Chapter 18: Wright Estein

“It’s a pleasant surprise to see you here, Azrael. Here to get a weapon?”

As Han Byul spoke, Azrael stood there, dazed. Seeing his reaction, she couldn’t help but giggle.

“Hee hee, ah Zer, you’re also here. Are you by chance an acquaintance of Azrael’s?”

Seeing Han Byul enter the shop, Zer stepped forward to greet her. He also noticed the peculiar exchange between her and Azrael. The contrast between Azrael's usual demeanor and his current state was striking.

“Yo, Byul. It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Just busy with school, as expected. And you sure are cold—never coming to greet me even though we’re in the same school.”

“Haha, I’ve always been busy. Az, Winst, and I have been training every night, after all. Oh yeah, you’ve never met Winst before, have you? This is Winston Wozeal, heir to the famous Wozeal house. Winst, this is the second princess of the Rhostaz Kingdom, Han Byul.”

As the two caught up, Zer called Winston from the back to introduce him to his childhood friend. Though surprised by the sudden introduction, Winston approached and performed an elegant bow toward Han Byul.

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“It is an honor to meet you, milady. I am Winston Wozeal, the first son of the House of Wozeal.”

“No, the honor is mine, Sir Winston. I have heard many tales of your family’s grandeur.”

Han Byul responded with a charming curtsy. After the formalities, she regarded the trio with interest. Turning to Zer, she spoke.

“Well, I am pleasantly surprised, Zer. Back home, you never got close with any of the children our age except for me. When I heard the rumor that you were always seen hanging out with two honors, I scoffed at it as a ridiculous rumor. I see now that I was wrong.”

“Yeah, well, these two are nothing like those little pricks back home. It’s actually a lot of fun hanging out with them. Like I said earlier, the three of us practice every night.

Even though we’re teaching Winst here from scratch, it’s quite enjoyable to see his drastic improvements. Practicing with Az is also great. Even though his swordsmanship isn’t up to par with mine, he’s better than me at magic, and our spars are always close.”

Han Byul’s eyes widened in surprise. Ever since they were young, Zer had always been the genius, unmatched in swordsmanship or magic. The only person who came close was her in magic, so they practiced together often. Hearing that Azrael wasn’t much worse than Zer in swordsmanship and even surpassed him in magic truly surprised her. She had thought there was no one on the continent who could match Zer.

“Ho… for there to be someone that good. Azrael, your talents really are impressive, matching Zer’s. Haa, my headaches for this upcoming school tournament just increased. Anyway, why don’t the three of you join me for tea next weekend? Zer, I’ll send the formal invitation to you later this week.”

The unexpected invitation for tea with the princess took Azrael and Winston by surprise. Although Winston had attended many fancy parties, this was his first private invitation from a princess, let alone for Azrael.

Zer was also surprised. From what he knew, the princess hated social gatherings like tea parties and rarely hosted them. He glanced at Azrael and Winston to gauge their reactions. After receiving nods of approval from both, he turned to Han Byul and confirmed.

“Sure, we’ll be there. We’ll see you next weekend then.”

“Excellent. I look forward to seeing all three of you next weekend. Look forward to the dishes.”

Han Byul’s dazzling smile accompanied her words. After saying her goodbyes, she left the shop. At that moment, Winston decided to make his move.

“*whistles* Az, it looks like you’ve got serious competition with Mr. Ladykiller over here.”

Azrael rolled his eyes in response, prompting laughter from the other two. After a few moments of laughter, Zer regained his composure and looked at Azrael.

“I’m really surprised though. If I hadn’t just seen that, I would have never believed it. You really do like her, don’t you?”

Seeing Azrael blush, Zer chuckled while Winston shook his head in amazement. The trio continued to enjoy their time together until the shop attendant arrived with the weapon. They eagerly moved to the desk to admire it.

The spear featured a flat, double-edged blade on both ends, each about two feet long and six inches in diameter. Guards were placed where the blade and shaft connected to prevent accidental cuts. The shaft, approximately two feet long, was made of a gray alloy that seemed heavy but was surprisingly light. In the middle of the shaft was a mechanism that allowed the spear to detach into two short swords, a feature Azrael had requested due to his proficiency in swordsmanship.

