After Elsera announced Rowan's victory, Darius approached her with a satisfied smile.
He clasped his hands behind his back, his tone light but curious.
"So, what do you think?"
Elsera, watching the aftermath of the fight, nodded slightly.
"I was certain Rowan would win."
She glanced toward where Vani lay, still recovering.
"But I didn't expect him to block that attack. Makes me wonder… if he had a proper sword, how different would the outcome have been?"
Darius' smile widened, clearly pleased with her answer. But before he could speak, Elsera turned to him with a knowing look.
"So, are you satisfied now, Darius?"
He let out a small chuckle and give her a playful push on the back.
"So, should we go ask him?"
Elsera exhaled but nodded, and the two started walking toward Vani.
As they arrived, Elsera crossed her arms, nodding slightly as she assessed the fight.
"You reacted well, considering your lack of experience. Most Novarions would have frozen the moment they saw Wave Cleaver forming."
Vani dusted off his clothes before speaking.
"I still lost, though."
Darius chuckled, stepping forward.
"Of course. But this was never about winning."
Vani glanced at him, unsure of what he meant.
Darius continued, his tone calm but firm.
"You can't wield a sword. You don't know any techniques. Rowan is far more trained than you. Expecting victory would have been foolish."
He placed a hand on Vani's shoulder.
"But you adapted. You felt the danger and acted. Even without training, you instinctively reached for your power. That's what I wanted to see."
Vani frowned slightly.
Is that really all?
Elsera spoke, her tone confident.
"I have a proposal for you."
She crossed her arms, watching him closely before continuing.
"Travel with us. By the time we reach the capital and the Heir's Gathering is over, you can decide whether you want to stay with us, and help me win the throne."
She shifted her weight slightly, glancing at Darius before adding,
"This was another reason he suggested this fight."
Darius gave a small nod, his arms crossed.
"If you accept, I'll personally teach you how to use a sword. I'll help you train while we travel to the capital."
His expression was firm, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.
"So, what do you think?"
It doesn't sound like a bad deal. Besides, just like with Walter, this time too, I got lucky. I need to get stronger. I can't always rely on luck. But the real problem is my mark. The longer I stay with them, the higher the chance they'll find out about it.
On the other hand, traveling with them would make reaching the capital much easier. I don't even know where the next village is…
Seeing him lost in thoughts, Darius spoke, his tone light. "You don't have to decide right now. We're leaving tomorrow, so think it over."
Tessa, who had been watching from the side, let out a sigh and shook her head.
"What's there to think so hard about? You looked pretty pathetic at the end there, flying through the air like a ragdoll."
She tilted her head slightly.
"And you got injured so badly, you won't even be able to train properly on your own. Traveling with Darius would fix that."
Vani glanced at her, but there was no real mockery in her voice, just her usual blunt way of speaking.
"Vani sighed.
"Alright, I will think about what I have to do while we are traveling to the capital, and I will give you an answer after the heir gathering.'"
Darius and Elsera looked pleased with Vani's answer. Even Tessa, despite her usual bluntness, seemed satisfied.
With that settled, we started walking back toward the camp.
After a moment, Vani turned to Darius.
"I have a question."
Darius glanced at him.
"What is it?"
Vani hesitated briefly before asking,
"What kind of skill was that? The one Rowan used in our fight?"
Darius let out a small chuckle, clearly amused.
"I knew you were going to ask about that."
Vani frowned slightly at his tone, but Darius continued, his voice calm.
"The technique Rowan used comes from his energy core. Some say it's a reflection of oneself, a manifestation of something deeper."
Darius paused, then added,
"It's called an Essence Trait."
Vani furrowed his brows.
"Is it really that special?"
Darius placed a hand on the hilt of his sword as he spoke.
"More than you think. Everyone can discover their Essence Trait, but not all do. Some people awaken as Novarions and remain at that stage their entire lives. But they still manage to unlock their Essence Trait. Meanwhile, others can rise to Sypheris or even higher yet never awaken theirs."
Vani's curiosity grew.
"So… have you discovered yours?"
Darius smirked, his answer deliberately vague.
"Who knows? You can try to guess."
Vani decided to give up on prying further. It was clear that Darius wouldn't give him a straight answer. Instead, he shifted to another question.
"What about Elsera? Does she have an Essence Trait?"
Darius's response was immediate and firm.
"As far as I know, she doesn't."
Vani thought for a moment before asking,
"Then… let's say Elsera and Rowan were to fight seriously. Who do you think would win?"
Darius didn't hesitate.
"Elsera, of course."
Vani raised an eyebrow.
"Even though Rowan has an Essence Trait?"
Darius nodded.
"An Essence Trait is important, but the gap in ranks can't be closed by that alone."
After hearing Darius' response, Vani asked a few more questions, but Darius remained vague, insisting that he would answer in time and that it was enough for today.
As they continued walking, they eventually reached the camp. Tessa busied herself with preparing food, while Elsera went straight to her tent, mentioning that she needed to rest. There was a troubled look on her face, but no one questioned her about it. The rest of the group scattered—some heading to sleep, others tending to their own tasks. Rowan stepped in to assist Tessa with the cooking, while Vani lingered behind, speaking with Darius a little longer. He threw a few more questions his way, but Darius remained just as vague, repeating that he had answered enough for now.
Eventually, Vani gave up and stopped pressing him. With nothing else to do, he approached Tessa and offered to help, but she simply waved him off. Instead, she told Rowan to lend him some clothes. Rowan didn't seem to mind, though he took the opportunity to pester Vani with questions about how he had blocked his earlier attack. He wanted details—an exact explanation.
Vani ignored him.
Rowan kept asking. Vani kept ignoring him.
After receiving the clothes, he headed to the tent, letting the others know he was going to rest. Darius mentioned that they would be leaving for Blackmere City first thing in the morning.
Once alone, Vani unwrapped the bandages on his right hand. Tessa had given him fresh ones earlier, advising him to change them despite it being just a scar. She had insisted it would be best to keep it clean. He followed her advice and replaced the old wrappings with new ones.
He didn't even remember lying down properly. Sleep must have taken him before he had the chance to eat. Maybe it was because, for the first time in a long while, he could finally relax. Or maybe his body was still exhausted, not yet fully recovered.
Either way, he slept for a long time.