Veer was a bit on edge now. He had encountered two books with the same title and only one page, but with different poems. Although both were pointing to some kind of catastrophe.
Eleana was now walking back to Veer when she saw him reading an odd book. She curiously asked, fluttering her beautiful eyebrows, "What is it?"
Veer was taken aback by the subtle beauty of her eyes as he showed her the book. "Take a look at it."
Eleana looked at it, her eyes gradually furrowing as she contemplated. "It feels familiar. Hmm. The Great Mystic Tree should be the Tree of Mythria. But I can't make sense of what this catastrophe is."
She pondered for a moment before saying, "Just keep it in its place. There are tons of prophecies like this everywhere. Do you want to continue looking?"
Veer shook his head. "No, that's enough for today. Let's go."
They went down and came out of the Grand Library. Veer looked ahead to see if he could spot that man, but it seemed he was a bit too late.
As they went down through the gardens, with gentle moonlight shining through the leaves and dew all around, and the beautiful figure of Eleana walking beside him, he had an instinct to grab her hand. But he could not muster his courage.
As he reached the end of the King's garden and was about to walk onto the road, Eleana was a few steps ahead. She looked back and seemed to want to say something. Eventually, she did not say anything and just stood there.
Veer was feeling all over the place. Eventually, he made an excuse so that he could spend more time with her.
Veer said, "I am hungry. Let's eat at the tavern of the Famous Inn. It's already late."
Eleana's eyes seemed to light up a bit as she nodded.
As they walked side by side, the atmosphere was a bit awkward. Veer had gotten information about the tavern from his best friend. It seemed it was Veer's favorite place.
Currently, Veer was having trouble finding what to say. Eleana was also fidgeting a little.
Eventually, Veer broke the silence.
"The moon is really beautiful today."
He did not think much of this statement, but Eleana's face seemed to go down a bit more as she started fidgeting more.
Eventually, she just said in a low voice, "The moon..."
Again, there was silence.
Veer wondered, It can't be that she is shy, is it?
Finally, they crossed the road into a tavern. Many people, including knights, were going in and out of it. There was chatter everywhere.
A wave of flavor seemed to drift into the streets. Many people were looking Veer's way—rather, at Eleana—as they walked into the tavern. A few people even nodded to them as a greeting.
As they went inside, they saw a well-decorated room for serving guests. The smell of various dishes seemed to faintly reach his nose, along with gossip from all around.
A lot of tables were arranged as Veer took a table and let Eleana sit. He sat down and called for the waiter, who handed them a menu.
He was going through the exotic dishes mentioned in the menu.
He paused on a dish called Broth of the Verdant Group, which was basically some kind of potatoes simmered and then sprinkled with Sporecap mushrooms. It was believed to increase energy capacity.
He looked at Eleana to confirm the dish. She nodded, and he ordered two servings.
As they waited, they drank something called lily-sprinkled lemonade, which was really refreshing to Veer.
He muttered, "This is really good."
Eleana smiled a bit as she said, "You really didn't change from the academy days."
Veer did not recall anything, but he was lost momentarily in her smile.
As he was trying to strike up a new conversation, he heard the chatter around them quiet down a bit.
Heavy boot sounds resounded as three guys approached their table. One was a knight—a Golden Knight. He had sharp features and was vaguely familiar to Veer.
They completely ignored Veer as one of the lackeys of the Golden Knight said, "Lady Eleana, your beauty is unmatched. Why are you hanging out with this loser? My leader, Knight Arvus, is way better than him."
The guy called Arvus looked disdainfully at Veer as he said, bowing to Eleana with a happy smile, "Lady Eleana, I invite you to have dinner with me."
Veer looked at the man called Arvus. He had a very robust and trained body. He was probably pretty strong for a Golden Knight.
He was secretly awestruck as he looked at the idiots trying to invite Eleana.
Did they not fear her?
Eleana didn't even say a word. She just looked at Veer.
Her smile was a bit chilling.
Veer suddenly understood that Eleana wanted him to deal with the guys.
Should I show off? Veer wondered. I could do it, maybe.
Veer suddenly looked toward the tavern owner in the distance as he said, "Boss, prepare our orders quickly. After thrashing some idiots, I would feel very hungry."
