Evercrag Royal Hall, Night
Soft music played in the great hall of the Evercrag Kingdom. Crystals hung from the high ceiling, reflecting the lights, making the entire room sparkle. The nobles stood in groups, chatting casually with wine glasses in their hands. It was a grand banquet to celebrate the peace and progress of Evercrag.
Damian stood in the center of the hall with Liam, Rin, and Tessa. He wore a formal black suit with the Frostvale emblem on the chest, and many eyes were on him. As he spoke with one of the Evercrag generals, a soft voice called out from behind.
"Lord Damian Kade."
Damian turned. There stood Princess Elenore, striding gracefully in a light blue dress that shimmered in the crystal light.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again," she said with a friendly smile. "Since my birthday party, everyone in Evercrag has been talking about you."
Damian returned the polite smile. "Thank you, Your Highness, for the compliment. I hope Evercrag is doing well after the monster attack."
Elenore chuckled. "Since you've been here, everything feels safer."
That sentence nearly choked Tessa, who was drinking juice in the back. She stared at them in disbelief. "Safer? Safer from what? From monsters or from seduction?" she said in a rather loud voice.
Rin immediately panicked. "T-Tessa, please slow down a bit…" she whispered.
However, Tessa was already walking over, her face flushed with irritation. "Princess, when it comes to security, Damian actually causes more problems than he solves."
Damian turned with a flat but resigned expression. "Thank you, Tessa, for the compliment."
Elenore looked at them both in turn. Her friendly smile was a little stiff. "Oh… so you're close friends with Damian?"
Tessa crossed her arms over her chest with a confident expression. "More than that."
The room suddenly fell silent. Damian froze in place. His eyes widened. "More than friends?" he said quietly. His face began to redden. "Tessa, what do you mean…"
"Shut up, Damian!" Tessa interrupted quickly. Her cheeks were now as red as Damian's. Rin looked down with a red face, while Liam, behind her, had already covered his mouth, trying his best to hold back laughter.
Several nobles around them began whispering, some stifling laughter, others looking shocked at the brief drama in the middle of a formal party.
Damian stared at the ceiling, trying to compose himself. "Well... at least the party's getting livelier," he muttered softly.
Liam, still chuckling, patted his shoulder. "Master Damian, I think 'more than friends' has just become an official rumor in Evercrag."
Damian could only sigh, while Tessa glanced at him with an even redder face, and Princess Elenore smiled stiffly, trying to maintain her decorum.
Meeting with King Evercrag
After the party had calmed down, a guard approached Damian and whispered something. Damian nodded, then said goodbye to his friends before following the guard to the end of the great hall.
There, under the light of the crystal chandelier, stood a large figure with a white beard and a thick fur coat draped over his shoulders, the King of the Evercrag Kingdom.
"You are the son of Darius Kade, hero of Frostvale, correct?" His deep voice rang clearly throughout the room.
Damian bowed respectfully. "Yes, Your Majesty."
The King studied Damian for a moment, then smiled slightly. "I have heard much about you. One of Zephyrus's best students, the leader of the rescue mission for Kyle Ardent, and also the one who held off the attack led by Velgrin."
He paused for a moment. His voice held a hint of admiration. "A remarkable achievement for someone your age."
Damian bowed. "I was simply doing my duty as an academy student, Your Majesty."
King Evercrag chuckled. "Humble, like your father. Darius Kade always brought honor to Frostvale, and now, his son does the same."
Damian raised his head slowly, looking calmly at the King. "Thank you for the honor, Your Majesty."
The King nodded slowly. "Evercrag honors the Kade family. And while you are here, please consider this palace your home."
There was a moment of silence; only the soft music of the orchestra, still playing in the distance, could be heard. Damian bowed once more in thanks, while the King looked up at him with a proud expression.
Evercrag Royal Hall, Night
Shortly after Damian's meeting with the King concluded, a guard's loud voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Lord Granholm, welcome!"
All heads turned toward the entrance. Granholm appeared immaculately dressed in dark black formal attire, his gray beard neatly combed, and he strode steadily toward the center of the hall. Applause from the nobles greeted him.
King Evercrag rose from his seat and greeted Granholm.
"This man has served our kingdom for many years," he said loudly. "The weapons forged by his hands have helped keep the Evercrag Kingdom standing to this day."
