"... Buying ingredients?" Noelle, who woke up soon after, fidgeted, trying to break the silence under her father's steady gaze.
Sebastian gave her a nod, half-awkward and half-reassuring, which only made Noelle want to dig herself into a hole. At least he didn't seem mad.
"…Can I ask… why?" Buying spices and baking powder seemed a bit extreme, especially all the way out here in the Dark Market. This sounds like something Charmy would do…
Sebastian crossed his arms, looking down at his daughter with calm patience. "I'm getting older, Noelle. My tongue, my sense of taste—they don't work like they used to. Everything in the Silva kitchen tastes bland. I need something to give my food a bit of a kick."
Noelle blinked in astonishment. "But Father, you're a royal! Surely you could have a servant handle this for you? Grocery shopping is far beneath you—"
"How dare you!" The punk geezer vendor slammed his fist on his stall, glaring at Noelle with fire in his eyes. Heads turned toward the commotion.
Ignoring both Vanessa and Sebastian, the vendor pointed a trembling, furious finger at Noelle. "Mere groceries? Mere groceries?! Listen here, missy! This is premium-grade stuff, smuggled straight from the Diamond Kingdom mines through elite channels! Harvested from the sweat, blood, and tears of countless people, young and old alike. The watered-down trash you find on the surface can't even compare to these treasures of mine! Connoisseurs, chefs, nobility—they scramble to get a share of this. But I turn them all away, no matter the price! You can only buy it if you're someone or know someone."
The vendor shot Noelle a look of utter disdain before crossing his arms and leaning back, as if he'd just finished schooling some clueless country bumpkin.
Vanessa stifled a chuckle, her lips curving upward slightly. Now you know how it feels, sweetie.
Noelle went red with anger, jabbing her finger toward the vendor. "This is all your fault!"
"Huh?!" The vendor's forehead veins bulged as he spat, "How is this my fault, missy? You're the ones who harassed me!"
Noelle clenched her fists, her face darkening. "I wouldn't have if you weren't so cryptic about groceries in the first place! Why did you have to make it sound so suspicious?!" Because of you, I insulted my father! she fumed inwardly.
The vendor slammed his fist down again. "I already told you—they're not mere groceries!" You uncultured brat, if it weren't for your father, I'd slap some sense into you! He forced himself to calm down, narrowing his eyes. "Everybody wants their grubby hands on my stash, so yeah, I'm subtle. If I'm not, I'll get robbed."
His irritation flared as he spat again. "But because of you two broads, now I'm exposed. I'll have to go into hiding and probably never show my face here again!"
Vanessa scratched her cheek, looking down, embarrassed.
Noelle didn't feel the least bit sorry. "Well, excuse me," she began sarcastically, "but it's pretty normal to assume a guy selling 'cursed' items in broad daylight might be up to something!" Besides, she thought, clenching her fists, no one's going to bust you for selling ingredients, you moron! She kept that thought to herself, not wanting to embarrass herself by cursing in front of her father.
The vendor scoffed, giving Noelle a sidelong glance. "Drugs? Are you insane? I'm a villain, not a monster."
Without another word, he tossed Sebastian the leather bag, took his payment, packed up his wares, and left his stall, walking briskly away.
Ugh! Noelle could have torn her hair out watching him slink off, checking over his shoulder like he was about to get ambushed at any moment. If you get arrested, it'll be for those poisons and voodoo junk, not for baking powder and spices, you cockroach!
She wanted to blast him with a ball of water, but knew she'd probably hit Vanessa—or, worse, her father—by accident.
Noelle felt a light tap on her shoulder, snapping her upright as she looked back at her father.
"Now, now, Noelle, calm down." Sebastian's voice was gentle. "People like that, who work in places like this, are usually insecure and overly suspicious. It's just how they are."
Noelle forced herself to breathe out in exasperation, letting her tension slip away before giving him a nod.
"Now…" Sebastian began again, hesitantly, "mind telling me what you're doing in a place like this?"
Noelle stiffened, fidgeting. Vanessa, watching her, narrowed her eyes and walked up behind her, resting her hands supportively on Noelle's shoulders to steady her before calmly addressing Sebastian.
"We're here to find something for Noelle to help her control her magic."
