Part Four

The sun was rising the following morning when Daunte and his group set off for Gregminster. Sharon and Milia were unfortunately still sniping at each other, and Daunte's suspicions that Sharon would be forced to stay behind grew stronger and stronger.

"Here, Lord Daunte," Futch said, motioning him forward. "You can ride with me on Bright."

Daunte was naturally apprehensive about riding on the back of a dragon, but Bright seemed surprisingly friendly-looking for a dragon. Arin was very excited about climbing onto the dragon's back, so Daunte put up no protests and followed suit.

The Dragon Knights took off into the sky, as the residents of the small village shouted their goodbyes at them. The wind blew harshly in Daunte's face, and he felt slight vertigo that he didn't feel in the skyship. He kept his head ducked and his gripped the riding basket so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Arin, however, had a completely reaction. "I'm flying! I'm flying!" he shouted, spreading his arms wide. He laughed and whooped until he lost his balance and fell backwards into Daunte, but luckily Daunte was able to catch him. Futch was unsurprisingly unmoved by the elevation and speed, and he even seemed amused by their reactions.

It was still morning when they reached Gregminster. Daunte saw the large castle first, before seeing the rest of the capital. From their aerial perspective the city had a quaint but charming appearance to it, but it was still larger than life and splendid. Futch circled the castle twice, and Daunte saw a large balcony at the top with what looked like a full-blown garden. It was then that it really started sinking in that he was there, in a foreign land, seeking to learn and understand government structure.

And I'm not even sure I want to lead Nagarea after the war is over. I just want to free my country from tyranny.

The Dragon Knights landed just outside the gates of Gregminster. Daunte began to regroup with Caesar and the others, but Sharon and Milia began arguing once more before he could even speak to Caesar. Suna, Azul, and Zǐsè crooned in response to Sharon's shouting, and the other Dragon Knights looked amused by the display between mother and daughter.

Gunther's face was green when he got off the dragon. "E-E-Excuse m—" he quickly ran for the bushes.

"Wow, that was very pleasant!" Viki laughed.

"They'll be at it for a while," Futch said dryly, obviously referring to Milia and Sharon. "Let's leave them to it. Here, Bright and I will escort you all to the castle."

"That's very nice of you, Futch," Caesar said, though his tone sounded a little bland.

Futch shrugged. "You almost sound like I'm never nice, Caesar. You should know me better than that."

Caesar snorted. "I've heard stories."

Futch and Bright led the way into Gregminster. It was almost ten o'clock in the morning, and the capital was already incredibly lively. Everyone was going about their business, either rushing to work or shopping or simply loitering about. Daunte saw a farmer's market due north near a magnificent fountain, and he wanted to stop and explore the city. But he knew it was important to meet Toran's President first, and didn't ask to stop.

It was very peculiar, though. They were walking straight through the capital with a dragon, and yet it didn't seem out of the ordinary to the people of Gregminster. As they headed north towards the castle, they were frequently stopped by citizens saying hello to Futch, to Caesar, and even to Viki. No one gave Bright a second glance.

But they must be used to seeing dragons, since they have Dragon Knights in Toran.

"We're almost there," Caesar called over his shoulder. They reached the draw bridge that would lead them into the castle grounds. Daunte paused briefly before stepping onto the bridge, and craned his neck back as he looked up at the palace. From the ground it looked even more extravagant, but it also looked…imposing. He knew he had to make the best impression when meeting a foreign leader, especially if this would be a foreign leader Nagarea would have diplomatic relations with.

I haven't asked Caesar, but…what will President Lepant think when he sees that the Army leader Caesar is assisting is just a kid? Will he think we're a joke? It does seem pretty ridiculous for a teenager to lead a rebellion. I can't imagine he would invite us all the way here to dismiss us, but…

"Brother?" Arin squeezed his hand. Daunte looked down at him and saw the concern in the boy's face. "I-Is everything okay?"

Daunte looked at his group. He saw that they were concerned too by his hesitation and heat flooded his face. He forced a smile and stood a little straighter. "Yes, everything's fine. I was just admiring the castle."

