Two years later...

Among the numerous nobles, Lord Bowen of Nunchuck Province is known for two things: his uselessness and the face that he can't get it up with women. That particular piece of gossip was spread by his first wife, a powerful and proud woman who, upon learning why her husband refused to touch her, went about spreading it through all of high society before promptly divorcing him. The man was furious, however he couldn't do much since her status far outstripped his. After all, she had the status and he had the money (naturally from his massive inheritance and the lucrative mineral deposits in his province, not his own ability), that was how they'd been roped into marriage. 

Therefore, instead of engaging in a futile squabble, the man simply proceeded to marry a new meeker, weaker wife who wouldn't say anything to her husband keeping one, or two, or even ten male mistresses. At present, Lord Bowen is with his most favored mistresses, a particularly powerful one who has managed to keep the lord's attention for a whole month: something unheard of as the man previously had a tendency of switching lovers weekly.

"My dear concubine, are you excited to see this surprise I'm about to show you?" Lord Bowen's gruff voice sounds from within a hallway.

"I am, my lord~" A voice responds. It's not high or squeaky as one would expect from a stereotypical male lover, but rather huskier and more silky. However, there's an undeniable charm to it.

"Hahaha, of course, just wait until you see it, it's magnificent!" Lord Bowen chuckles.

"But..." The silkier voice starts again.

"What is it my dear?"

"Is it really alright for you to show me this?"

"Of course!" The Lord says, puffing up, his face red and blotchy. "You are my man! I'll punish anyone who says you have no right!"

"My lord is so powerful!" The silkier voice croons. 

"Hahaha, of course, I am the lord of Nunchuck."

"My lord~" Two two continue their flirting until they arrive at a corner of the hallway. Running his hands over the wall, Lord Bowen finds an indent which he pulls, opening a section of the wall to reveal a padlock. He then takes a key from his breast pocket and slides it in.

"Behold my dear, what you are about to see is the secret of Nunchuck Manor!" With this, the Lord pushes open the door to reveal a massive room filled with gleaming stones. The stones sparkle and glitter like jewels yet something about them seems different, they're just a bit brighter than traditional gems and their colors are just a bit off. These stones are far more than ordinary jewels: they're mana stones.

The biggest source of revenue for Nunchuck Province is their illegal sale of mana stones, mined from their mines and sold in the black market. Ready to show off his wealth to his favored concubine, Lord Bowen starts to turn around, a smug expression pasted accross his face, when he freezes looking down. The last thing he sees is blood, a wriggling dark, deep purple tentacle covered in suction cups sticking through his chest like a stamen at the center of the bloody, blooming flower.

He opens and closes his mouth. "You..." And with that he falls to the ground with a thud. Behind him stands his "concubine", looking as frail, innocent, and seductive as ever, if not for the eight tentacle like arms sticking out from his back as well as the expression of intense disdain he now wears. "Smelly old man, took you long enough. A whole month of blow jobs...ugh I feel so sick."

With a sigh, the young man brushes his thick auburn hair out of his eyes, and retracts the tentacles back into his back. With waist length hair, delicate androgynous features, and a pair of dark catlike eyes, beautiful is the only adjective that can describe this him....well, maybe seductive would work as well. Regardless, he's grown a lot in the past two years. That's right, this young man is none other than Arek two years after Sean's death.

"Well, I guess I'd better get this done with." Arek groans with a sigh. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small pouch, around the size of his hand. Holding it in front of him, he mutters something and immediately all the gleaming stones disappear as if they've been sucked into the small pouch. 

"I still can't get used to how much these things can hold." Arek mutters, dangling the pouch in front of his eyes before re-pocketing it. Looking down at the pitiful Lord Bowen he nudges his hand with his toe while pulling out a dark cloak to wrap himself in.

"You shouldn't have been so lecherous old guy...or lazy but even then I don't think he'd have spared you with all those stones in your possession. Oh well, I'm just the executioner, what can I say..."

And with those words, Arek is gone, is if he was never there in the first place.

Around five minutes later, Arek re-appears in a bustling town in front of a familiar tavern with the statue of a boar in the front.

"Ugh, they need to develop smoother teleportation." Arek groans, clutching his stomach before sauntering in to the tavern. Covered up by his dark cloak, Arek thumps his fist on the bar's countertop. 

"A strong ale please." He says, winking at the bar maid in front of him. She blushes, before running to grab his drink. Waiting for her, Arek hums while tapping out a beat on the table.

"Did you get it?" A sharp voice sounds from his side.

"Hmm?" Arek lifts a brow, seeing a stony faced Matilda. "What's got you all riled up?"

"Do you have it or not?" Arek stares at her for a moment, then he yawns. Seeing this, Matilda's brow crinkles deeper and deeper. Finally, Arek smiles.

"Who do you think I am?" Instantly her brow relaxes. "So you got it."

Arek simply smirks before handing something to Matilda which she quickly grabs before striding away through the crowd of people. Along the way, someone calls out to her and she turns to them, her expression changing 180 degrees into her signature customer's smile.

Arek watches her, musing. Who'd know that the well known self-made Matilda was actually in the service of prince Lennox. But then again women in such a feudal society don't have it easy, it's not surprising that she'd take the offered hand. 

Shrugging, he grabs his drink from the pretty bar maid who has just brought it over, winks at her, gulps it all down, and swaggers out of the tavern. An alley away he disappears again only to reappear in the hallway of a familiar castle...and comes face to face with one of the people he least wants to see.

With her long dark hair tied up, and clad in a gleaming knight's garb stands Jiayi. She's grown as well, her features sharper and stronger, an air of determination and vigor surrounding her every move. At a glance, she gives off an impression of chivalry and strength. Yet all Arek sees is a naïve little girl stuck in her childhood fantasies.

"Arek." She says, her tone calm with a hint of disgust, not surprised to see him teleporting in. "Why is your hair like that?" She pulls his cloak aside. "And what are you wearing?! What is all this?"

"Ask your fiancé" Arek replies.

"What are you talking about?" Arek scoffs, rolling his eyes. What's the point in telling her? She won't understand or believe me, especially if it threatens her little fantasy.

"Don't be like that! I don't always understand why-"

"Milady, his highness is waiting for you." A maid calls from the side of the hallway. Immediately, Jiayi pauses her words and flushes a deep crimson. 

"Tell him I'll be right there." She quickly says, following the maid out while given Arek a deep look. He watches her back. Both she and Matilda are women on Lennox's boat yet in Matilda's case she knows exactly what she's doing however Jiayi...is content to remain in her ignorant fantasy. Whatever, it's none of my business anyway. Shaking his head, Arek turns and leaves.