"What is it?" Matthew asked, one brow slightly raised, his eyes narrowing with interest as they shifted fully to Aidan.
"Isn't there some sort of festival going on in the Lizardman Empire?" Aidan asked, his tone probing.
Matthew's eyes widened slightly. A moment passed before he gave a small nod, the memory surfacing—one of the largest festivals in the entire Lizardman Empire.
Aidan's brows drew together as he sank into thought. After a pause, he spoke. "Can we use this… in any way?"
He didn't fully understand the festival or the Lizardman Empire—guesswork would be useless. Better to ask Matthew.
Matthew rubbed his chin, gaze drifting slightly. "Well, technically… we could. From what I know, no one's heading to the Lizardman Empire this time."
He paused, then added, "Usually, it's Lord Erwin who handles those diplomatic visits. If not him, it's Lady Charlotte. But this time, both seem tied up—Lord Erwin hasn't left the estate since his son was born last year, and Lady Charlotte's overseeing security near the border."
"What about Father or Mother?" Aidan tilted his head.
Matthew shook his head with a faint smile. "Your mother? She barely tolerates the nobles of the Human Empire. Crossing borders to deal with another empire's politics? That'd be asking too much."
He paused, folding his arms. "And your father… he's a Fourth Rank being. Things like this don't warrant his attention. It's not that he can't go—it's just not worth his time. People at his level don't move unless it's a conference of empires leader, or something that requires his intervention."
He exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck before finally speaking again.
"Let me tell you something," Matthew said, his voice low. "The Wilsons are going to send someone soon. The Lizardman council sent an invitation."
He paused again. "Even if it's not a family member, someone has to go. There's no ignoring it."
"After all," he muttered, "the invitation came straight from the Throne of Sacred Blood."
"The what?" Aidan frowned.
Matthew let out a small sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's… basically their ruling council," he said. "Unlike us with one emperor, the Lizardmen are split into tribes. Each tribe sends someone to the council—only the ones with the purest bloodline get in."
He glanced at Aidan. "And they've got to be at least Third Rank to even be considered. No weaklings, no figureheads."
"That seems like a weird system to me," Aidan muttered, still processing the information.
Matthew shrugged, his tone matter-of-fact. "Weird or not, it's the one that's worked for them for ages."
He watched Aidan's thoughtful expression, unsure what exactly the boy was piecing together. Anxiety coiled in his chest. Taking Aidan to the Dark Forest was no small step—and the risks weren't something he could ignore.
Matthew's gaze drifted upward to the tree branches, but for a brief moment, it seemed like his eyes were searching for something beyond the leaves, something deeper. The look lasted only a second before he spoke again.
"If…" —he paused, the words catching slightly in his throat— "if you can convince your parents to let you go as the Wilson family's representative to the Lizardman Empire, that'd be our best chance."
Did my voice just shudder with hesitation? The thought passed through him like a realization of his fear. What next? He cleared his throat and continued, firmer now—more like himself, more like Matthew.
"It gives us a legitimate reason to leave the Human Empire—and a path toward the Dark Forest."
After listening to Matthew's words, Aidan's eyes lingered on the man a moment longer than usual. This was it—the best chance he'd get. But more than that, something clicked. The hesitation in Matthew's voice, the way he laid out the path—it wasn't just duty. He was genuinely helping.
Aidan had doubted him at first, uncertain of his true intentions, but now he was reassured.
Aidan drew in a breath, his fist tightening at his side. "Alright," he said, voice low but firm. "I'll get the permission." He had to—there was no other way.
Matthew's gaze lingered on Aidan, something flickering in his eyes—an emotion he hadn't felt in years seemed to surface.
Matthew stood, his movements deliberate as he turned toward Aidan. "This should be enough for today," he said, tone steady. "Let me know when you have the permission. We can plan the next steps after that." With a final glance at Aidan, he began walking toward the other side of the training grounds, his footsteps echoing in the quiet air.
In Matthew's mind, a nagging confusion lingered. He couldn't quite understand why, after meeting Aidan, he felt this unfair weight pressing on him. Emotions he thought he had buried long ago resurfaced—tangled and unsettling—as if meeting the boy had somehow stirred something deep within.
Matthew sighed, knowing deep down that Aidan would succeed in getting the permission. It was time to start preparing.
Aidan watched Matthew until he disappeared from sight, then leaned forward, his gaze lingering on the spot where he had last seen him. After a moment, he stood, pushing himself up with quiet determination. He turned toward the inner castle, his mind already racing with plans on how to convince his mother. As for his father, the worry wasn't nearly as much.
That evening.
Zane lay flat on the grass beside Aidan, the cool night air brushing against both their skin. He stared up at the sky, where the moon hung low and stars blinked lazily overhead.
Without turning his head, Zane asked, "So… how was your day?" But before Aidan could answer, he kept going.
"I know—you were going to say it was fine, then ask how mine was, like always." His voice was quiet, a little tired. "So I'll save you the trouble. Mine sucked. Master was stricter than usual today."
He let out a breath, the kind that came more from frustration than exhaustion, eyes still fixed on the stars above.
"Is that so?" Aidan replied, his eyes still on the sky.
Aidan liked the silence—it was something he cherished when alone. But now, his time was being shared. His eyes shifted from the corner, landing on Zane. For the past two days, it seemed Zane had started coming here after his duties ended.
Aidan didn't dislike it—he actually liked it, even if Zane sometimes became a little loud. He was nothing compared to Jimmy, Aidan had thought with a slight smirk. At least Zane had a way of keeping things relatively interesting with his sarcastic remarks and gossip.
Just as Aidan thought the silence would linger, it was broken again by Zane.
"Hey Aidan, by the way, have you heard about the festival in the Lizardman Empire?" Zane asked, his voice casual but with an edge of smugness. "Seems like a lot of people are heading there to attend. To be honest, I also want to go if I can, man."
Aidan's eyes narrowed, his curiosity piqued. "Oh? What people? And why's everyone going?"