"It is magnificent, isn't it?" Caesar agreed, smiling. "It's an old remnant of the Scarlet Moon Empire, but it leaves the right impression on the populous and visiting dignitaries."

"You guys coming?" Futch called back to them. Bright and him were already halfway across the bridge. Daunte was amazed that it didn't collapse under Bright's weight.

"Yes, we're coming!" Daunte responded. He nodded to the group. "Let's go."

The group began crossing the bridge. Caesar suddenly, and very quickly, leaned into Daunte's ear. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right."

Daunte was startled, but the strategist walked on ahead. Daunte followed, though his heartbeat was thudding in his throat. They were halfway across the bridge however when something caught his eye. There was an object in the center of the bridge.

He squinted, and then rushed forward. The object in question was pale pink, so it stood out sharply against the dark wood of the bridge. Daunte swooped down and picked it up. It was a pink envelope that was sealed with a crimson seal in the shape of a blooming rose. Daunte flipped the envelope over to see who it was addressed to, but the front only showed the words 'You're Invited' written in cursive.

And—It was strange. As Daunte stood there staring at the envelope, he could've sworn he could faintly hear an accordion playing in the distance.

"What's that?" Arin asked, making a face. "Is that a love letter?"

"Lord Daunte!" Gunther called to him from the other side of the bridge.

"I-I'm coming!" Daunte shouted. He tucked the envelope into an inner pocket of his vest and hurried along with Arin into the castle grounds.

Soldiers were going about their business, though many stopped to talk to Caesar, and to the far right Daunte saw a large stable yard. Futch took the opportunity to steer Bright towards the stable yard. "We'll be over here. The last time Bright was inside the castle his feet scratched the floor, so President Lepant doesn't like him being in there." Daunte coughed to cover up a laugh. Gunther was a lot less subtle.

They entered the castle, where they were escorted to the second floor and to a waiting room. Their weapons were confiscated for security measures, but Daunte and the group understood. His jaw hung open as he drank in his surroundings. The interior was even better than the exterior. Every surface seemed to sparkle, and the red carpet crunched under their feet as though it were brand new. The floor was a soft red color, almost orange, and it was so clean that Daunte could see his reflection in the floor. It reminded him of the palace in Sol-Falena.

And much like the Falenan palace, every person he passed in the palace had a smile on their face and a pleasant demeanor. The people seemed very content in Gregminster, particularly in the palace.

I'll have to work hard to make sure the people of Nagarea are this happy.

Luckily they didn't have long to wait. They were in the waiting room for only three minutes when a page came in and announced that President Lepant was ready to see them. They leapt to their feet and followed the page out. Daunte looked at his group. Gunther was starting to look nervous, as did Arin. Caesar however looked bored, and Viki looked oblivious. Daunte concerned on keeping his expression blank. He didn't want to appear nervous in front of Lepant, but at the same time he didn't want to appear overly eager.

"Presenting Lord Daunte of the Theocracy of Nagarea, and Lord Caesar Silverberg of the Toran Republic!" they were announced into the throne room. Daunte squeezed Arin's hand, but otherwise showed no hesitation as he led the way into the throne room. On either side of them leading up to the dais were Toran soldiers standing to attention. Along the dais were a half-dozen men and women watching them. And on the dais upon the throne sat a big, hulking man in his sixties. His face was creased with age lines, and his hair was long and silvery, though it had streaks of blonde in it. His goatee however was fully silver. As they approached the dais he rose from his throne, standing at his full height. He looked like a giant, even at his age, and Daunte was very impressed by the way he was able to instill his presence without even saying a word.

Well it's probably why he's President.

"Caesar!" President Lepant greeted, startling the group with his booming voice. To Daunte's surprise he left the dais and surged forward to crush Caesar with a one-arm hug, grinning from ear to ear. "Long time no see! I see you're living up to your family name aiding in the liberation of a country from tyranny! Good on you!"

"Y-Y-Yes!" Caesar grunted. He struggled slightly in Lepant's hold but the older man didn't let him go. "Apple arrived yesterday so you better see her!"

