Leon stared at Noah, and Noah stared right back. But inside, his thoughts were in complete turmoil.
'I need to visit a church soon. My luck's been in the sewers lately.'
An awkward silence stretched throughout the room. Leon finally turned away when Robert cleared his throat
"Sir Leon," Robert began, looking between the two, "I'm assuming you've made your preparations?"
Simply replying with a curt nod, Leon left the room. Seeing his reaction, everyone was confused.
Robert sighed and fixed his coat. "I wish I could tell you to take things easy, but I doubt you'll have much rest. Just… try not to draw attention."
'Would it hurt to simply wish me luck?'
Grimacing on the inside, Noah simply nodded.
"Everything has been arranged properly. We have placed a few agents inside the Port City, so as soon as the mage is spotted, you'll strike the location together. Remember, our priority is Sir Leon's sibling." Robert announced to the group. "As soon as you retrieve her, there'll be a carriage waiting for you in the Seras Guild's branch."
With that, he left the room.
For a moment, everyone just stared at one another, except Bernard, who was still snoring in the corner.
Finally, Elira rose up. "Alright, although this trip will be short, I'll be depending on you all."
She walked out, Alice following. But as Alice passed Noah, she grabbed his shoulder and said quietly, "I wish you luck. Just… don't die, okay?"
Before Noah could reply, she was already gone.
'Just when I thought things couldn't get worse.'
Tirandel chuckled when he saw Noah's expression. "Relax, kiddo. It can't be that bad."
Before replying, Noah examined him once again. "You don't even look that old. Why are you calling me 'kiddo'?"
Tirandel stood, flashing a smug grin. "Despite my youthful charm, I've got the wisdom of an old sage."
Noah wanted to retaliate, but he instead said with a smirk, "Sure you do, geezer."
Tirandel grimaced and leaned down to ruffle his hair. "Just call me big bro. No, actually, just call me Tirandel."
He slouched dramatically, as if wounded, and left the room.
Now, only Noah and Bernard were left. Noah glanced at the sleeping man and turned to leave. Behind him, Bernard cracked one eye open.
Scratching his stubble, he said, "Tsk tsk, young people these days."
The cohort was then taken to a secluded location where they boarded the merchant carriage assigned for them by the Seras Guild. It was a modest carriage with a cargo bound to its back. The crates and supplies rattled against each other as they traversed the bumpy road.
Watching the so-called planning unfold, Noah thought, 'Half of this doesn't even make sense.'
On the outside, their entire group looked like a circus. A duke, a mage, two warriors, a merchant, and finally, Noah. It was as bizarre a cohort could be and even beyond that.
The Emperor sending this bizarre group to rescue a princess from an "evil mage" sounded more like a bedtime story than a mission.
Chuckling subconsciously, Noah looked outside the carriage.
'What's next, kill the Dragon and defeat the Demon Lord?'
Elira was sitting on the opposite side of the carriage. Her fingers slid through the pages of the book she was holding.
"While mythical beasts do exist, a dragon would be a far cry." She said while reading her book.
Her words hit him like a slap. 'Wait. She heard that?'
Lifting her gaze, she continued, "Let alone a Demon Lord."
Her gaze prompted Alice and Tirandel to look at Noah. All he could do was hide himself in embarrassment.
'Ugh, I want to go home.'
Turning around, he noticed that Bernard was already fast asleep. On the other hand, Leon was simply sitting with his arms crossed and eyes shut. He seemed to be meditating rather than sleeping.
'Huh?'
It took him some time, but the longer Noah looked at Leon, the more… ordinary his features seemed. While he was wearing armor that looked quite packed, a part of his neck was clearly exposed. There, Noah was able to see a small glimpse of what seemed to be a cryptic tattoo in the form of a mana circuit.
'So His Majesty too had a rebellious phase…'
While Noah was certainly keen on finding out more about the tattoo, he knew that staring too much would do nothing but ask for death.
Leaning forward, he noticed Tirandel fidgeting a gold coin between his fingers. Unlike the Empire's coins, this one bore the image of a great tree, its surface too pristine to have passed many hands.
Before he could ask, though, Tirandel answered himself, "It's Elven currency."
The claim was heavy enough to bring even Elira's attention.
"Centuries ago, before humans expanded throughout the Central Plains and the other side of the continent, Elves, Dwarves, Asuras, and many other subspecies would trade with each other often. That also includes my race, the Ceythari."
But as he continued, a wisp of sorrow was mixed in his tone.
"While my race is not as prominent as it used to be, it still holds quite the reputation. This coin was passed on to me by my father as a keepsake."
Noah had heard fragments of that history before: how the ancient races fell one by one as humanity spread across the continent. The Ceythari were the last to fall and the first to vanish from memory.
Although the last to crumble was the Ceythari race, it was the one that was dealt the worst hand. By now, their race was close to completely extinct. Tirandel was surely someone extraordinary. But since their blood had been diluted over the years due to various reasons, there was nothing else indistinguishable other than his tall height.
Which, too, was quite common even among humans.
Noah swiftly took out a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles out of his waist bag.
"Well, it would be quite unfair if you're the only one to flaunt a keepsake," he said, wiping the glass with his sleeve. "This is something my father bought me when I was a kid. It probably wasn't that expensive, but it is still dear to me."
As his fingers brushed over the hinges, fragments of childhood memories surfaced.
The others who were still awake turned toward him, their expressions a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
It was finally Alice who broke the silence.
"Uh… Noah, do you know how much these cost?"
Lifting his brow, Noah thought back, "Raising a brow, Noah thought aloud, "Hmm… if I remember right, it wasn't more than a hundred ery. Now that I think about it, that does sound a bit pricey—hey—"
While he was busy contemplating over Alice's question, Tirandel plucked the spectacles from his hands with surprising care. Squinting at the tiny engraving near the hinges, his brows drew together. "It's Augustine," he muttered. "And handmade."
Noah wasn't sure what that meant, but even Bernard, who had been snoring a moment ago, opened one eye.
Alice was a bit older than Elira, seemingly around 24 years old. Yet, her eyes lit up like a child's the moment she heard Augustine.
Leaning closer, she asked, her voice bubbling with excitement, "Don't tell me, you're from a noble house or something?"
Elira cleared her throat. "Even noble houses rarely get their hands on these, let alone a handmade piece. I doubt even the Emperor could obtain one now."
At her words, Tirandel and Alice both glanced toward Leon. Fortunately, he didn't seem to be disturbed by her remark.
Noah took the spectacles back, frowning. "Why are you all making such a fuss? They're just glasses my father bought from a shop in our town."
Tirandel rubbed his temple. "You really don't get it, do you?" His eyes lingered on the lenses. "That thing you're holding in your hands, it is enough to buy the entire Seras guild."
Noah chuckled, assuming it was a joke, but their faces said otherwise.
Elira set her book on her lap. "Would it be alright if I asked what your father did for a living?"
For a moment, something flickered in Noah's eyes before he looked away. "He used to be a teacher."
Seeing how Noah addressed his father, everyone got the gist of the situation. Even Alice, who'd looked ready to snatch the spectacles a second ago, averted her gaze.
After a brief silence, Elira said softly, "My condolences." Her fingers traced the edge of her book as she added, "Try not to show it around. Most won't recognize it, but if someone does, it could bring you trouble."
Noah slipped the spectacles back into his bag and smiled faintly. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."
On the surface, Noah seemed calm, but his thoughts churned beneath it.
'Let's not overthink it; Dad was simply a teacher. There's no way he could have gotten something so rare. It's probably just a replica.'
With that thought, he turned back to the window.