... The young man and woman stepped into a clearing strewn with blue flowers. Dusk was falling—the sun had already dipped below the horizon—but the flowers still glowed as if crowned with their own light.

Alia smiled when she saw them.
“I’m glad the ‘Azure Eyes’ still bloom in these lands…”

Dan slowed his pace. One more stretch of forest remained before they reached the castle. But Alia grabbed his elbow.

“Four armed men ahead,” she said with a grin, catching the alarm in his eyes.

Dan tensed. He had only ever fought in training, under the watchful eye of a tutor, and had never been in a real battle. Like most noble-born, he rarely left the castle grounds. His brother, on the other hand, would often sneak off into town to brawl with local boys.

“Where are they?” he whispered, pretending to admire the flowers.

“Straight ahead and on both sides. We’re surrounded,” Alia replied coolly. “The path is blocked.”

Dan realized they were bandits. The only thing worth stealing from him now was his underclothes—he’d already given his boots to the lady, and his small pouch of gold remained back at the castle. With gold, he could have just tossed it at their feet. But without it… they might decide to sell them into slavery instead.

He had to think fast. Then he remembered Barachi—his little companion had wandered off somewhere to feast on bugs.

Great… should’ve taken the long route.

He let out a loud whistle, calling for the green creature. Just then, four brutish men stepped out onto the field, grinning maliciously.

“Well now, young lord, spotted us early, did you?” said the scrawniest of the gang, drawing his blade.

They carried Melian daggers—curved, medium-sized, razor-sharp weapons meant for swift strikes and quick kills.

Dan remained silent. Alia took a few steps back. They needed time—but how to buy it?

The scrawny bandit smirked.
“Heading to the castle, are you? Servants or guests of our fine nobleman, hmm?”

“We’re just lost travelers,” Dan replied, trying to deepen his voice. But it came out more like a squeak.

The men burst out laughing.

“Perfect,” the leader said sarcastically. “Travelers always carry gold. I bet the lady’s hiding a huge sack under that coat.”

They moved toward Alia. She didn’t flinch, merely bowed her head slightly, silently waiting.

“We were just walking in the woods,” Dan cut in, trying to divert their attention. “Didn’t bring any coin. But we do have a couple of swords!”

Dan drew his blade with ease. It was elegant and clearly expensive. The bandits noticed.

“Fancy weapon,” the leader muttered. “Who exactly are you?” He gestured to one of his men, who started circling toward Alia.

“If you can’t pay with coin,” the leader sneered, “you’ll pay with your bodies!”

The bandits lunged at Dan and Alia.

Dan’s brother, Peter, had always relied on instinct and experience—he was quick and nimble, but lacked discipline and strategy. Dan, by contrast, wasn’t as agile or cunning. He’d spent his time buried in books, sketching footwork patterns in the dirt. And in that moment, it paid off.

He instantly saw the attackers’ sloppy, uncoordinated strikes. One man aimed for his shoulder to disarm him. Dan dodged smoothly and slipped behind them. Wasting no time, he stabbed one under the shoulder blade—not deeply, but enough. Another man came charging from the side.

Dan slashed his arm, then sidestepped as the man howled in pain. Without hesitation, he struck him in the head with the hilt and kicked a third attacker square in the chest.

Two down. Two left, including the leader.

The leader hadn’t expected such skill from the young noble. Enraged, he roared and leapt at Dan.

But his battle cry was drowned out by a piercing shriek. Barachi burst from the bushes—floating and furious. The green beast, with its massive square teeth, latched onto the bandit leader’s head. Screaming in terror, the man dropped his weapon and ran into the woods, frantically trying to tear Barachi off.

Dan knew that grip well. Barachi’s attacks usually targeted the neck—and being fluffy, he barely felt any blows in return.

Dan remembered Alia and quickly turned around. What he saw made him freeze. Alia was still standing in the same spot, her face hidden beneath her cloak. The bandit lay at her feet—apparently unconscious.

“You managed to put him to sleep?” Dan asked, relying on his belief in “fairy magic.”

“He’s dead,” Alia replied calmly, stepping over the body.

The travelers hurried toward the castle.

All in all, Dan was satisfied with how the battle had turned out. It had been his first real fight in the wild, not just a training match where no one fought at full strength. He had always seen training as something artificial—you never really know how you’ll act in real danger, whether you’ll keep your head or remember your lessons. Maybe Peter had been right to throw himself into fights with city gangs. Their father respected him for that. But that kind of reckless path didn’t suit Dan’s more cautious nature.

Dan shivered, realizing how differently it all could have gone—if Alia had panicked or screamed, or if the bandits had decided to kill her first. But she had held her ground. He didn’t ask what kind of magic she had used to kill the attacker. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that they had survived.

Finally, the castle appeared on the hill. They approached a back gate overgrown with ivy. Dan pulled a key from his belt and unlocked it, holding the gate open for Alia.

“We made it!”

“I hope there’s roasted pork with tomatoes and potatoes waiting,” Alia said, licking her lips.

“Uh… I’m not sure that was on today’s menu…”

Without waiting, Alia strode ahead toward the castle’s servant entrance, as if she’d been there many times before.

Inside the servant quarters and kitchen, torches and candles flickered faintly. The stout cook Janette in her white uniform and the old nursemaid Precarda in a black wool dress were sitting at the table, looking anxious. Nearby, a teenage maid named Misha was scrubbing pots and pans.

“He definitely went to the caves, chasing those old legends,” Precarda fretted. “We should’ve stopped him! If anything happens on the way, Lady Vinoa will have us thrown out!”

“I don’t mind a public hanging,” Janette sobbed. “It’s all our fault. I told him stories about the enchanted sword of his ancestor since he was little! Their portraits are hung all over the castle! He believed in that magic… which hasn’t worked in years!”

“Master Dan only wanted to fight his brother, Master Peter,” Misha chimed in, clanging the pans. “It’s not your fault, aunties. They’ve been feuding since childhood—especially after their little sister died. Peter ran to save her, but Dan just stood there.”

Precarda sniffled.
“Dan’s a thoughtful boy! He didn’t run because he was scared—he saw she couldn’t be saved. In the end, Lord Seren had to save Peter instead! I remember it like it was yesterday…”

Just then, the kitchen door creaked open—and their faces lit up.

“Master Dan! Where have you been?” they cried.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just took a little stroll in the woods.”

“But…”

“Hold on. I’m not alone.”

Dan gently motioned for them to wait. He stepped into the kitchen hall, and behind him, Alia silently slipped inside.

“Uh… this is my companion. She’s from another town. Or… another country!”

Alia tugged at his sleeve.

“Greetings, residents of this castle,” she said with a polite bow. “May I use the washroom and change into something more appropriate?”

Dan swallowed loudly. Of course—he had completely forgotten that his companion had no proper clothing… and also had a tail and horns!

“Oh, foolish master!” Misha exclaimed, having finally noticed. “Girls need to take care of themselves after a long journey, especially on… certain days! And you clearly know nothing about women!”

She offered Alia her arm and led her into the back rooms.

“I’ll find you a dress, my lady.”

“And a house hat, please,” Alia squeaked politely.

“What a darling child!” the cook remarked.

And so, the household began preparing dinner...

(To be continued)