After Leon left and disappeared from sight, Evan turned to Ardyn with an apologetic smile. "I'm very sorry about that," he said.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about," Ardyn replied, shaking his head. "He's just being cautious, I guess. That was a little scary, though," he added, chuckling lightly.

"Leon's… Well, he's not the threatening kind. He's a really nice guy, pure and innocent at heart," Evan explained quietly. "It's just that something's preventing him from being himself."

"Uh… what?" Ardyn said, confused. "Is that the same as what Elyana told me about him suddenly changing drastically one day without warning?"

Evan nodded. "It might seem strange for me to say this, but from now on, try not to be alone with Leon again if possible. He's a good man, yes, but he's also under his father's control." His expression turned grave. "And if the Duke finds out that you're an Otherworlder, there is no doubt that he will have you killed."

Ardyn's blood ran cold. "What?"

My god! So my instinct about him earlier was true!

Evan sighed. "Unlike his son, the Duke is a ruthless man. He does not like leaving loose threads unattended, and he especially loathes anything that is even the slightest bit of a threat to the kingdom. He's very passionate about protecting his territory, to say the least."

He sounds scary! Ardyn thought. "Uh… is he also…?"

"Also what?"

"A… Guardian? I mean, does he have magic?"

"Huh? Are you talking about the Duke?"

"No, I mean his son," Ardyn clarified. "I asked Lady Elyana about it at the banquet earlier and she said no, but I just want to make sure because I keep getting this strange vibe from him."

"Leon? No, he's not. Elyana spoke the truth. I've never seen a Mark on him before, and he has never wielded any magic, either," Evan responded with a shake of his head. "I remember asking him back when we were kids. After all, our magic manifests at birth. He told me no, but he wished that he could've been my Guardian instead so that he would protect me all the time."

Ardyn was a little taken aback. "That's… surprisingly sweet of him."

"He was very sweet when he was a child. I have no doubt that he still is. It's just that after some years, he has grown obedient to the Duke and would do anything his father tells him to. I don't think he has much of a choice in the matter." Evan's eyes darted around cautiously before he reached out and held Ardyn's hand. "Well, we should end that topic for now. Let's go sit somewhere first, all right?"

"Sure…"

Allowing Evan to lead him to the edge of the marble platform, Ardyn looked out into the horizon.

The city, a floating kingdom, had no substantial walls to protect it from the surrounding waves. This design allowed anyone to sit on the edge and dip their feet into the sea. However, a careless person or a drunk could easily fall into the seemingly bottomless depths below.

"Not to worry. The guards are always standing nearby. The waters aren't too deep, and the magic spheres in place prevent the tides from getting too high or the waves from becoming dangerous," Evan reassured Ardyn when the latter voiced his concerns. "Angelbay City's waters are popular with the tourists. They are ethereal, especially at night."

As Ardyn gazed out into the horizon, he had to agree. Perching himself on the edge, he stared for a long moment.

The moon was beautiful tonight, radiating a soft glow and casting a shimmering pathway across the gentle waves. The waters seemed to glitter under the illumination, and he could also spot a few fishes jumping to the surface and then dropping back into the seas below.

The waters seemed deep and intimidating at this angle, but at the same time, it felt both refreshing and alive.

"You know," Evan began, his voice as gentle as the lapping waves. "Two years ago, I embarked on a long journey around the world with my Guardians. At that time, the physical and emotional scars that the Calamity left us all were still fresh."

Ardyn nodded slowly to show that he was listening.

"It's been three years since then," Evan continued quietly. "Three years since I last caught sight of the terrifying monster that comes to terrorize us every time the seal expires. My kingdom and I weren't the only ones in pain. Other people were suffering, too. I wanted to see how they were doing and help them as much as I could."

"It must've been terrible."

"It was. My heart broke for all the innocent lives that were lost."

"I still can't believe that you guys have that kind of curse," Ardyn muttered. "It's a little hard to believe, but I get that this world's history is messed up."

Evan nodded. "In the end, it was our fellow people who made us all suffer because of greed and ambition."

Ardyn sighed deeply, letting the night breeze blow the strands from his face. The chatter of the people now faded into the background, the sight of the seas before him giving him a sense of serenity.

"Being a Summoner can't be easy at all, huh?" Ardyn remarked. "I can't even imagine having to stand before a terrifying monster. It doesn't feel real for me yet."

"I can understand, seeing that you've never been in this world before," Evan said with a nod. "It's been us Summoners' duty for centuries ever since we were born. We know all the risks and accept them all before going forward."

"But this creature hadn't existed since the beginning of the world, right? How did Summoners come to exist?" Ardyn asked.

"To be specific, we Summoners were born because of the gods' blessings," Evan explained. "They gave us the means to seal the monster, and it is up to us to fulfill that responsibility."

Ardyn's mind was spinning.

The gods?

He wanted to ask more about how that worked, but he figured that they didn't have much time for that. It was probably gonna be another long history lesson.

"That's why I've prepared myself fully for this very moment," Evan said. "The moment I completed the Final Ritual as a Summoner, I gathered everyone as soon as possible after training myself to master the intricacies of the sealing process. I want to make sure that the Calamity is sealed away quickly and prevent it from bringing destruction to other places. The people have suffered enough."

"That's… really admirable." Ardyn meant it. There was a strong sense of chivalry and responsibility coming from Evan's aura, a wave of reassurance that his people probably felt so strongly because of his quiet confidence and reliability.

Ardyn somewhat wished that he had Evan's courage.

Once everything calms down, I really should read up more about this world, he thought. I usually hate studying, but I gotta do it this time.