Cerfis

One year later.

At night, at a bar in Cerfa, the capital of Cerfis.

The Wilston Bar was full of energy, as men shouted, laughed, and drank. Some were playing cards, some were debating politics, and some were just slacking off. The bartender was taking orders, handing out drinks to the waiters and waitresses, and haggling with some stubborn customers.

As the time went by, the main door opened and a five and a half feet tall cloaked man stepped inside. He politely closed the door behind him and went straight towards the counter, ignoring the gaze of many.

The people looked at him for a few seconds, then continued with their activities.

The man sat on a stool and turned towards the bartender.

“The usual?” The bartender, John, asked, cleaning a large mug.

“Correct, the usual…” The cloaked man, whose upper face was hidden, replied.

“Coming…”

John turned, grabbed a bottle of almond milkshake, poured it into a large mug, and passed it to the cloaked man.

The man grabbed the bottle. “Thanks…” He said, taking a big sip. “The taste is good as always…” He smiled.

“Time passes and new people come and go. But our recipes never change…” John said, pouring beer into a mug.

“So business is going just as usual…” The cloaked man nodded slightly.

“Yes, it is. Sometimes the sales drop, but most of the time we recover fast. Well, this is how business works…” John replied, shrugging his shoulders.

“True…” The man took another long sip.

“By the way, why do you like almond milkshake so much?” John asked, drying a mug.

“Well…” The man finished the milkshake and softly placed the mug on the counter. “Beer and alcoholic beverages are boring and a waste of money. And I am not a child who will come all the way to a bar just to drink fruit juice.”

“Makes sense…All those alcohol and beer drinkers are unemployed or merchants. Those are banned for the workers, after all.” John chuckled. “And you don’t seem to be unemployed at all.”

“Correct…I am not…”

The cloaked man took a few silver coins and handed them to John. He turned around, facing the bar, and leaned on the counter.

He observed the customers, looking here and there.

“That heir has been very active lately, you know?”

The words reached the man’s ears, catching his attention. He turned his head towards two people, talking politics over beer and stew.

“Yeah, I have heard that. But what has he actually been doing?” The other man asked, curious.

“I have heard that he goes to public places in disguise and catches anyone who is doing bad things or harassing people.”

“Huh? What is he going to gain from that?” The man asked, confused.

“Well, the thing is that the majority of people dislike him. Why? Because he has spent most of his time in Maska rather than in Cerfa.”

“But he didn’t run to Maska. He was just a kid then. Moreover, it was Falvaria who forced him and his family to flee.”

“But the thing is, normal people don’t care about that. They only care about peace, stability, and a great leader. So the heir’s current activities might help him get people’s favour. This way, the normal people will know who he really is…”

“Yeah…You are right. And if this is the case, do you think he might be among us?” The man whispered.

“Yeah…It can be. Who knows?” The other man lowered his voice.

The masked man smirked when he heard that.

‘An informative conversation, heh…’

“You ask or listen to the same topic every day. Are you from the government? Spying on us?” John asked, leaning on the counter.

“A close guess but not correct…” The masked man chuckled.

“Really?” John frowned. “Well, I really wanted to know who you really are…”

“Oh, Why?”

“Nice and kind customers like you are very rare here…”

“Hey! Stop disturbing me!” A waitress shouted at a customer.

“And why should I?” The harasser said, grinning.

“Ugh…Again…” John sighed.

“Hmm?” The masked man looked at John, seemingly pissed.

“That man is from an underground gang. They are dangerous people and are always harassing females.”

“And you don’t report to the authorities?”

“Well, I always do. But once the gang attacked me and threatened that they would kidnap my daughter if I reported again…” John said helplessly.

“Hmm…” The cloaked man stood up and adjusted his cloak. “You wanted to know who I am. Well, I will show you…”

The man walked towards the harasser and grabbed him by the arm. He put pressure on his arm and pushed him.

“Hey! What’s your deal?” The man barked.

Upon this reaction, the whole bar quietened and looked at the two.

“Stop disturbing the staff. If you can’t show some manners, then get out…” The cloaked man said with absolute authority.

Hearing this, the two men with the harasser stood up, unsheathing their swords.

“What’s your problem?” The harasser rushed at the cloaked man.

The cloaked man stepped aside and landed a blow on his chest. The harasser fell on a table, breaking it.

Before his friends could act, the cloaked man pulled out a handgun and aimed at them.

“Who the heck are you?” One of them asked.

The cloaked man untied his cloak and put it off. The man’s face shocked everyone.

