"haa... This is nice..." He said as he sat down under the tree.
He decided to leave the meeting room after everyone keep insisting him to. So after he left the new report, he walk out the room and arrived at the garden to relax.
"At least my job here's done... What should I do for the rest of the day...?" He's mumbling to himself while closing his eyes as he sleeping on the grass.
Along with the gentle breeze and warm sunlight, he's slowly drifting asleep. And the moment he open his eyes because he feels something heavy on him, he found himself surrounded by wild animal.
"Cotton-tails, meowl, and long-ears...?" He silently addressing each animal.
Cotton-tail is an animal in long-ears family. A rabbit-like creature that have colorful and round tails that looks like a cotton candy.
Meowl in other hand, were a bird, an owl to be precise and having a cat-like head, hence the name. Currently sleeping inside his coat.
While long-ears were a rabbit-like creature covered in grass, moss or dry leaves. Depends on where they lived.
And all of them currently using his body as a pillow due to his traits. Since his body always generating heat, animals often mistaken him as their nest, especially when he's not moving.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot I have this option..." He said quietly.
He use his smoke to grab his note, sliding his arm off gently from his coat and begin to write his experience. He's scrambling on his paper, writing down each characteristic of the animals while also drawing their pictures.
Some time passes and the animals finally left him alone. He remain seated on the spot while reading his own note. Unaware that the king's been watching over him in the distance.
"Nein?" He called finally after standing infront of him.
"Ah, sorry. I'm not seeing you coming your majesty." He snapped back from his own world and gets up immediately while hiding his note.
"So how's the meeting? Did it going well?" He asked, not mentioning their previous rejection on him.
"Regarding that... I want to apologize. An yes, we've made a contingency plan about the matter. All thanks to you, Nein." The king said with a friendly smile.
Nein return the smile back and noticed how the king looking more relaxed now.
"Did something happened, your majesty?" He decided to ask to keep their conversation on.
"Ah... Am I making it obvious? Hehe, but yeah, I just witnessed something that somehow put my heart at ease... Say sir Nein, do you mind for a walk?" He suggesting suddenly.
The invitation caught Nein off slightly. Wondering what's that making the king who used to be suspicious of him asking for a stroll like a good friend.
"Well... That's a good idea. The honor is mine, your majesty." He accepts it kindly.
They begin to walk along the stone path, guided by the king, they goes deeper into the forest, none of them striking a conversation as they keep going until they reaching the end of the road.
"Is this..." Nein were mesmerized by what he saw.
"Correct." The king said, taking a step forward and begin to explain everything.
"This is the spirit, sir Nein. I've decided that I'd like to put an end to this doubts of you. The spirit can determine between evil and good based on the person aura. So, it's a perfect time to..." He stopped suddenly, speechless when he turn around and see the spirit gathering around Nein like a flickering stars.
"So this is spirit... Fascinating. Never thought they'd be so small like a fireflies. They look fragile." He said when a bunch of spirit landing on his palm.
The king remain silent on his spot. This is different of what he thought. He thinks that at least there'll be one or two spirit that will keep their distance from him, but he was wrong and immediately lower his head to him.
"Your majesty?" He ask with wonder toward the king gesture.
"I'm sorry for ever doubting someone righteous like you." He drop the formalities and speaking as if he's lower than him.
There's a short pause between them as Nein trying to process this moment. He walk closer and grab his shoulder to help him standing straight again.
"A king shouldn't bow down to others. I understand the reason behind everything and I doesn't mind it." He keep it humble, reassuring the king with his honesty.
His words making him smiles and returned the gesture by holding his shoulder.
"Thank you, you're really is a good person." He said, tone gentle and friendly now that his doubt no longer there.
They let go of each other and turn their attention to the floating spirits around them. Nein, without wasting any second, pulled out his note and begin to write down this moment.
"Say Nein, I'm curious of what you're doing there. Mind telling me?" The king now speaking more comfortably with him.
