"Brother Kiyeri!", the woman with the bun stepped forward, stretching out her arms for a hug.

  "Sister Mia,“ Kiyeri replied with the same gesture. Immediately after that, he turned to the second woman, also hugging her “Sister Enta."

  Of course, they were not sisters, neither to Kiyeri nor to each other. The Sorians used this form of address everywhere, to acquaintances and strangers, with and without names, and sometimes even to their own parents, an extremely strange culture for foreigners. When Kiyeri visited there for the first time, he was sure for a long time that they had simply forgotten his name.

  "So, what winds blew the brothers and sister to south?", Mia asked.

  "We came to the harvest festival." Kiyeri pointed to the noisy crowd below.

  Mia looked at Kiyeri from head to toe "Ah, I see, I see, you really look great, brother."

  "Where‘s Ashiya?" Ruki interrupted.

  Everyone started looking around, the younger Sun Enta gasped “What? Ashiya here as well?”

  Mia didn’t miss the opportunity. “And when was he alone?” both of them started giggling.

  And indeed. All potential Sigil Bearers were sent to the Kingdom of the Sun several times a year to deepen their knowledge, where they met these sisters. The Sorians found it very funny to see how Kiyeri struggled to take care of and discipline two royals who followed him everywhere. He seemed to be always exhausted.

  Seyre was overcome by a feeling of shame and turned away from those giggles.

  Kiyeri tactfully waited for the ughter to die down, “Ashi went away for a moment, he promised to return soon.”

  “Great! Have you stayed somewhere yet? Our group bought out the entire inn not far from here, if it’s convenient for you, we can continue our chat there.” Mia invited.

  "Our inn is a bit further, but we'd be happy to join you, we can start with lunch.", Kiyeri said and at the exact moment, he saw Ashiya climbing the stairs, wrapped in a new bck cloak carrying a matching one in his hands. After a quick hug with sisters, he handed the cloak to Kiyeri without saying a word. Kiyeri wrapped himself up, "Thank you."

  After Mia showed the direction, everyone walked towards the inn, chatting about old times. Kiyeri discreetly exchanged gnces with his people, reminding them subtly to choose their words carefully.

  All the troubles of the Moon Kingdom were naturally a secret from the neighboring regions. If word spread about such problems in the military mana division, other countries would quickly find a way to take advantage of the situation. Although the Sun Kingdom maintains the best retions with them and even has open borders, such information cannot be revealed even to them. Even if a decision were made to ask the Soliarians for help, such decisions are not for this group to make on their own.

  Sitting at the table in the inn, everyone ordered. Some had wine, some had snacks, and some were really hungry. Amidst the meaningless chatter, Kiyeri was waiting for an opportunity to ask more important questions without being noticed, but suddenly he remembered - he had never arranged the Sigil. Only when he thought about it, at the most unfortunate moment, Mia asked, "So tell me how the ceremony went. You are holding it on the equinoxes, it will soon be a year. We haven’t received any news. The delegation is eager to arrive and congratute the newly elected."

  Kiyeri‘s brain was working overtime, he let out a demonstrative sigh, "Everything went almost smoothly, but the pace is still undergoing reconstruction. Due to the ck of materials from the east, all work is deyed, in this condition we cannot receive guests, so the invitations were not sent out, but as soon as everything is finished, we will definitely call you."

  The excuse was pulled from the ass. While traveling, Kiyeri had heard about the floods in the east that had washed away entire regions, and how much inconvenience everyone was experiencing with the halted trade and skyrocketing prices. Plus, repairs are not a common topic among diplomats, who, according to Seyre and Dali, avoided talking about the ceremony with foreigners at all, so this story would work, at least for a while.

  "Ah, of course. Then, we will wait for invitations for the official part, and for now, an informal friendly greeting." Both Mia and Enta stood up and bowed low to the group, resting their arms across their hearts. The Moon people were of course familiar with these traditions and returned the gesture.

  "So, show your Sigils, come on!", Mia urged the assembled crowd, waving her hands happily.

  Ashiya suddenly took the initiative, slowly unbuttoning the top of his tunic, thus showing the others to cooperate and buy time for Kiyeri. After showing the Fire Sigil, which looked like a fming moon, he spoke to them with a few more sentences, sharing his impressions. The other participants looked at each other, apparently realizing that the previously pnned cover had somehow failed.

