While Beardman was watching over his cooking soup, Revaliant was still lying in his room, unconscious since being shot multiple times. Fortunately, the bullets hadn't hit any vital organs, so Beardman was able to save his life.
Beardman was a vegetable vendor in Central Town, acquainted with Revaliant's mother, Queen Dauphine. Beardman was a tall man, but slender in build, although his body was toned and muscular. His frizzy, orange-colored hair reached down to his back, and his beard reached down to his chest. He mostly wore a straw hat. People in town call him a sociable hermit. When he learned that Revaliant was caught up in his parents' wrongdoings, he rescued the young man from the palace.
Initially, Revaliant was hesitant to trust Beardman and even thought he was a psychopath. However, when Revaliant heard the noise and conversation of the approaching royal guards outside his room, he realized that Beardman was telling the truth. His uncle, Leclerc, who was now the new king of Lovelrinth, was after him.
"We'll escape? But what about my two siblings, Recontesa and Revictor?" Revaliant asked, worried.
"I want to save them, but it's too late, they've already been caught by the royal guards," Beardman revealed.
"What will they do to my siblings?" Revaliant asked, tearfully. "What sin have we committed that they want to capture us?"
"I know you're innocent, but when your parents are involved in a scandal, you're often dragged down with them," Beardman explained, holding Revaliant's shoulders. "The royal guards are closing in. We need to hurry!"
The two of them escaped through the window of Revaliant's room and were chased and shot at while navigating the palace roofs.
Revaliant had found refuge in Beardman's home, a secluded dwelling nestled beneath a hill in the heart of a dense forest. Despite the distance from Lovelrinth, Beardman was keenly aware that the royal guards, particularly the captains of the Royal Zodiacs, were actively hunting them.
The Royal Zodiacs, a military force established by King Leclerc, consisted of twelve platoons, each led by a captain with extraordinary abilities granted by the Mythical Meadow Feral Egg. Those who served the king were a formidable and elite group. Beardman knew that their safety was precarious, and they could be attacked at any moment.
When Revaliant awoke, Beardman allowed him to rest and recover. He offered the prince a soothing broth before speaking.
"The king has implemented significant changes in Lovelrinth's governance, including the military. Those who remained loyal to your parents were executed, while others were coerced into pledging allegiance to him. A substantial bounty has been placed on both our heads, with yours being three times higher than mine. This has attracted a multitude of hunters. Once you're feeling better, we'll begin your training."
Revaliant felt like a burden to Beardman. Although Beardman was an acquaintance of his mother, Revaliant still found it puzzling that a complete stranger had come to his rescue.
Once his wounds had fully healed, he approached Beardman about honing his combat skills. Beardman was delighted to see the determination in the young man's eyes.
"If you want to avenge your parents' death and reclaim the throne from your uncle, I want you to join the High Periphery and become a highly skilled manslayer," Beardman said, laying out a map to the academy. "I believe that's where you'll unlock your true potential and discover more about yourself. The training we'll do is just preparation for the entrance exam, which will take place in a month. But I'll not only train you physically; I'll also train you emotionally and mentally." Revaliant listened intently to Beardman's words.
"And to avoid suspicion, you'll need to change your appearance and adopt a new name," Beardman added. "Agysmal Volition will be your new identity."
The name Beardman gave to Revaliant came from his grandfather, who raised him alone. Beardman had said that when he had a son, he wanted to name him after his late grandfather. Seeing Revaliant in his home made him feel like his dream of becoming a responsible father was finally being fulfilled.
From then on, Revaliant, now known as Agysmal, dedicated all his time to training under Beardman's guidance in the secret basement of his house. Although Agysmal had previously taken classes in fencing, archery, martial arts, and marksmanship training, the training with Beardman was more advanced and complex.
After several weeks of training, Agysmal had come to trust Beardman, but he had yet to hear about Beardman's past. Whenever Agysmal asked, Beardman would either remain silent or shift the conversation back to training.
Meanwhile, Bechamel, the seventh captain of the Royal Zodiacs, was approaching Beardman's home. He was the same age and height as Beardman, but his body was more toned and larger. He looked youthful and had a noticeable piercing on his ear that caught attention.
