The Story of Dhanvanthri

seventeen

Midnight Indulgence

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Dhanvanthri fixed his cuffs, his hair combed behind and tied into a small, low ponytail at the tip of his nape. His eyes flickered between black and blue before returning to the previously bright shades of blue. He threw the hood hanging behind over his head before pushing the window open. The clock ticked and hit midnight, making the moon that hung high above their head seemingly shine brighter.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Come in," Dhanvanthri said, taking a seat in the chair by the window. Noah walked in, dressed in a similar way as Dhanvanthri was, except the hood wasn't put up. He looked impassive as he shut the door behind him. Dhanvanthri spared the knight a glance as he poured two cups of tea out.

"Drink," Dhanvanthri ordered, pushing a glass over. The tea warmed beneath his hand, turning into just one temperature above lukewarm as it sunk down his throat. Noah bowed and accepted the cup of tea, drinking quietly.

"How's my sister?" Dhanvanthri asked, eyes fixed on the knight.

Noah paused before setting the empty cup down, "Asleep. It seems that the magician has her under stasis spell as she must continue prolonged sleep to adjust to her mana changes."

"No thanks for me?" A new voice joined the conversation.

Noah stiffened, his fist gripped tightly but he dare not make a move.

Dhanvanthri didn't bat an eyelash at the intruder, continue drinking the tea until the pot was eventually finished. He set the cup down gently on the side table, adjusting it on the table until it was back into position, looking as if it was never touched before if not for the lack of tea inside the pot. He then gave a dead stare at Lucas before smiling sweetly, "I offer you my deepest gratitude, genuinely from the bottom of my heart."

Lucas barely kept the grimace out of his face, "Nevermind, don't thank me."

"We're leaving now," Dhanvanthri stood up, the hood settling properly on his head and his eyes flickered into a familiar shade of dull grey. Lucas propped his head upon his palm, looking at the prince curiously.

"Can I come?" Lucas asked.

"Up to you," Dhanvanthri stepped onto the window still. "We'll meet in the market if you're coming."

"Sure, sure," Lucas agreed.

Dhanvanthri offered him a parting glance before taking a step forward and fell from the window, with Noah jumping down right after him. Before they reached the ground, traces of their bodies were completely wiped as they disappeared from view. Lucas remained seated inside the silence of his own room before a moment later, he too disappeared from view.

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The tavern was crowded, chattering and shouts. It was noisy, the stench of alcohol and sweat hung over the entire area like a leech. Dhanvanthri tucked the cloth around his mouth higher, covering his nose as if it could filter out the stench even if it's just a little bit. His eyes flickered around the tavern before sliding into a seat nearby.

"I heard the borders are getting thinner," Someone started. "You think we're gonna get invaded soon?"

Oh, the borders. It seems that it was still getting thinner, was his father not doing anything out of ignorance or was it intentional? Dhanvanthri thinned his lips, listening in to the conversation which dived deeper into politics. Unsurprisingly, these kinds of places are where you get the most news, even if most of them are debatable. 

"Nah, you might have forgotten but I know very well how our current Emperor came to be," the other man replied, his tone filled with mockery. "After all, our Emperor himself is sitting on a throne of murder."

"Hm," Dhanvanthri hummed in thought. It's not written in history but this is something he was well aware of, his father was a murderer one way or another. And there had been multiple different whispers of the fact that his father only became the Emperor because he murdered the previous Emperor, his brother.

"I wonder what you're looking for here?" Lucas asked, his appearance looking like an older boy instead of a child which he uses most of the time. Dhanvanthri spared him a glance before tucking his hood overhead further.

"I'm looking for any mention of the underground city," Dhanvanthri said. "The one that resides beneath Obelia, I'm not entirely sure if you're aware of it or not."

Lucas paused, "No, I don't think I am aware of it."

"I'm not that well-informed about it," Dhanvanthri frowned, "I've been stuck in the palace for far too long but I do know that the underground city is called Galileo."

Noah's hands stilled.

Dhanvanthri side-eyed him, "And it exists, that much I am certain. It's a myth even among the aristocracy due to them toeing far beyond the boundary line and already standing on thin ice when it comes to treason."

"Galileo," Lucas repeated the name, "Now, that is a familiar name."

"You've heard of it?" Dhanvanthri asked, puzzled. He himself knew what, or well, who Galileo was but that was a whole other story. The Galileo he knew couldn't be the same one that was present in this world, after all, Galileo was a scientist and this world defied the very notion of science.

"I've met her," Lucas said. "Galileo was a witch and I meant that in the most offensive manner possible."

"Is she still alive?" Dhanvanthri asked. Lucas scoffed, "That bitch is dead, otherwise the first person I've met when I woke up would've been her. She had been hunting for me until the day I rested, if she still isn't dead by now, I'll make sure she is."

"So, what are the chances that she built the underground city to spite you?" Dhanvanthri asked off-handedly, his fingers tapping against the wooden table in an off-rhythm beat. Lucas looked amused, just as he was about to respond, Noah set the glass of alcohol down on the table. It was loud enough for them to hear but not enough to catch the other occupants off-guard.

But Noah was a noble and that went against over a million etiquette protocols.

Dhanvanthri turned to his knight with a silent question, asking what was going on that his attention was needed. Noah shifted his left arm slightly and tapped the cup twice. Dhanvanthri blinked before his gaze moved towards two o'clock on Noah's left side. There were three men sitting down, dressed from tip to toe in cloaked disguises, but their body languages completely showed how they were observing Dhanvanthri's group the entire time.

Lucas frowned.

"We're leaving," Dhanvanthri decided, making Noah stand up. Lucas looked at him calculatingly before offering, "I can take you back to the palace first if you want."

"Pass," Dhanvanthri rejected. "I want to know what they want from me, besides, what I came here for isn't available, staying any longer is just a waste of time. Will you follow us or leave?"

"...I'll leave you to this," Lucas sighed. "One day, you're going to bite off more than you can chew, prince."

Dhanvanthri eyes darkened before a customary smiled appeared on his face, "Have I not already?"