Chapter 210: Meetup

The late-morning streets of the Northern Capital were already alive with noise by the time Albedo emerged from the bar’s back alley. The sun hadn’t fully risen above the frost-red spires, but the market bells had begun ringing, the air filled with drifting scents of roasted root-meat, sweet pastries, and the faint metallic tang of mana-forged weapons being polished for the day.

Albedo moved without hurry, sliding through crowds, past vendors, past patrols, past groups of hunters boasting loudly about last night’s bounties.

His mask was already tucked away inside a spacial storage, and the Ethereal Silk Armor had transformed his former outfit into a more casual one. Any trace of his earlier excursion had been erased from sight, mana, and presence.

His tracking marks floated, faint pulses at the edge of his senses.

Eight signatures were all left, but Albedo didn’t want to hunt any more, as that would definitely draw way too much attention. Killing one was fine to send a message, multiple was definitely too much.

Also, right now, Albedo had a promise to keep to not do anything too bad that he made to Lilian, and now he was going to meet up with the duo.

He reached the restaurant he knew Lilian had dragged Elara into earlier, a warm tavern-eatery with open windows and a low counter filled with shimmering trays of morning dishes.

The lighting was soft, morning-gold, reflecting off polished wooden tables. The kind of place travelers used before crossing through the city gates again.

He spotted them instantly as Lilian sat at a circular table near the front window, hair shining like polished obsidian in the sunlight as she argued with Elara about portion sizes.

“It’s breakfast, not a feast,” Elara said helplessly, clutching her menu.

“Everything’s smaller up here in the North,” Lilian shot back. “I’m compensating.”

“You’re compensating with four plates.”

“You’re small, you wouldn’t understand.”

“I’m not small!”

“You are”

“Enough,” a third voice interjected, smooth, melodic, and amused.

Princess Fade leaned back in her chair, silver hair tied in an elegant knot, pale-blue Elven cloak draped over her shoulders. Her eyes sparkled with quiet patience only the nobility of the Elven Courts possessed.

She’d always had an aura of someone who could silence an entire banquet hall with a single glance. If Lilian was all fire, Fade was all winter wind, calm, quiet, and breathtaking without appearing to try.

All three of them turned the moment Albedo approached.

Fade’s face lit with warmth first.

“Albedo.” She stood slightly, graceful even in mundane environments, “It’s been a while since we actually talked,”

Lilian raised a brow, “Already here so soon? Thought you weren’t coming. Where were you?” She asked.

“Sightseeing,” Albedo said.

He took the empty seat between Fade and Lilian. Elara shifted to make space, cheeks faintly pink for no reason she could explain.

Fade placed her menu down. “Order anything you like. Today’s meal is my treat.”

Albedo paused. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Think of it as a thanks for saving my life,” Fade replied, leaving no room for negotiation, “I appreciate what you did more than I can adequately put into words,” Fade continued, her eyes softening. “So please. Let me treat you.”

Albedo didn’t protest further, just setting his menu down, “In that case, I’ll accept.”

Lilian puffed her chest out triumphantly. “See? Look how polite he is when he wants free food.”

Elara jabbed her with an elbow. “Lilian!”

“What? It’s true.”

Fade covered her smile with a sip of tea. “Lilian, you’re lucky your family is influential. Otherwise every noble in this district would throw you into the snow.”

“Try me,” Lilian said smugly.

A passing waiter arrived, taking their orders, Fade choosing a delicate fruit-and-herb plate, Elara cautiously opting for a simple omelet, Lilian ordering a mountain’s worth of meat skewers and dumplings, and Albedo choosing roasted root-meat with a light mana-broth.

Fade leaned in, “We planned to visit the mana crystal art-market after breakfast. Some of the my fellow Elven students are aspiring artisans that brought some of their work here with them, so you should join us,”

Fade’s proposal lingered in the air like a soft melody and Elara brightened instantly, “Crystal art? That sounds pretty, wait, are we allowed to touch things?”

“Yeah you can,” Fade responded as her lips curved with a delighted, unhurried smile

She turned to Albedo with a quiet tilt of the head. “You’ll come?”

