The Jester’s office greeted them with warm light. The Jester gestured for Alex to sit. The boy silently took a seat in the soft leather chair across from the massive desk, his eyes carefully tracking every movement of the host. The Jester calmly walked to a cabinet, opened it, and retrieved a dark glass bottle and two large goblets. Setting them on the desk, he opened the bottle and, with an almost celebratory slowness, poured the thick golden ale into the glasses.

  "I have a toast," the Jester said with a smile, raising his goblet. "To our victory over Lorenzo."

  Alex glanced sideways at the drink, then at the Jester. A faint trace of distrust could be read in his gaze. The Jester didn’t remain silent.

  "If I wanted to poison you, trust me, I’d do it much more elegantly. And I certainly wouldn’t ruin such ale. That would be sacrilege."

  Alex gave in, sighed lightly, and raised his goblet.

  "There’s a note of truth in your words. To victory."

  They almost simultaneously took several sips. The drink was indeed good—rich, slightly sweet, with a distinct honey flavor and a smooth aftertaste.

  "And? What do you think?"

  Alex gave a short nod.

  "I like it. Especially that honey note."

  "It’s my favorite," the Jester said with satisfaction, setting his goblet on the desk. "I’d drink it by the liter, if only it didn’t cost such insane money."

  A short pause followed. Both sat in silence, staring into the flames flickering in the fireplace. The silence wasn’t tense, but rather… expectant. At last, the Jester chuckled quietly, almost to himself.

  "You know, I can’t even imagine how absurd this whole situation must look in your eyes."

  "What do you mean?" Alex asked calmly, though his expression grew guarded.

  "Well, look—you’re sitting in my office, drinking ale with me. With me, someone who once dealt with the Montameris. Who has ties with Elian—the same Elian who turned your friend into a monster. Who gave orders to Heinrich and that creature, because of whom your loved ones were put in danger in the dungeon. Who cooperated with Lorenzo himself. I completely understand that after all this, I appear to you as the main villain. But on the other hand, I’m the one who helped Reiner, and the one who gave you another potion, right? We killed Lorenzo’s mercenaries together. And, by the way, I didn’t order that monster to maim your loved ones—only to wound them. To frighten them. So you’d have more motivation to show your full strength. And admit it—it worked."

  Alex gave a slight nod.

  "Yes. All that’s true. But there’s one detail you conveniently ignore. Every one of those situations was created by you."

  The Jester laughed in response. Loudly, even sincerely, as if he had just heard a good joke. Alex didn’t look away, his face remaining serious.

  "That’s not entirely correct," the Jester said with a smile. "Think broader. Yes, I created those situations. But why did I have to? Because of you. You eliminated the Montameris, and in doing so you created a hole in the structure. I had to fill it with something—and that ‘something’ became Lorenzo. At the same time, you began to pique my interest. At first I tested you through Elian and Reiner. Then through the monster in the dungeon. So the true cause of all this isn’t me—it’s you, Alex. You are the catalyst."

  Alex averted his gaze slightly, silently processing the words. “Somewhere deep inside, this thought had troubled me more than once. And now the Jester confirmed it.” But aloud he said only:

  "If that’s the case, if I’m the one who forced you to act like this… why haven’t you eliminated me yet? It would be easier than constantly bothering yourself."

  The Jester answered without hesitation.

  "I already gave you the answer," his voice was a little softer than before. "And it hasn’t changed."

  "Because of interest?" Alex asked. "Are you saying all this is just because I intrigue you?"

  A smile appeared on the Jester’s lips. But not a mocking one. This time—it was genuine, almost weary.

  "Think about it," he said. "You’re a seventeen-year-old vampire who has mastered dark magic. That alone makes you unique. I’ve lived a very long time, Alex. And I’ve never seen anything like you. You’re not just interesting. You’re an anomaly. You defeated a professor of the Academy. You survived a battle with a monster meant to be stronger than most S-rank bosses. And you did it at seventeen. Next to that, even wiping out the Montameris looks like child’s play."

  Alex, with a trace of irritation in his voice, interrupted.

  "It can’t all come down to mere interest. Judging by how you behave… you want me to trust you. Completely. Without doubts. If I’m wrong—correct me. But if I’m right, tell me… why?"

  A tense silence fell. The Jester was no longer smiling. He exhaled slowly through his nose, staring directly into Alex’s eyes.

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  The Jester took another sip of ale, set the goblet on the desk, and finally broke the silence.

  "You want to know my motivation," he began softly. "Fine. I’ll be completely honest with you."

  He raised his gaze and, without looking away, continued calmly.

  "All I want is to put a gazebo in the backyard of my estate. Open a bottle of good ale, sit in the shade while a cool breeze is blowing… and share a drink with my wife. That’s my motivation. No world-changing schemes, no ambitions, no grandiose goals."

  He smiled faintly, tilted his head, and added:

  "So what do you say, Alex? Did that answer satisfy you? Or are you disappointed that behind this mask lies only such a simple desire?"

  Alex remained silent. His gaze studied every muscle on the Jester’s face, every nerve, every flicker of eyelid. He tried to catch the slightest sign of deceit, pretense, or game. But… nothing. Only calm. Quiet, deep, and strangely honest.

  “If only I had Astarion’s ability to hear another’s heartbeat right now…”

  "I’m not disappointed," Alex finally replied, his voice free of irritation now. "I’m… impressed."

  The Jester narrowed his eyes slightly, giving Alex a look of mild surprise.

  "And what about your motivation, Alex?" he asked. "What makes you pick up your weapon again and again?"