Vanessa felt Noelle's shoulders tremble as she lowered her head, looking away from her father. Guilt tugged at Vanessa, but she wanted to gauge Sebastian's reaction.
Her family must know about Noelle's issue—they wouldn't have sent her to the Black Bulls otherwise. I know how royals and nobles are about failure, so by putting Noelle's problem out there like this, I'm risking that she'll get scolded or belittled. Vanessa felt a pang of guilt, but I need to know the truth. If her father's a typical royal and lashes out, I'll shut him down and tell him to get lost. Noelle doesn't need people like that in her life. But if Sebastian Silva actually cares… well, then I'll suggest how she might connect with him better. She clearly wants to, at least enough to stop hesitating around him.
(It was pretty ironic for Vanessa Enoteca, of all people, to be considering giving family advice.)
With her fingers crossed, Vanessa didn't expect much. She knew first-hand how toxic parents could be, how unforgiving, especially those from high-ranking families.
She expected Sebastian to give Noelle a disdainful look, but he merely blinked, then looked down at her, scratching his cheek uncertainly before speaking in a cautious tone.
"Did the wand I gave you… not work?"
Vanessa blinked. Wand? What wand? Noelle has a wand? She looked down at Noelle, who stared at her father with a bewildered expression. If you already have a wand, why are we here?
After a pause, Sebastian spoke again. "Did you not open the box yet? I thought you did. It has a wand in it; you can check."
Noelle didn't even glance at Vanessa, too focused on studying her father's face. "You gave me that wand… to control my magic?"
Sebastian blinked again, confused. "Well, of course. What else? It's not just a decoration or some treasure to be looked at but never used."
Noelle was flabbergasted. It's shameful for royals to need help controlling their magic, and it's even more shameful for someone to give them a tool to help. And Father gave me one?!
She stammered, "I-I thought it was an early birthday present."
Sebastian's brow twitched with faint amusement. "It is, but I didn't want to give you something thoughtless, right? I figured it should be something useful."
Noelle nodded. That actually… makes sense. Embarrassment warmed her cheeks. How did I not realize that sooner? Taking a second to collect herself, she gave her father a small, grateful nod. "I'll use it from now on. Thank you."
"Wait." Sebastian raised a hand to stop her. "I don't think that's a good idea just yet."
"Huh?" Noelle shot him a confused look.
She watched as her father scratched his chin, looking sheepish. "I'm a novice at things like this, so it might not work as intended. You should have a professional appraise it first, to make sure it's safe to use."
Did Father personally go out to buy this for me? Noelle's eyes widened. I thought he would've sent a servant. Is that why he's not sure it's reliable? A hint of warmth spread through her chest as she realized.
She gave him a soft smile and was about to nod in understanding when a sudden noise made everyone snap their heads around.
They saw a blonde-haired teenager with his hair tied back by a black band, scruffy facial hair, and a smug expression riding up on an absolute monstrosity of a bike. With an earsplitting crash, he collided into a hooded figure.
(So lame!) Sebastian, Noelle, and Vanessa all had the same thought as they stared at the strange bike-like contraption.
A bag flew out of the hooded figure's hand, tumbling through the air and landing neatly in Sebastian's arms. The trio blinked, watching the scene unfold with a mix of confusion and disbelief.
The teenager struck a cocky salute toward the crumpled figure. "That's what you get, thief—"
"Har, look out!" Asta, who had somehow managed to free himself from Vanessa's threads, tried to warn him. The hooded thief had pulled out a dagger-like object and jabbed it into Sekke's left boot.
Huh? Sekke suddenly lost control of his mana and felt his leg go stiff, sending him tumbling backward onto the ground, his left foot frozen skyward.
"Gyaaaaaaaah!!" Sekke howled in panic and pain. "Puh… P-p-p… Poi…poi… poison!"
"Are you okay, Har?!" Asta yelled down, looking worried as the anti-bird landed on Sekke's chest, eyeing him dully.
Oh… am I dying…? Sekke's vision swam as he panted, feeling his life flash before his eyes.
"Har…?!" Asta called out again, trying to get his attention, but Sekke was lost in his own world. Come to think of it… a long time ago, I aimed for the top too…
"HAAAAAAAR!" Asta bellowed, leaning closer to get his attention.