Eleana, meanwhile, was stunned. It was the very first time she had seen Veer so cocky.
The chatter again grew as a lot of eyes focused on Veer's table.
Arvus looked at Veer like he was a fool.
"Do you think that just by becoming a Golden Knight, you can beat me?"
Actually, Veer knew this guy was no joke. He was a genuine Golden Knight, but since he did not respect him, Veer did not mind giving him a thrashing.
But he was a bit confused internally.
This show was clearly arranged not to ask Eleana out, but to pick a fight with him.
But why?
The puppet incident was already well known. Veer's strange power was actually a bit popular. So, was the puppet incident somehow covered up and known only to a few?
Anyway, currently, Veer was confident that he could handle any Golden Knight, given there were no special circumstances.
The boss just waved his hand as everyone looked at Veer. It seemed like the boss was saying Veer could really defeat each of them.
Arvus and his lackeys became stupefied, as though they had eaten a fly, when they were judged by random people.
Arvus flew into a rage and tried to grab Veer.
Veer got up and channeled his energy from his Star Chakra as he backstepped. He then sidestepped, making his way out of the tavern.
Arvus followed in a rage as he also gathered his inner energy and punched Veer.
Veer again sidestepped and made a swinging downward strike with his palm.
Arvus was injured a bit as he went down.
Arvus tried to get up, but Veer focused a major portion of his energy as he kicked the guy.
Arvus landed on the other side of the road.
Surprisingly, Arvus didn't say a word. He just murmured, "I will remember this," as he went away. "You're just a pretentious knight. Remember that."
Veer felt something strange from his words but didn't take it to heart.
The peace was restored as Veer returned to the tavern.
In just the nick of time, the dishes were served.
Veer flashed a smile as he said, "Please, Lady Eleana, enjoy."
They both started eating.
It was just so good, especially after that fight.
Eleana didn't say much as she seemed much more interested in just observing him.
Eventually, Veer asked, "Is there something on my face?"
Eleana shook her head as she said, "I wanted to apologize for that time."
"Which time?"
"When you asked why I wore white clothes instead of the standard Black Knight's armor."
"I shouldn't have spoken in that tone."
Eleana looked downward at her food.
Veer said with a sigh, "The incidents after my birthday seem to really mess with me."
"I keep overlooking things."
Eleana said with worry, "I knew something was strange."
"Should we go to a healer?"
Veer said, "Let me rest for a week."
Eleana nodded.
After finishing their meal and making the payment, Veer and Eleana moved out.
He saw Kerin standing a bit far away. Kerin was a bit awkward as he saw Eleana.
Eleana nodded in greeting and then turned to Veer as she said, "Thanks, Veer, for today. Goodnight."
Veer walked with her for a few steps as he waved her goodbye.
As Veer went back, Kerin scrutinized Veer as he said, "Congrats, bro. You are so close to your goal. Maybe I should not have come now."
He shoulder-tackled Veer as he said, "The relationship could elevate even more. Sorry, Veer."
Veer shook his head as he said, "Let's grab a drink as we go."
The two guys took another two bottles as they went through the garden, nearing Veer's actual residence. It was just a few walls away from the girls' knights' residence. The protectors generally resided here.
Veer asked, "You know, I saw a very suspicious guy at the Library. Clad in trench coats and all."
Kerin shouted, a bit drunk, "That guy's a bastard. I think he is that fucking butler who gave Alicia that present. That puppet that ruined everything that day."
Veer asked drunkenly, "Who is that?"
Kerin asked, "Bastard is the Imperial Preceptor or something. But for some reason, his identity was not declared publicly."
"His name is Sebastian."
Veer laughed. "What a strange name. Haha..."
Kerin laughed as he said, "Do you want me to say it?"
"What? Say it."
"Tell me, why is it so hard to play hide-and-seek with Sebastian?"
Veer asked seriously, "Why?"
"Because it's Sea-bastian... Hahah!"
Veer laughed as Kerin said, taking a sip of his drink, "That's not all."
"That fucker Rio is another bastard. But no one can touch him. I am not even sure who he is working for."
Both friends were feeling really drunk as Veer muttered absentmindedly, "How will you go back?"
