The light of dawn quietly slipped through the cracks of the windows at the Silver Lantern Inn, illuminating the dust dancing above the old wooden table.
There, spread across the surface, lay the kingdom's newest official map, its ink still sharp and fresh.
Elara stood frozen, her slender fingers trembling as they traced the cold cartographic lines.
At the exact coordinates where their village should have existed, there was now only an empty void.
"Gorion wasn't lying," Elara whispered, her voice breaking with bitterness. "Seeing it directly on an official map like this... it feels like they're erasing our very existence from Urtz's history."
Sylveras stepped closer, his warm protective aura immediately surrounding her.
He wrapped an arm around Elara's waist and rested his chin gently on her shoulder.
A soft kiss landed against the young Sage's temple, offering silent strength.
"The room rental here still has twenty days left, El," Sylveras murmured, his eyes watching their reflection in the old mirror. "The King would definitely offer luxurious facilities in the palace pavilion. Are you sure you still want to stay here?"
Elara turned around and looked directly into Sylveras' eyes with deep intensity.
"I don't want to become a bird trapped inside a golden cage, Syl. Here, with you, I can still feel like the real Elara—not merely a political symbol. And about our village... I won't bring it up during a council meeting. I need to find a way to speak privately with King Alexander. He owes me an explanation."
As they descended to the lower floor, the scent of old wood welcomed them.
The innkeeper suddenly froze, the cloth in her hand nearly falling when she saw the seven-star emblem on Elara's chest.
"Lady Sage! Please forgive my negligence!" she cried while bowing deeply. "If I had known the guest in room number two was you, I would never have served such ordinary inn food! Forgive us if our service is too humble for your status."
Elara gave her warmest smile and gently held the elderly woman's shoulder.
"Please don't say that, ma'am. The simplicity here is exactly what makes me feel at home. Please, don't change anything."
They then made their way toward Riverside Bakery & Brew.
The morning atmosphere along the canal was breathtaking; the calm water reflected the city's classical architecture, resembling a graceful ancient water city.
Amid the aroma of toasted bread and the gentle sound of flowing water, they stole a brief moment of peace before the coming storm.
However, that calmness ended the moment they arrived at the Sage Office.
Rossie and Brant were pacing back and forth anxiously.
"Where are Elara and Syl? They should've been here by now!" Rossie exclaimed while repeatedly glancing at the large clock on the wall.
An administrative staff member suddenly ran toward them with a pale face, holding out a parchment sealed with red wax.
"Lady Sage! An emergency order has just arrived. The Council of Fourteen is summoning you to the Council Hall immediately. This concerns a classified discovery from VON!"
Elara's expression hardened.
The two of them immediately turned toward the outer gate.
There, a simple horse carriage with fading wooden panels stopped before them.
The coachman, an elderly man wearing a worn-out hat that partially concealed his face, stepped down with remarkably calm movements.
"Allow me to introduce myself, honorable new Sage," the man—Wan Sin—said in a friendly baritone voice. "I'm merely an old coachman who has spent quite a long time breathing the streets of Caelora. You seem to be carrying the weight of the world upon your shoulders, miss. Shall I take you somewhere? Perhaps to the Council Hall?"
Elara paused for a moment at the man's unusual calmness.
"Yes... how much is the fare, sir?"
Wan Sin chuckled softly, his sharp eyes glinting beneath the shadow of his hat.
"For the new Sage who carries the hopes of all of us, let's call this a promotional price: only 5 Gurtz! But remember," he said with a wink, "if you call for me again tomorrow, the price goes up to 10 Gurtz, hehe."
Sylveras hesitated briefly because the price was far too cheap by capital city standards, but Elara had already stepped into the carriage.
"Come on, Syl. We don't have any time left."
The carriage soon moved forward, cutting through the crowded streets toward the center of the kingdom's power—a place filled with secrets.