With a slight, rueful smile, Sekke grabbed Asta by the cloak and muttered. I'd really rather not entrust this to him, but… His voice softened. "You're the one who took me down… get to the top… for me too! I'm entrusting my dream… to you…!"
Guess this isn't such a bad way… to go out… haar— "Bwuf!" Sekke grunted as Asta karate-chopped him right in the eye.
Sekke was too stunned to react, blinking up at Asta, who spoke with a determined look. "Don't shove your important stuff onto me!" With sweat trickling down his face, Asta declared, "Live! Make your dream come true yourself! Don't you dare give up, you idiot!"
Sekke's eyes widened, but his daze was interrupted as several figures appeared above him.
Asta looked up to see Noelle, Vanessa, and Sebastian standing over them. With a casual wave, he greeted, "Oh, it's Noelle's dad! Nice to meet you!"
"Bakasta!" Noelle smacked Asta on the back of the head. "Show some respect! That's Lord Silva to you!"
"Ow!" Asta rubbed the back of his head, Why do I get smacked every time I mention Noelle's dad?!
"Now, now, Noelle, that's no way to treat your friends," Sebastian chided, catching everyone's attention. Scratching his cheek, he glanced at Asta. "Pleasure to meet you as well. Please, just call me Sebastian, or Mr. Silva—I haven't been a lord in a long time."
Asta, realizing that using "Sebastian" might earn him another knock, wisely nodded and extended his hand respectfully. "Nice to meet you again, Mister Silva."
Noelle tensed but sighed in relief when her father didn't make a fuss and, without hesitation, shook Asta's hand.
She wasn't quite sure why she cared so much that her father and Asta get along, or why she wanted them to leave with a good impression of each other.
Vanessa gave Sekke a puzzled look, crouching down beside him. "There's no way you'd die from this—it's just a temporary numbing poison. I'll use some of the shique ointment I just bought. It'll be fine in no time."
Huh? Sekke looked up at her, dumbfounded, but Vanessa ignored him. Just as she was about to remove his boot and apply the ointment, a familiar voice interrupted.
"There's no need for that." All eyes turned to Sebastian, who held out his right index finger above Sekke. A small droplet of water formed at his fingertip, fell onto Sekke's chest, and began to seep in.
Sekke felt a soothing sensation wash over him, restoring his mana flow and the feeling in his foot, while also relaxing him entirely.
"So comfy, haar…" he moaned, only to realize that everyone was now giving him a disgusted look.
After an awkward pause, Sekke jumped up, startling the anti-bird, which flew back onto Asta's head. Sekke then walked away with a wave. "Train harder until we meet again, Asta!"
"See you later, Har!" Asta waved back.
Turning to Sebastian, Asta pumped his fists. "Wow, Mister Silva, you're pretty good! Was that healing magic?!"
"Hmph!" Noelle flicked her pigtails with a smirk. "Of course, Bakasta. Father's one of the kingdom's most skilled healers. If he opened his own clinic, people would line up for his treatments!"
Sebastian scratched his cheek, clearly embarrassed. "Now, now, Noelle. I'm nothing special compared to Owen, or talents like your cousin."
Noelle dismissed this. "Mimosa may be talented, but she lacks your experience and knowledge."
Sebastian held back a chiding comment, feeling a small swell of pride. Glancing at the bag of money he'd caught, he looked down the street, where an old woman was waving at him. He narrowed his eyes slightly before turning to the trio.
"I'm going to return this to that lady and head home. It was nice meeting you all."
"Oh…" Noelle fidgeted, managing a shy smile. "I-it was nice seeing you too, Father. Be safe on your way back."
Both Vanessa and Asta noticed that she wanted to talk more, and Asta was just about to suggest it when Sebastian chuckled.
They blinked as Sebastian reached out and ruffled Noelle's hair, making her freeze. He spoke softly. "Why are you acting like this is goodbye, Noelle? Castle Silva is your home too. Don't be a stranger—drop by every now and then."
Noelle blinked, and he continued. "If you're busy"—or uncomfortable with it, he thought—"I'll have a communication device sent to your base, so we can talk whenever you'd like."
