Holding the flower, he pointed at the compact the girl was holding with his index finger.
"Turns out it was a pocket dimension inside that compact mirror."
He had noticed a few lilies at the top of the rock where he had jumped off, and before jumping, he caught one and slid it into his pocket.
"The creation of a pocket dimension follows certain rules, depending on the power of the creator, of course. And aside from you don't look very powerful to me, I figured you wouldn't dare harm me because you know I'm Raine's man. So, I concluded that the pocket dimension wasn't made to be complicated. It was simple, just some sort of prison for people you don't really intend to kill."
The girl gritted her teeth as Vince continued.
"I thought the man there was very dangerous because of his big axe, but it wasn't long before I realized he wasn't real. He looked like a real person and acted like one, but something was amiss." Vince brought the lily to his nose, pausing as if in thought. "Ah, it was his scent. He didn't have one. Everything in the real world has a scent, you see."
Vince smirked, enjoying the little brat's annoyed expression.
"Then, when I mentioned your name, he recognized it, but in his mind, you were a faceless person. That must be why you put those flowers around the place, so he has something to remember you by."
The rims of the girl's eyes began to turn red, and tears started to well up. Her lips quivered.
Vince dropped his hand to his side but kept holding the lily. His teasing smirk vanished.
"The use of magic has rules, and by adding an illusion to your spatial creation magic, I'm guessing one of the rules must include not letting the illusion-made person in your pocket dimension know your face, because you are the creator. Still, you did it because it's the only way you can keep the memory of him alive."
Tears rolled down the girl's cheeks.
"Your name is Lily," he stated, a small smile forming on his lips. It was unhostile, kind, and a little apologetic. "Nice meeting you."
Included in the book Raine had given Vince were the kinds of magic commonly used in this world, which gave him enough knowledge about how magic worked.
Seeing how simple the pocket dimension Lily created was and how she used an anchor (the compact mirror), he assumed her magic affinity for spatial creation couldn't be higher than fifth grade. There were six grades of magic affinities, with the first grade being the highest.
The higher your power class, the stronger your magic affinity becomes.
"Stop crying in front of me. It makes me feel awkward," Vince said with a sheepish smile. He didn't know how to comfort women, especially a little girl like Lily.
"You shouldn't have known that!!!"
She wiped her tears harshly and tried to regain her composure.
Unbeknownst to Vince, Lily was a city guardian in Demon City. She was protective of Raine like she was family, which was why she was annoyed that Raine chose a dormant to be her mate and even announced it for the world to know.
Lily had thought Vince was nothing but a weak and airheaded charity case her Captain had picked up, but after what Vince just did, she realized that the man in front of her wasn't as simple as he seemed.
It was true that the pocket dimension she created wasn't meant to harm its captives. It was only a prison and a storage place. However, it couldn't imprison people with strong soul force because it was created from her sixth-grade magic affinity for spatial creation.
"I appreciate the experience. Thanks for that, little Lily."
Vince winked at the girl, who was still fuming at him. But he was starting to get cold because he had left his dirty shirt in the pocket dimension. He also felt like he needed a good bath after falling into a pond of mud.
"See yah around," he muttered with a chuckle and quickly ran inside the manor.
Vince went to his bedroom and found his pet servant sitting in front of the fireplace with a book in front of her. When he entered the room, the cat's paw immediately flew to cover her nose.
"What's that smell, Master Vince? You stink!"
"I fell into a pond of mud."
"Huh???"
Vince rolled his eyes and went straight to the bathroom.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the castle of Royal City, a silver-haired lady was making her way to the entrance of the castle. The lady was Raine, dressed in a white cape and a black armored dress. On the collar of her dress was a brooch with the crest of Demon City's guardians.
Seeing someone out of the corner of her eye, Raine's steps slowed, and then they halted.
"I'm not here to visit you, don't worry," she said with a sweet smile, her voice smooth and low.
A silver-haired man stopped in front of her, several steps away.
Two pairs of hazel eyes stared at each other. One pair was mischievous, while the other was dark and icy.
It was the captain of Royal City's guardians, Riven Moriarty.
"What? Are you disappointed that I came to Royal City for official business and not to visit you, brother?"
"What are you doing?"
Raine looked at the silver-haired man innocently.
"I told you, I'm here for official business. I was sent by Lord Damian to deliver a message to the Regent. If you want, we can have tea after my business here. You must have missed hanging out with me."
"Stop acting coy. There's no need to pretend when you're in front of me. I never liked your fake innocence and sweetness. I'm asking what you're doing. Taking a dormant as your mate, what do you take our bloodline for? Father won't like it when he returns and finds out what you've been doing."
There was a sudden drop in temperature, and Raine's eyes turned hollow and cold, but her smile remained on her lips. Yet, without any humor, the smile looked soulless.
"The entry exam for the city guardians in all cities will start next month. You are as busy as I am, so I advise you to stick your nose in your own business, Riven. If you're worried that I might ruin our royal name, stop worrying." Raine's smile grew sinister. "Not that I'll stop doing what I want—of course not, silly—but I'm telling you to stop worrying about things you can't control. It will only make you grow wrinkles early."