Nameless King

They walked for some time amidst the vast darkness until Marlis stopped.

"Wain, I'm still not sure how to relate to you, but I only saved you because the one, no... the only person dear to me in this world asked me to, so... You should be very grateful for that." Marlis said with a serious look as her cheeks flushed slightly.

She waved her hand as she sent a green pulse of energy into the darkness. A few seconds later, the same pulse headed toward them, only white, then the darkness trembled as a gray frame appeared.

Whoooooosh.

The frame shone brightly as together it became a simple wooden door that led to a place Wain knew well.

"Sven's bar...?" Wain muttered while in disbelief as his eyes went wide.

At the same moment, various fragments of memories began to form in Wain's mind into a coherent picture.

'It was he who saved me back then! Was it really a mismatch that I met him in the beginning?" Wain wondered with a dazed look.

'Go ahead, now your only way is this one. Dragon World is a forbidden place for you now." Marlis said as if she had read his mind.

Wain nodded as he headed toward her.

Click.

The door slowly opened as in the distance was the light from a few dim lamps illuminating one of the most mysterious places in the world.

Wain and Marlis stepped inside, the door closed, and he immediately felt better. The pleasant aroma of alcohol headed his way and the authentic creak under his feet from the wooden floor let him know that it was definitely safe here.

Behind the bar was Sven, as always. He was wiping his glass with a slight smile on his face as a mysterious aura emanated from him.

"Well, well, who is it?" Wain said as he glanced at Wain.

"Why did you save me? Now and... then, in the Colosseum, that magic circle that blocked the dragon attack?" Wain asked with a wave of his hand as his gaze was confused.

"I'm not sure I can answer all your questions, but at least you'll get answers to some of them." Sven uttered in a calm voice, "However, it won't happen now."

"What...? What are you talking about?" Wain muttered as he waved his hands, "Why not now?!"

"Huh, sorry, but it's not my fault." Sven grinned as he shrugged.

Wain wanted to say something, but suddenly everything blurred in front of him as he fell to the ground. He had no more strength left as he reached here using the last of what he had.

Marlis stepped over Wain as she headed toward the bar with a pensive look.

"I still don't understand why you risked so much for him?" Marlis asked as she stared at Wain, "This guy has special powers, but was it worth the attention? There are a lot of unique people in this world and he's only in the Fourth Chronicle."

"Well, he's the heir of the Nameless King." Sven said with a calm look.

"What...?! Are you serious? Nameless King has an heir and it's this guy?!" Marlis exclaimed while in disbelief as she pointed at Wain.

"Yeah. That's absolutely right." Sven nodded in a confident manner, "I heard Aurora say it, she has big plans for this guy, and so do I."

"Hmm....?" Marlis crossed her arms in a thoughtful manner, "I can understand why Aurora needs Wain but does it make any difference to us, we just put ourselves at risk for nothing. Why do we need the heir of the Nameless King? If he finds out who we really are he might become our enemy."

"You're absolutely right. Even if the heir of Nameless King could be useful to us, it's too risky, but I have one very interesting idea." Sven said with a devious smile on his face as he raised a finger before heading toward Wain.

"Argh... Some cunning plan again?" Marlis sighed as she leaned her hand on the bar, "I never understood why someone as powerful as you would spend so much energy creating a plan? There are only a few people in this world that can fight you on equal footing."

Marlis looked at Wain and muttered, "Although... some of them are already dead."

"Well, if I didn't rely on my intellect, THEN we'd be in big trouble." Sven said as he walked over to Wain and with a sly smile on his face muttered, "I could be wrong, but maybe this guy is a major figure in one of the plans."

"What...? Damn, Sven, do you always have to talk in riddles? I don't understand anything." Marlis uttered with a confused look.

"Huh, sorry, it's just a habit, no big deal." Sven shrugged before lifting Wain.

"Pfff, was there any need to help him?" Marlis said with puffed-up cheeks.

"Don't forget, I'm a bartender first, then everything else, so... I can't have my regular customer lying on the floor, it would seriously damage my reputation." Sven smirked as he placed Wain on the chair.

"I wish your hands were touching me instead of this guy, don't you like me at all?" Marlis uttered with a calm look as she said it a hundred times before.

Sven walked over to her, looked her in the eye, and said, "By the way, Marlis, I promised I'd let you do it if you'd do my bidding. You saved Wain, so...now I'm in your power."

At the same moment, Marlis' eyes lit up with a bright flame as a happy smile appeared on her face as though she was a child who had fulfilled his dream.

"Yay!" Marlis exclaimed as her ring shone brightly.

A tight bundle of dark ropes appeared in her hand as her cheeks flushed heavily, her breathing quickened and her heart beat much faster.

"Let's do it! Right now!"

Sven just nodded with a slight smile on his face.

Marlis took Sven by the arms as she began uncoiling the bundle of ropes with a mad look.

Crackling.

Suddenly the door opened and a muscular man with long red hair walked into the bar.

"Hey! I'm here!" Osvald exclaimed with an excited look as he didn't yet realize the situation he was in.