**October 26th**
Yousafer and Yuray woke to the delicious aroma of fresh bread wafting through the window, immediately stirring their appetite for breakfast.
Yousafer rose from his bed, stretching his arms toward the ceiling with his eyes half-closed, as if sleep were refusing to let go of him.
"It seems sleep didn't want to part with you," Yuray remarked, already seated.
"I stayed up all night studying that book," Yousafer replied, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
Yuray threw on his silver cloak. "Haven't you finished that book yet?"
"I'm done reading it, but the language is a bit tricky, so I was reviewing it."
"So, you've finally finished all the books the old man left for you."
The book Yousafer held was ancient, bound in black leather. The cover featured an engraving of a sword held not by a man, but by a lion standing on its hind legs.
"Yes," Yousafer said. "I know all the languages now. I've finally caught up with you."
"From now on, it's time to dig into history and see the world as it once was," Yuray noted.
"This world shares one common tongue spoken by most," Yousafer mused, "but a small percentage of people kept these ancient languages a secret."
*Knock... Knock... Knock...*
A waiter entered carrying a large clay tray laden with food. "Good morning, dear guests. Here is your breakfast."
The table was soon filled with two steaming cups of tea, fried eggs, honey, soft butter, and two round loaves of fresh bread. The two ate quickly, discussing their upcoming plans.
Once finished, Yousafer tucked the black-leather book into his luggage and looked at Yuray. "Let's go."
"Where to now?" Yuray asked.
Yousafer stared at the floor for a long moment before answering, "We'll just wander for now and wait for the festival. As he told us, we only need to deliver the last remaining box we have."
A small smile played on Yuray's lips. "So, nothing left to do but wait."
Yousafer turned toward the window as shouting erupted outside. "You know, even if we searched, we wouldn't find anything. He searched for a long time and found nothing. We wait for the 'Kingdom's Legacy' to be handed over, and then we move."
As the townspeople whispered, this festival wouldn't be ordinary. It was the day the King would announce his heir, and with that announcement, the "Legacy" would be passed down—the ancient law of Randor.
The duo left the inn, spending their day familiarizing themselves with the crowded streets. Jugglers and magicians performed in every circle of onlookers, while horse-drawn carriages struggled to pass through the throngs, forced along by the Royal Knights and Army soldiers.
In a parallel street, a group of men moved with sharp, watchful eyes. These were the men Yousafer and Yuray had first encountered at sea: Lieutenant Ron, his deputy Darom, and their squad. They wore their dull grey uniforms, while Ron stood out in dark grey.
Ron scowled, muttering under his breath, "It seems that bastard has already left this place."
Darom clenched his fist. "That demon... it's as if he senses danger."
Ron's face darkened. "A human demon... When I catch him, I won't care about the bounty. I'll kill him on the spot."
"Where do you think he went?" Darom asked.
"How should I know his movements?" Ron snapped. "The world is vast. If he left this continent, we might not see him for years—or ever again."
Darom looked away. "Lowly rebels, fleeing like cockroaches."
Ron stopped in his tracks, glaring at the ground. "Where did that rat go? Why can't we find him? Did he really leave this kingdom? Is he in the neighboring realm, or hiding right here? Curse you... I swear if I find you, I won't leave you breathing!"
***
At the main gate, Felix stood watching a group approaching from the distance.
*How could a noble lady like her come to this kingdom?* Felix thought, stroking his chin. *It's rather strange...*
At the head of the group was a young woman in her mid-twenties. She was strikingly beautiful, with blonde hair, emerald-green eyes like crystals, and arched brows. She wore an elegant, flowing green cotton dress embroidered with gold threads, a white feather adorning her shimmering hair.
Behind her stood five men in black coats, leather trousers, and light hats, their long coats concealing vertical longswords at their hips. Two women accompanied them, dressed similarly but with dark brown feathers in their hats.
Felix stepped forward with a practiced smile. "Welcome, Lady Daurana. It is a great honor that you have traveled from a different continent to attend our annual festival. I am Felix. The pleasure is all mine."
"Hello, Mr. Felix," Daurana replied with a smile.
Behind her, the men and women remained expressionless, their piercing gazes fixed on Felix.
"My Lady," Felix continued, "you look even more different than your portraits... seeing you in person confirms that no painting could capture your true beauty."
One of Daurana's followers sneered in disdain. Felix noticed but looked away as if he hadn't.
"I appreciate the compliment," Daurana said, looking toward the city. "The Kingdom seems quite crowded."
"Indeed. It's always this way as the festival nears. But there is still time; it will be even more packed by tomorrow."
"Is this your first visit to this continent?" Felix asked.
"Yes," she replied, "though I was in the neighboring kingdom a few days ago when I received your King's invitation."
"Which kingdom?" Felix inquired.
"And what business is that of yours?" a voice snapped from behind Daurana.
A stern man stepped forward. His features were rugged, but his most striking trait was his eyes—one was brown, the other pitch-black.
Daurana turned to him. "It's alright, Chrismore. He was only asking... no harm intended."
Chrismore nodded silently. Felix led the way, but as they walked, he couldn't stop glancing back at Chrismore until the latter's brow twitched in irritation.
***
As the days passed, the city flourished with more people. Yousafer and Yuray spent their time wandering, eating, and sleeping. Yousafer spent the last two days reviewing the books, while Yuray often went out alone.
Now, in their rented room, they sat facing each other. Yousafer's mouth curved into a boyish grin. "Tomorrow... the night we've been waiting for. Tomorrow, everything begins."
"I'm excited," Yuray said. "Once the Randor Legacy is confirmed, our journey truly starts."
Yousafer raised his voice slightly, his eyes gleaming. "It will be a difficult mission, just as he told us. Many powerful people will be there. But my adrenaline is pumping... we're going to have a lot of fun."
*Knock... Knock...*
Yousafer and Yuray shared a look, a wide smile spreading across both their faces.
"He has finally arrived."
**End of Chapter**