When Bechamel saw the silhouette on the wanted poster, he thought to himself that the person who helped the prince looked familiar. However, he dismissed the thought later on because the description of the man on the poster didn't match the person he knew.
Since several weeks had passed and the prince and the mysterious man were still not found, Bechamel decided to visit the Volition Abode alone to confirm his initial suspicion.
As the two were sparring in the basement, Beardman became aware that he had a visitor.
"It seems we have a guest," Beardman said to Agysmal, and their training came to a halt. "I'll leave you for now, and don't come out until I give you the signal." Agysmal nodded.
When Beardman opened the door, he was greeted by the face of his close friend, Bechamel. The two immediately exchanged greetings, but Beardman knew why Bechamel was really there. Despite this, Beardman put on a fake smile, as he was skilled in deception. Beardman invited Bechamel into his small home.
"It's been a while since we last saw each other. How was your journey?" Beardman asked. "I'm glad you decided to drop by."
Beardman offered Bechamel a seat on a small stool, intending to fetch him some tea, but Bechamel preferred to stand instead.
"I've stopped being a mercenary," Bechamel revealed. Beardman, with his back turned, held the teapot. "The king has appointed me to join his Royal Zodiacs."
When Beardman faced Bechamel, he approached him to hand over the teacup.
"I'm delighted to hear that news, my friend," Beardman responded. Bechamel took the teacup and sipped the tea.
"Invigorating," he complimented. "You're always an expert when it comes to making tea or brewing liquor. But, Beardman, I'm here because I'm searching for the prince."
"Which prince?"
"You know who I'm referring to. I want you to hand him over to me."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Bechamel."
"I've had my suspicions about you for a long time, but over the past few days, I wanted to confirm if I was right. And I wasn't wrong, because as soon as I entered your home, I caught a whiff of the prince's presence." Bechamel drained his tea and casually handed the empty teacup to Beardman.
"If I'm skilled at brewing various drinks, you have a keen sense of smell," Beardman said, taking the teacup and heading to the mini sink. "But I won't let you have your way. You'll have to go through me before you can present him to the king."
From the basement, Agysmal waited for Beardman's return. Although he wanted to follow Beardman's instructions, his curiosity got the better of him, and he made his way to the stairs and climbed up. He slowly opened the trapdoor to peek at what was happening upstairs. However, as he peeked, he heard clashing sounds and explosions. It turned out that Beardman and Bechamel were already fighting. And it wasn't just that, as Beardman's small home was also destroyed.
Agysmal stepped out of his hiding spot, curious about the unfolding scene. He spotted Beardman engaged in a fierce confrontation. Bechamel's face was instantly recognizable, having been present at his uncle's coronation ceremony. Seeking to remain inconspicuous, Agysmal concealed himself behind a massive boulder overgrown with moss.
Agysmal found himself staring at the sky as a Triassic reanimated corpse suddenly emerged. The creature had scales on its skin and sharp teeth. Its body was buff, like a bodybuilder's, and when it swung its tail, it caused tremors and massive rockslides.
"This must be his ultimate form," Agysmal said to himself, referring to Bechamel.
Beardman cut off one of his fingers and used it as a makeshift pen in the air. The blood from his finger served as ink. The surface of the ground lit up with a plaid design, and the monster looked confused about what was happening. Suddenly, the monster was enclosed in a large aqueous stockade, and despite its immense power, it couldn't escape.
The cage slowly sank underground, leaving the monster staring into Beardman's eyes. To defeat Bechamel, Beardman had sacrificed one of his fingers to create a powerful, sealed cage.
As soon as Agysmal saw Beardman crumple to the ground, he rushed out of his hiding spot. He was shocked to see a deep gash on Beardman's chest. Without hesitation, Agysmal removed his upper clothing and used it to apply pressure to the wound, trying to stem the bleeding. With a Herculean effort, Beardman reached out to grasp Agysmal's shoulder, his body trembling with weakness.
His voice barely above a whisper, Beardman urged, "Make us proud."
As Beardman's hand slipped from Agysmal's shoulder, Agysmal's eyes closed, and he was consumed by a profound sense of sorrow.