Prince Algis was curious about Cyril. As Crown Prince, he could judge others, but he had no idea what this man who looked up to him had.
"What is your name?" asked Prince Algis when his question went unanswered.
The man in front of him looked at his servant Borneo, then at the knight captain, and finally at him with the most annoying look, as if to ask: you call someone without knowing his name, to Prince Algis.
"I am Cyril, Your Highness!"
With his question answered, Prince Algis thought he could once again forgive the insolence he saw in Cyril.
"Tell me, is what I have heard about you true?" Prince Algis asked more clearly now. His first question to the man standing before him in the robes of the palace knight went unanswered.
"Perhaps Your Highness has heard an exaggerated story," Cyril replied quickly.
That was impossible. To joke about the warp was to blaspheme the elements of magic and the kingdom. "Don't you want to be one of the best knights in this kingdom?"
Cyril's eyebrows raised, which Prince Algis took as both interest and mockery. "I am no longer a child interested in the unattainable," he said, sounding so logical.
"Did you know that there are only a handful of warp wizards left in the world?" Prince Algis asked.
And none of them were from their kingdom. This meant that the wizards in the kingdom that Prince Algis would one day lead were still of low quality.
"Yes, but I'm not interested in becoming one! I already have other desires," Cyril assured.
Prince Algis sighed. Then he looked at Borneo. The servant seemed to understand what was happening and then stepped forward to face Fearish, who was still unhappy about Cyril's arrival. I don't know what was going through his mind when he was escorted out in such a polite manner.
"Mr. Fearish, please come out first!"
Fearish gasped and looked shyly at Prince Algis. But he gave Cyril a hateful look.
"Please!" Borneo watched Fearish and then followed the captain of the seventh knight's army.
Prince Algis waited until the door to the room closed, turned to Adelman for a code of what to do, and then looked at Cyril. Adelman moved to the doorway, just behind Cyril.
The man, Cyril, seemed uncomfortable with the position. Of course, only a criminal would receive such treatment. Cyril was the guest that Prince Algis had invited.
"Don't take Adelman's presence here the wrong way! He's not going to do anything bad, just keep eavesdroppers from overhearing our conversation."
Despite explaining Adelman's purpose at the door, Cyril still didn't seem calm.
"I'm going to start a serious conversation." Although his anxiety did not dissipate, Cyril watched Prince Algis intently. "Adriana went home about two weeks ago. She left without my permission. I do not know the reason. But it is her home."
Prince Algis paused, looking more agitated than ever. "I received a message from her. From the maid who accompanied Adriana, to be exact." Prince Algis thrust a shabby piece of paper at Cyril.
"Isn't it possible this is a trap?"
Prince Algis had no time to think about the reason. But he thought that if it was a trap, it was even better. It meant that Adriana was safe.
"I gave Adriana magic, surely her maid knows that. If she is in danger, she can use this magic to send me a message." Prince Algis looked at Cyril, the man seemed more frustrated than ever. "What is it?"
Cyril raised his hand and rubbed his forehead until it was red. "Does the captain know about this?"
"No, Captain Fearish doesn't know. Adelman and you are the only ones I told."
Still somewhat hesitant, Cyril spoke. "It seems that along with Princess Adriana's departure, I had an accident. I stopped breathing in my sleep. Since then, I don't remember much of what I did in the past!"
"Failure to breathe? That's dangerous, isn't it?" Prince Algis was surprised to hear this.
He had read many books in the royal library and heard about many legendary diseases. But this disease that Cyril had just told him about sounded dangerous just by its name.
"That's it, Your Highness, if I don't get help, I'm going to die."
Prince Algis still stared at Cyril. "Is this disease contagious?" If so, he should send a letter to the palace. So that the palace would be on guard with a report.
"No! It's like a special disease just for me!" replied Cyril quickly. He looked panicked. "Anyway, I can't remember how to warp at all."
A smile appeared on Prince Algis' face. "No problem! Even if Adelman can't warp, he knows all the theory."
Cyril looked frustrated and unhappy again but said nothing more.
"Please come with me," Adelman told Cyril.
***
Damn it! I told you I don't remember anything!
Cyril's head rebelled. He wanted to scream, saying he didn't want to do anything dangerous like make a warp. Also, in the novel, the real Cyril didn't even have magic.
The talk about him being able to create a warp was just the memory of a drunk person. Or because the real Cyril didn't have magic, he ended up bragging about it when he was a mercenary.
"Please come in!" Adelman stopped in front of the door to the other room, then opened it.
Cyril fought not to turn around. What if he didn't make the warp? He would be sentenced to death before he finished explaining. He glanced at Adelman as he passed the man. He thought it best to tell him what was on his mind.
"Mr. Adelman!" he called.
Cyril was in the middle of the room and Adelman was at the door, pulling it shut. "Sit down, I'll give you all the warp theory I know," he said.
Cyril was determined that whatever happened, he would say it. He took a deep breath. "Mr. Adelman, like I said. I don't remember much about being a mercenary. I don't want to disappoint anyone!"
Besides, what happened to Cyril and what he read in the novel had some differences. First, in the novel, the original Cyril had no magic. While his current self is said to have magic, to the point of being able to create a warp that requires a lot of energy. Second, the known history should have taken place in about six months. However, he was here - in Cyril's body in the novel - less than two weeks before he had to deal with Adriana.
Adelman stopped but did not turn to see her face. Adelman remained standing, close to the shelves where parchments and books were neatly arranged.
"To trust you is the decision of His Highness Prince Algis. If you later fail to live up to his expectations, it's his fault, not yours!"
In theory, that was true. But the threat to his neck was getting closer. This was a mistake. There was no way for Cyril to avoid all the mistakes in this world. Though he was determined to do so.
"You said you were insecure, didn't you?" This time Adelman turned and stared at Cyril, intimidating him.
The sudden feeling of pressure made it difficult for Cyril to breathe. He took several deep breaths and managed to get through it. "I don't remember much! That's what I'm trying to tell you."
Adelman walked over to an organized shelf, looked for something, and found a small crystal ball.
"This is a power crystal that has been transformed and changed in function. People who don't have magic power will still be gray when they touch this. Those who have it make this crystal clear."
Cyril knew about this. But he didn't understand why it was being handed to him.
"Touch it!" Adelman ordered.