Chapter 9: A Meeting with the Earl
After Edward left Cloud's room, a maid brought him a luxurious lunch. He ate it in bed, then sat quietly, contemplating the corners of the room.
His gaze landed on a painting hanging on the wall across from him. It depicted a man standing in the middle of a vast yellow wheat field. The man appeared only as a distant shadow amid the expanse. What was strange about the painting, however, was the sky — a deep crimson red, like an endless sea of blood.
He kept staring at the painting for a while, then eventually turned his head to the window. He felt he could stare at that painting all day and still not understand its meaning.
He sighed and got out of bed lightly. Barefoot, he walked toward the large wooden wardrobe in the corner, which was intricately carved with stunning designs.
He opened it swiftly, revealing a row of neatly arranged, elegant clothing. Their dark, luxurious colors and refined styles were unlike anything he had ever worn in his village.
He chose a black jacket with silver stripes at the cuffs and a comfortable pair of trousers suited for movement. These clothes weren't patched rags like what he used to wear — they gave a strong sense of comfort and seemed durable, their high quality clearly apparent.
After dressing, he left the room to explore the manor.
The manor was far larger than Cloud had imagined. It didn't resemble the palaces from the stories he had heard from old villagers — it felt more like a grand labyrinth, filled with staircases and numerous corridors. The similarity and sheer number of the hallways caused Cloud to easily lose his way.
Three days passed like that — he would wake early and spend hours walking or quietly meditating in the empty training yard, observing what could soon become a regular part of his life.
On the morning of the fourth day, he awoke to the sound of a soft knock at the door.
"Cloud?"
The voice was gentle and quiet… It seemed to be the same maid who had brought him meals and tended to his needs over the past few days.
"Yes?" he replied, rubbing his eyes.
"Master Edward asks you to come to the council hall. He says his father wishes to see you."
Cloud froze for a moment. His heart pounded violently. He wasn't ready to face the man said to rule the City of Mist with an iron fist… the Earl Marcellian Lionheart!
He had heard many things about the Earl from the manor's servants during his wanderings — tales that spoke of a legendary and powerful man, one who rarely appeared in the manor and never interacted with any of the staff, as if he didn't even live there.
He quickly washed and dressed in the same black clothes he had worn for the past three days. Then he silently followed the maid through the long corridors he had begun to grow familiar with.
The closer they drew to the council wing, the dimmer the wall-mounted lights became. The ornate patterns shifted to depictions of battles and grim scenes.
This was the only area of the manor the servants had warned him to never approach — it was the Earl's private wing.
Before a massive door engraved with the image of a flaming lion's face, the maid stepped aside and spoke softly:
"Through here… Master Cloud."
He swallowed hard and stepped forward, pushing the heavy door open with both hands.
As the door creaked open, a faint light spilled onto his face, accompanied by the scent of distant smoke. At the far end of the hall, seated on a high throne, was a man whose very presence filled the room with an aura of power and majesty — even before he uttered a single word.
This was Earl Marcellian Lionheart.
Cloud took his first steps into the hall. Each step echoed sharply against the marble floor, as though the room itself were measuring his weight… his existence.
The Earl sat on a grand wooden throne draped in crimson cloth, surrounded by pillars entwined with what looked like stone vines. Behind him, a round window looked out onto the ever-present mist covering the city.
Even seated, the Earl was tall and broad-shouldered. He had a short, well-groomed golden beard and piercing eyes that could cut through iron. He did not speak at first, merely stared at Cloud — as if evaluating the weak boy before him.
"You're the boy Edward brought from the outskirts of the Misty Forest?"
He spoke in a steady tone — a tone laced with a commanding authority that left no room for debate.
Cloud nodded silently. He felt that even speaking would be difficult in this man's presence.
Marcellian rose slowly from his throne, his steps heavy but steady, until he stood just a short distance in front of Cloud.
"Do you understand what it means to be here? This is no place for the weak or the aimless."
"Not just anyone can become part of the Lionheart family, even if it was my own son who brought you here," he said sharply.
"Do you possess what it takes to be part of this family?"
Cloud stood in the midst of the Earl's words — a powerful storm of presence and meaning — feeling as though he had been tossed into a sea of crashing waves.
But he knew he had to prove himself if he wanted to become Edward's student. He wasn't ready to give up the idea of being trained in that mysterious power. He had to show his resolve.
He lifted his eyes with steady determination and, gathering his courage, replied:
"I don't know anything yet. I don't have anything either. But I don't plan to wander around, sir."
Marcellian stared in silence, gazing down at him like a mountain observing a mere pebble. A faint smile appeared on his face — a strange smile, not warm, but like that of a predator realizing its prey had begun to understand the laws of the jungle.
"My third son has chosen you as his student. That alone is enough for me to give you a chance. But let me tell you something important, boy: in this manor, trust is more valuable than anything else… and the quickest to shatter. If you wish to become one of us, you must grow stronger. There is no place here for the weak!"
He continued in his rough voice, "Starting tomorrow, you'll train physically with the guards every morning. And if you truly have what it takes… you might earn a place among us."
"You may leave now," he said calmly.
Cloud bowed and exited the hall, his heart brimming with questions. But one thing was certain — his life had just entered a new phase, and the first true test of his journey had only just begun.
End of Chapter.