An hour after the sun went down, the party started to gather one by one in Zarfa's mansion. I was so busy trying to solve the maze box puzzle that I only came out after Zarfa picked me up in my room.
Well, not having to wait around for everyone to arrive was a plus on its own.
"It's been a while, Sir Valen," Fatia made a small curtsy, needlessly stoic as always.
No matter how much I told her to call me 'Valen' like others, she did not budge. I knew it was born out of respect for what I had done and also my 'status'--if you'd call it that--so it was harder to tell her off about it. All I could do was swallow my sigh and get used to it.
"It's been a year, isn't it?" I swept my gaze across the room to take a brief look at every one.
