A beautifully captivating woman is seen walking down the streets of Ravenheart. Everywhere she went, heads turned, and people blushed at the sight of her. She gave them dazzling smiles that made a few pedestrians pass out. She paid them no mind, though. Eubin was occupied with something else.
She was already interested when the Prince of Nothing mentioned a young enchanter in passing while traveling to The Lord of Shadows.
It was rare that an enchanter avoided her detection; she was in charge of scouting them out. Eubin was even more curious when Shan told her he created memories and ran a cafe on top of that. She loved cafes. They were her guilty pleasure if she was frank with herself, so this enchanter was already on her good side!
Eubin reached the place that Seishan described. The cottage gave off a very comfortable feeling, and she couldn't quite explain why. Dismissing the random thought, she walked in. Hearing a melodic bell ringing the moment she opened the door, she looked around silently, admiring the aesthetic of what she assumed was the cafe area of the Emporium.
When she heard light footsteps from the kitchen and saw the door open, she failed to hide her surprised expression when she saw a lovely young man walking out with a polite smile. Seishan had failed to mention how good-looking this enchanter was.
That woman would get an earful for trying to hide this beauty standing before her! Though he was a bit too soft-looking for her tastes. Eubin had to calm herself down and try not to scare the young man off! So she swiftly recovered and smiled at the delicate young man who bowed deeply at her.
"Lady Eubin, welcome to the Brilliant Emporium! How may I help you?"
Eubin stepped a bit closer. "Are you Master Sunless?"
The Young Enchanter nodded, his eyes never wandering anywhere else. This action didn't go unnoticed by Eubin.
"Yes, I am called Master Sunless! I thought my day would be boring, but then you showed up! A welcome surprise, my lady! I assume Lady Seishan made you aware of me? What brings you here?"
Eubin nodded and smiled. " Yes, that's right. What brings me here? Two reasons: I love cafes, so I had to go here! And as for the second reason, we will come to that later."
The Charming Enchanter gestured to one of the tables. "Then, please, sit! Would you like anything to drink?"
Eubin sat down and lingered a bit. "Coffee with a bit of honey."
Oddly enough, the Charming Enchanter seemed to stiffen slightly at the word "honey." Was he afraid of the word? Nonetheless, he went towards the kitchen doors and disappeared through them.
The entrance doorbell rang again, announcing another arrival, and her boisterous sister, Lonesome Howl, walked through. With great strides, she walked towards Eubin, her smile ever present. She stopped, sat beside Eubin, and leaned close to her. "So this is where you've run off to!"
Eubin couldn't resist rolling her eyes at her loud sister. She loved her sister Howl, but Howl was as subtle as an APC. The woman might as well have shouted to Eubin! All while not so subtly pointing fingers at Master Sunless, who had just returned from the kitchen with two mugs full of coffee, "Who's the pretty boy? He's like a porcelain doll! You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend, Bin! "
Eubin nearly smacked Howl in the back of the head, but thankfully, Master Sunless didn't seem to hear. The Enchanter smiled and bowed, stopping her from knocking some sense into her sister. "I am called Master Sunless! It is nice to meet you, Lady Lonesome Howl. Would you like anything to drink?"
Howl gave him a look. "Well, it depends."
Master Sunless looked confused. "On what? If I may ask."
Eubin had a terrible premonition. Contrary to popular belief, she didn't just go around flirting with anything that moved. Her boisterous sister Howl was quite the opposite. In terms of personality, Howl reminded her of Saint Athena. Eubin, on the other hand, was very selective about whoever managed to catch her eye, and none were, primarily because they were only interested in her looks or body. She was still single simply because she chose to be.
Howl smiled at the young Enchanter. "Are you on the?"
Then she swayed a bit.
Enchanter Sunless had a concerned look across his handsome face. "Princess Lonesome Howl, are you alright?"
Eubin sent a kick to Howl's leg under the table. Eubin would be damned if Howl ruined the chances of the man she was trying to employ as their Enchanter! Of course, it wouldn't be today. It would be a several-week evaluation at most. One week at the very least. She wanted to see what memories he could make and how long it took, too, but Eubin didn't want him to be scared off because Howl aggressively courted him!
Howl glared at Eubin and smiled at the young man, "Yes, I'm fine! Give me lemonade."
When Master Sunless bowed and left towards the kitchen again, Howl looked at Eubin with a knowing smile and gave her a few nudges on the side with her elbow.