"O-Oh, she came from—"

"But never mind that, Caesar! Introduce me to your commander!" Lepant finally let him go, leaving Caesar gasping for air for a few moments. Daunte tried to keep a straight face at this spectacle, but he choked on a laugh.

"A-Allow me to introduce my Lord, Daunte," Caesar introduced, motioning to Daunte. "This is Arin, my Lord's younger brother. And this is Gunther, and I'm sure you remember Viki."

Lepant's eyes went wide when he saw Viki, and he surged towards her. Viki yelped and jumped back slightly. "Wait—it is you! Viki!" he barked out a loud laugh and slapped her on the back. "I last saw you almost thirty years ago, and you look like you haven't aged a day!"

"A-Ah," Viki laughed a little, nursing her back with her free hand. "I'm constantly on the move, so…"

"So this is Lord Daunte," Lepant said, turning to Daunte. He was clearly sizing Daunte up, and Daunte fought the urge to shrink a little. Lepant looked him over in silence for a long moment before he spoke. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen," Daunte responded.

Lepant nodded. "I see. He was around your age too. Despite his youth, he proved himself to be the best commander I've ever met. Don't allow anyone to dismiss you for your age, for if a Silverberg follows you then you know you're doing right."

"I have a knack for following young leaders," Caesar said, shrugging.

Lepant folded his arms over his broad chest as he sized Daunte up once more. "You have reached out to me to learn about rule, correct?"

"That's right," Daunte said. "I want to learn from you about how a Republic is run."

"You don't plan on maintaining a Theocracy once you win your war?"

Daunte blinked slowly. He wasn't expecting that question. He quickly answered. "I don't know yet what's the best government for Nagarea. We're an isolationist country, so the Theocracy is the only form of government I know. That's why I've traveled here to learn about the structures of other government types. I want to see how a Republic is run, and I want to see if that's what's best for Nagarea."

Lepant weighed his words in silence for another long moment. Daunte held his breath, and waited to see what the other man would say.

Lepant suddenly nodded his head to the left. "All of you, follow me."

Daunte looked to Caesar, but the strategist gave an encouraging nod. Flanked by castle guards, Lepant escorted them towards a long winding hallway. They proceeded to then climb several flights of stairs. Daunte wondered where Lepant was leading them, and why they couldn't simply continue the audience in the throne room. But he remained silent.

Finally, Lepant led them through another set of doors and Daunte's group found themselves back outside. His eyes widened at the massive garden stretched out before them. He quickly realized this was the balcony garden he'd seen when he was flown here. It looked even more magnificent than from his aerial view.

"Twenty-one years ago, the Gate Rune War ended here in this garden," Lepant said, gesturing them forward. "I did not personally witness it, but Master Tir faced Emperor Barbarossa and defeated him here. From here, the Scarlet Moon Empire ceased to exist, and the Toran Republic came to be."

"Oh, Lepant!" an aging but beautiful woman came out from around a corner of flowers and hurried over to the group. She had a makeshift bouquet of flowers in her arms. "I thought I heard your voice! Are these the dignitaries you invited!"

"Yes, they are," Lepant said, giving her a hug and a kiss. "Everyone, this is my wife Eileen. Eileen you remember Caesar and Viki, and this is Lord Daunte."

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," Eileen greeted, bowing. "I hope you enjoy your stay here."

"Where is our idiot useless son?" Lepant asked.

Eileen sighed, and gave him a stern look. "You shouldn't talk about our only child like that."

Daunte was surprised to see Lepant flinch under her glare, but he quickly recovered himself. "Sheena is a thirty-six-year-old unmarried slacker, who—"

"What," Eileen interrupted him coldly. "Have I told you about insulting our son in front of strangers like that?"

Her demeanor gave Lepant pause, and he bowed his head slightly. "You're right, as usual. I'm sorry, Eileen."

"But to answer your question," Eileen said, her tone shifting back to cheerful. "Sheena is downstairs."

"I see." Lepant turned back to the group, and everyone quickly adverted their gazes. "As I was saying, Toran was founded as a Republic to give all the people the opportunity to vote for a leader every several years. They will never again feel compelled to suffer under a leader they did not choose, and who cannot be removed from office."

