Six years ago, Gilbert had brought Tales here shortly after his return to the kingdom to evade a wave of enemy probes.
Six years later, with Tales now the master of Mindis Hall, he naturally put this place to use—though Gilbert believed that, with Tales's identity made public and the Royal Guard stationed here, they "would have no use for it anymore."
Tales locked the secret door from the inside, lifted the thick cloth covering the luminous nightstone, and peered through the tiny holes that let him monitor every part of Mindis Hall in the dim light:
In the foyer, Marius was politely seeing the restless Scholar Julio out. Perhaps he suspected that the unruly prince had played another prank on his teacher.
In the corridor, Gollor and his fellow guards stood dutifully at their posts, their expressions lacking any warmth.
In the garden, Komuto and Piloga, who had both crossed hands with Tales, chatted about something as they patrolled. Tales lazily dubbed the gathering "the Prince's Exclusive Sandbag Exchange."
In the back kitchen, Doyle squatted listlessly in a corner, utterly devoid of hope, chewing on a long butter roll while watching the servants bustle about preparing lunch.
Only then did Tales take a deep breath and collapse onto the sofa in the secret room.
After several deep breaths, he rubbed his brow with his back against the sofa in the dimness enclosed by four walls, feeling a trace of long-lost peace.
Just like... the shabby cave where the beggar children had sheltered in the Ruined House.
It leaked wind from every side, but it was solid and dependable.
It protected every weakness he could not attend to.
After resting for a while, Tales sat up again and pulled away the covers over several more luminous nightstones, brightening the secret