Eubin smacked her arm away. "Will you stop doing that? You're being ridiculous! "
Howl laughed brightly. " Am I being ridiculous? No, no, I'm not! It's good to see you finally found someone. I always figured you had a fancy for younger men, though you're only in your early thirties, but still! He seems like a decent gentleman and a cutie, too!"
Eubin aggressively rolled her eyes. "Will you calm down? We just met today. Howl, I don't even know the man!"
Howl put her arms up in defense. "Fine, fine! The best relationships always start as friends anyway, especially slow-burn ones, where they start as strangers and then slowly develop feelings for one another, just like in the novels! But our sisters won't be as supportive as me, you know? They'll be highly suspicious, and no doubt question him the moment they look at him, especially Silent and Revel."
Meanwhile, Sunny was in the kitchen attempting to get Lemonade for Lonesome Howl, but Gloomy kept giving him strange looks every five seconds!
'What? Why do you keep looking at me like that?'
Gloomy sighed silently and held his face in his hands as if saying, 'How has this idiot been my master for this long?' Sunny had no idea why his shadow was being so mean to him! Well, more than usual. Sunny shook his head, ignoring Gloomy, and left the Kitchen.
Eubin was about to respond, but the man in question had already returned with a glass of lemonade, his ever-present polite smile on his handsome face. His lips were moving, and he was also staring at Eubin. Oh, he was talking to her!
"—Cess Eubin? You mentioned that was another reason you were here. May I ask what that is now?"
Eubin snapped out of her stupor and smiled at him, then sipped her coffee.
"Yes, of course. My sister Seishan and an acquaintance of ours told me that you were an Enchanter, and It just so happens that I am in charge of recruiting Enchanters like yourself. But before that, I want to order something to eat now!"
She observed his reaction and watched a surprised expression bloom on his face. Eubin was secretly amused by his attempt to play it off as if it was an everyday thing for Princesses to show up to him.
Master Sunless cleared his throat and fixed his apron. "Oh! Right, of course! My apologies. What would you two ladies like to eat?"
Eubin asked for a serving of two waffles while Howl ordered an omelet. Both of them watched the charming Enchanter walk back into the kitchen again. Once he left, Howl raised an eyebrow at Eubin and eventually asked a question.
"So what are you going to have him make?"
Eubin looked at Howl for a long time and answered, without her face ever wavering, "A memory."
Howl lightly smacked Eubin on the shoulder while rolling her eyes. "I know that, Smartass! I meant, what rank will you have him make, you know, to gauge his experience."
Eubin feigned surprise. "Ah! Well, why didn't you say that in the first place? A Transcendent one, as I do for most of the Enchanters I recruit; anything less, I'm afraid, won't be acceptable, especially in times like this. I have a feeling that he will not disappoint."
Eubin hoped the charming young man wouldn't disappoint; she would love to have an acquaintance or perhaps a friend like him to talk to about these things personally. Eubin only had her sisters because people only wanted to be around for shallow and artificial reasons. Most of the enchanters were designated to the Blood Sister anyway. Her sisters never understood the things Eubin talked about, mainly because when it came to the workings of memories, according to her sisters, she liked to ramble about them! She did not ramble, though! Eubin was just very passionate about these types of things!
Eubin's intuition was nowhere near Hel's but was still very reliable. But it told her she was making a good decision by coming to this young man. Eubin would never admit this out loud to Sunless, but he was very easy on the eyes. Master Sunless could easily rival Saint Nightingale or Eubin herself if he tried to get dolled up, well more than he already looked. However, Eubin was certain that the charming archer would deny that statement; Nightsinger is too modest for his good.
But back to that Master Sunless, the young man was just like a porcelain doll! And that was far from the only reason she wanted him to be their Enchanter. Eubin ignored that she was complaining about people wanting to be around her only for her looks. It didn't matter! Eubin wasn't a hypocrite! Besides, she was sure he received more than enough compliments every day. And, no doubt, from his girlfriend.
The Charming Master had finally arrived, bringing with him an alluring aroma of food he was carrying. The waffles looked divine, just as Eubin thought that her stomach growled loudly, resulting in her trying not to blush in embarrassment and an amused smile from Master Sunless, all while Howl was trying not to laugh and failing miserably.
"My apologies, Lady Eubin! If I had known you were that hungry, I would have finished the food sooner!
