Ronin was behind a stack off books, reading and reading all the books in the Royal Library of Scirocco about phoenixes and the phoenix mountain. And there were plenty.

They were procured to him by the Royal Librarian’s apprentice himself who have memorized every single book here through his Mage Focus.

He was a sophisticated fellow with a

Tiger’s Eye Heartstone, which was fitting since it was the ‘stone of the mind’ and often used for mental clarity. He knew every single passage from every single book and even the changes to every edition...

And he was only about 18 years old, just about Ronin and Cermin’s age.

“And that’s basically all of it.” He arranged the spectacles perched on his nose. “I am quite glad that someone finally searched about phoenixes as they have been an interest of mine ever since I have read about them in the History of Phoenixes since I was young.”

“Really? Well, would you mind helping me sometimes when I could not find a certain information I desire? ” Ronin was also glad, as it seems he found the perfect guy to guide him for his plans on killing phoenixes tomorrow.

“But of course!” The library apprentice sat beside him. “I’m Sesh.”_.

“Pleasure to meet you, Sesh. I’m Ronin.” He shook his hand. “Say, what do you think out of all these books are the best to read about phoenix anatomy and biological information in general? Like their strengths and weaknesses? “

“Well... My father mentioned before that the best book to read about phoenixes would be the Flintwivk’s Phoenix Hunter Guide, but it’s an archived book and banned across the kingdom except here so..”

He scratched his head. “I would need to have permission from the royal family to procure it for you.”

Ronin turned to Cermin, who had been staring at the both of them with a sour expression in a while.

“Well, Your Highness. You said I can have anything, right? Can you give Sesh the permission to the archives?”

Sesh’s eyes gleaned with hope. “I have never been to the archives, so it would be my first time to read it too! That will be the greatest honor, Your Highness!”

Cermin clenched and unclenced his fist, but then relented with a fake smile. “Alright then. Let’s go there.”

Sesh blinked. “But only two people are allowed by the magic of the archives to go inside. Someone had to be left behind.”historical

Cermin frowned. “Then too bad for you, you won’t have a chance to read about that fancy phoenix book you like—“

“Actually, I would like to have Sesh with me too. He’s very knowledgeable about phoenixes and so I can ask him about more information I like.”

Cermin blinked. “But Ronin.... Aren’t we supposed to be hanging out here!? That’s why you visited, right!?”

“And we will. We’ll have a whole trip to the Phoenix Mountain all by ourselves tomorrow.” Ronin said nonchalantly. “I’m just getting prepared to keep us both safe.”

He knew very well that Cermin was getting jealous again as he did with Don. Its not just his thoughts that gave it away, even a blind man can sense his hostility from miles.

(Look at him acting all close to Ronin just because he’s soooooo smart! We’re supposed to be having a good time and do some bro stuff but this nerd had to get in the way!)

(But.... Since Ronin is doing this to make sure we’re both safe, I guess I have to let them be and stop being petty. I can’t say no to him, and I want to be a good and reasonable friend.)

“Fine.” He decided and walked towards the door to the archives. “But Ronin, you’ll have to come back with me before supper, so you have to hurry up to find whatever you’re looking for.”

“Alright, Your Highness.”

Cermin reluctantly raised his ring on his right ring finger towards the door. This ring bears the insignia of the Royal Family of Scirocco, the Drychspiels, which was a golden lion with a black star on its forehead.

Ronin found the imagery interesting, as he read somewhere that during the Celesto-Abyssal war, the gods encountered the ruins of a palace with the insignia of an unidentifiable pitch black dog-like creature bearing a white star on its forehead.

The doors opened after this, and the two phoenix enthusiasts went in. Sesh had entered first, barely containing his excitement. But before Ronin did—

Cermin pulled on his sleeves. “You... You find me more interesting than that librarian, right?”

Ronin made a tired forced smile. “I am still your friend, Your Highness.”

It was not the answer he wanted to get, but Cermin eventually let go. “Sorry, that sounded childish, haha.”

Ronin just gave a brief nod before entering the archives, which doors closed the moment the second person came inside.

Cermin’s hand was still reaching out, and he clenched it. He made a sad smile.

“So this must be what Zeriav felt.. And this must also be what he felt.”

The feeling was wanting to be someone else, to be something different, just so this one person you value will come to like you. Yet knowing as well that you can never be this other person.

Envy.

He envied people who have close ties with family, or at least someone they lived with under the same house. Like Don.

He envied people with high intelligence since he was a child. That was why he envied Sesh.

At first, he envied him too. His gege. His gege who at least had a sweet and kind mother, and knows so many things he doesn’t.

Only to learn that his gege envied him too all along. Just keeping it a secret, until that secret grew and became a large apple that turned sour as it rotted.... Then eventually bitter and inedible. Fatal.

It killed him, that envy. And so, Cermin must get rid of it before it kills him too.

But he still can’t let go of it no matter how much he tries. Clutching his chest, he just stood there in front of that closed door.

Waiting and waiting.