Granholm bowed respectfully. "It is a great honor to serve the Evercrag Kingdom, Your Majesty." His voice was low and steady, showing no emotion.
At the side of the hall, Damian stood with Liam, Rin, and Tessa. His gaze had been fixed on the dwarf from the beginning. When Granholm raised his head, their eyes met, only for a moment, but enough to make the air between them heavy. Granholm's gaze was cold, though he hid it behind a polite smile.
Liam leaned slightly toward Damian and whispered, "There he is, Master Damian."
Damian didn't answer immediately. His gaze remained focused on Granholm. After a few seconds, he nodded slowly. "Yes," he said calmly. "It's time we confirmed our suspicions."
Reveal at the Royal Feast, Evercrag Royal Hall
The atmosphere was lively. Orchestral music played softly, wine glasses clinked, and the conversation of nobles filled the great hall. But off to the side, Damian and his team slowly approached Granholm.
Damian stopped a few steps in front of him and bowed politely. "Lord Granholm," he said calmly. "We have something to ask about a weapon with a special engraving on its blade."
Granholm glanced at him briefly, a faint smile still on his face. "Engraving? All our weapons have a distinctive mark, Lord Kade. Perhaps you've seen one of them."
Damian opened the folder in his hand, revealing several photos. They showed weapons with the same engraving patterns as those once used by the bandits in Blackmist.
"Are these weapons from your shop?" Damian asked.
Granholm stared at the pictures and chuckled. "Of course. Just look at the quality; it looks like my work. Would you like to order one?" he said proudly.
Damian continued to stare at him blankly. "Those weapons were used by bandits working under Velgrin."
Granholm's smile slowly faded. His gaze turned sharp. "You… bastard," he said, barely audible, before the whispers of the guests began to ring out around them.
King Evercrag rose from his chair, staring at Damian seriously. "What are you talking about, Damian?"
Damian stared at Granholm directly. "This evidence shows illegal arms trafficking outside the kingdom's purview. Including supplying the group that attacked Zephyrus and kidnapped Kyle Ardent."
Granholm chuckled, but his face was stern. "Lord Kade, baseless accusations are an insult. Where did you get those photos?"
Damian held up a sheet of paper, revealing the Zephyrus seal in the corner. "From the Zephyrus Kingdom. The evidence is clear enough. And your reaction just now explains the rest."
Granholm was silent for a few seconds. His face shifted from angry to flat. He stared at Damian for a long moment before finally muttering softly, barely audible.
"So… the children who defeated Velgrin have now come to eliminate me too."
He snorted, then his deep voice rose. "Nobles… always the same. Accusing, punishing, feeling sacred, even though you stand on the blood of others!"
Suddenly, Granholm kicked the table in front of him. Red light flashed along his arm, and a mechanical steel arm emerged from his wrist. The sound of metal clanking echoed.
"You're right, Kade. I'm not just a weapons maker. I'm the one who will bring justice to this world!"
A small explosion sounded from the stage. Embers shot up from the floor, sending the nobles screaming and running toward the door. From behind the curtains and walls, several armed men emerged, Granholm's men.
"Liam! Protect the citizens!" Damian shouted.
"Ready!" Liam immediately drew his pistol and fired rapidly at the attackers. The bullet struck one of the enemy's magic weapons.
"Tessa, your left!"
A fireball ignited in Tessa's hand, exploding toward the two attackers who were trying to approach. The flames spread, making part of the room heat up.
"Rin, direct the wind to the roof!"
Rin raised her hand. A large vortex of wind appeared, extinguishing some of the flames and opening Damian's view of Granholm.
The dwarf leaped onto the table, raising a large axe. "You won't stop me!"
Damian drew Setsu'ryū from its sheath. "If you think we'll let you kill innocent people, you're sorely mistaken."
The first clash was loud. Granholm's axe and Setsu'ryū's collided, creating cracks in the ground around them.
Liam fired from behind; Rin blocked the magical attacks with a wind shield, while Tessa continued to fire fireballs to suppress Granholm's forces.
As the battle escalated, Damian saw an opening. He slashed through the magical chains woven into Granholm's arms, causing the mechanical weapon to detach and fall. In one swift movement, he froze the dwarf's feet to the floor.
Granholm fell to his knees, breathing heavily. But a bitter smile appeared on his face. "Damian Kade... you're as strong as they say. But... you think you've won?"
