The Legend of Marvin

As the end of the class approached, Richard, slumped over his desk, enjoyed the moment of calm. But his respite was short-lived when a mocking voice rang out beside him.

— Marvin, when are you finally going to stop acting like a clown?

Richard looked up and found Beldrick Von Halder, arms crossed, his gaze filled with annoyance.

— What's your problem, Beldrick? Richard replied with an amused smile. You've been on my case ever since I got back.

Beldrick narrowed his eyes, visibly irritated.

— What annoys me is that you never take anything seriously, Marvin. One day, it's going to cost you.

Richard shrugged nonchalantly.

— And what annoys me is that you're always on my back. If you have a problem, just tell me directly instead of playing the moralizer.

Beldrick clenched his fists but didn't respond. He turned on his heels and left the room without a word.

Larry, who had been watching the scene, approached Richard, laughing.

— You really know how to get on people's nerves, huh?

— Meh, he loves to give me a hard time. I think he actually likes me deep down, Richard joked.

At the end of the school day, Richard walked out of the academy calmly, but he suddenly stopped when he saw a familiar figure standing right by the entrance.

Elisabeth was there, arms crossed, her expression serious, as if she were waiting for someone.

Intrigued, Richard stepped toward her.

— What are you doing here, Elisabeth? he asked.

She raised an eyebrow and retorted dryly:

— You kept me waiting, just so you know.

Richard blinked in surprise.

— What do you mean, I kept you waiting?

Elisabeth sighed and put her hands on her hips.

— You told me we were supposed to go to your place together for my training with Master Henry.

— Ah… Richard scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. Yeah, that's right… I completely forgot. Sorry.

Elisabeth rolled her eyes, but a small amused smile betrayed her irritation.

At that moment, Larry arrived, stretching.

— Well, Richard, I'm heading home too, he announced.

Richard nodded before glancing around.

— By the way, where's Tristan?

Larry shrugged.

— No idea. He slipped away right after class.

Richard frowned slightly. Tristan wasn't the type to leave without saying anything.

— Weird… he murmured.

Elisabeth observed Richard with a curious look.

— Is something wrong?

— No… at least, I hope not.

But an odd feeling lingered in his mind… As if something was happening, and he had no idea what.

Elisabeth crossed her arms and stated in a neutral tone:

— I saw him with the new girl.

Her words hung in the air, leaving Richard and Larry speechless.

— What?! Richard exclaimed, looking incredulous. With who? Lucille?

Elisabeth nodded confidently.

Larry furrowed his brows.

— Wait, Tristan was with Lucille? Are you sure?

— Of course I'm sure. They were talking a bit off to the side behind the academy building.

Richard, visibly troubled, ran a hand through his hair.

— What was he doing with her? he asked insistently. Did you hear what they were saying?

Elisabeth raised an eyebrow, slightly annoyed by his tone.

— Why are you yelling at me? He's your friend; shouldn't you know what he's up to?

Larry gave Richard a skeptical look before intervening.

— Chill, Richard. You're acting weird, and it's kinda freaking me out.

Richard took a deep breath and shook his head.

— No, it's just… It's not like Tristan to disappear like that without saying anything, let alone go talk to a stranger.

Larry shrugged.

— Maybe he thinks she's cute. Did you see how he reacted when she arrived? He was blushing like crazy.

— Yeah, maybe… Richard replied, lost in thought.

But deep down, he felt that something was off. Ever since Lucille had arrived, he had a bad feeling, and now Tristan had disappeared without a word to go talk to her in secret?

He didn't like this one bit.

Elisabeth stared at him for a moment before sighing.

— If it worries you that much, we can try talking to him tomorrow. Maybe he has a good reason.

Richard crossed his arms, thinking about what he should do.

— Yeah… We'll see.

But he knew he couldn't wait. He had to get to the bottom of this, and fast.

Elisabeth and Richard sat in the luxurious carriage of the imperial family, moving leisurely through the bustling streets of the capital.

A slight tension filled the silence between them, and Elisabeth noticed that Richard seemed preoccupied. His gaze was lost outside the window, his foot tapping nervously against the carriage floor.

Curious, she broke the silence:

— What's wrong, Richard?

Richard turned his gaze away from the window and shook his head.

— Nothing, I'm fine.

But his tone betrayed his concern.

Elisabeth narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, unconvinced.

— It's about Tristan and Lucille, isn't it?

Richard didn't respond immediately, but his silence spoke volumes.

