied a letter to its leg.
He released it into the dark sky.
The bird soared westward.
Samy's expression was focused.
It's about to begin.