The tavern had six souls within: Lina, Vierna, Alb and the tavern matron Omi, her daughter, and her granddaughter.
Lina thanked all the living gods she could name that the place wasn’t full. She might’ve simply passed out from secondhand shame.
Omi and her daughter only smiled, watching two theatrically inclined younglings perform the entirety of Prince Maelbram and the Hollow Crown — the famed drama that once circulated widely through the Reich. Rumor had it that even Arkmarschall Leopold attended its opening night, though no definitive proof had ever surfaced.
The granddaughter, no older than seven, looked on in awe, as if the actual actors themselves had descended for a traveling act.
But of course. Of course, Alb had to open his mouth again.
“I heard you mentioned Malkurus earlier,” he said, hand to chest, tone hovering between earnest inquiry and restrained stage delivery. “Forgive my limited knowledge, milady... but isn’t Malkurus a writer?” He gestured with practiced flair.
Lina froze. Oh no. He’s not just a nerd. He’s Vierna’s ideal man.
Vierna’s eyes widened. Not just widened lit. Like she’d just spotted her long-lost soul-mate across the smoking ruins of a library.
“Yes. Yes, Alb! Malkurus was—”
“—the theorist behind The Metamagian’s Folly,” Alb said, smiling. “A solid foundation for structured spell theory. Bit dense in parts, but brilliant once it clicks.”
Vierna gasped. Quietly. Reverently. Her posture straightened like a war banner catching wind.
Lina buried her face in both hands.
“Lady Vierna,” Alb said with a soft, almost wistful admiration, “I’m impressed by your intellectual depth. That book is often ignored—out of ignorance, mostly—by other fair ladies your age.”
He took a breath. Too deep. Too theatrical.
“May I have your hand in mar—” he recited, quoting Prince Maelbram’s infamous line from The Hollow Crown, hand still dramatically outstretched.
“Noooooooo!” Lina screamed, yanking Vierna toward her in one swift, protective motion.
She clutched the girl tightly, arms locked in a fierce hug.
“She is mine! And as her chosen knight, I won’t let some silver-tongued stranger come between us!”
Apparently, a bit of Lina had gotten swept into the same theatrical wannabe mess. Synchronized Nerd Wave, it turned out, was a potent weapon.
Her grip tightened. Possessive. Instinctual. Like a child clinging to the last sweet bun in the world.
Vierna answered, calm as ever.
“While your courage is admirable, Lord Alb… my heart already belongs…”
Lina skipped a beat. She looked up at Vierna, halfway through the world’s most desperate hug, pulse tightening. The way she said it, it was as if she was going to confess her feeling or something. That deliberate pause was there for a reason.
Was she going to said that her heart belong to m—
“To House Einhart,” Vierna replied. Completely sincere.
Alb laughed. A clear, unforced sound, not theatrical for once. Apparently, Vierna could out-nerd even this strange boy.
“You and your friend are funny, Vierna. And here I thought this day was gonna be boring,” Alb said normally. Apparently, he knows how to speak like person. With this generous two-day vacation, I honestly have no idea what to do,” Alb said, bringing his food over to Vierna and Lina’s table. “Where are the two of you going?” he continued, sitting down without hesitation.
“Well,” Vierna said, “Lina here mentioned there’s something interesting in the southwestern wing.”
“Is that so?” Alb asked, curious.
“No I don’t,” Lina added. “I don’t know what Lady Vierna talked about.”
She said it defensively but with a hint of theatrical edge, like she was still trying to catch up to wherever Vierna was now.
“Haha, Lady Knight, rest easy. We’re off the stage now,” Alb said, like a balloon deflating.
“But if you’re interested in the arts, come to my house. Of course, Lady Vierna too. I host theatrical plays every Sunday. But please let me know beforehand, I am a shy boy after all.”
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He conjured a quick rune. From it, he pulled a quill, an inkwell, and a folded piece of paper. With a few neat strokes, he scribbled down his address and handed it to Lina.
She tucked it into her storage spell without even looking.
“Well, if we’re allowed to wander off again, then sure,” Lina said it but clearly she didn’t mean it.
Vierna smiled. Maybe for the first time in her life, she’d felt a sense of camaraderie. Which didn’t come from order, sacrifice or blood.
Is this how it’s supposed to be?
If my hair weren’t silver… would I turn out to be like this?
She didn’t know. But in a strange way, she was glad her hair was silver. At least for today.
Then Vierna spoke—almost impulsively. Someone being this kind to her, and to Lina, felt rare. The day was still young and she wanted to enjoy his company before it ends.
“So, Alb,” she said, “since none of us really know the town... would you like to accompany us?”
“Vierna... you can’t just—“ Lina hissed. “A girl shouldn’t ask a guy out like that. Especially not when she’s just met him. It’s like asking a stranger on a date.”
“A date?” Vierna blinked. “But I already know today’s date. It’s the twenty—“
Lina slumped forward with a groan.Vierna paused. Thought. Then blinked again, slower this time. A light flickered on somewhere in her head.
Oh. That’s what she meant.
She looked away, cheeks red as red as a freshly picked apple. This was her first time asking someone on a “date”. And it had happened accidentally. To a perfect stranger.
