The next morning, Vicente left the Bain estate next to Nova at the beginning of the day and went for a walk through the city.
Dryhaven was a city surrounded by rivers, with a beautiful lake in the central part of the city, where there was a beach, but it also gave access to a large local river that went all the way to the sea, about 60 kilometers to the east.
The view from this part of the city was beautiful, and Nova wanted to show Vicente the beauties of her land during the day.
He seldom had time to enjoy the moment without worries, so she wanted to give him such a day.
Her father wouldn't be back until the end of the day, so they had plenty of time to enjoy themselves until their next appointment.
...
Later that day, Vicente and Nova had already strolled around the most visited places in Dryhaven before heading to one of the best local restaurants.
The two had entered the establishment a few moments earlier and placed their order. They were now chatting as they drank and waited for their food.
"You have to try the fish I ordered. It's delicious, Vice. You'll understand when you taste it." Nova told him with a relaxed and happy look on her face.
Vicente was in the same mood as his girlfriend, quite relaxed and content with this day off, which he had for the first time in a long time.
But when he looked into Nova's eyes, he suddenly felt something familiar in his surroundings.
Vicente's senses were very sharp, so when he felt something, he searched for the source of this sensation, quickly stopping his gaze toward a couple who had just arrived at the restaurant.
Looking at the blond man who had sat down across from him, a few tables away from them, and then at the green-haired woman, he quickly recognized them.
"Vice?" Nova was surprised to see the change in Vicente's expression and quickly turned her face to see what he was looking at.
"Don't look," Vicente said quietly. "I know those two. They're Livia Norris and Nicolas Grant."
"Oh?" Nova knew them too, not only that, but she knew a lot more about their story than Vicente since she had grown up in the city of their families. "And what's the problem?"
"They met me in Millfall at the Symons family funeral."
"I remember that..."
"So they saw my Magic Gem that day. If they realize who I am, I'll be in trouble." Vicente went straight to the point.
"Would you like to trade places with me?" She asked him, knowing that this would indeed be problematic since there was a wanted poster in the army with Vicente's Magic Gem on it.
Vicente was still free because he had had time to contact Jasmine and Nova and use their help to change the data the army and the Congregation of Revelations had on him.
If it hadn't been for their help, someone would have found out sooner or later!
But in the current situation, only those who had seen Vicente in person would have any information about his real Magic Gem, thus putting him in danger.
Livia and Nicolas were the two people who had that information, so he couldn't help but worry when he came face to face with them.
"Yes, let's switch places." Vicente quickly followed Nova's suggestion.
By switching places, he would have his back to those two, which would be better for him to hide.
If he left right after seeing them, people might get suspicious and ask questions they shouldn't. So he stayed at his table, now with his back to the couple.
"I didn't expect to find them here." Nova sighed, feeling that this was her fault.
"Don't worry. You didn't see it coming." Vicente expressed. "Anyway, what are they doing? Do you think they saw us? You wouldn't attract their attention any more than I would, would you?"
Vicente didn't know everything about Nova's life, so he couldn't help worrying that these two might also know Nova.
"Don't worry, they're distracted by their own problems." She smiled at Vicente. "And no, I shouldn't attract more attention than you. Even though I know them, they don't know me.
When I lived in this city, I heard a lot about their families and arranged marriages. In a way, they were as much talked about as Shelby and Marcus were back in Millfall.
But they and I never had any contact with each other. The closest we came was at the Symons family funeral, but I don't think that would be enough for them to approach us because they saw me."
"I hope so..." Vicente sighed just before the waiter came to their table with their orders.
With the food in front of them, he and Nova began to eat, interrupting their conversation to devour the orders they had placed.
With Livia and Nicolas nearby, they left the restaurant as quickly as possible.
Luckily, Nicolas didn't notice Nova sitting not far from him while he concentrated on his business with Livia.
Livia didn't see either of them. Her back was to the table where Vicente and Nova were sitting.
When the couple finished eating, they paid their bill and left the restaurant discreetly.
...
Just after leaving the previous restaurant, Vicente and Nova laughed about their nervousness as they walked back to the Bain estate.
Halfway there, however, a group of armed men in armor stopped them in the middle of a sidewalk.
"Mister Fuller?" One of the grim-faced guards looked at Vicente and asked, trying to recognize this person with the one they were looking for.
"Right?" Vicente hadn't thought these people were after him, but he answered when he was called.
"Come with us. Count Grant is waiting for you at the family estate." The main guard, a level 9 General, said in a harsh tone, glaring at Vicente.
Nova frowned when she heard that and saw the expressions on the faces of the guards wearing the Grant family uniform.
"What's going on?" She asked.
The men there didn't know Nova, nor could they know that she was a Commandant in the royal army without seeing her credentials.
One of them didn't look at her but replied. "He'll find out when he comes with us."
Vicente didn't understand the situation either. He didn't know Count Grant and had no dealings with any of the nobleman's allies.
`Could this be Nicolas and Livia's doing?` Vicente worried. But now that these people had stopped him, he couldn't ignore the fact. If there was a problem, he had to dig deeper and solve it before his situation got worse.
`Shit!`
He said, smiling at these people as if he didn't owe anyone anything. "All right, please lead the way."
