Character : Nathan Fiore, The Eve Before

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The next few days just went by in a blink of an eye.

There were many factors that made the next few days to be rather plain and unnoticeable for me. One, was that I was hired as a part time waiter at Uncle Josh's restaurant, and that made my days to be rather bland.

Uncle Josh's son ended up being extra busy with all the increased security ordered by the mayor, so Uncle Josh was really all by himself managing the restaurant. At least with me helping him, he can focus on simply cooking while I deal with handling the customers. The pay isn't much, but it is still much larger compared to the pay at Fiordall for waiters.

It's not like I needed extra cash. I just feel bad for leaving Uncle Josh if he were to be left alone, so I ended up helping out.

Another reason would be because Lily wasn't around, and I guess my daily life becomes boring. She was the only friend I had here, and with her gone, my only company in the city is Uncle Josh and his customers. Though, sometimes I had a small chat with the old inn owner lady who talks a lot about royals and nobles. I guess things weren't so boring, but it's too plain to be remembered.

Finally, the day before the entrance exam arrives. Before she left, Lily promised that she would return some time before the exam, but I never saw her in the morning. I'm assuming she will return anywhere after breakfast, which means I won't get to see her until the evening after I return from Uncle Josh's place.

Speaking of which, today is a rather special day. Because tomorrow is the day of the entrance exam, basically all attendees for the exam are currently present in Ellen. Including some special names that some people might go crazy for.

"A banquet? At noon?" I asked after being told about it, and the two knights sitting on the tall table with me nodded harmonically.

"The mayor is being considerate to the nobles and royalties. He didn't want to make them too tired before the entrance exam tomorrow, so he held the banquet at noon." Jacob the knight explained to me, and I nodded in understanding.

"That way, the contestants will have plenty of time to rest in the afternoon and evening." I muttered while thinking, and the two knights continued eating their lunch.

"So, they are at that really tall tower now?" I asked them while thinking about the tall tower at the center of the city.

"No, it's not at the mayor's mega tower." Baltra said while lifting his finger to point in a direction. "It's held at a large mansion belonging to the mayor himself. In the northern district, so it's pretty far from here."

Oh…? So, a banquet, held in a house, and at noon.

I don't really have that high of expectations for the quality of the banquet considering how it was prepared, but in the end, it's for children anyway. Unless it's for the actual kings or queens or other country leaders, then the banquet might be held at that extravagant tower. 

Plus, it's Ellen's amazing mayor. Who knows what kind of extravagant things he might prepare even though it's in the middle of the day.

"It's happening right now, then? Who are the attendees?" I asked again to the two knights eating lunch, not letting them enjoying their meals at all.

"Little man! Don't bother the idiots with their lunch!" The chef angrily told me, but the three of us only stared at him confused by his wording.

"Well, sadly for you, Nathan… These idiots only know a select few of the names." Baltra said after gulping down, and he quickly turned a sinister gaze to the old chef. "And don't worry about talking to us while we're eating! Let that old man grow wrinkles with all his temper."

"Who are you calling old!?"

Next to Baltra, Sir Jacob wiped the oil from his mouth and turned to me. "In any case, we know some names that everyone already knows. The crown prince of Fiordall, the second princess of the water empire, and the son of the earth nation's holy knight. Other than that, we don't know too much."

"I see… well, I guess the guest list is quite large considering the amount of nobles attending the academy." I muttered while thinking, and Jacob nodded at me.

"That's right. The elemental academy is pretty much a school for nobles, since only nobles can afford to enter. Though, I don't think all the nobles are invited. From what I heard, only those with the rank of 'Viscount' and above are invited." Jacob explained while remembering what he knew, and Baltra nodded in agreement.

The noble ranking starts from the highest rank, the royals. Below that is the duke, then the count and viscount. The two ranks after that are Marquis and Baron, but the two were considered low noble ranks unlike the others. And the lower the rank, the amount of people who are within that level increases. If the mayor only invites the nobles with the rank viscount and above, that means he excluded the low noble ranks to avoid overcrowding in his house.

A banquet for all elites who are attending the academy this year... I wonder if they all got acquainted with each other.

The day continued, and the evening finally came. Today's evening was a little bit special because the city is celebrating the entrance exam for the great elemental academy that is happening tomorrow. Not only is it a Saturday, but the amount of people within Ellen was also a lot more than any other time of the year.

The road was bustling with people. Parades went through the street outside the restaurant many times. But, one parade was much louder and livelier than others.

"The crown prince is going to arrive at the road! Let's see what he looks like!!" One of the customers of the restaurant suddenly said to her friends sitting on a table, and all of them got up to see the prince.

It wasn't just them. Hearing that such an important individual is going to walk down the big street in front of the restaurant made them curious as to what he is like. As a result, all of the customers who were enjoying a nice dinner in the restaurant got up and stood by the side of the street, waiting for the important individual to arrive and cheer him.

Why would such an important person be walking at night, you may ask? Well, considering his personality, it wouldn't be weird if he took a walk in the slums just for sightseeing. Walking around to enjoy the festival is something very normal for someone like him.

"I'm also quite curious! You've seen him before, right?" Uncle Josh said to me as he walked out of the kitchen, and I can tell he is quite curious about how the crown prince looks as well.