Elisabeth sighed before offering a slight smile.

— You don't need to worry, you know. It's normal for Tristan to be interested in girls. Not everyone is like you, after all.

At those words, Richard abruptly turned his head toward her, intrigued.

— What do you mean by "not everyone is like me"?

Elisabeth raised an eyebrow, an amused smile playing on her lips.

— Well… Let's just say that, unlike you, Tristan seems to have a soft spot for pretty girls. And he's not afraid to show it.

Richard looked at her, slightly puzzled.

— And what's that supposed to mean? That I'm indifferent to that kind of thing?

Elisabeth stared at him for a moment, then quickly turned her gaze toward the window.

— Who knows… she murmured enigmatically.

Richard frowned.

— You're being really mysterious all of a sudden.

Elisabeth simply smiled, but deep down, she hoped Richard would eventually figure out what she truly meant on his own.

Silence settled between them once more, but this time, it was far more charged with unspoken words.

After some time, they finally arrived at the Marvin estate, where Henry was already waiting for them at the entrance.

Richard stepped out of the carriage first and addressed his grandfather in his usual casual tone:

— Hey, Grandpa!

Elisabeth, more respectful, gave a slight bow before greeting him as well:

— Good evening, Master Henry.

Henry gave them both a warm smile.

— Good evening, my dear children. I'm glad to see you again.

They entered the manor and settled comfortably in the lounge. Henry took his usual seat in his armchair, observing Richard and Elisabeth with a serious expression.

After a brief silence, he finally spoke:

— Richard, I have to leave for Turing today.

The news took Richard and Elisabeth by surprise.

— What? But you said you wouldn't be leaving for another week! Richard exclaimed, furrowing his brows.

Henry sighed and slowly nodded.

— That's true, but the situation has worsened. I've learned that several people have disappeared near the border between Valdrith and Nudenia. And that's not all…

He paused, his expression growing more serious.

— There are rumors about a sect called the Apostles of the Shadow. Supposedly, they are fanatics serving Barbatos…

Elisabeth, who had remained silent until then, clenched her fists slightly.

— Does that mean Barbatos' seal is in danger?

Henry looked at her before nodding slowly.

— It's a possibility. That's why I must leave immediately to investigate.

Richard and Elisabeth exchanged worried glances at Henry's words. The atmosphere in the Marvin manor's lounge grew heavier, and Richard instinctively clenched his fists.

— A sect? Disappearances? he repeated in a grave tone. Why didn't you tell us about this sooner, Grandpa?

Henry sighed and settled comfortably into his chair. His usually kind gaze darkened slightly.

— Because I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily. But things are becoming much more serious than expected. Travelers and villagers near the border are vanishing without a trace. Some say hooded figures are taking them away in the dead of night.

— And these Apostles of the Shadow… Elisabeth added, her gaze sharp. You're saying they serve Barbatos?

Henry nodded.

— Yes. They're not just ordinary fanatics; they're mages who draw their power from an energy called the Oxide. It's a corrupted source of power that can greatly enhance those who use it.

Richard crossed his arms, looking displeased.

— And you plan to go to Turing alone with all of this happening?

— I've already made arrangements, Richard. I have a contact waiting for me there. But I want you to stay here and continue your training.

Richard opened his mouth to protest, but Henry raised a hand to silence him.

— I know what you're going to say. You want to come with me, but now is not the time.

Elisabeth, who had been observing Richard, spoke in a calm yet firm tone:

— Richard, he's right. If members of this sect are lurking around, rushing in blindly isn't a good idea.

Richard gritted his teeth, frustrated.

— But we can't just sit here and do nothing!

Henry placed a reassuring hand on his grandson's shoulder.

— You won't be inactive. While I'm gone, I want you to strengthen your skills and keep an eye on what's happening in the city. It's possible this sect has already infiltrated the capital.

Richard let out a sigh and reluctantly nodded.

— Fine… But promise me that if things get too dangerous, you'll send us a message.

Henry smiled.

— I promise.

Elisabeth watched the scene in silence. She had a bad feeling about this journey—it wouldn't just be a simple investigation for Henry. An uneasy intuition weighed on her heart, but she kept her concerns to herself.

Henry then stood up and declared with a smile:

— Well, before I leave, I'm going to set up one last training exercise for you. I want to see your progress!

Richard and Elisabeth exchanged a knowing look. If Henry wanted to test them before his departure, it wasn't just a formality… It meant they had to be ready for anything.