Chapter 33 - New Limits

Zareth eventually found Yan's carriage and entered through an unlocked door.

"You succeeded! God is good!" Yan yelled out as soon as he saw Zareth enter through the door, his face appearing to cheer up.

"Yan, don't ignore me! What is the purpose of bringing this boy into our carriage? He couldn't really be expected to travel with us, can he?" Yan's father, who was nearby and plainly boiling with rage, yelled.

"What happened in the city actually did happen, but it also remains in the city! On this, we both agreed."

To face his father, Yan turned around.

"But father, he is no longer a part of a family or has a home."

Yan came out as sympathetic and caring.

Zareth spotted Silio dozing off in the corner at this point, appearing to be coping with Zaros' bloodlust aura's aftereffects.

They were the only passengers in the carriage.

"Then what? You anticipate that he will now join our family?"

Yan took a little breath before continuing.

It made him feel bad to act this way around his father.

He was interrupted before he could say anymore, "No, but-"

"There is no but!"

Yan appeared to be failing to respond as Yan's father roared.

"You even wasted such a priceless gift, Yan. Please don't disobey me again."

Yan's father had a serious tone.

"Sir."

Suddenly, Zareth's voice was heard.

He was aware that for the time being, staying with this merchant group would allow him to eventually penetrate the kingdom's inner cities.

He had no choice but to make an effort to continue, at the very least.

Yan's father gave him a short glance while maintaining an angry brow wrinkle.

"Would it hurt you if I could just stay in your carriage for the time being? I realize I may not be in a position to ask for this."

He spoke as politely as he could.

While he didn't want to be rude, he also didn't want to sound too sly.

"For the moment? Why does that matter? They won't let us bring you in, and I won't risk getting in trouble for sneaking youngsters past security!"

Zareth responded without delaying a moment.

"No, it's not necessary to wait until then! Just till I figure out what to do, please."

He was, however, interrupted.

"Two days!"

Finally, Yan's father muttered angrily to himself as he walked from this carriage to another one that was connected to it.

The elderly man's heart didn't appear to have completely turned to stone just yet.

Yan let out a breath of relief and sat down on the perched wooden box seats on the sides of the train.

"I'm sorry, Zareth. I'm sorry, but I won't be able to meet all of your needs."

Yan looked down, still feeling humiliated.

"It makes no difference, Yan. All of this was optional for you, but you still did it."

Yan was silent for several seconds after Zareth finished speaking before responding.

"No, you're mistaken. It was entirely our fault. Knowing that Godin was still pursuing my father's head, we shouldn't have come here."

He spoke softly yet clearly.

Zareth did not respond when he heard this because Yan's assertions were accurate.

"I'm sorry, Zareth, for destroying your community."

Yan turned his head from the ground to face Zareth.

"You already saved my life and Silio's, all I did in retaliation was set fire to your city. I'm really, really sorry."

Zareth was unaware that Yan was feeling this way.

The man was almost entirely an honorable, non-egotistical person.

Zareth no longer required to conceal himself to the extent he had before now that his parents were deceased.

Due to his rarity, it appeared that he would still need to be on the lookout for ears that could deliver messages to the most powerful individuals.

He is a Paragon of Magic, after all.

Zareth, though, determined there was no longer any need to conceal any of his motivations in such a little place as this.

"No need to worry about it anymore, Yan. I have not been harmed in any way by your conduct."

Zareth asserted himself.

However, Yan's sentence was interrupted.

"They merely served as the boundaries of my potential."

As he spoke, Zareth's expression was grave. His Spiraling Wind Sword was then drawn as he took a seat on the opposite side of the carriage.

The interior of the carriage was delightfully enveloped in silence for a moment.

Although Yan was surprised by what he had just heard, both men understood each other's perspectives, and he once more sighed in relief.

Zareth examined his weapon with great care.

He examined the blade, which was bloodthirsty, yet had not experienced blood as of now.

His mind also started to wonder what he should do next.

He understood that the elixir from the 12th Tree was just too large to fit inside the carriage, therefore he knew that asking for it to halt right away was out of the question even if he was ready to begin tinkering with it right now.

Zareth just knew that his major objective in the two days he had left would be to persuade Yan's father to let him stay for a little while longer.

He was determined to enter the kingdom, if not inside its borders, then at least close to them.

There was no knowing how far he could come if he were able to do that.

There were endless opportunities for him to rise to prominence in any major city.

His excitement level increased even simply by thinking about it.

But all he could do was wait; there was nothing else he could do.

That night as the horses left Bolnuir, Zareth was able to relax, staring at the sky out the window and thinking.

"How do I increase my power?"