Blushing, Noelle nodded, prompting warm smiles from Asta and Vanessa. Then, Sebastian turned to the two of them.
"Do me a favor and look after my daughter, alright?"
Vanessa nodded kindly, while Asta grinned. "Don't worry, Mister Silva! I'll always keep an eye on her!"
Noelle's face turned as red as a tomato as she shot a glare at Asta, while Vanessa covered her mouth, a sly smile dancing on her lips. Oh my.
Sebastian gave a final nod. "Remember to get that wand checked before using it."
With a soft smile, Noelle replied, "Yes, Father. Goodbye."
Sebastian waved and walked away, with Asta waving back at him.
Vanessa slung an arm around Noelle's shoulders, catching her attention. "Come on, Noelle. The owner of the shop I'm taking you to is a close friend. She doesn't normally do magic tool appraisals, but she will for me."
Noelle smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Vanessa."
The trio—or quartet, if one counted the anti-bird—headed off in the opposite direction.
Sebastian strolled toward the entrance of the Black Market, where he saw a hunched old lady holding out her arms.
"Ho ho ho… thank you, sonny," she said, smiling softly as she took the bag of money from him.
Instead of nodding, Sebastian looked down at her and spoke in a flat tone. "Lord Julius, don't you have responsibilities to attend to? Wasting your time here?"
The old lady froze, then cleared her throat with a slight laugh. "Ho ho ho, sonny, could you speak up? My ears aren't what they used to be; I think I misheard—"
"Your advisors, Marx especially, won't be pleased," Sebastian interrupted, giving her a hard look.
The old lady chuckled, but soon swirls of mana enveloped her, reshaping her form. A tall, lean, middle-aged man with blonde hair and a star-shaped mark on his forehead now stood before him, draped in a regal, fur-lined red cape.
"How'd you know it was me, Sebastian?"
Sebastian gave him a dull look, about to reply when a magical projection flickered to life between them, revealing an exasperated Marx.
"I finally found you, Lord Julius… What are you doing, Wizard King?" Marx demanded, glaring.
"Ha ha ha," Julius laughed, trying to look innocent. "I was just wandering around, looking for new magic—"
"He was using his magic to cheat at a casino and scam some Magic Knights out of their money," Sebastian said flatly.
Julius stiffened, and Marx looked at the projection in shock, clearly not expecting to see Sebastian Silva—especially in disguise, wearing a simple brown robe. Marx recovered and directed a furious glare at Julius, who was now sweating bullets.
Before Marx could reprimand him, Julius hurriedly cut the projection, leaving the two in awkward silence. Julius gave Sebastian a sheepish smile, tapping him on the shoulder.
"Well, I'll be going, old friend. Lots to do!"
Since when were we friends? Sebastian fought the urge to roll his eyes, nodding coolly. "You do that."
Julius grinned and disappeared in a blink. Just as Sebastian turned to leave as well, he heard a familiar voice calling.
"Father!"
Sebastian turned to see Noelle running toward him, panting and covered in sweat, with her friends following at a slight distance.
"Noelle, what's wrong?" Sebastian asked, concerned, as she reached him and bent over to catch her breath. She then abruptly straightened up.
Without warning, Noelle grabbed his hands.
"Noelle, what are you doing?" Sebastian asked, puzzled. But Noelle only kept her head lowered, twisting his hands and examining his palms and fingers as if searching for something.
Finally, she looked up, and Sebastian stiffened, noticing tears welling in her eyes.
What did I do now? he thought, feeling a pang of worry twist in his stomach.
A few moments earlier:
Vanessa led Noelle and Asta to a relatively cleaner stall, where a slender, fair-skinned woman with orange hair tied in a knot under a witch's hat was managing her wares.
The woman's purple eyes lit up as they approached. "Oh, Vanessa-chan! Welcome! I've got all sorts of crazy goods for sale today!"
Vanessa smiled as they stopped in front of the stall. "Hey, Code, we're not here to buy anything this time. We actually want you to appraise something for our princess here." She gestured to Noelle, causing her to blush.
Dominante Code pouted slightly; she could use the extra money. But Noelle spoke up quickly, "Naturally, I'll compensate you for this." Wealth was never a concern for her.
