Gunmage
Chapter 136: Eyes that see, eyes that scheme

Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Eyes that see, eyes that scheme

Selaphiel’s invitation had spread across all of Ophris.

In the events that followed, nearly every inn in Pyrellis was booked solid. People had begun arriving weeks before the specified night, flooding the capital with an air of barely restrained excitement.

Security had to be tightened; brawls erupted sporadically in the streets like summer storms.

In a rare move, the Royal Family issued a decree, temporarily turning the city into a neutral zone, criminals and wanted men would not be hunted, so long as they did not break the peace.

This spoke volumes about the influence Selaphiel held in the Kingdom.

The ball was highly anticipated, and not without reason.

Lugh wasn’t planning to attend. He only intended to watch, hidden from sight.

Just then, he heard a voice.

"...me? Can you believe it?"

Another voice answered, drier and less interested.

"With what you said to her, it shouldn’t come as a surprise."

"What did I say? I merely stated the facts. The main family doesn’t have an heir, and I still have a chance to become the Head. What’s so difficult to understand about that?"

Two adolescents, both masculine in voice. Their words drifting lazily through the air.

"I don’t have time for this"

The second voice muttered.

Lugh turned his head slightly, narrowing his eyes.

Two boys had appeared, their argument continuing as they walked.

Both had bright flaxen hair, almost glowing under the early sunlight.

"Hey, where are you going?"

The louder one called.

"To my room. I have to get ready for the ball"

The other replied flatly.

"At this time? It’s still early morning."

The louder boy had long hair for a male, tied back into a loose ponytail that draped over his broad shoulders. He moved with a casual, unhurried gait.

The other teenager, however, was smaller, thinner. He walked carefully, a polished cane tapping against the stone.

His eyes were hidden beneath a masterfully crafted blindfold embroidered with golden threads. A subtle but unmistakable sign. He was blind.

The smaller boy raised his head sharply when Lugh shifted.

"Who’s there?"

He called out, voice sharp with alertness.

Lugh pressed himself deeper into the shadows, silent.

"Enji, what are you on?"

The long-haired boy laughed.

"There’s no one there."

"Really? I could’ve sworn I sensed someone,"

The blind boy—Enji—muttered.

"It’s all in your head, man."

"...I see."

"No, you don’t!"

The other blurted, breaking into a fit of uproarious laughter.

"Blind jokes. Very funny,"

Enji replied dryly, the sarcasm thick in his voice.

"C’mon man, you have to lighten u—"

"Bye"

Enji cut him off, turning away.

"Sheesh"

The long-haired boy clicked his tongue, trailing after him.

Lugh sat perched on a balustrade, watching them disappear into the manor.

Lately, his stepsisters hadn’t bothered him as much, and these boys were the reason.

Not them in particular, but their families.

Everybody had been summoned for the ball — including every branch of the Von Heim family.

With so many noble guests, there simply wasn’t enough room at the inns. They had been quartered inside the Von Heim Manor itself.

Aunts, uncles, cousins, retainers... A veritable flood of them.

For Lugh, it was a nightmare. He had to move under thick concealment at all times.

Some of these very guests, he knew, had once plotted to assassinate Isolde, the matron of the house.

He had overheard whispers: it all came down to succession—another power struggle.

Isolde didn’t bother to play at diplomacy.

Her disdain was open, cold, and cutting, felt by everyone from the first day.

As someone who had married into the family yet failed to produce a male heir, her continued ownership of the colossal capital mansion was a source of simmering resentment.

Small squabbles broke out, fueled by envy and ambition.

It would’ve been worse... if Isolde wasn’t a Crown.

They had found that out the hard way.

During a direct confrontation with one of Edrin’s brothers, Isolde had wiped the floor with him in five seconds flat.

Selaphiel had watched from the sidelines, amused.

As an elf who valued magical prowess above all else—a woman who had gone out of her way to secure the hand of the genius of House Caldreth for her oldest son—even her own children dared not complain when they lost.

Now, the entire manor was like a highly volatile powder keg, ready to explode.

Unable to provoke Isolde directly, the disgruntled factions instead turned to using the younger generation against one another.

In this, they found small victories; after all, Isolde’s children were not as monstrous as she.

Still, their successes were few. The four girls simply ignored them, treating provocations like buzzing flies.

It wouldn’t last long anyway.

Today was the day of the ball.

Afterward, the guests would linger at most a day or two before being flushed out like a disease.

Lugh slipped past busy servants, the young masters and misses strutting about, their laughter brittle and hollow.

He reached a quiet patio, where a woman lounged on a reclining chair, catching the morning breeze.

Snacks and a bottle of rich red wine rested on a low stand beside her.

Long flaxen hair, almost golden, spilled down her back like a silk river.

Silver cuffs glinted on the long, pointed ears that marked her as something other than human.

Her lips parted, her voice casual, almost lazy.

"Hey, you there. What do you hope to achieve, sneaking around like a rat?"

Lugh stepped into view, the spell fading as he materialized before her ...both of him.

For a brief moment, she forgot what she was going to say.

Then:

"Invisibility? You never cease to amaze me, Lugh"

She said, smiling faintly as she straightened in her chair.

Lugh considered carefully before speaking.

"What is the Selection?"

"Ah... are you interested in that?"

Her smile deepened, a little teasing.

"I’m sorry, but you can’t participate."

"...Why not?"

"Because participants need a recommendation. In simpler terms, you have to be recognized as a legitimate member of an orthodox organization or noble house."

Hmmm.

In other words, someone like him, unknown and rootless, was ineligible.

It was a shame.

The Jade Tower, as they were called, undoubtedly held secrets.

Secrets that could bring him closer to completing his mission.

He would wait until after Lyra’s duel before deciding.

If she won—if she became the new head of the Cross family—perhaps she could adopt him?

A strange line of thought... but not an impossible one.

"Is that all you came to ask?"

Selaphiel asked lightly, her voice curling with amusement.

Right. Lugh remembered something else.

"The hidden chamber under the mansion."

She let out a small "oh" sound, tilting her head slightly.

"Well... which one?"

Just then, the sound of fast, heavy footsteps echoed around the patio.

"Grandmother?"

The steps halted abruptly.

"Who is that?"