The Keeper's gaze shifted from their hands to the prince's face. There was almost no movement at all until he once again slowly blinked, as if processing what the other said.
It was a simple enough request, and a simple enough question... yet it still took him what felt like
--
colorless image of the silver-haired merchant appeared. The Keeper stood up straight, and watched as the image moved; it did not make a sound, but it seemed as if Zephyrus was talking to someone smaller than him⸺ although the image didn't include the child he was talking to.
--
The image of Zephyrus took out a small pouch and reached into it, bringing out a biscuit.
This image was a very recent memory of the land, replayed by the Keeper... but for what reason?
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His brows slightly creased, evidence that he was in thought. A few seconds of silence later, Ruven spoke, remaining nonchalant as always:
"I have not loved a girl, if we are to use what I understand to be your definition of love. Many of them bore my children, and I ensured
--
titled 'Help this dummy get into his crush's pants', an individual claimed that one must 'take out' their desired partner first."
And without missing a deadpan beat, the elf continued:
"In the beginning, I understood it to mean that one must best their desired partner,
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but after enquiring a young bartender of it, he informed me that violence was not necessary."
Perhaps thankfully, the canal they were on was a quiet one. There was no other person close enough to hear them⸺ except the gondolier.
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Ruven always left through the path that Alejandro allowed him to enter the first time he was taken to the castle, and he was on his way to the gates⸺ only to stop as soon as he saw the werewolf king.
"Not urgent," the high elf corrected, "for he has left them be."
--
"Would you have allowed an unrepentant individual to threaten the safety of others whilst he continues to roam freely?"
Without waiting for an answer, the high elf began to walk. He intended to go rest at the room he given, despite not needing any rest at all.
--
Just as he passed by Alejandro, he continued, looking at the werewolf king:
"I accept whatsoever punishment you may wish to mete out.
For now, I will contemplate more effective methods of dealing with the decline of those involved with that organization."
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the elders......"
Her voice trailed off, and she shook her head, deciding that recalling that information and sharing it might steer them away from what she wanted to say. The elf looked at Sephtis again.
--
"...I really thought you'd be frustrated too. Even just a little bit."
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carried⸺ earlier, Zephyrus shared one with a child while on his way out of the city... but there was no way an entity that did not remember his past would know this.
Yet, here he was, seemingly retracing his own steps.
「That. As-Salih know, that?」
--
If he completely retraced his past self's steps, they would end up in the middle of the desert.
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⸺yet the high elf's determination was stronger, evidenced by the decisive tone of his voice. The brief pause as he spoke was not hesitation; it was to stop himself from being too direct once again and to instead mirror the wording Caspian had used earlier.
--
"Come, we are close."
Ruven resumed walking, leading them around a turn. A few steps later, they arrived at the end of the pathway that connected to one of the canals. There, a gondola and its gondolier waited.
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