I hope it's to both your satisfaction!"
Eubin rarely got embarrassed, but right now, at this very moment, she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her! She was a Princess and had an image to uphold! So She laughed it off, which also made the charming shopkeeper chuckle. It was a bright, melodic one, and Eubin wondered if Master Sunless did that frequently. If not, she wouldn't mind hearing it more often or laughing full-blown. To laugh with a friend other than her sisters would be very nice. That wasn't to say she didn't love her sisters. She did and always would, But they were also her only friends. Eubin once again found herself drifting off with her thoughts. When she returns to reality, she sees Howl and Master Sunless conversing.
Howl looked at Eubin and smiled knowingly. "Glad to see you're back to the present, sister. I was just about to leave, so you can see what you're working with. Thank you, Master Sunless, for the delicious food and view. Let me know if Eubin gives you any trouble, and I'll deal with her! Oh, for future reference, call me Howl!"
Master Sunless politely bowed. "It was my pleasure, Princess Howl. Have a wonderful day. Come back soon!"
Howl left the Emporium waving behind her. "Oh, I definitely will." Howl then shut the entrance door, leaving them both in silence, with the enigmatic shopkeeper shifting nervously until Eubin smiled at him and spoke up,
"Well, now we can get down to business. Enchanter Sunless, I would like to commission a Transcendent memory! There Is no deadline, so you can take as much time as you need."
The Enchanter's beautiful face lit up "Excellent! Do you have something in mind?"
Eubin shook her head, followed by a coy smile. "No, I don't. Surprise me! But I am curious, how long will it take?"
Master Sunless smiled wider. "Very well, Your Highness! It will take hmmm."He put his hand to his chin, contemplated for a while, then held six fingers.
Eubin nodded understandingly. A Transcendent memory was probably a lot for him, not even considering the number of enchantments he could add to the memory, and on top of that, after all. He was only one man
"Six weeks is an understandable amount of time to make a Memory of that rank for a Master like yourself. I have no problem with waiting for that long."
Judging by his expression, the Young Enchanter seemed confused and slowly shook his head. "Six days"
Eubin's eyes widened, along with a confused expression, too. "I beg your pardon? Six days?"
She couldn't believe what she was hearing: Six days for Transcendent Memories, whether it be weapon or charm, seven-tier enchantments or one enchantment, were impossible for even the most experienced Enchanters of Song, and this Young man who had just shown up not even a week ago said he could do it in six days. If he could prove what he claimed, he would be an extremely valuable asset to Eubin and her sisters. Eubin realized she was getting far ahead of herself. No matter how good-looking or pleasant the shopkeeper was, Eubin would have to see it before she believed it.
"Yes, Lady Beastmaster! Six days to complete it, but that's only if I have any distractions while making it! So I can't say for sure that it will be Six days. It's only an estimated time; I apologize for the confusion!" The Enchanter bowed deeply
Eubin shook her head and dismissively waved his worries away with her hand. She was glad he was more realistic with his goals; six days was also unachievable and unnecessarily stressful! She didn't want the young man croaking over trying to make the memory in such a short period!
"Nonsense. As I said, there is no deadline, so there is no need to feel rushed, Master Sunless! I want to stay here longer and get a lemonade and another waffle, if you don't mind." Eubin hoped Master Sunless didn't think she was a glutton! She wasn't using the excuse of ordering more food to see his face—that would have been shameless! Eubin was getting to know more about the citizens of Ravenheart and interacting with them as a Princess should!
Master Sunless politely smiled. "I don't mind; stay as long as you'd like, Princess Beastmaster. Aside from making your memory, this body of mine has nothing else to do for the rest of the day!"
Eubin could've imagined it, but as Master Sunless was leaving towards the kitchen to make her second order of waffles, Eubin swore she saw his shadow shake its head at her in what looked to be a disappointment. When she looked again, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps it was related to his shadow aspect, as the Prince of Nothing mentioned. Nonetheless, Eubin took advantage of the time that Master Sunless was gone; she unconsciously fixed her hair and went over what she already knew about the charming Enchanter.
According to Seishan, Master Sunless has no ties to Valor. He moved here over a week ago now. He has an aspect related to shadows but is nowhere near as powerful as their reclusive ally in God Grave. Otherwise, he would be out on the field slaying nightmare creatures instead of slaying hunger with his delicious waffles, not that there's anything wrong with making an honest living like this. But other
As a legacy, Eubin was certain she would not be able to empathize with citizens like Master Sunless, who wanted a calm, peaceful life. Still, she often did, more than she would like to admit. But she couldn't since Eubin had an image to uphold as The most feared Enchantress in the world and one of the seven daughters of a sovereign.