"So a Republic has a leader, a President," Daunte said. "Who is voted in by the people and may be voted out?"

"Lepant has been President of the Toran Republic since the very beginning," Eileen said. Pride was shining in her voice and she settled a hand on Lepant's forearm. "With every election he wins in a landslide. Several times he's run unopposed, he's that efficient and popular as a leader."

"That's incredible," Daunte said, his eyes widening.

But Lepant only huffed, and shook his head. "I've tried to sign into law a mandate that requires term limits, but the citizens do not deem it necessary. They may see me as the perfect leader, but I'm not. Truthfully, the only reason I do not simply resign is that I'm holding my seat for the true leader of this country."

"Do you mean Tir McDohl?" Caesar asked.

"He was the one who freed us from tyranny," Lepant insisted. "He was the one who sacrificed so much for this country. There is no one more deserving of the title of President than Master Tir. But he will not take the position! Believe me, I've tried to convince him to take his rightful place here, but he either refuses me or disappears without a trace! It's so frustrating that he will not reap this reward!"

"But Master Tir didn't liberate us to take power for himself," Eileen said softly. "He did it because it was the right thing to do."

This reminded Daunte too strongly of his own situation with Nagarea. He didn't take leadership of Nagarea's Liberation Army with the intention of becoming the leader of the whole country. He just wanted to help his fellow citizens.

I wonder if all the Tenkai Stars face this same situation.

"But enough of this," Lepant said, waving his hand. "I've given you the basic breakdown of the Republic, and how I became President. If you would like, I will give you more information in the coming days. In the meantime, I have good word that Master Tir is in town. His mansion is open to the public, so I imagine that he will not mind if you stop by and see him."

"Yes!" Caesar nearly shouted, grabbing Daunte's free hand. "Yes, let's go and see Tir McDohl! You will gain even greater leadership insight by speaking with the hero of the Gate Rune War himself!"

"Does he have a True Rune too?" Arin asked.

"'Too'?" Lepant echoed, and Daunte inadvertently stiffened.

"A-Ah, let's go and see this Tir McDohl now!" Gunther interjected. He hooked his arms underneath Daunte's. "Lovely garden, and lovely wife you have there!"

A shadow fell over Lepant's face, and he stepped in front of Eileen. "What was that?!"

"AH!" Caesar shouted, raising his hands and putting himself between Gunther and Lepant. "D-Don't mind Gunther! He's an idiot who speaks without thinking!"

"HEY!" Gunther shouted.

Five minutes later, Daunte's heart was still pounding in his chest as they hurried away from the throne room. Wow…I thought Lepant was scary, but his wife is plenty scary herself!

"I-I'm sorry," Arin said, tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry I told them about the True Rune!"

"No, no, it wasn't your fault," Caesar reassured him. "I should've warned you guys that President Lepant can be…quite outrageous when it comes to defending Lady Eileen. But you stay on his good side, he's really quite funny and jovial."

"By Nagar, what are his hands made of?!" Gunther complained, nursing his shoulder. "All he did was squeeze my shoulder, but I think he broke my clavicle!"

"Next time, don't hit on another man's wife in front of him," Caesar admonished him. "Especially if he's the President!"

"I—"

"Well, well, well. So you were at the center of all that commotion, Caesar?"

Caesar snapped to attention and turned around. "Hey, Apple!"

Daunte turned to see a brown-haired bespeckled woman in her mid-thirties approaching the group. She wore a friendly smile and Daunte couldn't help but smile back. "Long time no see, Caesar. Is this leader you are now following?"

"Yes, he is. Lord Daunte, allow me to introduce Apple. She's a veteran strategist of the Gate Rune War, Dunan Unification War, and Second Fire Bringer War."

Daunte was immensely impressed with her résumé, but Apple waved a dismissive hand. "I was merely a supporting strategist in those three wars. And in the case of the Dunan Unification War, I was grossly underprepared for it."

"Oh don't sell yourself short," Caesar told her.

"That's right," Gunther immediately supplied, sliding up to Apple. "A beautiful woman such as yourself should always—ACK!" Gunther shouted as Apply casually reached up and pulled on his earlobe.

