Chapter 228 - Coincidental Gathering (Part 2)

Duke Gordon looked at Roy and sighed. He had been in Prazia for almost two months, and he could distinguish those who could use magic – light and dark forms. Azer was a good teacher, and the Young Duke had always been a diligent student, and he was a fast learner no matter what subject was presented to him.  

"You are right, sir. I am Duke Gordon Milford from Tissuria. I became fascinated with dark magic and read about it from books. Soon, I started practicing it and met someone who knew about it and explained it to me in detail. Fortunately, I had seen that person's true face early on. Otherwise, I might have fallen into their hands with no way of escaping."

"Are you telling us that you are currently being treated as a fugitive by this person that you met and hunting you down?" Wolstan rubbed his chin when he turned to ask the Young Duke.

Rodham had no idea who Wolstan was, and he did not like the arrogant way that the old man had questioned his young master.

"Look here, sir. My Young Mas…" Duke Gordon cut off Rodham from saying unnecessary things.

Duke Gordon already felt the imposing aura surrounding Wolstan's body. He could feel that the old man was not someone ordinary. He stopped Rodham from spouting something that might cause misunderstanding. He did not want to offend Wolstan. Rodham shut his mouth and was puzzled at his young master's action. 

"We are being hunted down, and we were lucky to meet the Young Madam and her husband here in Prazia. They were the ones who helped us find a hiding place."

Wolstan had a feeling that the Young Madam and her husband that the Young Duke had mentioned were actually Zenia and Vaughn.

'No, it's impossible for them to be here.' Wolstan shook his head and snorted.

"So, where are they now?" Roy butted in and became curious when he saw the expression on Wolstan's face when the Young Duke mentioned the Young Madam.

"They are staying across my room, but I think they already went out. It's Prazia Day after all. Everyone is free to join the festivity."

"Isn't it a bit too early to enjoy a feast?" Wolstan furrowed his brows when he asked the Young Duke.

"It's not too early, sir. Everyone had been busy preparing the dishes to serve before the break of dawn."

Wolstan looked at Roy who was equally surprised at the explanation of the Young Duke.

"You don't know that?"

Roy rolled his eyes at Wolstan and retorted, "I've never gone out to visit the City Capital ever since we parted ways that day. How would I know of the changes that have taken place? That King Odhran is simply extravagant."

"You could've asked your servants for the things that have been happening in your kingdom."

Roy just shrugged his shoulders and did not say anything else. No one said another word, not even Jorick. 

Growl!  

Jorick's tummy let out a loud rumbling sound. He laughed awkwardly and said, "I guess I'm hungry. How about we check out the food that they have prepared for the feast?"

"Ha-ha-ha, I'm with you lad. Let us eat and be merry."

Wolstan hooked his arm around Jorick's neck, and he practically dragged the young man toward the door.

"Let us try the shrimps and lobsters near the port," Duke Gordon suggested and everyone agreed.

* * * * *

Vaughn and Zenia were enjoying their shrimps and lobsters. To be precise, Zenia was enjoying the peeled shrimps and lobsters while Vaughn was too happy watching Zenia eat the shrimps and lobsters that he peeled. In all of the days that they stayed in Prazia, that was the only time that they were able to go on a proper date.

Zenia sighed, "I miss the days when we traveled together on the first day that I met you. We often have delicious meals and get to see beautiful sceneries and visit lots of shops."

"But you were able to see the shops here in Prazia," Vaughn reminded her as he put another batch of peeled shrimps on her plate.

Zenia picked a shrimp and stuff it in her mouth.

"I will ask the Duke if we can carry out the plan so we can return to Tissuria and set our next journey," she smiled at her husband like a giddy teenage girl.

Vaughn was stunned but still continued peeling the shrimps and lobsters that they ordered. Zenia would feed him some every now and then. She loved shrimps and lobsters but did not want to peel them. Vaughn already knew that, and he was more than happy to be of service to her.

Not far from Vaughn and Zenia, a group of people occupied a table. Wolstan kept looking at the happy couple who seemed to be having a fun time. He pitied the man, who seemed to be a henpecked husband. Wolstan remembered how he was with his wife when she was still alive.

