The Uninvited Guest

"The kids are getting along," Freya remarked, her voice tinged with bored indifference as she observed the group.

"Technically, yes," Henri replied, glancing at the unfolding scene. He wasn't surprised by his daughter's behavior toward Marquis, but something in Freya's tone made him turn to face her.

"What are your intentions?" he asked, sensing an unusual familiarity in her demeanor.

"What? Are you really going to break decades of friendship over that?" Freya replied, a mocking tone lacing her words.

Henri raised an eyebrow. "Why are you getting defensive?"

She shrugged. "I'm joking."

Before Henri could press further, Ashur's deep voice cut through the conversation. "Colan's waking up."

"That was surely fast," Sir Eadric noted, though his comment was met with a stern rebuttal from Beaugois.

"No, it wasn't," Alaric said sharply, narrowing his eyes at Sir Eadric.

"You—" Sir Eadric began slowly, but Alaric cut him off with a short laugh. "Hah."

Colan stirred, his voice carrying an odd tone, almost as if he were faking his usual accent. "Ah, what happened?"

Before anyone could respond, a voice from above announced, "Unwritten skills are about to be given. Heirs, line up in a queue from shortest to tallest for most stability."

The heads, now fully interested in the distribution of unwritten skills, began scanning the room. All eyes eventually settled on the same figure.

"It's your daughters' guide," Ashur pointed out, prompting the others to shift their focus.

"He really is short," Sir Eadric said, gesturing with his hand to approximate Leonardo's height.

"Why pick such a small boy?" Alphonse asked, genuinely puzzled.

"He... really... is... short," Bel-Ibni added slowly, his eerie tone making the others uneasy.

"Uh huh," Freya murmured, her discomfort evident.

The voice filled the room again, now addressing the small figure. "State your name."

Henri sighed. "Is that really necessary?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Alphonse said with a shrug.

"Uh... Leonardo. Leonardo Salvius Nox," the boy said, his voice trembling slightly.

"Ever heard of any Salvius Noxs? It hints at royalty," Alphonse asked Henri.

"Not really. We can't influence the guide selection, remember?" Henri replied, shaking his head.

"Right."

The dimly lit hall began to glow with cyan light. The floor beneath Leonardo shimmered, casting a soft hue around his small form.

"I don't want an unwritten skill," Leonardo muttered, recalling the contract he had signed with Milah. Something in his conscience warned him not to—Text wasn't there to ask.

"What?" the voice asked in confusion.

"Huh?" Henri echoed, stunned.

Even Alphonse, who'd hoped Marquis might deny the skill, hadn't expected this—from a guide, no less.

Ashur, puzzled at first, then burst into laughter. "Your daughters picked a good guide—regardless of height."

"That's mildly surprising," Freya muttered, her surprise evident.

"Why?" the voice asked, now curious.

"Well, the to—" Leonardo began, his stutter noticeable. Then he paused, realization dawning. "I already have all my slots filled," he muttered, barely audible.

"Never mind. Move out of the way," the voice said flatly, sending a wave of shock through the room.

"Huh?" Anna said, visibly flabbergasted.

The next heir stepped forward. A spiral of blue light appeared beneath her feet, enveloping her in a radiant glow. It was as if the sun had descended to touch her.

The light bathed her in a golden hue, mirroring the way Leonardo's skin had glowed under the intense light.

Her attire was as vibrant as her personality—she wore a richly decorated pink tunic made of fine, colorful fabric, reminiscent of Andean textiles.

She approached Leonardo with a confident stride, her presence trailing light. "I'm Aymara," she said.

"I'm Leonard—" he began, but she interrupted.

"Leonardo."

"Why didn't you accept the unwritten skill?" she asked, curiosity sparkling in her voice. Most heirs wouldn't dare reject the sage's offer.

"No reason," he replied flatly.

"You can tell me."

"I don't know you."

"I do, though."

"What?"

"Leonardo Salvius Nox."

"I said that."

Leonardo shifted uncomfortably as Aymara's deep yellow eyes widened, almost hypnotic.

"Ah, I'm joking," she said with a small huff. Then, tilting her head, she added, "You really are short," gesturing slightly, though she stood only half an inch taller.

"Ah... yeah," Leonardo replied quietly.

"The others are almost done!" Aymara said brightly.

"What did you get?" Leonardo asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, you should've just gotten your own if you wanted to know," she said with a cheeky grin.

"You're right," Leonardo replied, still flat.

"You're getting dry," she noted, puzzled by his sudden change in tone.

"I know," he said distantly.

Elara, standing at 5'8"—an inch taller than her sister Anna—was positioned near the end of the room, wary of the monsters lurking further back.

One of them caught Leonardo's attention. "Who's that huge guy?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"That's Tyrsson," Aymara explained. "He participates in retrieval Wars, game of the districts."

The man—if you could call him that—was a giant among the others. His presence was as commanding as a mountain, drawing every eye in the room.

Standing at an imposing 10'3", Tyrsson's skin was a deep bronze, tanned by the sun and winds of his homeland. Massive metal bands wrapped around his arms and legs.

His thick, wild chestnut hair cascaded down his back like a lion's mane, tied back with a simple leather strap.

And then—his eyes. Piercing ice blue, they stood in stark contrast to his rugged features. Unnatural, almost, against his dark skin and mane of hair.