A Sightseeing Trip Through Novem Lar.

The Grand Market of Novem Lar was rife with life and noise. 

All kinds of goods from all around the world were present. Starting from rare foods and spices all the way to complicated magical implements, weapons, rare tomes, and even works of art—anything Fabian could ever imagine lined up the shelves of the Grand Market's stalls.

The lines of vendors continued seemingly endlessly, but, despite being called a market, the place didn't only feature stalls. Very often, Fabian and Maria would come across massive shops that were several stories high. Some of them even compared in scale to Berions' very own manor.

The hustle and bustle of the place was infectious, and youngsters enjoyed the mood greatly. It was the next morning after they arrived in Novem Lar, and as Maria wanted, today they were visiting some of the most famous spots in the capital.

They weren't planning to make any major purchases in the market, but trying some foods and having fun was perfectly acceptable. Fabian did have something he wanted to buy, but he decided to do it on a different day instead. For now, he was just planning to enjoy a day off with his fiancée.

"Fabian, look! They are selling apples!" Maria shouted.

Fabian had a feeling he had seen the scene in front of his eyes recently enough. He smiled wryly as he responded.

"Why apples again?"

His question was met with a quick answer.

"Well, I want to try the apples from the city and compare them to the ones from the village," she replied as she handed the merchant some coins.

"Even though they're probably not fresh from the farm?" he asked teasingly as Maria took two apples and turned towards him.

"It's precisely because they're not. That makes it more worthwhile to compare," she said and handed Fabian one of the fruits. She then took the other apple in her right hand, and took a bite.

"Hmmm, yeah, it's just not quite the same," she said with a pensive expression.

"Really?" Fabian asked as he tasted the apple she handed to him, "it seems pretty similar to me."

"It's because that's what you expect. If you think the two will taste the same, your mind will also believe that," Mary responded with a smug smile.

"Yeah, don't know about that one... Wouldn't that mean that you also taste the difference only because you expect it...?" Fabian muttered in response but decided not to argue any further.

 As she continued eating, Maria's gaze traveled to a different stall.

"Oh, look," Maria exclaimed, "they are selling Yizdean sweets!"

Mary took Fabian's hand and pointed ahead of them. Then, they went to the next stall. And the one after that.

Their sightseeing trip had only just begun. The market was but the first stop on their itinerary of the capital. Fabian did feel slightly guilty about enjoying himself instead of diligently preparing for the upcoming presentation, but he still had some time left. After all, the event lasted an entire week, and his research was scheduled for the last day. 

Despite that, It was difficult to let go of his tension. But for now, he decided to relax and enjoy himself. If he didn't, then Maria's efforts would go to waste.

Such were the boy's thoughts as the Yizdean sweets—white, fluffy cubes of joy—melted on his tongue. They were quite delicious, and Fabian made a mental note to buy some more after the festival ended.

***

The Zephyrus Library was their next stop. 

Its majestic front, lined up with grandiose embossed pillars reminded Fabian more of a temple than a library. The nigh sacred feel was supplemented by the fact that it was made from pure white marble. 

Maybe from a certain perspective, it really was a temple—a temple of knowledge and learning, dedicated to Deos Cogitus.

As expected of the biggest library in the country, its size exceeded both the Berions' manor and even the residence of Liberions. This massive hall that was the biggest public collection of information in the Audera Kingdom.

Maria and Fabian didn't have the time to read so they just walked inside inside and gawked at the beautiful domed ceiling and the awe-inspiring mural that adorned it. After that, they continued their trip.

Next, they visited the Central Square, where the grand statue of the first King Mage stood. Afterwards, they passed by the Magical Guild's headquarters, which rivaled in size the Zephyrus Library but boasted an architectural design of a completely different flavor. It was made of brick and had an incredible amount of rectangular windows. They adorned the entire front of the building, and the gaps between them were decorated with small rectangular pillars.

Their final stop was a nice restaurant that served various styles of cuisine gathered from all over the Spirit Union: from Audera's meat and baked dishes to Lumefferian pastas and bread.

When Fabian placed his order, a pasta with meatballs served with julberry sauce, Maria slightly bit on her lip. Fabian wondered if she wanted some too... Or was it the opposite and she hated the dish entirely?

Leaving aside his fiancée's distaste (or love?) for his order, Fabian began looking around. His eyes were scanning surroundings, searching for anything that seemed off.

Noticing his weird behavior, Maria spoke.

"What are you looking for? Your fiancée is right here, you know?" she said as she cupped his cheeks in her hands and pointed his face at herself.