  "Protecting my family," Alex answered without hesitation. "Protecting my loved ones. And those who believed in me."

  The Jester nodded slowly, with a thoughtful smile.

  "Then our goals aren’t so different after all," he said. "We’re just walking different roads to reach them. And, paradoxically, it’s exactly because of that we keep getting in each other’s way. I do things my way—you break them. You fight your way—and I, indirectly at least, put obstacles in your path. But what if"—his voice grew calmer, almost trusting—"we walked one road together?"

  Alex raised a surprised brow.

  "What?"

  “I wasn’t planning to talk about this today”, the Jester thought. “But right now is the perfect moment.”

  "I have a proposal, Alex," he said aloud, looking straight into his eyes. "Let’s join forces. You—with your strength, convictions, and goal. Me—with my network, resources, and… knowledge of the darker side of the world. We don’t have to agree on everything. But together, we could reach our goals much faster."

  The room fell into silence, heavy as before a storm. Alex only stared at him in silence, while the Jester simply waited.

  Syrena spoke first. Her voice, sounding slightly troubled, echoed in the Jester’s mind:

  “My Lord, are you certain that joining forces with him is a good idea?”

  The Jester, focusing a little, replied in thought:

  “Yes. I believe that working with him will finally help me reach my goal.”

  “How exactly can he help you?” she asked.

  “I can become stronger,” Alex answered to Syrena. “And more importantly—more enduring. The fight with the monster showed me that I have more than enough strength, but I catastrophically lack stamina. To fix that, I need to fight someone stronger than me, someone who definitely won’t hold back. And the best candidate for that is the Jester.”

  “I hope you’re not mistaken,” Syrena said softly.

  “So do I,” the Jester replied in thought. “But I’ll do everything to make this partnership work. And I hope Alex will do the same, so that each of us can finally live in peace.”

  “And what if he betrays you?” Syrena asked with concern.

  Alex hesitated for a moment.

  “That cannot be ruled out. Although the Jester is stronger now, I’m not standing still. Every day I get closer to his level of power. And when I have that sword… I’ll be even stronger than him.”

  The Jester took a sip of ale and added in thought:

  “Of course, I want to believe everything will work out. But if not…”

  And then, at the same time, in two very different minds, the same answer rang out:

  “I’ll just get rid of him.”

  Alex smiled faintly and extended his hand.

  “I accept your offer. I look forward to fruitful cooperation.”

  “Glad to work with you,” the Jester replied just as easily, shaking the boy’s hand.

  When their hands parted, Alex raised his goblet.

  “And now—to the beginning of this very cooperation.”

  “To the beginning,” the Jester echoed the toast, and they both took several sips.

  After finishing, the Jester refilled their goblets, took another sip, and, settling comfortably into his chair, asked:

  “So, what do you plan to do now that the Lorenzo affair is over?”

  “First, as I said, I’ll resolve the matter with the orphans. Then I’ll return to training. And that’s where I’ll need your help,” Alex replied.

  “I’m listening carefully,” the Jester said, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “My problem is stamina. I won the fight with your monster, but after I brought everyone home, I fainted. I was out for two days. That can’t happen again. I need a strong opponent to train with. Stronger than me.”

  “I understand,” the Jester nodded. “Personally training you will be difficult because of a lack of free time. But I promise to think of something by our next meeting, once you’ve dealt with the orphans.”

  “Thank you. By the way…” Alex tilted his head slightly. “Is there anything I can help you with? Because so far, it’s been you helping me all along.”

  “There actually is. But not now. When the time comes, I’ll ask,” the Jester smiled. Seeing suspicion flash in Alex’s eyes, he added: “Don’t worry. Nothing that would go against your principles.”

  “I hope so,” Alex answered curtly.

  “By the way,” the Jester recalled. “Did you already use that potion I gave you back in the clearing?”

  “No.”

  “That’s good. Because I never properly explained what it does. First of all, it’s a very powerful regeneration potion. It can even restore lost limbs. Second, it can return a normal appearance, like in Reiner’s case. Though, I doubt you’ll ever need that second effect.”

  “And that’s all? Can it lift a curse?” Alex asked, disappointed.

  “No. But…” The Jester narrowed his eyes. “Do you need a potion against curses?”

  “Not for me. For a close friend of mine.”

  “I know exactly who you mean,” the Jester smiled, opening his inventory. He took out a vial with a black liquid and placed it before Alex. “This might help. It can lift any curse. It was created by my friend—probably the best alchemist on the continent.”

  Alex glanced sideways at the vial.

  “Was it tested?”

  “Yes, of course. But only on weak and medium curses. Against a strong one, I don’t know if it will work. Maybe yes, maybe no. But Astarion has nothing left to lose anyway. It might be worth trying.”

  “How did you…” Alex began, then stopped, answering his own question. “Right. Why am I even surprised.”

  He picked up the potion and stored it in his inventory.

  “Thank you.”

  “No need,” the Jester shrugged. “We’re partners now. And partners should help each other.”

  The man took another sip of ale and glanced over his shoulder at the balcony.

  “There’s still some time before dinner,” he said, gazing at the sky, where the sun was only beginning to sink toward the horizon.

  He drank again, set his goblet on the table, and stood up resolutely. Alex, silently watching him, also rose to his feet.

  A magical circle flared beneath both their feet—and in the next moment the office dissolved into light. When their sight returned, they were standing in the middle of a familiar clearing. The same one where Alex had once fought Elian. The same one where he first met the Jester. But now it was bathed in the soft glow of the evening sun, not the stillness of a starry night.