Nameless King

Crackle.

The wooden door opened as a tall, muscular man with a bare torso and long red hair that was slicked back as if it were a lion's mane walked in.

The man headed to the bar and, with a big smile on his face, said, "Sven, it's been so long since we've seen each other. Do you really have to stay quiet even now?"

"Osvald... Well, we actually saw each other for the last time years ago." Sven said with a calm look, "Maybe if you hadn't locked yourself in your Void it would have happened a lot sooner, my doors are always open to you. You know that."

"I'm just sick of everything." Osvald shrugged, "Sometimes everyone needs to be alone with themselves. What's wrong with that? Although, if it weren't for that guy, Wain, I'd probably still be in my cage."

"Huh, that's pretty funny." Sven grinned.

"Hmm? What makes you laugh?" Osvald asked with a confused look.

"Wain was just here, it's only been a few minutes, so if you had been faster, you would have even met." Sven shook his hand.

"Sometimes coincidences are amazing. Wain is an outstanding guy." Osvald said, hopping over to the bar and grabbing a big bottle of whiskey off the shelf.

"Yeah. He's grown a lot. By the way, he's already found Gladius." Sven told before taking the bottle from Osvald's hands and pouring two glasses.

"Oh, looks like I was right after all. I wouldn't mistake this energy for anything else. In his Soul Temple is actually the soul of the Nameless King." Osvald uttered with a dazed look as he took the glass.

"I hope Marlis doesn't notice it too soon." Sven muttered, drained his glass, and set it aside.

"What?! You sent it to Marlis?! She was a crazy bitch five hundred years ago! I can't imagine what's going on in her head now! Why did you do that?" Osvald exclaimed with a shocked look.

"It's not my fault." Sven spread his arms apart with a careless look, "He needs to get into Death Shore for some reason, you know yourself that only Marlis can get him there in one piece."

"Well, I wouldn't be so sure about the latter..." Osvald muttered as he took a sip, "Death Shore... I hope he doesn't die there. It would be a shame to lose such a promising guy."

"Don't worry. It definitely won't happen, just not to him." Sven spoke with a confident look as though he knew more than Osvald.

"Damn... I'll have to go see Marlis, I haven't seen her since that day. It gives me the creeps when I think of it." Osvald uttered since he shuddered.

"Hey, you better put that away. It looks like you got a little too relaxed." Sven muttered while pointing to Osvald's chest.

A split star tattoo appeared there, just like Arkans had.

"Oh, sometimes I forget that. You're right. It's better for no one to see it, at least not yet." Osvald sighed, and his aura intensified.

Under the pressure of the energy, the star tattoo disappeared as if it had never existed.

"Don't worry, we still have plenty of time. I've already met someone from the new generation, so I must say it's a disappointment. In our day and age, people like that one wouldn't even be allowed on the battlefield, or they'd be executed for weakness." Sven said before putting the glasses down.

"Heh, that was a fun time." Osvald smirked, "Hey, do you have any cigarettes?"

"Hmm? You don't smoke."

"I don't. It's just that the last time I did, it was five hundred years ago. Consider me taking a little break."

...

Wain stood in front of a stone door from behind which emanated a strong aroma of herbs as though it were the way to the alchemist's study.

"I don't like all this, but I guess I have no choice, right?" Wain muttered as he approached the door.

"In case of danger, you can easily escape, so there's no reason to worry." Galdius uttered.

Wain gulped, nodded, and stepped inside.

Whooooooooosh.

The darkness turned into a long tunnel that was lit by several particularly bright purple torches. There were strange symbols on the walls as well as empty or broken flasks from various potions lying on the floor.

'Alchemist? Sven is a bartender, but that's definitely not his real specialty, but what about Marlis? Maybe she's a brilliant alchemist? That might be a useful acquaintance.' Wain muttered inwardly as he stepped forward.

He reached the room that was a real mess. Sheets of various recipes were scattered on the tables, along with bowls, mortars, and anything else that might come in handy in making potions.

At the end of the room was a massive cabinet where the ingredients were, but most of them were on the floor as though they were trash. In the center was a massive bed, next to it were a huge number of empty liquor bottles.

On the bed slept a short girl with short red hair, glasses, and a white robe that covered her slim body.

"Is that her...? Is that Marlis...?" Wain muttered with a confused look as he did not expect to see such a scene at all.

He thought he would meet a powerful and dangerous alchemist, but Marlis' room was like the hideout of a drunkard or a hapless scientist.

'Perhaps I should leave? I don't think she can get me into Death Shore. Has Sven been playing a joke on me?' Wain muttered to himself while looking at Merlis.

Crack.

Marlis suddenly opened her eyes, she looked at Wain, but it didn't last more than a second as she pulled a half-empty bottle from under her pillow and drained it completely.

"Shit... I'm out of alcohol again..." Marlis muttered in a hopeless voice as if that were the end of everything and threw the empty bottle against the wall.

Whoooosh.

Marlis jumped off the bed as she found herself in front of Wain. She moved closer to him and inhaled deeply.

"You smell kind of weird... I can't figure out what it is... Boy, who are you?" Marlis asked with a curious look.