“L-Lord Felmer!” John’s voice echoed in the bar looking at Felmer’s cyan eyes.

“I won’t hesitate at all. Grab your things and get out.” Felmer ordered the harasser and his friends.

The two of them hesitated, unsheathed their swords, grabbed their friend and rushed out of the bar.

“The job’s done…” Felmer murmured and turned towards the waitress. “Are you alright?”

“Y-yes. I am. Thank you, sir…” The waitress replied, slightly bowing.

Felmer turned towards the door and walked to it. He opened it and looked back at John.

He winked and left.

…

The next morning, in the headquarters of the Eclipse.

Melfer woke up, rubbed his eyes, and sat up.

“Hah…This tiring routine… One year, and I haven’t been able to get used to this.” Melfer whispered, yawning. He looked at the clock and jumped off his bed.

“Oh shoot! I am getting late…” He said loudly, put on his shoes, and rushed to the bathroom.

He took a bath, brushed his teeth, combed his hair and ran towards the closet. He put on his clothes, then the Eclipse coat. Adjusting his ‘Private’ badge, he opened the door and ran towards the training grounds.

Running through the hallways, he finally arrived at the training grounds. Five members of Unit 96 were already there, waiting for him.

‘It seems the rest are on duty…’ Melfer thought, walking swiftly.

“Woken up, finally?” Walter asked, tying his shoelaces.

“Yes, that’s why I am here…” Melfer replied, panting.

“You have been doing this for a year. One can easily get used to a simple routine in one to two months.” Alice said, tying her hair.

“Waking up at 5 in the morning, then running a full round with an empty belly isn’t easy…” Melfer whined.

“Sorry to say, but it is easy…” Albert commented. “We run and walk four to five times the distance in almost every mission. If this is your condition, I wonder how you would survive an actual battle…”

“Well, I do have battle experience…” Melfer said, raising his chin.

“Of two hours…Heh…” Oscar chuckled.

“Your own book says that for teenagers, seven hours of sleep is essential…” Melfer made an excuse.

“That same book also says that one should always be ready for anything. Because war won’t wait for you to wake up…” Another member of the unit, Isaac, said.

Melfer rolled his eyes.

“Get used to it, little one…” Alice said, walking to the track.

“Enough talking. As always, we will run a lap, then go back for breakfast.” Walter announced, standing at the starting point. “1…2…3…And go!”

All the members set off and ran at full pace. Melfer, due to his age and physique, was last, but he was close to Isaac.

“Why are you slow?” Melfer asked, matching his pace with Isaac.

“I am a strategist, not a fighter, and don’t waste your energy on talking…” Isaac replied, maintaining his pace.

Melfer nodded and quickened his pace, overtaking Isaac.

“This is not a race!” Isaac called out to him.

After a few minutes, Melfer ran out of stamina.

‘I have only completed three-quarters, and I am already tired.’ He thought, breathing heavily.

Walking slowly, he finally finished a lap. He fell on the ground with a thud, panting.

“Tired already?” Alice asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

“Please don’t start flexing your skills…” Melfer replied, taking deep breaths.

As everyone arrived at the finish line, they drank water and headed to the cafeteria for breakfast.

The unit took their breakfast from the counter and searched for an empty table. Searching, they found Irfika eating alone at a long table.

They walked up to the table and joined him.

“Oh, hello, everyone…” Irfika greeted them happily, eating swiftly. “Done with the morning run?”

“Yes, we are…” Walter replied, pulling a chair and sitting in it.

“I am very busy, so we won’t be able to have a chat…” Irfika replied.

“We felt bad seeing an old man eating alone, so we thought of joining you…” Albert chuckled.

“Hahaha…” Irfika smiled. “Don’t call me old again. I am thirty…” His smile vanished instantly.

Irfika drank some water and stood up, ready to leave.

“Do you have time to answer my questions?” Melfer asked.

“Depends…”

“What is my Art?”

“You had a whole year to research that. Whatever…” Irfika sat down again. “You had Heaven’s Blessing, right?”

“Yes…” Melfer replied, attentive.

“It’s a very, very rare type of Art, granted by the heavens themselves. They give many powerful and versatile powers. The most prominent and well-known is Connected Consciousness. But due to its rarity, there is not enough information.”

“Is there anyone else with it?”

“There was someone once. Someone I knew well.”

“Who was it and what happened to them?” Melfer leaned forward, curious.

“The Golden Mage. And what happened to him, well…I killed him…”

Silence spread across the table as Irfika said that.

“Well, time’s over. Bye…” Irfika stood up, waved at them, and left.