"I hope you'll forgive me," Apple said tersely, her smile twitching. "But you're not my type."

"Ow, ow, ow, OW—I'm sorry, please let me go!"

"How long are you going to be in Gregminster, App?" Caesar asked, looking unfazed by her behavior.

Apple abruptly let Gunther let, letting the younger man tumble to the floor. "I could say the same for you, Caesar. Is your lordship leaving soon?"

"No, President Lepant invited Lord Daunte to stay for a few days and learn more about our government. However, we're currently stranded here, as our means of transportation is undergoing repairs."

"Really? Stranded? For how long?"

Caesar shrugged. "The estimate is nearly one month."

Apple held a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "You plan on staying here in Gregminster for a month?"

"Probably not. Lord Daunte will learn about the government structure of a Republic in less time than that."

"He will?" Arin asked with amazement.

"I will?" Daunte asked at the same time.

"Then do you intend on taking Lord Daunte to Dunan then?" Apple asked Caesar. "Dunan is also a Republic, but I'm certain both President Teresa and even Shu can provide even more insight for Lord Daunte."

"I was thinking about it," Caesar said, smiling.

"Wait, we're going to visit another country?" Gunther asked, picking himself up off the floor. "I thought our mission here was only to learn about the Toran Republic's government!"

"Dunan is just north of here, and we still have a lot of time to kill before Hero and James are done with their repairs," Caesar said. "After we're done here, the travel time it will take to travel to Muse and back will ensure they'll be done by the time we come back."

"And what if the President of Dunan is as intense as Toran's President?" Gunther asked. He noticed people immediately stop to stare at him and he glanced in their direction. "No offense."

"None taken," Apple said, her tone a little kinder. "But don't worry. President Teresa Wisemail is more…subtle than President Lepant."

Gunther breathed out a sigh of relief, but he looked at Daunte. "Do you want to do this, my Lord? Travel to a second foreign country while we wait for repairs?"

Daunte weighed his options. He'd come on this trip expecting to only stay in the Toran Republic. He even fancied the idea of touring the country and seeing the various towns. At the same time however, he wanted to learn as much as he could. And both Caesar and Apple were confident that he could learn even more by traveling to Dunan.

It might be dangerous to do so much traveling so far from home, but since I'm already here I might as well take the opportunity.

Daunte decided, and nodded. "I would like to visit Dunan after we're finished here."

"Great!" Caesar shouted uncharacteristically, slapping Daunte on the back. "I'll draft a letter to President Teresa and get it sent out as quickly as possible!"

"I too will write a letter on your behalf," Apple said. "I'll send one to Shu and ask him to assist you when you arrive in Muse."

"Who is Shu?" Daunte asked Caesar.

"The chief strategist for the Dunan Army during the Unification War," Caesar told him. "He's one of the best strategists I've ever met. Although he can be kind of…" he gestured with his hand as he tried to think of the right word to say. Finally, he shrugged. "He's different."

"He was expelled from Mathiu's school for being greedy," Apple said, but her tone and expression were gentle.

"Who's Mathiu?" Gunther asked.

"My first cousin once removed," Caesar said matter-of-factly. "He died during the Gate Rune War."

"I-I'm sorry for your loss," Daunte said, but Caesar shook his head. "I never met him. Apple here was his star pupil."

"Mathiu was one of the greatest men I've ever met," Apple said, her tone turning somber. "I was proud to—"

"Well, well. Have you come all this way to see me, Apple?"

Apple's face darkened, and Caesar rolled his eyes as a blonde-haired man in his mid-thirties sauntered over. He wore a cheeky grin that quickly got on Daunte's nerves. "I heard the Old Man screaming his head off so I had to see why. Lo and behold here you are. And with Caesar too, no less. Did you miss me?"

"No," Apple said abruptly, her tone sharp. "I haven't missed you. Truthfully, I haven't given you a second thought until this very moment."

The man looked stunned for a moment by her cold words, but the moment quickly ended and he snapped the smile back on his face. "Oh don't be that way, my sweet Apple. Not after ev—"

"Excuse me Sheena, but this Lord Daunte," Caesar said, pulling Daunte forward. "Lord Daunte, this is President Lepant's son Sheena."

