"Dad, you didn't bathe..." Anna said slowly, her voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and mild disgust.

  "Well, I took a bath before leaving," he retorted, a hint of defensiveness in his tone.

  Anna's nose crinkled further as she replied, "That doesn't count..." She dramatically pinched her nose, exaggerating her reaction to emphasize her point.

  Henri sighed, a mix of exasperation and fondness crossing his features. He ran a hand through his slightly damp hair, acknowledging the truth in his daughter's words without verbally conceding.

  "When we get back, go get your mom," he said, turning towards a winding path that led back to the main estate building.

  As Henri made his way along the garden path, each step deliberate and balanced, even in his fatigued state. The gravel crunched softly under his feet, a counterpoint to the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze.

  Anna chose a different path as her dad goes back the same way they came from, turning a right,

  she walks under the balcony, before walking up to the couches they sat it and taking a drink.

  As she walked, she contemplated what her dad had said. "Was what i said really what I think" she mused slowly, her brow furrowing in concentration.

  The pergola cast intricate shadows across the garden path,

  "Lady Anna." A voice called out, breaking the relative silence of the area.

  Anna's head snapped up, her eyes immediately drawn to the top of a nearby gazebo. There, perched atop its domed roof, sat a figure that seemed almost otherworldly against the backdrop of the lush garden

  "What are you doing here again?" she said slowly, her voice laced with a mixture of annoyance and wariness. Then, remembering her father's presence, she added with more force, "Dad's here, so go."

  The figure above shifted slightly, and Anna could now make out more details. It was Altan, his white hair flowing almost like water in the gentle garden breeze. He sat on the gazebo's roof as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his posture relaxed yet alert.

  "Oh, Anna..." Altan said, his voice carrying easily despite the distance. He turned his gaze towards her, a spark of interest igniting in his eyes. "Where's Leonardo? Oh wait, the tour guide's son?" he asked, his tone making it clear that this wasn't just idle curiosity.

  Anna paused, her fingers tightening almost imperceptibly around the crescent-shaped water glass. Her mind raced, weighing her options. She knew she couldn't use any of her skills at the moment, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable in the open garden.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "He's..." she began, her voice trailing off as she carefully considered her next words.

  "Yeah?" Altan leaned in closer from his perch, his interest now palpable.

  "Dead," she said flatly, turning to walk towards the gazebo. Her goal was clear—to reach the structure and perhaps gain some semblance of equal footing with Alain.

  Altan's reaction was immediate. He leapt from his perch, He landed near Anna, crouching down to meet her gaze. His eyes, which had seemed distant before, now bore into hers with an intensity that was almost frightening.

  "What do you mean dead?" Altan asked, his voice low and urgent. "The tour guide's son is dead? What are you going to say to him? Wait, does the tour guide even care?"

  As Altan spoke, Anna couldn't help but notice the strange, almost shell-shocked look in his eyes.

  Every time Alain opened his mouth, Anna noticed how his jaw seemed to stretch unnaturally. His teeth—no, not teeth, but something more akin to jaws—glinted in the sunlight. It was a disconcerting sight that sent a shiver down her spine.

  "Why does your armor shine faintly like that?" Anna asked, partly out of genuine curiosity and partly as an attempt to steer the conversation away from Leonardo.

  Altan paused, his gaze sweeping over Anna as if reassessing her. After a moment, he responded, "It isn't obvious?" There was a note of condescension in his voice as he looked down at her.

  "It makes the enemy see me better in war. It's a tactic, a fun one," he explained, his tone suggesting that he found some perverse enjoyment in this strategy.

  But Altan's momentary distraction was short-lived. His demeanor shifted abruptly, his focus laser-sharp as he returned to the topic of Leonardo.

  "Where's the son?" he demanded, his earlier question now infused with a sense of urgency and involvement that hadn't been there before.

  "I told you, he died," Anna repeated, the word 'died' sending an involuntary shudder through her body. She struggled to maintain her composure as Alain's imposing figure seemed to loom over her, his distant, glowing white eyes making the situation even more unnerving in the otherwise serene garden setting.

  As Altan reached out to grab Anna, a streak of red suddenly sliced through the air, passing through a nearby flowerbed. The unexpected attack caught Alain off guard, causing him to sidestep quickly.

  Adelaide stood at the exact spot where she had attempted to strike Leonardo earlier. Unlike before, the sword was still in her hand, its blade gleaming red-hot and radiating an aura of danger.

  Seizing the opportunity, Anna moved swiftly. She yanked open the door to the gazebo and began ascending its interior stairs, her heart pounding in her chest.

  Altan, recovering from his surprise, turned his attention to Adelaide. His voice took on a mocking tone as he addressed her.

  "It's fortunate you were saved from a ruined family, like the Mortimers," he said slowly, watching as Adelaide charged another blast.

  "Alright, I'll leave," he said.

  In an instant, his figure seemed to vanish. Adelaide, however, instinctively looked up, her keen senses detecting movement above. There, high in the sky above the garden, Alain hovered, his form barely visible.

  "Riddle me this," Altan's voice carried down, though it was obvious no one could hear him from such a height, "Could I destroy this entire estate?"

  The sprawling property stretched out like a masterfully crafted tapestry, each section meticulously designed and maintained.

  All of this was laid out before Altan like a living map, the estate's true scale and majesty revealed in a way that was impossible to grasp from ground level.

  Back on the ground, Adelaide turned her attention to Anna, who had paused in her ascent up the gazebo's stairs.

  "Is he your new guide?" Adelaide asked, her voice tinged with suspicion and concern.

  Anna's eyes widened at the suggestion, her head shaking vigorously in denial. "Nooooo," she drawled out emphatically, continuing to shake her head as she pushed through the door, eager to put some distance between herself and the unsettling encounter with Altan.