Today was going to be a great day—Lanert could feel it. The birds were singing, the breeze was warm, and no clouds were in the blue sky.
After three brutal years at Mahesh Crown, he graduated with almost a perfect score. He was sure Father would come. He must; it was Lanert's last graduation. After this, there was no graduation again.
He hummed almost nonstop on the black carriage. He smiled while his head hit the ceiling on the bumping path.
"You seem pleased today." A girl in a dark gothic sleeveless vest with a short skirt was coldly smiling at him. Even so, it didn't diminish her cuteness.
Lanert shows his shining gold badge on a red and black ribbon on his black uniform. "Only five people own this. Only the best students own it."
"I thought you would never like something like that." She slid her snow-white hair behind her ear.
"Yeah." Lanert stared directly at Alice's red eyes. "It didn't matter much to me, but imagine if my father saw this. Oh, my third son is doing great. I am proud of you, son."
"Speaking of Lord Gosh, I almost forgot. Here." Alice placed a roll of paper on Lanert's lap.
"Old man? What, congratulation paper? He can't wait to do this later, huh?"
The roll of paper waxed with the red wolf symbol. It was undamaged. The smell of wax was thick, it must be new, and no one opened and resealed it.
Opening roll paper, Lanert found a neat black bold lettering and his Lord Father's signature.
He recited, "Busy with work on King's Parliament. Give me a break. Who cares if he came or not?" He tossed the paper and his badge out of the window.
"Should we stop the carriage and bring your badge back?"
"Let it be. Who cares about stupid badges anyway." Lanert smirked. "Is it because I have no element?"
"I have no clue."
For his entire life, Lanert tried to have his element. Brother had his element while hunting boar, and sister had it on holiday. When will his time come? He tried not to overthink it and enjoyed the scenery.
The lustful green of herbage changed by an abode house stone. It blocked a warm light. The paved trail swept the bumping clean as his carriage entered a vibrant city.
The young man in a traveller's vest carrying a sack at his back purchased bread. He must be visiting distant palaces and adventuring as he pleases.
If not because father, Lanert would have become an adventurer. Sadly, Father decided everything for him.
"Young mister, young mister! Can I have your candy?" The boy pursued his carriage. Lanert always loves kids.
"You want this?" Lanert lifted a crystal-palmed container filled with lots of expensive candies.
More kids ran accompanied his carriage. They wore rugged shirts, barefooted, and Their faces were shabby with the natural smile of a commoner. Such lovely kids
"You all want my candy?"
"Yes, mister!" They answered almost in unison. What lovely boys. Lanert loves children. Their innocent eyes always win him over.
"There we go." Lanert emptied his container by giving them every candy he had. "There, take whatever you want. Don't be shy."
"Thank you, mister!" They thanked him and left with a cheery face.
Lanert waved at them. "Don't forget, wash your mouth after eating candy!" he caught a glimpse of Alice's smile, then patted his lap. "They rob me with adorable smiles."
How happy they were, life freely with the wings of freedom. Meanwhile, Lanert was trapped in a golden cage. He tried to satisfy his father and forgot how to be happy himself. He wasted his time in the library, buried in books or on the training ground, training with the sword, horse riding, and archery. Lanert plumed once more as he returned the crystal container to the table.
"I want to go adventuring."
"Then go. Let's see if your father would be mad."
"Adventuring or not, he is always mad at me. Whatever I do, I always do it wrong in his eyes."
"Whatever I do, without Element, I am nothing. Father didn't care about me because I had no element. Look, I tried to become a good kid. I always followed his order, but what did he do to me? He never came to my graduation day."
"So it's all about Lord Gosh, huh?"
"That old man? Pfft. I don't care about him. It is about elements. Why can't I find one such element like Alrich? Even Catherine had one." Lanert hit the carriage wall, but Alice held his arm before he could land a hit.
"Your destiny ends when you die."
Lanert grimaced. Alice tried to cheer him up with her typical cold words. Yet, he can't help but to boil his anger even more. If Father didn't care, he should let Lanert go and write his destiny.
Alice continued, "Perhaps you would find your element tomorrow, or a week later, a month, a year, ten years, who knows. Keep trying; who knows what will happen?"
"You know nothing. I already worked hard, but Father didn't care. I am tired, Alice."
Silence dominated the carriage. He could make this useless argument until midnight if he wanted to, but no, it was not worth it.
Then she continued. "Imagine if I give up back then. I would be dead on the sidewalk and never meet you."
Lanert remembered clearly. The girl came poorly battered fifteen years ago. Lanert found and helped her. He was the one who gave her name from his favourite author. Alice Gutenbowen. An elf aged four hundred.
But Alice hated Gutenbowen, who remarried five times and didn't like sharing a family name with an older woman. She was ok with just Alice.
"Your fate is a mystery." Alice's palm landed on Lanert's hand. "Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow."
Probably the same boring routine. But, unpack a mystery of fate. That's a good reason to keep moving on. Alice always said that when Lanert went down, but he never thought seriously about it until now. "You're right."
Alice put a newspaper that she already read on the table. "We are almost there. Look, just forgot about Lord Gosh and enjoyed your last day on Mahesh Crown. You better be prepared. Let me adjust your ruff."
Her flowing white hair fell from her back. Lanert sniffed a sweet aroma from her petite body—a fresh milk aroma.
His hand played on Alice's smooth hair while she was busy. It is like touching silk. He even sniffed it secretly. God, if only he dared to do more. He peeked a newspaper on the table.
In the newspaper, there was a headline about a limited section of the library being broken. That section contained many ancient artefacts. "Who the fool dares break Royal Library?"
"Don't move. I almost finished."
Just as Lanert tried grabbing the newspaper, the carriage abruptly stopped and pushed her against Lanert.