(Adrien Leofrick pov)
I watched as young master gave orders to our troops, his voice sharp and confident. His command was clear and precise, something you wouldn't expect from someone so young. It made me wonder, how could a kid like him be so good at this?
Sometimes I think he's just some kind of once-in-a-lifetime genius, but then he does things that completely confuse me. Like how he decided to sell a worthless lake and scam a bunch of people.
And don't get me started on how he somehow knew the design of the royal seal, something he's never seen before, and how to make it. Even the most knowledgeable adults wouldn't know that. I have so many questions, but I just follow his orders anyway. I trust him. He's got a plan, even if I can't always see it.
I often find myself asking, Is he really just a kid? He knows more than me, and I'm 18! He's got knowledge of things I've never even heard of in my life.
Sometimes, I think he's been possessed by the spirit of some long-dead genius. Honestly, it's kind of scary, but I'm proud of him. After all, he's my young master.
As we made our way down the passage, I scooped young master Kaiser up, not wanting him to trip or fall. Two guards with torches led the way, and behind them, I followed, carrying him.
The man next to me, Loid or whoever, was an idiot, but that's beside the point. The stairs led down, deep into the earth, and I knew this was going to take us to some hidden chamber or underground path.
"More likely an underground safe zone," young master Kaiser said, crossing his arms with that usual air of calm confidence. And he did that while being princess carried by me.
"Underground safe zone?" I asked, trying to keep up. I knew we were heading underground, but what did he mean by 'safe zone'? Here we go, another history lesson.
"Well, I guess it's from over two hundred years ago," he began, sounding like a teacher explaining something simple.
"When the Fourth Cataclysm happened. Unlike the third, the Fourth Cataclysm was much worse. People had to hide underground. Every town had its own underground safe zones. This tavern wasn't built recently, and it wasn't made of wood. So we can say, this place is a remnant from that time. The old owners probably knew about it, but the current ones... they probably have no idea."
I knew about the cataclysms. They say it's when the demon king's army wakes up, and then the holy warriors come to stop the destruction. It's like a cycle that happens again and again. But even I didn't know all the details he was talking about.
As we ventured deeper, it became clear, we were heading into a vast underground space, the path ahead stretching out before us like it had no end.
"The Fourth Cataclysm was led by Baal, the Crimson Stag. The demon king of blood and war," Loid chimed in, trying to sound all knowledgeable.
"The whole continent suffered, Crownland, the other races, everyone."
"I know that much," I said, rolling my eyes. Who does he think he is? I'll never forgive him for pulling a blade on my young master, even if he's acting like he knows everything.
How dare he?!
Young master continued, "The Crimson Stag wasn't as powerful as the first demon king, but with holes in our defenses and the wars with neighboring countries, it hit both races hard. Especially Crownland and Hazzard, the land of Lycans."
As we moved deeper into the cave, young master paused and squinted into the darkness ahead. "Forget all that. Are we close to the end yet?"
"I think so, young master Kaiser," one of the guards replied, glancing around. "I can feel the wind."
I felt it too, a soft, whispering breeze brushing past us, as if the cave was breathing. That meant we were near the end. The air felt lighter, fresher. We were about to reach the exit.
We kept walking, the sound of our footsteps echoing off the rocky walls, until we stumbled into a massive cave. It was wide and open, but there was no clear way out.
"Look up," young master said, his voice calm and knowing.
I followed his gaze. Ah, so the exit was up there, way above us. There was a small cave door high on the corner of the rocky ceiling, leading out.
The only problem?
The only way up was to climb the jagged rocks. It wouldn't be a challenge for me or the guards, but I wasn't sure about young master. Carrying him while climbing would be risky, and I wasn't willing to take that chance.
"Mr. Loid," young master called out.
Why him? Why would he call that idiot? The same guy who had once drawn his blade on him? I couldn't understand it.
"You've got dual affinity for Fulmen and Aero, right?" young master asked, raising an eyebrow, as if the answer was obvious. He gave me a look that I could only interpret as 'put him down.'
I gently lowered young master, unsure of where this was going.
"Yeah, I- wait, how did you know?" Loid asked, his voice sounding genuinely surprised. Yeah, how did young master know that?
The young master suddenly looked like prey caught by a python. "Eh, ah, you said it before," he muttered quickly, clearly trying to cover up, scratching his cheek.
Loid scratched his head, looking confused. "Is that so? Did I? Sorry, young master Kaiser."
Is this guy for real? He clearly hadn't said anything of the sort. My young master looked like he had just dodged that python, which was about to crush him. I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief.
And most of all... this timid, bumbling idiot was a dual affinity user? It was hard to believe, to be honest. Blah Blah!
"Can you put me up there?" young master asked, his voice casual as ever. He turned to Loid.
I kept my hand on the hilt of my sword, ready for anything, though I swear I wasn't planning on killing Loid. It was just... a precaution, in case things went south. You have to be careful around someone like him.
Loid stepped forward, raising his hands in a graceful motion. He muttered softly under his breath, the words flowing like a quiet chant:
"Whispering winds, rise and climb, lift the light, in boundless time."
I watched him closely, my fingers still resting on my sword, but ready to move if anything felt off. I don't trust this guy.
The air around him seemed to shimmer as the wind began to stir. A light breeze turned into a swirling gust, picking up small pebbles from the ground, making them dance in the air. The wind was picking up speed, twirling around Loid like it had a mind of its own. His eyes narrowed as he focused.
With a flick of his wrist, the wind exploded into a focused gust, swirling upward toward the ceiling. It caught young master Kaiser like a feather caught in a breeze. The gust wasn't violent, but it was strong enough to lift him up, almost like the wind was holding him gently but firmly.
Young master didn't flinch. I swear, it was like he was used to this kind of thing. His expression was neutral, as always, though his posture was straight and controlled.
The wind wrapped around him, lifting him off the ground. It wasn't exactly a smooth ride; young master Kaiser's body jerked slightly as the gust worked its way up, but it wasn't enough to make him stumble or fall.
Loid kept his focus, his hands moving with slow precision as the wind pushed Kaiser higher, toward the cave door above. The gusts continued to swirl around him, creating an invisible staircase in the air, holding young master up as if the wind itself was his servant.
I didn't like how Loid's hands trembled slightly, like he was putting too much of himself into it. But it worked. Young master was nearing the opening.
"Almost there," Loid grunted.
I couldn't help but feel a little impressed. (Only a little) Despite everything, Loid was doing the job.
Young master finally reached the ledge. He steadied himself with a hand on the rocky edge, and with a fluid motion, he pulled himself up the rest of the way, the wind dissipating just as Loid let out a sharp breath, clearly relieved.
"You made it, young master Kaiser," Loid said, his voice sounding a little too proud for my liking.
"Yeah, I can see that," young master replied, brushing himself off like it was no big deal.
I wasn't sure if I should be impressed or annoyed. He made it up there fine, but that whole thing still made my stomach churn. Loid had a way of acting like everything was fine, but I knew better. This guy is up to no good.
Still, young master was up there now. And that's all that mattered. I didn't relax completely, though. Not yet.
"I can see the exit," Young master said. "Hurry up here."