Tahrren wandered through the streets, scepter in hand, avoiding the overly crowded alleys, although few people were crossing the city at that hour.
Not knowing where his group was staying, it was natural for him to seek help from his main point of reference in that city: Irina.
It took him several tens of minutes to reach her house. Like almost every resident of Ophelia, she lived in the residential district. This area was adjacent to sacred places like the main church or the Cathedral of the Saints, but it was so large, covering more than half of the city; the walks could sometimes be time-consuming.
Especially for those working in factories and workshops, as these were located the opposite of these sacred places: it was better for them to live close to their workplace.
That was the case for Irina, who lived not so far from her marble workshop. Even though she was the only support staff for the Soul Hunters in that city, she owned other properties that she could rent out thanks to the funds provided by the group.
Unfortunately for Tahrren, he didn't know where those properties were, and in any case, he needed to go through Irina to get the keys.
When he finally arrived at the building where Irina lived, he approached the door, checking for the presence of people around him, nodding his head to the left and right.
Assured no one had followed him, he lightly knocked on the door. So lightly that even after a few awkward minutes of waiting, no one answered.
He then decided to knock again, this time putting a little more force into it. But still, he received no response.
Finally, he knocked on the door, making sure that this time someone would come to open it for him. Just a few seconds after drumming on the door, he finally heard some noises coming from the corridor behind it.
At first, they were just muffled sounds, but they became clearer and clearer, and Tahrren barely had time to notice that it was a person rushing towards him before the door violently swung open right in front of his nose.
"WHO DARES TO WAKE ME UP in the middle of the night? ... Tahrren?"
Irina and Tahrren came face to face. Tahrren displayed an embarrassed smile, which he struggled to hide despite the dim light.
"Hello, Irina. Nice to see you again."
Initially annoyed, Irina's expression turned into surprise, but it quickly shifted back to anger just a few seconds later.
"What do you mean, 'nice to see you again'? For goodness' sake, do you even know what time it is!"
Tahrren lightly bit his lip. He knew he wasn't being reasonable, and even though Irina was also one of the soul hunters, she wasn't at his service. So he revealed the sacred scepter he had just stolen, hoping to convince her.
Hidden behind his back, he barely had time to bring it out of the shadows before Irina recognized it. She grabbed the scepter, to which Tahrren was holding on tightly, and pulled him and the relic into her house with all her strength.
Faced with such a force of nature, Tahrren couldn't do much. He was lifted and carried along with the relic.
"You're crazy, bringing such an object out in the street. Do you want us to get killed or something?"
Tahrren was slightly surprised. Judging by Irina's reaction, she already knew about his plans. Then an idea came to his mind.
"Eiji, right?"
Irina grimaced a smile.
"That's a good recruit you've found there! He knows what he's doing. He came to see me in the middle of the afternoon to ask for lodging again. And the most discreet place possible. We chatted a bit and decided to reveal your plan to me. A foolish plan if you ask me."
Irina paused slightly before continuing.
"A foolish plan, but perhaps the only possible plan. Only you two, I imagine, could come up with such a strategy."
Tahrren let out a slight laugh. He was both reassured and delighted. He was afraid that Eiji's military training would prevent him from making decisions. But his fear was unfounded.
"Excellent. I was sure he would make a good recruit. I hope he can overcome his sense of inferiority." Tahrren sighed slightly before continuing, this time with a teasing smile on his face.
"By the way, you're mistaken about one thing. It's not just the two of us who could have come up with such a plan. I think she would have imagined something even more outlandish."
Irina returned his smile, lowering her gaze slightly, nostalgic.
"Amalia... It's true that with you two, one never knows if you're trying to save or destroy the world!" she said with a burst of laughter. "You're going to find her afterward, right?"
Tahrren nodded. "Yes. It's time, after being separated from her for so long."
"Good. I'm happy for you. Well then! Isn't it time for us to go find your whole little group?" she said, placing the elf and his scepter on the ground.
"Indeed. Tomorrow will be busy, and we shouldn't waste more time."
The two left the house, the scepter hidden in a bag. In just a few minutes, they arrived in front of a small hidden house at the end of an alley, not far from the city walls and the exit. The house looked quite old and had no windows, so one couldn't see what was happening inside. It was one of the best hiding spots.
When Irina pushed the door, torches were lit, and discussions were in full swing.
"Should I use a firmer tone to assert myself?"
Ophelia's voice resonated in the room, reaching Tahrren's ears.
"No, not necessarily. You are a princess and also a saintess to them. Not a military figure. It will all depend on your presence, your manners. We, the military, when facing political figures, don't expect them to have the firmness of a war leader but rather confidence. We risk our lives for the people, and in turn, the people trust us to ensure their protection. It's the role of the political leader to be the intermediary. Tomorrow, you'll represent the people. So, you must speak with confidence and firmness in their best interest."
When Tahrren entered the room, he saw Eiji sitting next to Ophelia, giving her advice. Every day, he felt like he was rediscovering his apprentice. Who would have thought he had a teaching instinct and knew how to manipulate words so well?
He had assigned Eiji to gather information because he had a feeling that this task would suit him better, but perhaps he was mistaken.
He approached them and greeted them promptly.
"I see you're working hard."
Both of them turned around and exclaimed in unison: "Tahrren!"
They were genuinely happy to see him since if he was here, this meant he had undoubtedly succeeded in his mission.
Ophelia was the first to reply. She was so eager to be reunited with her scepter after all those trials!
Tahrren smiled at her. From the bag he held firmly in his right hand, he revealed one of the princess' most precious possessions.
She stood up, took a few steps towards Tahrren, and delicately took hold of the relic.
"The Lazuli scepter. It truly hasn't changed."
And rightfully so: everything about this object exuded longevity as if it were a divine weapon.
Made entirely of gold and adorned with Lapis Lazuli, its curves set it apart from other scepters, its construction being more refined.
Ophelia smiled. She turned to Eiji and struck a pose with her scepter.
"So, what do you think of me?"
Eiji blushed ever so slightly. Wearing the white dress he had given her and holding the scepter whose blue hues matched perfectly with the blond of her hair and the enchanting paleness of her skin. For Eiji, it was as if he was standing in front of an angel.
"You look beautiful," he said with a smile.
Ophelia blushed at his response. She mumbled a few incomprehensible words before replying, her voice still hesitant.
"We... We should maybe rest. Tomorrow will be an exhausting day."
Gently and discreetly, she withdrew, under the watchful eyes of her two comrades. As she approached the stairs leading to the upper floor, she turned one last time, waved goodbye, and wished them a good night in a faint whisper they struggled to hear.
They couldn't help but smile at such a scene, but they also didn't forget to bid her good night in return.
"Alright. I haven't seen Andrea either. Where is he?" Tahrren asked.
"He's resting upstairs. He finished his speech and couldn't help Ophelia any further with hers, so he decided he should rest since he hasn't fully recovered yet."
Tahrren couldn't help but feel reassured.
"Well, anyway, all he has to do is introduce us, and then it'll be up to us to convince the dwarves."
"Exactly. He has worked to gather all the arguments that would increase our chances of successfully convincing the dwarves. And honestly, from what I've seen, the dwarves have every reason to help us. I hope they're not as stubborn as the stories claim."
Tahrren laughed at his apprentice's words.
"Haha! Don't worry. The stories don't do justice to their stubbornness. Alright. We should also get some rest. Tomorrow will be tough for everyone."