Azrael picked up the weapon, ensuring the area was clear, and began swinging it. He performed a series of downward and upward slashes, testing its weight and balance through multiple swings.

After completing his test, Azrael nodded in approval. The spear was lighter than it appeared due to the almost weightless alloy and had perfect balance. Though it didn’t match the standards of his previous weapon, it was ideal for his current needs.

“This is a good weapon.”

“Of course it is. Just who do you think ordered it?”

Winston puffed out his chest in pride at the compliment. Azrael and Zer chuckled, with Zer’s curiosity evident on his face. Laughing inwardly, Azrael handed the weapon to Zer.

“Zer, your curiosity is written all over your face. Here, try it out.”

A bit embarrassed at being so easily read, Zer took the spear, stepped back, and began testing it. He performed various attacks before returning the spear to Azrael.

“This weapon is quite interesting. Although its attacks are similar to a spear’s, you can also use it almost like a sword with the long blades…”

“Maybe I should switch from swordsmanship to this spear too…”

Hearing Winston’s comment, Azrael and Zer burst into laughter. Winston’s face was filled with confusion. After calming down, Zer explained why they laughed.

“Winst, this weapon isn’t nearly as easy to wield as you think. First off, you would need to be quite proficient with a spear to use it effectively. A single mistake, and you could end up hurting yourself with one end of the spear.

Also, the spear can both defend and attack simultaneously. While it blocks an attack, it can quickly shift direction and counter with the open blade. Mastering this requires years of practice. Even though it might sound easy, it takes a lot of training for your body to adapt to such sudden changes in movement.”

Listening to Zer’s explanation, Azrael silently nodded.

‘As expected of Zer. He only practiced with it briefly and could already discern its advantages and disadvantages.’

Meanwhile, Winston drooped his shoulders in defeat. Despite the spear’s advantages, it required years of hard work and practice to master. Even though Azrael knew everything about the weapon, it would take him time to regain his former proficiency.

“Master Winston, does the weapon meet your expectations?”

The attendant, who had been anxiously waiting, finally spoke up, eager to ensure the weapon’s quality was satisfactory. Knowing the power of the Wozeal house, he wanted to avoid any dissatisfaction.

“Yes, it’s made very well. Thank you for your efforts.”

Relieved by Winston’s approval, the attendant sighed in relief. After thanking the attendant, the trio left the shop and headed back into the city. With a big grin, Winston turned to the others.

“Since it’s almost noon and the weather’s so nice, let’s eat at an outdoor restaurant. I know a nearby place that’s really good.”

Not having other plans and feeling hungry, Azrael and Zer agreed and followed Winston down the street. After about ten minutes, they arrived at a restaurant with numerous tables set out in a yard in front of the building.

A waitress greeted them at the front and led them outside to their table. The table was exquisite, showcasing the carpenter’s skill, with expensive cushions ensuring comfort.

Winston sighed contentedly as he sat down. Azrael and Zer took their seats, and they began to peruse the menu. As they decided what to eat, two people were led to the table beside them, creating a loud commotion.

“Honey, what do you want to eat?”

“I want to eat some pho desu~~”

Curious, Azrael glanced over to see a couple looking at each other lovingly. The male had short dirty blonde hair, light blue eyes, and stood about six feet two inches tall. The female, with long black hair and cornflower blue eyes, was noticeably shorter at four feet ten inches. Both wore uniforms from Sinara Academy.

“Awww.. you’re so cute, Cynthia~ *poke*”

“Desu~ desu de *poke*. Honey~~”

As the male poked the female’s cheek, Cynthia pouted and tried to look angry. Azrael, Zer, and Winston were taken aback by the overly affectionate atmosphere. The male, noticing their shock, finally broke the spell.

“Can I help you three?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. We just noticed you two were from the same school as us and happened to get seated beside us.”

Winston quickly recovered and made up a story on the spot. The male, believing the excuse, simply nodded.

“Ah, I see. You must be fellow schoolmates. My name is Wright Estein, and this is my girlfriend, Cynthia Leqean.”