"Nah, I've looked at your face plenty enough," Fabian replied jokingly.

In response, Maria smiled and played along in an exaggerated tone.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, "already tired of me? Honestly, men are such fickle creatures."

"No, that's not it," Fabian answered with a confident, almost annoying grin, "it's just that... I think about you so much that I see your face anywhere I turn. Even if you're not in my sight—you're forever in my mind."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Was it really that bad? Even as a joke?" Fabian asked, putting an end to the unbearable silence.

"Yeah, that was awful," Maria replied, "It might be in my top ten most cringeworthy flirt attempts I've ever heard."

"You are keeping a top ten!?"

Unperturbed by his reaction, Maria elaborated.

"Needed some way to entertain myself through all of their boring rumblings," Maria said and sighed as she thought about all the annoying courtship attempts she'd had to experience.

"You're a demon..."

"Hehe, thanks for the compliment." Then, the girl smiled and added. "Oh, but I will give you props for the effort."

"Because it makes you feel like I care for you deeply?" Fabian asked innocently, his eyes sparkling with a slight hint of expectation.

"No, because it's really funny. Roasting you is much more enjoyable than having to sit through all of the boring noble courtesies," Maria answered and smiled gently at her fiancé.

Not tricked by her kind smile, Fabian replied.

"I swear you take it out on me because Lucy is resistant to you..." he muttered, but Maria graciously ignored his comment. Instead, she just gracefully sipped on her tea.

Reminded of the maid, Fabian's mind returned to the original topic of their conversation. He was looking around because there was something he was curious about.

"Speaking of Lucy...," Fabian spoke as he eyed the area around them, "she doesn't seem to be following us."

"Yeah, unlike last time," Maria said as a matter of course.

That surprised Fabian. It seemed that Maria was aware that Lucy was trailing them a month ago.

"You knew?"

"Sort of," Maria replied as she put her cup down, "I'm more surprised that she isn't hiding somewhere right now... Or maybe she's just hiding better this time. That girl keeps improving at a scary rate. Though I wish it was as a maid rather than as a ninja bodyguard..."

Her complaint disappeared into the wind and would never reach the person in question. Hopefully.

Especially considering that Maria couldn't allow anyone else to overhear them. Before the festival began and the fateful day approached, there was something Maria had to talk to Fabian about. Today was probably the only opportunity she had.

Concluding that it was unlikely they were being trailed, Mary decided to take her chance right now.

"By the way," she started, "there's somewhere else I want to go after the meal. A last stop on today's list."

"Oh, sure. Where are we heading?" Fabian asked as he prepared to eat the pasta that was just brought to him.

"The Royal Wind Academy," Maria replied curtly.

***

The Royal Wind Academy was the capital's biggest institution for learning. Generally, the vast majority of its students were children of major nobility and kids who belonged to rich, influential families—like high-ranking members of the guilds and prominent merchants.

Aristocratic children attended the academy for four years. Usually, they began at fourteen and graduated at eighteen years old. The school year itself lasted slightly over five months—starting from the end of autumn all the way to the beginning of spring.

Traditionally, that was the case because snow made traveling around the country much more difficult, which in turn complicated the process of practicing administrative duties. Instead of wasting their time staying holed up in their estates, noble offspring were given an opportunity to spend five months in the capital: honing their magic skills; learning general subjects like math, geography and history; and, most importantly, improving their socializing skills and creating meaningful connections that would help them in the future.

The entry in the academy itself was prohibited during off-time, but its gardens were still open to nobility. Outside of the school year, the courtyard was consistently utilized as a gathering place for important events.

Today, however, it was mostly empty. Aside from Maria and Fabian, there were only a few guests roaming the gardens.

As they walked between throes of beautiful greenery, Maria remained quiet. Fabian was also silent. 

Eventually, they stopped in front of a massive tree.

The tree was located in the center of the garden, and a metal fence protected it. It towered above all the other plants in the courtyard, and its green leaves stretched beyond the fence and covered the entire area in their shadowy embrace.

Those leaves, however, only stayed green for mere three months. The tree belonged to a species called the Herald of Seasons. That name originated from the fact that the plant's leaves changed their color to a completely different tint every season. In summer it was green; in autumn golden; pure white during winter; and finally, beautiful, gentle pink in spring.

The shift of the colors was instant. When the date change came with a new season, the tree would shine brightly and transform itself to match the time of the year. Although, saying that it matched the season was wrong. To be more accurate, people's division of years into seasons originated from observing Heralds.