He raised his hand and pressed a small button on his belt. A buzzing sound came from beneath the floor.
"Goodbye, nobles…"
Damian snapped to his senses. "Bomb! Everyone out now!"
Rin summoned a powerful wind to blow open the windows, while Liam and Tessa helped the citizens escape. Damian watched the floor begin to shake, then slammed his sword into it, creating a thick wall of ice around Granholm.
Seconds later —
BOOM!
A massive explosion shook the entire palace. Damian's ice wall absorbed most of the blast, but the impact was still significant.
Snow mixed with metal fragments filled the air.
When the smoke began to subside, Damian stood in the center of the shattered hall. Before him, Granholm lay on the floor, his body covered in wounds, but his lips still held a weak smile.
"At least… I scared them…" he whispered.
He stared at the fading flames, then slowly closed his eyes, leaving the hall now silent, filled only with the lingering chill and the shimmer of ice that hadn't yet fully melted.
The Next Morning — Evercrag Palace Hall
Morning light filtered through the large windows of the palace hall. The nobles and soldiers had gathered, while King Evercrag stood on a dais, clad in his regal robes. Before him, Damian and his team stood respectfully.
The king looked at each of them before speaking in a deep yet warm voice.
"Without you, last night's event would have been a disaster. The Evercrag Kingdom owes you a debt."
Damian bowed politely. "We only did what was right, Your Majesty."
Cheers and applause echoed through the great hall. The nobles praised, the guards saluted, and several young girls whispered in admiration as Damian stepped down from the dais with his friends.
"He's the son of the Kade family, isn't he?" whispered one of the young girls.
"He's only our age, but he saved the Kingdom…"
"And he's even more handsome than I'd heard."
Tessa, walking beside him, glanced at him with an annoyed expression. "Amazing. Now everyone in the kingdom loves you."
Damian let out a long sigh. "Maybe I should start wearing a mask."
Liam chuckled behind them, while Rin approached and handed him a small piece of paper. "Damian, this is a report from the Evercrag Kingdom," she said quietly.
"They've found new evidence. Traces of Granholm-made weapons have also been found in other kingdoms… they say the largest is in Vintermoor."
Damian took the paper and read it thoughtfully. The name made him pause for a moment.
"The Vintermoor Kingdom, huh…" he muttered quietly.
He stared out the palace window, where the morning mist was beginning to lift from the mountaintops.
"Then," he said calmly, "that's our next destination."
The Day After the Reward from the Evercrag Kingdom
Snow fell gently outside the inn window. The sky was gray, and the air was bitterly cold. Inside, the room was warm thanks to the small fire burning in the fireplace.
Liam sat in a chair against the wall, polishing his revolver with a clean cloth. Rin read his notebook in the corner, while Tessa sat by the window, gazing at the snowflakes clinging to the glass.
"So… are we really going to Vintermoor?" Tessa asked, without looking up.
Damian, standing by the table, simply nodded. "Yes. That's our next destination. Traces of Granholm-made weapons were found there. Reports from the Evercrag Kingdom also indicate increased monster activity in that area."
Rin closed his book slowly. "I've heard that the Vintermoor Kingdom is much colder than Evercrag. If we go there without the proper equipment, we could freeze to death."
Tessa stood up from her chair and looked at Damian. "Are you sure this is the right move? We just nearly got blown up in the middle of the Kingdom's party."
Damian smiled slightly. His tone was calm. "Safety is relative. But we can't stop here. Granholm is just a small part of something much bigger."
Rin looked at him seriously. "Do you think this has something to do with the Demon Lord?"
Damian paused for a moment before answering. "I think so. This morning the Kingdom provided an additional report. Granholm was able to build his shop and become so large because there was someone behind it. According to their information, that person has a direct connection to one of the Demon Lords in this world."
The room fell silent. Only the sound of wood burning in the fireplace could be heard.
Damian stood, took his heavy coat from the hanger, and then looked at his friends one by one. "We leave tomorrow morning. Our destination: the Kingdom of Vintermoor."
Liam stood up, holstering his pistol. "Very well, Master Damian. But this time, don't make me have to fight a giant creature in the middle of a blizzard."
Damian smiled faintly. "No promises."
Tessa snorted, while Rin closed her book and stood. They all knew the next journey wouldn't be easy.