"Ah, it's just a hobby of mine. To write down everything I never seen before. Simply to pass some time while I wait for another job." He explain briefly.
"Then... I'd like to help you with that. I'll show you around and explain everything. How's that?" The king offered with a smile that reach his eyes.
"Really? I'd be grateful." He replied with a smile.
And with that, the king started explaining things to Nein as he keep writing down every word like a reporter writing down their article. They spend the rest of the afternoon inside the forest, wandering around while appreciating nature.
"And then, if you add more firebuckle dust into the mixture, you'll get yourself a working explosive." The king said before stuffing his mouth with his food.
They're currently having dinner with everyone. Seeing how their father's talking so casually with Nein make both Ellie and Valix curious with what happened between them now.
"Um... Father? What happened?" Ellie decided to ask as she even more curious at what they're talking about.
"Ah, sorry dear, I'm too invested in this topics. But no, nothing happened. I'm just telling Nein how to use a firebuckle berries for his journal." He explain lightly with a smile.
"A journal? Nein?" She sounds disbelieved at the mentioning of Nein having preference in literature.
"What with that look? Can't a man have a decent hobbies?" Nein retorts playfully as he slide his note inside his coat
"Haha, don't blame her, Nein. At first it also shocked me that you have such hobby. Now then, let's enjoy the feast so we can continue later in my study." The king reaction were light and cheerful.
The sight feels unreal for everyone in the room. To think the king speaking with such familiarity make everyone feels uneasy and wondering if Nein did something to him to make him act that way.
"Father. Can I ask you where you take sir Nein to earlier?" Valix finally asked, his voice calm and steady.
Seeing their reaction, the king realized that his sudden change put Nein into worse situation and immediately turn serious to explain things to them.
"I take him to the spirit lake, because I want to makes thing clear between us by letting the spirit judge him. And do you know what happened there?"
"... What happened?" Valix ask curiously.
"The spirits accept him. All of them." He said calmly.
"WHAT?" Ellie suddenly rose up from her seat in disbelief.
"Even the dark spirit?" She adds after calming down.
"You mean the dim one? Yeah." Nein answered himself.
"Dim one...?" Valix repeat the name, wondering why he refer it like that.
"Pft, haha... Show them Nein, show them the nickname you gave the spirits. Hehe, they gonna like it." The king said while cackling.
Hearing that, both Valix and Ellie looking at each other before watching Nein pulled out his note and hand them it to read it. The content is:
Yellow warm=light spirit
Light blue=water spirit
Evergreen=earth spirit
Amber light=fire spirit
Fresh air=wind spirit
Flash shock=lightning spirit
Dim one-dark spirit
Upon reading such ridiculous nickname, Ellie can't help but burst out laughing at how cute it was. She's having the time of her life while Valix were perplexed and wondering how none of the spirit letting him do this.
"Hahaha, now I know what happened. Looks like I'm worrying for nothing. Hehe, sorry Nein." Ellie said as she calmed herself down.
"Right? That's why I decided to help him with it, it's fun to simply appreciating nature and learn on how it works." The king adds before sipping his drink.
"But still, father..." Valix said, his voice remain serious and distant.
The king knows what he meant by that and turned grim suddenly. He hadn't forget about the past nor forgave those responsible for that. He set down his fork and speak.
"I understand your concern, my son. What happened five years ago also put a trauma in me. Because those human we thought a friend ended ups stabbing us from behind and killed both your mother and sister." He said, tone steady and clear enough to hear.
The atmosphere shift immediately, the previous laughter no longer there. It's heavy and grim as he finally decided to tell Nein what happened back then.
"Father..." Ellie called softly, making sure her father doesn't break before telling the story.
"It's fine dear, it's not a secret we can hide forever. Besides, Nein's our-"
Boom!!!
It's all happened in a second. A calm and enjoyable dinner turned into a chaos in a second due to a sudden explosion that destroyed the dining hall.