"Oh, hi," Sheena said disinterestedly, thought he did a slight double-take when he saw Viki. "Are you all here on off—"

"Yes they are, and they are very busy," Apple said, directing the group away. "Here, let's go and take care of that business we were speaking about."

Daunte didn't know what she was talking about, but he had a feeling she was just making up an excuse to get away from Sheena. He knew he could call her bluff or play along. Ultimately he said, "Yes, let's take care of that business."

"A-All right, but don't be a stranger Apple!" Sheena called after them. Daunte glanced over his shoulder as they hurried off to see Sheena standing there staring after them for a long period of time. Then a maid walked by and he promptly hurried after her.

He reminds me of someone, Daunte thought, and glanced at Gunther. Gunther however was making a face. "Man…that guy was a creep! Hitting on a woman out of the blue, and then chasing after another?"

Caesar coughed loudly and harshly, and Daunte stared at him incredulously. Arin however was blunt. "But you do that too, Gunther!"

Futch had taken Bright to the market, and Daunte said the Dragon Knight physically restraining the large dragon from eating the livestock on sale. Everyone thought it was amusing, even the vendors (despite the risk to their product). Apple and Caesar escorted Daunte and the others to Gregminster's inn southwest of the fountain in the center of the city. A kindly woman in her late fifties came out from behind the counter to greet them personally. Both Caesar and Apple referred to the woman as Marie, and Caesar quickly explained to Daunte how she was instrumental in Tir McDohl's escape from Gregminster two decades earlier by giving him shelter from soldiers hunting him. Marie had a warm smile and a maternal disposition, and Daunte felt at ease in her presence. Strange though…her demeanor was so very similar to Tidur, who was also an innkeeper. Were innkeepers just naturally inviting and sweet?

She protected Tir like Tidur protected me. Maybe these two women have the same Star of Destiny?

"Well I must be on my way," Apple said as the group got settled in their rooms. "I want to get that letter written quickly, and I have other matters to take care of. Are you all going to rest for the day?"

"We're going to surprise Master Tir McDohl at his mansion," Caesar said.

Apple arched an eyebrow at his words. "Surprise him? Why don't you send him a request and see if you can stop by? That would be politer, Caesar."

Caesar shrugged. "I've heard rumors he prefers keeping to himself. I've heard he's tried to dissuade Gremio from traveling with him, with no luck. I figure if we surprise him at home, we can't meet him before he tries to run out on us."

Apple shook her head. "If Master Tir prefers to keep to himself, then he has a good reason to."

"I don't doubt it. But if we surprise him, it'll increase our chances of meeting him."

Apple sighed heavily, but smiled at Caesar. "If he throws you out Caesar, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Don't worry," Caesar told her. "I have this planned out. We'll go at dinnertime when he'll be off-guard."

Apple barked out a laugh. "Caesar, you're going at dinnertime to eat some of Gremio's stew! Just admit it!"

Caesar shrugged again. "I won't say no to free food."

"Well, good luck to all of you." Apple took her leave.

"I'm full of energy right now," Gunther said, standing up. "Can we go and explore the city?"

"Absolutely," Caesar said. He looked to Daunte. "Unless you would like to rest, my Lord?"

Daunte knew he could take the opportunity to rest, or walk around and sightsee before they "ambush" Tir at this house. He was tired but he did want to see Gregminster, so he stood up. "I want to go out."

"Me too," Arin chimed in.

"I-I'll join you as well," Viki said, clutching her staff to her chest. Her nose twitched however, and she arched her head back. "Ah…ah…ah!"

Caesar quickly reached out and plugged her nose. She sneezed quietly, and it luckily didn't trigger her Blinking Rune. "I hoped you packed your nose plug, Viki…"

Thankfully she did, and the group set out into the city proper. Futch caught up to them as they reached the market. "There you are! I didn't notice you leaving the castle!"

"Well you were in a tug-of-war with Bright," Caesar pointed out.

