For days, Princess Khillian sought information about Nameless's whereabouts until she finally heard he was living in one of the city lord's manors, Lord Laon's.
She sat calmly in her carriage with her bodyguards, watching the surroundings through the window as her coachman drove towards Lord Laon's manor. Her face was veiled with silk, revealing only her eyes, which scanned the passing scenery with a keen, determined gaze.
As the carriage reached Laon's mansion, it came to a halt, and the coachman yelled, "We are here."
She stood up gracefully, her movements fluid and poised. Her bodyguards disembarked first, their eyes alert and scanning for any potential threats.
Princess Khillian stepped out, her posture regal, and walked towards the gates of the Laon manor with her guards flanking her.
She noticed that the gates were unguarded, but she guessed they were locked from the inside, with guards stationed within. Her brow furrowed slightly in curiosity.
"Such a big manor is not guarded," she remarked, her voice carrying a hint of skepticism as she observed the bells on the door.
She knocked on the wooden gates with a firm hand. There was no answer, so she knocked again, more insistently this time.
The two doors creaked open, revealing a young man—Ningtin. He stood there, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in her appearance.
Ningtin looked at her and said, "A beauty indeed," with a smirk playing on his lips.
"Greetings. I've heard of Lady Meiyer's husband and his description. You must be Ningtin Laon," she said, her voice steady and authoritative.
Ningtin's expression darkened upon hearing 'Meiyer's husband' from her lips. He sighed with annoyance, his shoulders tensing.
"That's right, I am he. Do you seek an audience with Lady Meiyer or Lord Laon?" he asked, his tone clipped.
"I seek an audience with Nameless," she replied, her eyes locking onto his.
Ningtin focused on her, curiosity evident in his eyes as he wondered why she sought an audience with Nameless and who she was.
"Who are you?" he asked, his tone cautious.
"Khillian. We've met before, but I'm not sure he remembers. However, I also heard that he came here with some friends. I believe those friends must be Arnin and Lady Pherna. You can ask them about me," she said confidently.
Ningtin grinned. "I will. I could have told you to come later as he is not here at the moment, but how can I distress a damsel?" he said, gesturing for her to enter.
"I'm grateful. I will wait for him," she replied as she entered with her bodyguards. Ningtin closed the two huge doors and locked them.
He stepped forward to walk beside her. "I've never seen a lady as mesmerizing as you in Essed. Tell me, are you married?" he asked, tilting his head towards her as they walked.
Princess Khillian found him amusing and replied, "I'm not."
He nodded, a hint of relief in his expression. "That's a relief. I'm from Alsan. Where are you from?"
Princess Khillian scoffed. "What's a relief? You are married to a beautiful and respectful lady. Why do you wish to know about me, young master Laon?"
Ningtin chuckled. "Lady Khillian, you might not know, but I was forced into this marriage. It's a long story. However, one day I'll leave. Perhaps you can journey with me back to Alsan. My mother will be happy to see you."
Princess Khillian flicked her hand fan open, revealing its intricate designs. She began to fan herself in a gentle manner. "I've heard that you visit gambling places and talk about how it is not right to marry a lady in a higher phase. Young master Laon, I'm in a higher phase than you."
Ningtin was taken aback. "Higher phase? I don't believe it. Your hands are too delicate. Why would a lady like you learn martial arts and cultivate?" he said, his tone filled with doubt.
"Ha! If you doubt me, do you want a spar? If you say you don't want to be with a lady in a higher phase, should I also say that I need a man in a higher phase? If that's how the world works, isn't it right that I should be with Nameless? Unfortunately, matters of 'being with whom' are not my concern. That's a luxury for me."
"Good, let's have a spar then. And if you want to be with Nameless, you should give up. He lost his essence and memories. I shouldn't have said it, as he is a brother, but it's necessary that you know." He stopped walking and looked at her seriously.
Princess Khillian turned to him, surprised. "What did you say? How? What happened?" she asked, stepping closer with a curious expression.
"I don't know. He didn't speak of it. And the loudmouth, Arnin, is not here to tell me. If he were, I could have found out already. Nameless didn't speak of it, nor did he mention the humiliation he suffered on the streets of Essed a few weeks ago," Ningtin said, his voice tinged with frustration.
Then he continued, "We found out later through gossip. Whoever did that to him deserves to die!"
"What humiliation? And who is this person you speak of?" she asked curiously.
Ningtin took a deep breath and spoke, "Nameless is without essence or his memories, so he wanted the essence-growing pill. After Lady Meiyer gave him 3,000 pieces of gold, he took it and went to the alchemist with Arnin."
"3,000 gold pieces? Is it that expensive?" she asked, surprised by the cost.
"Yes," Ningtin answered and continued. "According to what I heard, someone had already bought it, and it was the only one available. The alchemist spent most of his years making it. For Nameless to acquire it from this person, he was told to crawl to him. Despicable!"
"What! How could that person do that? Who is this person?" Princess Khillian asked, her voice filled with rage. She didn't know the person, but she was disgusted by their actions.
"I don't know for sure, since Nameless never spoke about it. However, there is only one person that comes to mind. It's possible it's not him, as Nameless has many enemies. But this seems like something he would do," Ningtin said, deep in thought.
"Who is that?" she asked impatiently.
Ningtin looked at her. "Prince Eyrin Vexar."
She furrowed her eyebrows and frowned upon hearing his name. "Vexar," she muttered, clenching her hands in anger.
"Is he not in Haven State? How can it be him?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
"He is here in Essed, and we have encountered him before. I'm sure he humiliated Nameless because of his real identity," Ningtin said, his expression darkening.
"What's his real identity?" she asked curiously, leaning towards him.
"He..." Ningtin hesitated.