  The next in the spotlight was Seyre, who, unbuttoning his shirt, showed a circle with a rhombus in the center - the earth Sigil, and also began to discuss the effectiveness and challenges of his new abilities.

  Kiyeri’s palms began to sweat, but he tried his best not to show it on his face. He and Ashiya exchanged gnces, still hadn't figured out how to get out of the situation. The circle was there, but inside it the grilles, which symbolized metal, was missing. Thoughts flew like lightning, but none struck true. Any excuse not to show the mark - or a sudden exit with Ashiya - would look suspicious.. The Sorians are very sensitive to energy, if Kiyeri tried to forge a marking here, they would immediately catch it.

  In the meantime, it was Dali's turn, he opened the front of his bleached tunic, revealing the Sigil of Life: a circled curve, simir to a vine. But he didn't think it was necessary to talk about it.

  As if reading Kiyeri's thoughts, Ruki "turned on" the embarrassed girl mode and began to fidget, not wanting to show even a bit of naked skin when people were sitting around them at other tables. The Sorians ughed at this, but they didn't intend to offend the young dy and suggested that they go to a corner of the inn and hide themselves there quietly. They all stood up and stepped back.

  Kiyeri's thoughts went bnk, his mind was white, completely white. He was lured to go to the Sun Kingdom, but his own goal was to speak to the most important Sun Sigil Bearer privately, without an official invitation, without revealing his intentions to his other colleagues. But if he showed these sisters what he was wearing so openly in front of everyone, the pn would fail, everyone would run away and Kiyeri would never get this chance again.

  While Ruki kept up the act of being a delicate girl in the corner, the men's eyes locked on Kiyeri, silently urging him to do something.. Kiyeri gritted his teeth and grabbed the most convincing idea. Approaching Ashiya, he whispered in his ear, to which the tter responded with a look of annoyance. Realizing that there was no time to argue, Ashiya pulled Kiyeri's colr and put his hand in, pcing his fingers in the center of the circle. Immediately after this, he instructed the other two to stand in a circle as if something had happened. At the same time, Kiyeri drew his dagger and cut his palm with it, then exchanged gnces with Ashiya and nodded.

  Ashiya burned the grid in Kiyeri's skin with one hand, and with the other hand, he grabbed the wrist of that injured palm sending a small amount of energy as if "accidentally". Thus masking the true purpose.

  The sisters had already finished admiring Ruki, but she kept them in the corner chatting. As soon as they felt the use of mana, they both turned around and saw the men huddled around Kiyeri and rushed over.

  Before they could reach the crowd, the burning was finished and Kiyeri sent mana to both pces at once, his chest and his hand. The sisters jumped up to him, asking what happened. Ashiya watched the healing grid closely, if he didn't stop the healing in time, everything would be in vain. After a moment, he nudged Kiyeri and he immediately stopped healing the mark. Turning to Ashiya, he received a nod of approval.

  "It‘s okay, I held my hand in the wrong pce when I pulled out the dagger, I must have drunk too much wine, - expined Kiyeri, ughing awkwardly, but his already pounding heart suddenly dropped to his heels when he realized, "THE SMELL".

  That awful, unmistakable scent of scorched skin. Everyone else doesn't give anything away do they not notice? Or maybe their brains are just writing off such thing as belonging to the inn? It really does smell in here, everyone around is smoking and drinking, but that burned flesh smell is definitely different.

  "Then maybe don't drink so much, next time you'll cut your head." Dali's biting reply was timely and appropriate this time, Kiyeri gave him a reproachful look, but he was actually grateful.

  Seyre remained calm as always, Ashiya’s dark expression fit the moment - though for completely different reasons, Ruki, already out of previously assumed character, looked at that healing palm, and the sisters ughed sincerely.

  "Everything in its pce, everyone pys their role" Thought Kiyeri, he pulled his colr briefly with his injured hand to show Mia, "The st, but not the least." After some more jokes about Kiyeri's recklessness and inability to drink in moderation, the company sat back at the table.

  "You visiting for one day or longer?" Kiyeri asked.

  "Two companies with Enta are leaving for the capital tomorrow, the others are staying here with me.“ Expined Mia. “And you, for a long time?"

  "We have a good week before we have to return, we started with the festival, but we can't agree on where to go next." Kiyeri looked at Seyre.

  "As I said, one can always spend one's free time accumuting knowledge." Seyre gnced at Dali as he spoke.

  Dali snorted and, leaned back "As I said, not everyone is interested in gnawing on books in their free time."