Albedo shrugged lightly, “Of course,”

A soft warmth touched Fade’s expression, almost imperceptible, but present, “Good.”

Soon, the waiter returned pushing a long wooden tray cart. The smell of roasted spices hit the table immediately. Plates were slid down one by one, and soon all 4 of them had their meal in front of them.

Fade folded her hands together softly. “Please. Eat.”

Lilian didn’t need to be told twice, she stabbed three skewers at once, ripping one off with the satisfaction of someone who hadn’t eaten since an hour ago.

Albedo ate without commenting, taking measured spoonfuls of broth. The warmth slid down his throat, dispersing into a light, glowing sensation that strengthened his mana circuits. The flavor surprised him—not rich, not heavy, but clean, smooth, sharp with infused herbs.

Fade leaned slightly toward him, “Good?”

“Better than expected,” Albedo said.

Lilian swallowed a dumpling whole, “Everything up here tastes weird at first to others since they’re made to suit our tastes, but you’ll get used to it,”

The rest of the meal passed in that comfortable rhythm as they talked about what it was like in the Elven Kingdom, learning a-lot from Fade, and during all of this, while Albedo looked relaxed on the outside, he felt faint pulses at the back of his mind.

Marks. His marks, the ones he placed on those eight people following him. All of them had left the restricted zone and were hovering around him and the others, watching them patiently.

Their signatures sat perched like birds on rooftops, perched at the edges of buildings, hidden behind mana-thick curtains. They had appeared as soon as he arrived at the restaurant, and were now shadowing him and the others.

Lilian lifted another slice of mana-fruit, eyes bright, “After the art market, we should visit the upper bridge district. The blood-spring fountains are beautiful, you all should see them,”

The waiter stopped by to refill drinks, and as he stepped away, Fade stood, smoothing her cloak, “Alright. We’ve eaten. Let’s go before the crowds gather.”

Lilian stretched her arms behind her head, yawning. “You’re surprisingly energetic today.”

“I slept well,” Fade said.

“That makes one of us.” Elara pushed her chair in. “Let’s go before Lilian orders a fifth plate.”

“I was considering it, hey, don’t drag me, !”

Fade laughed as she led the trio outside to where her fellow Elves were, the cold air kissing their cheeks as soon as the 4 of them stepped onto the street.

Mana lanterns crackled softly overhead, and the cobblestone walkway glittered faintly with frost. Fade moved at an unhurried pace, graceful, greeting passing elves from her cohort with polite nods.

Lilian commented on shops they passed, telling them what each of them were, and if she had purchased anything from them in the past. Elara admired everything with wide eyes while Fade and Albedo remained silent, walking a bit behind the best friend duo.

However, for Albedo, while he had his hands in his pocket, his gaze was lowered but senses sharp as he kept track of the eight marks that shifted alongside them. Some remained on the rooftops, while others tried to blend through the crowd, walking a bit behind or even in front of them.

They all thought their presences were undetected, but Albedo could feel every single heartbeat, every breath, even every flicker of mana in their bones if he used Source Code, but he didn’t say or do anything, just walked.

Fade glanced back at him once, hair fluttering in the breeze. “Albedo? You okay?”

“Just thinking,” he said.

Lilian blinked. “About what?”

“Nothing important.”

Elara squinted at him suspiciously, but Fade simply nodded, accepting the answer without pushing further.

As they crossed the main square, heading toward the glittering art-market stalls where crystals shimmered like captured stars, Albedo lifted his eyes to the rooftops, and felt every mark thrum softly like a heartbeat.

Eight threads leading directly back to Magnus Everglade.

Albedo pocketed his hands deeper, exhaling softly.

Let them watch for now.He had no intention of ruining breakfast… or the day Fade wanted to share.

But tonight? His eyes flickered faintly with violet light. Tonight he had a feeling that he would learn exactly what Magnus wanted to do with those eight shadows. Since they were following him, there’s no way they were done with him.

The crowd swallowed the four of them as they stepped into the crystal-art market, Fade smiling as she introduced them to the glowing blue sculptures crafted by her fellow elves.

While high above, in the rooftops, eight hidden figures tracked Albedo’s every move. Unaware that the hunter they shadowed… had already marked every one of them for later.

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