'She's the one!' At the very moment Julian had mentioned Mystia's full name, Valyr felt as if multiple fireworks had gone off in his head. In the meantime, a considerable number of memories from his time in Astarto Village started to surface in his mind.
'If it wasn't for me needing to find someone who could concoct the Basic Reinforcement Elixir in the village, I definitely wouldn't have come into contact with someone like her.' Going through his memories from the past, Valyr recalled the time he had met up with Astarto Village's alchemist at the time, which was Vera Aschel.
With him requesting the young woman to concoct a set of Basic Physical and Mental Reinforcement Elixir for him to consume, Vera eventually agreed after Valyr showed that he already had the materials needed to concoct the elixirs in the first place, as well as the fact that he was fine with her wasting some of the materials he had gathered in order to get used to the process.
However, as she only knew what the Basic Reinforcement Elixir was and not the process that would allow her to concoct it, Vera sought the help of her mentor.
And that was the moment when Valyr had come into contact with the woman named Mystia.
'I wonder if she still remembers me.' Recalling the brief conversation he and Mystia had over the magic orb Vera used to contact her, Valyr bitterly smiled. 'On second thought, I'm pretty sure she still remembers me.'
'After all, I've just blatantly told her at that time that I was Valyr Zeihardt. It would be impossible for her to forget someone who basically told her that he was the one everyone in the Zeihardt clan was looking for.' With this thought lingering in his mind, he briefly glanced at Mystia, who glanced back at him with slight curiosity.
'Fortunately, I think she can't see through my facade.' Inwardly letting out a sigh of relief at the thought, he then proceeded to greet her alongside Theraldine, to which Mystia replied with a soft smile.
"Alright, you two are free to leave. We'll talk about what happened here some other time. Especially you, Ylvar." Eventually thinking that it wouldn't really make sense for the two to be involved in their conversation, Julian changed his mind and allowed the two to leave, prompting them to bow in front of Byron and Mystia before proceeding to head to another part of the Blacksmith Guild for the meantime.
"With that over with, how about I finally do my proper job as a host and give you two some place to rest? After all, the two of you did have to travel quite a distance." After watching the silhouettes of both Valyr and Theraldine disappear from the main hall, Julian returned his gaze to Byron and Mystia while faintly smiling.
"Though I'd definitely like to take you up on that offer, a day of rest is the maximum amount of time the two of us could allow ourselves to have before we have to return to forging masterwork weapons." In response, Byron flashed an apologetic smile at the man as he explained their situation.
"Is that so?" Hearing those words, a trace of disappointment briefly appeared on Julian's face, considering that it had been some time since he and Byron had met up. However, knowing the weight of the responsibilities the other side was shouldering, he quickly understood as he bitterly smiled. "I guess I'll have to save the good food and drinks for some other time."
"Unfortunately." Byron bitterly smiled as well. "However, once this is all over, let's enjoy ourselves till our heart's content, okay?"
"You better keep that promise, you hear me?" Letting out a bit of laughter, Julian nodded as he extended his hand for a handshake.
"I definitely will." With a toothy grin, Byron nodded back as he reciprocated the handshake, looking at his good friend with a determined expression.
Whoosh!
After saying their farewells and their promises to one another once they met up in the future, Byron went ahead and conjured a rift that would teleport them part of the way back to where he and Mystia were originally working.
Waving at his good friend one last time, Byron soon went ahead and walked through the rift he had made, removing his presence entirely from the Blacksmith Guild's main hall.
"It was definitely nice meeting you, Miss Mystia." With Byron having already gone through the portal, Julian said his farewells to Mystia as well. "The conversations we've had earlier have definitely given me a lot of insight towards the art of blacksmithing, as well as the art of alchemy."
"It applies both ways, Sir Julian." Hearing Julian's words, Mystia flashed a warm smile. "Just like how my words have expanded your horizons, so too have your words expanded mine. I am certain that the advice and words you've given me shall prove monumental in my assistance in Sir Byron's future works."
"Oh, you flatter me too much." Not being used to taking compliments, Julian laughed the woman's words off. After that, he waved at her goodbye. "Safe travels."
"I shall try my best to do so." Smiling once more, Mystia faintly nodded before proceeding to take a step into the rift. However, just as she was about to take another step and completely pass through the rift, a thought surfaced in her mind, prompting her to call out to Julian.
"Say, Sir Julian. Would you happen to know the true identity of the young man dueling against your daughter earlier?" Hearing this question from Mystia, Julian, who had already turned around to head back to his private workshop, was forced to turn back as he pondered over the question.
"Are you talking about Ylvar?"
"Is that the young man's true name?" asked Mystia in response, giving Julian a knowing smile. "Though I've ignored it all this time, that does not mean I didn't notice he was using a skill to disguise his true identity."
"Unfortunately, I cannot disclose his true identity to you, Miss Mystia. Even if you're the Meltierre Heavenly Court's Imperial Alchemist." With an apologetic smile, Julian let out a slightly disappointed sigh. "All I can say is that he is the one I've chosen to represent the blacksmiths in the upcoming Four Pillars' Inheritance. Nothing more, nothing less."
"Alright, alright. I won't bring further headache to the Guildmaster." Mystia faintly chuckled, apologizing for the sudden question soon after. "With that, I shall truly take my leave now."
"May you two have a safe travel back." Inwardly letting out a sigh of relief, Julian waved farewell at Mystia once more as she disappeared from the Blacksmith Guild's main hall, traveling through space to arrive at where Byron was currently waiting.
…
"Out of all the people I thought I'd come across again, I definitely wasn't expecting you to appear in this place." Whilst moving through the darkness of space, a faint smile appeared on Mystia's face, thinking back to the glance she and the young man shared earlier.
"So, this was where you were, Valyr Zeihardt." Certain that Valyr thought his facade had fooled her, Mystia let out a bit of mischievous laughter. "To think you're hiding right under the Zeihardt clan's noses. Truly brave of you to do so."
"However, there will eventually come a time where you'll have to reveal your true identity to the world. But considering that you're a part of my plans, as the magnanimous woman that I am, I'll make sure that time is as delayed as possible." As these words left her mouth, Mystia's laughter grew louder. "For now..."
"I hope the surprise I prepared for you is to your liking."