Melfer sat still, shocked. Irfika’s words echoed in his mind.

“Killed… him…” Melfer mumbled.

…

In the evening, in Kilfa, the capital of Iskeria.

Laminar entered his office, his face pale and his breathing weak. He closed the door behind him and took his seat behind the desk.

Laminar poured some water into a glass, took a pill, and drank the water after it.

‘This is the second jar. My health is improving but…it is slow…’

Laminar placed the glass and the jar back in their place and picked up a newspaper.

‘A five-month-old newspaper…’ Laminar whispered.

“Prince Laminar Falva has been struck with a fatal disease!” He read the headline in a dramatic tone. “The prince has been diagnosed with a fatal bacterial infection. The prime minister has assured the people that though his condition is frail, he will survive. This news comes three days after he was chosen to be the next governor of Iskeria.” Laminar read ahead.

“This has been here for two weeks…” Laminar threw the newspaper on the table.

In the past six months, great advancement had occurred in the world. Newspapers, research on engines, and new weapons were surfacing. The world was slowly entering the industrial era.

Laminar put off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair.

Laminar leaned forward and picked up a few documents. He searched through them and began reading. Flipping through the pages, he saw torn parchment from a newspaper.

“Ah! I have read this before.” Laminar pulled the piece and read it aloud. “Salza, a new and advanced type of artillery cannon made by Germaiyin. The same country that gave rifles to the world aims to advance higher in the field of weaponry. Though the weapon is in developmental stages, once completed, it could be a potential rival to the Falvarian Army, which still uses old cannons.”

“Hah…The world sure is advancing fast…” Laminar smirked. “I wonder what the king plans to do…”

As time passed, Laminar went through tens of documents, signing them.

Signing another paper, the door knocked, and a government officer stepped inside with Laminar’s permission.

“Sir, the carriage is ready. It’s time to inaugurate the factory.” The officer said, standing at the door.

“Go back. I am coming…” Laminar said, standing up and putting things back in their places.

“Yes, sir…” The officer said and left.

Laminar put on his coat, exited the room, locked the door, and walked towards the carriage waiting outside.

Floretta was standing near the carriage, talking with her maids. Laminar swiftly approached the carriage. He grabbed her hand and helped her get inside.

Laminar sat beside Floretta, and his assistant, Mark, sat opposite them.

“Sir…here…” Mark called him, a small light golden metallic rod in his hand.

Laminar grabbed the rod.

“Thanks…” Laminar said softly, grabbing the rod.

Soon, the carriage began to move.

“Are you feeling alright, dear?” Floretta asked.

“Yes, I am fine. My health is slowly improving.”

“I am glad to hear that…” Floretta smiled.

“What’s the factory about?” Laminar asked.

“It’s an ordnance factory…” Mark replied, emotionless.

“Hah…The first factory in the world, and it is for weapons…” Floretta commented, sighing.

“It will reduce unemployment…” Mark followed.

“That is a secondary objective. The main reason is to rival Cerfis and the other three great kingdoms.” Laminar replied, adjusting his collar. “Iskeria borders Cerfis. They had the whole nation to build this factory, and they specifically chose this province. Strategic but obvious.”

“True…Makes sense…” Mark nodded.

After a few minutes of bumpy riding, they arrived at the factory.

The workers stood in line at the entrance.

Laminar left the carriage, helped Floretta come down, and walked towards the factory entrance, followed by Mark and his guards.

The Minister of Industries walked forward and greeted Laminar.

“Welcome, Sir Laminar. It’s an honour for us that you came here…” He smiled.

‘All this respect. It is only because I am a prince.’ Laminar forced a smile.

“Thank you…”

“I hope your health is better…”

“Yes, it is…”

They walked towards the factory and entered it.

The minister signalled, and a worker pulled down a lever, starting the factory. The workers burst out in applause.

“This is the first factory of its kind.”

Laminar looked around, walking further inside. Wherever he looked, he saw machines, raw material, and chests of Lakis.

Laminar, happy and surprised by the magnitude, turned back towards the minister and the workers.

“What do you think?”

“Fabulous…” Laminar replied cheerfully.

“Happy to hear that. Our workers took months to make it.” The minister commented, walking towards Laminar. “This whole area will be an industrial complex. This is just the first piece of the bigger plan.”

“Does it have a name?” Laminar asked, looking around the factory.

“No…Why don’t you name it?”

“Hmm…” Laminar fell into thought, thinking of an appropriate name. “The name should be…” He looked at the minister. “Astral…Astral Industrial Complex.”