10 Farewell

Mael was surprised when he heard a new revelation.

"So do you want to change your appearance?", Vanz said to Mael.

Mael grinned as he heard his amazing offer.

"Yes of course! With that at hand, I will change my current plans, so how?", he asked to sir Vanz.

"It's just easy as using a skill! But first, we need the consent of Lady Erza. She might wanna know your face first before saying goodbye", he said to him.

Mael touched his chin and was thinking.

"It would be great if I change my name for that time being when I become an adventurer.", he said then concluded.

"I will use father's last name as my first name", he said.

"Well, it's concluded then. I better prepare, for tomorrow's gonna be the day.", he said to Vanz.

"Say your farewells to your mother by the meantime. You will not see them for a long time if you still have a long journey to travel by yourself", he said to Mael.

"And by the way, do you know to identify a stone?", he asked to Vanz.

"What stone?", Vanz asked.

"This one", he said as he showed it to him.

"Oh my goodness! This is a revival stone! It can revive and a person that has just passed on death's door! But it will not heal any wounds so better use a health potion by that time.", he said to Mael.

"Okay! Thanks! I didn't know you're skilled at many things! I might increase your salary", Mael said to Vanz.

"Oh, no. No! It's part of my service", he said.

"By the way, why did you left the king's side when you have a high salary and status?", he said as he sipped the tea in the table.

"Well as you can see", he said as he turned serious.

"I'm an assistant to the king in the past decades and I'm investigating the slave trade in the kingdom. I'm on an undercover mission and will infiltrate their hideout. But when I'm almost near to accomplish the mission. I've found the files of their persons involved and their activities. When I'm about to exit the hideout, they are all waiting for me at the outside! I was able to escape. Sadly, I didn't hand it out to the king and fled to Golden Valley. We've been chased for days by the lord's forces, then found an inn and settled there. I've been hiding for days, but this is what happened.", he said everything and then handed out the files.

Mael received it and then puts it on his lap and reads it.

"Oh my! These are all part of the illegal slave trade?", he gasped.

"Yes, I'm sorry for causing you trouble", he said to him.

"That's fine. Anyone who touches Golden Valley will not be forgiven", he assured him.

"What is your plan? Are you returning these to the king?", Mael asked.

"I suppose you're the right person to return it to the king. The problem is how?", Mael pondered.

"Well, let's discuss it on another time, shall we?", Mael said as he yawns.

"Let's sleep for tonight." He turned to the butler. "Maledic, please guide our guests to their rooms", he said to his guests.

Mael and his guests go to their rooms and then he falls asleep. With the tiring night that has been engraved in his mind, he will never forget what happened in the Golden Valley.

He waked up in the morning. He was wide awake. But his eyes were blurry, looking at the ceiling of his room.

"It was morning already? It felt like only a minute! Well considering my fatigue last night then I will surely be tired", he said to himself.

Mael washed in the bathtub and then he packed his clothes and equipment for his journey.

"Oh, I can't wait to become an adventurer! I will travel the whole continent of Lumia and close the gates and become the highest rank! I wonder what would it be like to be the highest rank then.", wondered Mael while he brings his backpack with him.

Mael closed the door and walks to the living room. There he saw Sir Vanz already waiting for him on the couch.

"Morning! Already packed? Quite excited are you?", greeted Sir Vanz to him.

"Yes, of course! Where's mom?", he said.

"She's still in her room", Vanz replied.

When they are talking, Erza appeared like a ghost wearing a gorgeous gown together with Sir Maledic.

"Here I am! You've waited for so long? Well, I can't be wearing a normal dress on a special day!", she said then made a flying kiss to Mael.

Mael pouted but then smiled bitterly.

"Well let's begin!", Mael said to Vanz after everyone arrived.

Mael found a vacant space for the spell to be cast. They surrounded him and Vanz prepared a spell.

"Good luck, son!", Erza cheered her son.

"Face change!", shouted Vanz.

Great light covered the room and Mael's face is emitting a bright light.

"Whoa!", Erza was shocked. "Your face! That's manly! And badass looking!", she shouted

She hugged him and then said, " Even if no girls will love you anymore, your mother will always be here"

"Huh? What do you mean?", he said as he grabs the mirror that is handed by Maledic.

"Your face has the perfect disguise! They will never even know that you're Lord Mael at this point!", Vanz said as he waited for his praise.

"Damn!", Mael said as he saw his face in the mirror. He has a black hair and an plain faced guy. His eyes were black and his teeth were jagged.

"I'm ugly?", Mael said to Vanz.

"It's a perfect disguise! Like no girls will bother you and you will have your freedom! Haha haha hah!", he laughed vigorously.

"Well, it's not that bad! I can be a bad boy like this!", he said to them.

"Right mom?", he said to her while looking.

Erza began to cry while murmuring," My son will be forever single, I will not have a grandson like this! bring back his handsome cute face at once!"

"Mom, don't act like I'm gonna be forever like this. I can get back my face right? right, Vanz?", Mael said worriedly.

Vanz is silent for a second.

"Hey, Vanz! you hear me?", he said

"Um, well there's a problem, I can only do it once a day", he said while he scratches his hair.

"What!?", Erza shouted.

"It's okay, mom. I will go to the capital later anyway. I want to at least enjoy the freedom of a free person. So, it's okay", he said then he smiled.

"Aaaaauuuuuwwww! My son is a big boy now! Let me hug you!", she said then she hugged him.

"Well, Vanz I will leave the operations of our projects and constructions because you're great at managing the realm being the right hand of the king. Don't worry, I will bring these documents to the king myself and you will be safe here. And by the way, let's write ourselves letters in-between months so that we will be communicated with each other", he said to Vanz.

"And Maledic! Please protect mom in my place. Mom, I will go now! Please be healthy for my sibling", he said then he walks outside their mansion.

"Write letters every day! Don't get sick! Please be safe!", shouted Erza as they waved goodbye to mael

Mael walks to the road without looking back and Erza is crying again.

"Why does he have to play hero for everyone? He had to enjoying playing and reading books at his age and not to act like a Lord.", she says while crying.

"As I can see, the young master is a person who cares for this country the most. I didn't see anyone like him before and was inspired by his acts of selflessness. Even at the stake of his life, he still moves to save the weak. Everything is just a flower that passes away and withers, but he has made the garden bloom with just his essence. He is that flower, the one who changes everything and everyone around him.", Maledic explained.

Mael travels to the roads and then met travelers that are going to the capital in the local traveling carriage from the capital to the town and back and forth. The terminal was dusty for there's a person who diligently sweeps the street. When he arrived, the carriage was almost full and needs only one passenger.

"I'm going to the capital, how much is the fare?", Mael asked.

"One silver coin sir", the driver said.

"Okay, here is my fare", he said as he handed a silver coin the driver.

"Thank you, sir! Please sit at the back together with the others and we will be good to go!", he said cheerfully.

Mael climbed the carriage and sat beside a well-built guy armed with a sword. He has brown hair that was well combed. Next to him was a cute ponytail haired girl that was colored black. To his front is a teen-ager boy that has leather armor that has a white hair. Beside him is a red haired teenage boy at his age with robes and staff.

Mael was silently observing and they all looked with disdain at him.

"Is it because of my looks?", he wondered.