Kerin took another sip as he said, "It's no issue. I have a lot of experience in drinking."
They were randomly discussing topics when a sharp sound emerged from the bushes.
A white arrow flashed by, grazing Veer's face as he barely reacted.
Another few arrows rapidly came as both of them dodged.
Two arrows got stuck in Veer's legs as he screamed, and one struck Kerin in the abdomen.
Both fell down.
Veer cried out, "Damn it, Kerin... Who has enmity with you?"
"Me? Are you kidding? You are the one poking holes in every nest you see. Today, I will fight you."
Just then, a figure leapt and landed in front of them as Kerin gulped.
She wore fully covered knight's armor, grey in color.
Kerin half-smiled, half-terrified.
"You know, Veer, let's postpone the match. We might need to run."
The figure didn't waste a breath. She made an unsheathing motion as two swords came into her hands.
She was a dual wielder.
Kerin said seriously as he prepared his stance, "There were very few people who could dual wield. She couldn't be a no-name."
Her two swords, surprisingly, were one red and the other blue.
But Veer could feel a tingling sensation prickling all over his skin.
He unsheathed his katana.
Kerin did the same.
Kerin unsheathed his longsword.
Kerin and Veer both attacked the veiled knight simultaneously, as she seemed to be highly capable.
She easily parried both at the same time as her swords seemed to glow with flames and ice.
Veer was shocked.
"Isn't she already almost at Black Knight's level?"
Kerin uttered with an ugly face, "Not quite there, but not far off."
She really was a conjured Knight who could manifest abstract concepts.
Veer stepped back as he rapidly concentrated his Star Chakra to augment his sword.
His katana shimmered in faint darkness as Kerin engaged with the veiled knight.
Just within a breath, Kerin was injured as the knight parried his attacks with one sword and sliced Kerin with the ice sword.
Kerin's hands and shoulders had small icicles forming, with blood coming out as she stepped back.
Veer jumped over and attacked the knight.
She dodged as Veer was left opposite her.
Veer was gritting his teeth as he thought, Drinking is really bad for assassination.
He saw that Kerin made a stance, his sword held at an uncanny angle behind his back.
What is this guy doing?
Kerin's muscles contracted as he went forward at a dashing speed.
The veiled knight expected a thrust, but at the last second, Kerin's trajectory changed as he made a sharp sweeping attack, immediately followed by a downward slash and then another horizontal slash.
Veer was stunned by the showdown.
Kerin was actually a strategist, executing brilliant moves.
Veer saw a chance as he went forward.
The knight barely parried the first attack, but the next attack hit her in the shoulder while she parried the last one.
Her balance gave out as Veer circulated his breathing in a drunken state and performed a very strong thrust.
That tore through the figure.
Blood flowed from her back.
It missed her vitals by barely an inch. She seemed to have moved at the exact moment to avoid fatal damage.
She tumbled as she made some distance.
Then she raised her blue sword.
She chanted something as ice and flames seemed to really appear on the swords.
Earlier, it had just been like an illusion.
But now Veer and Kerin could feel something lock onto them.
Kerin muttered, "Veer, this is going to hurt, man."
Then she took a stance as she swung both her swords sideways and rapidly swung her ice sword four times.
Each generated a wave of ice attacks as they tore their way toward Veer and Kerin.
They survived the attacks, but barely.
Veer was already exhausted from earlier, and with his drunken state and that thrust, it had cost him enough to leave him with no reserves.
Now Kerin was actually guarding against most of the attacks.
The first two attacks almost stripped away the garden they were in.
The third wave swept Kerin from behind as the fourth wave landed on Veer's sword.
He survived, but his armor was badly broken.
The lady then rapidly spun with her flaming sword.
As flames were conjured and came toward Veer and Kerin, Veer was considering using the trump card he had worked a bit on, but his reserves were too low for that.
But just as he was deliberating, a figure landed in front of him, shielding them from the flames.
She was a valiant beauty with a long claymore-like sword in her hand.
One hand was raised, and the flames did not get past it.
There was a blue cape on her back that fluttered wildly, her side profile visible to Veer as she faintly looked behind.
She had long black hair, a delicate nose, and emerald eyes.
Kerin shouted from the back, "Sythris? I mean, Lady Sythris."