"The king has arrived."
Kaidyn was pulled out of his thoughts at the sound of his assistant's voice.
"Let him in."
When the entrance opened, he stared intently at the pudgy man tottering through the doorway.
The king bowed his head and greeted Kaidyn politely. "Greetings, Your Highness. What can I help you with?"
It was a strikingly insincere greeting. An undertone of annoyance could be sensed in his otherwise reverant tone, and it was getting on Kaidyn's nerves…
"You know, I admire ambition." He began to speak, his tone insipid. "But you must know, there is a fine line that separates ambition from brazenness." His speech was slow, dragging out his words in a leisurely yet domineering manner.
The king wore a look of confusion at the odd atmosphere, blinking up at him.
"When something is approached with enthusiasm and effort, it can be considered ambitious…" He paused. "But when this effort becomes even mildly excessive or bothersome, it turns into brazen foolishness." Kaidyn looked upon the stubby individual who had begun to bow his head. "And I quite dislike brazen foolishness."
A silence hung in the air, the tension so tangible it could be cut with a knife.
When Kaidyn didn't continue to speak, only glaring sharply, the king voiced cautiously.
"I understand. You will no longer be bothered. Please enjoy your time here and call upon me if anything else is needed."
"It's good that you understand." Kaidyn nodded in silent approval. "You may go."
"Thank you." The words were timid, entirely unfit for a king.
Well, Kaidyn had done a bit of foul play, spreading his soul energy in subtle oppression. Someone like that king would never notice though.
Once the door had closed, Leonard spoke dully. "Anything else you request, Your Highness?"
"No. I'd like to be alone."
At his words, Leonard tactfully exited the office, his footsteps quiet as a mouse.
***
It's been exactly ten days since the king of the higher realm started staying in the lower realm, and the rumors were now circulating like wild fire.
Among all the rumors, one stood out: Kaidyn being a judge for the upcoming soul apothecary rankings event.
The soul apothecary rankings was a big competition that all qualified apothecaries participated in.
It was divided into the categories research and concoctions, and judges would decide their significance. The contestants would be ranked depending on how their submission was judged amongst their competitors.
Unfortunately, not everyone could participate and only those who recieved an admission through the mail would be able to join.
Of course, Arian never recieved that letter in the mail before, and he was always left to spectate.
So why he was getting a letter this year? Arian couldn't say.
He was nominated for the concoction category in some strange twist of fate…
Usually, all the apothecaries prepared for this competition year round in hopes of being nominated, but he hadn't done anything as he had no expectations. He never thought he would get chosen to participate after 6 years of nothing.
The event was being held in two months, which should have been enough time for Arian to come up with something, but with his schedule packed, it would be difficult to experiment with the few ideas he had jotted down in his notebook.
His nights were bound to be long with this substantial addition to his priorities…
Arian sat at his desk, the oil lamp casting a warm glow onto the rough paper spread out in front of him. His quill scratched the pages with inky words, the sounds filling the night.
His mind was racing, ideas flowing in and out of his thoughts. His hands were unable to keep up, leaving him with uneasiness as the fleeting words were written in messy handwriting.
He was a true genius. His imagination and reasoning worked together in a brilliant show of intelligence. Even in a state of drowsiness, his mind was working, but the smell of vanilla filled the room, adding to his tired state.
It was frustrating that the scent made him tired and warm, slowing his thoughts. He had to stay alert, so he tapped his fingers loudly to give himself a rhythm.
Arian had begun to notice the distinct fragrances people gave off a long time ago and he had quickly accepted it without much thought. But now his own scent was a nuisance. How irritating…
His droopy eyelids only became heavier as time passed, until he fell asleep at his desk, forgetting to close the window.
A shadow suddenly jumped up to his window, pausing at the sight. It was Kaidyn who was planning to check on him and make sure he went to bed if he was still awake.
A soft breeze ruffled his hair, but all his attention was on the tranquil face, captivated. Soft hair falling deftly onto the face. Long eyelashes casting shadows beneath the flickering flame's light. Pink lips slightly open, revealing white teeth.
"Mmh…"
Kaidyn was brought out of his daze by Arian's quiet grunt and he shuffled through the window careful to not make any noise. Of course, it was pretty easy to stay entirely silent but he still approached cautiously.
He gently pried the quill out of his hands, picked him up from the chair, and laid him on the bed. He pulled up the thin covers, swallowing a scoff as he noted the crude treatment in his mind. Finally, he put out the lamp before leaving through the window and securely locking it with his soul energy.
***
At dawn, the aun peeked over the horizon, shedding its rays onto Arian's eyes. He opened them groggily and sat up.
The first thing he noticed was the faint smell of sandalwood lingering through the air. It felt as if he was walking through a forest for a short moment before the scent dispersed, leaving an empty feeling in his stomach.
The next thing he noticed was his location. He was in his bed and not at the desk. He couldn't remember everything he did before he fell asleep but he was a little astonished that he could close and lock the window, blow out the lamp, and climb into bed before falling asleep. But he quickly dismissed it and proceeded with his routine.
With everything he had going on, it was going to be difficult to meet Kaidyn. His heart sunk with grief but he stayed resolute, heading to their regular meeting place with dreading steps.
"I won't be able to meet you for a while…" Arian's words sliced Kaidyn like a knife.
"Is because of the competition?" Seeing him nod, Kaidyn's gaze turned determined. "I'll help you."
"What?" Despite the dumbfounded question, Arian's twisted stomach eased.
"I'll mix the solutions, learn about the herbs and gather them, anything. I'm willing to help you." His tone was firm.
"But it might be considered cheating if I accept your assistance…"
"There are many apothecaries who have their dicsiples pitch in. If you're worried about the prejudice against you, I'll take care of it."
His reassurance was effective and Arian's hesitance was replaced with anticipation. He could spend more time with Kaidyn and be able to teach someone his knowledge. He had always wanted to share his experience and this was a great opportunity.
Arian nodded, his voice eager as his hands grasped Kaidyn's. "Thank you! I'll be relying on you!"
Kaidyn ignored his fluttering heart and smiled. "I look forward to it."