Futch scoffed and shook his head. "He's usually very well behaved! But those chickens—I had to pay 1,000 Potch for all those chickens he ate!"

"Poor chickens," Viki said softly.

"Better chickens than people though!" Gunther laughed.

"So, what are you guys up to now?" Futch asked.

"Can I ride the dragon again?" Arin asked.

"We're exploring the city," Daunte quickly interjected.

"That's cool! Can I come along? I checked with another Dragon Knight, and Lady Milia and Sharon are still fighting! I don't know where they get the energy from!"

Gunther chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with an energetic woman…'

"I think General Kwanda Rosman's house is somewhere around here," Caesar said, gesturing to the northwest of town. They began moving in that direction. "Kwanda Rosman fought during the Gate Rune War. He—"

"He destroyed the elf village," Futch said bluntly.

"What?!" Daunte exclaimed.

"Why would he do that?!" Arin demanded.

"It wasn't his fault, really," Caesar said over his shoulder. "He was under the control of a cursed rune."

"I never saw the rune in action," Futch said. "But they called it the Black Rune, I think. The Rune gives you unimaginable power, but at the cost of your sanity."

"It works more like possession," Caesar added. "The Black Rune—or Conqueror Rune, as it's also called—makes you act possessed. Based upon the actions of the two people it was attached to during the Gate Rune War, it robs you of your humanity. You're incapable of feeling regret or remorse, and you actually delight in the suffering you inflict on others. The two people who were under the power of this rune did horrible, horrible things…things they would not have done had they not been under the influence of the Rune."

"The person who committed the atrocity cannot even be blamed for it because his mind was under the control of a savage Rune."

Daunte remembered Kirkis's words and his stomach twisted in discomfort. He couldn't conceive of ever being under the power of such an evil rune. Being trapped inside your own body while your physical being murders and brutalizes people around you. Why would such a Rune even exist?

"So this Kwanda was unwittingly given this Rune?" Gunther asked, his tone full of disgust. "But you said a second person was given this Rune. Who were they?"

Caesar suddenly broke out in a short, unexpected laugh. "Oh, it was—"

"Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no…"

Daunte looked to his left. Two meters ahead of him and not far from a set of closed gates that were decorated with large red and white roses stood a man wringing cream-colored gloved hands. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, and his midnight blue hair was loose and wavy down his back. He wore a waist-length cape that was a lighter shade of blue than his hair, a matching waistcoat over a long-sleeve frilly white shirt, cream-colored breeches, and black knee-high boots. A fencing sword was strapped to his waist.

"Oh no," the man fretted again, pacing nervously. His dark eyes were full of worry. "I lost it. I can't believe I lost it. How am I supposed to win if I can't even get in there?"

"What's wrong with that guy?" Arin asked.

"Wait," Gunther spoke up, looking confused. "Does anyone else hear that?"

"Hear what?" Viki asked.

"Wait, I'm hearing something too," Futch said, his face twisting up in confusion. Bright raised his head and craned his neck, listening as well.

Caesar rubbed at his ear and frowned. "I hear…something too."

Daunte concentrated on his hearing as well. He heard the activity of the market behind them, but…yes, he something too. He'd heard it before on the bridge. The faint sound of an accordion.

"It sounds like an accordion, doesn't it?" he asked out loud.

Both Caesar and Futch stiffened. "An accordion?" Caesar asked.

"Hey, it does kind of sound like an accordion," Gunther said. "Where is it coming from?"

"Oh man," Caesar said, slapping his hands over his eyes. "This only means one thing."

"What?" Daunte asked.

Caesar pointed in the distressed man's direction. "That man is a Narcissist."

"What's a Narcissist?" Arin asked, struggling with the word.

"Just as the name suggests," Futch said grimly, folding his arms over his chest. "Narcissists are obsessed with themselves. They are men and women in love with beauty and…the like. They also have very outrageous behavior, and can be—annoying."

"The universe also seems self-aware of them as well," Caesar said dryly.

"How so?" Gunther asked.