Dominante's smile returned as she looked at Noelle warmly. "Well, what can I do for you? Need me to check the worth of something, see if it's authentic, or…?"
Noelle reached into her grimoire satchel and pulled out an intricately crafted wooden box. Vanessa and Dominante both whistled, admiring the design.
Vanessa wasn't sure what she was looking at, but she could tell it was expensive. Dominante, on the other hand, knew exactly what it was: Everwood Bark. She looked at Noelle as though she were holding a treasure. I'm going to eat well tonight!
Noelle didn't notice, focused as she flipped open the box and revealed a beautifully crafted, silver wand with blue floral patterns and her name plated in gold along the side. She handed it to Dominante carefully, then closed the box. "My father gave this to me," she explained softly. "He said I should have an expert check it to make sure it's crafted well and safe to use."
Dominante took the wand silently, inspecting it with a practiced eye before giving Noelle an odd look. "Is your father an Artisan?"
"Huh?" Noelle blinked in surprise.
Dominante continued, "I mean… shouldn't he know if it's made correctly? Oh… he's a beginner, then?"
"No," Noelle replied, puzzled. "My father isn't an Artisan. He's an aristocrat, royalty. He knows nothing about Magic Tools; that's why he asked me to seek a professional's opinion."
The Anti-Bird on Asta's head blinked, thinking to itself, My Prince was both royalty and an artisan…
"Why would you ask that?" Noelle pressed, still confused.
Dominante blinked, then patiently explained. "Listen, honey, I think your father made this."
Vanessa and Asta's eyes widened as Noelle gasped, her breath hitching.
Dominante sighed, twirling the wand thoughtfully in front of them. "Do you guys know what's missing here?"
The trio shook their heads, while the Anti-Bird narrowed its eyes in curiosity. As someone who had once assisted Lemiel Silvamillion Clover with his experiments, the bird had an inkling of an idea.
Dominante answered for them, "There's no mark."
"Mark?" Noelle asked, her confusion deepening.
Dominante nodded. "Every Artisan—even those who want to stay anonymous—leaves a unique mark on their work, like a signature. It's to keep others from stealing their designs."
To demonstrate, Dominante took a brooch from her stall, flipping it over to show a small witch hat with her initials, "D.C.," engraved on the back.
Vanessa, curious, took out her own wand and gave it a spin, noticing a red feather inscribed on the side for the first time. "It's true." She showed it to Noelle and Asta, who cocked their heads in surprise.
Noelle turned back to her wand, pointing at it insistently. "That doesn't explain why you think my father made this. I told you, he knows nothing about magic tools."
Dominante took a moment to gather her thoughts, speaking slowly. "There is one group of Artisans that don't mark their work at all."
"Who?" Asta asked, leaning in curiously.
Dominante responded concisely, "Beginners. Rookies who don't feel they're worthy yet to call themselves Artisans. They skip marking their work, usually looking for an expert's opinion first to build confidence before they feel they're ready."
Noelle bit her lip. "But even so, that doesn't mean my father made this!" She shook her head, unable to believe—no, refusing to believe—that her father would dedicate his precious time to make something for a so-called "failure" like her.
Dominante looked at her kindly and asked, "Honey, be honest. Your family… they're rich, right? Filthy rich?"
Noelle nodded. She had never hidden her family's wealth. "What does that have to do with anything?" she asked after a beat.
Vanessa stepped in, placing a hand on Noelle's shoulder. "Think about it, Noelle. Do you think someone like your father, with all his wealth and connections, would hire a mere rookie to craft a wand for you?"
Noelle's pupils dilated as she tried to process this. Dominante spoke gently, "I can tell this was made with care, with real love and dedication, probably with quite a few sleepless nights involved. That's not something the average Artisan would do for a client, especially with a craft like wand-making. It's a time-consuming job that's hardly worth the effort, financially. Is your father the type to throw money away?"
Noelle didn't hesitate to shake her head. The Silvas were wealthy, yes, but they weren't foolish. They paid people only slightly more than they were worth, as a matter of pride and honor.