'Why do they look so familiar?'

Roy noticed that Wolstan was looking at the couple.

"Do you know them?"

"I don't know…"

Duke Gordon and Rodham looked at the direction that the two old men were staring.

"Young Madam, you are also here!" Rodham shouted excitedly, and it made Zenia turn her head to the source of the voice.

Vaughn frowned and would like to stab Rodham with the fork. It was rare for him and Zenia to spend some time alone, and they just ruined it. Rodham ran to their table.

"Did you come with the Duke? The shrimps and lobsters are quite sweet and tasty," Zenia smiled at Rodham while chewing her lobster.

Vaughn frowned even more. He did not want his wife to invite anyone to their table, especially that Young Duke.

"Oh, we met some old acquaintance who brought two oldies with him."

Rodham pointed to the direction of Wolstan, Roy, and Jorick. Zenia looked at the group of people and recognized the old king.

She stood up and shouted, "Grandpa!"

Wolstan was startled and recognized the voice.

"Zenzen?"

"Who?"

Wolstan looked around to see if Zenia was around. He did not find her.

"Grandpa, I'm over here!"

Wolstan saw the middle-aged woman waving in his direction. He walked toward Zenia and laughed hard when he realized that it was indeed Zenia. 

"My great-granddaughter-in-law! Grandpa misses you so much," Wolstan hugged Zenia.

Vaughn's brow twitched, and Roy was surprised to see such an expression on his old friend's face.

"I want to ask where's that good great-grandson of mine but seeing you dining here with a man peeling the shrimps for you, I'm sure he's this punk, who did not even stand to greet me." Wolstan tapped Vaughn's back so hard.

Jorick kept listening and tried to process everything in his tiny brain.

'If grandpa is the former King of Tissuria and this man right here is his great-grandson…' Jorick's eyes widened and looked at Vaughn.

Jorick gasped and covered his mouth with his hand. The only princes that he knew who loved to travel were the Ninth Prince and the Crown Prince. Right at that moment, the man sitting in front of Wolstan was not the Ninth Prince.

"Why do you look like that?"

"We are in disguise," Vaughn answered as-a-matter-of-factly while he continued peeling the shrimps.

"Another mission?"

"Uhuh," Zenia's eyes sparkled when she gave the answer and took her seat.

Roy whispered to Wolstan, "Why does your great-granddaughter-in-law look so old?"

Wolstan glared at his friend, "They are wearing a disguise."

"Is that man the Crown Prince?"

"Yes, and stop whispering. It's impolite and annoying."

"Come, you can move your table here and let us have a meal."

Jorick looked at the piled peelings and shook his head. He could not believe that he would meet another glutton aside from the young man that grandpa took care of while he was in Luna Inn.

"I hope we are not disturbing your time together, Young Madam," Duke Gordon smiled at Zenia.

Vaughn wanted to poke the Young Duke's eyes. He did not like the way the Young Duke looked at his wife. He knew that Zenia was no way near her original appearance, but he had a hunch that the Young Duke could see what she really looked like.

"Just take your seats since you are all here already," Vaughn ordered them using his imposing tone as a Crown Prince.

Everyone took their seats, and Wolstan sat beside Zenia. 

"Who are your companions, grandpa?"

"This is my old friend Roy who stays here in Prazia and that lad over there is Jorick."

"Jorick? He has the same name as the prick I helped in Solaria."

Jorick choked on his food when he heard Zenia's reply and asked, "You're the traveling merchants?"

Zenia looked at Jorick and gave him a puzzled look. Duke Gordon detected the reason for Zenia's puzzled look.

"Young Madam, he is Jorick that you called prick. He regained his memories and the restraining spell was lifted from his body. He is really a twenty-year-old man."

Zenia could not believe what she heard and looked at Wolstan, who nodded. She looked at Vaughn, who only shrugged his shoulders. He was not interested in knowing the others' affairs. He only wanted to spend some time with Zenia.

Zenia was still skeptical and decided to ask Jorick. 

"If you are that prick, what did I say to you in Solaria?"

Jorick cleared his throat and told Zenia the words that she said to him. Zenia could not believe it and laughed lightly.

"You really are that prick!"