  “Perfect!” Kiyeri praised his colleagues in his mind, “In short, we can’t agree.” He sighed, expressing his fatigue and rubbing his forehead. Although technically the soldiers who had become Bearers no longer belonged to any squad and acted on the direct orders of the King, most of the time they were all old acquaintances or retives and huddled together in their free time, as if something were drawing them to spend it together. With Kiyeri being the former leader, everyone would naturally have been waiting for his st word. “This is what our real outings would have been…” Kiyeri thought, feeling something akin to mourning.

  “Sounds like a great opportunity to come visit,” Mia interjected.

  “Ah, indeed!” Enta agreed. “You’re on vacation now, right? When will there be another opportunity like that?”

  "Whoever wants, can read books, whoever wants, can storm the city, what do you think?" Mia pushed.

  The moon people looked at each other, showing either an agreement or a gesture of "I don't care." Kiyeri looked at the sisters "Why not."

  "Then it's decided!" Mia spped her palm on the table and, having called the waiter, ordered another round.

  The company sat like this until evening and agreed with Enta to meet in the morning before dispersing. Back at their inn, the five moons regrouped. Kiyeri’s pns were rarely too detailed - he’d always taught the group to carry only a few vital notes in mind, and trust each other with the rest, and everything else was improvised, because you can't pn for circumstances. After a quick discussion, they dispersed to rooms, which they apparently booked while Kiyeri was still sleeping.

  As Kiyeri unlocked his room, he couldn't help but notice Ashiya standing behind him. Not knowing what to do, he decided to go with the flow and see what would happen. He had attacked Ashiya more than once before, drawing conclusions in advance, and he had often been wrong. If he had to admit, he had always been a little afraid of him, but today he had firmly decided that it would not happen again.

  Entering the room, Kiyeri left the door ajar and, sinking into his chair, let out a loud sigh. “After all this, my head is throbbing with pain.”

  Only then did Ashiya go inside and close the door, “Mmm, it’s been a long day.” His voice was very strange, as if completely emotionless, each word pronounced in a clear low tone.

  “More like a long week, or maybe even a long month.” Kiyeri agreed. He had no idea what Ashiya’s expression looked like, completely unable to look in that direction, he simply y down on the table, csped his hands under his head, and closed his eyes.

  The slow footsteps gradually approached and Kiyeri's heart began to beat louder and faster, suddenly he felt a slight tug on his colr and tensed. There was complete silence in the room. Kiyeri thought for a moment and said, "I'll leave it like this, who knows who else will want to see it."

  The tug disappeared and the colr returned to its pce. Ashiya said, "If you pn on sleeping, I'd like to put up a barrier."

  Kiyeri’s eyes suddenly opened, he had completely forgotten. So much had happened that his head was spinning.

  "If you don't mind, I'll be grateful." And not only the barrier, they still didn't understand why he lost consciousness in the temple.

  A person could not put such a barrier on himself. More precisely, he could, but it would lose its meaning because when he fell asleep the barrier would disappear, any barriers must be constantly maintained by an alert consciousness.

  "Wake me up in a few hours, then you will have time to rest too,” Kiyeri said, taking off his outer clothes, but he did not receive any answer. Having climbed into bed, he turned to face the wall and covered himself with a bnket.

  With only one candle burning, a shadow stretched across the wall — long at first, then growing rger as its owner drew closer. The bed sank under the weight - the young man sat down next to him. Despite the dream problem, Kiyeri usually had no trouble with insomnia and would simply disconnect when he put his head on the pillow, but not in this situation. He could feel that stare on him. That imaginary gaze seemed so intense to Kiyeri that he could wipe it off his face because it had taken on a physical form!

  Kiyeri didn’t understand why Ashiya was acting like this again, after all, everything had been expined in the Temple, so what else did he want? Kiyeri could hear his own heart beating in the pillow.

  No one moved and no one spoke. After a good five minutes, Kiyeri couldn't stand it anymore and opened his eyes, but there was nothing in his field of vision. Suddenly, a hand near his face rested on the bed and the weight that had been on the edge shifted closer to the center. He heard a soft whisper in his ear, "Do you really believe them?"

  Now everything was clear to Kiyeri. He had tried so hard that he had deceived even the closest person.

  Kiyeri smiled slightly, pced his hand next to Ashiya’s, and closed his eyes, "Not even a little."

  And with that, he finally slept.