"I don't know where he is right now. After graduating from college, he joined the army and was sent to Snow Province. That was about two years ago. If he's been transferred elsewhere in the meantime, I don't know where he is.
If you want to find him, you should visit his family in Magewatch or go directly to the largest city in Snow Province. You can search for the local army post and get information about him there," Alice explained.
She wasn't obligated to help a 'stranger' like Vicente, but it was always good to have the favor of someone who could walk alongside a Sovereign Beast.
"Couldn't I get that information from the army post here in Grandis?" Vicente asked.
She smiled at him as she shook her head negatively. "I wouldn't suggest that. The army doesn't give out information about the location of its soldiers to strangers. You'll get into trouble here in the capital if you try to go to the army headquarters.
But if you go to his family or to the post in that province, your chances are good. Everyone in those places will want to please someone like you, and they won't deny you what you're looking for."
There were Sovereigns at the army headquarters in Grandis, but there were no 4th-stage magicians at the army post in Snow Province. Anyone in that place would avoid displeasing a magician of Vicente's level!
"I see. What about his girlfriend, June?" He asked about the pink-haired woman who had been with Alice and Joshua that day.
"June was dating him back then, but for some reason I don't know, they ended their relationship. She joined the army, too, but she's serving in one of the troops directly under royal command. I doubt she'll be able to help you get to Joshua." Alice said sincerely.
"Thank you for the information." Vicente made a gesture of gratitude and said. "If you ever need anything, come see me in Saltstar City."
When he first met Alice in Ironcrest, that woman had given him a hard time. But Vicente didn't hold a grudge or want any trouble because of that day.
Cesar Mazzanti was dead, and this woman had just helped him. If she ever needed anything from him, he would sincerely help her and turn their relationship into something more positive and beneficial for both sides.
"Saltstar City, huh?" Alice watched Vicente leave, curious to know the real story behind this person.
Saltstar City was too simple for someone like Vicente to live or stay in for long. She smiled and thought that if she ever went looking for this offer of help, it wouldn't be this man she would find.
'Well, better than nothing.' Smiling, she returned to her class.
Vicente soon left the building and walked across the college grounds.
'She seemed sincere, master. What are you going to do? Go to Magewatch? That city is a bit out of our way back to Saltstar City, but I think we'll have an easier time if we go to his family instead of looking for him in an army headquarters.'
'That must be the case.' Vicente agreed, as Joshua's family most likely knew his whereabouts and would give that information to Vice without difficulty.
'Let's make a quick tour of this city.' Vicente decided, then grabbed one of his state maps to plot a route to Magewatch.
Magewatch was in Diamond Province, where he was at the moment. But while Grandis was near the coast, which was the quickest way to Saltstar City, Magewatch was further into the continent, from where the journey to Vicente's city would naturally be longer.
'We will extend our journey by a week beyond what it would have taken according to our original plans...' Vicente did his calculations and came to this conclusion.
"When do we leave, master?" Onyx asked when they stopped in front of the college.
"Now."
"Aren't we staying longer in the capital?" The bird on one of Vice's shoulders asked.
"We would if Joshua were still around. It would be to our advantage to settle this matter and take advantage of the opportunity to be in the capital. But I don't see the point of staying in this complicated place with Joshua so far away." He murmured to his mount as he looked around, noticing several eyes watching him from the shadows.
'The risks are truly great. The longer we stay in cities like this, the greater our chances of getting into trouble.' Torne commented.
"Let's go," Vicente muttered as he headed for the eastern exit of Grandis, walking down the city's main avenue in a hurry but without running or attracting unnecessary attention.
In the middle of his journey, he would come across the carriage of Princess Lina Seidel arriving at this place and would meet his eyes with those of this beautiful woman.
From inside the princess's carriage, she looked at Vicente and frowned. 'This person...? Have I met him before?' She asked herself.
"This is a fascinating beast." An old man in front of Lina commented to the princess as he looked in the same direction as her. "I wonder where this boy came from?"
"I don't know, but I feel like I've met him before, but I can't remember where." She replied, her eyes flashing in a strange way.
"Huh? Are you sure you've seen him before? Wouldn't it be the case that you will meet him in the future?" The old man had always accompanied the princess but had never seen that face before. However, her words were no mere mistake of a confused person.
"Your premonition can sometimes make you think that you've already seen something or someone, but in reality, it hasn't happened yet. It's common for people of your lineage to confuse their feelings about the future with past experiences, Your Highness." The old man commented.
"Perhaps." She didn't deny it, curious to know what she would have with this person if that were the case. "Remind me of that next time I see him."
"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on things." The old man smiled as their carriage sped toward the center of Grandis.
Vicente had no idea what the people keeping an eye on him might be up to. As soon as he reached one of the exits of the capital, he headed for Magewatch.
He would be traveling with Onyx for the next few days, going to Joshua's family to find out his current location. That wouldn't be a problem for him, and he would soon have the man's location in his hands.
