“I've been waiting for you. I was wondering when you'd show up.”

“We've been busy.”

The mayor chuckled. “I thought you might say that.”

Rinaldo noticed Olivia noting the resemblances between the man and Rinaldo. It was hard to miss since she wasn't hiding the fact that she looked at the two of them with open curiosity. She didn't look away when his gaze shifted to her, either. It was as if she were waiting for him to say something.

“This is my uncle, Vincent. He is the mayor.”

Vincent was Rinaldo's uncle from his father's side. He had a different mother than his brother, but they both had the same father. It was from Vincent that Rinaldo learned how to fight. Vincent was a man of action and liked nothing more than to fight, so he taught his nephew all he knew.

Olivia greeted the man with an obsequious bow. “Pleased to meet you, sir.”

“So am I. I am heartily glad to welcome you to Viennetta. Come on, follow me.”

After a while, they reached a large mansion overlooking a hill and a lush forest. Vincent opened the door, and they went inside. The hallway they went down was made of marble and was quite beautiful to look at. The place was clean, and the view from the windows looked amazing.

They continued into the dining hall, where there were others present. Rinaldo spotted the Count, who was sitting next to Katarina.

The Count was speaking with a silver-haired man wearing a white waistcoat, grey trousers, and a starched white shirt who Rinaldo didn't recognise. At the moment, though, the man seemed to look a bit bored.

Next to the two men was a well-endowed, dark-haired woman who had been watching the scene. The woman could easily have passed for a mannequin with her thick, curly hair, and oval face. Her eyes were enormous and purple, framed by long dark lashes. She, too, dressed in fine clothes.

Rinaldo caught Olivia's stare lingering at the woman's ample chest, or rather, the eye-shaped pendant that drew attention to her cleavage. Something about it looked familiar, but he couldn't place where he'd seen it before. It was different from the one he found today.

The mayor introduced them to the woman. “This is my wife, Emma.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Emma smiled. “Have a seat, please.”

They sat at the table. It was huge, and the food laid out on it looked absolutely delicious. There were various meats, exotic fruits, and desserts. The plates, cups, and utensils were all made of fine ceramics.

The woman poured tea into teacups with white saucers and passed around platters of fruit and biscuits. “Here we are. We have prepared a nice meal for you.”

“Well, this looks delicious.” Rinaldo looked at the food. “I am so glad that we came here.”

“I am glad you like it.” The mayor sounded pleased. “And now, let us eat.”

They started eating. As they ate, they talked about nothing in particular. They ate and laughed and joked.

The man in grey introduced himself as Victor, a contemporary of the Count and a fellow alchemist. Victor soon reminded the audience to call himself an alchemist would have been fraudulent since he was essentially a college dropout.

Rinaldo found the dinner entertaining so far. “These fishes are divine.”

“The best we've ever had,” Olivia agreed. “Their flavour is superb.”

“I'm glad you like them. I had them brought from the docks. It's a good thing you came when you did, or you'd have missed them.”

They began with the fish and then moved on to the prawn and crab before finishing with some bread and a couple of small sausages. There were many options, but all were good. In time, they finished their meal.

There was no great rush to it, each appreciating the tastes and textures of the food. And then it was time to part.

“I thank you both.” Olivia turned to the mayor and his wife. “For your company and your hospitality.”

“It was my pleasure to share this meal with you.”

“Thank you for the invitation, uncle. I hope you have enjoyed yourself.”

His uncle offered his arm, and Rinaldo accepted it. He allowed the mayor to lead him to the door, but he lingered. “Please take care, Rinaldo. I know you mean well, but do not meddle in things that are not your concern. You have no notion what the danger is.”

Rinaldo nodded and thanked the man for his kindness. The man returned the gesture, and together they left the dining hall. Soon, they walked out into the marble hallway and stood at the huge double doors that lay ahead.

However, before Rinaldo and Olivia could leave the mansion, the mayor said he had a surprise for Rinaldo as a parting gift.

The mayor opened a door in the hallway and motioned for Rinaldo to go through while Olivia waited outside. They walked through the door and entered a small, empty room. There was nothing else worth mentioning besides the coffin in the centre of the room.

He stared at the coffin, confused, and then noticed a small inscription on the side. It seemed to be written in a foreign language and writing system.

The coffin itself was made of silver. It was beautifully ornamented with blue, and silver birds. And on it was the sign of the sun, and on the head of the coffin was a gold crown.

“I found this coffin in the remains of Old Viennetta. It was buried deep, but still in relatively good condition.”

Rinaldo looked at the coffin. “I wonder who it belonged to.”

“I am sure that it once belonged to a noble, perhaps a member of Viennetta's ancient council.”

“An ancient council, uncle?”

Vincent shrugged. “If only they knew the true state of the town.”

Rinaldo opened the lid of the coffin and peered inside. The rich, silver coffin was lined with luxurious purple silk. Fresh rose petals filled the coffin, creating a beautiful and fragrant resting place for the deceased. However, the person in the coffin didn't look like it was anyone he knew.