"The accordion that we're faintly hearing in the air? It's going to get louder if we approach that young man and speak to him. For…whatever reason, music will fill the air when you speak with a Narcissist. And you will continue to hear this same melody after you speak to the Narcissist and after you walk away from them. The melody will then follow you for an extended period of time until you put some time and distance between yourself and the Narcissist."

"But why do we hear music?" Arin asked. "Where does it come from?"

Caesar shrugged. "It is one of the greatest mysteries of this world. Well, not nearly as mysterious as how Crowley and Mazus's battle went, but—"

"I've dealt with my fair share of Narcissists across three wars," Futch said, shaking his head. "They're hardly worth the effort. You'd be better off not talking to him."

Daunte wasn't exactly eager to have a song literally follow him, but at the same time he was concerned for the other man as he was clearly in distress. He looked to Caesar. "He looks like he needs help. I would like to help him."

"Whatever you believe is best, my Lord," Caesar said.

"You're going to regret it," Futch warned.

Despite this, the group followed Daunte. Daunte did indeed hear the mysterious accordion melody increase in volume the closer he got to the fretting man. By the time he came to a stop directly in front of him, the accordion was a soft hum in his ears.

Then Daunte spoke. "Are you all right?"

The man turned a tear-streaked face towards Daunte. And suddenly, the music surged in volume as the man opened his mouth to speak. "Oh, this is terrible! I've lost it! I've looked everywhere and I've lost it! How am I supposed to win if I can't even get in there?"

"What have you lost?" Daunte asked, but he could barely hear his voice over the accordion.

"What else?!" the man wailed, gesturing frantically to the gates behind him. "The wonderful Milich Oppenheimer is having a grand party! A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-And Vincent De Boule himself is going to be there! T-They're having a Male Beauty Contest, and I was invited to compete! But my—my invitation! My invitation is gone! I cannot get inside the mansion without it, and—ah!" he held a hand to his forehead dramatically. "How am I, Luciano, supposed to prove to the world that I am worthy of the title of Male Beauty if I can't even attend the party?!"

Daunte realized that his mouth was hanging open and he clicked it shut. He looked at Caesar and Futch and both men looked exhausted. Gunther looked completely perplexed, and Viki looked oblivious. He looked back at Luciano, but he honestly didn't know what he was supposed to say. He'd never quite met a person like this before.

Are…Are all Narcissists like this? And will I always hear this song whenever I speak to one?

Arin tugged frantically on his hand and Daunte looked down at him. "Brother! The invitation—do you have it?!"

Daunte remembered the pink envelope he'd found and quickly pulled it out and held it out to Luciano. "I-Is this it?"

Luciano stopped crying, and his eyes went wide when he saw the envelope. He snatched it from Daunte. "Yes…yes, this is it!" He clutched it to his chest and shouted in joy, startling the group. "This is wonderful! Now I can attend the party!" he looked at Daunte. "Thank you, kind sir! You don't know how important this is to me!"

"I'm glad I was able to help you," Daunte said.

Luciano suddenly reached out and grabbed Daunte's free hand. "No, I can't accept that! I must repay you! You went to the trouble of finding this invitation for me, I can do no better than reward you!"

Is he a Star? Daunte wondered. Before he could ask, Luciano continued. "W-Why don't you all come with me to the party? You can be part of my entourage!"

"Really?!" Arin asked with excitement.

"Really?" Gunther asked, his tone duller.

"Well, I haven't seen Milich Oppenheimer in years," Caesar said reluctantly. "If you would like to go, Lord Daunte, then I will go with you."

Luciano's eyes went even wider. "Y-You're a lord, young man?! Then you must come with me! Milich Oppenheimer will be honored to have a lord as his guest!"

"I'll have to decline," Futch spoke up. "I don't think Milich would appreciate having Bright in his house. We'll see you guys later."

"So," Gunther said slowly as Futch and Bright went on their way. "…Are we attending this party?"

Neither Caesar or Gunther were enthusiastic about this, but Daunte felt it would be rude to refuse Luciano's offer. And he was a little curious about what this party would be about. So he nodded and forced a smile. "Thank you for the invitation, Luciano."

Luciano nodded. "Let's hurry. I'll win that Rose Brooch yet!"