Dominante considered this for a moment, then offered another possibility. "Well, there's another option. Maybe he hired a top Artisan and paid them a fortune to purposefully avoid marking the wand. But… if he'd done that, he wouldn't need an expert's advice unless he was afraid the wand was tampered with. And no Artisan worth their pride would ever accept a commission that dismissed their work, no matter how much they were paid."
Watching Noelle tremble slightly, Vanessa sighed and looked at Dominante. "So, Code, what's your verdict? Is it well-made?"
Dominante nodded, "There are a few beginner mistakes, but the top-tier materials he used more than compensate for that. There's room for improvement by rearranging the runic arrays, but that would require breaking it apart and rebuilding it—essentially making a new wand from scratch. All in all, it's incredibly well-made for a beginner, and you'll have no issues with it, whether in training or in the field."
Dominante handed the wand back to Noelle, who took it with slightly trembling hands, only now noticing how perfectly it fit her grip and how the length matched her frame, as if it were custom-made just for her.
Her father's words echoed in her mind: "I'm a novice when it comes to things like this, so it might not work as intended…"
Noelle carefully placed the wand back in its case and tucked it into her satchel. Before anyone could say anything, she dropped a pouch of gold in front of Dominante.
Dominante's eyes widened. "Wait, honey, this is way too much—"
"Thank you." Noelle cut her off with a quick bow, then turned and dashed off in the opposite direction before anyone could react.
It took a second for Vanessa and Asta to realize what was happening. Asta quickly darted after her. "Wait, Noelle! Where're you going?!"
Vanessa sighed, glancing back at Dominante. "If you feel guilty, give us some freebies next time." She started running after the others, calling over her shoulder, "I'll take booze!"
Why is she so fast?! Asta thought as he struggled to keep up. Normally, even at a moderate pace, he could outmatch almost anyone in speed, especially someone like Noelle, who didn't use magic to propel herself. But instead of catching up, he watched the gap between them widen as they raced down the bustling market streets.
Oddly enough, Noelle's path was clear, while Asta's was a chaotic obstacle course. He found himself barreling over stalls, dodging shoppers, leaping over items, and ducking under awnings—almost as if the market itself conspired against him.
Just as he was about to push his speed to the max, Vanessa called out, "Asta, follow her, but don't overtake! Give her space!"
Asta slowed down and nodded. He kept his distance, trailing Noelle by about five meters, watching her as they neared the market's exit.
Meanwhile, Noelle's mind was only on one thing, her breathing heavy as she gritted her teeth in frustration. Please, please, still be here!
She turned onto the final street, eyes fixed on the exit, and felt her heart drop when she saw her father, already walking out. Desperate, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Father!"
Miraculously, he perked up and turned, looking back at her in confusion. Noelle dashed to him, stopping just short, nearly collapsing as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Noelle, what's wrong?" her father asked, his voice full of concern. She ignored him, abruptly standing to grab his hands.
"Noelle, what are you doing?" he asked, still more confused, but she paid it no mind. Lowering her head, she began turning his hands over, inspecting his palms and fingers, her eyes widening as she took in the unfamiliar calluses and scars.
These hands—her father's hands—weren't supposed to look like this. She was sure they had once been unmarked and flawless, the hands of a noble. Though she only saw him once or twice a year, she always kept her gaze lowered in his presence, fixated on his polished shoes and spotless hands. Now, though, she saw the difference.
Her eyes watered as she looked up at his face, noticing something else she had missed before: the dark circles under his eyes, the telltale signs of sleepless nights.
Made with extensive care and love… Dominante's words echoed in her mind.
Seeing his confused expression, Noelle trembled, then finally gave in, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug, burying her face in his warm chest. Through small, choked sobs, she managed to whisper, "T-thank… you…"
Sebastian stiffened at first, caught off guard by her embrace. But when he heard her words, he stilled, then gently wrapped his arms around her, patting her head as he returned the hug, his voice soft and fond. "Foolish girl." This, to him, was nothing.
A few meters away, Vanessa and Asta watched the scene, pausing with warm smiles. Vanessa's eyes softened as she took in the sight. Sweetie, your father is really different than I thought. Her gaze lingered on Noelle for a moment before she glanced up at the sky. I'm kind of jealous.
Asta scratched his cheek, looking slightly bashful. Was Noelle always this cute?