As the two teens and Icarius walked toward Turpinia, they passed through the small town of Gyrok. Exhausted from their long journey, the two teens quickly fell asleep, their bodies desperate for rest. With the silence around them, Icarius took the opportunity to ask the maid who accompanied them about their names.
The maid, with a gentle voice, answered, "My name is Esmeralda, and the boy is Gideon. The girl's name is Freya."
Curious, Icarius asked, "Why do you only use their first names? I thought only nobles had nannies who spoke so formally."
Esmeralda smiled softly, shaking her head. "When it comes to talking, we find first names are enough."
Icarius nodded, awkwardly understanding. "I guess that makes sense."
Esmeralda looked at him with curiosity. "You haven't told us your name yet."
There was a brief pause before Icarius said, "M-my name is Icarius."
Esmeralda noticed his hesitation. "So, you're around the same age as these two, aren't you?"
Icarius, still a bit guarded, asked, "How old are they?"
Esmeralda replied, "Both Gideon and Freya are fourteen."
Feeling a bit more at ease, Icarius shared, "I'm fourteen too."
Unknown to Icarius, Freya had woken up a few minutes earlier but had pretended to stay asleep. She had heard everything. In a tired voice, she mumbled, "So you're going to take the magic exam too?"
Icarius nodded, a small smile hidden behind the long strands of his dark hair. His hair almost covered his face, adding a bit of mystery to his look. Esmeralda, noticing this, gently suggested, "Maybe you should cut your hair so your face is more visible."
Icarius shook his head. "I like it this way. At least until we're safely where we need to be."
After two tough days on the road, they finally arrived in Gyrok. Icarius, who had taken the lead, told them he needed about an hour to take care of some things in the city. He assured them they'd be safe in the carriage, but there was still a worry about where they would sleep. Sensing this, Icarius promised he would find a good hotel for the night.
With determination in his eyes, Icarius set off with Astrid to a quiet part of the city. Once there, he used his magic to create a dark barrier and an invisibility barrier, making sure no one could find them for the next hour.
In the dim light of the secluded area, Icarius opened his spacetime room, a magical storage only he could access. Inside, there were chests full of valuable potions. He needed to find a trustworthy potion seller in the city. After asking around, he was directed to a shop called "Jasper's Potions." The name didn't sound very promising, but Icarius wasn't one to judge a book by its cover.
As he entered the shop, he approached the counter and asked, "Can I sell you some healing potions here? I can even give you one for free to prove its quality."
Jasper, the shopkeeper, was surprised but agreed. With a dramatic flair, Icarius reached into his chest and pulled out a potion. "Each potion costs fifty silvers," he mentioned as he handed it over.
Jasper, curious, took the potion and went to a room behind the counter. A few moments later, the shop echoed with his excited shouts. "This potion... it's incredible!" he exclaimed, rushing back to Icarius. "Where did you get this?"
Icarius, as mysterious as ever, simply said, "That's a secret."
Jasper, realizing the value of the potion, asked, "How many can you sell me?"
Icarius thought for a moment. "How many can you buy?"
Jasper, still amazed by the potion, replied, "I can buy up to eight hundred potions. It's all I can afford."
Without hesitation, Icarius sold him all 800 bottles and received a hefty payment of four hundred gold coins.
Quickly storing the coins and chests back in his spacetime room, Icarius hurried to find a hotel. After wandering through the unfamiliar streets, he finally found one where a noisy party was in full swing. Composing himself, he approached the receptionist and requested two rooms—one for himself and a bigger one for Esmeralda, Gideon, and Freya—for two nights.
"That'll be forty silver coins," the receptionist said, handing him the keys after the payment.
Icarius took the keys and stored them in his spacetime room, then rushed back to the carriage, arriving just as the invisibility barrier began to fade.
Leading the group to the hotel, Icarius felt a small sense of relief. But even as they settled in, his mind was already focused on the upcoming Power Level Exam at the Public Department.