I can’t get married now, Vierna thought. That stupid sugar-coated meat… it’s messing with my brain.
Alb laughed.
“It seems Lady Vierna is pure of heart indeed. But yes. I’d love to. And don’t worry, we go as friends. Nothing more.”
He took another bite of the aforementioned ‘meat dipped in sugar’, utterly unfazed.
“Well, the southwestern district’s got some good spots,” he said between chews. “There’s Laibendale Park, a few taverns with decent ale—”
“Wait, ale?” Vierna blinked. “Aren’t you too young for that?”
Alb shrugged. “Not according to the barrack.” He said it casually.
Apparently, Alb wasn’t just a performer but also a soldier. That kind of explained the posture.
“Other than those, maybe a library,” he added, “But I’m out of brain juice for today. And I doubt our fair knight would want books either.”
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “That leaves... Das Duellhaus.”
“Das Duellhaus?” Vierna blinked.
“Ah, yes,” Alb nodded. “Since dueling is practically an art form in the Reich, some ambitious youths decided to make it official, a dueling club, for combat-artist.”
He gestured vaguely, amused.
“It’s not ‘kill or be killed’ nothing that dramatic. More like a structured free-for-all. Magic sparring. Tactical exercises. A bit of pageantry, a lot of sparks.”
He grinned at Vierna. “I figured it might be the perfect spot for a fellow magic enthusiast.”
Then he turned to Lina. “And you? You strike me as more of a ‘watch it explode’ type. You’ll love the show.”
Lina and Vierna looked at each other. A spark of interest passed between them but so did a flicker of unease.
Alb caught it immediately. He raised both hands in mock surrender.
“Hey, don’t worry,” he said. “It’s not some shady back-alley bloodsport. It’s all official. Even the Arkmarschall shows up sometimes. If I tried to take Einhartturm’s newest heroes anywhere suspicious, I’d be arrested before reaching the gates. Besides, you can see their certificate at the door.”
Apparently, Alb had also been in the plaza during the speech. No surprise, then, that he knew who they were and spoke to them so easily.
That earned him a blink from Lina and a small nod from Vierna.
“Well… that does sound fun,” Vierna said. “What do you think, Lina?”
Lina crossed her arms. “As long as it’s not another room full of mana nerds doing theatrical reenactments.”
"Well......." Alb hesitated
"RIGHT?" Lina insisted, she needed this clarity maybe more than anything else right now.
Alb grinned, unfazed. “I’m kidding. Really. It’s serious stuff. Real spellwork. Just duelists doing what they do best.”
Vierna raised a brow. “You included?”
He winked. “Only when I got two beautiful ladies watching me.”
Vierna laughed.
Lina, meanwhile, looked on in horror.
Oh gods.
Not only is she into magic nerds… she’s into flirty ones too?
I need to watch this girl like a hawk or she’s gonna end up completely depraved.
Albrecht chuckled. “Then it’s settled. Das Duellhaus it is.”
He raised a hand toward the counter. “Omi, put the ladies’ bill on mine. What’s the damage?”
“Certainly, dear,” Omi replied. “That’ll be two hundred shingles.”
There was a distinct ugh that slipped, completely involuntarily from Alb’s throat.
Vierna and Lina both heard it. Loud and clear.
Apparently, sugar-coated meat and theatrical enlightenment didn’t come cheap.
But with all the flair Alb had shown so far, there was no way he could back down now.
He reached into his storage spell, pulled out a pouch, and paid with exaggerated composure.
“Thank you, dear.”
With a theatrical spin one that nearly knocked over a stool Alb returned to the girls, posture grand, spirit undeterred.
“Well then, shall we?”
He traced a sigil into the air. A breeze stirred, and with a flash of light, a comically large hat materialized. Wide-brimmed and straw-woven, suspiciously resembling a straw hat from the western provinces. It flopped dramatically as he adjusted it on his head, casting half his face in shadow.
They were still indoors. Still in the tavern.
Lina blinked.
“Really?” she muttered.
Alb just smiled serene and self-satisfied beneath the oversized brim.
Apparently, shy boys wore portable rooftops now.
“Now, my fair lady and her distinguished knight,” Alb declared theatrically, rising from his seat, “let us be departed!” It seemed the last bite of sugar-coated meat had completely refueled him.
Lina and Vierna stood and followed, walking just a few steps behind their eccentric guide.
“Alb is kind of strange, huh?” Vierna said, lightly amused.
Lina side-eyed her. “Vierna, we are going to have a long talk when we get back to our ‘home.’”
“Hehe… sure, Lina,” Vierna giggled.
She didn’t realize that Lina, ever the overprotective knight, had already flagged this as a Category Five Emergency.
After all, this was how it started: friendly banter, shared interests... then bam — marriage proposals and awkward family dinners.
And so, the entire Ten Ways to Choose Your Future Husband, a book Lina had memorized back at the research facility was about to be weaponized.
And just like that, two silver-haired girls and a boy with a roof on his head set off toward Das Duellhaus. A dueling ground filled with kids their age, sparks, and just enough chaos to be interesting.
Is Alb suspicious?
