Gregory felt nervous about bringing his cousin on their journey, causing his heart to skip a beat due to uncertainty. Even if the cold wind blows towards his direction, his palm becomes sweaty and moist. Edgar feels Gregory's unsteady hand, forcing him to let go and walk next to Oliver instead.

"Okay, tell us, how did you find us, Ed?" Oliver asked Edgar with a friendly smile as they walked.

"Oh! I was, uhmm... alone in Greg's house for the whole day, so I decided to look for him. It didn't take much before I spotted Greg getting into a carriage, and I followed the vehicle. Soon enough, the carriage stopped at a gate, and you all went through it. But the guards forbade me to pass through, so I had to drink my invisibility potion, climb the wall, and jump down on the other side. I lost track of you for a bit, but I eventually found you all here," Edgar explained as they marched.

"Do you realize we're on a dangerous mission right now?" Gregory looked at Edgar with concern.

"I thought you were just going camping," Edgar replied. "I love adventures, so I wanted to join!"

Oliver smiled. "Well, we're actually on a quest right now. You might enjoy it."

"Oli..." Gregory placed his firm hand on Oliver's shoulder, bearing weight on his body. "Be careful of what you say..."

"Oh, yeah..." Oliver scratched his head. "Sorry about that."

     Soon, Oliver and his companions encounter more trees ahead. Unexpectedly, fog rolls into their path and surrounds them, forcing them to tilt their brows and squint. Slowing their pace, they venture inside the woods, blinded by the thick mist.

     The trees surrounding the group had wide gaps between them, allowing them to see the spaces in between. Looking up, they could view the blue morning sky, but it gradually became darker as the branches covered their view. Soon, the woods and plants became more compact as they walked further into the woods, forcing them to walk in a single file line.

"How tall are you exactly?" Edgar eagerly questioned Oliver as they walked.

"I'm five foot... uhm... eleven, I think," Oliver replied, pushing away some branches from his face.

"How did your eyes become gold?" Edgar continued to ask.

"Magic," Oliver chuckled.

"I've read that your hair was copper-ish... brownish... ginger before it became silver. When will your old hair colour grow back?" Edgar inquired curiously.

"I'm not sure. I do miss my old hair colour, though," Oliver admitted.

"...Hmm. What're your siblings' names?" Edgar wondered.

"Uhm... my eldest brother is William, my second brother is Andrew, and my sister is Michelle," Oliver answered with a broad, warm smile.

"And your biological parents? What were their names?" Edgar asked.

"Hm, Margaret and Albert," Oliver responded as he pushed through bushes.

Edgar flashed a bright smile. "Wow, my history books were correct!" he leapt cheerfully.

"You read history books? That's great!" Oliver grinned.

"Yeah!" Edgar continued his questioning. "Also! Who is your current adoptive father, may I ask?"

"His name is Frederick Alcadee," Oliver replied as he beamed at Edgar.

"The former mayor? That's cool!" Edgar exclaimed. "And who was your former fiancée again?" he asked with a grin.

Oliver glanced at Sophia, feeling uneasy. She looked back at him with a similar expression.

Gregory quickly intervened. "Let's move on from that topic, Ed," Gregory grabbed Edgar's shoulder. "They prefer not to think about it."

"Oh..." Edgar glanced down. He then looked at Oliver with a mischievous grin and queried, "What's your favourite food?"

"Muisken stew. Uhm... bread. Skevarme... you know? That bread filled with meat? And... uh... any vegetable."

"Favourite colour?"

"Gold, silver and green."

"Are you seeing anyone??"

"What...?" Oliver pushed aside a tree branch off his face and glanced at Edgar, refusing to answer.

     As Oliver and his companions passed through the slim trees, they could catch glimpses of the grasslands ahead. However, as soon as they stepped onto the open field, a thicker fog that utterly obscured their vision greeted them. Nevertheless, they continued through the grassland. But, as they walked, they slowed their paces.

As they trudged along, Edgar turned to Sophia. "I heard you don't like dating. Is that true?" he blabbered.

Sophia smirked as she nodded. "Mhm."

"Ed!" Gregory let out a loud, frustrated whisper.

"Mhmh," Oliver giggled.

Edgar then turned his attention to Oliver. "Sir Oliver Podeshire? How long have you been friends with my cousin?" he questioned.

"We've been friends for about a year now," Oliver replied as he squeezed through a narrow gap between two trees.

"Yes, for a year now," Gregory confirmed, trying to catch pace.

"How old were you when you met my cousin?" Edgar then queried.

"I was nineteen," Oliver replied with a light smirk.

"Hmm... Sir Oliver Podeshire? What does Greg call you?" Edgar asked as he scratched his chin and looked at the tall trees.

"He calls me 'Oli'," Oliver answered while smiling.

"I call him 'Oli'," Gregory whispered to Edgar.

Edgar gasped, putting his palms on his cheeks. "Can I call you Oli, too!?" Edgar asked.

"Of course. That's fine!" Oliver replied. "In fact, everyone can call me Oli."