"Well, I have seen him plenty of times in festivals. A bit similar to this." I lied, but Uncle Josh just believed me.

"Then, guard the shop. I'll be heading out!" The old chef grinned at me before leaving through the front door, leaving just me inside the restaurant.

"I can't believe everyone is that excited to see that guy… what's so special about him anyway?" I mumbled by myself as I cleaned the dirty dishes at a washing stand next to the kitchen.

For a while, I ended up just dealing with dirty dishes at the washing stand. I wasn't expecting anyone to come by to visit since a very important person is having a parade outside on the street, so I just enjoyed my lonely time.

KRING!!!

All of a sudden, the door to the restaurant was opened. I turned to look to find out who came back, but apparently it was not someone who was originally here before.

The person who entered is wearing a full body armor made of the most powerful metal in the world. The armor's color is black, so dark that the light reflection was barely visible. The design is also very sharp and thin, as if revealing that the owner is a woman.

Seeing her short purplish hair behind the helmet, I immediately recognized who just entered.

The Dark Knight of Fiordall. She has managed to track me down to this place.

"You found me!?" I asked with a wide shock, and the armored knight only walked in very calmly.

Her eyes behind the helmet mask peered around the restaurant before finally landing at me cleaning the dishes. "I thought Lady Rose gave you an allowance three times the amount to enter the academy…"

I realized she must've thought that I needed money, which could be the reason why I worked here. But, she just doesn't know the full story.

"My money's doing fine. Also, it was three times the amount because it also included the entrance fee. My allowance was only twice as much as that." I said as I placed down the dishes, and I walked over to the chef's position behind the tall table. "You can sit here."

"You're really asking a lady wearing sharp armor to sit on a tall chair like this?" The knight lady said as she pulled a tall chair behind, and she looked like she was about to sit down anyway without me telling her to.

Beforelong, she sat down on the chair after trying really hard to avoid the metal plates from pinching her butt. After she sat down nicely, she took off her helmet, revealing the beautiful face of a nineteen year old beautiful young lady with bright purple eyes. Her hair only goes down to her neck, and it's still clear that she just cut them quite recently.

"So? Why'd you start working here?" She asked after placing down her helmet above the table, and I just laughed as I rubbed the back of my head.

"The owner helped me when I first came to the city, so I just feel a little indebted to him. He needed an extra hand, so he hired me as a waiter." I told her the truth, and she laughed a little.

"You were always way too nice to people. It's going to cost you one day, you know?"

"Don't act all wise to me... How did you even find me, Felicia?" I asked her while preparing her a drink, and she only giggled at me instead of answering right away.

"Well, what can I say? I'm just so smart and wise~."

"… Who snitched?"

"I guess the entire knights regiment. All I did was ask a favor to the knight general about finding a young man named 'Nathan' from Fiordall. The rest was all the general's doing, and later I was told that there was a 'Nathan from Fiordall' right here, at this restaurant." Felicia told me of her methods, and I became really annoyed after finding out who.

"That damn knight at the tournament…" I mumbled, massively regretting giving him that much money when he first recognized me.

"Besides, why were you avoiding me, anyway? Are you finally deciding on getting over me?" Felicia asked with a cheeky grin, and I can't help but angrily slammed an empty glass cup to the brewing table in front of me.

"Was it really wrong for me to go on a journey on my own?" I asked with an annoyed grin.

"Of course it's wrong. You're a damn prince."

"Can't a prince just enjoy his own life??"

"Still. Even if you're not a prince, it's not wise to worry your mother like that." Felicia mentioned something that I wasn't prepared for, and I stared at her with a blank expression. "The queen kept on telling me to watch how you were doing, you know?"

I let out a sigh hearing that, and I can't help but feel bad for worrying my step-mother. "Tell her I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make her worry. Besides, she already knows what I'm capable of."

"I also know what you're capable of, and I'm still worried." Felicia joked while turning her gaze to the street, and I stared at her annoyed.

"After seven years, Felicia… Only now you're worried about me?" I asked a little jokingly, and the stupid dark knight only giggled at me.

"Seven years of what? Hmm? Can you say it out loud?"

"You're just teasing me." I folded my arms, and Felicia laughed seeing me so annoyed.

"Of course! You're the most fun to tease." Felicia kept her eye on the road, and I couldn't help but notice the loud noises coming from the street.

From the sound of it, the crown prince's party will soon arrive in front of the shop. It still sounded really far, but we can hear music coming down from the road to the left.

"Does Reju know I'm here?" I asked Felicia, not wanting to cause any trouble to the shop with my presence.

"Relax. That guy doesn't know anything. But~, I can't promise you if he tried searching with his own methods." Felicia said with barely any seriousness in  her words, and I let out a sigh.

I placed down a cup of coffee in front of her, and she quickly stared at the cup of coffee that I just placed down. "What's this?"

"Cappuccino. That's your favorite." 

"Oh~, you even know what kind of coffee I like. Stalker."

"I've lived with you for seven years. It's not like you don't know what color of underwear is my favorite." I said with judging eyes to Felicia, and she took a sip of the coffee awkwardly.

"Was it… red--"

"If you forget, then just stay silent. I'm worried you're going to go around telling people the color of my underwear again."

"Oh, I used to do that?" Felicia giggled as she placed down the cup, and I can feel myself exploding from the return of dark memories.