As Maria leaned on the fence and looked at the tree's leaves, she asked her fiancée somewhat thoughtfully.

"Do you remember it?"

Fabian furrowed his brows and looked at the giant tree. A few moments later, he answered.

"This... is the Herald of the academy, right? It's famous for being the biggest one in the entirety of Audera," Fabian replied as he scoured his memories.

"Yes... yes, you're not wrong," Maria said, somewhat hesitantly.

Fabian couldn't help but think that she had wanted to hear a different answer altogether. But no matter how much he thought, he couldn't figure out what he was supposed to say.

And so, they stood in silence in the shade of the green leaves. Silent, as if they were on a funeral. Mourning those who were no longer with them.

That silence continued for some time, until Maria finally spoke.

"Fabian..." she started hesitantly, "there's something I need to talk with you abo—"

"—Look who we have here."

But her words were interrupted by an intruder. He was a brown-haired young man, clearly athletic but not overly muscular. His gait was confident, and his eyes were constantly narrowed. As if he was a predator on the lookout for his prey.

"Fabian Aes Berion and Maria Aes Alcia—two young geniuses, bound together by fate. So what are the two lovebirds doing at the academy?" the youth spoke, a tinge of mockery present in his voice.

He was one of the strongest warriors of their generation, a talented user of Magia Nobili, and the heir of the Darius household. His name was Viktor Au Darius and he was a wielder of roaring flash.

"Viktor!" Maria said as she turned around, her voice and face tense.

"Now, now. I know you're happy to see me, little fox, but no need to rush." Viktor replied, sounding entirely carefree.

"What do you want?" Maria asked as she stepped in front of Fabian.

As he saw Fabian's fiancée walk in front of him, Viktor looked at the boy scornfully. Then, his gaze came back to Maria.

"Hmph, walk away. My business is not with you, it's with the Mr. Genius over there," he said as he pointed at Fabian with a motion of his chin.

Despite Viktor's words, Maria didn't move an inch. The intruder continued, once again shifting his gaze at Fabian.

"Hey, have you heard?" Viktor spoke as his face twisted in a grin, "my father has already gotten an approval for a duel between you and me."

Fabian's eyes opened wide in surprise. Maria remained tense.

"It will be a showcase match between two young wielders of roaring flash—an exciting thing for the kingdom. And it just so happens to coincide with the day you present your little research."

Viktor stopped and sneered viciously as he stared at Fabian.

"But we both know it's all a load of crap. What people want to see is if your little theories are actually worth their salt. If you can't even put up a fight there, then your roaring flash might as well be a fake."

"So what?" Fabian finally replied.

"Well, you know. I say, we don't even need to wait for the day—let's give people their answer right now!" Viktor exclaimed as his sneer grew even bigger. "I always hated how they called you a genius for simply summoning a roaring flash here and there. If you're a genius, then what does that make me? A god of war in the making? Even I'm not conceited enough to think that. And you shouldn't be either."

His words were like an endless, relentless barrage. Each one of them was filled with spite and distaste for Fabian.

"That's enough," Maria intervened, "you can't just start fighting now. Even if there's a duel coming up, you should wait for its official date. And on another note, someone like you—someone who barely knows anything outside of the roaring flash—never deserved to be called a genius in the first place."

Viktor's face twisted in displeasure.

"You, fox... I don't use other elements not because I can't—it's because roaring flash is the only thing I need. Mastering one technique is worth dozens of times more than being mediocre at many," Viktor said as a calm smile returned to his face,"besides, I'm not here to ask for your permission—Mr. Genius, how about you stop hiding behind your girl and answer me?"

Viktor send a challenging glare at Fabian. In response, the boy closed his eyes for a second. Then, he answered.

"Sure, let's do it."

"Fabian!?"

His answer elicited quite a reaction from Maria. She looked at him worriedly, desperately wanting him to change his mind. Despite his fiancée's concern, Fabian continued confidently.

"I'm a genius mage, after all. I will show you why they call me that, you blue-blooded brat," Fabian said as he faced Viktor.

"Heh, I like your spirit. Unfortunately, all of your spunk will disappear in the blink of an eye," Viktor replied, joyous from his offer being accepted.

And so, the two boys faced each other, tension rapidly increasing between them. A magical duel was about to happen. Berions and Dariuses were going to clash—a day before the festival began and an entire week before the official date of the duel.

Fabian was about to see if he truly lived up to being a genius mage.