“The coffin isn't empty?”

“Feel free to take what's inside. It's yours.”

There, lying on the silken sheet, was a girl with long white hair streaming down her back. She was beautiful to look at, dressed in a white, silky gown trimmed in beautiful purple ribbons and laces. Her eyes were closed, and she looked very peaceful.

When Rinaldo touched her skin, he found it to be soft and a little warm to the touch.

The girl was holding a beautiful, finely crafted sword with a blade resembling flames. The sword was so finely made that it looked more like a work of art than a weapon, and Rinaldo somehow knew it would be his.

Rinaldo felt an almost physical tugging at his chest, as if something inside was urging him to take the sword. For a moment, Rinaldo could have sworn that the sword was calling to him. Against his better judgement, he seized the sword from the girl's grasp.

The girl's purple eyes opened, and she rose from the coffin with the grace of a ghost. She placed the sword next to her, letting out a wide yawn.

The mayor noticed the girl who wasn't supposed to be there. “How did you get in here, Charlotte?”

“Carefully,” the girl, Charlotte, replied.

“Forget I ever asked. What are you even doing here?”

“I was only sleeping.”

“But you're not, are you? Go back to your room. It's past your bedtime.”

The girl hesitated before turning away. She argued about sleeping somewhere else where she couldn't hear strange noises coming from her parent's room at night, but her father convinced her it was just her imagination.

Rinaldo watched her go, his fingers tracing the outline of the sword. Something about the blade was irresistible, and he found himself drawn to it in a way he couldn't explain.

He lifted it from the ground, feeling the weight of it in his hand. It was like nothing he'd ever held before, and he felt a power emanating from it that was both intoxicating and dangerous. The blade seemed to shimmer in the moonlight, and he felt a strange urge to touch it.

“Sorry about that. That was my daughter, Charlotte.”

Rinaldo couldn't take his eyes off the sword. “It's alright. What is this sword?”

“I believe it's called Flamberg, the holy sword of flames.”

Rinaldo stared at the sword in a mixture of awe and disbelief. He just couldn't bring himself to be anything but overwhelmed by the moment.

According to legends, the sword was an artefact of exceptional power and was said to be a gift to humanity by the King of Blue Flames—the spirit king who introduced lightning to man. Rinaldo grew up hearing the legend of its wielder and wished to learn the truth about it.

To think that he would finally come face to face with the sword itself was a substantial source of excitement for him.

“Amazing.”

His uncle seemed pleased with Rinaldo's response and handed him the sword. “Here, take it.”

“What? But I can't just take your sword.”

“It's okay. I want you to have it.”

Rinaldo hesitated for a moment before accepting the sword. He looked at it in awe, admiring the intricate design and the way the light seemed to dance off the blade.

“Thank you. I'll take good care of it.”

“I know you will. Now go, and may the flames of Flamberg guide you on your journey.”

They left the room and made their way back to the hallway. When they arrived, they found Olivia had been waiting for them.

“What took you so long?” She looked bored. “Don't answer. That was a rhetorical question. Well, now that you're here, we can finally get going.”

They set off down the hallway and soon arrived at a large door. The mayor opened it, and they stepped outside. The first thing they noticed was the darkness. Without a single star in sight, the sky was completely black. The only light was coming from the moon, barely visible through the thick clouds.

Only the faintest breeze blew as if someone had just shut the windows and doors. A lightning bolt followed by a sharp clap of thunder quickly extinguished the night's quiet, and a small gust of wind swept through the area, kicking up dust in the distance.

Olivia and Rinaldo stood in the middle of the road. It was empty. There were no signs of life anywhere. Suddenly, they heard something from behind them. It sounded like the faint rustle of clothing. Turning around, they saw nothing.

Rinaldo said it could have been a rabbit or something, and Olivia joked it might have been a ghost. But they continued, walking at a quick pace. The road became even more barren and deserted, as they walked in silence for a few minutes.

The next thing he knew, Olivia was on the ground. Her right ankle twisted awkwardly as she attempted to avoid a root and stumbled to the ground. Rinaldo rushed over to help her.

“Are you alright? Can you walk?”

Olivia attempted to stand up, but it was no use. “I don't think so.”

Rinaldo offered to help her get back up. “Do you want me to carry you back to my mother's house?”

“No. I'll be okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She tried to straighten her leg out. Tried was the keyword. She couldn't stand up at all.

“Alright.” He held out his arms to offer help. She shook her head. Rinaldo looked at her. She seemed fine. At least, if she were faking it, she was doing an excellent job of it. “I'll just carry you back home, then.”

Rinaldo reached for her, and she tried to pull away from him. It didn't take her long to realise that she couldn't get away.

She put her arms around his neck. “Fine.”

He wrapped his arms around her and carried her in his arms—one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back like a groom carrying his bride.

Olivia laughed a little, which surprised him. “Thanks.”

“Don't worry about it. How did you manage to injure yourself, anyway?”