She was torn from her thoughts when Master Sunless approached her with her second plate of those divine waffles and a glass of lemonade, put them in front of her, and sat across from her with his ever-present smile on his handsome face. He seemed nervous, which was no surprise. Eubin knew she was beautiful, so naturally, she got that reaction from many people. Eventually, Eubin was the first to speak
"Master Sunless, I must ask, what is the secret for these waffles? They are very delicious! I see why so many people are coming to this place!"
The charming Enchanter smiled and leaned forward a bit
"Well, it wouldn't be a secret if I went around telling now, would it? Don't tell anyone, but the secret is a technique. That's all I can say; I can't make any exceptions, Princess Beastmaster, not even for you!"
Eubin playfully pouted "Really? That's a shame. Not even if I promised you wealth beyond your imagination?"
The Young Enchanters' smile became playful as well. " Well, it is very tempting when you say that, but I'm afraid I would have to decline that offer! My assistant Aiko, however, would take it in a heartbeat. She is the second greediest person I know; please don't ask me who the first is, and we will be fine!"
For once, Eubin let out a genuine laugh. "Alright, I won't ask who the first is. Then I will ask how your experience has been since settling in Ravenheart after your first week here."
The gorgeous Enchanter quietly sighed. "The Memory side of the Emporium has been pretty slow. We've had only one customer, and that's you. But as for the cafe side, we've been pretty busy, and I'm almost sure we have a few regular customers now. Overall, it could be better, but it could also be a lot worse!"
They both suddenly heard a loud yawn and saw a petite woman with dark hair floating out of the kitchen. She stared at them for a long moment. "Hey, Boss, I'm heading to bed; I'll see you in the morning."
Master Sunless seemed confused. "Already? It's not even that late."
The young woman looked outraged. "What do you mean "already?" You've been talking for hours! Boss, It's past closing time! Look outside the window! We're in the middle of the night now! Now, Goodnight!" She left with a huff and floated what Eubin assumed was upstairs.
Eubin couldn't hide her surprise. Her eyes widened. She quickly took out a large pouch of coins and handed it to Master Sunless. The Charming Enchanter barely paid any attention. His face had somehow grown paler than it already was, and his head whipped to the window to complete darkness outside.
"Oh Gods! I lost track of time, Lady Beastmaster. I will have your memory done by the end of the week!"
Eubin nodded and left toward the door. "Please, Master Sunless, from now on, call me Eubin! I will see you later this week." She went with haste, hoping that her sisters wouldn't give her any problems for staying out so late. Granted, they were all adults and could spend their time however they liked, but it was much different when a man was involved in the mix. What made things worse was that Howl more than likely opened her big mouth to the rest of her sisters, telling them that she had a boyfriend! Then Mother would no doubt find out about something that isn't true!
Once Eubin returned to their castle, the guards greeted her and opened the doors. She walked down the halls, passing her sisters' rooms. Opening her door, then closing it and locking it, she found her sisters sitting on her bed or chairs, staring at Eubin with various expressions. The most notable was Howl, who wore a bright, mischievous smile. Eubin would have her vengeance on Howl, and it would be sweet!
'Now, how the hell am I going to get out of this one?'
Eubin opened her arms to her sisters with a bright smile. "Greetings, my dear sisters! What brings you here at this time of night? In my chambers? Not that I mind at all!"
Moonveil, lying on Eubins bed, sat up, got out of the bed, and then walked towards Eubin with an unreadable expression.
"We could also ask what you were doing at this time of night, Bin. You're never out this late, especially past midnight. Now, what is his name, sister?"
Eubin laughed. This situation involving Master Sunless would make it difficult for her to talk her way out of it. The evidence is completely stacked against her.
"Veil, my Sister, it is not what you think. He is simply the Enchanter The Prince of Nothing told us about during our time in GodGrave. I went to go visit the young man—"
She was interrupted by Veil, who raised an eyebrow and smiled, "For several hours? That's quite the extended visit, and it must have been a good one, considering the big grin on your face when you walked in here!"
Eubin immediately tried to wipe the smile off her face but found it rather tricky. This was going to be a long night.